Good Info for the xr650r
 

For those that have not found it yet take alook at www.xr650r.us In the menu you will find a list of the common probs with the xr (BRP Achilles they call it) There is also heaps of other useful info. Just bought one myself and now working through the common problems before starting to prep it for a trip.
cheers
oz

i know its an old thread but just wanted to say thanks for the good read

XR 650 R Reliablity!
 

Mine has been great usually starts first kick. One major problem encountered last year in Mexico! It would not start! Found that it had a split in the wiring cover going into the stator housing. For some reason water got into the wiring harness and down into the timing cover. We had a sudden storm so i did not cover the bike. Left the bike for a couple of days and after working through all the possibilities found water in the timing cover housing. Immediate rust on stator, flywheel and contacts. Cleaned it all and replaced the stator but with two day it had rusted again. So stripped down and cleaned and coated with dielectric grease. Silicon the heck out of the housing and its been running ever since. Just be careful if you remove the stator to seal it all well on re-install. Other than that a bullet proof motor that will take all you throw at it. Oil changes at 3,000 klms seem to work ok! The humidity in Mexico is extreme so rust forms very quickly, even bolts i thought were stainless have some corrosion marks now. John:scooter::clap: