Wilsons Sandbox

Hello, I have been a subscriber to your group for over a year now. Just sucking up as much information as I can get. I must say that this group is very informative. I am hoping that I can get your opinions and hopefully real world experience on either bike. I apologize if this is too long. As you know, when a person typically asks about two bikes on a generic newsgroup, the responses are usually smart remarks like "don't buy a kawasaki, buy a Yamaha, etc". And the person who posted the question does not come away with any real answers. I think it is important that I should tell you what I intend on doing with either bike and a little about me before I would expect an educated opinion. With that said, I am 30 years old, 5'8'' tall, 30" inseam... I have had numerous go carts-mini bikes, etc as a kid. I had a 1987 Kawasaki KE100 and a 750 Xi Jetski. As lame it it might sound, I had an absolute blast with the KE100 and hope either 4 stroke bike can give me the same enjoyment. My local dealership, where I bought the KE 100 from, is absolutely useless as far as being able to answer my comparative questions. Heck, they did not even realize the SS was air cooled. Asking them to compare either bike to the KE100 was like getting Clinton to give a straight answer. A DRZ400E is nice but way too tall and heavy. A 250 is about right. I understand fully that DS are a compromise. My short list included a Yamaha XT225, Suzuki DR200E, Kawasakai KLR 250 and a SS. I narrowed down my list to the KLR250 or a Super Sherpa. I want to use it for 60/40 or as much as 75 street and 25 dirt. I live in west central Florida so sand is all over. Croom is the only offroad site I know of. Either bike needs to be able to go on a 45-55mph highway for about 50 miles so I can get there, ride around for a few hours and then ride 50 miles back. There are stop lights every mile or so most of the way. I am leary of an air cooled engine, especially a 50 mile one way trip to the "playground". Yet I like the SS for it's looks, disk brake in the rear and being a new design rather than an old KLR design. Electric start is not an issue for me. The KLR has been around forever, while the SS is not. I want to say the KLR250 is the better of the two, only because it must be a proven design and it's water cooled so I would think it should last longer. Soooo, can you give me your opinion and maybe answer a few of my questions?? 1) Which bike has the better suspension 2) Can either bike handle the 55mph for a few minutes without having taxed the engine so bad it will die of an early death 3) Is the rear disk brake that much of a benefit as to outshine the watercooled KLR250. Is cleaning the drum a huge hassle 4) Neither bike has much aftermarket support. With that said, is either bike so underpowered or bad that the bike should not even be considered. I realize neither bike will be a Ninja or a KX125. The more epinions I read, the more I get confused. I am not a total idiot but reading 5 opinions about the KLR 250 being an underpowered pig and then reading how 5 people say it has pretty good power and can easily wheelie, etc, etc.. That's why I feel a specialized group such as this, is the best source to post my questions. So, have at it. Flame me for a huge post, etc. I was laid off (IBM) so regardless of which bike I go with, I can't get it till I get a new job. Can anyone help me out? I have an electrical engineering degree and an M.B.A. Not a good combination in Florida but willing to relocate if the position justifies it. Thanks so much for putting up with this long post. I'll probably duplicate for the other related newsgroup(s). Thank you so much, Bill K.

--- bkazanas wrote:

> Hello, >> Soooo, can you give me your opinion and maybe > answer a few of my > questions?? > > 1) Which bike has the better suspension

I have a 250 but don't ride it a lot as I have a 650 and my 18 year old uses the 250. I believe the 250 hasa little more suspension travel but when I drove it a week or two ago I decided it needs stiffer fork springs, I have progressives in the 650 and they are a big plus.

> 2) Can either bike handle the 55mph for a few > minutes without having > taxed the engine so bad it will die of an early > death

The KLR 250 can but it is not made for cruising very far at 70. I had it up to about 80, that's plenty. Should be happy at 55 for a long ways. My daughter has done 200 mile outings on it.

> 3) Is the rear disk brake that much of a benefit as > to outshine the > watercooled KLR250. Is cleaning the drum a huge > hassle

The front brake on the KLR was miserable and it took new pads to fix that. I added a SS line and it didn't do much good but Ferado pads made all the difference. I have never really though much about the rear and I don't even know what is meant by cleaning the drum.

> 4) Neither bike has much aftermarket support. With > that said, is > either bike so underpowered or bad that the bike > should not even be > considered.

I was surprised how much you can (and need to) rev the 250 to make it go. It gets out of its own way, I think the redline is about 9000. I would think it is more crash worthy than the SS. Doesn't the SS have a metal fender? The KLR is definitely a more robust off road machine. Mine has been out and about through Death Valley and Big Bend and is a good little machine if the going is not too rough, better than the SS there. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Got something to say? Say it better with Yahoo! Video Mail http://mail.yahoo.com

> A DRZ400E is nice but way too tall and heavy. A 250 is about > right. I understand fully that DS are a compromise. My short list > included a Yamaha XT225, Suzuki DR200E, Kawasakai KLR 250 and a SS. > I narrowed down my list to the KLR250 or a Super Sherpa.

DR200 seems like it takes a lot of work to make it reasonably safe for even short freeway runs. It is, however, a mainstay at the local MSF courses where it and several other air-cooled bikes sit there idling in the heat of Florida for hours with zero problems. Air cooled bikes are built for this and it shouldn't be a concern. My roomate has a '96 XT-225 and it's pretty good all around, save for needing better tires (the aftermarket ones on there currently are junk). It handles most of anything I have thrown at it so far but at 6'2 I'm a bit cramped on it while off-road yet I never had a problem on the road. I have no first-hand experiance with either of the smaller Kawi's and currently ride a KLR650 and a CBR600 for my own stable.

> I want to use it for 60/40 or as much as 75 street and 25 dirt. > I live in west central Florida so sand is all over. Croom is the > only offroad site I know of. Either bike needs to be able to go on a > 45-55mph highway for about 50 miles so I can get there, ride around > for a few hours and then ride 50 miles back. There are stop lights > every mile or so most of the way.

Sounds like you are pretty close to my neck of the woods (north Tampa by the Bearss/I-275 exit). If that's the case you are welcome to check out the XT and see how close it comes to your needs.

> 2) Can either bike handle the 55mph for a few minutes without having > taxed the engine so bad it will die of an early death

We run the XT at an average of 75-80mph from Tampa to Croom/Richloam and again the same coming back. So far no problems. It could use a slightly taller front sprocket as first gear is rediculously short.

> I realize neither bike will be a Ninja or a KX125. The more > epinions I read, the more I get confused. I am not a total idiot but > reading 5 opinions about the KLR 250 being an underpowered pig and > then reading how 5 people say it has pretty good power and can easily > wheelie, etc, etc.. That's why I feel a specialized group such as > this, is the best source to post my questions.

It's (XT-225) underpowered for freeway duty but plenty of power for off-roading. Around town it's fine if you go with the taller front sprocket or start off in 2nd gear but don't plan to best Mustang GT's in the stoplight grand-prix. It was even fine tonight 2-up with my roomate on the back and has been that way a few times before.

> So, have at it. Flame me for a huge post, etc. I was laid off > (IBM) so regardless of which bike I go with, I can't get it till I > get a new job. Can anyone help me out? I have an electrical > engineering degree and an M.B.A. Not a good combination in Florida > but willing to relocate if the position justifies it.

My roomate has a Masters and gets nixed from more jobs than not because she's "overqualified". I fit right between the two. Overqualified for some and under for the rest. Guess that's why I'm a county slave now...