I started out on a home built 8hp briggs and strat special in 1980. Then I bought a 84 CR80 in 84 with my own money I saved since I was 3yrs old (allowance). We had neighhood races which I used to participate in and used to studd my tires for winter. I then got on a 82 CR125 in 91 after selling my 80 in 89. It was gay for 91 standards but still enjoyed it. Then I got a hand me down 79 Husky OR 250 torquey but what a bus! I blew that up in 94, gave it away. I didn't ride my own bike after that untill 03.
My brother bought a new YZF 426 and a TTR 225 for his girl friend. She never rides it so I used to take it out. I loved riding that thing. I call it a poof bike because the exaust makes poof noises and the seat is poofy and so is the suspension. My brother got mad at me for jumping the 80 ft table at the track on it, go figure. Man that hurt the feet, good thing I didn't land flat. So I decided one day when riding with my nefew that I needed a bike.
I decided I liked the XR line up. You know they make a good campsite or poof bikes. So I thought. That's all I wanted was just to go riding but from an old man stand point, slower and more laid back. I saw my XR650R in the showroom and said hey that would be a good campsite bike because of it's large displacement, it should still go pretty good I thought. I had no Idea it was the baja king and was the fastest of all big bore bikes according to dirt bike magizine. It was so funny I'll never forget my first ride on it. I pointed it up the biggest sand dune in sight and proceeded to ride up it. I started up it in second then third and then forth, it was excellerating up a dune! My 82 CR 125 used to spin all the way in first and fell on it's face if you grabbed 2nd. I let out a huge cackle laugh upon this discovery. I liked what I bought.
I went riding with the skeptical cool kids. Consisting of the heighbour hood huligins, all under the drinking age. They thought my bike was a dorky hippo bike that they could pull ahead of and roost on. I got so excited as we went down the first gravel road passing houses, making all kinds of racket. I felt like a kid again! Hell I was riding with a bunch. My first taste of the XR's baja abilities were noticed on that gravel road. You see as I was sooooo exicted I had proceeded to graba complete hand full of 3rd, 4th and 5th gear and held it untill the excitement was desensitized. Which seemed like what I thought was "75mph". Well I stopped at the end of the road, of which had acreages along it, of which the kids know all and ride with most of these neighbours; I waited...... and waited........ and waited, I turned my bike off, nothing. I was alone. I thought these hooligins turned off to visit, I figured I knew which house they stopped at so I started back. I went maybe 100m and then they popped over the hill. I asked them did someone crash, what happened? They said nothing. We didn't stop??????
. I said OOooooh? Later me and my bro where discussing the fact that I thought my bike did 75mph top speed as it really seems non threatening, very deceiving bike. So he said lets go see, I'll clock you. He got on his street bike (Victory cruiser) and we went. He clocked me but everytime I felt the XR hit top rpm I pulled away, so I'd back off then he'd catch up. Well when we got back he said guess how fast? I said 75? He said Nooooo. He pointed up. I said 85? No. I gave up..... Then he said I was doing over 100mph and he had a hard time keeping that pace to get a clocking. Suddenly it all made sense.Since then, as my signiture states, I've done some more mods to make it faster, as the power is soooooo addictive. I'm going to kill myself on it I can tell already! It is now a 680. No that not a misprint. I'm waiting for baja designs to come out with they're 710 kit this summer. I've changed the gearing for street and fire road riding. It should top somewhere between 115-125mph now. I haven't clocked it yet, I'll find that out this summer and post my findings.
If anyone is wondering if they should buy an XR650R, you should. As long as you are very strong and tall helps, you won't notice the weight of the B.R.P. Big Red Pig and the torque numbers are retarded. That is if off road is your thing, don't take a 650 to the track. Although my brother who races his 426 took my BRP out and cleared everything including 80ft tables and tripples and he says it didn't bottom once. No it's too fast and too piggish even he said so. But dirt bike magizine describes the big bores as follows and I can't agree more. "Opening the throttle means being shot forward and shaken so hard you can barely see. It's a contest to see how long you can hold the throttle open. You see... big bore bikes are not about how much power you need or can handle. They're about opening the throttle and immediately swallowing your gum. They're about smiling and drooling like an idiot!" It doesn't make any sence. It's just fun! I sometimes actually get out done by bikes 1/3 the size and probably the weight lol. It just depends where I'm riding. Ok I haven't..... but I really beleive I will one day, there just so much more nimble and light. Goat trails suck on the BRP and that's coming from a rider that is 6'5" and 215lbs at 3% body fat. It's enough to make a grown man cry, they spin out like supper B logging trucks in a snow storm sometimes and you can't push them up the hill very easily. Usually on loam or mud with cobblestones as a base. The key is to keep the tire with low air presure and brand new for goat trails. Also they suck in log struin mud boggs, I want to try a paddle tire, as their is alot of skeg and sand here in GP. But they kick *** everywhere else in an off road setting. My two cents........ more like 200 cents but......
PS Don't take things I say toooooo serious on the board as I am a squid, I admit it. Com'on I make dirt bike noises when I run down the hall in my house! Yes I'm an idiot but as a studing Mechanical Engineer I do have some interesting concepts and theories. Feel free to chat with me on any issue except government regulations/communism, I get sick to my stomach. I am otherwise very friendly and have the stupidest stories ever. My stories are great for campfires after wicked day of riding.
Cam
, Clarke 16.3l tank, 15/47 Ironman Sprokets
