WR400F vs: XR650R

[e-z_e]

i realize i'm on a WR-biased site but has anybody ridden both? i'm a loyal XR rider considering jumping from the XR tugboat to the WR speedwagon. i'd like to hear some objective, unbiased remarks from anyone who has ridden both long and hard (the bikes that is)...

[Guest Guest]

I owned two xr650l in the past. I modified both to be more trail oriented. I sold my last one two month ago to get a wr400 99 road legal. First impression is that everything is more crisp, power and handling. Second impression is that the seat is a little ? bit harder but not too inconfortable to go back to the xr650l. The bike doesn't have electric magic button but since I have mine it always started within 3 kicks and I'm sure that as I'll know the bike the 3 kicks will drop to one kick. If you are planning to do more than 25% trail compared to road, go with the wr400. Being 50 lbs lighter is wonderfull after a couple of hour in tight trail in first gear. I'm doing almost 80% road and I even prefer the wr400 for short run.

The only area where the xr650l would be a winner for me is on really long (500km) open road. His added weight add some inertia and the softer seat is and advantage.

However if your bike is an all-around play bike go with the wr400. Many guys here that had xr650l before, including Brian the moderator, could tell you the same king of thing. If you plan to be street legal, it could be tricky in some area, including Quebec in Canada as in my case.

I have no experience with the bulletproof xr600.

[RodH]

I owned a 95 XR600, then I had a 99 XR400.

I liked the 99 WR400 so much that I upgraded to the 00 WR400 just 4 weeks ago, and I love it.

Honda will have to make a WR400 look a like before I go back to the golden wing !

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RodH Canberra, Australia<A HREF="http://www.400thumpers.oz-au.com" TARGET=_blank>

400 Thumpers Australia</A>

2000 WR400F See Photo's and Modifications

[Dougie]

Dude,

Do I know You? I believe I do. You weren't just at Moab this weekend loosing sleep over jumping on a big blue were you? Are you taking my advice and getting some honest opinions on the WR to XR comparison?

If this is who I think it is, you can see e-z e, aka Eric, riding that hog of a 600 on the pics that Bryan posted in the post titled Saturday Moab Pictures. Of couse I could be wrong.

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Dougie, '99 WR400

Mods: YZ timing, Race Tech Suspension, FMF PC IV, FMF Hi FLo Moto, YZ seat, IMS 3.3 tank, One Industries Graphics, Renthal bars, 14/52 gearing.

[Bryan 1]

Dougie! Dude! Don't let Eric get a Wr! Then we'll NEVER see him. At least with the XR600 we can occasionally catch glimpses of him picking up his red and white rig!

Click for bigger picture(200k)

If he gets a WR, 6 foot drop offs with hard right turns at the bottom will seem like childs play to him!

Click for bigger picture(200k)

[This message has been edited by Bryan (edited 05-30-2000).]

[Guest Guest]

Clearly, the rider is 90+%. Don't get me wrong, I love my 99 WR however; Scott Summers could ride circles around just about all of us on his XR 600. About a 1 1/2 years ago they tested the entire XR line-up and Scott was the fastest on the XR250R. The XR 600 is a great all around bike and fairly inexpensive. The WR is just a lot more fun.?

[Mitch_from_Oz]

For flat out desert riding and even some tight and twisty stuff that requires punching from corner to corner, the XR600 is great. i owned an XR650/710 Super Motard that we equipped with knobbies once. On a hill climb, just twist the throttle and hang on.. ?

Mitch

[Guest Guest]

I have 4 friends with the new XR650R. I rode with them last weekend & sampled the new 650 in the cycle trails in northern Michigan. Also along was my friends stock 99 WR. The unrestricted 650 is a tiny bit faster than my WR(WB exhaust, YZ timing). The bike turns well & suspension works good. The bike is a little wide & heavy feeling, a lot like the old XR600 but better in most ways. If you rode an old XR the new one would feel very natural to you.

To the XR rider that rode my WR he said "good chassis but no low end torque, feels very slim & light"

In my opinion the new XR is a better desert bike, better dual-purpose street bike(it works better on the road).

My friends stock WR with suspension set very soft & lower gearing was a better tight woods bike than mine.

My WR with more power, taller gearing & stiffer suspension was better in the rough stuff.

Hope this helps.

Roy

[e-z_e]

dougie, bryan,you guys say the sweetest things.

i couldn't resist throwing out the life-changing decision i'm trying to make. depending on the e-day, i have been dreaming in blue one night and red the next.

it kinda' like giving up on the red-headed girlfriend i've had for years that has treated me well and never (well... rarely) complained even though i ride her hard and basically ignore her until i need her again. i'm almost feeling guilty for considering dumping her for the new smurf-girl next door. everyone i know who's ridden her claim she's all that and a bag 'o' titanium. can you blame for being curious?

is this game we call life supposed to be this difficult?

[Chris_in_the_Mojave]

The 650 is two heavy! I've got two friends with them, one is already for sale.( If you want it let me know, I'll put you in touch ) They make great power with the right parts but 300 frig'n pounds is TOO much weight even out here in the desert!

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Chris in the Mojave

'98 YZ400F

[Team_Oatmeal_Pie]

I still have my 93 xr 600 he a quick run down.

93 xr600, jetted, supertrapp,K&N filter, burly pegs, rebuilt/valved suspension, SRC fork brace, stock gearing.

I ride the bike in tight knarly woods and open desert. Western and central oregon.

My impressions, all xr'z have awesome low end, tons of torque, great for slow speed stuff and you can keep twisting the throttle if you need more. In the woods its too big, too much fly wheel weight to flick it around and change directions fast, my buddies would always get away from me in the twisty stuff.

In the desert the bike rips, I pulled away from several wr's in a desert race off the line, the straight line handling is great, it doesnt deflect, I could pass riders in the rough off the main line while riding over brush and boulders, you couldnt stop it,it handled huge hits that should have wrenched the bars out of my hands. But its hard to stop a large mass with momentum. The bike is great I love it, its plush and comfortable. BUT, the wr is all of this and more, the suspension is so much better, it turns/carves on a dime, no more pushy front end like the XR. It is equally fast on top and is quicker off the line, power is more on demand, i.e wheelies in 4th and 5th with a little throttle and pull on the bars. Its slimmer and yeah the seat is a little harder but you get over it. I too was an xr man and never wanted anything else until I rode the wr and knew this bike would make and allow me to be a better rider. Also I am 6'3 and 200lbs. so the xr 600 wasnt too big or anything like that, its a great bike for larger riders, its just that the wr 400 is so much better, quicker, faster, lighter. You make your own decision.

On the back porch right now sits a y2k wr400, y2k ktm 380, 93 xr600, and 85 xr350 (350 is the best of them all)