BMW G650Sertau vs Honda XR650L

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Race Dog
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George
8) No, I'm not trolling for a good "dog-fight", it's just something I've red on "MotorcycleUSA.com".....
a Shootout way back in 2003 between a XR650L and a BMW Dakar....
Hope it can be helpfull to somebody....
I think the price-difference is still more or less the same....

Quote:

"Final Analysis

Here are two well-built bikes from two of the most respected manufacturers on the planet. Both are similar in description, although very different in implementation.



The XR650L roosts over the BMW competition for its best balance between dirt and off-road performance.
The Dakar version of the F650GS arrives with a hefty price tag, up an extra $500 over the standard GS to $8,690. Add in another $500 for our tester's anti-lock brakes brings the total up to an eyeball-bulging $9,190. With all its amenities, including a centerstand and fuel-injection, the GS looks like it's worth that price. Stylish bodywork and more high-tech gadgets than the competition make it a great choice for the upper-class consumer that needs the bourgeois spinning-propeller emblem to make themselves feel as good as their bike's comfortable road ride. It has a great riding position, smooth motor, and a plush suspension that begs to be ridden long distances. It provides just enough off-road capability to be called a dual-sport, but we were looking to find out which of these is the better dual-purpose bike.

The XR650L comes in as the bargain of the two, with a paltry $5,499 sticker price. And, it has to be said, it looks like a $5,000 bike next to the high-class Beemer. But there is more to it than meets the eye. The XR is head and shoulders above the GS in the off-road arena. It may be at bit down on power and refinement, but it keeps pace with the BMW on the street while kicking it's ass off-road. In a two-part test such as this, the XR proves to be a better multi-purpose machine.

Bottom line: The much more inexpensive Honda XR650L is our pick of this dual-purpose litter. Its compromise between street and dirt is more evenly balanced, and it's an excellent mount for those intent on pushing off-road limits. But if the paths you take are usually paved, the pricey BMW, more of an adventure-tourer than a dual-sport, is an easy choice.

The question remains: Do you want some dirt in your streetbike or some street in your dirtbike?"
 

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