thanks for the info guys.
it means a lot coming from other xs650 riders, as the xs650 is the bike I spend the most time on.
I'm finding that the xs650 isn't really fulfilling my needs anymore.
I love riding it around town, love the way it looks etc.
But when it's time to get on to the highway, even for an hour or so, I'm not looking forward to it at all.
I changed the gearing from a 17/36 (!!!) to a 17/32 and it was a big improvement, but still not great.
I did lower the bike in the front with hhb spacers, and put progressive shocks on the back. maybe the lack of travel has something to do with it.
I'm really interested in the airheads for the look, power delivery (i doubt i'll ever ride a 4 cyl again) and ease of maintenance. I have a rough r90s in the garage, but r65's keep popping up for good prices. I know an r100 would be the way to go for a highway runner, but I keep wondering if I'd be happier with an r65 for around town rather than my trusty old xs. grass is always greener, eh?
anyway, thanks for the info and more is welcome!