The Honda XR650L remains unchanged for 2020 and holds the record for longest-running production motorcycle in history at 27 years
Honda
Honda just announced the latest evolution of one of its greatest off-road vehicles, the 2020 Honda Africa Twin. Since making its comeback in 2015, the Africa Twin has ridden the new wave of interest in the adventure motorcycle category, carrying the flag for the brand, going up against the likes of BMW, KTM and Triumph. For 2020 Honda’s big adventure bike loses weight, gains power and even sees the addition of a TFT touchscreen compatible with Apple CarPlay. Along with the new Africa Twin announcement, Honda also sneaked in news of next XR650L, which remains completely unchanged going into 2020 and hasn’t seen any real update since 1993.
Yes, you read that right. The Honda XR650L hasn’t changed in 27 years and still uses an engine that’s been around since ‘88 and a chassis from ‘85. Unsurprisingly, the XR650L holds the title for the longest-running production motorcycle in history. And when you think about all the new middleweight adventure motorcycles launched in the past year or so — the BMW F850GS, Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE, KTM 790 Adventure, Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled — not to mention the rise in interest in lighter enduro motorcycles, Honda’s stubbornness on updating the XR650L seems insane.
As more riders gravitate towards the adventure category, greater numbers of people are looking for more affordable and manageable motorcycles than the established stalwarts like the BMW GS and KTM Super Adventure. Bikes like the BMW and KTM are reputable for a reason, being able to tackle almost any terrain a rider can throw at it. But, the rest of the rider market doesn’t want to spend upwards of $20,000 and have to worry about picking up a near-600-pound motorcycle when it inevitably winds up on its side, off-road. Hence the newfound popularity of the smaller, cheaper, yet still wildly capable middleweight adventure motorcycles.
Now that the XR650L is nearing 30 years of production, Honda might be taking the old adage “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” a little too seriously. Innovation is still an incredibly important selling point, even for more basic motorcycles like enduros and dirt bikes. You could say the XR650L is an attractive option with its relatively low price tag of $6,999, but the middleweight segment is crowded going into 2020. If it doesn’t act soon, Honda risks getting left in the dust by its competitors who are already well on their way to winning over new and old riders alike.
