First you have to kickstart the bike (a pain) and then you're graced with very sluggish throttle response (no pumper carb here) and a bland build of very smooth power that tops out at a very low rpm. But it was a lot faster than it felt and kept up just fine on the trail. Just don't expect any sort of snap from the throttle to clear bumps or jumps; use the clutch for that. The torque feels better than the other bikes; the XR is the last bike to break traction in tricky situations.
Handling and suspension on this bike are more about being plush and fl exing than precision and control. So the front end is vague at best and turning is less than responsive. The bike takes all the ripples out of the ground (better than even the KLX) and the seat was made for sitting. Bottoming? Yes, all the time, front and rear. And the bike is always wallowing around. Slowing that with more compression and rebound damping just upsets the chassis, which seems to like to be mashed into turning. It doesn't feel as heavy as its 271 pounds (without gas) might indicate.
The second thing you notice about an old bike is that the brakes are weak. They just don't slow the bike with the same tenacity of a modern bike, even when in top condition with new pads.
The Verdict
This 10-year-old bike was still fun to ride and it gets the job done, just differently. You couldn't modify it to compete with current bikes at any price, and in trying to do so you'd eliminate some of its endearing traits. Hey, it's still running, has never lost a drop of water or bent a radiator and has been making riders smile since all the new bikes were still just aluminum cans and plastic bottles waiting for a second life.