Who rides a KLR650 primarily on the street

[wylee]

Who has a KLR650? What do you like about it? What do you not like about it? What tires/wheels do you run? Is it fun in the twisties?

I'm thinking about selling the TLS and buying a KLR650 to to ride mostly on the street. I was going to try to make my TLS more kid passenger friendly (by adding some kind of backrest) but I'm really thinking it'll be better to go in a different direction. If I have something that I can feel comfortable taking my 8 year old daughter on, my riding time will increase greatly. The factory rack on the KLR appears to be a perfect place to mount a trunk with a built in backrest.

The dual sport is a bonus so we can ride the rail trails. I have no interest in tight technical trails, so I'm not at all worried about the off-road capabilities of the KLR.

I'll definitely miss the TL power, but I'll be less likely to get a visit from Johnny Law on a KLR so I guess it wouldn't be all bad.

[Karaya One]

http://www.klr650.net/

[ZX-12R]

Originally posted by wylee
I'll definitely miss the TL power, but I'll be less likely to get a visit from Johnny Law on a KLR so I guess it wouldn't be all bad.

I've seen a KLR650 maintain speeds of 90-100MPH for miles on end up in Vermont. Luckily for the beer baron, Johnny Law was no where to be found!

[Tricky Mike]

I got in more trouble on my KLR than I did on my streetbikes

[TheIglu]

Originally posted by ZX-12R
I've seen a KLR650 maintain speeds of 90-100MPH for miles on end up in Vermont. Luckily for the beer baron, Johnny Law was no where to be found!

Yup

Not that the constable will believe that a KLR can keep up with the "fast" group.....

It's a hoot to ride on the street. Just get the Dynojet kit ASAP, it increases the fun exponentially over the lousy stock jetting.

I run IRC knobbies. They can drag footpegs in the twisties. Runs on Deal's Gap keep my up with RC51's and the like. High speed it leaves something to be desired but I love wringing the hell out of it.

There are a few things you should think about:

1. They haven't changed much since 1987 or so. Don't bother buying new/newer. Go for low miles.

2. There are mods that are downright necessary. Luckily they are all cheap:

-Progressive front springs
-Braided front brake hose
-Doohicky mod (balancer chain spring/tensioner fix)
-Jet kit (keep the stock exhaust)
-Bigger handgrips (progrip 714's) if you have arangatang hands like me
-Subframe mount bolt fix
-Carb breather "T" mod

That's it!

To ride it fast, you have to ride it a bit different. Front brake? Don't bother. It upsets the spaghetti forks and noodle chassis too much. Rear brakes entering the corner (sounds wrong) works the best for me. Of course this is all lower speed corners, really tight shit. Swepers? Enter slower and make sure you power all the way through. Anytime you let off the throttle you'll begin a very big sway that will just get worse. Stay on the throttle is the only way to keep her planted (relativly speaking). Around town she is just a pussycat. Hamfist all the way!

[Tricky Mike]

Also on the "absoluteley necessary mods" list is an IMS shifter... the stock shifter sucks bags of junk and WILL break sooner or later. Riding from Yonkers to Manhattan in 2nd gear is no fun. Trust me.

[sanfelice]

dual sports are the way to go in the city. hop curbs, pop right off the curb to park, cut through parking lots and over the little barriers to get where you need to be without going around ;-). all that shit is time-saving!

do any of you do trails on your KLRs? tight or just service road kind of stuff?

[wylee]

Originally posted by TheIglu
Yup

Not that the constable will believe that a KLR can keep up with the "fast" group.....

It's a hoot to ride on the street. Just get the Dynojet kit ASAP, it increases the fun exponentially over the lousy stock jetting.

I run IRC knobbies. They can drag footpegs in the twisties. Runs on Deal's Gap keep my up with RC51's and the like. High speed it leaves something to be desired but I love wringing the hell out of it.

There are a few things you should think about:

1. They haven't changed much since 1987 or so. Don't bother buying new/newer. Go for low miles.

2. There are mods that are downright necessary. Luckily they are all cheap:

-Progressive front springs
-Braided front brake hose
-Doohicky mod (balancer chain spring/tensioner fix)
-Jet kit (keep the stock exhaust)
-Bigger handgrips (progrip 714's) if you have arangatang hands like me
-Subframe mount bolt fix
-Carb breather "T" mod

Thanks for the info If I can find an excellent used one for relatively short money, maybe I'll keep the TL. I was actually thinking about buying new since they can be had for less than 5K. Seems most of the used ones I've seen are either beat to shit or way overpriced.

[Ken C]

Remember that 8 year olds fall asleep on even short rides. I made a backrest with arms out of PVC pipe to keep her on the bike. She got lots of nap time on the back of my VFR.

[TheIglu]

Originally posted by wylee
Thanks for the info If I can find an excellent used one for relatively short money, maybe I'll keep the TL. I was actually thinking about buying new since they can be had for less than 5K. Seems most of the used ones I've seen are either beat to shit or way overpriced.

If you are spending more than 2k you are spending too much. People don't buy KLR's who are into abusing motorcycles for the most part. I beat the shit outta mine but she loves me for it. Just keep up with the maintenance and you'll be golden!

I spent $1100 on mine with 4k miles, progressive springs, new tires, subframe kit done and nice bark busters. It "needed" a battery over a year ago, still starts mint, runs my Gerbing and I never charged or took it out over the winter.

[TheIglu]

Originally posted by sanfelice

do any of you do trails on your KLRs? tight or just service road kind of stuff?

Done it. Will do it again.

Fast on trails? Nah. Cumbersome? Yeah, pretty much on the tight stuff. Fun anyways? Oh hell yeah. The suspension is SMOOOOOTH and forgiving. Plus if you strap a milk crate to the back with tie-downs it serves as a great grab handle!

[number9]

Originally posted by TheIglu
If you are spending more than 2k you are spending too much. People don't buy KLR's who are into abusing motorcycles for the most part. I beat the shit outta mine but she loves me for it. Just keep up with the maintenance and you'll be golden!

I spent $1100 on mine with 4k miles, progressive springs, new tires, subframe kit done and nice bark busters. It "needed" a battery over a year ago, still starts mint, runs my Gerbing and I never charged or took it out over the winter.

What year did you get? And, did you have to go out-of-state to find it?

[TheIglu]

Originally posted by number9
What year did you get? And, did you have to go out-of-state to find it?

I can't seem to recall. I suppose I could just look down a little, but I'm too lazy. I bet if it were in my signature this whole time and I was a wiseass I wouldn't need to tell you.

Boston craigslist baby!

[wylee]

Originally posted by Ken C
Remember that 8 year olds fall asleep on even short rides. I made a backrest with arms out of PVC pipe to keep her on the bike. She got lots of nap time on the back of my VFR.

Yep...I don't think she'll fall asleep, but I'm not taking the chance. I plan on using a top case as a backrest; the PVC armrests might be something to think about.

[number9]

Originally posted by TheIglu
I can't seem to recall. I suppose I could just look down a little, but I'm too lazy. I bet if it were in my signature this whole time and I was a wiseass I wouldn't need to tell you.

Boston craigslist baby!

I turn signatures off... sorry

[ancosta]

How hard can you ride them in the dirt?

Can you get different color plastics for it and if so how much? I see some of the earlier ones are a bit bright, i.e. what would it take to have a black KLR?

Any supermoto potential?

[bump909]

the klr is just too heavy to be a serious supermoto bike.

[Tricky Mike]

It's a little overweight and a little underpowered... no real potential for serious supermoto or offroad duty. For "not so serious duty" though, it'll rock. You can still get out and drag pegs, ride some trails, etc. Even with mods it still won't do it that well, though, IMHO. that's always been the big trouble with dual-purpose bikes... they can do many things, just can do any one of them too well.

[TheIglu]

It'll do as good as a MX bike with Pilot Powers on it on a very twisty technical dirt road (ask Brent, we had fun chasing each other up and down Tatham Gap).

It's just a not-so serious bike. Once you ride one you'll understand. It's just plain fun.

[RandyO]

Originally posted by TheIglu
It'll do as good as a MX bike with Pilot Powers on it on a very twisty technical dirt road (ask Brent, we had fun chasing each other up and down Tatham Gap).

It's just a not-so serious bike. Once you ride one you'll understand. It's just plain fun.

Tatham Gap is prolly my favorite road

[number9]

So out of interest, anyone know of a KLR for sale anywhere in NE?

[mycirus]

Originally posted by number9
So out of interest, anyone know of a KLR for sale anywhere in NE?

http://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/...threadid=24773

[number9]

Originally posted by mycirus
http://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/...threadid=24773

Thanks...

Can you get street-legal KLXs in this country or just KLRs?

[mikeb]

Originally posted by mycirus
http://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/...threadid=24773

just a heads up on this bike. fng (lee) checked it out this weekend. bike is thrashed.

[Karaya One]

Originally posted by number9
So out of interest, anyone know of a KLR for sale anywhere in NE?

Mutual in Springfield. They deal in tons of used bikes and had two KLR's . One should still be there.

413-785-1696 ask for Scott.