Hit Machine: A Honda XR650R from Mule Motorcycles
Repeat custom is the lifeblood of most businesses, including bike builders. Ten years ago, Matt Helders bought a very sharp Triumph T100 from Richard ?Mule? Pollock?and he?s just gone back for more.
This time, Matt has taken delivery of an absolute weapon: a crisp, vintage-style Honda with a most unusual exhaust system. And despite the knobby rubber (for road use and the photo shoot), it?s street legal.
If you know the name Matt Helders, that?s because he?s the drummer of the hit British rock band Arctic Monkeys. The band has sold well over 20 million records worldwide, so Helders could probably have chosen any custom builder he wanted.
Mule, however, is a singular talent. And there?s nothing else on the road (or off) quite like this Honda.
?This build started life as a 2000-spec XR650R,? Richard reports. ?Matthew asked for a modern-ish dirtbike that looked like a 70s motocrosser. So I decided the look would resemble a 1973 CR250 Honda Elsinore?with the same paint scheme!?
The XR650R is more of a desert racer than motocrosser, with a tough liquid-cooled single pumping out just over 60 hp. Dry weight is just under 300 pounds, helped by the aluminum frame and lightweight engine, so performance is spritely even by modern standards.
Mule started by stripping the XR650R down to the frame, and started optimizing the suspension setup.
?I shortened the shock to lower the stance slightly, and installed a Triumph Bonneville lower triple clamp,? he says. That had the most off...
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