HELP!!!! XR600 vs. XR650

[richgiffen]

I have the oppotunity to buy either bike at a great price, and I am wondering what is the real difference between the two other than 5occ's. Are they pretty much the same bike?? Also, what years did they make/stop make the 600's. Thanks in advance. Im looking foward to riding.

[Max Power]

I have the oppotunity to buy either bike at a great price, and I am wondering what is the real difference between the two other than 5occ's. Are they pretty much the same bike?? Also, what years did they make/stop make the 600's. Thanks in advance. Im looking foward to riding.

Which forum are u directing this question to?

R,R,L or the other L forum?

We should take a vote on splitting the 650R away from the air cooled XR's.

Oh, I feel a good banning coming my way.

Actually, I don't care. I'm joining forces with WR450.

[richgiffen]

Sorry, dont know much about XR's. The bikes are air cooled 1994 XR600 or a 1996 XR 650. Whats really the difference between the two bikes, and what was the years they made the 600's???

[Firelyle]

Some basics...(anybody correct me if I'm wrong!)

The xr600r is basically the same bike from '91-'00 with an air cooled motor. The only major changes were graphic colors. The 650r started in '01 through today and is water cooled and somewhat lighter in weight than its previous version. Both are basically bullet proof with proper minor maint. I ride a '94 xr600r and would not trade it for the world. It will climb anything thrown at it and as long as your suspension is set up correctly for your particular size (can't emphasize this enough!!) it is very easy to handle on any type of trail. Once you get on one you'll be hooked!

Hope this helps a little bit...

[JoeBlow Kokomo]

The 650 is much changed over the 600. Completely new bike. Not just bumped 50cc. Much higher performance, water cooled, suspension, etc etc

[DaveySprocket]

Sorry, dont know much about XR's. The bikes are air cooled 1994 XR600 or a 1996 XR 650. Whats really the difference between the two bikes, and what was the years they made the 600's???

If both bikes are air cooled, then the 650 you are talking about is a 650L (versus the 650R which is water cooled). Both are good bikes and are a bit different. The 650L is larger, heavier, has electric start, etc. The 600R is kick start only, lighter and faster.

What do you plan to use the bikes for? The 600R may not be street legal, so check on that if you plan to use it on the street. Both are good bikes, but are better at different things. I have a version of the 650L (NX650) which I use for riding in the rain, taking longer trips, taking a passenger, etc. I also have a 600R that is modified and set up as a supermoto, which I use for my daily rider (minimal freeway). The 600R is definitely more fun to ride, but is a little too extreme for all the things I need a bike for, which is why I have others like the NX.

If the 650 you are looking at does turn out to be a 650R, then here are a few things to know. Water cooled, more power, heavier than the 600R, lighter than the 650L, kick start only, etc.

[Max Power]

Some basics...(anybody correct me if I'm wrong!)

The 650r started in '01 through today and is water cooled and somewhat lighter in weight.... Once you get on one you'll be hooked!

Hope this helps a little bit...

Both were available in 2000.

[Beyond The Pale]

I have the oppotunity to buy either bike at a great price, and I am wondering what is the real difference between the two other than 5occ's. Are they pretty much the same bike?? Also, what years did they make/stop make the 600's. Thanks in advance. Im looking foward to riding.

The 1996 XR650 is a XR650L not a XR650R like other posters assumed when you said XR650. The XR600 and the XR650L are very similar. The main deciding factor is what do you want to do. If it's riding dirt only, then the XR600 is clearly superior. If you plan on doing a lot of road riding then the XR650L has an edge. The 650L is electric start. The 650L weighs considerably more at 325 lbs vs 271 for the XR600. Other than electric start on the 650L the engines are almost the same.

[huntmaster]

The 1996 XR650 is a XR650L not a XR650R like other posters assumed when you said XR650. The XR600 and the XR650L are very similar.

I could never figured out why Honda needed to have two completely different "XR" 650's in the lineup. Ever since XL's became XR's this extra clarification is always required...and of course now XR's are CRF's! Thankyou Honda marketing genius's! ?

[SniperTeamBravo]

I could never figured out why Honda needed to have two completely different "XR" 650's in the lineup. Ever since XL's became XR's this extra clarification is always required...and of course now XR's are CRF's! Thankyou Honda marketing genius's! ?

Because the L is the street legal version of the R. I have 2 XR600R's, and they are great bikes, so is the XR650L, but here are my opinions ON BOTH...

XR650L: Atributes: electric start street legal from the get go...thats about it.

XR600R: Atributes over the XR650L: lighter, faster, more responsive to motor mods, hanndles better, more dirt bike lookin, more dirt bike bein, AS smooth, goes down the highway as well as the L. BUT< the L has the majic button! I love them both, but I feel the R is better suited to dirt duty and neater on the street.

[Triumphs]

Because the L is the street legal version of the R. .

There is no street legal version of the R. At least in this market. The bikes are completely different. I think his point was that the XR's were always the pure off road line...the XL's filled that street legal...dual purpose version role. Marketing types can't leave well enough alone!

[SniperTeamBravo]

There is no street legal version of the R. At least in this market. The bikes are completely different. I think his point was that the XR's were always the pure off road line...the XL's filled that street legal...dual purpose version role. Marketing types can't leave well enough alone!

In what market? The XR650L is the strert legal version of the XR600R, the XL600R was the predecessor to the XR650L as the street legal XR600R in the 1980s, thru the 1990s the XR600R was a dirt bike from the factory, the XR650L was the street version, as a matter of fact, enev the brochures showed both touting the L as the R's more civilised street legal bretheren....If you look at model years, the XL600R which was a very cool bike, dissapeared when the XR650L came out, even before I think, although the XR650L is still made....the XR650R is now king of the desert...

[huntmaster]

In what market? The XR650L is the street legal version of the XR600R...

Better read the posting again! My comments were regarding the confusion of the two XR 650's (the L and the R) thanks to Honda...but thankyou both for making my point! If the dual purpose bikes were still XL's and the off road only bikes were XR's...there would be no confusion here. Old news I guess however Triumphs is correct in that there is no street legal R version in North America. You have to make it street legal. It's no XL! ?

[SniperTeamBravo]

Better read the posting again! My comments were regarding the confusion of the two XR 650's (the L and the R) thanks to Honda...but thankyou both for making my point! If the dual purpose bikes were still XL's and the off road only bikes were XR's...there would be no confusion here. Old news I guess however Triumphs is correct in that there is no street legal R version in North America. You have to make it street legal. It's no XL! ?

Either we're talking semantics here or I'm confused! If the R designation he's talking about is the one after the X, he is wrong, if it is the R after the displacement he is right...see? Are XR650Ls not available in Europe, or wherever he is? Im talking XR,not XL, not XR650R but , XR600R~XR650L, the L designator is the street legal L for the XR600 serries, the XR650R is not street legal as you say, neither is the XR600R, But the XR650L is and is considered the street legal "version" of the XR600R, not necessarily but probably to include the street legal alternative to the XR650R...even though there is no comparason between the XR650R and XR650L....Hondas older model the XL600R is even morely confusing this point....

[Triumphs]

Either we're talking semantics here or I'm confused! If the R designation he's talking about is the one after the X, he is wrong, if it is the R after the displacement he is right...see? ....

There's a 650X now? he he!

Yep.... you keep making his point for him! The confusion regards the two XR650's (that are currently being sold) specifically in this case. They are two completely different bikes was the point. Not sure where the European fixation is coming from here...he did say North America. That would be the continent that includes the USA! Of course the 650R has been sold as a dualsport bike in other markets...but we better not go there! ?

[SniperTeamBravo]

There's a 650X now? he he!

Yep.... you keep making his point for him! The confusion regards the two XR650's (that are currently being sold) specifically in this case. They are two completely different bikes was the point. Not sure where the European fixation is coming from here...he did say North America. That would be the continent that includes the USA! Of course the 650R has been sold as a dualsport bike in other markets...but we better not go there! ?

I guess you are right, If you read all the posts in order it seemed like he was talking about the XR650L but I guess he was talking about the XR650R, and you are right, there is no street legal 650R in N America.

edit:

heres his second post, he WAS talking about the 650L, soooo, it looks like I wasn't confused, someone else who said there was no street legal version of the XR600R or XR650L was confused about the XR650R....

Sorry, dont know much about XR's. The bikes are air cooled 1994 XR600 or a 1996 XR 650. Whats really the difference between the two bikes, and what was the years they made the 600's???

[Triumphs]

I guess you are right, If you read all the posts in order it seemed like he was talking about the XR650L but I guess he was talking about the XR650R, and you are right, there is no street legal 650R in N America.

I think we both made huntmaster's point for him! I never understood the dropping of the XL designation for dualsport bikes either...as it was a great range with a good name. But as mentioned the marketing types love to %&*# with naming conventions based on what sounds more performance-oriented, rather then on what makes sense. A few years back that mean't calling dualsports XR's...now it means calling XR's...CRF's!

Things were much simpler back when I was riding my Z50, or XR50...I mean CRF50! ?

[SniperTeamBravo]

Yeah, and wehn I started riding it was real easy, yamaha motocrossers were MX125, 250, 360. Yamaha "dual sports were called Enduros and were DT125,175,250,360. Suzuki MXers were TM100, 125, 250, 370, 400. Their enduros were TS125,185,250,400...TS for trail street, tm for trail motocross, easy...

[Max Power]

I have an idea....

[Max Power]

Yeah, and wehn I started riding it was real easy, yamaha motocrossers were MX125, 250, 360. Yamaha "dual sports were called Enduros and were DT125,175,250,360. Suzuki MXers were TM100, 125, 250, 370, 400. Their enduros were TS125,185,250,400...TS for trail street, tm for trail motocross, easy...

You mean Suzuki MXer's were RM's. Just sayin....

What about the IT's?