Why does the KLR engine suck in HP

[bullittman281]

This thread relay is a turd. I'm kinda disappointed that I even bother to notice it. I has outlived its usefulness. Its CLEAR to me now that only real bike are pumpkin orange and everything else is clearly so inferior that I should probably quit riding. It must be by shear chance that any of the bike I ride have actually worked or were able to leave the pavement. All the awesome pics that every body post of non orange bikes in outrageous locations must have been Photoshopped, cause apparently those bikes cant actually do that. The huge grins that most rides posses must also be photoshopped, cause apparently nobody could possibly be happy ridding such low quality poorly developed junk. I've said it once and I'll say it again, Thank god there are more than one motorcycle. I'd have to ride a cage if I were forced to ride somebody else's ideal motorcycles.
I think its getting close to time to move this party to the basement.

bullittman

[what broke now]

Let's bash Volkswagen vans for a while, maybe ones with Harley stickers on the back window; freshen things up a bit.

[Grreatdog]

Naw, bash KTM's. It is more traditional. You know as in I say KLR's are cheap pieces of crap for cheap bastards and you say KTM's are expensive and unreliable for arrogant assholes.

But since humorless, thin skinned folks here seem to be getting their feelings hurt either way, maybe it is time to ship it off to JM for some real fun.

BTW, if this were Friday, a TDI Volkswagon van with Harley stickers just might be the perfect JM thread.

[Mnrider2]

Originally Posted by Grreatdog

No, no, no - this thread is awesome. It has more stupidity, arrogance, idiocy and just plain cheap bastards mashed together in one thread than anything this side of JM. I suspect the mods are too busy simultaneously laughing and shaking their heads ruefully to ship this one to the basement.

As for me, I love KLR's just because one of the most awesome things I have ever seen was one of the newer plastic specials endo'ed on a rocky trail. Trust me, it was magnificent. And made even more so knowing that the duct tape used to stick it all back together is probably still there two years later.

OK I'LL bite
KTM's never crash they float above the ground with devine intervention like the nun in the Blues Brothers :)

[larryboy]

Originally Posted by Mnrider2

OK I'LL bite
KTM's never crash they float above the ground with devine intervention like the nun in the Blues Brothers :)

That's not true, I've seen a 625 and a 640 hit the ground with more HP than a KLR. Yes, they had been trailered.






They don't float either.




Maybe the horsepower digs into the water too hard? The KLR's all made it across.

[CodyY]

Originally Posted by larryboy

And with such grace!

some electrons were mildly inconvenienced in the sending of this message

[Grreatdog]

Actually, on the same ride where I saw the KLR exploded in an endo I did the same thing on my 640 the next day only going twice as fast. I mean it is a KTM after all. No way am I crashing in slow motion like a lowly KLR650. My 640 is fast.

However the resulting rock rash on my ass didn't make the rest of the ride especially pleasant. But at least all I sent down the trail separate from the bike was my shifter. No duct tape was involved in finishing the ride. Not even on my ass.

Now with the whiners back a page, can we get on with the business of properly bashing KLR's and KTM's? Note the format of the last few people. There are rules of order and certain protocols as shown above that must be adhered to in a civilized nation.

[East Coast Rider]

Man, I have NEVER seen a group of riders get more bent outta shape about other bikes than DS riders. Never. Ride what suits you and your style.

Me? I ride a KLR. The folks I ride with most have a DRZ400, a KTM450XCR-W, and KTM525 when we do dual sport rides. When I found this KLR, I was looking for a DR650.

I'm the stereotypical KLR owner. I'm cheap...but mostly out of necessity. Practical...I've made functional, effective improvements to brakes and suspension front and rear for less than a grand. Paid $2K for the bike nearly 4 years ago. Bike just rolled over 41K. About the only mod it needs now is a real bash plate...but what dual sport doesn't need a good bash plate?

I ride the KLR long distance. I've been to AK and all across western/northwestern Canada from coastal SC. 10K and change for mileage on that trip. Changed the oil twice. Not so much as a hiccup.

I regularly visit Asheville for DS rides, and ride it up from Charleston. We ride all weekend and then I ride back to Charleston. I wouldn't think twice about running the KLR down Hurricane Creek (aside from not having a proper aftermarket bash plate yet)...but I know I'd be much more tired than somebody on a smaller/lighter bike.

Never below 50mpg, no matter how loaded down. Last time I checked the valves (9K miles ago), they had barely budged from where I set them 10K miles before that, at 22,000. This bikes spends most of its time between 4,500 & 5,000rpms.

The KLR has been happily mud covered from top to bottom...it's been ridden thru the rain for hours. Do I do super hardcore single track? Nah. But I certainly haven't been across anything that would make me sell it for another bike, just for the sake of having more HP or better suspension.

It just keeps going, and takes everything I throw at it. As mentioned above, I am cheap, mostly because I have to be. Would like to have a KLX400/DRZ400, but my budget just doesn't allow it; Additionally, a DRZ/KLX just isn't physically big enough for long distance ADV type rides to suit me, so the KLR stays.

In my eyes, the closest competitor to KLR for somewhat similar $$ is the Husky Terra. Good looking bike. Good reviews. Needs more fuel capacity and I'm sure the seat sucks like every other DS seat. Every bike needs a bit of tweaking.


Headed up the St. James Bay Road and Trans-Taiga later next year. What bike am I taking? The KLR.

It a great all around, functional bike. A factory race bike it is not. Sexy, it is not. HP king, it is not.


All that said...I'd LOVE to have a new R spec 1190 ADV.

[motomike14]

Low stress = low power. But, usually low power = low maintenance. Reverse the equations for the opposite. Physics and chemistry dictate how fast a motor can spin until it eventually says "no more." Some have a certain physics and chemistry philosophy, while others do not.

Pick your poison.

[SFMCjohn]

Originally Posted by larryboy

Hey larryboy,

Ha! Pretty sure I own that KLR now ... Bicycle Phil purchased it used, got on ADV rider, rode the wheels off it, got into rally racing with Last Place, got into KTMs, raced and finished the Dos Sertoes international rally in Brazil, and now coaches folks on how to be international rally racers ... he sold that KLR to me to finance a KTM 525 ...

I was a Harley guy, but wanted to join my buddies on dual-sport rides ... got my KLR from Bicycle Phil, joined ADV, and got to ride the Sheetiron, Alaska, Death Valley, Baja ...

Here's a pic of KTM and KLR guys, just all gettin' along ...

Originally Posted by Bicycle Phil

The Money Shot:

l-r: 1999 AFM 500 Twins class champion SFMCJohn, me, rockstar Farioli, gsnorcal aka DoubleDownDave

On our way to do the steps in Echo Canyon ... GSNorCal was a KLR guy, too, and now owns Rally Managment Services and is a Dos Sertoes racer and finisher ...

Good times!

see you around the campfire,
-- SFMCjohn

[AteamNM]

Originally Posted by ParaMud

You guys bought a klr to go fast??


lol

Well yeaaaaa, I bought a red one.

I needed to do a mid life crisis fly & ride. I searched all over for a XR650 or DR650. Considered a Vee Strom, but wanted a real ADV touring/off road bike. Found a 06 KLR in Richmond Virginia. Under $3K, owner was accommodating, bike had low mileage, original owner same age as me. Why not, I can always sell it when I get home. It performed great, over 3000 miles, loaded down, snow, rain, wind storms, everything. I spent another $1K on flight, motels, some gear, etc. So for a bit over $4000 bucks, I bought a reliable bike, I rode it from Virginia to NM camping and whatnot. I don't think I can replace it now that I have it. I have a XR250 which is an awesome trail bike and street legal. I think I want a DR400. Then I have a RMAR bike in the Suzuki 400, a long distance touring pig with the KLR and the XR for blasting away in the local single track. Point is, a poor mans KTM/BMW. It will do anything, just does it poorly.

Video here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IenxK...e8jf4vnTyh5Ctg

[East Coast Rider]

"You guys bought a KLR to go fast?!"

Best line in the entire thread

[Sierra Thumper]

Originally Posted by Canuman

A documentation of man's inhumanity to man, so close to the holidays?

I know.....shame on me
No more dissertations on the human condition till the new year.......I promise

[Grreatdog]

I'm only here because my KTM640 got outrun by by a purple and green KLX650. Do y'all have any idea what it feels like to have your KTM outrun by a Barney colored bastard first cousin to a KLR? Hopefully reading enough KLR650 abuse will restore my lost self esteem.

[HellSickle]

Originally Posted by AteamNM

Well yeaaaaa, I bought a red one.

Bad news. That particular shade of red is known as DDR (Dog Dick Red).

I have one. And three KTMs. Consider me conflicted.