Plus one on that. KTM has done wondrous things with the 500xcw. It's perfect for riding to the trail head and having a day of single track. But I can't thing of a more capable bike to do rides like the CDR and other multi day DS rides. Max
That's all fine and good, but for those without a pile of mechanical ability and time that KLX is going to cost as much as a new 690. Probably close to double the price of a KLR. Plus the 690 has a TON more power than any KLX could ever hope to make. Maybe when Kawasaki makes that bike from factory for a reasonable price (why on earth don't they??) I'll consider it, but for now my 690 is the way to go.
Got my fan running all day long during the kings stage on the Tuareg rally 2011 (250km of dunes) never got it to boil over. Neither in very technical and slow riding in Spain. So why fix something which aint broken.
I put 50,000km on a KLR over 18 months, and wouldn't have swapped it for any other bike - gravel roads mostly, and some bitumen as well - never missed a beat - have only ridden a KLX250 for a short spell, but have difficulty seeing the comparison ...
I must have been riding a completely different KLX. The stock suspension is the worst I've ever experienced off road. Its soft, wallows, and instills a complete lack of confidence. The WR450 suspension was a league above and the YZ450 a league above that. Yes, the 690 stock suspenders are a bit harsh, but easily remedied and I'm very happy with how they're performing right now. Maybe its different strokes for different folks.
Mines been doing it for 5 years and 29K miles and hasn't blown up yet. Back when I had a rad leak, it never overheated running around some technical stuff with the rad only half full. Contrary to what some of the chicken littles would have you to believe, it really doesn't make any difference if the fan kicks on a little sooner. Heck, I have a water cooled bike that doesn't even have a fan.
My earlier point was I thought my KLX"351" made the KLR650 obsolete - not the 690. I threw it out there cuz I couldn't think of any category where the KLR keeps ups with the KLX - reliability, ease of maintenance, how much you can carry, freeway manners etc (not to mention blowing it away off road). Kiffernathan brought up something I was missing - the entry price. I'm sure you were. The KLX 250's claim to fame is massive room for improvement! I know of no other bike that can be improved as much, as easily, as cheaply and still be reliable. Stock it makes about 1/3 the HP of the 690; for $1500 USD it nearly doubles that power to almost 2/3 in a package probably 3X as reliable and 10X easier to work on as the 690. Suspension wise I've got custom KX forks reworked to my weight. I would still say the 11 1/2" of the older KLX was on par with my 690E but not even close to the R's suspension. Back on topic to the 690 I don't think there is any comparison to the R and the E's suspension. In my opinion the R is 300% better off road and the E is 15% better on road.
The thermo died awhile ago and I just put in a switch to turn the fan on. So any time I go off roading I just flick a switch and leave the fan running. I also have the switch set up to turn off with the key so it won't drain my battery just in case.
While I fully understand your points, your KLX is no longer a KLX. Modified subframe, different forks, BB kit. The stock klx is a mediocre underwhelming bike. I'm glad there's an aftermarket to save it, if I find a cheap one I might pick it up just for fun. Even comparing it to the KLR is apples to oranges. Different mission, flat and Phillips are both screwdrivers but one won't replace the other without modification or compromise. Compromise is really is what this whole forum is about, no bike is the ideal tool for every job so we pick one that is closest and either fix the faults with $$ or live with them. Now back to the 690 thread.
I'm thinking of getting a set of roxx bar risers (1.5") but down the line want to add a Scotts dampener. And idea whether there will be conflicts or not? I understand I can raise the bars 3" and will have to rotate the throttle downwards but other than that there shouldn't be an issue. Correct?
I think you might need to try some long distance touring ... DR650 ... ? Double the HP ... ? Are you replacing its engine ... ?
few days back installed the CJdesigns' fuel filler, LOVING IT. one minor problem thou, so far did 4 fill up. About 5 mins after filling up the bike, it started leaking fuel from the overflow (about 100ml or so?) didn't had this problem with the stock filler cap. fill up with nozzle fully inserted and stop upon click. anyone encountered this?
It is important to use a one way valve on that cap. Since I don't have the canister for the overflow I plugged that side hole and installed a regular tank one way vent with nipple.