Who Will Be The First

4

I think the better question would be; Who's going to be second?



KTM 690 Enduro

I'm going with Honda because they already have the CRF250L. At least that's what I'm hoping.

I'd go with Yamaha. Isn't the 660 thumper that we don't get in the US already f.i. ?

The DR is OIL/air cooled.

I hope they NEVER go f/i

Yes it is, it's a little snatchy compared to a DR650 but it's not terrible. And it starts all the time and pulls very strongly from the bottom. The bike is a bit on the heavy side and the suspension isn't the best but it's a real workhorse. They are being abused all over europe as commuters and dispatch bikes with zero issues. And plenty of people have taken them around the world with no problems. Very reliable bike, the essence of care free motorcycling.

I will say Honda in the US. The CRF250L is the test mule and the XR650 is at the end of it's run emissions wise.Any EFI can be improved by the aftermarket. They do not have the legal constraints on them that the factory production people do.Also look for water cooling to control the combustion temps and to control noise.

I would guess Honda as well. Definitely not Suzuki, perhaps Yamaha. If it's emissions that they're trying to control, then it will have to be a water-cooled motor so that you can better control engine temperatures. Didn't Porsche go thru this a while back?

650 single? BMW. Air-cooled 650 single? Honda is the only major mfr still selling one.

MX Rob has already EFI'd an air/OIL-cooled DR650SE. It runs great. I wouldn't want to have a problem in BFE though. Many EFI bikes use expensive in-tank pumps, and a few of these have been trouble-prone under harsh usage....WRR and 690 come to mind. The wiring harness is also a bit more complicated, not that a knowledgeable person couldn't troubleshoot an entire system, but EFI doesn't lend itself to field-fixes like a carb does. Some of us tune or field-fix a carb just fine for our use. We don't need or want race-ready performance on our packhorse, and we can figure out how to employ a choke or cold-start enrichener on cold mornings without needing to consult the manual and youtube.

The XT250, TU250X, and several other air-cooled jap thumpers are already EFI'd from the manufacturer, depending on market.

The Husky 650 is also fuel injected. I would guess Suzuki will be last if ever. They seem to like to keep things simple.

There are advantages and drawbacks to EFI...

+ They almost always start right away
+ They don't care about elevation
+ They don't care about rain
+ They don't care about cold weather
- I've yet to find one that is as silky smooth as a carbed bike can be

That's only one drawback... but it can be a big one. On that perfect sunny day when the sky is blue and the horizon is limitless I'll take a carbed bike any day of the week. It has that very organic, mechanical feel and feedback that is the very essence of what motorcycling is all about.

But on a rainy day when you're stuck in a ditch and just want to get home... give me EFI every time.

What you ask for is not always what you want.

FI

wish they would bring it here to the states

Honda would have to redesign the XR650L to add fuel injection to it. While I think that would be a wonderful thing, they've hung onto the old design for 20 years now. Twenty years!

It's unclear if the market would support a redesign of the bike, although I would seriously consider buying one if they did it and kept the price lower than a comparable KTM.

I don't care... I'd much rather see a lighter more capable fuel injected 450 with good service intervals. I guess one can keep dreaming.

BMW G650GS -- in 2009.

I was waiting for someone to point that out - It's 13 or 14 years to late for any manufacturer to be "first" and several years too late to be second.

BMW
KTM 690
Husky TR650
Yamaha 660

Well alright, but who's going to be the fifth? Huh?

What is this Yamaha model that you mention?

Was it ever available in the USA?

I thought it was the Yamaha pictured on page 1, not available in the US.

I don't know anything about it, but since I can't have it, I just know it's better than anything else here!