Klr 650

[upcruiser]

I want a bike so bad right now its killing me! haha I've been perusing info online for the last month or so and really seem to gravitate towards the KLR650. It seems like a bike that works great mainly because it is ok at basically everything. The support network for it seems great, they seem simple to upkeep, and long lived as well. I'd love a Bimmer of course, but for a guy a tight budget, seems like a lot of possibility with the KLR. What are your opinnions/experiences with it?

 

[Ursidae69]

I had a KLR that I sold right before I bought the Tacoma in 2004. I had to free up some $$. I miss that bike, they are a lot of fun.

 

[upcruiser]

Sharp looking bike. What type of mileage were you getting with yours on the road? Range? Did you do much in the way of long trips with it?

I've been torn with getting something more dirt oriented since my background was in motocross, supercross, and harescrambles, but more recently feel like I want something that will tour nicely but still get me down more technical stuff too. Seems the KLR is a pretty good compromise. I don't need to prove anything ********************** anymore.

 

[Ursidae69]

It's been a while, but I recall the mileage being pretty variable, but up near 30- 35mpg. On longer trips my hands would go numb since it was a single stroke, at highway speed the vibration is intense. I had fun off-road with it, but it was only the second bike ever, so I wasn't very skilled with my driving. I'd hit sand and I'd hit the deck. Suprised I never got hurt as much as I dumped it in sand (very sandy around here). When I get my next bike one of these days, I'd like to find a dirt-bike class or something like that to teach me how to ride off the pavement better.

 

[Ursidae69]

You know, I just remembered that in 2004 I saw this KLR down in Baja at Gonzaga Bay. They are awesome machines!

EDIT: I made the picture smaller, sorry about the first one that was huge.

 

[Hltoppr]

The KLRs are great all around bikes..IIRC they turn in about 40-50mpg, which is about right for a 650 single. They're cheap to buy and run, and in North America you can get parts no problemo. I rode one in Mulege and it seemed more top heavy than my XR650L, but definitely had better highway manners, too!

Longevity seems to be the single issue with most thumpers....20K seems to be high mileage on these machines before you need head work etc.

You can find 'em for under $2K, and a nice one for 3-4K!

-H-

 

[perterra]

The folks I know who ride Killers, get mileage from upper 30's to upper 60's depending on speed and conditions. They dont lend theirselves to hopping up, you generally do nothing but kill your mileage and make it louder. They have a super support network. You can find everything from custom long range seats to 7 gallon fuel tanks, taller windshields and custom altenator windings to give you a little more juice.

No matter what, make sure you do the doohickey modifaction. (cam chain tensioner, thats what its called LOL) Doohickey dies, best case your walking, worst case your motor will shell out.

http://www.klrog.com/TheKLR6502.asp
http://www.klr650.marknet.us/

 

[upcruiser]

It's been a while, but I recall the mileage being pretty variable, but up near 30- 35mpg. On longer trips my hands would go numb since it was a single stroke, at highway speed the vibration is intense. I had fun off-road with it, but it was only the second bike ever, so I wasn't very skilled with my driving. I'd hit sand and I'd hit the deck. Suprised I never got hurt as much as I dumped it in sand (very sandy around here). When I get my next bike one of these days, I'd like to find a dirt-bike class or something like that to teach me how to ride off the pavement better.

I was reading on the advrider site about people complaining about the hand numbness on the road. Interesting, sounds like there are some things you can due to dampen the handlebar vibrations.

 

[Ursidae69]

Another link: http://klr650.net/forums/

 

[upcruiser]

The folks I know who ride Killers, get mileage from upper 30's to upper 60's depending on speed and conditions. They dont lend theirselves to hopping up, you generally do nothing but kill your mileage and make it louder. They have a super support network. You can find everything from custom long range seats to 7 gallon fuel tanks, taller windshields and custom altenator windings to give you a little more juice.

No matter what, make sure you do the doohickey modifaction. (cam chain tensioner, thats what its called LOL) Doohickey dies, best case your walking, worst case your motor will shell out.

http://www.klrog.com/TheKLR6502.asp
http://www.klr650.marknet.us/

Ah, that's what the doohickey mod is, I see it referred to in alot of threads. Thanks!

 

[upcruiser]

Another link: http://klr650.net/forums/

There we go. I think any question I could ever ask is answered there. Thanks!

I'm finding it bizarre though that after 20 years of production, Kawasaki hasn't fixed the doohickey problem.

 

[perterra]

I'm pretty jealous. I want a KLR but until my current bike is paid off, I'm outta luck.

Good luck and enjoy.

 

[upcruiser]

no need to be jealous yet, I'm looking more realistically at next spring. I got a couple of projects I'm trying to do before then that I need to button up before I jump into anything new. And at that point, I'm probably going to be shopping for something used and on the cheaper side of the spectrum, needing some minor work maybe even.

 

[18seeds]

I was thinking of getting the klr but as a beginner i thought it was too much bike for me to handle. After doing more research i learned that they really aren't best suited for offroad ruff trailriding. I have decided on buying a yamaha wr450 and buying a dualsport kit to make it street legal.

I think the killer is great for fireroads and highway use but I plan on never taking it on the highway and riding some ruff trails.

Whatever you end up with. Good luck, i've had the itch for a while also.

 

[upcruiser]

Yeah, I'd be using it for exploring all of the dirt backroads around the Upper Peninsula here, for buzzing around town, and I'd like to do some longer trips. I dream of doing a cross country ride via highway 2 like in Zen and the Art of Motorcyle Maint. :jumping: I'm thinking my uses would probably cover the entire spectrum. I'm fine compromising the offroad ability in order to do it all. Like I said before, for me, I'm not looking to go blasting off doubles and skipping across whoopdees. A nice tourer is more of my syle these days. I think that for a dirt focused vehicle, that is streetable for short durations, your plan sounds pretty spot on.