I squeezed the front brake lever and it went straight to the bar.
I was maybe a quarter mile from the seller’s driveway. The temperature was 40 degrees and damp. My fingers were already getting stiff inside my gloves. I was on a 20-year-old bike with zero wind protection that I had driven two and a half hours to see. The brake lever just told me everything I needed to know.
This was not going to be the one.
The Dream
I first saw an XR650L in the original Karate Kid movie back in the 80s. Something about that 1980s big single stuck with me—the high seat, the purposeful stance, the uncompromising dirt bike made barely street-legal. For decades it stayed in the back of my mind as a bike I wanted to try.
Then last year in Idaho, I finally threw a leg over one.
That bike opened my eyes. I was significantly more forward than on any other bike I have ridden. The bars almost felt like they were right in my lap. I felt like I was very much on top of the engine. When I rolled on the throttle, BRRRRRRRRRAP. You could hear the exhaust roll under the rider’s demand. It was light and flickable. It climbed dirt hills effortlessly. The tires gripped solidly on well-behaved dirt. It delivered.
That Idaho ride planted the seed. I started thinking about an XR as a supermoto city bike—riding it up Diablo, taking it into the city for The Moto Social, maybe even hauling it up to Vancouver for Squamish and Whistler runs. I had been bouncing between the XR650L and the 650R for months. The R is more capable off-road but was pure off-road racer with a seat height that mirrored Mount Everest AND a kick start. The L has electric start, which is critical for a short-legged guy on such a tall bike. The L is street-legal and easier to own in the city and on the fire roads. Thus, I kept coming back to the L.
The Listing
Then one popped up on Facebook Marketplace. It had two sets of wheels—street and dirt. The bike had a Corbin seat that actually felt good, steel brake lines, and a matching red brake reservoir cover. The listing showed all the customizations I would have done myself. The bike looked like the total package, well cared for and also came with a set of dirt wheels.
My riding buddy agreed to come along for the adventure. We were planning to ride that day, but temps in the low 40s and foggy was not the best day to ride. We took the warm truck instead. The total trip consumed $70 of electrons for 300 miles round trip. The trip would be worth it if this was the one.
The Reality
The weather was dark, California wintry, and that bone chilling kind of cold. I was about to test ride a bike with zero wind protection in weather that made me pause for at least a few moments.
My riding buddy asked me some basics about the sale. He buys and sells motorcycles quite frequently and had walked me through the basics before we left. “Did you ask if he owns it free and clear? Does he have the title? Is he on the title? Does his license match the name on the title?” Those were things I had not quickly asked in the beginning. That was critical learning for next time.
We pulled up and the bike looked great from a distance. The customizations were there—the Corbin seat, the steel lines, the matching red reservoir cover, two sets of wheels. As I walked up I began to see it’s 20+ year age up close. The package was there, but the “well cared for” part was struggling to come out.
The seller was in his mid-thirties and wanted a Suzuki GSX-R. He was ready to move on but needed this bike to sell at a high price point to fund his next purchase. He had bought the bike from somebody else with most of the customizations already done. That explained a lot.
I fired it up and headed down the driveway. That is when the brake lever went to the bar. Not exactly confidence-inspiring. I stayed on the bike maybe two to three miles. The cold air kept hitting me with no wind protection. I twisted the throttle. Sputter. Sputter. Cough. Nothing like the BRRRRRRRRRAP from Idaho. Nothing smooth about the power delivery. I thought the carburetors might be clogged from the bike not being ridden much. Carbureted bikes are much more finicky than fuel injected ones. All sorts of issues show up if you do not regularly ride and keep the carburetor clean.
My fingers were going numb. The bike was sputtering. The brakes were suspect. I turned around. Additionally, the speedometer was not working. All of the required cabling was removed. The owner had a custom Vapor speedometer but none of the infrastructure to run either the stock or a custom speedo. The digital display on the Vapor was flickering out as well.
The Walk Away
We got back and started talking. The seller came down on price but not enough for us to meet in the middle. Bike Blue Book said the bike was worth $3,000. The seller wanted well over $5,000. The gap was too wide even with negotiation, especially for a bike that needed brake work at minimum and probably a carb rebuild.
I bowed out gracefully.
The Drive Home
My riding buddy and I talked about the chase on the drive back. He has gone all over places looking at motorcycles and was happy to accompany me and enjoy the ride. For me there was definitely a bit of disappointment and relief. Both of us agreed that the outcome was clear. This just was not the right bike.
I felt like that bike had secrets. I was not willing to work through and discover those secrets at the price he wanted.
Here is what I learned. That Idaho ride spoiled me. That bike had an owner who loved his bike and spent the time maintaining it. That bike was dialed in—smooth power delivery, solid brakes, maintained properly. It showed me what the XR650L could be at its best. This bike in the seller’s driveway showed me what happens when a bike gets passed from owner to owner with customizations but no real ownership. The dream was there in the photos. The reality was sputtering in 40-degree weather with a brake lever going all the way to the bar.
I’ll casually keep looking for the XR650L. I am definitely not reconsidering the idea. This one just was not the right bike although it looked perfect on the front cover.
Sometimes the best decision is knowing when to walk away. Sometimes the better decision is knowing what you are walking away from—and what you are still looking for.
This XR650 L Suprermoto conversion is artfully done. Check it out at Bikebound! Bike by Ruddybel, photography by Porfirio Hidalgo (@porfishidalgo).
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