COMPARISON I 2023 SUZUKI DR650S VS. HONDA XR650L
P104
Both these bikes were consid-
ered high-end dual sport bikes in
their
early days, but technology
and the years have passed them
by, so their roles have changed.
Today, the Suzuki DR650S and
Honda XR650L, which both
companies still market as dual
sport bikes, are often looked at
more as affordable, naked, but
very customizable, adventure
bikes, capable of being ridden
long, medium or short distances
in relative comfort on both pave-
ment and dirt, including semi-
challenging
dirt trails and single-
track. And they also make good
short-distance commuters and
around-town go-getters. Heck,
you can do almost anything hap-
pily on these bikes.
APPLES
TO APPLES?
So, what is the difference be-
tween the DR and XR? According
to
their specs, only a little. They
are powered by single-cylinder,
four-stroke, four-valve SOHC
engines with the same 644cc
displacement and 100 x 82mm
bore and stroke.
Both bikes are carbureted and
distribute power to their rear
wheels via a five-speed gearbox
and a multiplate cable-operated
clutch.
There are some notable dif
-
ferences, however. The DR uses
a
traditional wet-sump design
to lubricate its engine, while the
XR carries oil in its frame (dry
sump), resulting in a more com-
pact engine and significantly
more ground
clearance (due to
its smaller engine), 13 inches
versus the Suzuki's 10.4 inches.
The Honda's compression ratio
is considerably less than the Su-
zuki's, 8.3:1 versus 9.5:1. (Nice
to
know when you are forced to
run low-grade fuel.)
The Suzuki relies on a combi-
nation of air and oil cooling, the
Honda
strictly air.
In the chassis department,
their foundations are also similar.
They both have steel frames, link-
The Suzuki DR650S and Honda
XR650L are versatile old-school dual
sport bikes that are still attractive
because of their simplicity, torquey
engines, and affordable price tags.
