Adventure in Ohio? - Page 3654

Danjal · 12-03-2012, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sion

did some digging and found this:

http://powersports.honda.com/2013/cb...fications.aspx

430 lb wet weight

5.5 inches front suspension travel...how's that compare to the V-Strom et al?

Slightly lighter and less travel IIRC. Still looks like another wanna-be adv bike. Can't any mfg make a 350ish pound wet bike with a 21"/18" spoked tire,6 speed, and a decent travel suspension? That should satisfy most adv guys for a mostly road bike.

sion · 12-03-2012, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danjal

Slightly lighter and less travel IIRC. Still looks like another wanna-be adv bike. Can't any mfg make a 350ish pound wet bike with a 21"/18" spoked tire,6 speed, and a decent travel suspension? That should satisfy most adv guys for a mostly road bike.

you mean like this?

http://powersports.honda.com/2012/xr...fications.aspx

Mikef5000 · 12-03-2012, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sion

you mean like this?

http://powersports.honda.com/2012/xr...fications.aspx

Boo hiss for ancient air cooled and carbed motor and 5 speed tranny. But I truly am shocked how light it is (although it'd be another ~20 pounds more once you put a decent size fuel tank on there.

Honest, non-smartassed question... Why is it that this bike is so unsung/under appreciated? Considering the vast reach of the klr and dr.

buildit · 12-03-2012, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikef5000

Boo hiss for ancient air cooled and carbed motor and 5 speed tranny. But I truly am shocked how light it is (although it'd be another ~20 pounds more once you put a decent size fuel tank on there.

Honest, non-smartassed question... Why is it that this bike is so unsung/under appreciated? Considering the vast reach of the klr and dr.

One work, price.

sion · 12-03-2012, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buildit

One work, price.

the link above has the XR650L starting at $6690 in 2012

the KLR is listed here at $6299 (http://findthebest.motorcycleshows.c...wasaki-KLR-650)

and the DR650 here is $5999 (http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/20...50se/95181/05/)

so yeah, the XRL is more but its not thousands more..is $400 or $700 really the deciding factor?

edit:
here's the mfg specs:

http://www.suzukicycles.com/Product%...0SE.aspx#Specs

http://www.kawasaki.com/products/pro...ns.aspx?id=559

notice the weight differences....they call XR650Ls "big red pigs" but its the KLR thats the real pig, isnt it?

swingset · 12-03-2012, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikef5000

Boo hiss for ancient air cooled and carbed motor and 5 speed tranny. But I truly am shocked how light it is (although it'd be another ~20 pounds more once you put a decent size fuel tank on there.

Honest, non-smartassed question... Why is it that this bike is so unsung/under appreciated? Considering the vast reach of the klr and dr.

Yup, Buildit said it - the XRL is arguably the best of the three in terms of "do all" capability, but it's priced high enough to be the outlier. Needs a better transmission (low gears are all goofy) and a stronger subframe, but every bike has its downsides...even those orange bikes that everyone gets butthurt if you criticize.

I never had one ounce of problems out of my XRL's water pump.

I loved mine, I will own another someday, maybe real soon.

ArmyJoe · 12-03-2012, 09:46 PM

You guys have probably forgotten what it's like, but it's so nice being a new rider. I can ride anything without any preconceived notions of how it's supposed to be and head down the road grinning from ear to ear.

B-Mac · 12-04-2012, 12:21 AM

Danjal · 12-04-2012, 02:19 AM

When I checked out the klr/xrl/dr the Dr came out on top. Better street and dirt reviews, even given the Honda's suspension. Better after market for the Dr too,and cheaper to build one up also. The 790 kit is Dr only too,the Honda and kiwi only had 725 kits. All in all for stock bikes,pick a Dr or xrl unless you want a heavier plusher klr for mostly street.

ArmyJoe · 12-04-2012, 04:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B-Mac

I ride whatever is available, This is my current Taliban Special. A "Zarang 200" The Man stopped me for No Vest on the flight line and was not happy with the plate. Helmet was OK

The only bikes I see in Qatar have a food delivery box on the rear.

mgorman · 12-04-2012, 04:53 AM

Sorry Flagger, I forgot about the F800 rode one, liked it.

Mike, you are one of the few that abuse your big bike.

Whitey, sorry for stepping on your toes, it was purely a PMS moment

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArmyJoe

You guys have probably forgotten what it's like, but it's so nice being a new rider. I can ride anything without any preconceived notions of how it's supposed to be and head down the road grinning from ear to ear.

Exactly. If 100,000 adv bikes are sold, how many will ever see more than the occasional dirt road? A couple days ago a friend of mine on his GS was scolded because he took all his riding buddies down a road that got their adv bikes dirty.

They're selling a lifestyle, like the Shadow wants to be a Harley, cashing in on what BMW pretty much created, the Adv lifestyle. Personally, I thought they should have brought the Transalp back to the USA to go up against the vstrom and such, I have yet to figure that one out since the bike has been sold in Europe for decades.

What's the wheel size of those Buels that are ridden on the road enduros? 17"?

MeefZah · 12-04-2012, 05:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B-Mac

I ride whatever is available, This is my current Taliban Special. A "Zarang 200" The Man stopped me for No Vest on the flight line and was not happy with the plate. Helmet was OK

America, Fuck YEAH!

SCQTT · 12-04-2012, 06:14 AM

The XR650L is shit. Sorry. I bought one when the first came out and farkeled & modded the shit out of it. It was never a good dirtbike & on-road it was beyond horrible.

The KLR has been some weird magical combination. Even when Kaw got ambitious & tried to update it with the KLX (a bike, that on paper should have been a lot better) they failed. It is one of those things in that the sum is way better than its parts would lead you to think is possible.

Honda could have made a killer DP out of the BRP & I thought the Transalp was really cool (I rode a friends and thought it was really neat) The Africa twin should have been here and it would have been cool to have the old XLV750R stateside. Honda has had the machines, but the US market was too small/fragmented.

The ADV market in America is small, it is growing, but small. Remember the first few years of the KLR only sold about 500 units per year in the US. When that bike peaked 05-06 it was still under 6,000 units per year.

GailCallsMeKarl · 12-04-2012, 06:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B-Mac

I ride whatever is available, This is my current Taliban Special. A "Zarang 200" The Man stopped me for No Vest on the flight line and was not happy with the plate. Helmet was OK

THAT. Is awesome.

swingset · 12-04-2012, 06:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B-Mac

I ride whatever is available, This is my current Taliban Special. A "Zarang 200" The Man stopped me for No Vest on the flight line and was not happy with the plate. Helmet was OK

Kinda neat, actually. 17" front tire?

12-03-2012, 09:46 PM	#54802
ArmyJoe Studly Adventurer Joined: Jul 2011 Location: Columbus, OH (and Augusta, GA) Oddometer: 627	You guys have probably forgotten what it's like, but it's so nice being a new rider. I can ride anything without any preconceived notions of how it's supposed to be and head down the road grinning from ear to ear. __________________ 2009 Can-Am Spyder RS, 2008 Yamaha WR250R My latest adventures detailed at ArmyJoe's Perpetual Picture Thread: http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?p=21548276

12-04-2012, 12:21 AM	#54803
B-Mac Aged Beef Joined: Apr 2006 Location: TDY: Herat Province, AFG. Oddometer: 486	Just Ride it. __________________ Brian DL100K4 “The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy’s not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable.” -Sun Tzu B-Mac screwed with this post 12-05-2012 at 01:25 AM Reason: spelling

12-04-2012, 06:14 AM	#54808
SCQTT Zwei Kolben Joined: May 2005 Location: Mike's Sky Rancho Oddometer: 4,984	The XR650L is shit. Sorry. I bought one when the first came out and farkeled & modded the shit out of it. It was never a good dirtbike & on-road it was beyond horrible. The KLR has been some weird magical combination. Even when Kaw got ambitious & tried to update it with the KLX (a bike, that on paper should have been a lot better) they failed. It is one of those things in that the sum is way better than its parts would lead you to think is possible. Honda could have made a killer DP out of the BRP & I thought the Transalp was really cool (I rode a friends and thought it was really neat) The Africa twin should have been here and it would have been cool to have the old XLV750R stateside. Honda has had the machines, but the US market was too small/fragmented. The ADV market in America is small, it is growing, but small. Remember the first few years of the KLR only sold about 500 units per year in the US. When that bike peaked 05-06 it was still under 6,000 units per year. __________________ This is SPARTA!

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12-04-2012, 02:19 AM	#54804
Danjal Insert wit here. Joined: Oct 2011 Location: Location,Location Oddometer: 1,278	When I checked out the klr/xrl/dr the Dr came out on top. Better street and dirt reviews, even given the Honda's suspension. Better after market for the Dr too,and cheaper to build one up also. The 790 kit is Dr only too,the Honda and kiwi only had 725 kits. All in all for stock bikes,pick a Dr or xrl unless you want a heavier plusher klr for mostly street.