xr600r vs xr650r vs xr650l vs cr500r

[absynth01]

I have an 89 xr600r with a road title and all the goodies. It performs good for what I want it to do. Mainly we ride state forest roads at speed, and run a couple hiking "trails" if they are rideable. My buddie has a 00'650r with road title. Both bikes are about even on speed(low 100's) and acceleration, but when it comes to handeling and braking the 650r's suspension and disk brakes takes the cake. I looked at other bikes like the ktm950,620 and older lc4's, xr650l's, and dr,klr. The only bike that keeps stacking up is my cr500r. Faster, quicker, lighter, and a better suspension and known bulletproof. My problem is here in NY it is a MAJOR pain in the A** to road title either the cr or a new xr650r. Anyone seen or heard of a titled cr500r? I know how to technically do it , but the DMV has issues with changing this "ATV" to a motorcycle. It would be a good day pulling HARD from my buddies, then blasting up hills our xr's have problems doing. As for that 650l, it seems like a detuned xr 650r to me. Besides I don't need an electric start, battery and other unecessary weight. I have all the road dot stuff and stator for the cr, just gotta figure out the government DMV bull!!!!

[scalejockey]

Move to Idaho! All ya need is a title ,mirror,horn and brakelight,.life is good..

Does your 650r have A complete pipe? It should walk away from any thing but a CR.Iv'e owned 3 xr 600's and my 650r is WAY faster then any of them.

[absynth01]

The 650 is uncorked but stock other than that. The 600 is modded pretty good. Yes the 650r is faster, but maybe a bike length in a street race. The 600 has a higher top end by 3mph wich makes up for it's slowness in the end. The 650r is what I really want and build on hondas new platform, but I have a CR500R that I don't ride as much because of it's non title. The CR would be my easiest way to defeat my buddies on the road and off road since we know it already does illegally. I was thinking of riding it this weekend as a surprise and using one of my road tags and playing stupid with the police and rangers. The other option is to leave my buddies in the dust and let them handle the police, especially if it is a wiskey night:busted:

[heavyhitter]

For flat out performance - from what you listed nothing is gonna beat the CR500. I love 2 smokes but to DS one seems like a huge PIA. Mixing gas, rebuilding the top end every year etc. I think you would be hard pressed to get a 2 stroke off road machine plated in any state. I dont know how mechanically inclined you are but for $500 give or take, you can get a XR600 or XR650L pushing 50hp.

[XR650L_Dave]

absynth, where in NY?- I'm near Cortland.

Its amazing you have a NY DOT XR600R, no prob selling that if you ever want to.

Dave

[illusha]

so what are some other trade-offs for the cr500 besides having to rebuild the valvetrain more often? I'd think the powerband would be quite different too, huh? I've never ridden a cr500 yet, but they sure look fun, so I've considered one before

[hill5150]

The CR 500 was my favorite bike ever hands down. I had an 89 forever before the 6fiddy. It would run circles on the KX. I only put two tops in it in 7 years. The big bores don't need the attention like the 250's in regards to piston/rings. I would love to p/u the CR 500AF from ServiceHonda. Just gotta buy rear rubber by the dozen...........

[absynth01]

Just got some info from a few inspectors. Long story short, ANY bike that is not DOT certified from the factory 650r, 600r, 500r they are not street legal in the US. There are exceptions like a cert or change of class, but this is looked over with a fine tooth comb now. One reason being the Harleys. I know a few guys that bought a title (neck with vin) and made custom harley based rides. If they used stolen (bought on fbay)parts it was picked up by the troopers initial inspection for a dot title(motor or any different vin). As it goes now in NY your yearly car inspection has been busting the stolen car rings that are using parts and components(namely the computer) when hooked up to Albanys new dbase. Automatic felony if you are caught, and rightfully so. This is why I will not even try to screw with the CR. Don't want to get caught in that net for trying to road legal a CR. I'll have to sneak around the fire roads and deep woods and enjoy. I was also told there are cops that know what they are looking for. Plastic tanks, like my ims tank, are a no-no also. If you bite it on the road and dump your 5 gal IMS tank, the fire dept will have to respond to clean the spill. This will alert Johnny law of something wrong. Get my point.

Im in my mid 30's and have been through similar situations and got b-slapped by the DEC/POLICE before for stupid stuff. Not a fun or cheap experience. Should have throttled the CR instead of stop like I used to when I was young. I'll stick to my Xr600r, and look at the ktm950super a little closer.

[absynth01]

absynth, where in NY?- I'm near Cortland.

Its amazing you have a NY DOT XR600R, no prob selling that if you ever want to.

Dave

Bought it with the road tag from a cop buddy.......go figure. I'm in Rochester and ride mainly the southern tier, and PA. The finger lakes are a good rip. PA is even better X10.

[wickedsprint]

Having past owned a Street plated KX500 that was piped and ridden a CR500R...they are not as quick as an uncorked and properly jetted XR650R...at least in the dirt. In the dirt a 500 is barely quicker than a 250 as the abruptness of their power delivery essentially makes them traction limited below about 40-50mph anyhow..more power doesn't make them quicker below that speed. This wasperfectly demonstrated when I ha dmy YZ250 and raced a buddies KX500 and stayed neck and neck with him through about 50mph on the gps..at which point he barely pulled away. The 500s feel much faster than they are due to the abruptness of power. They are closer on the street...and only if they are geared for it as stock gearing on a KX500 is barely good for 80-85MPH according to the telltale GPS. In the dirt I will run any fairly stock CR/KX500 with my 650R. That being said..they are a total blast to ride and the way they make power is very addiciting.

[wickedsprint]

I think you would be hard pressed to get a 2 stroke off road machine plated in any state. QUOTE]

You would be mistaken, just one state over you can plate 2 strokes as easily as a car..same for CO..and a surprising number other states. Usually if they don't require blinkers on the conversions..they allow pingers. Obviously there are exceptions.

[Maroast]

Just got some info from a few inspectors. Long story short, ANY bike that is not DOT certified from the factory 650r, 600r, 500r they are not street legal in the US. There are exceptions like a cert or change of class, but this is looked over with a fine tooth comb now. One reason being the Harleys. I know a few guys that bought a title (neck with vin) and made custom harley based rides. If they used stolen (bought on fbay)parts it was picked up by the troopers initial inspection for a dot title(motor or any different vin). As it goes now in NY your yearly car inspection has been busting the stolen car rings that are using parts and components(namely the computer) when hooked up to Albanys new dbase. Automatic felony if you are caught, and rightfully so. This is why I will not even try to screw with the CR. Don't want to get caught in that net for trying to road legal a CR. I'll have to sneak around the fire roads and deep woods and enjoy. I was also told there are cops that know what they are looking for. Plastic tanks, like my ims tank, are a no-no also. If you bite it on the road and dump your 5 gal IMS tank, the fire dept will have to respond to clean the spill. This will alert Johnny law of something wrong. Get my point.

Im in my mid 30's and have been through similar situations and got b-slapped by the DEC/POLICE before for stupid stuff. Not a fun or cheap experience. Should have throttled the CR instead of stop like I used to when I was young. I'll stick to my Xr600r, and look at the ktm950super a little closer.

NY sucks. So do any other states that wont let you plate a dirt bike. I grew up on LI and I'm back on the Island for the next 10 months...the riding is cool as shit, but the atmosphere sucks. Your not aloud to do anything down here.

I've got my plated xr650r that i blast around on the streets and trails around here. I've been pulled over twice in the past two months....but was let go both times . One of the cops took the time to check the VIN's to make sure they matched the insurance card. ....oh, my XRR has a texas tag on it (thats where its insured too)....and I have a NY drivers ID w/ an M endorsement ...the cops don't really know what to make of it and the don't press the issue to hard

NY has its good points....but after living in Utah and AZ....nothing beats the west. They basically let you do whatever the F you want....and that how it should be! I'm done with these shitty states that love to tell you what to do... eh, I've only got about 10 months left.

So to answer your initial question of how to plate these things....move.

[absynth01]

Having past owned a Street plated KX500 that was piped and ridden a CR500R...they are not as quick as an uncorked and properly jetted XR650R...at least in the dirt. In the dirt a 500 is barely quicker than a 250 as the abruptness of their power delivery essentially makes them traction limited below about 40-50mph anyhow..more power doesn't make them quicker below that speed. This wasperfectly demonstrated when I ha dmy YZ250 and raced a buddies KX500 and stayed neck and neck with him through about 50mph on the gps..at which point he barely pulled away. The 500s feel much faster than they are due to the abruptness of power. They are closer on the street...and only if they are geared for it as stock gearing on a KX500 is barely good for 80-85MPH according to the telltale GPS. In the dirt I will run any fairly stock CR/KX500 with my 650R. That being said..they are a total blast to ride and the way they make power is very addiciting.

no doubt the 650r is the machine if doable. I would differ with you on the 500r. The 650r has the factory boost kit(airbox jet needle). The cr has vforce and a pro circuit pipe, hinson, race clutch. I have video of the 500r EATING up that 650r and 600r! Now I will agree the tractability of the 500r. On dirt straightawaysmy buddys kx125 is neck and neck until about fourth gear then bye bye, the cr wins. The CR and XR are totally different bikes and my goal is to have a 650r built like my 600r. Then I'll be happy just screwing around with the 500r. Anyone who has had an open class 2 stroke knows what I mean. You are basically riding a rototiller. As for road runs the cr will lay wheel like no tomorrow.

I'll never forget the guy at a dice run that was on my ass with a 250r wheeler in the slippery rocks and mud. At the checkpoint he rolled in and commented on my new tire. I had lost him on a long whoop section. Come to find out he was a racer and tried to stay with until I layed the throttle on and he took rocks. We had a laugh and checked out the gouges in his helmet and wheeler LOL.

We'll be riding north central Pa this weekend, and pushing the limits. I'll let yas know how it is! Ride FAST and Ride RED!

[bosshog]

"I was also told there are cops that know what they are looking for. Plastic tanks, like my ims tank, are a no-no also. If you bite it on the road and dump your 5 gal IMS tank, the fire dept will have to respond to clean the spill. This will alert Johnny law of something wrong. Get my point."

This is bull. Plenty of street bikes come factory with palstic tanks. So do most cars now. And I also think your buddies 650r has a problem if it's that slow.

[porterdog]

...ANY bike that is not DOT certified from the factory 650r, 600r, 500r they are not street legal in the US. There are exceptions like a cert or change of class, but this is looked over with a fine tooth comb now.

Nah. While that might be the party line and the information according to the DOT what you're describing comes under STATE jurisdiction. I plated my formerly not-plated XRR earlier this year in Michigan. Tennesee, Alabama, Idaho, Michigan... any of these states will issue you a title, some with virtually zero inspection.

My XRR has hi/lo headlight, brake/tail/plate light, DOT rubber, and a horn. And...... a plate. Ditto my XR4, though I bought that with a title already.

[HawkGT]

Haven't had my CR500R long so I'm still feeling it out. Feels quite a bit faster on pavement then my XR650R. Gearing isn't the same though so it's not quite fair. I should have opportunity to drag them against each other one of these days.

One thing about the 500 is it vibrates quite a bit. That's not good for dualsporting. Like I mentioned, I haven't ridden it much yet....but riding around on surface streets it doesn't take long before the "tingles" set in (hands, butt, insides of my thighs, bottoms of my feet). I think because I'm not moving around on the bike like I would be off-road, the vibes get to me a lot quicker.

Also, the lighting coil options for the 500 aren't as good. There is at least one hi-powered lighting coil but it is very expensive. The more reasonably priced coils are weak (like weaker than stock XR) from what I've gathered. RickyStator's is only 25w.

I'll know more as time passes and I get more experience on the 500, but I'm not worried about it taking the place of my XR650R as my go-to dualsport. Sure, the XR is more "tame". But for day in and day out use, ya' want at least a little bit of civility. I do anyway. I'd ride my XR to work everyday. I don't think I'd ever do that on a CR. If I didn't have that criteria for my main dualsport, the choice might be less clear.

Time will tell which I like better for the desert and trails. I KNOW I'll like the 500 better for the dunes (which is mostly what I bought it for).

She is beastly and the most visceral bike I've owned. Just sitting there idling on the stand it oozes muscle and power. She kinda shakes and shimmies with each irregularly spaced BANG!; like she's wound up super tight just waiting to be let loose. My XR650R seems absolutely pedestrian in comparison.

[absynth01]

"I was also told there are cops that know what they are looking for. Plastic tanks, like my ims tank, are a no-no also. If you bite it on the road and dump your 5 gal IMS tank, the fire dept will have to respond to clean the spill. This will alert Johnny law of something wrong. Get my point."

This is bull. Plenty of street bikes come factory with palstic tanks. So do most cars now. And I also think your buddies 650r has a problem if it's that slow.

maybe in canada this is how it is. If you want to know the tech aspects stateside i'll give ya the lowdown. I personally have looked into importing "grey" market bikes stateside from Japan, and elswhere. I have traveled quite a bit and noticed , especially in Japan, they tend to keep their good stuff to themselves. In Tokyo, I saw a built/optioned out honda. It looked like an XRR, but was mechanically different. I ride street also and was looking for a really different bike. There were plnty for the taking. Japan laws are built to the strictest in cities, and they up the emissions yearly, which in turn flattens there used car market because they will not pass. Where do these cars go then? I have relatives that buy them by the sea container(bikes and cars) for unbelivable cheap prices. These are then sold to southeast asian countries for profit.

The problem with the US is these cars and bikes need to be first be converted for our side of the road(cars) and MPH(no big deal). Then if you import or manufacture, there is a percentage that go to our trusty government safety people. They tear them down and crash them and do whatever they do for saftey studies. Cars and bikes manufactured for overseas use or off road use stateside are NOT ok with the Gov without going though this expensive cost prohibitive certification. There are exceptions or "grey" areas. You can get titles and insurance for our XRR's and CRR's. Just don't get caught by the saftey inspectors, or GOV inspectors at bike shows. Ever been to Daytona? There are people there that walk around and look for that stuff. They are usually lenient to little stuff, but dont screw with the tags!!

As for that plastic tank, name one BIKE that is certified from the manufacturer. The only one that might be is older bikes or possibly a KTM(haven't looked or owned-yet). I have had a few bikes in my time and don't EVER remember having one with a plastic tank from the factory for street. Look closer under the plastics on bike's the DRZ is metal with plastic, DR is metal, xrl is metal KLR is, and so on. Cars by the way have prtected tanks from the frame or body. Remember the dual tank Chevy trucks, or numerous recalled cars with exposed or unsafe risk of fire in accident tanks? there were a few in the 70's 80's that I remember.

If you read my long ranting posts:blah: You would know the XR650R is uncorked, and my XR600R is modded way more than the 650.Both are tuned correctly. As for the CR500R, it has a bigger piston, vforce, procircuit, race clutch. This bike walks both bikes no problem. I have owned this bike for years and keep it just because it is bulletproof and nuts. It's been through many a dice run, tracks, major accidents(collisions), and the occasional tree. Every time the bike got me home, including the collision with a pig utility 4X4. The 4X4 blew his rim, and steering and was disabled. After I realized what happened, there she was laying on her side putting waitin for me to ride!! This is why I keep it. My pipe was just about pinched shut, as the 4X4 hit me with his rim. The other operator was Knocked out for 5 min. I was ejected and spared any real damage except a seperated shoulder, and pipe, controls.

Nursed her home and rested for 2 months.

I am not trying to cause thin skinners to bit**, but thats how it is.

I will be running all these bikes this weekend with a gps on mixed terrain, including my wifes dr350se(metal tank). Everyone regeared except the 600R, as it was the FASTEST top end. The 650r will probably beat me now both top end and excelleration as it was QUICKER. That was my whole deal with trying to road tag the CR500R!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[absynth01]

Those pics are of a XR650L, not an R. You don't have the aluminum frame. Nice bike though. There is a 650L on craigs list locally I looked into. 04, Big bore kit, Big gun exhaust, Xr's Only modded carb, and a Big fat PLASTIC tank. As well as other goodies. Under 4000 miles and in mint condition with the stock tank and plastics 3000$

Do you like what your XRL does for you? I haven't seen one apart yet and haven't ridden one hard yet, but I have seen a 650R run a track and take doubles no prob. Haven't seen one do a triple though. Have you had your bike on a track and play with it yet? I don't know enough about XRL's performance yet.

Just noticed that is your CR, sorry! That is COOL!!! I need to reg mine and take it easy on the road here as to not draw attention!!!!

[Maroast]

Those pics are of a XR650L, not an R. You don't have the aluminum frame. Nice bike though.

Just noticed that is your CR, sorry! That is COOL!!! I need to reg mine and take it easy on the road here as to not draw attention!!!!

hahahah you thought that dudes cr500 was an xr650l ?!?!?!?! Thats mint that you noticed the steel frame but not the big honkin 2-smoke pipe.

Oh as for the plastic tank thing...take a look at Husqvarna. All of their enduros, supermotos and dualsport are 50 state street legal out of the crate.... plastic tanks.

[absynth01]

Damn, forgot about the HUSKY. Yeah that is a 500.......long night for me!!!!!