[britklr]

I can't stress it enough, if your carrying gear and going off road make sure you can pick the bike up if you go down. The KLR is realitively lighter then most DS bikes but it's still tough to pick up after a day of riding, mountain trails, 12,000 ft and your wiped out.

The picture without the seat was in a park in Telluride when I had to replace the headlight fuse. The shop photo was in Gunnison CO in the local Kawasaki Dealership. I had laid the bike down some mud (the summer melt) and gummed up the clutch safety. The cleaned it and I was on my way. (Now I know how to clean it or by pass it if it happens again).

Good Luck!

BritKLR

[roscoFJ73]

Originally Posted by baxter650

XR650L a little on the heavy side but takes a beating and shrugs it off.
Simple, good suspension, good power, and above all very reliable.
Not a bad price either.

Tell me more or respond to my post in this forum. Im looking at one very soon

[roscoFJ73]

Originally Posted by e9999

I imagine practical should be a criterion as well for a cruiserish bike...

not to mention can carry survival gear and spare parts...


Oh yes, the XR650L is a very nice bike. Better suited for dirt than my DR it seems. But much higher seat (3" or 4" apparently) which makes it impractical for a large segment of the population (gotta be over 6' it seems), 15% more expensive, and nowhere as good on the road, I'm told. But a great bike all the same.


So, of the big 3: DR650, KLR650, and XR650, I think the DR is the best road/dirt compromise. 80 Cruiserish, if you like
The KLR would be the 200 and the XR a 40.

The Honda XR650L is ridicuously high when it comes to throwing your leg over,my hip cracked 1st time and was sore for 2 weeks,old age doesnt help.
Once you're up there ,it is a good view ,especially in traffic

However I dont think its a great dirt bike,certainly not in soft sand and it can be hard to turn in tight spots at low speed.
Where it really does shine is on extremely bad dirt roads,so good that it doesnt matter when you hit a pot hole.