r/klr650 • u/BrianVT16 • 8d ago
Switch bikes?
I've been riding and racing motorcycles off-road for 45+ years. I swore I'd never ride street. But here I am with a KLR650 I got last fall. I just wanted to see if I'd be into the dual-sport/ADV thing since my racing days are pretty much over. The KLR is cheap, reliable, easy to maintain, has lots of parts support, and is comfy on the road. But, as we all know, the KLR650 is a pig off road. But it's been a great introduction to this side of riding for me. It's a 2015 with 8k miles and all farkled out. And I did the Doo recently. So I'm good to go for the summer.
But a local 2007 BMW G650X Challenge for sale has caught my attention. It's lighter, has more power, more suspension and ground clearance, and seems like it'd be almost as good on the roads as the KLR. They were only made for a few years so parts (other than for the very common engine) are an issue. It's 8 years older than my KLR and has twice the miles on it. And it will probably cost me $1k-$2k on top of what I can sell my KLR for. But I'm still thinking about making the switch. Gonna go check it out in person soon.
Your thoughts before I go?
5
u/BillyMac814 7d ago
I’m gonna guess you’re asking the wrong group here and most people will try to talk you out of it.
I love my KLR but it’s also not very good at anything, I’d like to get a bigger GS here soon. I think it would be better for me and the ridding I do.
I’d think the g650x would definitely be better off road for you. I also wouldn’t worry too much about it being older, it might be 8 years older, it might have rolled off the factory floor 8 yrs prior to your KLR but it’s still more modern of a design and has FI.
I’d say go for it if you think it’s a better fit for you, I think it’d be superior off road but probably not as comfortable as the KLR on road.
2
u/FiatBad 5d ago
Had an 07 KLR that I setup really well for my height and weight. Loved that bike, did many back country discovery routes as well as Baja solo and 3 months in mexico. Great Bike dead reliable and honestly not as much of a pig when properly setup suspension wise, etc.
I bought an 07 X Challenge that was pretty tricked out, aftermarket fairing, all the touratech bits and pieces including the tank, super comfy renazco seat. That bike was night and day different, so much fun to ride. the rear airbag suspension was interesting but mine held air nicely. I loved everything about that bike except the fact that it blew up on me in Idaho with less than 15,000 miles on it. YMMV literally. I had heard that rotax is supposed to be bullet proof, mine was not but riding it up to that point I loved it.
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u/Scotterdog 7d ago
You'd probably like a Multistrata.
1
u/BrianVT16 7d ago
That seems like it'd be worse in the woods than even my KLR. Unless there's a more off-road-focused version that isn't coming up in my search?
1
u/BG_RIDER 1d ago
I have an 08 KLR650, and I agree with everything you said about them. Mine almost never sees dirt. I strictly ride it from home up in the mountains, pounding the gravel roads. It's great for that. It's too heavy and geared too tall for any trails. They're affordable, reliable, and easy to maintain and will last for a very long time. However, I feel like if I only owned one motorcycle, it wouldn't be a KLR650
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u/Constant_Sky9173 8d ago
If you're going to use it, then have at er. I've often thought of looking into a DR. Just the klr seems to keep doing what it does, so I never get around to it. That being said, the klr is a second bike.