01-30-2015, 01:12 PM
I have no experience with the smaller XRs, but I've owned a 2006 XR650L since late last summer. I'm a few inches taller than you, but still only a 31-32 inseam. The guy I bought mine from had installed a lowering link and raised the fork tubes an inch, but it's light enough that I don't think I'd have any problems at full height. I've left it alone for now, though.
So far it seems like a great bike (I've only put about 300 miles on it). I know it's heavy compared to "real" dirtbikes, but it makes my buddy's KLR feel like a pig. Much less work offroad. It's no hot rod, but everything I've read indicates that the engine is bulletproof...and really, the power is totally adequate, esp down low (mine's had the emissions stuff taken off, full exhaust, airbox mod, and re-jet). Mine's also down a tooth on the front sprocket, which I like for offroad....not so much on the highway. It also has a Clarke 4.5 gallon (I believe) tank...which seems like a must if you're gonna go any distance at all.
Otherwise...I found the oil change process kind of weird/awkward the first time (though maybe it's standard stuff for dirtbikes). A lot of the oil is actually stored in the frame. Was glad I had the manual for that. I'm considering a fairly serious offroad trip w/ it this summer. If I do that, I'll probably install an oil cooler. Meantime, it's nice having a dipstick oil temp gauge (I think that's one of the most common mods).
Since they've been around essentially unchanged forever, most people seem to say that overall condition is more important than model year. Here are a couple of pics of mine. I installed a CRF230L front fender...never liked the look of the original. In the second pic I'd just ridden through that "lake" behind the bike...churned up a bunch of gunk, and the smell was horrendous. Good times.
Btw...those reflectors on the front forks are off my CB1100. The originals were long gone, and I needed a set to pass MD safety inspection
[url=http://s103.photobucket.com/user/pechorin75/media/IMG_0545_zpsb050b0a4.jpg.html]![[Image: 4fd0968a642f0118097a165aefaae7fd.jpg]](https://cb1100forum.net/forum/uploads/imp/201501/4fd0968a642f0118097a165aefaae7fd.jpg)
[url=http://s103.photobucket.com/user/pechorin75/media/IMG_0720_PS_zpsylwpgfla.jpg.html]![[Image: 325e6f98d4e6dc22385ac7d7ce30b20f.jpg]](https://cb1100forum.net/forum/uploads/imp/201501/325e6f98d4e6dc22385ac7d7ce30b20f.jpg)
So far it seems like a great bike (I've only put about 300 miles on it). I know it's heavy compared to "real" dirtbikes, but it makes my buddy's KLR feel like a pig. Much less work offroad. It's no hot rod, but everything I've read indicates that the engine is bulletproof...and really, the power is totally adequate, esp down low (mine's had the emissions stuff taken off, full exhaust, airbox mod, and re-jet). Mine's also down a tooth on the front sprocket, which I like for offroad....not so much on the highway. It also has a Clarke 4.5 gallon (I believe) tank...which seems like a must if you're gonna go any distance at all.
Otherwise...I found the oil change process kind of weird/awkward the first time (though maybe it's standard stuff for dirtbikes). A lot of the oil is actually stored in the frame. Was glad I had the manual for that. I'm considering a fairly serious offroad trip w/ it this summer. If I do that, I'll probably install an oil cooler. Meantime, it's nice having a dipstick oil temp gauge (I think that's one of the most common mods).
Since they've been around essentially unchanged forever, most people seem to say that overall condition is more important than model year. Here are a couple of pics of mine. I installed a CRF230L front fender...never liked the look of the original. In the second pic I'd just ridden through that "lake" behind the bike...churned up a bunch of gunk, and the smell was horrendous. Good times.
Btw...those reflectors on the front forks are off my CB1100. The originals were long gone, and I needed a set to pass MD safety inspection
[url=http://s103.photobucket.com/user/pechorin75/media/IMG_0545_zpsb050b0a4.jpg.html]
[url=http://s103.photobucket.com/user/pechorin75/media/IMG_0720_PS_zpsylwpgfla.jpg.html]