Kawasaki KLR 650 thread

[Danno]

The klr has a tall 1st. EFI idle speed in 1st is 9mph. The strom will creep slower in the rough stuff. My xt225 was excellent for gear spread. The torque off idle is great. And even 2up on the interstate. The ergos are cramped. My drz has the same narrow spread gearbox as the klr and a tall 1st. I also have an rxv550 that was fun but not reasonable for general use.

The klr has the best comfort of any of the bikes. And the tw is unstoppable off the trail. I figure that works for now. I park the strom under the porch awning for quick access.

If I ever narrow down my bikes. I might try an xr650l or dr650. I like standard forks and air cooled engines. I considered the 701 and ajp before I purchased the klr. But the klr won for 2up riding.

I get over 60mpg on the klr traveling backroads. There is never a perfect bike but the klr ergos are nice.

 

[jwaller]

At my age time is short, and finally money less short, so I'm into a bit of a fling before my 'gleaming Red Barchetta' is 'against the motor law', or I simply fall apart and can no longer 'elude the eyes' and 'hop the turbine freight.'

But I still hold onto to my KLR to qualify as a 'my uncle has an old machine.'

Better watch out for those gleaming alloy air-cars while you're out committing your weekly crime!

Man, I know that song is about a car, but I can't help have it in my head as I ride through the countryside. (That or something from the On Any Sunday soundtrack; "Bop ba-da bah, bop ba-da bah, bop ba-da bah!")

"Well-weathered leather
Hot metal and oil
The scented country air
Sunlight on chrome
The blur of the landscape
Every nerve aware"

But then Neil was a fellow rider, so we can all really relate.

 

[Motobene]

jwaller, you pegged it! Gasoline and the issue of human freedom.

Danno, so did you, in the impossibility of the unicorn bike. We have that conundrum much less with the 4-wheeled vehicles. My RAM Cummins pickup is the most unicorn vehicle I have ever owned. No mods. I just use it!

Motorcycles are much smaller relative to us... being from less than our body weight (trials bike) to ~4X our body weight (aircraft carrier bikes). The experience with any motorcycle, the 'signal', the exposure to the environment, is WAY magnified compared to vehicles that envelop us and weigh tens of multiples of our body weight.

Fine differences ignorable with cars and trucks stand out, are 'in the face' and anything glaringly sub optimal can take over the center of attention, like a bad seat on a long ride.

Especially to the unfortunates like me who came from the womb afflicted with a ridiculous high level of 'machine awareness' to serve humanity boringly as an engineer.

 

[Danno]

Actually I think I found somewhat of a unicorn truck. Wt1500 regular cab long bed with 4.3 vvt knockin back 27mpg. It is about as boring as a klr. And every bit as effective. My old job was towing and snow plow installs. So I had my hands on everything. I'm an old school ford enthusiasts that bought a gm. Klr purchases are tough. I waited 15yrs to buy one. I would have less bikes if I would have bought a klr to start with.

 

[TonyKZ1]

Actually I think I found somewhat of a unicorn truck. Wt1500 regular cab long bed with 4.3 vvt knockin back 27mpg. It is about as boring as a klr. And every bit as effective. My old job was towing and snow plow installs. So I had my hands on everything. I'm an old school ford enthusiasts that bought a gm. Klr purchases are tough. I waited 15yrs to buy one. I would have less bikes if I would have bought a klr to start with.

I actually bought one of those new decades ago, a 1990 Chevrolet 1500 2WD 8ft long bed, with the W/T option package, 4.3V6, 5 speed manual. I was in the US Navy based in Norfolk, VA and couldn't afford much. That truck got me back and forth to Mom & Dad's back here in MO several times and then when I was transferred to a Naval Base close to Jacksonville, FL it made the trip back to MO a few more times. I got excellent fuel mileage with it, better than any truck my Dad had seen at the time. It had a 34G fuel tank in it which with the great gas mileage made for lots of miles on a tank of gas.

 

[Danno]

I actually bought one of those new decades ago, a 1990 Chevrolet 1500 2WD 8ft long bed, with the W/T option package, 4.3V6, 5 speed manual. I was in the US Navy based in Norfolk, VA and couldn't afford much. That truck got me back and forth to Mom & Dad's back here in MO several times and then when I was transferred to a Naval Base close to Jacksonville, FL it made the trip back to MO a few more times. I got excellent fuel mileage with it, better than any truck my Dad had seen at the time. It had a 34G fuel tank in it which with the great gas mileage made for lots of miles on a tank of gas.

I just hauled my vstar 1300 and a stripped down flht 700 miles. I was over the payload some but the truck was still level or slightly nose down. About 1300lbs of bikes plus 2 adults. Not bad but my bed height is jacked to the moon compared to old trucks. So loading and unloading is a pain with bigger bikes. I miss my old f100 bed height.

 

[Gravelcruiser]

The gen 3 is coming together with little bits and bobbles to get it where I want it. Lowered peg mounts have been the one significant comfort improvement so far. Now I'm in search of a quick turn throttle tube as it seems there is a whole lotta turn before the go. Anyone have any information on where a feller might aquire such. Heading out in a little over a week to see how Arkansas is doing from east to west.

 

[Motorat]

Took a little 870 mile ride around wa, or,and Id. The KLR did great, very comfy and returned an average 51mpg.

 

[Danno]

The boring gen3 stomps the gravel rd at work. I only have 2 other plated bikes..tw200 and a dl1000. The tw gives the strom hell ... both bikes 45mph on the short gravel run. The klr was a limo ride to instant 45mph with braking distance to spare. The dl has big blocks and the tw has the stock fresh tires. The klr has stock worn dunlops... Stock klr btw! Smacking down a 100hp rooster machine strom...the klr is that great..but feels so dang slow..ha time machine to some scifi 80s hydrogen motorcycle movie!

 

[campfire]

Bunch of us had our annual ride last year and we decided to do the west side of Death Valley as we did the east side in 2021.



We hit up the Reward Mine of one of the days, what an adventure.


This is about a quarter mile inside.

 

[Madmx]

Nice!! My gen3 is my bike!