(klr650) : good candidate ??

[sh8knj8kster]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Vik Banerjee wrote:

> Anyways....I still haven't settled on getting a KLR 100%. I need to think about it some more and check out the other dualsport options. I won't be buying another motorcycle for a long time - possibly ever so I want to cast a wide net. Having said that at first glance the KLR seems to be the best combo of performance/cost/fun as always. >

!~~~Vik, I don't remember if I ever mentioned this to you but I sold my 08' KLR last fall and bought an 05.5' KTM 950A. Actaully, I bought the KTM in July and kept the KLR but a few months later it was obvious ther KLR wasn't going to get ridden much, so I sold the KLR. I haven't ridden the 950A a lot, only about 3 K + miles. The farm has been keeping me busy. I think for what you want a DS bike for, a KLR is hard to beat. It'll certainly get better MPG than my Austrian twin=:-), but seeing how little I ride anymore (or lately), MPG isn't a huge concern. I bought the twin wanting more HP, and got that in spades=:-) Best, Jake Reddick Fla. Two good things about getting old: 1: you can't see the schmuts and 2: you don't care http://www.shakinjake.blogspot.com/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/26137108@N04/

> > Hola Jake, > > I'm still a bicycle guy and I won't be changing that. I'm still working on the whole KLR idea and one important element will be deciding how it fits into my life without taking away from my pedal biking. > > I'm about to get rid of my old Ford Ranger 4x4 pick up. I replaced it with a F150 Supercrew which is awesome except it takes a lot more gas than the Ranger. I don't mind the $$ when I have 4 people on board headed to the coast to surf or if I'm going to Baja for 2 months with my camping gear in the winter to kiteboard/surf and ride my pedal bike. > > What I don't want to do is drive it a lot by myself. The question is how much of that do I need to do that I can't pedal bike? My business mailbox is a 8km round trip from where I live which is easy bicycle distance. OTOH I have been driving my Ranger 2hrs down a forest service road to a remote lake to kiteboard - up to 20 times a summer. I'm not keen on beating up my new F150 on the rough road just to get me there. If I can leave my gear stashed at the lake I could KLR there which would turn part of the current trip I don't love [bouncing down a dirt road] into a fun activity. > > I've also got quite a few friends up and down the west coast I would like to see more and my job allows me to be flexible I just run into the cost and wear and tear on my F150. Racking up 2000-5000kms on my F150 for a visit gets expensive. On the KLR the trip would be cheap and fun. > > Finally I have had some pedal bike tours that I wanted to do that just don't seem like they are going to happen due to lack of time vs other interests. I'd like to pedal down to Argentina, but taking off 1.5 - 2yrs isn't happening given I want to surf/kiteboard mtn bike, etc... My GF is into shorter bicycle tours, but not that sort of epic haul. I'm okay with that, but I still want to see those areas from a bike and on a KLR I can cover 5 - 10 times the distance/day that I can on a pedal bike. So in a month I can hit Costa Rica and come back home with a bit of surfing when I am down there. That would work in my life at the moment. I could even see getting 6 months off to ride down to SA and back as long as the GF could fly down to a couple prime spots and meet me for a bit of a holiday. > > I knew I would get another bike at some point. I kept all my KLR stuff in a couple large bins - including my Ortlieb soft panniers and my Aerostich tank panniers - score!. One thing I learned from my last KLR life was soft luggage and going minimal are the way to dualsport! So my bike will see only minor tweaks and I'll keep it simple & light. > > Anyways....I still haven't settled on getting a KLR 100%. I need to think about it some more and check out the other dualsport options. I won't be buying another motorcycle for a long time - possibly ever so I want to cast a wide net. Having said that at first glance the KLR seems to be the best combo of performance/cost/fun as always. > > Glad to see some of the old crew still rocking and rolling....=-) > > Vik Banerjee > threeohm@... > www.thelazyrando.com > > On 2011-05-20, at 12:15 AM, sh8knj8kster wrote: > > > > > > > ~~~Vik, I thought you were strictly a bicycle guy, dumping your KLR ions ago never to return...what happened, did you find religion? > > > > > > Best, > > > > > > Jake > > Reddick Fla. > > A flute w/o holes is not a flute, a donut w/o a hole is a Danish > > ...Ty Webb quoting Zen philosopher Basha > > > > > > http://www.shakinjake.blogspot.com/ > > http://www.flickr.com/photos/26137108@N04 > > > > > > > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Vik Banerjee wrote: > >> > >> Thanks! > >> > >> Ya I hadn't included the bar end weights which is why grabbing a number off a website can be a problem. There is no way I'll get a KLR650 in the backyard as is. I'll have to reno the fence and gate. Not a show stopper, but given how darn slow I am about such things it will give me a decent amount of time to ponder a new bike! > >> > >> I appreciate you taking the time to measure your bike Daniel...=-) > >> > >> Vik Banerjee > >> threeohm@ > >> www.thelazyrando.com > >> > >> On 2011-05-19, at 8:45 AM, Daniel wrote: > >> > >>> Why waste a perfectly fun thread on an accurate and to-the-point answer? > >>> > >>> On the 2008, about 3 ft 1" including the bar end weights. You may need to fold your mirrors in if it's tight. > >>> > >>> I now have a set of Barkbusters on the bike, making the width around 3'4". > >>> > >>> Daniel > >>> > >>> --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Vik Banerjee wrote: > >>>> > >>>> It's not just a gate or I'd do that. > >>>> > >>>> If someone can tell me how wide the bars are on the current generation KLR650 I can see if I have a problem and if so how much of one. > >>>> > >>>> safe riding, > >>>> > >>>> Vik Banerjee > >>>> threeohm@ > >>>> www.thelazyrando.com > >>>> > >> > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ > > > > List Sponsors - Dual Sport News: http://www.dualsportnews.com > > Arrowhead Motorsports: http://www.arrowheadmotorsports.com > > List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok: http://www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html > > Member Map: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DSN_KLR650/app/peoplemap/view/map > > Group Apps: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DSN_KLR650/grouplets/subscriptionsYahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > >

[Vik Banerjee]

Hola Jake, Nice.....The KTM looks like a great bike. I hope you have a lot of fun on it...=-) I've been looking at the BMW F650GS and F800GS as well as the KLR650. This could well be the last motorcycle I buy so I want to check out all my options. Forest service roads and dirt tracks in Baja are as offroad as I am likely to go on my dualsport, but I've got a lot of pavement to cover as well down the west coast. I'm going to spend sometime working out a build of each bike with all the accessories/upgrades I'd do to see what each really costs and then look at how they perform. safe riding, Vik Banerjee threeohm@... www.thelazyrando.com

On 2011-05-24, at 12:38 AM, sh8knj8kster wrote: > > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Vik Banerjee wrote: > > >> Anyways....I still haven't settled on getting a KLR 100%. I need to think about it some more and check out the other dualsport options. I won't be buying another motorcycle for a long time - possibly ever so I want to cast a wide net. Having said that at first glance the KLR seems to be the best combo of performance/cost/fun as always. >> > > > > > !~~~Vik, I don't remember if I ever mentioned this to you but I sold my 08' KLR last fall and bought an 05.5' KTM 950A. Actaully, I bought the KTM in July and kept the KLR but a few months later it was obvious ther KLR wasn't going to get ridden much, so I sold the KLR. I haven't ridden the 950A a lot, only about 3 K + miles. The farm has been keeping me busy. I think for what you want a DS bike for, a KLR is hard to beat. It'll certainly get better MPG than my Austrian twin=:-), but seeing how little I ride anymore (or lately), MPG isn't a huge concern. I bought the twin wanting more HP, and got that in spades=:-) > > > Best, > > > Jake > Reddick Fla. > Two good things about getting old: 1: you can't see the schmuts and 2: you don't care > > > > http://www.shakinjake.blogspot.com/ > http://www.flickr.com/photos/26137108@N04/ >

[Jim Douglas]

I am also looking at the BMW f800GS as it's got a wee, actually alot, more umphh! I am trying to do the numbers in my head, sell the 08 KLR, add a few more thousand.........Funny as when you REALLY want something everything else seems to go out the door, like the wife bitching, why did you spend that when we could of gone on a cruise, trip, whatever. If I do purchase the BMW it will be my last bike. The BMW F800GS ROCKS! Lots of power and all that other crap, ABS, etc. Would prefer not to have a BMW as there are few BMW dealers in the USA and if you need something on the way to Alaska, Mexico City, etc you may be fuc#ed! You could purchase a couple of KLR's for the price of the BMW. My buddy has the top of the line BMW crotch rocket, like 1200CC, goes 200MPH and when I ride with him it's like I am alone. I don't want to go all that fast but more HP would be nice!

On 5/24/2011 9:31 AM, Vik Banerjee wrote: > > Hola Jake, > > Nice.....The KTM looks like a great bike. I hope you have a lot of fun > on it...=-) > > I've been looking at the BMW F650GS and F800GS as well as the KLR650. > This could well be the last motorcycle I buy so I want to check out > all my options. Forest service roads and dirt tracks in Baja are as > offroad as I am likely to go on my dualsport, but I've got a lot of > pavement to cover as well down the west coast. > > I'm going to spend sometime working out a build of each bike with all > the accessories/upgrades I'd do to see what each really costs and then > look at how they perform. > > safe riding, > > Vik Banerjee > threeohm@... > www.thelazyrando.com > > On 2011-05-24, at 12:38 AM, sh8knj8kster wrote: > > > > > > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com > , Vik Banerjee wrote: > > > > > >> Anyways....I still haven't settled on getting a KLR 100%. I need to > think about it some more and check out the other dualsport options. I > won't be buying another motorcycle for a long time - possibly ever so > I want to cast a wide net. Having said that at first glance the KLR > seems to be the best combo of performance/cost/fun as always. > >> > > > > > > > > > > !~~~Vik, I don't remember if I ever mentioned this to you but I sold > my 08' KLR last fall and bought an 05.5' KTM 950A. Actaully, I bought > the KTM in July and kept the KLR but a few months later it was obvious > ther KLR wasn't going to get ridden much, so I sold the KLR. I haven't > ridden the 950A a lot, only about 3 K + miles. The farm has been > keeping me busy. I think for what you want a DS bike for, a KLR is > hard to beat. It'll certainly get better MPG than my Austrian > twin=:-), but seeing how little I ride anymore (or lately), MPG isn't > a huge concern. I bought the twin wanting more HP, and got that in > spades=:-) > > > > > > Best, > > > > > > Jake > > Reddick Fla. > > Two good things about getting old: 1: you can't see the schmuts and > 2: you don't care > > > > > > > > http://www.shakinjake.blogspot.com/ > > http://www.flickr.com/photos/26137108@N04/ > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Vik Banerjee]

Hey Jim, My research so far on the F800GS says good things about the overall power, brakes and high speed highway manners. The two areas where it seems to have issues is front suspension once you are off pavement and torque at low revs. If BMW sold an "adventure" version of the F800GS I might just pull the trigger on it. Without the upgraded suspension you have to give some thought to what you'd use the bike for and what you could do to improve the suspension then figure out the cost. With the KLR there are some fairly straight forward solutions to all it's short comings and you could pay for all of them for the cost of a stock F800GS. I'm going to keep looking into it. Vik Banerjee threeohm@... www.thelazyrando.com

On 2011-05-24, at 9:47 AM, Jim Douglas wrote: > I am also looking at the BMW f800GS as it's got a wee, actually alot, more umphh! I am trying to do the numbers > in my head, sell the 08 KLR, add a few more thousand.........Funny as when you REALLY want something everything > else seems to go out the door, like the wife bitching, why did you spend that when we could of gone on a cruise, > trip, whatever. If I do purchase the BMW it will be my last bike. > > The BMW F800GS ROCKS! Lots of power and all that other crap, ABS, etc. Would prefer not to have a BMW as > there are few BMW dealers in the USA and if you need something on the way to Alaska, Mexico City, etc you > may be fuc#ed! > > You could purchase a couple of KLR's for the price of the BMW. My buddy has the top of the line BMW > crotch rocket, like 1200CC, goes 200MPH and when I ride with him it's like I am alone. I don't want to > go all that fast but more HP would be nice! >

[Ronald Criswell]

A nice alternative is the Versy. Criswell Not a big fan of kraut prices. The logo is nice.

On May 24, 2011, at 11:47 AM, Jim Douglas wrote: > I am also looking at the BMW f800GS as it's got a wee, actually alot, > more umphh! I am trying to do the numbers > in my head, sell the 08 KLR, add a few more thousand.........Funny as > when you REALLY want something everything > else seems to go out the door, like the wife bitching, why did you spend > that when we could of gone on a cruise, > trip, whatever. If I do purchase the BMW it will be my last bike. > > The BMW F800GS ROCKS! Lots of power and all that other crap, ABS, etc. > Would prefer not to have a BMW as > there are few BMW dealers in the USA and if you need something on the > way to Alaska, Mexico City, etc you > may be fuc#ed! > > You could purchase a couple of KLR's for the price of the BMW. My buddy > has the top of the line BMW > crotch rocket, like 1200CC, goes 200MPH and when I ride with him it's > like I am alone. I don't want to > go all that fast but more HP would be nice! > > On 5/24/2011 9:31 AM, Vik Banerjee wrote: > > > > Hola Jake, > > > > Nice.....The KTM looks like a great bike. I hope you have a lot of fun > > on it...=-) > > > > I've been looking at the BMW F650GS and F800GS as well as the KLR650. > > This could well be the last motorcycle I buy so I want to check out > > all my options. Forest service roads and dirt tracks in Baja are as > > offroad as I am likely to go on my dualsport, but I've got a lot of > > pavement to cover as well down the west coast. > > > > I'm going to spend sometime working out a build of each bike with all > > the accessories/upgrades I'd do to see what each really costs and then > > look at how they perform. > > > > safe riding, > > > > Vik Banerjee > > threeohm@... > > www.thelazyrando.com > > > > On 2011-05-24, at 12:38 AM, sh8knj8kster wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com > > , Vik Banerjee wrote: > > > > > > > > >> Anyways....I still haven't settled on getting a KLR 100%. I need to > > think about it some more and check out the other dualsport options. I > > won't be buying another motorcycle for a long time - possibly ever so > > I want to cast a wide net. Having said that at first glance the KLR > > seems to be the best combo of performance/cost/fun as always. > > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > !~~~Vik, I don't remember if I ever mentioned this to you but I sold > > my 08' KLR last fall and bought an 05.5' KTM 950A. Actaully, I bought > > the KTM in July and kept the KLR but a few months later it was obvious > > ther KLR wasn't going to get ridden much, so I sold the KLR. I haven't > > ridden the 950A a lot, only about 3 K + miles. The farm has been > > keeping me busy. I think for what you want a DS bike for, a KLR is > > hard to beat. It'll certainly get better MPG than my Austrian > > twin=:-), but seeing how little I ride anymore (or lately), MPG isn't > > a huge concern. I bought the twin wanting more HP, and got that in > > spades=:-) > > > > > > > > > Best, > > > > > > > > > Jake > > > Reddick Fla. > > > Two good things about getting old: 1: you can't see the schmuts and > > 2: you don't care > > > > > > > > > > > > http://www.shakinjake.blogspot.com/ > > > http://www.flickr.com/photos/26137108@N04/ > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Vik Banerjee]

Yes there are a few options for sure. I just was out for a walk and was passed by two KLRs. I see 'em every where in town! I'm a bit shocked at what they want for motorcycle insurance in BC. A brand new F150 supercrew fully insured is $1200/yr and a KLR is $800/yr just for liability. That seems crazy. My driving record is sparkly. safe riding, Vik Banerjee threeohm@... www.thelazyrando.com

On 2011-05-24, at 4:13 PM, Ronald Criswell wrote: > A nice alternative is the Versy. > > Criswell > Not a big fan of kraut prices. The logo is nice.

[Vik Banerjee]

The local Kawi dealer is offering me $500-$600 off if I take a new 2010 KLR vs. a new 2011 KLR. Aside for colour options any reason not to go with 2010 bike? safe riding, Vik Banerjee threeohm@... www.thelazyrando.com

On 2011-05-24, at 4:13 PM, Ronald Criswell wrote: > A nice alternative is the Versy. > > Criswell > Not a big fan of kraut prices. The logo is nice. > > On May 24, 2011, at 11:47 AM, Jim Douglas wrote: > >> I am also looking at the BMW f800GS as it's got a wee, actually alot, >> more umphh! I am trying to do the numbers >> in my head, sell the 08 KLR, add a few more thousand.........Funny as >> when you REALLY want something everything >> else seems to go out the door, like the wife bitching, why did you spend >> that when we could of gone on a cruise, >> trip, whatever. If I do purchase the BMW it will be my last bike. >> >> The BMW F800GS ROCKS! Lots of power and all that other crap, ABS, etc. >> Would prefer not to have a BMW as >> there are few BMW dealers in the USA and if you need something on the >> way to Alaska, Mexico City, etc you >> may be fuc#ed! >> >> You could purchase a couple of KLR's for the price of the BMW. My buddy >> has the top of the line BMW >> crotch rocket, like 1200CC, goes 200MPH and when I ride with him it's >> like I am alone. I don't want to >> go all that fast but more HP would be nice! >> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[revmaaatin]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Jim Douglas wrote: snip-snip If I do purchase the BMW it will be my last bike. unsnip--snip cough. cough. cough. Somehow, I believe you are a story teller. wink. If that line works, really, really works, please call (xxx-xxx-xxxx) and give me personal coaching. smile. more snip-snip > > You could purchase a couple of KLR's for the price of the BMW. more unsnip Don, your last line I snipped is a complete conjecture and fabrication. You can buy 4 nice used KLR's (one is a 250) for the price of one new BMW. revmaaatin.

[revmaaatin]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Vik Banerjee wrote:

> > Yes there are a few options for sure. I just was out for a walk and was passed by two KLRs. I see 'em every where in town! I'm a bit shocked at what they want for motorcycle insurance in BC. A brand new F150 supercrew fully insured is $1200/yr and a KLR is $800/yr just for liability. That seems crazy. My driving record is sparkly. > > safe riding, > > Vik Banerjee > threeohm@... > www.thelazyrando.co\

V- KLR 650/250 = $75/each/year full coverage/comp with Progressive on the South Dakota Prairie. Adding my 15.5 year old son made one bike cost $160 for his primary 650 ride. revmaaatin.

[revmaaatin]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Vik Banerjee wrote:

> > The local Kawi dealer is offering me $500-$600 off if I take a new 2010 KLR vs. a new 2011 KLR. Aside for colour options any reason not to go with 2010 bike? > > safe riding, > > Vik Banerjee > threeohm@... > www.thelazyrando.com

v- The dealer is offering you the bike at that price becuase [s/he hopes]that is the bikes actual value. It is the bikes acutal market value only if it sells. I have watched (coast to coast = ebay and cycletrader plus other forum-based sales), the KLR market closely for the past 8 years. It has been my observation that the KLR depreciates about $400-$500/year/ and are consumed at