Why water cooled?

Hi all, I just purchased a 2001 XR650R and love it but wonder why its water cooled, the 650L is not. It seems that water cooling the bike ads a lot of extra parts and I have no way of knowing if I am overheating!

The 650L is just a refined NX650 Dominator engine dating back to the 80's along with the technology or lack of it from that era, the frame is based on the XR600. The 650R was a new breed; new frame and new engine and to produce the power and performance it needed to be water cooled, these bikes don't really have cooling issues the thermostate has been known to stick but few and far between.
If your that worried stick a Vapor Tech on and it will show you your temp as you go...?

The water starts boiling when you start overheating , that is a good warning sign , unles you are using something stupid like Evans waterless coolant
I wonder how do you tell that you are overheating on a air cooled engine ? oh i know it explodes in a cloud of smoke and you are done for the day

The L stands for laidback Piggy that needs only a gentle breeze to keep cool, while the R stands for Raging Boar, which needs water to keep this beast from exploding!

thanks guys , mostly as far as the temp, if I am on a ride and start leaking coolant it will be nice to know that Im overheating before I melt something. I just sold my dinosaur 1985 xr600 which never let me down and was air cooled The 650 defiantly has better power!

Larizon is your BRP uncorked, and properly jetted?

Not uncorked , Its street legal so I have to keep it quiet : )