KLR650 Parallel Twin Poll. Lets try anyway

Ask and you shall recieve......well we can hope so anyway . So this is going to be a quick and easy poll, or so i hope. This is a rather hot topic for some so I figured I would put together a poll and MAYBE, just MAYBE Kawasaki will listen..........

Would you pay around $8000 (tops) for a KLR650 (current body style) with a KLE650 parrallel twin engine (from a Versys its good for around 65 HP and 45 ft. lbs. of torque), upgraded/modified KLX450F forks, upgraded rear shock with around 7-8 inches of travel for front and rear??? (it has 7.3 inches for rear and 7.9 for front now).

Yes, No, or Why mess with a good thing are the choices. Maybe if we can get enough people to say "yes" MAYBE Kawasaki will listen.

I agree that the "Rio" project is HOT!!!!!

Buy one? YES!!! I would even build one .

Voted "Yes". I own a KLR and "owned" a Versys. Loved the Versys motor but could not get comfortable with the cramped ergos...

And it has to have a curb weight well under 500 lbs. Its doable seeing how the KLR weighs 432 lbs. now. The Versys weighs 450 lbs according to Kawasaki. Same 6 gallon tank as well.

This would not be very hard task for KHI to accomplish. They own all the parts. The KLX450 forks are a bolt on. Only thing they would have to figure out is how to mount a instrument cluster,front headlight/fairing, handle bars. And the Versys motor and gearbox may fit without frame modification (Sam would know more about this) and if it did require frame modification it would be very little.

so far its 17-0-0

good luck

wouldn't pay 8k for it though. maybe w/ abs and traction and adjustable ignition map. i wouldn't be willing to pay much more than the current KLR. in fact i'd have to wait for heavily discounted year end leftovers.

Sure, 8K if they did it right. I own a Versys and like it a LOT. Also have a KLX650 which I also like a lot. Maybe the KLX (better in dirt) with a Versys motor would be better. Already has most of the suspension stuff. Actually the KLX650 was the bike Kawasaki should have built for 20 some years instead of the somewhat wimpy KLR, IMO.

S-Ten

i'd be interested if kawi took started with the quality build of the versys and made it into a adv bike. the klr built quality is crappy...i owned one.

maybe the new triumph will show kawi how to make a street and adv bike outta the same bike.

I voted yes but for the wife. I am getting a Super Tenere and we would like something sized for her to ride along on ADV style treks. For the record, she has a Honda Pacific Coast and has been riding more than 10 years. Hey it worked for getting the s10 in the US!

...still waiting for the Versys1200... otherwise a xt12z will be the one.

As far as Iam concerned building this bike should be a no brainer for Kawasaki. The KLR chassis is proven to be tough and durable.The bike could meet Euro standards for emissions making it a "world" bike. Adventure touring is becoming more popular. Almost all of the current KLR owners want more power and more high speed durability .Better brakes would be required but really a limited amount of R and D would have to be done to design this bike. And it shouldn't cost more then $ 1500. over the current MSRP of a KLR.
We have got the BMW F 800 GS and now the TIGER XC but ..............WE NEED A QUALITY LOWER PRICE OPTION

yes but not with the new body style. (non fading)dirt bike plastics please

$8k is too much for anything built on a KLR platform, so no. I bet they could do something interesting from the ground up for about that much though.

Sure, it would be darn nice to have a really new KLR instead of just an update...

But that's not going to happen. Kawasaki won't risk losing Versys sales to a new KLR, both would overlap.

A KLR twin sounds awesome but, theres no Kawi will ever make one and make a profit for an $8K price tag without putting cheap components on there to keep down the price, components that we would complain about for years to come.

My vote was yes, but it would have to be light and I mean lighter than the current KLR. No funking bodywork either! Tank shrouds... seriously! It MUST also have an off-road suspension. Think dirtbike with a parallel-twin. Like many others here I just don't think that Kawasaki will manufacture something like this. They're hoping that people will buy both a Versys, a KLR and then a KX250F or 450 to ride off-road. Why would they make one motorcycle that would do everything? Unfortunately, that's the bike that I want. I'm probably in the minority but what's wrong with wanting a true dualsport?

My KLRE650 is in the conversion process. I should have it back sometime in early Spring!

SamM

I don't think so. The fact is some people will still buy the Versys just because they want a cheap sports bike. Those people will never go off road. And honestly the Versys wasn't made to go off road. I know it can be made to but that's not what Kawasaki had in mind when they made it. Its a entry level sports bike that can do some touring.

Having the Versys and this new KLR twin would be like Triumph selling its 2 new 800. Ones for the street and ones for trail. The thing is Kawasaki is behind the curve,we all know that. Maybe if we get more people to say yes (alot more) I can email them this and they may MAY listen. Its worth a shot because I'm trying to build this bike myself BUT for the less mechanically inclined this would be a great bike. Not to mention Kawasaki would sell a crap load of them if they built it right.

My KLR produces less power than a wind up top , handles like a epileptic water buffalo in heat, looks like a female liberal democrat, takes longer to stop than the Titanic, and shifts like a steam locomotive.




I love the damn thing.

It's got CHARACTER!



.

Fell off my chair. That's the best description ever. I love the single as well.