Organizing all the essential Honda XR650R information!
Evan Fell
My name is Evan Fell and my hobby is motorcycle restoration, customization, and riding. This is my site dedicated to the Honda XR650R. I also have another Motorcycle Blog. Or you can find me on Google Plus +Evan Fell
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Posts by Evan Fell
Shark Fins for XR650R
Mar 11th
There are a handful of shark fins made for the XR650R. My favorite of the lot is the heavy duty ‘Ultimate’ unit made by XR’s Only. It is a shark fine, axle spacer, and caliper mount all in one. It is a VERY solid unit and the strongest you’re likely to find.
XR650R Front Wheel Bearing Size
Mar 11th
The front wheel bearings on the XR650R are size: ?
The part number is: 6003-2RS
The kits can be purchased from standard vendors like All-Balls. But if you want to go cheap just contact your local bearing shop or Applied Bearings with the part number above and you can get the unbranded part real cheap! 
Losing Weight: Put the XR650R on a Diet
Mar 11th
The United States XR650R bikes came from the factory weighing 288 pounds with all fluids but no gas. The Australian XR650R bikes weigh 300 pounds from the factory.
If you’re anal about the weight of your bike there are lots of places to trim a little fat off the BRP.
Here are a few ideas – this list is very incomplete.
- Remove the coolant overflow bottle
- Remove thermostat
- Remove odometer / cable / drive unit
- Install a CRF USD Front End Swap (discussed elsewhere on this site)
- Replace the stock exhaust with aftermarket
- Use lots of Titanium!
The lightest XR650R I’ve heard of is a measured 275 pounds. Pretty freakin’ light!
Aftermarket Triple Clamps for the XR650R
Mar 11th
There are lots of great aftermarket triple tree clamp setups for the XR650R.
BRP Moto makes a pretty tidy triple tree top clamp and bar mount for around $220.
Personally I run a RSW Racing unit and it is holding up quite nice. it is a cheaper option and can be purchased with tall bar clamps for taller riders for around $140.
The one downside of the RSW is (to me) the bar clamps seem very thin. They are not very thick, the base where they sit on the upper clamp is small, and the clamp bolts really don’t have a whole lot of ‘meat’ to bite into. I worry in a hard crash the clamps will snap somewhere – so far no probs. I would feel more comfortable if they were beefy.
The third option is the clamp made by Scotts Performance. it is the most expensive unit.
An Australian outfit named MSC also makes a top clamp. I have no specific details on them other than they look like a great unit.
It should be noted that ALL the above clamps are designed to work with steering dampers, even the RSW Racing clamp.
Nice XR650R with Great Light Setup
Mar 11th
This is a fantastic looking bike with a fresh Clark fuel tank and a couple Trail-Tech headlights. A 8″ racing light and a 3″ HID unit.
Upgraded Fuel Petcock by Clarke
Mar 11th
The stock petcocks on the XR650R gas tanks are decent and work fine. But if you’re one of those guys who wants to upgrade everything possible you may want to check out the billet petcocks and filters produced by Clarke. The should mount right up to all the tanks for the BRP. Pretty slick.
Simple XR650R Cooling Fan Install
Mar 11th
The XR650R cooling system is quite adequate in most situations. However, in hot climates when riding slow steep trails, or being stuck in traffic, the BRP can get too hot and overheat. Many will try to band-aid the situation with a high pressure radiator cap (which can be read more about elsewhere on this site). But the best fix is to install a fan on the radiator attached to either a temperature controlled switch, or a manual switch on the handlebars.
A cheap route to go is using a SPAL 4″ Paddle Blade Fan built for a 12v system. This will of course require your bike to be producing 12v, so a regulator is needed, and ideally a small battery. This upgrade is optimal for bikes already dual sported. It can however be achieved with just a regulator and small capacitor.
The above mentioned fan is part number VA32-A101-62A and is similar to the fans found on a stock KTM 4 banger. The KTM fan can be used as well, but it is more expensive.
KTM Fan from all their RFS motors looks like this:
KTM Fan Installed:
With a little bending and trimming the SPAL fan can be mounted to the existing tabs on the right radiator of the XR650, then a simple handlebar switch can be installed. The fan doesn’t use much power 124 cfm @ 1.9amps but I always run a 3 amp switch to things just to but super safe. The mounting holes are 3.23″ apart, and the fan thickness is 2.36″. It can be found from vendors on eBay, or through industrial supply companies.
It can also be installed a little more gracefully with a custom bracket made up.
The fans have been confirmed to fit with the Stock gas tank, the Acerbis 6.3 gallon tank, and the IMS 4 gallon tanks. It does NOT fit with the Clarke 4.3 tank.
There are of course other fans of similar size that can work. CMP Racing out of Michigan carries a fan of similar size – though I do not have specific details on it. Looks like this:
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4Strokes .com did a Cooling fan writeup a while back that included dimensions for building a mounting plate for the fan. Here is the PDF: Honda_XR650R_Cooling_Fan_Install_With_Custom_Frame
LED Taillight Conversion
Mar 11th
Wheeling Cycle Supplies sells an awesome LED brake light that fits right into the stock XR650R taillight housing.
Personally I think these are a great unit and I plan to buy one. Here are a couple photos of the installed LED light on the XR650R.
XR650R with all the Essential Upgrades
Mar 11th
Another nice solid XR650R with all the standard upgrades. Looking good!
Clark 4.3 Gallon Tank for the XR650R
Mar 11th
Here is a photo of a white Clark 4.3 gallon tank. The fit and finish is excellent, and said to be higher quality than the similarly designed IMS 4+ gallon units.
More to come….
