If the world ended tomorrow and I had to pick a bike to ride through the apocalypse, it would be an XR650L.

I have a 1984 XL600R that I bought new back in 1984. It still runs strong with minimal maintenance.

650l to ride across the globe. 450L for riding across town.

Ive had two 650L's over the years and I believe it has made me a better off road rider. If you can handle the weight it will go almost anywhere.

Bring back the king. XR650R w/EFI

My riding bud has had two of the 650L's. First retired at 175,000 miles and second at 100,000 miles. Two TAT trips including an engine water ingress... Removed the plug, stood it up, drained the water and oil....put another 65,000 mile on it. Bike is still running and engine has never been torn down... Its the bike that will last forever....

I bought my first motorcycle in 2013. I was 58 years old and never had ridden a motorcycle. That bike was an .XR650L. Since then I have ridden it over 34,000 miles. 8,500 of those miles were through Mexico.I do all the maintenance on it myself. This bike will ride to the end of the earth!!! It is a beast!!!

Sold my 450l and bought a 650R best thing I did.

I'd have to go for the Old School XR 650L I just love those old school looks and that bullet proof Honda reliability hands down for me.

Both are good bikes, the XR is a tank and last forever, but the 450l is basically a Street legal motocross bike once you set it up correctly. I equate riding the 450L to riding a BMX bike on the street. Cole seeleys build is what inspired me to get one.

In my opinion, the 650 is designed to go around the world & the 450 is designed to go around the block and drain your wallet. Value wise, mod wise, service wise, the 50 year old has the new punk beat. But ultimately, it comes down to getting what you want and riding and that makes you a winner.

I've had my XR650l for over 12 years, at my age and experience level it does all I need off road. I have a couple of performance mods which have made it run and ride better. What I like about it is its simplicity, no liquid cooling with radiators to flush, or break, simple old school valve adjustment etc. etc. I've often thought about getting something lighter, but all the new models are not really that much lighter, or different from what I have for my needs. I think unless something really changes in the market, this one will see me out in terms of off road riding. I feel good every time I'm riding with friends on more modern equipment and their bikes start burping coolant when it's hot and we are on tight trails. :) With stock gearing on the road my XR650l would do over 60 mpg, once I rode 95 miles off road on fairly tight trails over the mountains and was still getting 50 mpg at the relatively low speeds.

XR650L all day long! For a thousand bucks I have CRF450 forks and rsw clamps, and FMF exhaust and your done! The potential and longevity of the XR650L for me out weighs any benefit of buying a $10,000 CRF 450L. I started with a cherry 2000 mile XR650L for $3000 dollars at that cost you can afford to build it your way. Nice video, I had seen the 250 vs 450 all good stuff. Thank you.

Maintenance schedule kills the 450l for me.

And just like that my brother in law sold his XR650L that was in this video. He had too much fun in the drag race and that afternoon I let him ride the 450L home and I followed him on his 650. He just enjoyed it too much so we posted the 650l for sale and amazingly, while under lock down, he sold it for $5500. It was a 2015 with just under 700 miles. He'll be getting a 450L in the coming months and wants to build a pretty aggressive race bike and is looking at the San Diego powerhouse kit in the coming year. While I would have enjoyed doing more with the 650L we'll be sure to follow what he does on the channel and the differences in his build and mine. Oh and he said for the record he didn't intentionally pull a wheelie in the drag race, it just had more than he was expecting and he was sitting too far back!

i like how straight forward you are, a quality that's really essential to videos like this one.

I have a 2016 XR650L and while it has some shortcomings, it meets my needs and I thoroughly enjoy it...great video, keep up the good work.

XR650L "ALL DAY-ANY DAY"!!!!

Completely without a doubt thee absolute best most honest non bias comparison of two premium units without fail of mentioning the compitition! Good job guys👌

Honestly.... I've always wanted to ride since i was a kid... unfortunately my parents couldn't afford.... forward to 2019.....I had a chance to purchase a 2004 XR650L... never rode a bike in my life.... learned on this beast and I can say there's no comparison..... I've rode 2 cycle 250's....and a Honda 500cc.... but I'm in love with my 650.... been riding for a year.. maybe I'm closed minded... but my 650 rocks.

Awesome video! I like the comparison and the fact you brought the xr650r and the 450x into the conversation. Please keep up the good work!

Fantastic review. All info you need. Clever, short jokes. Very good recording and video. Well done!

Thanks for taking the time to do this comparison, great info!

I bought a 2017 XR650L from my dealer in 2016 to do some BDR type riding... I'd heard rumors of Honda coming out with the 450L but I knew what I was getting with the 650... I come from a motocross background and I'm quite familiar with being off road... I also ride on the street too so the 650 made sense to me from a reliability and ease of ownership point of view... I know that when I'm out on a trail, I can make it there and back with the 650L.. it's tough, reliable, and predictable. There isn't much that can go wrong on it... vs the 450L with all the electronics... From a price point the $10,000 vs $6,500 I paid gave me a very large margin to add modifications to my 650L to make it a better bike.. I added pegs, a tank, bar risers and bars, a skid plate and rack, and got the bike pretty comfortable and capable and still have money in the bank. but the biggest concern for me was the maintenance issue.. 600 miles between oil changes vs 3000 on the 650... valve check after 1800 miles vs.... when they start making noise after 5000 or more... I don't need to win drag races... or jump a 300 lb bike... I need to have fun... I even bought a 2006 650L with 12,000 well used and maintained miles on it for $2,400... with a little simple green and some new plastic and a little elbow grease, I have a 2017 clone... now my son and I are having fun on them... I really like your comparisons and you are spot on on your comments... I subscribed....thanks

Well done! Loved the video, it makes sense for a lot of people to just by the X over the L.

You did an outstanding job with this video. Everything very well explained. Awesome

I really appreciate your demeanor on camera. Very informative and articulate. Thank you

Hands down the best descriptive channel about motorcycles.

This is the review I’ve been wanting to see!

This was mega useful - really top class video - you answered everything I ever wanted to know

LOVE your videos. Keep uploading Bro. Hi from Spain

Very informative and well done vid. I actually learned some great history here. On my 2nd XR650L and for moderately aggressive trail riding and the indestructible nature of the bike, it's perfect. While I like and can afford the KTM 690 Enduro or 790 Adv-R so I could actually ride to a trail, I saved enough money to farkle my 1200 GSA. I did consider the 450 due to the significantly less weight but the maintenance intervals turned me off.

I turned my XR into a adventure bike loads of mods . Been riding XRs for many years and I really like them ., with synthetic oil I can easy go 5-7 thousand miles . When it starts to look dirty I change it . I think having a oil cooler helps with that . The bike runs much cooler . Extremely easy to maintain. , I’m working on a video now with all the mods on my XR . Great video RIDE ON

you have the best videos on this subject. keep up the great work. wow im so impress thank you. all your vids are good.

Great job on this video! Keep'em coming!

Excellent video. Good information, nice review of main categories and point-by-point comparison. Being 230 lbs. and your height, I appreciated your thoughtful bit on the ergonomics. Articulate presentation, no filler. No bike currently, but looking. Not a moto-crosser. City (Orlando) and trails. I lean towards the L with 'a few' mods (fork springs/brace, wider pegs, de-smog kit, smaller/better battery, bar risers/handlebars, maybe an oil cooler.) Mechanical simplicity (no 20k mile rebuild, simpler tune-ups) and bomb-proof reliability (ex. no radiator) appeal to me. I rarely comment but felt you deserved some thanks for your effort. And yes, the Torture Test (FrickinJim) magazine video is the best I've seen yet. Keep it up! Regards, Dario.

Technology isn’t all that! I would rather have the 650! You breakdown in the middle of know were good luck getting the 450 going again!

Great Video,great comparison !! Just because of the Cost and easy to maintain I’ll take the XR650l any day. My next one Will be my 5th one and I can’t wait to get the cash and buy a clean garage Queen and uncork it and keep it forever. Absolutely Love Honda’s and the BRP 650 L

Top notch comparison. Own the BRP but appreciated the effort.

Great video. I owned a 2003 XR650R for 14 years and loved it. Uncorked, fmf pipe and headers. I’m in Southern California and mostly ride open desert, canyons, hill climbs. No heel clickers or Superman’s. I’m in the market for a new bike and have been thinking about the CRF450L. It seems like a great bike from a technology perspective, but for my type of riding I think the 650L is the better choice. You forgot to mention one major advancement for the 650, which is electric start. Not sure when the 650L got it, but my ‘03 650R was kick start. With the decompression lever normally it wasn’t a problem, but if the carb got gummed up with old fuel it was a beast to start. Thanks for the informative comparison.

As a 250L owner I was really excited for the 450L, but was really disappointed. Why put a motocross style seat on street legal bike? Why such short service intervals for a dual sport? They took away all the things that made the 250L great, and basically gave us a street legal MX bike.

Great review and I completely agree with you! Even though I am a Honda fan myself, I would love for Yamaha to come out with a plated dual sport to compete with the 450L

Man, I'll take the xr650l any day !

1983 was actually the year Honda sold the RFVC type engine for the first time. This was in the XR500R and XL600R. Still the best offroad engine ever created for a motorcycle

A reasonable and balanced presentation. I have the XR650L, 2016 version, have raised the front forks .870 and lowered the rear with the KoobaLink, and installed the Fritzco full width front sprocket. Be sure that when I say I raised the front forks, that translates to lowering the front end. I wish I fit the bike better, but 5'10" is a bit short for the seat height of this bike. Removing the smog valve is often misinterpreted to mean a boost in power, but this is not why we do it. I would appreciate a larger tank, but then the styling feature of the air scoops goes away. Going to add an oil cooler, although our climate on Northern Vancouver Island does not demand the extra cooling. Bar risers, even for my height, are a significant improvement.

I agree with the folks on the choosing the 650L over the 450. Honda really missed the mark with the 450 dual sport. The market needed a lower maintenance bike and they should've updated the XR650R but they screwed up. The truth of the matter is most folks aren't good enough riders to take advantage of high end performance dirt bikes and would be better served with an excellent XR400 XR600 ornXL650L. Its just a fact and the ease and maintenance intervals and lower cost are considerations. Honda needs to really understand the market will always need capable reasonable priced dual sports for the everyman and let KTM have the majority of the maintenance monsters. Kawasaki needs to also wake up and see they made a huge mistake discontinuing the KLR 650. I've got an old XR600 but am eyeing a new bike. The theres only two id consider and itsnthe DR400 or the XL650L. No other 400cc+ machine are worth considering because the others cost to much and maintenance cost are too much.

Nice video, I've owned the Honda XR650L from 2007 & updated to the KTM ENDURO 690R 2020 motorcycle & just can't say enough about it and to me it's worth the money.

This is a spectacular review sir. I will have another 650l. Makes life fun. Thanks

I'm still waiting for the best Motorcycle in History called HonadaXR 600.

wow on the maintenance schedule on the 450. holy heck batman!!!..Makes me LOVE my fat old RELIABLE tractor even MORE!

Awesome video you did a great job comparing the two. I have owned a Honda XR650. And I absolutely loved it. I'm looking for another dual sport. And I'm hoping that 450 is worth its money.

Nice report. Out the door, the CRF is better in every capacity.... 1 year later, the XRL is still going strong w/ zero service expenses.... the CRF has had countless oil and filter changes. 5 years later, the XRL is better in every aspect...

I ride the wheels off of my 650l. I’ve had cruisers, dirt bikes, and now sport bikes, yet I find myself always throwing my leg over the 650. I’ll commute 45 minutes to work on it during the week and then thrash it through some tight technical trails like it’s a 250 on saturdays. Change the front sprocket, get some real bark busters, slap on a skid plate, and change that ancient tiny metal tank, and you have an unstoppable go anywhere machine. As a bonus you also won’t have to rebuild the engine every 4 years if you actually ride it.

This video should have been called “How Honda forgot how to make a good motorcycle”

Very informative vlog. Thanks a bunch.

Super job on this video!

The content in this video is exactly what I needed to see. I really wanted to justify replacing my modified Suzuki DR650 with a lighter Adv bike but it really doesn't make sense for the way I use my DR650. I load it up with gear, tools, parts, gas (9 gallon safari tank) and clothes etc...for a 2 week bike trip out west each year and it takes me everywhere I want to go. It's not fast or stylish. It's just dependable, inexpensive, a bit ugly and super functional. It does everything good, nothing great other than dependability and low cost. A very small percentage of the time I am limited to where I can go by it's weight or power even with lower than stock gearing. I think I'm actually better off with the 650 for the riding I do. The 450 would be great for local, not loaded down day rides but I don't do much of that. I think there are a lot us Adv riders in heavy, dated 650 Suzukis, Hondas and Kawasaki's that would love to have the same rig with Fuel Injection and shed a few pounds while maintaining a reasonable new bike cost along with the great weight hauling capacity. I'm not holding my breath. This video helped me to see that I have the right bike for now.

I had the 1985 xr350r single carb. Was a super amazing bike. Was the first year Honda did everything right. I simply loved the 6 speed trans. I had a friend with a drz 400 and in a top speed race we were neck in neck in 5th, when I hit 6th that was all she wrote.

Very nice well thought out informative video without bias? 😂. Nice work I’m partial to my XR 650 but I’m an old dude

great video guys !!!we were going to get a 450l but i didnt feel like owning a Ducati/Honda hahah with the maintenance schedules that they need . i didnt want to have my wrenches out all the time and just do lotz more riding so we went with a 2021 650l. hope you guys are out chasing for the weekend. #livetoride

I bought a used xr650l wirh all the mods already done plus dunlop d 606s . Coming from a kx 450f this bike was a handful but as we all know a 450 would grenade itself running on the street all the time. As I became accustomed to the bike I have begun to enjoy it more. The suspension is excellent even compared to my 2015 kx 450f for trail use...the main things that kill this bike are the low power output and top heavy tall feel. But it sure is nice doing hardly any maintenance and the longer you ride it the better you can wrangle it.

I have had a xr650l xr400r now crf450l .the 650 was way to heavy if you did any real single track. oil change on 450l is a breeze maybe being a mechanic for 25years makes it not a big deal .only thing I didnt like on the 450l was how they mapped it to pass smog it's a terd until you vortex and pipe it cut out the smog but those are the games we have to play for the hippes. There is a place for the 650l just not in my garage.

I've got 2 ~ XR650L '08 & '09 + my go to '17 CRF450RX that I'm going to plate here soon just to be legal and have the luxury of lights for anything after dark. I bought my RX new in '17 and love the bike! There was no CRF450L at that time and after watching @EnduroLyfe on Instagram I'd totally get the CRF450L as it is perfect for the type of riding I mostly do. Yes you can't beat the maintenance on the BRP and everytime I jump on my BRP it's like sitting on a couch. Great video once again and thanks for all you do!

Great Comparison my friend.

Forgot to say, I wish you and everyone all the best during these crazy times and let's all look forward to a good summer! Braaap!

I purchased my 650 l two weeks ago. I'm not experienced in the dirt, but it's been great on all PA s gravel roads. I can throw my quad around pretty good in the dirt, but this bike doesn't seem very forgiving. I need to get used to it

Great! Great! Review ton of knowledge gain from watching this video! Great sales man! I taking the 650L sounds like a great bike!

good video! Informative.

After owning a CRF250L and wanting to upgrade, the 450L ended up being not what I expected at all, it’s essentially a motocross bike with a tag, why didn’t they make it a true dual sport that has the longer service intervals and higher weight capacity??

I bought a brand new 2019 Xr650l last year but was torn between it and the 450l. I am 6’4 260 I am a big guy so I went with the 650l, and have de corked the bike and it has made a world of difference. That and it’s low maintenance, has made me feel like I had made the right decision hoping to put a lectron carb on it maybe with my stimulus check 😂. Still hoping for the chance to cruise a de corked 450l one day, but my next bike might be Yz250x or xr650r not sure. Nice video and very informative, thanks!

Good video man

Wow...the most thorough review I've ever seen of anything. I have the 650L and like the proven reliability, low maintenance (gas n go) with endless aftermarket parts to make it what you want. I never liked the weight but a lesser evil to me than a high maintenance bike (eg ktm 500 dual). I want to ride, not fix. I looked into plating the XR650R when they came out but recall some issue with its gearing and the road?

I have a WR250R. I'd love to see a WR450R but I'd even be happy with something like a 350R. The thing is, maintenance schedules and performance are almost mutually exclusive so I think a slightly smaller engine than a 450 might be the real sweet spot.

I just gotta re=assemble the motor of my 650L. 10:1 compression piston and 657cc should be the ticket. Managed to get it sub 300 pounds tank empty weight. It's a keeper.

Nice little vids, you are putting together! Thank you for adding the links, too! What I could never understand is WHY DID IT TAKE THEM SO LONG TO PRODUCE A COMPETENT DIRT BIKE WITH A STREET TITLE and WHEN ARE THE OTHER MANUFACTURERS GOING TO ANSWER THE CALL?? When I was a kid, I had a 79 KX 125 that loved going through top ends. I took the engine out of the Suzuki SP200 that I destroyed (by simply riding it like a dirt bike) and made a hybrid. More recently, I had a 78 RM 100/125 roller and put an e-start 150 Lifan in it. Both of those engines were better off in their 'new' (20 and 30 year old) homes and could be easily duplicated and sold at super reasonable price points, using 30 or even 40 year old tech and tooling (which is to say that any of the big manufacturers, or even the speed shops, could have offered them 30 or 40 years ago). I love all kinds of motorcycles, but I don't think ANY of them are worth the MSRP. That goes for any motor vehicle and even bicycles (my other hobby). But I'm glad people with money keep the used market flowing, so that people like me can fill a 2 car garage full of discarded gems! By the time someone has around $15k into a new 450L with mods, I've got a super hopped up 05 CRF450 (used, with street title and racetech suspension for $2500), a 5th gen Interceptor (like new - $2k), built an old Harley Davidson (for about $3k), bought and restored a 93 KX500 (about a grand) picked up a nice y2k R6 for track days ($1k), got myself a pit bike (85 xr80 - $300), my girlfriend a scooter (98 Riva 125 - like new -$300), put new rubber on ALL of them, AND my trailer, got a new set of riding gear (on clearance), and still had money left for gas, beer and tickets to the races! I just can't see how any one bike can offer more bang for the buck, unless it came FOC (free of charge).

very great review, thank you for sharing!

I love my 650, I love the service intervals, plus the reputation of lasting forever. Young fellas are buying the 450s of any brand even 250 motocross bikes and not servicing them as needed, almost all the bikes you see for sale are junk because of it.

As a Honda fan i’ve had a few XRs over the years.....so Part of me wants a CRF450L Part of me wants the XR650L Part of me says... you already have what you want/need which is a couple XR650Rs... Which need to be made again Honda....

I'm 5'8" and own a '98 650L...lol. I haven't lowered and I probably won't. I manage it just fine but it is too large for me. I've jumped it a few times as well. I paid 2500 for it a few years ago and it had about 32,000 km(Canadian). Closer to 40,000 now. Great video!

Me too. I am buying the Honda XL 650L. I rode the XL 350'S IN THE MID 1970'S LOVED EM.

Nice job, I'd love to see what Jacob Giliam has to say.

I love the 450l , specs and looks . But that matainence schedule is a deal breaker . I'd be changing my oil every month . Looks like the 300l , if it comes to America, is the best option . For me anyway , since it incorporates the modern look of the 450l , and longevity of the 250l .

Nice informative video. Well done.

You nailed it with the diesel comment. The 650L is a tractor that will run forever. Both bikes have a purpose.

Try the LECTRON carburetor on the 650L or any compatible bike for that mater, the need for jetting is eliminated. Actually there are a few mods for the 650L engine. EMIG Racing makes an excellent triple tree that will accept 2018 CRF450X front forks. For an old dog you can still get some decent after market tricks out of it.

Shout out to you from Kz. Thank you! Excellent video!! I'm keeping my 650L. 26 years means this thing is so cheap to fix... and buy second hand. Too bad about the carb. I used to have a xr600R and way back a cr 500 and lots of XR/Ls (250, 350, 400) but the 650 is just so laid back. Thankfully I'm a big guy so for me it's a nice little bike compared to the other beasts I have in my garage. Like my Africa Twin I raised the handlebars by three inches and with a bashplate and proper bark busters it's unbreakable. I ride in the Tien Shan mountains as well as the desert and it's so much better than many carb bikes at altitude. Keeps up with my buddy's XR650 R on gnarly stuff as well and if (when) I drop it I DON'T CARE!!! That is the most important thing. Hugs.

Excellent video.

I think something that people don't put enough weight behind is the fact that when something lasts for pretty much ever, that in my book outweighs everything when it comes to competition as long as it can do what it was intended to do.

I’m a Blue Collar man... XR650L for me... besides, I weight ( my physical body ) is over the recommended 450’s weight limit .

I used to get 56 MPG on my 2007 650l. That was of course before I had it bored out to 651, mikuni pumper carb and full exhaust lol.

I drove an 85 XL 600, I loved it all. It was a little lower but I absolutely loved it. My favorite is still an 84 XL 350 with a six speed. Not as great for the freeway but it’s kind of a cross between the 250 and the 600 it was lighter but it still had enough all the way around to work and power to get me up the hill as a big guy or riding to upper with luggage the 250 wasn’t quite enough. Not the greatest suspension but good enough if you’re not doing hard-core off-road and plenty of power to get up the hills and through some sand to where the 250 would bog down if you had two people on it or a 280 pound guy. The 450 is clearly a better machine with better tech but I think I’d rather have the XR 650 and I wish they would come out with an XR 400 L. I like the simplicity the air cooled throwing away a cooler on there to get a couple degrees off and they just last forever I can do all my own maintenance super easy and the maintenance in your holes computer entirely Aren’t ridiculous no computer crap to go bad, I get it’s not as I have a performance dirtbike but I’ll take the easy and the reasonably comfortable seat any day of the week, I just don’t think it’s worth the money but it’s not worth the hassle and headache either. When I was younger and worried about the latest and greatest tech and all that, I probably would’ve chosen the CRF but the XR will go 100,000 miles I seen an XL 600 with 140,000 miles on it original piston and it still ran pretty decent it was in decent shape he just took care of it change oil keep air filter clean keep those valves adjusted I need 140,000 miles in replace the timing chain and done somewhere but not a complete rebuild. That is of maintenance is worth it to me all day long to 650 has more than enough power for me and I get other people like the 450 better and in some ways I do I just don’t think it’s worth all the extra effort or the money. Actually I would be fine with an 84 XL 350 or 600 as well if I could get an electric start because that kind of technology I like. 😂😂 I hope to someday find a nice clean 84 XL 350 and figure out a way to put an electric start on so I have both and maybe a little better forks and front brakes and I’ll be good with that. I don’t know I like the tech on the 450 I like the idea, I don’t like that the throttle a little grit glitchy until it’s warmed up and some people haven’t had problems with them stalling out when they give it gas before it’s fully warmed up it’s not a huge deal but the only way to fix it is about a $3000 computer upgrade and you’re already talking about $11,000 bike so honestly that’s ridiculous, Honda should fix it on an $11,000 bike I didn’t that I like It but the seats are a joke unless you’re standing all day writing which I won’t be end it’s just more of a dirtbike then I want I want the sport I want it to be a little nicer on the street a little more comfortable the easy riding position the wider softer seat. So I’m gonna choose the XR 650 L myself and honestly I wish they’d do a little shorter a little lighter XL 400 R or maybe Yamaha could take the XT 250 and do an XT 350 or 400 version of that it’s just a little bit if you’re in a little more motor. Manufactures just sort of lost that whole mid range dual sport if you want a comfortable easy maintenance bike with a very simple tough motor you have an XT 250 do you wanna go above that you gotta go to the XR 650 L or a DR the DRZ 400 is OK but it’s got the crappy little seat they should’ve kept the six speed like the DR 350 and it’s about the same speed as the XR 650 but I don’t know it’s just too dirtbike to uncomfortable it’s just not a great dual sport it’s more dirt but they put a five speed on it so if you’re gonna do slow you only have first gear seconds too fast to do anything technical so it’s a great bike but I just don’t want one I want something comfortable something simple and there were some great bikes like the XL 350 the DR 350 SE had the electric start and it was kind of quirky and had some problems but they still take one they’re easy problems to fix and I would rather have that than a DRZ 400 or the CRF 450 and it’s not as fast and not as high-performance but it’s just a comfortable easy bike. Honda doesn’t give a crap anymore either the Suzuki or Kawasaki going for these very uncomfortable motocross style and if that’s what people want that’s cool but Yamaha is the only one making comfortable simple easy dual sports anymore than TW 200 XT 250. I think if they came out with an XT 350 or 400 I think it would be a pretty good Sales model for them. Everybody has the same complaints on the CRF the key Alex in the DRZ come out they don’t like the seat they don’t like all the tech all the service intervals they want something comfortable and easy I wanna do a sport that I can go out further around and hit some trails do some woods and it’s just easy something that’ll go 60 80,000 miles without having to rebuild it and Yamaha seems to be the only company even making these anymore, Honda keeps releasing the same XR 650 but they don’t care about updates and I’m not gonna have midsize models. I think Yamaha is the only option there are no midsize comfortable simple bikes come in the DRC is the closest thing and it’s great but it’s still not that comfortable so I’m just hoping Yamaha will release an XT 350 or 400 and Honda does an XR 400 L that would be awesome too. The XL 600 seat was even a little pusher than the XR and I can go ride for four hours and buzzed and vibrated a bit but this is the category of the modern the seat was comfortable and it was doable I could do four hours of riding without much problem come out on the CRF 300 or 450, forget it. When I’m looking at a bike now I’m older and I’ve got back in the problems the XR is acceptable but it’s still a little tall can I forget the Cadillacs or the CRF are here and I really like the big adventure touring bikes like a T7 but I want something lighter to pick up and I don’t wanna spend that money and I have to do all that maintenance so the bikes I look at now are the XT 250 the TW 200 it’s cause I like them they’re sort of weird the XR 650 L and the KLR 650. Honestly I don’t want the big heavy bikes anymore I want something like the 250 but I want a little more power on it in the 300s not quite enough so at 3:50 or 400 XT or an XR 400 L I think would be about perfect and most of the people I talk to have the same problems they don’t like the seats on the new bikes not looking for a hard-core dirtbike they want a dual sport they want something that can get you down the dirt roads and trails they don’t care about high performance and winning races and they want something simple and you don’t have those anymore you have the XR 650 L and the XT 250 and nothing in between. :/

I had a 1985 XL600 for about 15 years with over 80,000 miles when my little brother crashed and totaled it. Oil changes and air cleaners, that was about it. Looking at this video because I'm looking to get something "useful" again - Ducati Panigale not such a great commuter. Thanks for the review. Looks like its basically the same bike.

I have a WR250R and i'm considering the CRF450L. I really wish honda came up with a way to update the 650l and pass emissions, it would sell like hot cakes. Also I wish the crf250l will be updated, it weighs more than the crf450l which is ridiculous. I heard rumours online that honda may be coming out with twin spark technology so we will see what happens there. A WR450R would be great, more competition the better, more innovation.

I've thinking to add an XR and 3k for the 450 is a deal breaker due to a fixed income. My first bike was an XL 250. I would feel more comphy on the 650. Like you said $700 for a tuner on the 450 no way. And my current ride is an 03 Shadow ACE(carbs).

Excellent review!

Nice video my friend!

Sorry but I dont think many duel sport people want high maintenance or short hour rebuilds. The reason the xr650L is loved so much it is simple and good. Still sells off the lots even so many years later cause a good bike doesn't need to change.

That 68 is my birth year, where did you get it? Are those stickers? Thanks.

Great fair report thank you.

Wait until you get a stick in the radiator on the 450l.. then you will appreciate the 650l.