Honda XR650R Retro Tracker Pays Custom Tribute to the Iconic RS750 Flat-Track Racers

Although the idea of establishing a customization shop was already floating around in his mind back then, Spencer pursued a different career path at first. He fulfilled one of his childhood dreams by becoming a police officer, yet things were bound to take a turn for the worse a few years later. The guy was diagnosed with ocular cancer and eventually went blind in one eye, forcing him to resign from his law enforcement job.

This led him to realize that life is short and unpredictable, so it ought to be lived at its fullest in pursuit of one’s true passions. With this philosophy in mind, Spencer went on to establish Parr Motorcycles and dove head-first into the custom bike world. Dubbed the Retro Tracker, the motorcycle shown above was put together by him back in 2020, with a Honda XR650R acting as the basis.

More specifically, the project started with a 2002 variant of Honda’s dual-sport lineup, and the inspiration behind it was the legendary RS750 flat tracker. To get the ball rolling, Spencer deleted a large chunk of the XR’s factory equipment, including its bodywork, subframe, and footgear. Then, he went searching for a fuel tank replacement that would suit his vision.

Eventually, he found a perfect fit in the form of a 1974 Honda CR125 Elsinore’s unit, cleverly tweaking its underside to suit the XR650 frame. Before continuing with the bodywork, he wanted to get the machine’s posture just right, so the suspension department was his next port of call. At the front, we now see upside-down Showa forks taken from a CRF, but these were blessed with premium Racetech internals prior to installation.

Whereas the OEM rear shock has been retained, it was overhauled and subsequently lowered to get the stance just right. The following step involved the fabrication of a new subframe to replace the stock part, and Spencer went beyond the usual loop-style affair. He encased the subframe’s underside in a flat plate with vertically-mounted LED taillights, while attaching a custom license plate bracket lower down.

Perched on the subframe tubing is a tracker-style tail unit made of aluminum, topped with a handmade seat sporting a mixture of black vinyl and Alcantara. There’s also an integrated side number plate on the right-hand side of the tail, but we’re even more intrigued by the equipment installed on the left. Drawing heavy influence from the Honda RS750, the project’s author fashioned a bespoke high-mounted exhaust out of stainless-steel.

It ends in a pair of high-grade SuperTrapp silencers supported by custom mounting hardware, while the OEM carbs made room for Lectron alternatives. Down in the unsprung sector, you’ll come across gold Dubya rims measuring 19 inches in diameter fore and aft. They’re clad in H-18 flat track racing rubber from Mitas, and ample stopping power is provided by Galfer braking equipment at both ends.

To finish off the XR650R’s new outfit, Spencer added handmade forks guards and a tracker-style number board at twelve o’clock. Right beneath the latter, we see an S2 Pro headlight supplied by Baja Designs – bright, but too small to keep the way ahead sufficiently lit all by itself. There are auxiliary LED lights embedded into the radiator shrouds, which encase an aftermarket Mylers cooler.

In the cockpit area, you’ll find items such as fresh switches, CNC-machined handlebar risers, and a Motogadget Motoscope Mini dial. A bit further back, the Retro Tracker features a digital oil temperature gauge fitted right ahead of the Elsinore fuel tank, courtesy of Trail Tech. With all the desired modifications ticked off the list and the bike’s engine rebuilt, it was time to take care of the paint job.

Given the inspiration behind this build, it only made sense for Spencer to go with a red, white, and blue color scheme on the bodywork. The frame and swingarm were painted red to further enforce the RS750 vibe, while the gold finish on the wheels provides a nice bit of contrast for our viewing pleasure. Once the paintwork was done, the mastermind at Parr Motorcycles could finally call it a day.

It took him eight months to get the stock XR650R looking the way it does today, and every working hour over this period was time well spent. We’re suckers for retro-looking custom trackers, so this stylish head-turner from the Midwest went straight to our hearts! From its svelte attire and tasteful colorway to the upgraded suspension and brakes, there are plenty of things to fall in love with here.