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Driving report Honda XR 650 R
Glimmer of hope
Finally. With a matt shimmering aluminum frame and a brand new engine, Honda gives the XR fans new hope. The dream of the rock-hard ground floor remains unfulfilled on the outside.
A little eternity after the first appearance of its now legendary sister XR 600 it is now there, the XR 650 R.. Completely different, brand new and yet somehow used to it. Unspectacular. A real XR. The hope for an ultra-sporty speedster that will make the competition scene greedy? sobered up. The plastic parts ?? as usual. Modern, flat tank bench line? Forget it. The lamp mask could also come from the 1985 XL. Well.
It gets more interesting under the red cover. No manufacturer has yet dared to use an aluminum frame in single-loop construction in off-road series production. In terms of weight, however, it should hardly be of any use, because the aluminum profiles have to be dimensioned well above steel tubes with comparable strength. The choice of this concept remains astonishing anyway. It was not until 1997 that Honda introduced the aluminum bridge frame on the Crosser CR 250. A concept that, without the limiting height of the frame backbone, seemed to have been made to accommodate a relatively tall four-stroke engine. Just like the XR-Single with 649 cm3 displacement, water cooling, vibration-reducing balance shaft, four valves, five-speed gearbox and lush housing dimensions.
An electric starter is missing? for weight reasons. Because the young XR should remain a diet hit despite its bulky appearance. 122 kilograms are given by their creators. As much as a 610 Husqvarna and only five kilos more than the new high-flyer among sports enduros, the KTM EXC 520 Racing ?? if that’s true. Can’t be checked due to lack of a test machine? because at least in this country, the series XR will arrive in May at the earliest.
Jimmy Lewis, talented off-road rider and editor of the American trade magazine Cycle World, is better off in this regard. He was allowed to ?? as a works pilot, so to speak? chase the XR 650 through the prairie in the Las Vegas to Reno desert race. Only the open exhaust system differentiated the desert XR from the series version ?? apart from the larger tank and a longer gear ratio for the steppe trip.
And Jimmy was initially impressed. The declared 61 hp could be felt in every situation. Pressure like a half-liter two-stroke, only more controllable, says the US boy. And thanks to the increased displacement, the single is already very, very much at the bottom. Whereby the engine also in slow sand passages ?? in contrast to uncompromisingly designed sport enduros ?? has sufficient thermal reserves. Despite the desert heat, the big mono never cooked.
It didn’t get too hot for the driver either. Because in terms of handling, the new XR shows a lot to its predecessor. “As nimble as an XR 400”, Jimmy classifies the agility of the 650s in the narrow run. Nevertheless, the machine remains surprisingly quiet even on fast straights. The stiff aluminum frame and suspension seem to keep the bike well under control. The suspension sets limits to the speed frenzy. In this respect, the 650 remains in good XR line of succession. Comfort is paramount. During high jumps, both the conventional fork and the shock absorber hit hard. The engine doesn’t like top speed orgies either. The single is reluctant to be cheered. Shift up and take advantage of the robust pressure at medium speeds? this is how the new XR wants to be driven.
D.he new XR? Despite the aluminum frame, despite the water cooling, it is an XR in the best tradition: an enduro for stealing horses, not for collecting trophies.
Technical specifications
Technical data Honda XR 650 R engine: water-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke engine, an overhead, chain-driven camshaft, four valves, dry sump lubrication, five-speed gearbox, Keihin slide carburetor, Ø 40 mm, digital transistor ignition, three-phase alternator? W, kick starter. Bore x stroke 100 x 82.6 mm, displacement 649 cm³, compression ratio 10: 1, rated output 45 kW (61.2 PS) at 6750 rpm, max. Torque 64 Nm (6.3 kpm) at 5500 rpm Chassis: single-loop aluminum tubular frame with split beams, screwable rear frame made of aluminum tubes, conventional Showa front fork, stanchion diameter 46 mm, adjustable rebound and compression damping, two-arm swing arm made of aluminum profiles, Showa central spring strut with lever system, adjustable spring base, rebound and compression damping, a front disc brake, Ø 240 mm, floating two-piston caliper, a rear disc brake, Ø 240 mm, floating single-piston caliper. Wheels: Spoked wheels? -21 front,? -18 rear tires : 3.00-21 front, 4.50-18 rear Chassis data: wheelbase 1481 mm, steering head angle? °, caster? mm, ground clearance 302 mm, suspension travel f / h 285/308 mm. Tank capacity: 10 liters Total weight (without petrol): 122 kg Price approx. 12,000? mark
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