Pre-Purchase Questions on XR650L

Ok.... I believe that I have settled on my next immediate purchase (well its either this one or the KLR).

I can pick up an 07 XR650L New and still crated for $4,400.00 plus TX-TT&L. This bike is out of state and would be a long drive to get there, but this dealer is wanting to move some overstock.

Here is my question, do any of you have an in with a dealer in this great state that will actually give me a fair quote over the phone. I work my 10 hours behind the desk every day just like the majority of you all do and basically do my shopping over the phone and on the net. All I find is MSRP and when I call a dealer they just say, come in and I am sure we can make a deal.

I am ready to committ, but before I shell out more money on fuel (??$275.00??) if I drive myself or the cost to deliver it (??$500.00??), I want to see if there is an equally priced bike more close by.

I emailed the good faith offer that I was given on the out of state bike, and as of yet have not heard back from a dealer here in Houston with one of these on the floor.

I hope this is making sense... Basically when you get down to it, if this bike can be had for 4800 here at home, then its the same deal to me as if I bought the 4400 dollar one out of state...

Thanks in advance,

There was an '07 XR650L at Ross Motor Sports, in Lufkin, back a couple of months ago when I went in to get my state inspection. Mike "The Bike" Jones seems like a nice guy and is probably the guy I would talk to.

I cannot say if they will come off the list price. Dual sports are not big sellers at Ross, 4 wheelers and marine stuff are their bread & butter.

Lufkin is fairly close to the old home place, isn't it.

http://www.rossmotorsports.com/default.asp

If they won't come off the MSRP, the bike can just sit there and collect dust

Duke, do you get Motorcycle Consumer News? They had a write up on the XR650L last month that discussed the strengths and weaknesses of the bike and the known issues that need to be addressed. You might be able to find it at a bookstore/newstand still, although the new issue is already out.

You might also want to get in touch with Gotdurt. He had one for several years and can tell you pretty much anything you want to know about them.

Support your local dealers. Are you really saving money in the long run.

Danny, thanks I will give them a call tomorrow.

Scott, I have not read that article, I will go see if it is still available.

I am looking at the Honda because it seems to hold its resale value very well. There are 01's going away on ebay for more than what this dealer is asking for a new one. I am still partial to the KLR, but with the deep discounts that dealers are giving, and the fact a new one is out soon, my fear is that the KLR will not hold its resale as strong.

I don't know enough about the DR's to make a truly informed decission about them.

In the mind of Duke it is down to these 3.

XR650R - I am a fat guy - will it hold me? Most expensive choice. Must spend more to make it street legal.

XR650L - I am a fat guy, but know a fat guy that loves his! Basically Ties the KLR in cost to purchase (deal price, not MSRP), but will it cost more over a year of ownership?

KLR650 - Darn near bulletproof (sans doohickey). Cult following, lots of them. lower resale.

mparis said:

Support your local dealers. Are you really saving money in the long run.

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My point. But I struggle getting them to quote me via email or the phone. (Been trying for a week now). This is why I asked if there may be a dealer that someone knows that will be willing to give me a competative quote.

Almost $5900.00 MSRP for the 650L being sold for $4400.00 bucks is a great deal. But not so great if a dealer near by (Dallas/San Antonio/Austin, ect...) is competative to that price. Thus my struggle. I was on the road all last week, I am in meetings all this week. I would think that the dealers would recognize that and be willing to accomodate a quote request without having to come into their store.

I would not worry about resale on the KLR. Seriously, you can get a nicely loaded one (used) for around $3500-3000. If you ride the snot out of it, you can sell it for $3000-2500. As long as they run and have no problems, they seldom seem to drop below $2500. The only thing beside the doohickey (if that is not already done) that you'd want to do is the suspension. Stiffer springs up front and on the rear will set you back right around $200 and you're good to go. The aftermarket for the KLR is similar to the GS, virtually endless... Which can be both a good thing and a bad thing...

The XR-L has a small gas tank. So if you plan to do anything beyond an afternoon short cruise, an aftermarket tank will be needed. DannyRoth installed his over here at one of the maint days. The XR-L's also seem to have a Reg/Rec issue (a recurring Honda thing ala VFR, CBR, etc,...) No fix that I know of other than to carry a spare. One good thing about the XR-L though is that it is air cooled. It means a little less power, but no radiator to damage in a drop!

Have you been able to steal any seat time on your bud's XR-L?

Tourmeister said:

Have you been able to steal any seat time on your bud's XR-L?

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Last week when I was up in Casper, Wy. Granted I did not ride for very long, just out in his pasture and down the gravel road some. Maybe 30/40 min. He had put a larger tank on it, and upgraded the suspension for his weight. I am close to him at 255~260 (Yes I know... Its easy to gain it, hard to lose it).

Which ever bike I end up going with, it will be for short days, I have the GS for the long days.

Not sure about dealing but the Honda shop in Sherman had a new one on the floor the other day when I was in there.

(903) 819-5464 ask for Danny and explain your situation.

Duke,

All the following info is IMO;

XR650R - This is a race bike! Not really comparable with the other three, but still it will be a great D/S bike once you make it to street legal. With your height, this would be a serious off-road machine. I would count the ownership value of this monster. As you stated, cost a lot. what about searching for used plated bike? Liquid cooled, SOHC, compression ratio 10:1

XR650L - most off-road biased bike within XR(L), DR, KLR choice. Lots of after market parts as well as XR650R. I just do not like never changed design (and too tall for me), but must be very reliable. Air cooled=less parts cause to trouble. SOHC, comp. ratio 8.3:1.

DR650 - True 50/50 bike. I am riding this one and so far not much to complain. Light enough to go most terrain, from mud, beach, trail, county rd D/S ride, to Big Bend, and still decent on street. I heard Tony (Teeds) got DR650. Yeeeah! Way to go, Tony!! Seems not much after market parts. Oil/Air cooled, SOHC, comp. ratio 9.5:1.

KLR - Often said most street biased, and after next year model change, it will be more street biased. Heaviest and biggest, though, it got everything you want to add already, such as big tank, windshield, rear rack, etc. You might feel like this is smaller version of GS, and you know how the bike works great by seeing Mighty Bryan riding on it. Liquid cooled, DOHC, comp ratio 9.5:1.

Ken

Lunsford Honda off I-45 between W. Mt. Houston and West Rd has one on the floor. Don't know the price. As a hint, it's been there since last fall. Tell them you'll get it out of their inventory if they make a good deal on it, otherwise it can sit and rot for another 7 months. Their choice. I agree, it's the more off road oriented of true DS bikes. (Though I did witness a KLR tackle some hairy climbs at Mike's Sky Ranch in Baja last summer, with the ammo cans on, to boot.)

The XR650R is a great bike when dual sported but it more of a race type bike and its maintenance needs will be greater than the 650L or the KLR. A plated 650R is perfect for linking trails with short road sections but in my opinion it is not the best full time dual sport. With that said I wish I still had the KTM Adventure 640 I sold. It was also higher mainetenance but it did so much so well and was a great commuter bike.

R1200GSA said:

I am looking at the Honda because it seems to hold its resale value very well. There are 01's going away on ebay for more than what this dealer is asking for a new one. I am still partial to the KLR, but with the deep discounts that dealers are giving, and the fact a new one is out soon, my fear is that the KLR will not hold its resale as strong.

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You are right about resale; I was astonished when I sold my well abused and tired 9 year old (at the time) XRL for $2100 to the first person who looked at it. (Link to the add I linked to in Cycletrader) The subframe had been welded twice (not the bike's fault ), and had some nice 'custom' touches, like a rear fender stitched with coat hanger wire

I don't know enough about the DR's to make a truly informed decission about them.

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This is what I ride know. A good all around bike, slightly more street friendly ( especially if you are inseem challenged), much less dirt worthy. My biggest complaints are the suspension (seems to be set up for a 100lb twiggy, if your a big guy, plan on dumping some cash on the suspension), it's low belly (4" lower than my XRL), the 17" rear wheel (Hard to find the tires I want, and 17's cost more for some reason), and the fact that it is not maintenance friendly; Suzuki made it an ordeal to perform simple tasks such as changing the air filter or getting to the battery, both of which Honda seemed to focus on. The 'Ls valves were easier to adjust too. If I had to do it again, I'd go back to the 'L and spend life on my tip-toes.

XR650L - I am a fat guy, but know a fat guy that loves his! Basically Ties the KLR in cost to purchase (deal price, not MSRP), but will it cost more over a year of ownership?

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I've never owned a bike that had a lower cost of ownership. I've also owned a KLR600...

Before I bought mine, I was actually on my way to Conroe to buy a new one they the dealer was making me a screaming deal on (I want to say $4200). I had been looking for a used one for some time (Scott might remember my XRL search obsession ), and had finally given up. On my way to the dealer that Saturday morning, I stopped for one last Cycle trader... and there she was, $3200, like new with lots of goodies, west of Dripping springs (I was in Huntsville). I rushed back to the house, and told the guy to take my word for it that I would buy it, just hold it for me And he did

You might try these guys...

ex-Extreme Outdoor Motors Incorporated
Now Georgetown Honda
912 Rockmoor Dr
Georgetown, TX 78628
512/868-9944
Dale Christianson

As someone else pointed out, when you show up there you startle the salespeople - they aren't sure what to do with a customer. They have always been hurting for business, whether that translates into a willingness to deal I'm not sure.

I really wouldn’t worry about resale so much on a bike that you can get new in the $5K neighborhood; especially a bike that you are buying to beat the heck out of on the dirt roads. Pretty much all of the 650 DS bikes seem to have a comparable resale and you’ll probably ride it until it dies anyway.

I’m not up on all of the differences in the DS bikes, I just know I want one and don’t have the cash or really the time to ride one.

I don’t think you can go wrong with any of the DR/XR/KLR 650’s. If it doesn’t do what you want it to just order parts until it does.

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An outsider's view.

Looks like my purchase will be delayed.... see this thread!

Did this purchase idea come up because the big pig was too big for the ride Saturday, or were you thinking about this for a while?

...can I ride it?

Squeaky said:

Did this purchase idea come up because the big pig was too big for the ride Saturday, or were you thinking about this for a while?

...can I ride it?

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Been debating on it since last year when I first bought the GSA. Kept thinking that I would get comfortable with it in the deep sand and the mud. Just not there yet. So why not get a smaller bike to play in the tough stuff and keep the GSA for what it was ment for, A big road bike that can go on dirt roads. But for those play days what I really want is a dirt bike that can go on the highway too.

Gotdurt & Texas DR,

Thank you both for taking the time to write all that you did. Both of you bring up some good points.

Gotdurt - Why did you go from the XRL to the DR?

R1200GSA said:

Gotdurt - Why did you go from the XRL to the DR?

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Partially because I just wanted to try something different (I tend to do that)... but I didn't actually go directly to the DR. I sold the XRL when we moved back to Texas because, well a) I was done with off-roading after an injury, resulting a year long hiatus from riding bikes period, and because I was spoiled riding in AZ and riding back in TX just didn't appeal to me. Besides, there's pretty much no where to ride off road in TX other that little ranches and such, which I get bored with quickly. Plus, my now bad right wrist made it difficult to ride in off pavement situations. So, I had no need for the bike, and didn't want to move any more stuff than I had to.

After I moved back, I aquired a Goldwing, then decided I needed a DS just for riding around town and exploring rough backroads, so I sold it and bought an NX650, which I still have in my garage but with my dad's name now on the title. I then went to a Triumph Daytona 955i that I rescued and street-fightered (I had a thing for them), and eventually decided that it wasn't a friendly commuter and would eventually kill me, plus it beat the crap out of me on the rough Texas county roads . So, when I realized that after having had 3 DS bikes, they are the best all-around bike for commuting, exploring, and playing, and they are cheap to own and low maintenance, I started looking at DS's again. Having already had a KLR (600, more of a dirt bike than the 650 though) and an XRL, I thought I'd look into the DR. Since it wouldn't see trails very often, the dirt shortcomings didn't really matter to me anymore, the lower seat height appealed to me, and the prices were right for me, especially since a friend of mine bought a beauty that he never rode, and made me a deal I couldn't refuse.

I'll ride the DR until it doesn't have any life left, and then I'll likely go back to the XRL (or whatever replaces it, if that ever happens). I've found that many of the things that made the XR a better dirt bike also made it a better street bike in most cases, and really doesn't have any shortcomings to the DR on the street other than height. Plus, it's easier to work on (trail side maintenance is a breeze on the XRL and a pain on the DR), and aftermarket parts are abundant, partially because it shares so much with the XR600R, and not much is available for the DR.

I got good example.

XRL, DR, KLR are like Bud light, Miller light and Coors light. Different, but all fall into about same category.

If you want to do serious off road riding, get race bike. (Shiner Bock?)
If you want to enjoy ride like last Saturday plus alpha, any of the above do decent job. Choose DR...

Cowboy Honda in Beaumont - salesman tells me they can't keep XRL's around, they sell as soon as they put them out on the floor. Don't know if I really believe that or not. They don't deal much on price.

I bought my VStrom from Woods in Austin over the phone. I shopped on the internet, made a few phone calls, and then worked the deal over the phone for $100 over what I would have had to drive to Mississippi for. I showed up, and about an hour later, left with the bike on the trailer. I think Woods may have changed ownership since then, don't know. Woods sells Honda too. I have also heard good things about San Marcos dealers, but no first-hand experience. I had the same experience with Houston-area dealers, no one willing to talk seriously over the phone. Have also heard good things about the Honda dealer in Marshall, couple of friends regularly buy from them. One of the guys is working a deal on a CRF-X with Marshall at the moment.

Best of luck.