Why does the KLR engine suck in HP

I always feel just a little sorry for someone who gets their dander up when someone disagrees about their favorite brand of motorcycle (band/author/TV show) . . . .. makes me wonder what they are compensating for, ya know?

Full disclosure -- bought my 05 KLR about a year ago to re-enter off road riding after years of street only riding. . . . .figured, if I DIDN'T enjoy it it, I could sell it for what I paid . . . .

Needless to say, I didn't enjoy it, I LOVED getting off pavement again . . . . the KLR isn't quite enough bike for what I'd love to be able to do, but the price differential simply isn't worth it for me . . . . I'd rather spend the dough on long, life changing rides, thankyouverymuch . . . .

Grid . . . take a breath, man -- while you may have information of value to add, your tough guy act makes seeing that value more difficult than it needs to be . . . .

You can save your sorry for someone else. I'm well aware of what works FOR ME.

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What makes you think I was referring to you, Cody?

He's just the biggest whiner on this site. And I guess he thinks the whole site revolves around him. I was playing around with off the grid actually. Again, when someone sends you multiple pm's regarding your avatar and how he used something similar and called me various names, I'm guessing coydY is, at best 7 yo, or some spoiled little rich kid who's daddy buys everything for him.

Sorry CodyY, I call em like I see em, your a whining little bitch. Go ride your gold plated ktm and leave the boards to the mature folk who are rib rubbing.

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Gotta keep up my reputation, ya know.

:Norton

Arctic Circle, Dempster Highway ... 8000 miles, two sets of tires, one oil change,
one rally (Dust to Dawson), one 50mph crash ...
SgtMarty helped get me on my feet and dust me off ...
picked the KLR up after the get-off and rode it 4000 miles home ...
zero problems with the bike on the trip ...

Fun times!

see you around the campfire,
-- SFMCjohn

Got it -- then I stand corected -- I WAS referring to you, and I DO feel sorry for ya.

I owned a '91 KLR for 10 years. Rod the piss out of it. (my piss, probably not as hardcore as your piss...)







It slowly turned from a barbie bike into rattle can rat bike.







wanted something more capable onroad, but still with offroad aspirations. Purchased an '89 Transalp.




Sold the KLR a year or so later. Transalp was just better on the road, but not quite as nice off the road. Didn't have the low end grunt just off idle that the KLR had. Didn't have the ground clearance or aftermarket support of the KLR either.

3 years of transalp owernship and I picked up a Vstrom for better onroad riding..



rode the crap out of the Weestrom...




... and eventually sold the transalp because it never got ridden.

started missing my KLR (had been missing it ever since I sold it). It was cheap, reliable, and so ratty that I didn't feel bad about putting it away dirty. It was also well set up with tool tube, panniers, corbin seat, re-worked suspension (springs mainly) and a few other odds and ins.

Recently started missing the KLR so much (Weestrom is a pig in the rough stuff) that I picked up a 640 ADV.





...and I can't wait to start setting it up.



edit:

"Setting it up"

What this jock-gobbler doesn't understand is that I'm not always that asshole I play on TV. And just because he's an arrogant prick doesn't mean the rest of us are. And what he doesn't fathom is that members of this site were at my wedding, and were present when I proposed to my wife. That some of the "mature folk" on here invite me into their homes on a regular basis, I'm invited to their kids birthday parties. We've celebrated births, jobs, bikes, cars, Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays, and the lives of those that we have lost. We have laughed, drank, ridden, worked, and cried together.
And, some simple-minded fuck says he has me on ignore, yet he decides to follow along behind me and make personal attacks for the benefit of whom? If you don't "get" my humor, or sarcasm, or the etiquette of the boards; that's fine. But you can take the holier-than-thou attitude and shove it straight up your old hairy ass. Someone tell Kojackoff there's a whole lot more content down the hall, and Thumpers ain't the only place you might learn a thing or three 'round here.




Back on topic, facts learned in this thread:
-The KLR is really good at being "ok"
-European bikes require a little grey matter between the ears, or they like to fire their owners.
-Riding "euro trash" is like being married to a Red Head. Takes a little work but the payoff......... So sweet. (Yeah, I've got one o those too )
-Lamborghini is far more dependable than you think.

Name an about 650cc road motorcycle with one cylinder that has much more power.

Is most of this thread about the misunderstanding of the power that multiple cylinders give bikes?

Back when I was young it became very apparent that a japanese 2-cylinder bike at a given cc was one class level down from a Japanese bike with the same cc's, but with 4 cylinders. The same applies to twin cylinder 650's and single cylinder 650's - A single cylinder 650 will be about one class down, so I'd imagine it as an about a 350cc twin.

I was a little surprised when an experience motorcycling friend bought a 600 Ducati monster to replace his CB1000... he didn't just go one class down - halving the cylinders meant he had the equivalent of a 500cc 4-cylinder (to me), and that was hardly what he hoped for, or needed, for weekend touring and general riding. Apparently some guys just don't realize the difference.

If you want to compare bikes and power, at least stick with the same number of cylinders in side-by-side comparisons.

Ok, I will name 2 bikes with more HP than the 650KLR that are 650cc thumpers.
The BMW F650 (2007 and prior)/g650gs (09-10) models; 48 HP and the new Husqvarna (sp?) 650 Terra/Strada; 58 HP. Each bike has its own abilities and comparing them is like comparing apples and oranges, even if the bikes are in the same class. With the OP, numerous motorcycle companies are lowering their HP on the same model of bikes because most European countries have graduated license system in place and they want their bikes in a certain part of the graduated system. BMW doesnt make certain bikes for certain countries and certain bikes for other countries (as does Honda, Suzuki), so BMW makes their bikes to sell in the most restrictive country and that is the bike they sell worldwide for that class.

When it comes to power it is all about rpm. Those 600cc sportbikes are producung huge horsepower numbers by spinning up the engines to between 13,000 and 15,000 rpm. Making peak horsepower way up high like that also pulls the peak torque number way up into very high rpm. They don't even start making useable power, that is torque, until past the redline on an offroad oriented single.

Which makes that type of engine useless for riding any place without the deluxe traction of pavement. Even my 640, which makes pretty good power for a single, does so at relatively high rpm. So, again, peak torque is moved higher in the rpm range. Which means I have to spin the engine to make decent power. On the trail that means my buddy's underpowered XR650L will chug through slop at almost no rpm while I have to spin up my 640.

Which is why it is more work for me to get through goo and up loose hills on my 640 than is for my buddy on that red tractor. But then that same XRL is totally outclassed by my KTM any place where there is traction. The KLR650 is made to offer that same kind of user friendly chug through stuff without ever breaking traction power as the XRL. Which is awesome if that is what you want.

But, if you like to roost, well it ain't exactly the best choice. But if you like inexpensive, don't mind being the last one there and always being asked to carry the cooler then ........

and in production since 1984?

You only named one bike with more HP than a KLR, the KLR also has 48 HP at the crank.

I've got a serious question for the KTM riders no flaming intended. There is only one KTM dealer (also sells Honda, Yam, Suz, and Victory) in this area and it only keeps a few 2 stroke KTMs on the showroom floor yet there are full compliments of models from the other brands. If you want to buy a street legal KTM you have to order it and wait for delivery. Sometimes the dealer can't find the bike you want and the wait can last months or more and they won't even start looking till you lay down some money. I want to add the dealership has been around for decades and has a good reputation but I've never dealt with them other than to inquire over the phone about a 690. Is this the norm for KTM dealers?

Hello,
Something to point out. Look at the torque figures. just about ALL ~40 cubic inch engines produce in the ball park of 40 ft.lbs of torque. whether it be a KLR or a 600 ninja or a ural. All hover in the range of 40 ft.lbs. Horsepower is nothing more than a calculated number. I'll take good bottom end over high horsepower any day of the week and twice on Sunday for a bike with the character of a KLR. How much fun is it to have to rev the engine to 10 grand before any meaningful torque is made?? I realize that this is a bit of an exaggeration but it highlights the point.

My buddy had an old ktm 620 and it was hardly the knight in shining armor that some claim. It certainly wasn't overwhelmingly more powerful than my DR and the thing vibrated like a paint shaker. Sure the suspension was better but the bike was still a lard-ass and too big to be a "real" dirt bike.

The best part of motorcycles is the fact there are more than one kind. And they can fill vastly different niches with more grace and character than any cage. To this end I see no reason for the KLR to make any concessions for what it is or is not. In the end its a cheap, durable bike with unlimited aftermarket and enough ability to get the rider to most places. If its speed or monster horsepower you seek, fortunately, there are other options.

bullittman

Not around here. We have one dealer of about 6 (in 100mi radius ) that is Dirt Only and they're the new guys

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I've been called an arrogant asshole, a festering cockmonster, and a diseased taintstick. But never a "tough guy". I'll take it under advisement, and thanks for the heads-up.

Seriously, in the end, I just want people to get good, accurate information. Lots of new people come here for advice on what bike to buy....I was that guy 4 years ago after being out of the offroad game for 20 years.

I read the posts and made a really bad decision on my first bike as a result.

People need to know the truth. The KLR is a decent bike, but because it "looks" like a dirt bike, people think they are are going to fly over whoops and launch table tops with it.

They need to know that it's a big, heavy pig of a bike that does nothing particularly well. It can be ridden anywhere, yes. Is it reliable? Sure. Is it more reliable that most big singles? No, I don't believe so. Especially 08+. The earlier years were better bikes.

It's cheap to own, cheap to buy, and you pay for that cheapness on the trail and at the end of the day.

So thus, education is my goal.

No, the bike was rarin to go, my old, out of shape ass was DONE after 30 miles. (but we did 100 the day prior of KNARLY trails)

So we limped back to camp and "roughed it".

I know what you meant, I was havin some fun. Ha ha. Taintstick. I have to remember that one for future reference.

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^

Thank you for that concise and open minded answer.