NOFX March 13, 2010 Share NOFX Member March 13, 2010 (edited) So first I had a Kawasaki Ninja ZX6-R.. Fast bike.. to fast and not comfortable for long distance Last summer, I picked up a Suzuki Marauder Street Bike.. Comfortable.. but overall, I'm finding it very boring and it's not really my style at all So now, I'm thinking about trading for a different bike. I've been reading alot about adventure bikes.. and found a 2008 KLR 650 with 800 miles on it for $3500. The cool thing about these bikes are.. 50-55mpg and a 6.1 gallon tank. I think you get around a 275 fuel range before you gotta kick in the reserve. Very comfortable for long distances. Plenty of accessories to carry stuff with you... and I can go places on this that street bikes would have a little trouble with. Thoughts? I'm really thinking about taking 2 weeks off this summer and just taking a road trip, trying to find the best bike for this... Edited March 13, 2010 by .fx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonfly March 13, 2010 Share dragonfly Member March 13, 2010 I've wanted one of those for a while. Can't really convince myself to buy one, but I've only heard good things about them. I'm also from the country, so something like that makes a lot more sense to me than a Ninja. So I say go for it, unless you are going to be racing people AND wanting to win... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clueless March 13, 2010 Share Clueless GC Alumni March 13, 2010 I worked at a motorcycle dealership for a while when I first moved down here and we couldn't keep those in stock, and I took calls almost daily from people looking for one. Great bikes, very reliable, you should be happy with it. Sounds like a pretty good price too. My only suggestion might be a more "mild" set of tires if you plan to be mostly on paved roads as the dual purpose tires kinda ride like crap. Let us know what you decide, and post some pics if you buy it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOFX March 13, 2010 Author Share NOFX Member March 13, 2010 (edited) exactly what I was thinking with the tires... I went and looked at it yesterday. Sat on it a while, but didn't take it for a test ride. I told the guy today that I was still thinking about it and that I had already started the money transfer just in case.. It's raining this weekend or I would go out and ask to ride it tomorrow. It's Kawasaki's 4th best selling bike.. And no, I don't want to race and go 100MPH. Everyone says you can basically cruise at 65-70 no problem. Edited March 13, 2010 by .fx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monthos March 13, 2010 Share monthos Member March 13, 2010 KLR is strong on my list of next bikes! Currently I ride a DR650 with mikuni pumper carb and opened airbox. I enjoy it alot but the DR's seat leaves much to be desired. I hear the KLR is much better in that regard. The DR I keep around here is more suited for commute and gravel roads/highway, but needs a bigger tank desperatly.. I have another DR650 I left in Ohio with the same crappy seat but with modified suspension and D606 tires and an IMS 4.9gallon(i think) tank. Its a hoot for short highway bursts to non highly technical offroad trails. If I had a bigger garage I would have them both here in Virginia, as well as a KLR I think. Let me know if you get the KLR and your opinion on it, it may replace my light duty DR and that would leave me funds to get a DRZ400SM as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clueless March 13, 2010 Share Clueless GC Alumni March 13, 2010 all this talk about bikes is making me want to get mine out for the first time this year.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrDuke March 13, 2010 Share MrDuke Member March 13, 2010 Sigh... those guards remind me of the dirtbike weekends. Good times on my 250...(scared stupid on the 500). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stutters March 13, 2010 Share stutters GC Alumni March 13, 2010 all this talk about bikes is making me want to get mine out for the first time this year.... dude, how are you not on your bike year round? lame dude. .fx, you might want to check into the off-road licenses you'd need to actually use the adventure part of the adventurer. if you're doing a two week cross country trip and think you might use it on the trails, that'd be a great bike, but again, check on the license/permits you need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clueless March 13, 2010 Share Clueless GC Alumni March 13, 2010 all this talk about bikes is making me want to get mine out for the first time this year.... dude, how are you not on your bike year round? lame dude. I might live in the south, but it does get cold here. We actually had a colder than normal winter, many days in the 30's, but it mostly mid 40's....too cold for my blood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demoner March 13, 2010 Share Demoner Member March 13, 2010 (edited) all this talk about bikes is making me want to get mine out for the first time this year.... dude, how are you not on your bike year round? lame dude. I might live in the south, but it does get cold here. We actually had a colder than normal winter, many days in the 30's, but it mostly mid 40's....too cold for my blood. I have a couple friends who took out their bikes when it got in the 40s and the sun was shinning. its all about your blood. you people way down south think 40 is cold that is the problem =) on the other note that bike does look pretty sweet .fx for myself i've been eyeing up BMW F650 similar style to what you are looking at. Edited March 13, 2010 by Demoner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clueless March 13, 2010 Share Clueless GC Alumni March 13, 2010 I have a couple friends who took out their bikes when it got in the 40s and the sun was shinning. its all about your blood. you people way down south think 40 is cold that is the problem =) The worst part is that I am from Ohio, I have only been down here a little over 2 years and I have already lost my tolerance for the cold, but I haven't really gained a tolerance for the extreme heat, so that makes me kinda screwed... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOFX March 13, 2010 Author Share NOFX Member March 13, 2010 Went to the dealership today.. I sat on a 2009 with stock suspension and it felt perfect. I'm 6 tall and can flat foot it no problem. The person selling it private had his changed for a heavier rider and it wasn't as soft and didn't sink as much. The dealer also had a used 2008, the exact same bikes as the private seller with only 400 miles on it. They wanted $4300 for it. I told them I found the same exact bike for $3500 and they couldn't do any better.. So as soon as I got home, I called up the guy and he's delivering it to me on Tuesday. Now I just have to sell my marauder. Hoping I can get 2k out of it. Im just going to sell it AS-IS. She runs fine, has vance and hines pipes and only 6k miles, but she really needs to warm up for a while before she starts riding good. Probably just in need of a good tune-up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stutters March 13, 2010 Share stutters GC Alumni March 13, 2010 get a gixxer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOFX March 14, 2010 Author Share NOFX Member March 14, 2010 gixxers are for women Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOFX March 15, 2010 Author Share NOFX Member March 15, 2010 (edited) While reading about riding, I came across this thread http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=136505 I'm not going to give any spoilers away... If your into motorcycles or not, it's a good read and is something that will stick with me forever. It's a 64 page thread. Read at least straight through 13. Edited March 15, 2010 by .fx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shazz March 15, 2010 Share Shazz Member March 15, 2010 I read that thread too...good read. If you read the the first 13 to 14 pages the whole story will play out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demoner March 21, 2010 Share Demoner Member March 21, 2010 that is quite the story, makes me want to go on an adventure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windex March 22, 2010 Share Windex Member March 22, 2010 I still need to rebuild mine.. or sell it and get something else, haven't decided yet 74 Honda CL 360 Pipe Side Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demoner March 23, 2010 Share Demoner Member March 23, 2010 I still need to rebuild mine.. or sell it and get something else, haven't decided yet 74 Honda CL 360 Pipe Side wow i have a '75 Honda CB360. It was running two summers ago until I took a trip up north and a loud bang. Have to replace the kick starter at minimum as I can't get the engine to turn. Since then I've acquired another 360 that had been sitting in someone's barn for who knows how many years but might be able to do engine swap as the bike has fewer miles on it. Just haven't gotten around to it. Another reason being the 4 summers I had her going before every summer there seemed to be something new wrong with it that I found. Got a little bit old spending a month to figure out what was wrong and fix it before getting her going. Great fun bike to drive when she ran right though! Oh one other thing. My uncle had brought this bike brand new then my dad brought it from him about 15years ago. It had sat for 5 years in our garage before I got it. It was quite the project to get it going again but we did after some time on figuring what all had to be replaced. When you say rebuild what does this all involve? Or is that just the stage you are at located everything to figure out what is up? I know when we got mine going after sitting fix one thing and then we would find something else that was also an issue. It was fun getting it going again but a few headaches along the way as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windex March 23, 2010 Share Windex Member March 23, 2010 I mean I spent 1100 getting it going again including taking it to a shop and having them redo the carbs and tune it up.. 6 months later it started dying so i decided it's either getting sold or I'm going to strip it all down, clean it and restore it.. Definitely needs to be re-wired because I'm pretty sure there's a few shorts.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demoner March 23, 2010 Share Demoner Member March 23, 2010 I mean I spent 1100 getting it going again including taking it to a shop and having them redo the carbs and tune it up.. 6 months later it started dying so i decided it's either getting sold or I'm going to strip it all down, clean it and restore it.. Definitely needs to be re-wired because I'm pretty sure there's a few shorts.. yeah i wouldn't doubt that. one of the spark plug connectors on mine was a dud, took a while to figure out. the electric starter it had wasn't working as well had that looked at however the shop couldn't quite figure it out. then I had issue with the tail light going out as well, only to find the wires inside somehow came loose and disconnected themselves. worse part i didn't know my tail light was off when i was driving at dusk on my way back up school! lucky i made it there without an accident. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOFX March 27, 2010 Author Share NOFX Member March 27, 2010 Have had the KLR about a week now and I'm having a blast on it. I have more fun on this thing that I ever did with my street bike. Which I already sold for $3000. I'm not sure but maybe because it's my ability level... I just feel like I can push this bike closer to what it's capable of. I picked up a matte black Shoei RF-1000 helmet today for $270. Taking into consideration the titling, registration, new helmet and sale of my other bike. This bike cost me about $1000. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samurai nightling March 28, 2010 Share samurai nightling Member March 28, 2010 I'm jealous of all you motorcyclists out there. I would like to get one at some point, even if its just for a little while but alot of people, including my fiance and my parents are totally against it and aren't too supportive of me ever getting one. I would also be completely new to the 2 wheeled world, so I would have a lot of learning to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demoner March 28, 2010 Share Demoner Member March 28, 2010 I'm jealous of all you motorcyclists out there. I would like to get one at some point, even if its just for a little while but alot of people, including my fiance and my parents are totally against it and aren't too supportive of me ever getting one. I would also be completely new to the 2 wheeled world, so I would have a lot of learning to do. best option take a motorcycle safety course, i took mine when I was 16. In Wisconsin you are required if below 18 to take the class, plus its good way to learn basics about riding. They are held on closed courses so no other cars or anything to worry about. They teach you the basic skills how to handle a motorcycle and make some simple maneuvers. Once you are done the only thing you have to take from the dmv then is a permit test, which is quite easy. You read a small book and then take the test. I'd recommend a cycle. You feel free and once you ride one you never want to stop! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stutters March 28, 2010 Share stutters GC Alumni March 28, 2010 riding isn't dangerous, being reckless is. i finally agree with demoner - if you ride, take the basic rider course (google: basic rider course your city). it's like 85% common sense, 15% stuff that will save your life. i think it's about $150 to take, gets you a discount with your insurance provider, and usually lets you skip the drivers test with your dmv. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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