200? CRF600X (or Brand New XR650R)?????

[DRZ_Motorsports_119]

What's the news on the brand new CRF600X is it true or just a myth will it debut in the 2006 SCORE Baja 1000 ens - la paz and will be available for sale for 2007, or will the reliable baja cruiser will be available a little longer the XR650R un-changed except for Bold New Graphics...

DRZ Motorsports 119

[dukeryder]

So far there's nothing concrete about this bike.

I read somewhere that the R is not going to be sold in Austrailia for 2007, but will be continue to be sold in the U.S for at least a "Couple" more years.

My guess is that possibly it's not meeting some stricter Euro Emissions stnadards ?

The KLR and DR 650s are no longer available in Europe the DR has been gone for at least 3yrs from some Euro countries yet we still get both bikes.

FWIW there hasn't been any BRPs R or Ls sold at my local Honda dealers for years ?

[snaggleXR650]

Even if the 600X does come out in 2007 in the US, I wouldn't buy it until I know it's a reliable ride like the old XR's. Find a good used 650R and enjoy it, and wait and see on the 600X, as mentioned, it may be a while before we see it.

[huntmaster]

Even if the 600X does come out in 2007 in the US, I wouldn't buy it until I know it's a reliable ride like the old XR's.

I generally follow that rule of thumb also, although I broke it when I bought my 2000 650R new and figured it would be fine as it's a Honda. Probably not an assumption I would make about most bikes today...at least for the racing four stroke designs. The good news about any future 600X is that motor wise, for reliability and durability it will probably have more in common with the 650R then any current CRF, as there is fortunately no MX-based design in this displacement category from the major manufacturers, nor would a 75 hp motor even be desirable for an off-road bike unless you have a personal tire sponsor! ?

[don87xr600]

I spoke to JC yesterday, he said there is no new bike.

[painkilla]

everyone else seems to be releasing new motorbikes except honda

i must admit the xr650r forum is getting boring nowdays i find myself reading the ktm and huskys forums more , honda better fvking wake up soon

else im moving on onto somewhere else ?

[mikekay]

Here are some facts:

1) Husqvarna is selling its 2006 street legal bikes in the USA as fast as they can get them over here. The big bore TE 510 is now hard to get a hold of!

2) KTM is now building a factory in the USA.

Here are the rumors:

1) There are a few CRF600 bikes now being raced/tested in europe.

2) All KTM's sold in the USA will be street legal for 2007.

3) Husqvarna will greatly expand market share in the USA in 2007.

The question isnt will there be a new bike. Of course there will be a new bike.

The question is will it be street legal or not--and is it an '07 bike.

[XR_mad]

well if its an x of course its going to be street legal, i dont know if its going to be able to fill the XR650R's place, honda are really gonna have to design it perfect to pull it off

[huntmaster]

i must admit the xr650r forum is getting boring nowdays i find myself reading the ktm and huskys forums more , honda better fvking wake up soon

I have been thinking the same thing myself the last year or so...but on the other hand, based on what we're seeing out there with some of these fragile racing four stroke designs....boring is starting to have some appeal again when it means a bulletproof, durable, low maintenance engine and literally years of trouble free riding! ?

[uncleroby]

I have a XR650R 2000 and I use it as a commuter and a dual sport.

She has 39.000 km and the engine is perfect... I am looking forward to change bike 'cause I need something easier to drive in the tight.

A XR 500 would be perfect...

But from what I see here in Italy it looks a very remote option as Honda is pushing for the CRF450X, pretty a business for a dealer as it costs a lot as initial price and maintainance... No use for a bullet-proof bike when you make more money with a racer.

Uncleroby

[rmhrc630]

well if its an x of course its going to be street legal, i dont know if its going to be able to fill the XR650R's place, honda are really gonna have to design it perfect to pull it off

Mate in the US XRs are not street legal off the showroom floor like they are in Australia.

I actually think the new tech stuff will work well. I'm a fan of new tech that's been tested and tried.

Sooner or later Honda re going to breal that link to history - the sooner the better.

We cant ride XRs forever.

??

[qadsan]

Fuel injection has been on the horizon for a while now, but it's getting closer to production for the CRF's, YZF's, RMZ's, etc. Check out this article...

http://www.transworldmotocross.com/mx/features/article/0,13190,1176568,00.html

Here's some quotes from the article...

...Suzuki had two radical bikes on hand: an all new RM-Z250 and a fleet of RMN-Z450s with all-new frames and electronic fuel injection....

...Suzuki did not attempt to cover the bikes or hide the system like Yamaha and Honda did....

....The most mysterious bike at the track is the fuel-injected Honda CRF450R, which was covered by a tarp all day long. The frame appeared to be standard, and after speaking with Yoshihide ***odome who rides the bike, it seems that the bike is the same as the other factory CRF450Rs, save for the EFI system....

[motochris]

Fuel injection has been on the horizon for a while now, but it's getting closer to production for the CRF's, YZF's, RMZ's, etc. Check out this article...

http://www.transworldmotocross.com/mx/features/article/0,13190,1176568,00.html

Here's some quotes from the article...

...Suzuki had two radical bikes on hand: an all new RM-Z250 and a fleet of RMN-Z450s with all-new frames and electronic fuel injection....

...Suzuki did not attempt to cover the bikes or hide the system like Yamaha and Honda did....

....The most mysterious bike at the track is the fuel-injected Honda CRF450R, which was covered by a tarp all day long. The frame appeared to be standard, and after speaking with Yoshihide ***odome who rides the bike, it seems that the bike is the same as the other factory CRF450Rs, save for the EFI system....

Why any of that would be a suprise is beyond me. The manufacturers are already fuel injecting thier quads. Suzuki's new hot rod quad (based on the RMZ450) is fuel injected and available.

[XR_mad]

Mate in the US XRs are not street legal off the showroom floor like they are in Australia.

I actually think the new tech stuff will work well. I'm a fan of new tech that's been tested and tried.

Sooner or later Honda re going to breal that link to history - the sooner the better.

We cant ride XRs forever.

??

yeah i know about the XR'Rs not being legal, was reffering to the crf'x, should have made myself clearer sorry, and thats debatable, the xrs last forever so why cant we ride them forever

[rmhrc630]

and thats debatable, the xrs last forever so why cant we ride them forever ?

ummm because hopefully the ass hatting that yamaha and ktm have been giving Honda for the last 5 years means that Honda will begin updating their bikes more regularly in line with what are really modest requirements - EFI, reliability and decent suspension. So it wont be an option of buying the first model because they will change more often. Thats good for us.

Change or be cast adrift.

[Thumpmeister]

You know what, I wouldn't be suprised if the new bike is in fact a 550, instead of a 600...

Think about it, Honda has had every size up to 650, minus one bore; 550... 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 600, 650. Plus, if Honda did a 550, they would be able to make it a bit lighter than our Pigs because of the smaller engine size, and less torque output. Being a 550, they could fit it into a CRF style frame, but it would be lower revving, and torqier than a 450, and most likely more reliable.

What do you guys think? I think this is plausable...

[ThunderChicken]

I have been thinking the same thing myself the last year or so...but on the other hand, based on what we're seeing out there with some of these fragile racing four stroke designs....boring is starting to have some appeal again when it means a bulletproof, durable, low maintenance engine and literally years of trouble free riding! ?

I tried exciting for a year and went back to boring.

[HC]

honda give up on a engine in only 6 yrs? no way. ( 650R)

look how long the L has been around. look into hondas history, they get mileage out of designs.

Give me an xr650r over a CRF any day. I dont race anymore. reliability works for me, your needs may be different.

[gaucho]

I would really like to see a Honda CRF 525-550, comparable to the KTM. That would be my dream bike.

[jwriott]

I keep thinking the XR650L will go away and the XR650R will become a dual sport. Then a redesign of the R for lighter weight/off road in a 550-600cc bike.