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So what does XR/XRL/CRF stand for?

By motobikem1ke,
in XR600R & XR650R/L

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sploogemonkey

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I thought it was kind of odd when Honda eliminated the XL lineup and began the XR-L series.

I still remember the original Elsinore when it was released, my next door neighbors in Tucson had always raced Maicos and Bultacos, but when the Elsinore came out they went out and bought one right away. I was seven years old.

I rode two strokes exclusively from '77 until '00, but I remember wanting an XR350 back in '85.

Anybody here remember the super trick C&J framed XL's from the mid 70's? Or the C&J framed TT500's?

candjhondasc5.jpg

The only Honda dirt models that ever apealed to me were the CR, CT, MR, and XR.

I got my first brand new dirt bike when I was 12 in 1978, it was a YZ125E, but I remember drooling over the new CR250 factory replica that was sitting on the show room floor. Damn, I wish I could have talked my dad into buying that for me instead.

hon0101978001024x768honnx7.jpg

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Grand Master

eastreich

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Knowing Honda it was probably some random internal coding for the engine design that just ended up on the production bikes and morphed from there. Looking at the street bikes the v-fours are all of VF designation, the v-twins = VT, upright inline motors = CBs, boxer engines = GLs. With various letters following to further designate the design differences within its family (think CB, CBR, or CBX). My guess is that the two stroke singles were originally a 'C' engine and the four stroke singles were a 'X' engine. Once again, this is probably complete BS, but it sure sounds logical to me.

Don't forget that factory Honda racebikes traditionally all are designated with the code RC. The pre-production rule Honda MXers were labeled RC250, etc... and it still follows with the four stroke road racing bikes RC45, RC51, RC211V, RC212V. The RC designation for race bikes goes WAY back in Honda's history to when they first started racing.

And we all thought KTM was goofy with all of their letters...

I would say that the XR-L would be for XR - street"legal", and of course a CRF is CR "four stroke" with a further designation of R for "racer" or F for "family." Now if Honda only had a factory issued M for "motard" in the States...

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Grand Master

HeadTrauma

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Unfortunately I don't think there is good story behind it and that the naming system was probably arbitrary. Many other companies do the same thing with model, engine, and frame codes. I mean RM, RMZ, KX, KLX, KLR, YZ, CB, CL, CBX....what could those realistically be abbreviations for?

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Grand Master

jetfuel

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I thought it was kind of odd when Honda eliminated the XL lineup and began the XR-L series.

I still remember the original Elsinore when it was released, my next door neighbors in Tucson had always raced Maicos and Bultacos, but when the Elsinore came out they went out and bought one right away. I was seven years old.

I rode two strokes exclusively from '77 until '00, but I remember wanting an XR350 back in '85.

Anybody here remember the super trick C&J framed XL's from the mid 70's? Or the C&J framed TT500's?

candjhondasc5.jpg

The only Honda dirt models that ever apealed to me were the CR, CT, MR, and XR.

I got my first brand new dirt bike when I was 12 in 1978, it was a YZ125E, but I remember drooling over the new CR250 factory replica that was sitting on the show room floor. Damn, I wish I could have talked my dad into buying that for me instead.

hon0101978001024x768honnx7.jpg

I started on a "SL" ... I'm kinda old too splooge..:worthy:

File0089.jpg

And now its all out the window when they re-badged the small XR's , CRF's..:busted:?

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Grand Master

XR650L_Dave

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I thought it was kind of odd when Honda eliminated the XL lineup and began the XR-L series.

I still remember the original Elsinore when it was released, my next door neighbors in Tucson had always raced Maicos and Bultacos, but when the Elsinore came out they went out and bought one right away. I was seven years old.

I rode two strokes exclusively from '77 until '00, but I remember wanting an XR350 back in '85.

Anybody here remember the super trick C&J framed XL's from the mid 70's? Or the C&J framed TT500's?

candjhondasc5.jpg

The only Honda dirt models that ever apealed to me were the CR, CT, MR, and XR.

I got my first brand new dirt bike when I was 12 in 1978, it was a YZ125E, but I remember drooling over the new CR250 factory replica that was sitting on the show room floor. Damn, I wish I could have talked my dad into buying that for me instead.

hon0101978001024x768honnx7.jpg

Its not as odd as you may think- the XR and XL lines were always seperate in frame and engine, but the XR-L is a detuned XR600R with extra tabs on the frame to mount street stuff.

And a magic button.

Dave

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sploogemonkey

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Is that you in the pic, jetfuel? Schweeet!

My parents were never the type to take photos when I was growing up :worthy: . I shouldn't be surprised, they were pretty good at ditching me at grocery stores and shopping centers too. :busted:?

I think the only photos I have of myself as a kid are pics that my uncles and aunts took and later gave me.

I learned to ride on a Honda CT90 in '76 at age 11, so yeah, senility is just 'round the bend for me.

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Grand Master

Rascal420

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I thought it was kind of odd when Honda eliminated the XL lineup and began the XR-L series.

I still remember the original Elsinore when it was released, my next door neighbors in Tucson had always raced Maicos and Bultacos, but when the Elsinore came out they went out and bought one right away. I was seven years old.

I rode two strokes exclusively from '77 until '00, but I remember wanting an XR350 back in '85.

Anybody here remember the super trick C&J framed XL's from the mid 70's? Or the C&J framed TT500's?

candjhondasc5.jpg

The only Honda dirt models that ever apealed to me were the CR, CT, MR, and XR.

I got my first brand new dirt bike when I was 12 in 1978, it was a YZ125E, but I remember drooling over the new CR250 factory replica that was sitting on the show room floor. Damn, I wish I could have talked my dad into buying that for me instead.

Dude, that was the very first real dirt bike I ever owned. Before that I had a mini-trail 50, an XR75, and some stupid Yamaha MX 100 thingy.

Then I got the 1979 CR250! WOW, that thing was balls out fun! :busted::blah:?

Thanks for posting that picture, I just had a major good time flashback! :worthy::D:doh:

hon0101978001024x768honnx7.jpg

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FOUR STOKED

Posted
Posted
XRL... Xtra Red, Large?

XR... eXtremely Red? Xylophone Road? eXample Ride?

Curious minds want to know.

XR= Cross country racer

XRL= Cross country/ Street legal

CR= Course racer

CRF= Course racer four stroke

By the way Splooge Monkey, thanks for that smokin picture of the '78 CR 250. 30 years later and that thing is still some serious eye candy.?

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FOUR STOKED

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That all makes sense.

Is that gospel, or a very educated guess?

MXA (I think)had an article about the CR history which mentioned the CR standing for course racer two or three years ago. I am not sure of their source, but typically they are pretty accurate on history. It still might have been a regional name. The cross country racer and street legal was a derivative that I surmised myself. Interestingly, their was no info that I was able to acquire with a google search on the subject. If someone has the digital version of MXA, the archive story might be there.

Some other Honda prefixes I did find were

RR= Race replica

Honda S 2000 CR= Club Racer

RC= Honda's traditional racing prefix.

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  • 15 years later...
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John LaChapelle

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I could be totally wrong, but to me the XR can kinda resemble an ScR in the proper font.

So what if, and this is just speculation, I’m sure someone will say I’m flat out wrong, but what if the XR is an abbreviation of the word SCRAMBLER??

Just a guess.. I mean, a dirt bike is essentially the true version scrambler, Plus X can sound like Z, I know Honda has a SCL now, but it’s possible the real Honda Scrambler is, and always has been the XR series.. or I could be way off..

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