2024 Honda XR650L

[Hugh Janus]

The 2024 Honda XR650L (Honda/)

Ups

• In continual production for 31 years, the XR650L is as bulletproof as they come.
• $6,999 MSRP leaves room in the budget for mods—or for the cost of shipping the bike to Tibet for the round-the-world ride it deserves.
• Air-cooled and carbureted for convenient DIY trailside repairs.

Downs

• 37-inch seat height is tall by any standard.
• Cramped riding position.
• Small gas tank limits range.
• What, no kickstarter?

Verdict

The XR650L represents adventure motorcycling in its purest form. Honda’s dual-purpose workhorse has three decades of proven reliability behind it, and still has a place in our hearts.

Overview

It would have been around 1990, when an employee of American Honda’s R&D department showed up at the Cycle World Trek—an annual industry ride hosted by the magazine’s advertising department—aboard a Frankenstein motorcycle with some familiar hardware. It had an XR600 dirt bike chassis that had been fitted with the electric-start motor from Honda’s “pre-ADV” NX650. After CW staffers rode the thing, they were convinced that it wasn’t just a Honda employee’s weekend passion project; they were sure it was nothing less than the prototype for a future production model.

Two years later, Honda officially unveiled the XR650L as a 1993 model, now one of the longest-running, little-changed models in all of motorcycling. Thirty-one years of production have made the XR650L an air-cooled, carbureted anachronism. For some, the XR-L is a nostalgia trip—they can’t look at it without remembering the XR600R, which found unlikely racing success in the hands of the great Scott Summers. For others, it has timeless appeal. As a simple, utilitarian, dead-reliable single, it’s the bike they want to ride around the world. Who can blame them? If you’re going to have a breakdown in the Nyainqêntanglha Mountains of Tibet, you’d probably choose to have it happen on an XR-L that you can coax back to life with a hammer, a tube of J-B Weld, and a couple spins of a nearby prayer wheel.

Last year marked 30 years of production of the trusty XR650L. It probably passed by with too little fanfare. We can only hope someone out there gave it the party it deserved; someone way out there, someone riding through the Tibetan Plateau with the classic thumper as their only company, their faith placed justifiably in decades-old Honda engineering.

As long as there are those who value simplicity over technical innovation, durability over preciousness, and functionality over frills, there will always be a need for a bike like the XR650L.

Updates for 2024

For 2024, the XR650L has new graphics: red and blue stripes on the tank replace the red and black ones of last year’s model.

Pricing and Variants

The Honda XR650L retails for $6,999.

Competition

The Honda XR650L is not the only simple, long-lived dual sport on the market. The Suzuki DR650S and the Kawasaki KLR650 have long been the XR-L’s main competition.

The Suzuki ($7,099) is about 20 pounds heavier than the XR and has 10.4 inches of ground clearance (compared to the XR650L’s 13 inches of ground clearance). The DR’s slight street bias has its benefits though: Compared to the XR-L’s 37-inch seat height, the DR is significantly more accessible with a 34.8-inch seat height and an optional lowering kit that brings it down to 33.2 inches.

In this group, the liquid-cooled fuel-injected KLR veers closer to ADV-lite than pure dual sport. While it’s about 115 pounds heavier than the XR-L full of fuel, part of that weight is down to its larger-capacity fuel tank (6.1 gallons versus 2.8 gallons). The KLR can be spec’d with ABS ($7,199) or without ($6,899) and includes an LCD display, fairing, and windscreen, which feel like luxuries compared to the bare-bones DR and XR. With 8.3 inches of ground clearance and a 34.3-inch seat height, the KLR is the most street-focused of the lot.

In sum, the XR650L is the most off-road-worthy of the bunch; it’s the lightest and has the most ground clearance, but also the tallest seat.

Compared to the competition, the big XR-L benefits from loads of ground clearance. (Honda/)

Powertrain: Engine, Transmission, and Performance

The XR650L uses a 644cc SOHC air-cooled single-cylinder that produced 34.05 hp at 6,120 rpm and 31.42 lb.-ft. of torque at 5,320 rpm when last on the CW dyno. Derived from the NX650 (long since discontinued), the engine uses a different cam for increased torque. It’s fed by a 42.5mm constant-velocity (CV) carburetor and has a five-speed transmission. A dry sump lubrication system uses the frame tubes to store oil; its filler cap is located on the backbone ahead of the fuel tank.

The XR-L’s engine is relatively smooth-running, thanks to a gear-driven counterbalancer that allows just a bit of vibration to trickle through to the solid-mounted, serrated-metal footpegs. There’s abundant torque throughout the rev range and an extremely broad spread of usable power. It’s a good thing, too, because there’s no tachometer to help you decide when to shift. When the motor runs out of steam, you just click it up a notch.

The XR-L is electric-start and has no kickstarter. It fires with the aid of a handlebar-mounted choke lever and a split-lobe camshaft that holds one exhaust valve open at cranking rpm to reduce compression. While electric start is convenient, the lack of kickstarter has always been a gripe for riders bound for the most desolate locales.

A tall-in-the-saddle seating position means the XR-L affords the rider a great view over cars. The downside is inseam-challenged riders will struggle with the 37-inch seat height. (Honda/)

Chassis and Handling

The 2024 Honda XR650L uses a 43mm conventional telescopic Showa fork with compression damping adjustability and 11.6 inches of travel, a fully adjustable Pro-Link Showa shock with 11 inches of travel, and a semi-double-cradle steel frame. With full-size off-road wheels (21 front, 18 rear) and 13 inches of ground clearance, the XR-L is ready for the dirt.

While the XR-L does feel very much like the old, much-loved XR600R, with its full complement of street equipment and electric starter, it’s some 50 pounds heavier. This is most noticeable in, for example, a slow-speed sandwash, where the XR-L feels a bit top-heavy and steers like a truck, or—it must be said—when picking it up from a tip-over.

At a claimed 346 pounds fully fueled, the XR650L is a tank compared to more focused, high-performance dual sports, but it’s by far the lightest in its category. Its off-road-oriented geometry means it flies straight off jumps and slides predictably down gravelly fire roads. Street handling is much like that of other dual-purpose bikes, which is to say: surprisingly good—especially on tight and bumpy backroads, where the leverage afforded by a wide handlebar and the plushness of long-travel suspension let the XR-L defy expectations.

Those elephant ears on the sides of the fuel tank direct air to the cylinder at highway speeds in the interest of long-term reliability. They’ve always looked goofy. Good looks are big Acerbis or IMS tank away. (Honda/)

Brakes

The XR650L has a dual-piston caliper with a 256mm disc up front, and a single-piston caliper with a 220mm disc at the rear. It’s not the highest-spec setup in the world, but is perfectly adequate for the intended use.

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

Honda estimates 52 mpg out of the XR650L.

The XR650L may not be a lightweight dual sport, but it’s as robust as a sledgehammer. (Honda/)

Ergonomics: Comfort and Utility

There’s no way around it: The XR-L is a tall motorcycle. Coupled with high footpegs intended to maximize ground clearance, and a low handlebar, the ergos are fairly uncompromising considering dual-purpose motorcycles are all about compromise. The XR650L’s nicely padded, medium-width, motocross-style seat and short fuel tank allow riders to get their weight over the front end of the bike in corners for positive front-end feel.

A small, 2.8-gallon tank is fine for around-town blasts, but for truly off-the-beaten-path travel, riders may want to consider larger aftermarket options.

And yes, while the XR-L has a passenger grab strap and folding passenger pegs, two-up riding is best reserved for those emergency situations when you need to give your riding buddy a lift after their bike breaks down in the middle of the woods, a scenario that could probably have been avoided had they been riding a trusty XR.

The bare-bones cockpit has nothing superfluous. The speedometer goes to 115 mph. The motorcycle’s top speed is pretty close to that as well. (Honda/)

Electronics

Electronics? What electronics? Aside from what’s required for ignition and lighting, the XR650L is devoid of modern rider aids, fuel injection, heated grips, etc.

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

Honda covers the XR650L with a one-year transferable limited warranty. Additional coverage is available with a HondaCare Protection Plan.

Quality

You know how Honda built a reputation for reliability? That happened by building bikes like the XR650L. We’re not saying you could leave your XR-L submerged in a pond over the winter and expect it to fire up on the first go after dredging it up the following spring, but as far as urban myths go, there are far more outlandish ones, that’s for sure. It may have chintzy turn signals and switch gear, and rudimentary finishing, but 31 years of production means it’s a known quantity. It’ll take a beating.

2024 Honda XR650L Claimed Specifications

MSRP:	$6,999
Engine:	644cc, SOHC, air-cooled single-cylinder; 4-valve
Bore x Stroke:	100.0 x 82.0mm
Transmission/Final Drive:	5-speed/chain
Fuel Delivery:	42.5mm diaphragm-type CV carburetor
Clutch:	Wet, multiplate
Engine Management/Ignition:	Solid-state CD
Frame:	Tubular steel
Front Suspension:	43mm air-adjustable Showa cartridge fork, compression damping adjustable; 11.6 in. travel
Rear Suspension:	Pro-Link Showa shock, fully adjustable; 11.0 in. travel
Front Brake:	2-piston caliper, 256mm disc
Rear Brake:	1-piston caliper, 220mm disc
Wheels, Front/Rear:	Spoked wheels
Tires, Front/Rear:	3.00-21 / 4.60-18
Rake/Trail:	27.0°/4.0 in.
Wheelbase:	57.3 in.
Ground Clearance:	13.0 in.
Seat Height:	37.0 in.
Fuel Capacity:	2.8 gal.
Wet Weight:	346 lb.
Contact:	powersports.honda.com

Source

[Six30]

like

[Saul]

12 hours ago, Six30 said:

like

I would raise your like to a want.  I think that is a very cool bike and would love one.  If only they sold that and that price in the UK.  

[Six30]

2 hours ago, Saul said:

I would raise your like to a want.  I think that is a very cool bike and would love one.  If only they sold that and that price in the UK.  

yeh , what is price over here , is it even available over here

[boboneleg]

1 hour ago, Six30 said:

yeh , what is price over here , is it even available over here

It's never been a UK model , Honda Britain need a kick in the nuts.

[Sir Fallsalot]

7 hours ago, Saul said:

I would raise your like to a want.  I think that is a very cool bike and would love one.  If only they sold that and that price in the UK.  

Only trouble with it is the seat height is as tall as a skyscraper still want a go of one though 

[Sir Fallsalot]

5 hours ago, Six30 said:

yeh , what is price over here , is it even available over here

I've seen them priced at over 10k here and not a new one at that i want one but not that much

[boboneleg]

1 hour ago, Sir Fallsalot said:

Only trouble with it is the seat height is as tall as a skyscraper still want a go of one though 

Yes, I lowered mine with links but it was still tall.

[boboneleg]

1 hour ago, Sir Fallsalot said:

I've seen them priced at over 10k here and not a new one at that i want one but not that much

This place gets them in from time to time.  They've got one on the way but you'd have to ask for the price .

 

https://www.americancruiseruk.com/inventory/uk-bound/

[Sir Fallsalot]

1 hour ago, boboneleg said:

This place gets them in from time to time.  They've got one on the way but you'd have to ask for the price .

 

https://www.americancruiseruk.com/inventory/uk-bound/

That's one of the places I've seen them over 10k
https://www.americancruiseruk.com/bike/2021-honda-xr650l-dual-sport/

[Six30]

how much would it cost to import one ..

[Buckster]

5 hours ago, Sir Fallsalot said:

Only trouble with it is the seat height is as tall as a skyscraper still want a go of one though 

Seat height looks okay to me.

[Catteeclan]

I couldn't afford one anyway but what sticks in my mind is its weight. Are we looking back with the rose tints on?

[Buckster]

54 minutes ago, Catteeclan said:

I couldn't afford one anyway but what sticks in my mind is its weight. Are we looking back with the rose tints on?

It weighs less than @busabeast.

[Pedro]

3 hours ago, Catteeclan said:

I couldn't afford one anyway but what sticks in my mind is its weight. Are we looking back with the rose tints on?

160kg isn’t that much for a 650 that’s meant to be competent on the road. A XR400 is 140 or something like that.

[Pedro]

What’s the big advantage of one of these over a DR650 or a TT600 anyway?

[boboneleg]

1 minute ago, Pedro said:

What’s the big advantage of one of these over a DR650 or a TT600 anyway?

In my opinion there is no advantage over a DR650 , I consider the DR650 to be a better bike (you probably guessed that anyway) .  If anything the Honda maybe slightly better for off-road use.

But like the XR650L the DR650 and TT600 are pretty hard to find in UK.

[Pedro]

36 minutes ago, boboneleg said:

In my opinion there is no advantage over a DR650 , I consider the DR650 to be a better bike (you probably guessed that anyway) .  If anything the Honda maybe slightly better for off-road use.

But like the XR650L the DR650 and TT600 are pretty hard to find in UK.

So all three major manufacturers decided to ignore you guys? 

[boboneleg]

27 minutes ago, Pedro said:

So all three major manufacturers decided to ignore you guys? 

The DR650SE was a UK model from 1996-99 only  , the TT600 was available for longer but as was the want of the UK Yamaha importer at the time they overpriced it (as they did with lots of Yamahas).

My WR250 is a really great trail bike but they were so overpriced new that hardly any sold as you could buy a DRZ400 for less money at the time .

Honda UK were twats in the 1990/2000's as they didn't make bikes like the XR400 road legal from the showroom.  Owners had to make them road-legal themselves and they didn't get a warranty from Honda otherwise thousands more XR400's would have sold here.

[Saul]

18 hours ago, Sir Fallsalot said:

I've seen them priced at over 10k here and not a new one at that i want one but not that much

Yeah I have seen them mate, wouldn't pay that much.  I think for 7K though that would be a great bike to have and use, although I would have to get the lowering pixies to help out.  

[Catteeclan]

2 hours ago, Pedro said:

160kg isn’t that much for a 650 that’s meant to be competent on the road. A XR400 is 140 or something like that.

Admittedly I was compering it to my dominator as it shares parts so maybe 160kg is a bit better than 178kg.

[Pedro]

1 hour ago, boboneleg said:

The DR650SE was a UK model from 1996-99 only  , the TT600 was available for longer but as was the want of the UK Yamaha importer at the time they overpriced it (as they did with lots of Yamahas).

My WR250 is a really great trail bike but they were so overpriced new that hardly any sold as you could buy a DRZ400 for less money at the time .

Honda UK were twats in the 1990/2000's as they didn't make bikes like the XR400 road legal from the showroom.  Owners had to make them road-legal themselves and they didn't get a warranty from Honda otherwise thousands more XR400's would have sold here.

Here the XR400 was road legal from stock, they indeed sold loads of them.

[Sir Fallsalot]

9 hours ago, Catteeclan said:

I couldn't afford one anyway but what sticks in my mind is its weight. Are we looking back with the rose tints on?

I didn't think 158kg was that bad it's lighter than the dominator and only around 3kg heavier than a husky 701 what i would consider a modern equivalent, although if you swapped the boat anchor they call the exhaust i'm sure it would be 5kg lighter  

[YamaHead]

21 minutes ago, Sir Fallsalot said:

 if you swapped the boat anchor they call the exhaust i'm sure it would be 5kg lighter  

Been an issue with XR's for a long time....

[Buckster]

3 hours ago, Sir Fallsalot said:

I didn't think 158kg was that bad it's lighter than the dominator and only around 3kg heavier than a husky 701 what i would consider a modern equivalent, although if you swapped the boat anchor they call the exhaust i'm sure it would be 5kg lighter  

Maybe someone, not saying who, but maybe someone can't tell the difference between lbs and kg.