Advice needed. XR650L or KLX250S

[scoTT911]

Hi guys. Ive been lurking here a while. Im planning on getting a dual sport bike in the spring. The problem is, I am 5'6". I was planning on getting the XR650L but, it seems like the bike is too tall for me. I have not had an opportunity to sit on one, or any dual sport. I currently ride a ninja zx-7r, and the bike is very tall and heavy for me, but ive been fine with it for years now. However, for off road, I would rather be able to touch on both sides for obvious reasons

Are any of you my height and riding one? how is it? I really dont want to alter the height of the bike.

In doing some reseasch ive discovered the KLX and it appears to be shorter and lighter and probably a better fit for me. My only concern about it, if indeed it is shorter and better for me, is the lack of a larger gas tank

My plan was to do 50/50 on and off road, though thats probably optomistic since upstate NY seems to have few off road land accessable to the public, but regardless... The two bikes ive mentioned here pretty much do exactly what i want in a bike

any advice for a short guy?

thanks

[SwitchThrottle]

All DS bikes are tall (usually 31 and above seet height). There is seat work, sag settings, and lowering links to drop em down a bit. The 650L is gonna feel very heavy off road (for a sub 200# 6' plus person). The klx250 is a 250, so it won't eat that much fuel. A buddy of mine has one that has been piped, and jetted, and it still does real well on the 2 gal tank.

[Nick250]

Go stand next to a XR650L and try to get on it. You will rule it out immediately. I am 5" 5" and ride a DR650 with the factory lower seat and the factory lowering shock mount and it works fine for me that way. The KLX250S will be much better in the dirt, and not so hot on the pavement. Check out the Oct. issue of Rider Magazine for a review of the KLX and XT250. Bottom line, if you are short of inseam you have to compromise somewhere. Also consider the XT250, it's got the lowest stock seat height of any of these and is a great duel sport play bike.

Nick

[brifor7]

Im 5'8 on an optimistic day, with an XRL. First time throwing a leg over the bike on the showroom floor I thought I was going to fall backwards and possibly knock over a whole row of bikes. My leg didn't raise very high, and what did raise brought a certain amount of unwanted pain with it. I hadn't lifted my leg that high since I was probably 7 years old, when my older brother used to use me as a human wrestling dummy. Well, I grew up on skyhigh motocross bikes, so I knew once I got on the thing I would be fine, and have been since on the XRL. Having said that, 9 times out of 10 I do use the step-on-the-footpeg method of entry to board...I've noticed the shock is starting to sag though, to the point where I can almost actually touch both tippytoes to the ground at the same time. I don't care, I usually just have one foot down anyway at stops.

But yes, the XR650L is a tall bike.

[scoTT911]

thanks guys. ill have to get out to the shops and accept that ill have to rule out the honda.

ill pic up that magazine today. i did quite alot of reading online yesterday about the KLX250. I like it. I dont care for the looks of the 2009 model though..something about the changed style of the headlight and rounded swingarm as well as the digital gauge and the gas tank like alot of the new bikes just looks wimpy. otherwise, seems like that made some nice improvements over the prior models. The Yamaha, i would probably rule out because of the lack of 6th gear. im gonna be doing alot of highway miles around where i live but ill check it out if i can find a place that stocks them

[scoTT911]

the Honda CRF230L and Suzuki DR200SE look like short bikes...

[keps]

I am 5ft 7 and bought a KLX250 2007 due to the lower seat height. I have found it good to ride on both dirt and bitumen however it starts to struggle over 80kms/hr. I would recommend it for a shorter rider. I get about 150 kms, a tank, in the bush.

[Carl.Custer]

Lots of capable 250's out there.
Ratfab drove a NX 250 from Abbot Village, Maine home to Sandy Eggo a couple of years ago. He took several days to do it but he always does.
http://picasaweb.google.com/carl.cus...roSNX250Saddle

Like any motorcycling, start out light and build your skills and confidence.

[Charla]

The KLX250 is not a small bike, only a small engine. Off the floor when I brought my 07 home is was as tall as the CRF450 that we had in the garage at the time.

I'm 5'8" with a 32" inseam and was only able to get the balls of my feet down and I fell over offroad pretty frequently.

I decided to shave about 2" of the seat foam and had the rear shock set super soft so the bike would squat down to give me stable footing. As my skills progressed I gradually stiffened the shock and now I'm thinking about trying to trade someone a nice low seat for a stocker.

There are larger tanks available for the 07 and older models but I'm not sure about the '09.

[scoTT911]

Thanks guys. Im thinking the bike that is best for me regarding size, is the CRF230L. Its even slightly shorter than the Yamaha. The fact is, im 5'6" on a good day. The KLX is probably a tad taller than what i want for off road.

So far ive read all the threads on the CRF230L on this board. It seems to be you either love it or hate it type of bike.

[squish]

Me
I'm 5'8" tall
I rode a XR650L for many miles and a number of years.

But while looking for a better dual sport for my size and skill level I came across a XR250L and it was a great bike. But on my last ride I did about $600 worth of damage to a $1200 bike.

So I'm now in the market for a good small sized fun dual sport.

A friend let me use his CRF230L this weekend And it was a great little bike
Yes it's a "play" bike or a "wife's dual sport"

But it's a totally capable bike for slow to moderate speed dirt riding.

My wife rides a dual sport converted CRF and she liked the L better.
In fact she told me that if I were to get an "L" she would get that bike and I'd get her old "F" (not a bad trade off as the F is lighter and has longer suspension travel)

The CRF230L sits LOW to the ground. I can easily flat foot the bike (28" inseam)

I heard reports of 90mpg
and it could haul both of us I'm 200 pounds and my wife isn't
Up a steep fast hill. The bike topping out around 60mph.

For how you are describing yourself I'd say the 2300 is a better choice then the 650L or the Kawasaki

[MaverickAus]

Depends on what riding you want to do. I have never ridden the 230 but from reading about them I'd go the KLX.

[adaycj]

Originally Posted by MaverickAus

Depends on what riding you want to do. I have never ridden the 230 but from reading about them I'd go the KLX.

You can lower the KLX with lowering links. I am 5'8" with a 32 inch inseam. I have no complaints with the KLX height. My wife is 5"6' and she would need a lowering link to be happy on the KLX. She rides a DRZ with a lowering link and sag adjustment and it fits her well. Stock the DRZ and KLX seat heights were nearly identical.

I would worry more about what meets your riding needs better than the height. The lowering link will get you where you need to be from height standpoint since your height is still in the realm of 'average'. When you sit on one remember that the spring and sag are for a bigger person. It will feel tall until you sort it for your weight and inseam.

There is just so much ground to be covered between the abilities of the two machines you listed to have seat height be the deciding factor.

[scoTT911]

Originally Posted by squish

Me


A friend let me use his CRF230L this weekend And it was a great little bike
Yes it's a "play" bike or a "wife's dual sport"

But it's a totally capable bike for slow to moderate speed dirt riding.

can you explain this? ive read similar comments both on here and the web, and noticed the video reviews which suggested....wifey bike, good for girls, great beginner bike, great for camping...etc..

If the reasons for these comments are because the bike is comparitively short/small and low on power...then i dont mind one bit. Hey, im short. i cant reach the ground on the bike i really want so... and as for power, the bike can be woken up

If the bike is lousy quality and a poor performer, thats something more concerning

[scoTT911]

Originally Posted by adaycj

You can lower the KLX with lowering links. I am 5'8" with a 32 inch inseam. I have no complaints with the KLX height. My wife is 5"6' and she would need a lowering link to be happy on the KLX. She rides a DRZ with a lowering link and sag adjustment and it fits her well. Stock the DRZ and KLX seat heights were nearly identical.

I would worry more about what meets your riding needs better than the height. The lowering link will get you where you need to be from height standpoint since your height is still in the realm of 'average'. When you sit on one remember that the spring and sag are for a bigger person. It will feel tall until you sort it for your weight and inseam.

There is just so much ground to be covered between the abilities of the two machines you listed to have seat height be the deciding factor.

good info. i agree about the bikes abilities... im vigorously reading all i can. i really like the DRZ400...though the colors this year are not to my liking.

I need to get into a shop and discuss the various bikes, sag and lowering kits soon

were you referring to the drz400? if so, how do you like it compared to the kawasaki?