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Z3n posted:Maybe I can just get my motorcycle listed as a "Implement of Husbandry". Yes, I till them fields with this racebike! My first motorcycle (a 125cc two-stroke) was actually originally imported as just that.
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Oct 29, 2008 04:17
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1997 KLR 650 with just under 11k for $1900? Has some nice mods (front and rear crash bars, saddlebags, tall windshield) and the owner is a mechanic who's been using it as a commuter. Says the bike is cosmetically excellent, going to go look at it this weekend. Would be my second bike, although #1 was just a 125cc 2-stroke I toured on for 7 weeks.
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Oct 23, 2009 17:29
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Z3n posted:Sounds like a decent deal. Ask him if the doohickey has been done. Yep, made sure of that. Guy says Saturday or Sunday should be fine to come look at it, pretty excited. If everything looks good and nothing else goes wrong between then and now, might get it as soon as next weekend  Won't be able to ride it for a little while though, taking the MSF/getting a bike are supposed to be my motivation to finish this goddamn thesis and graduate. The effect will probably be more pronounced if I know it's physically sitting at home, waiting for me.
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Oct 23, 2009 18:35
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Cheesemaster200 posted:I found that a 650 was both easier and harder to ride then those Minsks. Mine was actually a pretty nice one as Minsks go; had been owned by a foreign lawyer who had it meticulously maintained at a good shop. Didn't mean it was perfect (especially after me beating on it for almost two months) but it wasn't as bad as other people's who I'd run into. The KLR is supposed to be relatively easy to maintain as dual-sports go but I don't think it'll be anywhere near as straightforward as the Minsk was  I know basically poo poo all about wrenching (but would like to lean) so it'll be an educational experience if nothing else. As far as riding I'm gonna do the best I can to forget everything I know, traffic here and traffic there are two totally different animals, and I've never ridden anything capable of more than 60mph (downhill and unladen).
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Oct 24, 2009 02:55
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So update on that bike, the guy pulled the ad yesterday evening or today and I thought it'd gotten away from me (didn't have time to go check it out last weekend), I emailed him and apparently it's still for sale but is having an electrical problem. As I mentioned before, guy's a mechanic and I infer he's using it as a regular commuter, how concerned should I be? Even if it's not fixed by this weekend I'm thinking about going over anyways and just checking out the cosmetics, tires, suspension, vibe of owner. Guy seems okay enough but is extremely terse by email.
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Oct 30, 2009 07:13
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Update (or rather non-update) on the KLR650 from a month ago, previous owner decided he didn't want to sell it. I kinda got that vibe talking with him, maybe I should have just showed up at his door with a thick wad of cash in hand. Oh well.r!de the short bus posted:http://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/mcy/1501220653.html That bike looks like fun, kickstarts own. There's a guy up in the panhandle on ADVRider with an XR600 of similar vintage, but he's asking $1500 for it and it still needs some minor work. I just did a quick CL search in my area and there's a non-running '79 XL500 for $350 OBO (seems he'll take $250), it looks complete but I don't really have much in the way of wrenching skills. Bummer. Was also looking to see if anyone had imported a Minsk and came across this '95 Ural. I wonder if it would make it back to Tampa... Anyways, I think I'm still going to be on the lookout for a KLR or DR 650, once I've got my diploma in hand I think I'll be signing up for the MSF.
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Dec 12, 2009 00:23
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Another question on those 80's Honda dual sports: am I pretty much poo poo out of luck as far as saddlebags? There's an XR600 for $850 locally, but not being able to put more than a change of clothes/sleeping bag/tent on the back would be a dealbreaker for me. So far I've found a $150 rear rack, but nothing as far as saddlebag holders.
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Dec 12, 2009 22:20
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Tsaven Nava posted:Is there someplace to mount stuff too? And do you have access to an Oxy/Acty torch setup, or even some of those MAPP gas bottles from Home Depot? I like DIY'ing stuff too, but no experience welding. I've got a friend who does a little, but not sure I trust his handiwork. But yeah, all I'm looking for is something to support some soft bags, I've had good experiences with those in the past. I emailed the owner and the bike would also need turn signals/doesn't have an odometer so he can't tell me mileage, so I think I'm gonna pass on this particular one. niethan posted:Riding scooters is fun as hell. Hell yeah, ADV-Scootin' for life. 
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Dec 13, 2009 15:35
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Armacham posted:i never understood the point of hard bags, they weigh a ton, they are expensive, and they can be a liability in a down I prefer soft bags myself, but having something secure/lockable, especially commuting an in urban environment would be pretty nice. Ideally I'd probably have a medium/largish Pelican case on the rear rack (for secure, easy access to camera gear, or somewhere to stuff my jacket if I was commuting), and panniers on the sides for soft bags. buildmyrigdotcom posted:Looking at a 1995 KLR650 with 14k miles. Mechanically seems just fine, but it's pretty worn and needs new tires and a stock exhaust (current one way too loud). Looked at it today, test driving tomorrow when bank's open. Started up from cold immediately. Agreed on $1250 - seem okay, or too much? That sounds pretty good, I'd jump on that if it was in my area.
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Dec 13, 2009 23:47
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Now that I'm done with school, I've started looking at bikes more seriously. I'm pretty set on a dual sport, and would like to keep it around $3k and below (sorry BMW F650). The bike will mostly be used for commuting short distances during the week, and hopefully for some longer jaunts on the weekends, possibly a road trip sometime in May/June. I am most likely moving overseas at the end of the summer, so ideally it'd be something that doesn't lose a ton of its value between now and then (should I go with a higher mileage bike or pay a premium for one with 5k miles or less?). Something fairly bulletproof/easy to work on is also a plus, my wrenching skills are pretty basic now but I'd like to learn more. The KLR 650 looks like the most likely candidate, although the Suzuki DR 650 is also on my radar. TBH I'm not really after a ton of power, but I'd like to be able to ride on the highway. I'm not so sure about the 600/650cc Hondas, as they seem harder to get racks/panniers for. Is there anything else I could be looking for? Honda Transalp's seem pretty cool, but few and far between. The DRZ400 also sounds nice, but is apparently more suited to dirt than highways. Also, I've seen a few bikes out of state (I'm in Tampa, FL) that interest me, although I'm not sure if its worth the hassle of riding back. Is it a pretty dumb/bad idea to ride something down this time of year? I'm not talking about from Maine or anything, but I've seen a few other bikes for sale in the Southeast that look better than most current options locally, and I do have relatives I could stay with in Atlanta to break the trip up. I've done plenty of 8+ hour day rides in the past, but on 125cc bikes in temperate climates. Edit, looked at OP: I guess I'm sort of a new rider, as I haven't taken the MSF yet or ridden on proper American roads. Overseas I've been riding 100-125cc scooters on and off since I was 19, last summer I bought a 125cc two-stroke Russian bike and tooled around Vietnam/Laos for 7 weeks on it. Pompous Rhombus fucked around with this message at 19:40 on Dec 15, 2009 |
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Dec 15, 2009 19:33
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blugu64 posted:This depends 100% on your gear. It's only 57F in atlanta right now, so that shouldn't be too bad. As for MSF, it's a good idea to take it if only to get it drilled in your head how important swerving and emergency stops are. It's saved my bacon more the once, but if you're comfortable on a bike and have more then a little experience on 100-125cc bikes a quick jaunt from the southeast to tampa should be pretty doable if you've got the right gear. Though you might want to stay on back roads if you don't have any freeway experience, it's not the freeways are bad, they can just be overwhelming the first time you ride on one. Is there nothing available locally? Oh, definitely planning on taking the MSF, I think it's required for new motorcycle licenses in FL now anyways. I've never ridden anything bigger than that two-stroke, and never on proper roads with traffic laws and all that jazz, so I think I'll get plenty out of the course. I also have "Proficient Motorcycling", which is on loan to the F650 friend at the moment. There's not much available locally, although a few "maybe's" out towards Orlando and in other parts of the state but all $2500 and up. There is a running '88 KLR650 in town for $600, but no title or "side plastic and tank schrouds". I'm hoping if I'm patient something nice will pop up locally, but so far no good. I'd probably never going to use that heavy riding gear again, so that's a definite minus against the out of state option (plus one-way plane ticket, meals, gas, etc). I suppose it'd have to be a screaming deal for it to be worthwhile, there are a few in-state to choose from although nothing amazing. Z3n posted:Find a 1200-2000$ KLR and spend the rest on gear and training/gas. Wish I friggin' could, but aside from that guy I was talking to last month (and then decided not to sell) they all seem $2500+. There is a '98 DR650 near me for $1700, but it's got almost 20,000 miles and is out in hick country, so not sure how much a bargain it would be (also, slightly predisposed towards a KLR). Some of the out of state ones are in that price range or close to it though. Edit: This is on Craigslist too, the mods kind of make me wary and I'd need to buy/re-install turn signals and front fairing. Pompous Rhombus fucked around with this message at 22:11 on Dec 15, 2009 |
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Dec 15, 2009 22:06
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SuperSlant6 posted:This looks like a good deal to me, you should see if you can go hear it run. The items he has done (rear shock, 685, cams, exhaust) would make that bike rock. The missing parts are not mission critical (except for the turn signals). I would probably jump on this if it was anywhere near me, after inspecting it in person. Maybe this is misguided noob-think, but it sounds to me like the bike has been modified to be raced/beat on. 4k isn't a lot of mileage, but I'm guessing that they've probably been very hard miles, and those mods are only going to hurt the reliability of the bike in the long run. I would be willing to pay slightly more for a bone stock bike (less doohickey) of similar condition/mileage, like I said, power really isn't a big concern for me. If it was in town I'd definitely go take a look, but Tally is about 4 hours away and unfortunately my buddy with a truck works M-F. If the bike doesn't meet reserve I'll try shooting the guy an e-mail (friend might be available on the weekend), but seems like a longshot. redscare posted:klr650.net Yeah, I've been looking both there and ADVRider, seems like the latter has more KLR's for sale at a given time than klr650.net 
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Dec 16, 2009 01:22
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SuperSlant6 posted:I guess I have a little different view on it. As long as the upgrades were done by somebody who is familiar with KLRs, I doubt they would hurt reliability. The 685 piston should be top notch if it is Schnitz, and it is very likely to be becuase I have never heard of anyone else making one. One of the nicest things about the 685 piston is reduction of vibrations. The cams are the one questionable area to me, they are likely custom ground, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. I have a stock internal KLR, and when I have it loaded down and driving into a head wind, I sometimes start to run out of throttle. It's times like this that I wish I had a 685 (or 705!) kit, and someday I will. Hmm, well that definitely piques my interest more, I was thinking the piston job would be some fly-by-night Chinese kit or something. I sent the guy a message through eBay telling him I'd be interested in coming up to look at it on the weekend with cash in hand if it doesn't sell by then. Wish the drat thing was in town, if I felt confident about it I wouldn't have a problem using Buy It Now and knocking the 8% off with Cashback. Also, one of you guys up in the DC metro area/NE Virginia needs to buy this $1800 fixer-upper Trans Alp on ADVRider.
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Dec 16, 2009 04:06
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SuperSlant6 posted:I looked at the pictures again, and the first things that I would add back would be the rear rack (I am always hauling everything I can on my KLR) and some wind protection for the hands. I would wait and see how the wind pushed it around with out a windshield and front fairing before replacing them. I also see that it already has a good skid plate and radiator guard (both of which I already added to my KLR). I also see that it has aggressive foot pegs, never used them can't tell you anything about them. Well, turn signals would be first Definitely the rear rack though, probably something on the side for panniers. Not sure wind protection is super-urgent down here, is it something that gets bothersome at highway speeds? The missing front fairing might be a blessing in disguise, it's the ugliest part of the KLR650 IMO and there may be an aftermarket/DIY solution I like better. blugu64 posted:Transalp Interesting, I wonder if the owner is mistaken or if it's an actual grey market bike. I was reading up on the 90's Africa Twins, apparently the easiest way to get one is ship it over in pieces and reassemble on a US Transalp frame. How do they compare to KLR's? I've always liked TA's, don't know a whole lot about them though. Seems like maybe not the bike to buy in my situation (only going to have it 6-8 months), but possibly something to consider in the future.
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Dec 16, 2009 05:40
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blugu64 posted:Its definitely grey import. Gold rims were never offered, and either was shipped in or is the original on that bike. People get Africa Twins in by shipping them in parts reassembling and duping the DMV/DOT into registering them. Or they buy parts from the Africa Twin and put them on their Transalp, commonly done is the Tank, front fairing, and swing arm. Well my first bike was (Belo)Russian and farted blue smoke, so what do you think the answer to that question is?  (I really want to know how SA got that smiley, btw). That's a good point about the plastics, it might be better to save that and/or the BMW's for when I'm older and have a bit more disposable income.edit: ~*mY bAbY*~ 
Pompous Rhombus fucked around with this message at 06:07 on Dec 16, 2009 |
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Dec 16, 2009 06:04
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buildmyrig.com posted:What is the power like between the DRZ400 and a KLR650? The HP figures look about the same, I think, but is the gearing terribly different? The KLR isn't slow, but it isn't anything near what I would have guessed a DRZ400 is like from everything I've heard. I was looking at DRZ400's too, from what people say it's a much nicer bike in the dirt than the KLR (which is by most accounts the worst of the dual sports in that respect), but the KLR kills it on the highway. ** Anyone have any experience with one of those Zongshen 200cc enduro's? First off, I know it's a Chinese bike. I'm kind of tempted given how cheap they are, and the fact I'm hoping to relocate to China next year and would probably end up buying one over there, local regulations permitting. Would be nice to already have familiarized myself with the bike, and while it would keep me from doing any serious trips here in the States, it'd be fine for farting around town and finding some trails. I've googled it and people are surprisingly positive about the bike, Zongshen is apparently the best Chinese bike manufacturer. There's one not too far from me for $500 OBO with 1600kms on the clock and an extra set of plastics, I've seen other used ones come up every so often. New I think their MSRP is like $1300, I was reading a ride report on ADV Rider of a couple guys on brand new Zongshens in China that seemed to make out okay.
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Dec 22, 2009 06:35
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BTW, a heads up for anyone in So-Cal looking for a project, there's a guy on ADV Rider giving away an '85 non-running VF500 for a case of beer.
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Dec 22, 2009 16:50
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Jabs posted:Would I be an idiot to not jump right the hell on this for ~$1000? (I've got ~$600 free today, and payday's Friday. I could probably show up with $700 cash in hand.) Would the "REBUILT FROM SALVAGE" designation on the new title (once you got through all that fuckery) negatively impact resale value? Obviously not a big deal if you plan on keeping/beating on it, but might be something to consider.
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Jan 5, 2010 07:22
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Z3n posted:B. Who cares what it looks like? You're riding a motorcycle in 20 pounds of cow and you have a helmet that makes you look like a bobble head. You're not gonna look cool, may as well give it up and go screaming across some country field or something. The first time I saw myself in the mirror wearing my helmet, I thought of that Vandals Song "Disproportionate Head". It didn't help that my mesh jacket was too small, either.  If you're in the Carolina's and looking for a DS, this older KLR650 with 11k looks like a pretty good deal at $1250 OBO. (Not very well advertised.) If this thing was in FL I'd be calling up a friend with a truck this afternoon. http://greensboro.craigslist.org/for/1536423142.html The cool thing about the '96 and earlier KLR650's is you can add a kicker without too much hassle. Personally I'm not sure I'd really want an "adventure bike" that's electric start only.
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Jan 5, 2010 18:01
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Bob Morales posted:Guy came to look at my Sportster tonight, and he agreed to come back Friday or Saturday with his truck to come get it. So, it's back to a sportbike for me. Ninja 250.
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Jan 6, 2010 17:38
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soy posted:Yeah, flaked as far as I can tell. Who knows, maybe next weekend? month? Some people put the ad up but don't really want to sell. Missed a great deal on a KLR650 with luggage in December, same thing.
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Jan 11, 2010 03:40
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soy posted:What are some newbie friendly dual sports I should consider? I don't think any of the dual sports (aside from big, expensive beasts like the KTM 990 and BMW GS 1200) are really too much for a newbie to handle, they have more grunt on the low end but aren't as crazy as a sportbike of equivalent displacement. Different bikes have different trade-offs, the KLR650 is a bit more highway oriented while the DR650 edges more towards the dirt, and I think the Honda XR600/650 is even more dirt-oriented (could be mistaken though).
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Jan 13, 2010 01:16
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soy posted:http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/mcy/1550249404.html Quotin' in case this gets taken down: quote:ALOUGHT THERE ARE NO BACK BREAKS DUE TO SWINGARM BEING SO LONG HAVN'T GOTTEN TO THAT YET SO WE ADJUSTED THE FRONT BRAKES TO WORK AMAZING AND NOT HAVE A PROBLEM WITH DOWNSHIFTING AND USEING THE FRONT BRAKE. THERE IS ALOT OF DETAILING IN THIS BIKE !!! No real need to include pics, just imagine every ugly stretched 'busa ever.
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Jan 14, 2010 08:58
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Tsaven Nava posted:And two-strokes are know for really peaky powerbands, which can be terrifying to someone inexperienced. And so, so goddamn fun  I wouldn't get that particular moped though.
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Jan 25, 2010 04:56
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No desirable 650's in my vicinity of late, but what does CA think of this '89 KLR 250?quote:1989 Kawasaki KLR 250, 4760 miles, $800 obo, Would probably keep me off the highways, but maybe that's not a bad thing. Downside is it's almost 2 hours away.
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Feb 10, 2010 23:37
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Z3n posted:Count on having to do the tires, chain, oil change, oil filter and possibly fork seals. Obviously, ask about the doohickey. Could still be a good deal, but you're probably gonna have to go through and do all of that stuff. drat, even the 250's have the doohickey issue... wtf, Kawasaki? I'll shoot the guy an e-mail and see what's up with the bike. I also came across a Honda NX 650 (thanks, tag spam) a couple hours away if anyone's interested. Seems like a nice bike but I'd feel bad buying something that uncommon, in that good of shape, with the intention of beating on it offroad.
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Feb 11, 2010 00:31
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blugu64 posted:gently caress that buy the NX650. Skulls aside, Old Hondas are hot. How bad would finding parts be? And are those skulls stock? I thought they were a little too  for my taste.gently caress it, I'll send that guy an e-mail before the KLR250 guy.
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Feb 11, 2010 00:39
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blugu64 posted:I'd put cash money on them not being stock. As for parts, bikebandit should have some parts, some will probably be out of stock (all that pretty plastic, and other random poo poo), but it wouldn't be a deal breaker for me. Push comes to shove, you can probably get parts on a slow boat from europe/australia/wherever. Would kind of suck having to wait 8-10 weeks if something broke though :-\ OTOH discounthondaparts.com looks to have a decent selection of spares, and eBay isn't completely dry either. I found a thread on ADVRider that mentions some of the parts are interchangeable with the XR600, which would be handy. Supposed to be a more street-friendly version of those bikes, kind of a late eighties Honda KLR 650
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Feb 11, 2010 01:11
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NX 650: Daily driver, tires like new, has title. Someone talk me out of this.
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Feb 11, 2010 19:23
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Endless Mike posted:In my experience, this never ends. (Or it lasts over a year, at any rate.) I'm hosed on this, a childhood friend (who I haven't seen/spoken to since like middle school) died in a single bike accident a couple years ago. Every time I bring it up, it's "REMEMBER [friend's name]?!". Never mind that it would be my second bike, and that I've been riding on and off for the last 5 or so years.
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Feb 12, 2010 04:04
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Z3n posted:That coupled with the facts approach usually shuts people up. This is one of the biggest ones. I know it's all we've got as far as motorcycle statistics, but as someone who's taken test and measures classes in college, the Hurt Report is borderline useless today. edit: that particular statistic especially
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Feb 13, 2010 02:13
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Found out I'm not going to have health insurance in 2 months, may not be getting a bike in that case Cheesemaster200 posted:I really like the V-Strom, and have been looking around for them on craigslist and the like. There are almost none on the market though around me. I also like the KLR, but since I would use a bike for commuting more than anything else, I don't know if that would be a good choice. The new KLR's switched from the old plastic fairings, so dropping them is a lot messier. That alone encouraged me not to consider anything '08 and newer. (That and being a cheapskate). I still regret not buying a pre-1985 Minsk, crating it up with a bunch of parts, and shipping it to myself. Cheesemaster200 posted:But I am looking at $5k for a bike in southern Florida with 10k miles on it versus a brand new one for $6k plus taxes and title two miles away. After you add up hotels, airfare, taxi fare, vacation time and most importantly the risk of buying and riding an unknown bike across five states, it just doesn't seem worth it. Got an extra room you could crash in in Tampa on your way up after March 6, just sayin'.
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Feb 22, 2010 14:19
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Cry For More Fish posted:This is a repeat of my post in the general questions thread, but figured I might get a little more feedback here. Sorry for the redundancy. For what it's worth, I did a two month trip in Vietnam and Laos and learned how to ride a real manual transmission bike when I bought it (had a fair amount of experience with those 4-speed 125cc step-throughs that are so popular there, but nothing with a clutch). It's a lot easier to pick up than learning how to drive a manual-transmission car, in my experience. You could also be looking at Honda XR's, the XR250 is the most common "big bike" you'll find in Southeast Asia. Don't forget to factor riding equipment into your budget. If you're travelling to Southeast Asia, you'll want to BYO jacket/pants/boots/gloves/etc anyways as the selection there is pretty poor. Helmet is a possible exception because full-face helmets aren't quite as hard to find, and they're not easy to pack well. If you can take it as a carry-on, more power to you though.
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Apr 1, 2010 02:14
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Z3n posted:Seems fair and like a good choice...but you need to make sure it's street legal. Yeah... "trail bike" almost always means "not streetable/no title" in my experience
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Apr 1, 2010 22:07
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Z3n posted:Why not get her her own bike to ride? I can't imagine serious offroading 2 up, but I'm a total feeb offroad. Yeah, I was going to say this. Dirt riding with a pillion sucks, speaking from someone who's both been a driver and a passenger.
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Apr 6, 2010 17:02
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PlasticSun posted:but I wouldn't want a new rider to go through Latin America without 15-20K miles worth of experience. Instincts for when to brake, swerve, accelerate, etc during various panic situations accrue over time in the saddle, and there's not much time left before we leave. I'm not saying it's wrong to be safe as you're saying (and I don't know your girlfriend), but I feel like that's maybe a little over-cautious. Two bikes are really convenient for breakdowns in the middle of nowhere, too.
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Apr 9, 2010 04:56
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Japan: 1) 100-question T/F written test (thankfully an English version exists). Need a 90/100 to pass. Questions range from hilariously obvious ("You should remove the exhaust of your vehicle in order to increase its power.") to fiendishly technical ("When towing a vehicle, you must place a yellow flag of no less than 30x30cm on the tow rope" [False, it's supposed to be white]). ~$40 2) Strictly evaluated practical test. Includes riding across a balance beam slowly, a timed slalom, inclined start, emergency stop, crank course/S-curve, and lots of arcane procedural stuff that nobody actually does IRL. ~$50/attempt, although the testing center is pretty inconveniently located so with transportation costs it was more like $100/go for me. Sample map I got from a driving school about halfway through the process (was instrumental to me passing):  3) Sign up for a safety training class at a driving school. Costs ~$150. Watch some videos (in my case, one was even on  laser disc ), answer some basic questions about them, ride on a simulator, do some stuff with the instructor on the range that's not tested for (sharp U-turns, tight figure-8's, etc). Not really something that can be failed.4) Take voucher to driving center and collect license. Aside from maybe #3, all of these can only be handled on workdays, during normal work hours. My employer is particular dickish about me taking time off, so between that and having to take the practical 8 times* it took me like 8 months and probably $1000+ to get it done from start to finish, as opposed to $250 and a weekend MSF course in Florida. No passengers the first year on normal roads, no passengers on the expressway the first 3 years (I'll be gone by then anyways). I only did the up-to-400cc license... I'd love to own an Africa Twin, but given the hilariously low speed limits here, I'm really pushing the dong envelope enough already on a 250cc dualsport. *Aside from the written test, all of it was 100% in Japanese, which was the most challenging thing about it for me. Not a lot of English info out there on the internet either, what I could find only concerned itself with converting a foreign license, not doing a Japanese one from scratch.
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May 23, 2013 02:06
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EvilSlug posted:For the most part, always keep your stock parts when modding a bike and always put them back on when selling. Offer the mods as "options" and you capture all markets. It's the exact same concept as painting a house all neutral colors when attempting to sell it. A stock 250 ninja with a spare 4" swingarm people can do whatever they want with. A 250 ninja with non-optional 4" extended swingarm and zebra stripes will only appeal to like two people in the world, and they probably want a Hayabusa. Power commander? Sounds great until you realize that Bubba might've tuned it himself after installing his slip-on Yokohama exhaust. Anecdotal and person opinion, but the XLR250 I bought from a friend had all the mods I would have wanted to do to it myself and I'd have paid a bit more for it: bigger gas tank, beefy metal rear rack with nice grab handles, and a detachable top case big enough to swallow up two full face helmets. About the only thing missing is a cigarette lighter; the PO (who really knows his poo poo) said it'd involve installing a rectifier, I mentioned it in CA a while back people seemed to think it probably wouldn't... haven't gotten much farther than that, really.
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Aug 16, 2013 04:17
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Briefly, what are the advantages/disadvantages of getting an SV650 vs a KLR650? I'm deciding between getting a car or a bike for the 4 months I'm back in Tampa next year (honestly leaning towards "car" at this point, because Florida drivers), and I think it'd likely come down to one of those two. At present I ride a 250cc dual sport and really like it, although I'd definitely need something bigger than a 250 in America (speed limits here are such that 250cc's is fine even on the expressways). On the other hand, I don't know how much offroading I'd do since Florida's kind of a flat sandy pancake of a state, and might be doing some longer roadtrips to visit friends, so highway manners are kind of important. I've heard KLR's aren't horrible on the highway though, especially with the right tires, and I've kinda wanted one ever since I got into bikes.
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Oct 9, 2013 02:00
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| # ¿ May 4, 2024 17:45 |
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Clitch posted:I'd actually given the KLR 650 some consideration already. I sorta dismissed it, because I don't plan to ever be off pavement. Am I wrong to do so? IDK why you'd get a KLR (or any dual sport) if you never wanted to take it off pavement, might as well get a no-compromises bike designed for paved roads if that's the case. I mean judging from Craigslist, plenty of people seem to buy KLR's and do just that, but I think it's always with the original intention of doing offroading but never getting around to it. I do recommend off-roading though, I'd formerly written it off it as the province of toothless hicks (remember: from Florida), until I was riding my Minsk and came upon a ~30km stretch of highway up in the mountains of North Vietnam that had been ripped up for construction  DEUCE SLUICE posted:Even 650-to-650 the SV has probably double the horsepower, and even the SV standard is more aggressive ergonomically than the KLR. By "aggressive ergonomically" does that mean better handling profile, or more uncomfortable to ride longer distances (or both?) Z3n posted:Both bikes have poo poo suspension, although the SV can likely be bought with upgraded suspension already on it. The KLR needs some basic things addressed for long term reliability (doohickey, subframe bolts, some other odds and ends), burns oil at freeway speeds. I wouldn't really consider it great offroad, it's ok for fire roads but honestly a streetbike can handle fireroads just fine as well. The KLR will handle tipovers better. Aftermarket support and upgrades are gonna be a non-issue (since I'd only be riding the bike for ~4 months before I sell it), I pretty much want to buy something that needs little to no work when I get it, and hopefully sell it for as close to what I paid for it as I can. I figure a slightly rashed up KLR would hold its value pretty well. I'm thinking of getting a KLR when I get to Australia too (which I'd be planning to ride semi-long term), I wonder if it'd make more sense to buy a well-farkled KLR in the US, ride it around, then strip it down and mail the good stuff to Australia, part out the rest. Maybe not, since USPS got rid of surface international mail years ago 
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Oct 10, 2013 05:48
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