HONDA SLR 650 (1996-2000) Specs, Performance & Photos

The Honda SLR 650 was an enduro motorcycle with light off-road capabilities. It was manufactured by Honda from 1996 to 2000 in the Spanish Montesa factory near Barcelona and was an affordable city bike.

It was a street motorcycle with moderate off-road capabilities usable only on gravel and field paths. More than that, if used on rougher terrains, the firm suspension offered a very unpleasant riding experience.

In 1996, the Japanese motorcycle maker released the Honda SLR 650, where the SLR designation indicated the visual proximity to earlier motorcycles as part of the so-called scramble style.

The bike had standard features such as a front fender mounted close to the wheel, a round headlight upfront, analog instrument dials, a small fuel tank, a one-piece dual seat with passenger grab handles, a luggage rack, a high-mounted exhaust muffler, a small engine plate, and wire-spoke wheels.

For suspension, the motorcycle packed a 41 mm telescopic fork on the front and a rising rate monoshock on the rear, offering optimum handling capabilities.

Braking-wise, the bike had a single 276 mm brake rotor mounted on the front wheel and a 220 mm brake disc on the rear wheel. The front disc was tied to a dual-piston caliper, while the rear was clamped by a single-piston caliper.

The 1996 Honda SLR 650 had its heartbeat set by a 644cc four-stroke single-cylinder air-cooled engine that delivered an output power of 44 hp at 5,750 rpm and 54 Nm (40 lb-ft) torque at 4,500 rpm.