And in the end your wifey will out run you with the bmw it's proven Go ahead ask me how i know Just sayin maybe you should look for a used dakar at least you could arrive at the starbucks stylin" together
Yeah, I've thought about that, the BMW has the HP advantage. Nice used Dakars with low mileage seem even tougher to come buy than a standard F650GS though, also considerably more money. Trying to play cheap here and I do like the styling and upgrades on the new KLR.
All of you guys commenting on the KLR, has anyone ridden the new one compared to the original?
Be very careful how you load that bike into the bed of your Tacoma. Because of the composite beds, the tailgate has very little supporting structure to it and some have been known to bend under heavy loading. Check your clearances as well. The KLR is a LONG bike and may put all the stress on the edge of the tailgate. Notice where the cable is that supports the weight on the tailgate as well. It is not positioned far enough back to properly support.
You had your Touno in there with no problems.
__________________ Proud member of Wristtwisters, where we drill things the right way.
Ive had a chance to spend time on both a 2006 KLR and a 2008 KLR - having sadi that , I got the 2006 - The 2008 is great dont get me wrong, but ,when a 2008 falls over sans protection, its alot more expensive than a 2006 - I got a whole new set of body work for my 2006 for like $200 smackers- while the center upper is 205 from ron ayers - Myself , I also liked the just raw ,un-civilised looks of the pre 08 models, they are just plain and ugly, I like that .
One great thing about the 08 models when compaired to the earlier is wind protection - the new bikes are alot more quite and comfy .Good for longer slab rides .
Just my 2 cents here -
__________________
" Any book is a childrens book , if the kid can read !"
Mitch Hedburg
Ive had a chance to spend time on both a 2006 KLR and a 2008 KLR - having sadi that , I got the 2006 - The 2008 is great dont get me wrong, but ,when a 2008 falls over sans protection, its alot more expensive than a 2006 - I got a whole new set of body work for my 2006 for like $200 smackers- while the center upper is 205 from ron ayers - Myself , I also liked the just raw ,un-civilised looks of the pre 08 models, they are just plain and ugly, I like that .
One great thing about the 08 models when compaired to the earlier is wind protection - the new bikes are alot more quite and comfy .Good for longer slab rides .
Just my 2 cents here -
Thanks for the input, I guess I'm vain because I like the more attractive styling of the new model. I'm headed to see the bike now, next post will either be "it sucks", or "I bought it."
Its been 1/2 an hour....isn't that Tacoma fast? You should be able to do the 45 miles in 30 minutes....just watch for low flying aircraft taking radar......They can still catch you....
I didn't buy it. Had some damage on the right side, bottom fairing was broken, side panel and muffler were scraped. It rode fine, only had 1200 miles on it, but he wouldn't go lower than $4300 and I wasn't in love with it.
Enjoyed my brief test ride though, the KLR handles great, very tossable and basically feels like a big dirt bike. Not too bad on the highway, certainly not powerful but adequate. I think I could own one for a period of time but expect that I'd want something else eventually. Might test ride a Dakar and see how that compares.
Think I'll go rip around on the 9'er now, enjoy something with plenty of power and more than one cylinder.
Well I've sold a couple of bikes, bought a trailer, and now I've got the dual sport bug again.
Found this 08 KLR for a great price: 2008 KLR 650 Dual Sport Unfortunately someone else is due to look at it in about an hour and it may be gone before I have my turn. If not, I'm extremely tempted, that price is what people are asking for older 1st gen models, most 08's are in the $4000-4500 range.
Also found this 07 XR650L for a good price: 2007 XR650L enduro-less than 2500mi! About 2.5 hours away, won't have a chance to get up to see it for a day or two.
Have kept my eyes open for a KTM LC4 or MZ Baghira, but extremely rare in these parts, think I'll probably settle for a KLR or XR just to get something and enjoy some country riding with Ginger on her GS.
Well that $3000 KLR sold tonight, missed out on a hell of deal! Was hoping to pull off the triple play of selling a bike, buying a trailer and picking up another bike all in the same day, but not to be.
Have to decide if it's worth driving 2 1/2 hours to check out the XR. Good looking bike, I know they're the most powerful of the 650 thumpers, have also read they're the least highway friendly. Don't really need it for the highway though with my other bikes, I do love Hondas, so maybe I'll be taking a road trip Thursday?
I put a step through honda through a barbwire fence once, it probably would've hurt except it was sooooo cold outside that day and I was numb
Drop an XR650L down hill sometime if you want a real good understanding of gravity
Dan
Ah barbed wire! One of the joys of growing up on a farm, kept discovering new pieces of fence buried for years in the grass until it rips your leg open.
My mini bike track was around the sheep pasture, had its own hazards. One corner of the field had the drainage tile for the old septic system too, didn't want to slide out in that corner.
I used to have a picture of me directly after I wrecked the thing. I've got three deep wounds just under my shoulder with blood running down, a ripped up shirt, and the biggest sh*t eating grin Really though, I remember liking the bike except I had a little Yammie 225 at the time which didn't have the torque but felt a lot more fun to ride on the street and in the dirt than that beast. Course, hauling stuff, you'd need that torque.
Barbed wire is great fun. Never hit it myself but have seen others. Funniest I've seen was an Idiot I let on my '86 tecate in a big ass pasture behind mom and dads house. I was following on my YZ as he headed straight for the fence in 3rd panicked, pined it and didn't turn. He went 50 feet forward tumbling and my quad rebounded of the fence half as far back after the fence posts stretched back. Good times.
it's proven 
Go ahead ask me how i know 
Just sayin maybe you should look for a used dakar at least you could arrive at the starbucks stylin" together 
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