Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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mented on how straight the bike tracked - even through gnarliest cross-grain terrain. Some big four- (](][){)@[l@W 99 strokes have a tendency to swap back and forth in the rear on such trails, but the 650 stays in a straight line. A few times the back end @D(lG!J@(lD@[JiJ swapped underneath me, but the tiniest twist of the throttle corrected it, sending me back in a straight line. It's no surprise that the 650 has plenty of power to help make up for mistakes. Even better, it's not the kind of power that can get you in trouble. While riding up big, loose, rocky mountains, I could lug the 650 just like any other four-stroke. But what makes this bike different is that you don't have to downshift when the engine starts to lug too much. Any time that I found myself losing momentum (like while climbing a hill), my first instinct was to downshift in order to gain speed, traction and a higher rpm. But instead, for the sake of this test, I simply twisted the throttle even more. Voila - the big engine produced more power and I was suddenly out of any danger - and was well on my way to the top of the mountain. On a wide-open road, the 650 is a desert or rally rider's best friend. Stock, the bike will do over 100 mph. You can't say that about many offroad machines. You might believe, however, that since the 650 is so fast, that the engine may be a little bit too much when it comes to navigating Back in ] 983 when Honda first introduced its first "modem four-valve" XR500R, desert racing was in the middle of. some say, its hey day. Hare and hound and hare scramble events in Southem California, and the rest of the southwest, was flourishing with hundreds of competitors at every event. Now land is limited, race entries are down, and most motorcycle manufactures are paying more attention to the spectator sport of professional supercross and motocross and less attention to off· road racing. In the spirit of the good old days, and to celebrate the end of the air-cooled XR and beginning of the water-cooled XR, associate editor Matt Freeman chose the new Honda a week after his enduro test as his mount when he was the hare at the District 37 Dirt Diggers MC Winter Hare Scrambles in Red Mountain, California. A member of the Dirt Diggers. Freeman was given a 10-minute head start before approximately 300 racers shoved off behind him. The loop was made up of 33-fast miles, which included virgin trails through pucker bushes, dirt roads, rolling hills, one extra long gnarly uphill sand wash and even a section of pavement. The Honda-mounted hare enjoyed a dust free 33-miles and came through the pits, still with about a 10-minute lead. The XR650R was working wonderfully and was suited rather well for the Dirt Digger's course. On his second and final trip around the loop, Freeman backed it off a bit and stopped for a few downed riders strung out over the course. At approximately mile 56, KX500-mounted race leader Ron Schuler caught the hare. A few seconds later, amazingly enough, ] 25cc National Hare and Hound Champion Kurt Caselli went by the hare and eventually went on to win the race, with Schuler finishing second. Our hare insists that if he hadn't have stopped for broken down and injured riders, the XR650R would have kept him in front all the way to the finish. If the machine's second-place finish at last year's Vegas-to-Reno and its victory in the Baja 1000 is any indication, then we believe him. American Honda's Johnny Campbell admits that he will have to adapt his riding style to fit his new race bike. From the looks of this photo and from his race results on the new XR6S0R, thus far, we'd sal' he as adapted Just fine. E Type 649cc liquid-cooled dry-sump single-cylinder four·stroke Bore and S_ke ... 1OOmm x 82.6mm ea. n R8tIo. . . . . . .. . 10.0:1 V T in SOHC; four valves C8rburetlon . . Keihin 40mm piston·valve Ivnition Solid-state CD with electronic advance T nsmission Five·speed Final Drive #520 O-rlng-sealed endless chain: 14/48 Front Suspension . . 46mm leading-axle Kayaba cartridge fork with compression and rebound damping adustability Front Wheel Travel 11.2 inches Rear Suspension Pro-Unk Kayaba single shock With spring preload. compression and rebound damping adjustability Rear Wheel Travel 12.1 inches Front Brake Single 240mm diSC with twin-piston caliper Rear Brake , Single 240mm disc with single-piston caliper Front Tire. . 80/100-21 Rear Tire.. . 110/100-18 Wheelbase. . 58.3 inches Rake. . 27.8° Trail. . 111 mm (4.3 inches) Seat Height. . . . .. . 36.8 inches Claimed Dry Weight , 277 Ibs. Fuel Capacity. . 2.6 gal. Color Red Suggested Retail Price $5699 tight, technical sections. That's not so. The lower gears of the 650 are low enough to get through even the slowest of terrain. If there is any adapting to be done, it will be getting used to the size and weight of the of the event that I rode. Of course, bike - and not to the size of the motor some of the high speed G-outs and and the power it produces. The 46mm Kayaba fork and shock are top-notch for a stock machine. The valving and spring rate provided for a plush ride through every section harder hits would require a heavier suspension setup front and rear, but the stock unit is a good compromise for a variety of terrain. One could go on forever about every little detail when it comes to the 650. Simply put, the controls are great. The new brakes are of CR quality, which is a welcome addition I must admit, I was pleasantly surprised by the new XR. But, then again, I shouldn't have been. After all, we're talkin' Honda here. And when Honda sets out to do something, very rarely do they settle for mediocrity. This is especially so when the XR and its main man Bruce Ogilvie are involved. Perhaps it was all the talk and gossip leading up to the new XR650, much of which was negative, that got to me. It almost seemed as though people wanted the XR650 to fail. I was actually talked into believing that the 650 would be nothing more than heavier but cooler - as in water - than the previous 600. Boy, was I wrong. I simply love this motorcycle. To me, it's nothing like the old XR - nothing at all. You might say it's an XR with an attitude. In every category, the XR650 shines over the aircooled 600; The 650's motor has tons more power, including a distinctive "hit" in the middle of the powerband; the suspension is far better in every area; it steers better; and the ergonomics are more pleasing for aggressive riding. Okay, so the 650 is actually a few pounds heavier than the 600, but the combination of a more sturdy suspension package, effortless steering, a narrower layout and firmer seat - plus the snappy power - and the 650 actually feels 20 pounds lighter. Really. Considering the success of the XR600, Honda had everything to lose with the revamped XR650. Still, Honda, Ogilive and everyone involved with the development of the 650 did their homework and it shows. They should all be given raises. I would have no problem rolling this bike, off the showroom floor, hauling it straight to a hare and hound and racing it. I just hope that Honda also keeps the XR600 in its lineup for years to come. The bikes are two different animals, with the 650 more competition-minded and the 600 more trailfriendly (i.e. mellower) and may appeal more to the casual weekend trail rider. So why not keep both? I think there's room for two big-bore XRs. Now I can't wait for a water-cooled XR4001 Kit Palmer cue. e to an off-road motorcycle. In the special tests I abused the brakes and had to use the clutch more than I would have liked to, but I experienced no problems with either. The stopping power is awesome and the clutch held up to all of my abuse. Overall, throughout the 70-mile event, I abused the bike - but it didn't abuse me. So what more could you ask for in a competition motorcycle? Due to rider error, I burned the final check by a minute and dropped from sixth overall and first in the FourStroke A class to 12th overall and second in class. Burning checks is far too easy on the new XR650R. Burning up the competition is up to you. n e _ eN S • JANUARY 19, 2000 17