I have been wanting to purchase a Kawasaki KLR650 dual sport for a number of years now, but it has not been in my budget. When I first saw the KLR I thought it was f-u-g-l-y. But then again, that's what I thought about the first-gen Dodge Cummins too... until I owned one. Now they have apparently addressed all of the minor issues that the previous year KLRs had to come out with the '08. Again, when I first saw it I thought UGH! Now, each time I see it, I start drooling. Even though it will probably never happen to me, I love to read about across-the-country and across-the-world trips that some of these bike adventurers write about.

Anybody with these kind of dual-sport stories, please chime in.

Aint she a beauty?

 

I think theyre kinda leaning towards the bmw look. I have an 06 KLR650. I LOVE it! It was my dads and I got it for a killer deal from him is the only way I got it. Before it I had a 97 Suzuki DR200. I rode that and my mom and dad rode the klr. We took em to Colorado summer before last, and it was teh best time of my life. Rode over 600 miles through rain, hail, drought, and even SNOW in July. It was a blast, ready to do it again.

 

Maybe next summer me and you'll get to go ride all those mountain roads, that'd be fun. I don't think the little 200 will have much trouble pushing me around up there.

 

Nah, considering it pushed my 170 around fairly easy. Only once did the 200 not have full steam. That was at 11k+ altitude goin up a 25 degree slope.

 

I'd love to just pack up a bag, hop on a KLR650 and travel through South America or something. There are some COOL stories on THIS WEBSITE. Man what a blast.

 

I bought a RED 2008 KLR this last July.
The first bike I have had in 20 years.
I love it!
Lots of fun and quite comfortable.
Not exceptional at anything, but does everthing pretty well as long as you are not looking for an intersate warrior or a hard core dirt bike.
This is a GREAT back road blaster or city bike and will be fine on the highway for a few hours or longer if you are young.
No regrets..a hoot of a bike!

 

I have always wanted a KLR but just cant stop buying ATVs and cant aford both. Maybe in a few years. I would like to ride one to Alaska and back. A guy my wife works with did it on his Goldwing a couple years ago. This summer I was in Colorado on a back road on top of a mountain pass on a gravel road and ran across a guy on one all loaded up with gear. I seen he had Illinios platea and I asked him if he rode it out there and planed on trail riding with it. He said he was just passing threw taking the scenic rout on his way to Alaska. He said he was headed for the Arctic circle. That would be a heck of a ride. A few years ago I ran into an older guy on one in a local gravel pit were I was riding my ATVs. I seen he had road bars on it. When he stopped for a break I went up and talked to him. He said the bike was 2 years old and I seen it had around 20K on it. I asked him how he got so many miles on it already and he claimed the summer before him and a buch of budies rode from southern Minnisota to the Panama Cannal and back on there bikes.

 

I had a DR650 a few years back, and was thinking about a KLR, but as I understand it for 08 they have reduced suspension travel and some other changes to make them more street oriented... which isn't what I had in mind.

My DR was like a 92, and it was run on backroads and tolerable on the freeway, but it was a heavy beast on a trail.

Lately I've gotten into quads, and found off road riding areas I didn't know existed back when I had the DR...

 

Looks nice ... wouldn't mind having one. What do they go for price-wise ?

A buddy of mine bought one of the BMW's and absolutely loved it. Said that it had the best balance and feel of any bike he'd ridden. I really like a utility type vehicle ... this fits.

PISTOL