davesax36
Well-Known Member
So I'm thinking about a klr for commuting and playing around town. Anybody have one or one of the other big thumper dual sports?
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I have a DRZ400 and is a great around town bike and not too bad for off road riding. The KLR is a "luxury" version of my bike as it is very comfortable to ride on road but is a heavy bike off road. If you want it strictly for on road/ gravel road riding, the KLR is the best choice of the dual sports for that.
I have a BMW S1000XR which is sort of a dual sport bike....with more emphasis on sport touring, altho with a superbike motor taken from the 199hp S1000RR it's plenty comfortable on the track too............actually, it's kinda hard to fit it to a category I guess....:confused2:
But it's a shitload of fun!! :worthy:
But it's a shitload of fun!! :worthy:
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caseyjones955
Well-Known Member
I had an 08 KLR I used to ride aroumd the hills here, its a pretty capable ride but a touch heavy and old tech, I rode it from here (SoDak) to Chicago a couple times to, surprisingly not bad. Not a powerhouse by any means but for the price of admission it was damn decent if you will use it on pavement to. If mostly offroad use there are lighter machines you could choose. If you.are able to spend more money KTM, Husq, and BMW come to mind as other choices. Overall KLR is a good solid choice for a good price w/plenty of aftermarket support. I did more than fire trails but since you said commute it might be a very strong choice. They will go places to if you have the inseam to keep em up, I added crash bars, heated grips, a windscreen, a Sargent seat, saddle bags/tank bag and an assortment of sprockets for different occasoins. I toured and hit trails. With wifey onboard (120 lbs and my 215/lb self it ran out of steam at highway speeds and made passing tricky. There is a highly regarded 385cc kit for them to, I never got. I say its a decent bike.
I've got a 98 KLR650 and it's probably the best, most reliable bike I've ever owned until recently. The engine is bone-stock but, the suspension is upgraded. I made my own handlebar as none are wide enough for my taste. I regularly ride with the sportbikes here in the twisties and I'm generally up front if I desire to be. Last year I took it on a trip with a friend from TN. to Chicago onto Route 66 out to Tucumcari, NM and up into Eagle Colorado and back to TN. I've ridden on some serious single-track with it as well. I abuse the hell out of it cause I've got a complete spare to replace anything I break!
If you want a bike that can do pretty much anything, it's a great choice! If you plan on doing more serious dirt riding than anything, I would go with the DR. I've got JCWhitney cases on a rack I built myself for the long hauls and a 12T front sprocket for the off-roading! I would highly recommend it as a second bike or as an only bike!
If you want a bike that can do pretty much anything, it's a great choice! If you plan on doing more serious dirt riding than anything, I would go with the DR. I've got JCWhitney cases on a rack I built myself for the long hauls and a 12T front sprocket for the off-roading! I would highly recommend it as a second bike or as an only bike!
davesax36
Well-Known Member
That's what I needed to hear. My wife is on board with whatever I want as long as we end up with a k1600 gtl as well...
You're gonna want to get a seat upgrade! I have the Corbin flat and it's great cause it allows you to move around. If you have your wife on the back, unless she's absolutely tiny, the rear rack loops can dig into her hips. I cut mine off as they are also knee busters and pretty much useless anyway. On my Route 66 trip I used an airhawk and I can't recommend them enough!! I'm 6'2" 215 and my wife is 5'7" 170 and it's cramped because I have a trunk which pushes her forward quite a bit and I end up scrambling my eggs on the tank over distance. It does fine with both of us though. Don't let anyone tell you it won't handle the highway! It's not a Vmax but, what is!?
caseyjones955
Well-Known Member
If I were to buy a new bike right now it would be the K1600 without a second thought. It will look great between a max and KLR. There are many things BMW does well but an inline 6 tops that list, car or bike. I would not be to upset if I ended up with a 1200GS ADV either... I could sure as hell live with either amazing steed.
If you go to my blog of our trip, you can see how I have my KLR set-up so you have an idea of what you can do with one. Go to the first post to see it before we left on the trip.
http://route66shoestring.blogspot.com/
Here's another aspect of it that most people don't expect.
http://route66shoestring.blogspot.com/
Here's another aspect of it that most people don't expect.
caseyjones955
Well-Known Member
+1
Mt stock suspension 08 blew me away with its ability to canyon carve, even with the OEM tires. It sure cornered better than my max.
Mt stock suspension 08 blew me away with its ability to canyon carve, even with the OEM tires. It sure cornered better than my max.
mvanalst2003
New Member
I have a 2012 Suzuki DR650. I bought it new 12/31/12 and now have nearly 17k miles on it. It is my usual daily transportation (even in the winter). I love the bike. It is what I'd call a 50/50 bike (50% dirt and 50% street). It is lighter than the KLR by a fair bit and it doesn't have the plastic fairing stuff on it to get thrashed on trails.
I have added quite a bit to my DR though. First I put a new Sargent Saddle on it (better than any other IMO) and then a Acerbis 5.3 gallon tank. Once I had both of those, I was very happy.
The bike can now go 160 miles between fill ups and I can do 300 miles in a day and not be destroyed. The air/oil cooled engine hasn't changed hardly at all since its original release in 1996. It is one of the most dependable bikes anyone could ever own.
The Kawasaki KLR is an amazing bike and I'd consider it a 60/40 or even a 70/30 bike. The Suzuki DRZ400 is lighter than my DR, but is not good for commuting. Plus the maintenance is a huge pain compared to the DR.
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I almost bought a DR650 but, it got sold out from under me and then I got a great deal on my KLR! Being air/oil cooled, the DR is definitely lighter and simpler! The KLR will do pretty much anything you want it to do with only minor adjustments for each aspect. If I plan on riding some gnarly off-road stuff I stick a 12 tooth front sprocket on it and it will climb a tree or creep a trail with ease especially with D606's! I have ridden Hurricane Creek with stock front sprocket and Gripsters though. A little tougher but, doable. I sold my gen 1 Vmax and I'm thinking of getting a gen 2 for my cross-country trip next year but, haven't decided yet.
user 16790
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I've had many dual sports from DT's, XR's and KLX's including a DR650, I liked that bike's engine but it was uncomfortable for long journeys two up, so I now have an XF650 Freewind with fairing removed 
Tony Strange
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I have a KLR 650, on my second one, I own six bikes and it’s probably my favorite overall
I have a KTM 950 Super Enduro. Super rare bike, so I set google alert and waited for one for years. I got an alert one day that one hit craigslist and it was 20 miles from my house! Closed the deal that day.
It’s a beast of a bike, I’m 6’4” and have to tip toe it.
It’s a beast of a bike, I’m 6’4” and have to tip toe it.
Lil'skeet
Well-Known Member
I owned a KLR650 for a few years. I have 5 bikes now and been thru over 15 bikes since I sold the KLR. I did a trip from Florida to northern New York in 3 days. Over 1500 miles one way. Was horrible after the first 4 hours. The seat sucks!. Definitely upgrade. Don't expect much over 80mph either. Was awesome for around town, country roads and decent off road with some aggressive dual sport tires. Only problem I ever had was a bad stator.
KTM is light years ahead and not even fair to begin to compare. You'll pay 3x what the KLR will cost though. KTM is Pick of the litter if you are wanting more offroad performance.
KTM is light years ahead and not even fair to begin to compare. You'll pay 3x what the KLR will cost though. KTM is Pick of the litter if you are wanting more offroad performance.
I’ve found that the KTM SE does dirt or street very well, just not at the same time. I first set it up more as a super moto. Had perelli mt60s, suspension setup, bags, gearing, and Corbin seat setup for the street and it was impressive by even sport bike standards. I now have it set up for 90% dirt with the dessert h/t’s, suspension, down 1 tooth on front sprocket, and lightened it up without bags. I bought a 2018 Aprilia Tuono, and now have the V-max, so having the ability to off road took priority. At 6’4” 285, the extra weight between a 450 and the SE can be felt, but I can hang with them all day. That’s saying a lot considering a 950 V-twin. Definitely falls into the “keep it forever” category.
My next phase will be to make the max more comfortable with my 34” inseam. Looking into forward control options that don’t cost a fortune.
My next phase will be to make the max more comfortable with my 34” inseam. Looking into forward control options that don’t cost a fortune.
Allen Myers
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I have a 2006 DR650....awesome for commuting or taking to the trails. Put the right tires on it and you can convert it into a Supermoto or pretty decent dirt bike (a little heavy for jumping - would need suspension upgrades). Fuel economy is a little better than my Gen 2 (60mpg+ vs. 25mpg with the VMAX)....I’ve actually gone 165 miles on 2.5 gallons of gas with the DR! Easy to learn how to wheelie with the DR, super light pull clutch, and tires are cheap for it as well! Dual sports are a blast....hurry up and get one!
dvision
Member
When you say "beast" do you mean motor wise or that it's just big/tall? That looks good!
It’s honestly both. The 950 LC8 motor puts out around 100hp from the factory. I’m putting mine somewhere between 115-120 with the pipes, jets, Rottweiler intake and tune. The 0-100 is insane on a bike like this. The actual size of it is somewhat of an issue for most people though. If your not over 6’ tall, don’t buy one. I’m 6’4” with a 34” inseam and I if I flat foot one side, I can’t touch the ground on the other. With both feet down and I’m on my toes.
I’m pretty sure the locked a bunch of Austrian engineers in a room with a bag of coke and a case of whiskey and said “don’t come out until you build a Dakar winner”. It’s nuts that they even sold a bike like this to the public. I’m not complaining, mind you, just sayin.
I’m pretty sure the locked a bunch of Austrian engineers in a room with a bag of coke and a case of whiskey and said “don’t come out until you build a Dakar winner”. It’s nuts that they even sold a bike like this to the public. I’m not complaining, mind you, just sayin.
