Kawasaki KRL650

mjs91882 · 05-23-2011, 03:35 PM

Anyone ever ride these bad boys? My friend is about to buy one and i have a Zong and some extra money and i maybe might invest in one. How do they ride on the Street? I know my zong is a little rough. I go like 20 miles on it and i feel it on my butt. Anyway just looking for some insight. Thanks

MICRider · 05-23-2011, 04:28 PM

I'm guessing you meant KLR 650... Great bikes depending on what you want to do with them. They're good on the road and can handle the speeds of expressways (though the 2nd Generation models will burn oil if operated above 5000 rpm for extended periods). Fairly heavy and quite tall, so not really a good machine if you mainly plan to ride singletrack. However, for pavement use and forest/fire roads and light trail riding it would be hard to beat a KLR. They're kind of like a swiss army bike, they can do a bit of everything. Easy to work on too. I've had mine for just over a year now and if something happened to it I'd replace it in a heartbeat (if I was still able to). I love my KLR and have met a lot of cool people because of it. Very strong aftermarket for them and they have an almost cultlike following. FastDoc has posted lots of pics and ride reports on them and has owned a few himself, he thinks quite highly of them as well

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FastDoc · 05-23-2011, 04:31 PM

Several of us have had a lot of experiance with KLR650's and they are well received amongst all of us. A quick search in this subforum will show several threads regarding the bike. Trading ANY chinabike for a titled running KLR, even if you have to add (significant) extra cash is a good deal.

This assumes you are at least 5'11" or preferably over 6' though. If not a KLR can be lowered.

MICRider · 05-23-2011, 04:34 PM

Oh! And if your looking at used ones, here is a timeline of all the KLR models produced.

http://members.cox.net/watt-man/KLRTimeline.htm

2LZ · 05-23-2011, 04:50 PM

Great bikes. Change the Doo-Hickey though, to the upgraded one.

mjs91882 · 05-23-2011, 06:30 PM

What about the Suzuki V storm 650? I hear there comparible?? That and the KLR650?

FastDoc · 05-23-2011, 06:37 PM

VStrom looks like a dirt bike but is not. The KLR is.

mjs91882 · 05-23-2011, 07:04 PM

Ah ok thanks Doc! Im looking at these 4 bikes. KRL650, The Yamaha FZ6 which i hear is a sports touring bike and a Suzuki Sv 650 and the Suzuki V Storm. I have about 4500 to spend. I want something that if i ride it for a long time i wont be numb after 50 miles. lol But then i do like something that can maybe go off roading. But i still have my Zong for that. Any suggestions??

FastDoc · 05-23-2011, 07:11 PM

For the most part those bikes have little in common. Unless you plan to do quite a bit of off roading the KLR is out of the running. It vibrates the most of those choices by a wide margin.

If on road comfort is a concern he KLR is last in that group, and the VStrom is by far the best. Even though it shares the same drivetrain the SV650 is a much sportier bike than the VS and will not be nearly as comfortable on the highway, or carry gear as well. The VS will also do OK on dirt and gravel roads, the SV will not.

It all depends on your mission. It's a spectrum from dirt to street. KLR, VS, SV in that order. All great bikes, but very different.

If you are keeping the Zong I'd go with the VS out of that group, and you'll have 90+% of riding scenarios covered.

This is why I have a KLX and a Gold Wing. between the two of them I can do most anything.

mjs91882 · 05-23-2011, 07:37 PM

I really like the V Storm. I just want to be sure it will be able to ride well on the high way down here in Fl. Im not sure of the top speed but im sure it can hit 80 pretty easy right? Thanks for the help.

MICRider · 05-23-2011, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjs91882

I really like the V Storm. I just want to be sure it will be able to ride well on the high way down here in Fl. Im not sure of the top speed but im sure it can hit 80 pretty easy right? Thanks for the help.

Yup, the strom is has quite a bit more power than a KLR. It'll have no problem doing 80. If you plan on running higher speeds on the freeway the strom would be a better choice than a KLR... Guess it all depends what you want, they are all good bikes for their intended purposes

mjs91882 · 05-23-2011, 07:47 PM

Thank you guys!! I like my Zong but down here in Fl i dont feel comfortable with some of the crazy drivers. sometimes i feel like im riding a death machine. So i plan on using that just more for off road use like Spud did and getting a Vstorm to commute and do some touring.

FastDoc · 05-23-2011, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjs91882

I really like the V Storm. I just want to be sure it will be able to ride well on the high way down here in Fl. Im not sure of the top speed but im sure it can hit 80 pretty easy right? Thanks for the help.

Probably over 120. 8)

mjs91882 · 05-23-2011, 09:56 PM

That is plenty fast for me. lol.

mjs91882 · 05-24-2011, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MICRider

Oh! And if your looking at used ones, here is a timeline of all the KLR models produced.

http://members.cox.net/watt-man/KLRTimeline.htm

Thats a cool website. Buying a bike is such a hard choice. lol

05-23-2011, 03:35 PM	#1
mjs91882 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Lake George Ny Posts: 249	Kawasaki KRL650 Anyone ever ride these bad boys? My friend is about to buy one and i have a Zong and some extra money and i maybe might invest in one. How do they ride on the Street? I know my zong is a little rough. I go like 20 miles on it and i feel it on my butt. Anyway just looking for some insight. Thanks
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05-23-2011, 04:31 PM	#3
FastDoc Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southeastern Washington desert Posts: 14,761	Several of us have had a lot of experiance with KLR650's and they are well received amongst all of us. A quick search in this subforum will show several threads regarding the bike. Trading ANY chinabike for a titled running KLR, even if you have to add (significant) extra cash is a good deal. This assumes you are at least 5'11" or preferably over 6' though. If not a KLR can be lowered. __________________ Happy to serve.
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05-23-2011, 04:50 PM	#5
2LZ Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Volcano, Ca Posts: 7,092	Great bikes. Change the Doo-Hickey though, to the upgraded one. __________________ "Light a fire for a man, and you heat him for a day. Light a man on fire, and you heat him for the rest of his life." 2007 Suzuki DRZ400S (SM convert) 2009 Q Link XP 200 1967 BSA B25 250cc Starfire 2022 Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 2023 Royal Enfield Scram 411 1948 Royal Enfield Model G 350
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05-23-2011, 06:37 PM	#7
FastDoc Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southeastern Washington desert Posts: 14,761	VStrom looks like a dirt bike but is not. The KLR is. __________________ Happy to serve.
	0

05-23-2011, 07:11 PM	#9
FastDoc Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southeastern Washington desert Posts: 14,761	For the most part those bikes have little in common. Unless you plan to do quite a bit of off roading the KLR is out of the running. It vibrates the most of those choices by a wide margin. If on road comfort is a concern he KLR is last in that group, and the VStrom is by far the best. Even though it shares the same drivetrain the SV650 is a much sportier bike than the VS and will not be nearly as comfortable on the highway, or carry gear as well. The VS will also do OK on dirt and gravel roads, the SV will not. It all depends on your mission. It's a spectrum from dirt to street. KLR, VS, SV in that order. All great bikes, but very different. If you are keeping the Zong I'd go with the VS out of that group, and you'll have 90+% of riding scenarios covered. This is why I have a KLX and a Gold Wing. between the two of them I can do most anything. __________________ Happy to serve.
	0

05-23-2011, 04:28 PM	#2
MICRider Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 3,274	I'm guessing you meant KLR 650... Great bikes depending on what you want to do with them. They're good on the road and can handle the speeds of expressways (though the 2nd Generation models will burn oil if operated above 5000 rpm for extended periods). Fairly heavy and quite tall, so not really a good machine if you mainly plan to ride singletrack. However, for pavement use and forest/fire roads and light trail riding it would be hard to beat a KLR. They're kind of like a swiss army bike, they can do a bit of everything. Easy to work on too. I've had mine for just over a year now and if something happened to it I'd replace it in a heartbeat (if I was still able to). I love my KLR and have met a lot of cool people because of it. Very strong aftermarket for them and they have an almost cultlike following. FastDoc has posted lots of pics and ride reports on them and has owned a few himself, he thinks quite highly of them as well .
	0

05-23-2011, 04:34 PM	#4
MICRider Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 3,274	Oh! And if your looking at used ones, here is a timeline of all the KLR models produced. http://members.cox.net/watt-man/KLRTimeline.htm
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05-23-2011, 06:30 PM	#6
mjs91882 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Lake George Ny Posts: 249	What about the Suzuki V storm 650? I hear there comparible?? That and the KLR650?
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05-23-2011, 07:04 PM	#8
mjs91882 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Lake George Ny Posts: 249	Ah ok thanks Doc! Im looking at these 4 bikes. KRL650, The Yamaha FZ6 which i hear is a sports touring bike and a Suzuki Sv 650 and the Suzuki V Storm. I have about 4500 to spend. I want something that if i ride it for a long time i wont be numb after 50 miles. lol But then i do like something that can maybe go off roading. But i still have my Zong for that. Any suggestions??
	0

05-23-2011, 07:37 PM	#10
mjs91882 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Lake George Ny Posts: 249	I really like the V Storm. I just want to be sure it will be able to ride well on the high way down here in Fl. Im not sure of the top speed but im sure it can hit 80 pretty easy right? Thanks for the help.
	0

05-23-2011, 07:47 PM	#12
mjs91882 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Lake George Ny Posts: 249	Thank you guys!! I like my Zong but down here in Fl i dont feel comfortable with some of the crazy drivers. sometimes i feel like im riding a death machine. So i plan on using that just more for off road use like Spud did and getting a Vstorm to commute and do some touring.
	0

05-23-2011, 09:56 PM	#14
mjs91882 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Lake George Ny Posts: 249	That is plenty fast for me. lol.
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