Big Red Pig

The reputation behind Honda's XR650R needs no explanation.  A factory bike designed to destroy the desert at high speeds.  I got to say, it doesn't disappoint.  I transitioned from the 07 KTM 450XC to this bike because I was looking for a bike that could eat up thousands of miles before in depth engine work was required.  This bike did that without batting an eye.

I had an 02 XR650R that promptly got decked out for the desert and long haul dual sport rides.  Previous owner had the suspension setup really well.  This was my first long term experience with a steering stabilizer.  I got to say, it saved my butt more then once.  I won't have a desert bike without one ever again.

The build sheet was the typical desert sled build.
 - Scotts top clamp and stabilizer 
- Guts Racing seat
- IMS 3.2 gal tank
- 6.6 gal Acerbis tank
- FMF power bomb header
- FMF Q4 silencer
- aluminum skid plate
- Vented side panel
- emissions removed
- 49 state intake boot
- baja designs dual sport kit
- 200W ricky stator.  has 2 100W AC legs.  I also ran 2 trail tech DC regulator/rectifiers for the redundancy.
- Pro taper CR high bars
- Acerbis hand guards
- unknown make 12 LED light bar.  4 spot and 8 flood.

I built this bike with the intention to go 200+ miles between fuel stops.  Also anticipating long solo rides.  This is why I went over kill on the tank, and had a someone redundant electrical system.  I one of the legs from the stator failed, I had another.  I ran 2 DC regulator/rectifiers and everything was DC.  If needed I could unplug a few wires and still have a light of some sort if I got into a pinch.

This whole project was awesome.  The bike really did make a killer dual sport and would have been a perfect Mexico bike.  Yeah, it didn't have the luxury of the electric start my KTM and ATKs had, but once you got the bike dialed in, and know the kicking routine it would fire up nice and easy when cold.  If you went down and flooded the carb, that's another story.  If that's the case, take a breather and understand you got a few minutes before your up and running again.  The ergonomics fit me pretty well, but you have to remember I am twisted and actually prefer the 80sish feeling bikes.  This is more a sit "in" the bike then a more modern sit "on" the bike.  The suspension, once set up is actually pretty incredible.  The forks are conventional forks and lack the "bling" of modern upside down forks, but they worked great.  The precision concepts 1X suspension build sheet is readily available on the internet, along with several other "recipes" if you want to take it up a notch.  I followed the 1X build sheet, minus the CR500 shock body and if felt great.  I couldn't find the bottom and it was truly a desert cadillac. 

Planning on long, pitch black, night rides.

Other then that, the bike handled it's weight really well and I was very pleased with it.  Aftermarket is flooded with just about any part in any color you could ever want.  I totally feel that if Honda ever decided to replace the XR650R with a modern equivalent, it would never be able to make enough of them.  The formula they used for that bike I feel is nearly perfect for long distance, high speed, desert and dual sport.

Driver's seat.

At this point in my life, I had a young infant, had a nice new 07 FJ cruiser, and just changed jobs from a place 5 miles from my house to an office 30 miles from my house. I regrettably sold this bike for a street bike to get me around town in traffic and save some money in gas.  Last I heard, the guy I sold it to promptly crashed it hard.  Never heard any news since.  It would be fun to get another and build it up again or build a 1X replica.  The bike is incredibly versatile and with a different tank and gearing you can take it into a totally different direction.

super tanker.