heres a model c from norway with specs.

[chucksrad]

I agree about the misleading info. I bought my KLR after I read alot of stuff like that. It is a slow turd thats for sure.

[Keith Saltzer]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "chucksrad" wrote:

> > I agree about the misleading info. I bought my KLR after I read

alot

> of stuff like that. It is a slow turd thats for sure.

LOL, That's pretty funny. I've never had anyone say that about my KLR. I hear stuff like, "I didn't know that these things could go that fast!" and after passing everyone on a twisty mountain road I hear "Yep, that's the kind of bike you need for THESE roads alright". These statements are coming from guys on SV650's, BMW 1150GS's, KTM's, V-Stroms, F1's, Ducati's of all sorts, a mess of sport bikes, etc. MrMoose A8 (Barbie and Ken special)

[Randy Shultz]

> > LOL, That's pretty funny. I've never had anyone say that about my > KLR. I hear stuff like, "I didn't know that these things could go > that fast!" and after passing everyone on a twisty mountain road I > hear "Yep, that's the kind of bike you need for THESE roads > alright". These statements are coming from guys on SV650's, BMW > 1150GS's, KTM's, V-Stroms, F1's, Ducati's of all sorts, a mess of > sport bikes, etc. > > MrMoose > A8 (Barbie and Ken special)

------ I hear this all the time from KLRistas. Yet the guys I know who ride both do not choose their KLR to ride those types of roads, unless they are going to be riding off-road as well. In the U.S., at least, most street bike riders seem to choose 600 super sports, while most dual sport riders I've met tend to be older, more experienced riders. Most of going fast through corners is about the rider, not the ride, in my opinion. I've seen a goldwing outpace a 600 super sport through the twisties. I'd be willing to bet that any one of you fast KLR street riders would be even faster on a modern 600 supersport given equal familiarity with the bike.

[Thor Lancelot Simon]

On Fri, Jan 28, 2005 at 05:37:04PM -0000, Randy Shultz wrote:

> > In the U.S., at least, most street bike riders seem to choose 600 > super sports, while most dual sport riders I've met tend to be older, > more experienced riders. Most of going fast through corners is about > the rider, not the ride, in my opinion. I've seen a goldwing outpace > a 600 super sport through the twisties. > > I'd be willing to bet that any one of you fast KLR street riders > would be even faster on a modern 600 supersport given equal > familiarity with the bike.

Hell, I'm faster in the twisties on a VF500 than I am on my KLR -- after the required 2 or 3 day adjustment to the completely different way the VF rides. There are a lot of squids out there on CBR600RRs. So what? Sport bikes have a lower center of mass, stickier rubber, and more power for a reason, after all.

[Keith Saltzer]

> I hear this all the time from KLRistas. Yet the guys I know who

ride

> both do not choose their KLR to ride those types of roads, unless > they are going to be riding off-road as well. > > In the U.S., at least, most street bike riders seem to choose 600 > super sports, while most dual sport riders I've met tend to be

older,

> more experienced riders. Most of going fast through corners is

about

> the rider, not the ride, in my opinion. I've seen a goldwing

outpace

> a 600 super sport through the twisties. > > I'd be willing to bet that any one of you fast KLR street riders > would be even faster on a modern 600 supersport given equal > familiarity with the bike.

I've thought about just what you said above many times, and there is a lot of truth to it. However, there is also a lot of truth to the KLR and it's abilities that people "just don't get". I use a couple of good examples: 1. I sold my GSXR 750 with 100+ hp to get my KLR. Although I had ridden for 20 years, I was just finding out how to REALLY ride about 6 months before I switched bikes, when I got Keith Codes books. On my GSXR I got a lot better at riding it fast, and thought to myself "ah HA", so this is what I have been missing. I rode on Sunday morning ride with a bunch of guys known around here as "The old guys on dual-sports. They have all known each other for decades, and have ridden together forever too. The were all older than me, 10-20 years my senior, VERY knowledgable about everything on a bike and how it works, and I could not even see them after hitting just 2 or 3 turns on the mountain road. I tried Sunday after Sunday and got a little quicker, but it wasn't even close every time. I will say however that my 750 was an '87 and the suspension was basically stock, but the KLR suspension is old technology too. 2. I got my KLR and began doing the exact same thing with these guys. In fact, I worked on my KLR and didn't ride it at all for 4 months after buying it. When I first rode out to meet "the guys", I had not ridden a bike for over half a year. Here's the scene. A guy closest to my age (I was 37 then) is about 42 years old, tall, but very very skinny, and on a FZ1. Been riding for years and years. He tends to ride fast at times, but overall take it easy. Next guy is an old crankety fart that scowls all the time and doesn't like anyone except the guys that he has been doing this ride with for over 20 years. He's about 60, overweight, and falling apart, but he has been riding forever! He has worked on many race bikes and worked for a Yamaha race team for a while. He's a geotherm scientist and is really smart, about bikes too, and he's riding an SV 650 with a more "dual-sport" front end that he grafted onto it. He has many track days under his belt too. He rides as fast as he can, but is a bit limited because of health problems affecting his balance. Next is a guy that is about 57 years old, short, skinny as a twig, on a KLX 650, is a gear head type working as a machinery maintenance guy, and has been riding a damn long time. He's fast, and light as hell, on a light bike. He will ride very quickly most of the time with "times" of all out war like racing. Next is a guy that is also about 57, gear head, works on everything with a motor, tall, not over weight, riding a Triumph Tiger, (has 2 of them) been riding forever. He rides pretty quick, and "races" with us sometimes. Next guy is 50 something, little overweight, average height, and has had a Ducati Elephant, Triumph triple, Triumph tiger, and now V-Strom 1000, just in the last 2 years. He's a serious gear head, many many track days, been riding forever. This guys loves to go as fast as the bike will carry him and he rides that way any time we hit the twisties. The bike is always the limiting factor. His LONG stock foot peg scrapers on his V-Strom were completely gone after owning the bike about 6 months. The pegs are slowly dissappearing now. Next guy is the fastest of the bunch, cause he teaches at Sears point raceway (not an MSF course either) and has been riding forever. He's tall at about 6' 3" and only a little overweight. He's on a BMW 1150 GS with no extra anything to keep the weight down. You could call it stripped. This guys KNOWS how to ride better than any of the bunch, including me. He races a new GSXR 1000 on the track for fun, and his son races a new GSXR 750 and is damn fast. His son races seriously in the AFM and was placing between 10th and 5th for a lot of his races the last year or two. The dad also rides just as fast as he possibly can, the bike being the limiting factor. When you get the last two guys I described above and me together, it's always a really good time in the twisties. Motors wailing, pegs scraping, passing everything insight. Enter the KLR: It was my first Sunday ride out on the KLR and I had only ridden it for about 200 miles. I did NOT know this bike at all. The roads were wet from rain the night before and some guys didn't come out to play, including the really fast ones. But when I did hit the twisties, I immediatly went to the front, pulled away, and never saw another guy till I stopped for breakfast at our usual spot. The week after that it was the usual bunch and the roads were dry. When we hit the twisties, I went past all the slow guys (about 4 of them) and stayed in the middle of the pack, behind the fast guys, mostley because I just couldn't believe that the bike was doing this. I was really shocked, but very happy. Two months later, after I had gotton used to the bike, and after I had been following the fastest guys on the Ducati Elephant at the time, and the BMW and seeing how they "did it", I dove into a very tight and semi narrow corner, on the outside, and passed the Ducati, and 2 or 3 corners later I passed the BMW, then slowely pulled away. I have ridden with these guys dozens and dozens of times since and it is basically the same scene every time. It's very easy to pass all of them except the BMW guy depending on where we are on the mountain. If there's any kind of tight or semi-tight corner, I'm gone in pretty short order. The straighter the road gets, the better he can keep up of course, but you should see how much my KLR puts him to work on that machine. He has told me that a number of times. Mean while I'm just flicking the bike into and out of the corners with relative ease. It's a friggin blast to say the least, but it's not all of my doing, it is definately the bike's very good handling, ergonomics, and very easy to "go fast in the corners" power band. When I catch up to and blow by a new, young, rider on a sport bike with triple the HP, and triple the cost, I know that it is mostly the rider that is holding up the bike, but it's still a lot of fun to do that and them have him meet up with you later down the road where you are pulled over and watch him get off the bike, come over to yours, and scratch his head while looking confused. The KLR is a very capable bike when you take the time to set it up, and take the time to learn how to ride. MrMoose A8 (Barbie and Ken special)

[klr250not]

Heh, youre in trouble now, MrMoose, because I enjoyed reading that whole darn story, the contrasting styles of motorcycles and the real- world effects of terrain, curves, and rider capabilities. There seem to be quite a few reasonable posters on this board--I cant even think of any exception right off the top. So I'm guessing most everyone here can kick some of these KLR issues--like slow/not slow etc.-- around a little without getting too worked up about it. Now watch someone jump on my -ss. Haaaaarrrrgh Bob--still looking for the DR400S numbers ---------------

> > I hear this all the time from KLRistas. Yet the guys I know who > ride > > both do not choose their KLR to ride those types of roads,

unless

> > they are going to be riding off-road as well. > > > > In the U.S., at least, most street bike riders seem to choose

600

> > super sports, while most dual sport riders I've met tend to be > older, > > more experienced riders. Most of going fast through corners is > about > > the rider, not the ride, in my opinion. I've seen a goldwing > outpace > > a 600 super sport through the twisties. > > > > I'd be willing to bet that any one of you fast KLR street riders > > would be even faster on a modern 600 supersport given equal > > familiarity with the bike. > > I've thought about just what you said above many times, and there

is

> a lot of truth to it. However, there is also a lot of truth to

the

> KLR and it's abilities that people "just don't get". > > I use a couple of good examples: > > 1. I sold my GSXR 750 with 100+ hp to get my KLR. Although I had > ridden for 20 years, I was just finding out how to REALLY ride

about

> 6 months before I switched bikes, when I got Keith Codes books.

On

> my GSXR I got a lot better at riding it fast, and thought to > myself "ah HA", so this is what I have been missing. > > I rode on Sunday morning ride with a bunch of guys known around

here

> as "The old guys on dual-sports. They have all known each other

for

> decades, and have ridden together forever too. The were all older > than me, 10-20 years my senior, VERY knowledgable about everything

on

> a bike and how it works, and I could not even see them after

hitting

> just 2 or 3 turns on the mountain road. I tried Sunday after

Sunday

> and got a little quicker, but it wasn't even close every time. I > will say however that my 750 was an '87 and the suspension was > basically stock, but the KLR suspension is old technology too. > > 2. I got my KLR and began doing the exact same thing with these > guys. In fact, I worked on my KLR and didn't ride it at all for 4 > months after buying it. When I first rode out to meet "the guys",

I

> had not ridden a bike for over half a year. > > Here's the scene. A guy closest to my age (I was 37 then) is

about

> 42 years old, tall, but very very skinny, and on a FZ1. Been

riding

> for years and years. He tends to ride fast at times, but overall > take it easy. > > Next guy is an old crankety fart that scowls all the time and

doesn't

> like anyone except the guys that he has been doing this ride with

for

> over 20 years. He's about 60, overweight, and falling apart, but

he

> has been riding forever! He has worked on many race bikes and

worked

> for a Yamaha race team for a while. He's a geotherm scientist and

is

> really smart, about bikes too, and he's riding an SV 650 with a > more "dual-sport" front end that he grafted onto it. He has many > track days under his belt too. He rides as fast as he can, but is

a

> bit limited because of health problems affecting his balance. > > Next is a guy that is about 57 years old, short, skinny as a twig,

on

> a KLX 650, is a gear head type working as a machinery maintenance > guy, and has been riding a damn long time. He's fast, and light as > hell, on a light bike. He will ride very quickly most of the time > with "times" of all out war like racing. > > Next is a guy that is also about 57, gear head, works on

everything

> with a motor, tall, not over weight, riding a Triumph Tiger, (has

2

> of them) been riding forever. He rides pretty quick, and "races" > with us sometimes. > > Next guy is 50 something, little overweight, average height, and

has

> had a Ducati Elephant, Triumph triple, Triumph tiger, and now V-

Strom

> 1000, just in the last 2 years. He's a serious gear head, many

many

> track days, been riding forever. This guys loves to go as fast as > the bike will carry him and he rides that way any time we hit the > twisties. The bike is always the limiting factor. His LONG stock > foot peg scrapers on his V-Strom were completely gone after owning > the bike about 6 months. The pegs are slowly dissappearing now. > > Next guy is the fastest of the bunch, cause he teaches at Sears

point

> raceway (not an MSF course either) and has been riding forever.

He's

> tall at about 6' 3" and only a little overweight. He's on a BMW

1150

> GS with no extra anything to keep the weight down. You could call

it

> stripped. This guys KNOWS how to ride better than any of the

bunch,

> including me. He races a new GSXR 1000 on the track for fun, and

his

> son races a new GSXR 750 and is damn fast. His son races

seriously

> in the AFM and was placing between 10th and 5th for a lot of his > races the last year or two. The dad also rides just as fast as he > possibly can, the bike being the limiting factor. > > When you get the last two guys I described above and me together, > it's always a really good time in the twisties. Motors wailing,

pegs

> scraping, passing everything insight. > > Enter the KLR: > > It was my first Sunday ride out on the KLR and I had only ridden

it

> for about 200 miles. I did NOT know this bike at all. The roads > were wet from rain the night before and some guys didn't come out

to

> play, including the really fast ones. But when I did hit the > twisties, I immediatly went to the front, pulled away, and never

saw

> another guy till I stopped for breakfast at our usual spot. > > The week after that it was the usual bunch and the roads were

dry.

> When we hit the twisties, I went past all the slow guys (about 4

of

> them) and stayed in the middle of the pack, behind the fast guys, > mostley because I just couldn't believe that the bike was doing > this. I was really shocked, but very happy. > > Two months later, after I had gotton used to the bike, and after I > had been following the fastest guys on the Ducati Elephant at the > time, and the BMW and seeing how they "did it", I dove into a very > tight and semi narrow corner, on the outside, and passed the

Ducati,

> and 2 or 3 corners later I passed the BMW, then slowely pulled

away.

> > I have ridden with these guys dozens and dozens of times since and

it

> is basically the same scene every time. It's very easy to pass

all

> of them except the BMW guy depending on where we are on the > mountain. If there's any kind of tight or semi-tight corner, I'm > gone in pretty short order. The straighter the road gets, the

better

> he can keep up of course, but you should see how much my KLR puts

him

> to work on that machine. He has told me that a number of times. > Mean while I'm just flicking the bike into and out of the corners > with relative ease. It's a friggin blast to say the least, but

it's

> not all of my doing, it is definately the bike's very good

handling,

> ergonomics, and very easy to "go fast in the corners" power band. > > When I catch up to and blow by a new, young, rider on a sport bike > with triple the HP, and triple the cost, I know that it is mostly

the

> rider that is holding up the bike, but it's still a lot of fun to

do

> that and them have him meet up with you later down the road where

you

> are pulled over and watch him get off the bike, come over to

yours,

> and scratch his head while looking confused. > > The KLR is a very capable bike when you take the time to set it

up,

> and take the time to learn how to ride. > > > MrMoose > A8 (Barbie and Ken special)

[chucksrad]

Let me explain myself abit. The WHATS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE thing was acctully my son. We both bought new 04 KLRs based on research from different internet groups and writeups. THE POPULAR MECHANICS article mentioned was a very big influence towards what we bought. Duelsport bikes arnt real common here in Racine Wi. so we pretty much had to decide what we wanted by what we read. So there was some buyers remorse on mypart because it wasnt exactly what I thought it would be. My son was really disapointed because he wanted something more motardish. Myself I have learned to like the bike for what it is. I guess the point Im trying to make is alot of people read this stuff and do make decicions because of it. Im starting to see that there is a very strong following with the KLR and Im kinda getting into it myself (sorta the antiharley). so we didnt mean to step on any toes but sometimes you got to rant.

[kdxkawboy@aol.com]

In a message dated 1/28/2005 9:47:21 AM Pacific Standard Time, rshultz@... writes: I'd be willing to bet that any one of you fast KLR street riders would be even faster on a modern 600 supersport given equal familiarity with the bike. If I can pick the stretch of pavement you'll loose that bet. The is a 20 mile section of Sonora Pass, CA SR 108, from Kennedy Meadows over the top to Pickle Meadows where the KLR has bettered my best sportbike time by a good two minutes. Moose called it right saying the KLR is a great handling bike. It may have a lot of compromises in its design, but its frame geometry is not one of them. One of the reasons it is such a do everything bike is its handling is rock solid and every so often conditions are such that the KLR engine is the perfect power plant for going fast and that is when the KLR's handling makes it the best bike for doing something. You know Moose, I think the problem with the folks that just don't get it is that they can't get past what a KLR isn't and see the one thing it is, one of the sweetest handling bikes to role off any assembly line. Randy, would you agree that that is an honest evaluation of something the KLR excels at? I love my KLR because it makes every turn fun, because she begs to be flogged on a twisty road, the more twisted the better the better she loves it. And off pavement, as long as I've respected her heft, her handling has never let me down. As corny as it sounds, on the KLR I can make love to the road in ways few other bikes have let me. Pat G'ville, NV [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Randy Shultz]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, kdxkawboy@a... wrote:

> If I can pick the stretch of pavement you'll loose that bet. The

is a 20 > mile section of Sonora Pass, CA SR 108, from Kennedy Meadows over the top to > Pickle Meadows where the KLR has bettered my best sportbike time by a good two minutes.

>

REPLY: My comment was that a fast rider on a KLR would be even faster on a modern supersport bike. That was a general statement. I can imagine that one could choose a very specific stretch of pavement that would favor a KLR over a supersport. But I don't think that would hold generally.

> You know Moose, I think the problem with the folks that just don't

get it is that they can't get past what a KLR isn't and see the one thing it is, one of the sweetest handling bikes to role off any assembly line. REPLY: I think most all of us "get it". That's why we are happy owners of KLRs. Some of us simply don't agree with over-the-top statements such as "the KLR is one of the sweetest handling bikes to roll off the assembly line". Or that quote along the same lines from the magazine review that one poster claimed influenced he and his son's purchase of a pair of KLRs, followed by buyers remorse when the actual performance failed to live up to their expectations. That was the sentiment of the original post from the sport-tourer forum that started these related threads. Some of us feel that the performance of our KLR is being somewhat overstated occasionally, and that might be a reason why some people's expectations are a little high when they first ride their new KLR. That's all.

> Randy, would you agree that that is an honest evaluation of

something the KLR excels at? REPLY: It has not been my experience that the KLR is one of the best handling bikes ever made. I think it handles very well. Certainly well enough for my needs. Certainly very well for a dual sport. Exceptionally well for the money I spent. Stock fork flexes a bit much for my tastes on the street. But I like a springy fork off-road. That's the dual sport compromise. The context of most of our comments were street-oriented, by the way. Stock shock is nothing to write home about. Nor is the stock front brake. But suspensions can be tuned and/or upgraded. Stainless steel brake lines and aftermarket pads are wonderful things. I find the suspension fine just how it is and haven't spent a dime on them. But my SV650 handles better on the road. And it has a bragin basement street suspension as well.

> As corny as it sounds, on the KLR I can make love to the road in

ways few other bikes have let me.

>

REPLY: Well, now, I'm old enough to know that you don't talk bad about a man's lover. If I'd known how emotionally involved you were with your KLR, I wouldn't have said anything at all. Love is blind, as they say. And while I don't equate my KLR with sex the way you do, I still like it very much, and won't be parting with it 'til death do us part (or part out). But some of us are taking what we see as a more objective view: a great value of a dual purpose bike, that some very good riders can ride very fast, but not the best street bike in the world, and not the fastest bike in the quarter mile, etc., etc. ad nauseum. For the benefit of the prospective new owners, just tell it like it is: any dual sport bike is a compromise. Compromise is inherent in making the same bike perform well both on-road and off-road. The KLR is a very very good compromise, an outstanding value. It has thirty something horsepower. And that's all you will need in most circumstances. But it has thirty something horsepower, and little prospect of getting substantially more with standard modifications. That has implications. That's all. Randy

[Rodney Copeland]

After having the Mighty KLR for a couple years and seein 25,000 miles of what the big Hoss has to offer, I'll feel very secure about not having to defend the big boy. Course, I was pretty sure about that 2 years hangin out with you hoodlums, before I bought it. I've gone way too many street miles for my likin. I do love the mountain twisties I've come across though. I've hauled a 50lb bag of dogfood, 10lbs of that walmart chicken and a 12pack at the same time. I've made a few thousand dollars runnin around doin what I do, using the KLR. I won the 3 gear wheelie contest in a one horse town, Pickins Ok, with a bunch of Stroms, XRs and DRZs watchin. I've done well far as I'm concerned at the dragstrip and had one hell of a time. I've done 150 in a day through the mountains in S.E. Oklahoma with my Chicky on the back through some of the most rocky shtuff up to Devil's Backbone, Yup, single track too. Pretty sure Pat said it better, well said by the way, but this is my take. Lot's of bikes out there for all kinds of riders. They can enjoy their bikes, and I'll continue to enjoy mine. Cheers, Rod,,,,thinkin there's nothin like runnin several miles down the slab to take your Chicky way out into the woods. Try that on what bike?

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, kdxkawboy@a... wrote: > > In a message dated 1/28/2005 9:47:21 AM Pacific Standard Time, > rshultz@s... writes: > > > I'd be willing to bet that any one of you fast KLR street riders > would be even faster on a modern 600 supersport given equal > familiarity with the bike. > > > > > > If I can pick the stretch of pavement you'll loose that bet. The is a 20 > mile section of Sonora Pass, CA SR 108, from Kennedy Meadows over the top to > Pickle Meadows where the KLR has bettered my best sportbike time by a good two > minutes. > > Moose called it right saying the KLR is a great handling bike. It may have a > lot of compromises in its design, but its frame geometry is not one of them. > One of the reasons it is such a do everything bike is its handling is rock > solid and every so often conditions are such that the KLR engine is the > perfect power plant for going fast and that is when the KLR's handling makes it the > best bike for doing something. > > You know Moose, I think the problem with the folks that just don't get it is > that they can't get past what a KLR isn't and see the one thing it is, one > of the sweetest handling bikes to role off any assembly line. Randy, would you > agree that that is an honest evaluation of something the KLR excels at? I > love my KLR because it makes every turn fun, because she begs to be flogged on > a twisty road, the more twisted the better the better she loves it. And off > pavement, as long as I've respected her heft, her handling has never let me > down. As corny as it sounds, on the KLR I can make love to the road in ways few > other bikes have let me. > > Pat > G'ville, NV > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]