Classified Moto
tore apart a Honda XR650L and put it back together using parts from other bikes,
obtaining a machine that will dominate the dunes, and still be street-legal.
When we design and build bikes, we rarely do it to make a
statement. There’s a little bit of a statement with this one. The goal was to
build something to delight ourselves and infuriate armchair builders with its
very presence. A secondary goal was to make the bike handle predictably and
safely so as to allow for aggressive riding on or off the road. We’ve had it
deep in the dunes at Pismo Beach, slinging gravel and dirt on the trails,
flattening curbs in the city and drafting semis at freeway speeds. We’re proud
of our long-dreamed-about monstrosity. And particularly proud that it’s
licensed, insured, registered, safety inspected and 100 percent legal for road
use. As with most of our bikes, there are a bunch of details that go into making
it happen, but we can’t claim this one is about the subtleties.