The late 2000s saw a shift in motorcycles toward electronics. The first motorcycle with a ride-by-wire throttle went on sale in the mid-2000s. And nearly 10 years later, in the mid-2010s, the first motorcycle with a six-axis IMU went on sale. These electronics help make extreme motorcycles more rideable on a daily basis, and they also make it possible to ride motorcycles more safely when grip is at a premium, but they do pose a dilemma for those who intend to keep their motorcycle for a very long time.
You see, electronics are good, but they add complexity. A simple sensor failure can throw a spanner in the works of your ride. You won’t always have access to complex diagnostic tools when you’re in the back of beyond. So, if you intend to keep your motorcycle for a long time, then a simpler motorcycle is a better choice—not just because of the reduced complexity. It shows up in purchase price, ownership costs, and depreciation. And you can also service and repair it yourself if you are inclined toward maintaining your own motorcycle.
The Japanese Prefer Simplicity In Design
It might not always seem like it, but the Japanese motorcycle manufacturers actually prefer simplicity over everything else. It is a logical decision. The simpler the product, the easier it is to engineer it to last for a very long time. Small wonder, then, if you look at the longest-running engines and motorcycle models in history, you will most probably come up with Japanese names and products. Of course, when they really need to, they can go in the opposite direction, but the underlying philosophy of over-engineering so that it never fails, even under abuse, is always prevalent.
As a result, there are quite a few Japanese motorcycles that have been doing the rounds for a very long time. They don’t particularly care about horsepower figures or features, but they have dedicated followings of their own precisely because they are simple products that focus on the experience of riding the motorcycle in the real world rather than extracting that final two percent of performance at the risk of failure.
Two Mighty Contenders With Unkillable Engines
Yamaha has a number of engines that have been in production for a very long time. But we like to acknowledge one of its smallest engines: the air-cooled, single-cylinder, carbureted one in the TW200. This engine follows the philosophy of the Trail Way, which is a simple bike that can withstand anything, including a trip to the North Pole! It doesn’t offer much other than reliability. But you can definitely count on this one, even if you are a first-time rider who chooses to maintain it at home.
The Unkillable Single
The KLR650 is legendary for its reliability. It started out in life as a large dual-sport, but over the decades, it has grown slowly but surely into a low-cost adventure motorcycle. Kawasaki has also included features like fuel injection and ABS on it without managing to lose its core identity of a reliable, go-anywhere bike. However, it has become heavier over the years, and the full fairing will be a liability if you drop it. It is also quite unrefined, but all these characteristics pale when it comes to its reliability. There is a reason it is so popular that you can get absolutely anything you want for the KLR in the aftermarket, but it does need to shed a few pounds.
Two (Cylinder) Heads Are Better Than One
Finally, we have to give props to Suzuki’s 650 cc V-twin engine. To this day, it powers a naked bike and an adventure bike, and it does exceedingly well in both roles. It is also good enough for Suzuki to update it to meet the latest emission norms in Europe. This means it clearly has more potential, and that is why it is a worthy contender.
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The Honda XR650L Has The Legendary Japanese Engine Still Going Strong Today
As good as all of the above are, Honda’s engine in the XR650L is worthy of consideration as one of the greatest. This is because it not only powers a dual-sport bike, meaning it is expected to deal with a wide variety of conditions, but it is also engineered in a way that makes it a leader in its field. Despite being a unique design that has not been shared with any other Honda motorcycle for a long time, its reliability is unimpeachable.
The Pricing Is Still Old School
This Honda is priced at a dollar under $7,000. At first glance, this does not seem like much value, because both the KTM 390 Enduro R and the Kawasaki KLR650 are priced at nearly $1,000 less than the XR. But when you look at its direct competition, the Suzuki DR650S and its $7,299 price, things get a little clearer. The XR delivers value in ways other than a low entry price — but if it doesn’t suit you, you could always find a used example.
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Some Very Interesting Engineering In This Engine
The XR650L engine seems like a mix of contradictions. This, for example, is a single-cylinder engine that is air-cooled with an SOHC head, and it is fed via a constant-velocity carburetor. However, the head contains four valves arranged in a radial design, not unlike MV Agusta’s choice for the F4, or Dodge’s famous Hemi cylinder heads. It also has dry-sump lubrication, which means that this is a very compact engine when it comes to height. Honda has utilized the dry sump to its advantage and given it immense ground clearance.
Power Figures Are Humble
It displaces 644 cc and has an extremely relaxed compression ratio of 8.3:1. The figures are 43.6 horsepower at 6,000 RPM and 38.2 pound-feet at 5,000 RPM. A simple five-speed gearbox and chain complete the driveline. Do note that the XR650L has a spark arrestor in its exhaust, which means you can use this in stock form to go much further off-road than most of the dual-sport bikes available in the market today.
Built Around A Double-Cradle Chassis
The XR has a standard semi-double cradle steel frame, which makes it very good off-road. This chassis has a unique feature: it doubles as the oil tank for the dry-sump engine. The spine of the chassis stores the oil and also performs the function of a radiator to keep the oil cool. As for suspension, there are 43 mm Showa cartridge forks at the front (11.6 inches travel) with adjustable compression damping and a Pro-Link Showa single shock at the rear (11 inches travel) with a progressive spring rate. Spoke rims in sizes of 21 and 18 inches are present with tube-type tires. They have a 256 mm brake disc on the front with a two-piston floating caliper and a 220 mm disc at the rear with a single-piston caliper.
This Is A Large Dual-Sport Bike
Honda does not officially state the length, width, and height of the XR, but its 57.3-inch wheelbase is a clue. It is an incredibly tall bike with a seat height of 37 inches; this one is definitely not for those with a short inseam. At the same time, the dry-sump engine gives it an equally massive ground clearance of 13 inches. The curb weight is 346 pounds, ready to ride with a full tank of fuel, which should make it easier to handle with its height.
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Features Aren’t The XR’s Forte
This is going to be a really short section because the XR does not have features in the sense that we understand them today. It has not been upgraded significantly other than colors and graphics. There is an all-analog instrument cluster that features a speedometer, odometer, and one tripmeter. The design is so retro that the speedometer is housed in a rectangle.
If you want anything more from the XR, you will have to go to the aftermarket. Its popularity means that whatever you want or need will be available at a fairly reasonable price. You will also be happy to know that, despite the carburetor, the XR is legal in all 50 states.
Only One True Legendary Competitor
If you don’t like the XR, there is only one true option: the Suzuki DR650S. It has many of the same specs as the Honda, with identical displacement and nearly identical power and torque outputs. It weighs 11 pounds more but has a conventional sump. The Suzuki also offers a dealer-level suspension-lowering kit if the XR or DR heights are too high for you. To be honest, you wouldn’t go wrong with either motorcycle.
Source: Honda PowerSports