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the end of the klr?

Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2004 8:21 pm
by Mark Lewis
My dealer told me today that this is the last year for the KLR. He said we'll have rebadged VStroms and probably a 950 version of the KLR. Mark Lewis

the end of the klr?

Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2004 8:30 pm
by Tengai Mark Van Horn
At 1:21 AM +0000 4/22/04, Mark Lewis wrote:
>My dealer told me today that this is the last year for the KLR. He >said we'll have rebadged VStroms and probably a 950 version of the >KLR.
Pretty funny that they're dumping a model at the height of its popularity. Makes you wonder why the hell they bothered to spend the money to change the color and graphics when they could have recycled the 2003 scheme. Also, if your dealer wasn't blowing smoke, what will be the fate of the USMC diesels? Mark http://www.reelrider.com

the end of the klr?

Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2004 8:48 pm
by Guy B. Young II
Mark, With all due respect, past history has shown that dealers don't know shit from Shinola. The Concours was going to receive a 'major' revamp for the 4-5 years. Originally released in the US in '86, it has basically stayed the same 'til present. IMHO - The KLR is in the same category. The tooling has long since been paid for. Any $$ they make today is, probably, almost pure profit. All we, as consumers, have to imagine is, what next year's color scheme they're gonna use. YOMV Guy At 01:21 AM 4/22/04 -0000, Mark Lewis wrote:
>My dealer told me today that this is the last year for the KLR. He >said we'll have rebadged VStroms and probably a 950 version of the >KLR. > >Mark Lewis

the end of the klr?

Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2004 8:55 pm
by Mark Lewis
It's gonna take a major rework to get the KLR to pass the new emmision standards. I'm not sure it can be done. I hope he's wrong but I keep hearing this rumor in different places. The Marines don't buy enough KLRs to make Kawasaki care about production. Mark Lewis

the end of the klr?

Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2004 9:14 pm
by Guy B. Young II
As BIG as the butt end of the exhaust system is, there's plenty of room in there for a catalyst. 'Course, may mean the end of Tweety for some, but they'll get over it! :-)) Guy At 01:55 AM 4/22/04 -0000, Mark Lewis wrote:
>It's gonna take a major rework to get the KLR to pass the new >emmision standards. I'm not sure it can be done. I hope he's wrong >but I keep hearing this rumor in different places. The Marines don't >buy enough KLRs to make Kawasaki care about production. > >Mark Lewis

the end of the klr?

Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2004 9:48 pm
by kdxkawboy@aol.com
In a message dated 2004-04-21 6:58:45 PM Pacific Daylight Time, Mlewishome@... writes:
> > It's gonna take a major rework to get the KLR to pass the new > emmision standards. I'm not sure it can be done. I hope he's wrong > but I keep hearing this rumor in different places. The Marines don't > buy enough KLRs to make Kawasaki care about production. > > Mark Lewis > >
My understanding is if the bike passes today's California standards then it passes the new 2006 Federal emission standards. I think it is in 2010 that the Federal standards take the step that will force the redesign of anything being sold today. Pat G'ville, Nv [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

the end of the klr?

Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2004 9:57 pm
by motopelli
--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, Tengai Mark Van Horn > Pretty funny that they're dumping a model at the height of its > popularity. Makes you wonder why the hell they bothered to spend
the
> money to change the color and graphics when they could have
recycled
> the 2003 scheme. > Also, if your dealer wasn't blowing smoke, what will be the fate of > the USMC diesels? > > Mark > http://www.reelrider.com
Nope. I think this is it for the KLR too. Mid sized dual sports are a vanishing breed for the Japanese manufacturers. The USMC will still get their KLR's as Kawaski will still make them for that use. Not uncommon either as Kawi did the same thing for the Police with the KZ1000 Police Special. Gino

the end of the klr?

Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2004 11:52 pm
by bigfatgreenbike
Mlewishome@... wrote:
>It's gonna take a major rework to get the KLR to pass the new >emmision standards. I'm not sure it can be done. I hope he's wrong >but I keep hearing this rumor in different places. The Marines don't >buy enough KLRs to make Kawasaki care about production. > >Mark Lewis >
All they have to do, is twin plug the head (leaner jetting without pinging) and slap some sort of fuel injection on (off another bike). Raise the price $500, keep going. Maybe use EGR instead of twin plugging to keep the knocking down, and fit a cat in the exhaust instead of injection. Then you wouldn't need an injection computer, twin plug, or a fuel pump. -- Devon Brooklyn, NY A15-Z '01 KLR650 '81 SR500 cafe racer "The truth's not too popular these days....." Arnold Schwarzenneger, in The Running Man

the end of the klr?

Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2004 4:41 am
by dooden
--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "Mark Lewis" wrote:
> My dealer told me today that this is the last year for the KLR. He > said we'll have rebadged VStroms and probably a 950 version of the > KLR. > > Mark Lewis
My local dealer had a Black/Silver Suzuki(I think) in the window, but did'nt get a chance to get a close look. Looked kinda nice whatever it was. Maybe the DR is getting a face lift before rebadge or something like that ? Dooden A15 Green Ape

the end of the klr?

Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2004 7:31 am
by rsanders30117
This is obviously a sinister plot by Suzuki to eliminate the overwhelming competition to its DR650. This has been in the works for years. First, Suzuki lowered the price of the DR650 to match the KLR650, to no avail. Then they formed an "alliance" with Kawasaki. Now that Suzuki has their hooks in Kawasaki, they can do the dirty deed by killing off the superior KLR650 so that they can jack the price back up on their inferior DR650 & still sell more of them. It's a dark world we now live in with conspiracies everywhere. --- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "Mark Lewis" wrote:
> My dealer told me today that this is the last year for the KLR. He > said we'll have rebadged VStroms and probably a 950 version of the > KLR. > > Mark Lewis