Join me as I explore the world of Adventure Bikes here in Australia. I plan on sharing my adventures, my experiences, and what I've learnt along the way. I'll be talking about bikes, gear, mods, trips and more. Subscribe to join me on my journey.
Hi mate, fellow KLR Gen 3 owner here. I really wanted these SRC Adventure Moto crash bars, but it's like they are made from cheese! Many reviews saying they bend, even with light hits. I've taken an absolute beating on my old Gen 2 SW Motech bars....never moved those suckers even after hard falls! In fact, I've even winched the whole bike up from those bars off a hoist (changing front tyre), no problem. My question is, before I drop a tonne of money on bars...do SRC have this sorted out with strengthening? Cheers Ben
@@camdenboy359 Hi, I don’t work for SRC, so I can’t comment re the actual design specs. However, I can say that my research that the Gen 2 bars are far tougher than the Gen 1 bars. I can also say that my Gen 3 bars appear to stronger and more refined than the Gen 2 bars I had. (N.B. When I say ‘Gen’ I mean the generation of the bars, not the generation of the KLR)
@adventurebikesaustralia7627 fantastic! I'll look into it. One more question, how will I know if I have received the improved Gen 3 bars? What should I look for?
Ill pass on gen 2 and 3. I love gen 1 and always will and never had a problem passing even with a front wheel laterally out by a 1/16 " ....giving a little wobble doing a high speed s maneuver changing lanes but im used to it. She's awesome to me and will never give mine up
@@shaneedwards3029 They’re NiceCNC. I have a video on them here: 3 New Mods & Ride Review | 2023 Kawasaki KLR 650 | Motovlog ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Bw5VC5N-YrY.html
I did a solid 2 hours through a pretty solid wall of water that hit the mountains as I was climbing up the back, and the K750s did fine. I had way more grip in the wet than I had on even fast gravel. This is my second set, since I didn't have a strong opinion after I burned down the OEM, and I'm in the states. But in another 2200 miles, I'm confident I'll slant either more road or more dirt heavy--still waffling for now, though. :)
Iv had a ton of bikes, and I think these tires match the purpose of the bike perfectly. It seems most people are too lazy to air down when offroad, it makes a difference with these especially the rear in soft stuff. To have tires that work great on road and get the job offroad with just an ounce of effort is golden.
@@adventurebikesaustralia7627 Ah...was wondering that LOL. Kinda figured since they are soft compound but I like them. Good vid's, dont agree with all your opinions but presentation and a lil humor is entertaining and informative.
@@adventurebikesaustralia7627 Honestly with this bike, Im just doing the windscreen. Vet rider, modded so many damn bikes in my life Im sick of it so very happy when I find a bike that has almost everything I want. Glad I waited for a '24 cuz I love this matte blue color
@adventurebikesaustralia7627 I live in Oregon, U.S. I would love to visit Australia someday and see what might kill me there, lol. Snakes, Spiders, Duckbilled Platypus, Crocs....
It’s good that you got the bars and plate from the same manufacturer - very wise. I like the look of the T-Rex bars, but to order them and have them shipped was going to be nearly 1300USD by the time I factored in shipping and import duties.
Get video!! Thanks for the continued informative content!! I recently ordered the TUSK crash bars and ENDURO skid plate with the lower link deflector. But now, after watching your video, I am concerned they may not "mesh well together." I hadn't even considered the shared mounting points, so we'll see how it all comes together. I purchased my 2024 KLR 1.5 months ago and haven't really ridden it on the trails, waiting for the proceeds I needed to buy the extra protection. A quick question, what are you using to support the bike when you do repairs on it?
Hi mate, happy to hear you enjoyed the video. If you ordered Tusk, I guess you are in the US or Canada? You have a lot more options over there. I use paddock stands when making the videos, like these: ebay.us/agyj3h
Thanks for the review! I have been riding my 2023 KLR650 and filming across different parts of America and I does pretty well. Not the best bike but like you said parts are cheap. It can do a little of everything.
It's all good until you cross a high rise two lane bridge on the KLR. The height makes for a perilous ride when the winds start kicking. Actually scary as 💩.
I told a group of deputy sheriff's at a license check one day while briefly talking about my bike, "If I get a speeding ticket on a KLR, I'm framing it and putting it on my wall", they just laughed. I was serious.
@@adventurebikesaustralia7627 I removed the snorkel from the airbox I have a Lexx MX exhaust. On a calm day straight road I can reach 103 mph. No it's not particularly fast at all. But it sure as heck ain't that slow.
@Solo_adv that's crazy, I have a '23 and topped out at 85 with a 16 tooth sprocket. I have removed the snorkel and ordered a Leo Vince x3 exhaust, I am hoping that the exhaust will open her up a bit more.
Great video, I to have 2013 Gen 2 KLR and I love it. I know that I can roll up to my bike and know that she will start anytime i need it to. Zero problems to be had. Looking forward to getting into the dirt with it though. Like many others I sold my cruiser to buy this one and to be perfectly honest I do not miss the former.
Thanks mate. Glad you liked it. Do you have anything you’d like to see in a video about the KLR? How do you find the oil usage in the 2013? I believe they fixed it in the 2009 1/2 model.
thank you so much for this review. great content, great insight I live in sydney and am planning to do a trip up the coast to townsville, then to alice springs, down to adelaide and then back to sydney. the Klr seems like the perfect bike for a trip like this. Keep up the good work
I'd like to have seen the test include the Staintune without the baffle. Other than that, great work! I've got the full Staintune system on my 09, without the baffle, in the Sydney M5 tunnel it's louder than a truck on the Jake brake. 😉🤣
@adventurebikesaustralia7627 I went with a cheap UFO supermoto fender. You do have to modify the fender a bit to get it to fit nicely, but it's nothing too crazy.
My 2023 KLR 650 engine also cuts out and dies, if I try to take off right after starting it. It's not a deal breaker, in my opinion. I just need to allow it to warm-up for a minute or two. Love my KLR!
@adventurebikesaustralia7627 no. I have not asked. I assume that the fuel system needs few seconds to build up pressure. I have heard many gen 3 owners say their bikes do the same thing.
Very nice video, I recently bought a '24 KLR Adventure as it was the nicest bike for the price point. I agree with basically all of your points. This is my first new bike after riding a cruiser for 10 years, and first adventure bike. Looking forward to learning this new hobby on a trustworthy bike!
@@adventurebikesaustralia7627 I haven't really struggled with overtaking like you said, but also havent really been in many 110 zones, mainly just 100 or less! Its a fantastic bike
@@adventurebikesaustralia7627 I really did feel like you were fair. In fact, I can picture every other RU-vidr losing their minds when you said the rubber footpegs were okay. Every one of them loves to whine about the damn footpegs! Excellent review sir!
the thing that has stopped me from buying this bike is the horsepower. How does it only have 8 horsepower more then my 300? Then the price point kinda kills it, there are other bikes around its price point that out perform it.
Hmmm looks like I deleted my own reply. Oops… Anyway, HP isn’t the only thing to consider. While the HP might not be as high, the torque will be much higher, which is more important off the road. Just something to consider.
I have 2000 Kms on my 2023. Only complaint I have is the steering head issue that some 2023 have. Over tightened at factory possibly damaging roller bearing. Seeing the dealer for evaluation and inspection this Wednesday. Fingers crossed they fix it. Terrible feeling only at low speed say 20 to 40 Kms/hr. Has a wobble that takes you off guard. Everything else you said was spot on. Great bike. Love it.
Interesting. Mine is a ‘23 and I haven’t had that issue. I know that others have though. Are you in Australia or the US? I haven’t seen many (if any) Oz delivered bikes reporting that problem.
@@adventurebikesaustralia7627 actually I live in Canada. Bought mine new in March of this year. Awesome bike but from day one at low speed you get the feeling you think you have a flat. Then you get used to it as expecting the front end to just jerk to one side or the other. Interestingly there seems to be little affect at high speed. Thank God. I have 50 years riding experience and have owned over 40 motorcycles. So I’m not new to this. I’ve heard that only 20% of the bikes in 2023 were affected. You may be one of the 80% 👍
@@DaveGeezerI had the exact same symptoms you mentioned, like I had a flat tire, no problem at higher speeds. I had the dealer install new bearings and races and it was a night and day change. This is my 23rd motorcycle, I knew something was wrong within 150’ of leaving the dealer. I did the thermobob at just over 300 miles with the digital temperature gauge. Amazing how fast it warms up, and stays at 192* when on the highway. I recommend even in warmer climates. (I am in Phoenix, Arizona) Cheers!
@@leeinwis Still seems to be a contentious issue. Kawi says they’ve fixed it, but there are some Gen 3 owners who say it’s still a problem, and many others who say it isn’t. I haven’t checked mine so can’t comment, but do tension it up at each oil change.
@@leeinwis No, is isn't. That is a mass hysteria created by an old man that sells the "solution". I have seen numerous KLR's with 50-100k miles and it was never changed no issues. People just don't know how to properly adjust the factory one with the mallet trick. I spoke to a Kawasaki engineer who stated the 1st Gen had an issues because of the 2-piece design that was fixed in Gen2 then with the Gen 3 that fixed the real lingering issue and that was the Cam Guide they replaced it with a much stronger one.
I own 4 bikes- the KLR sees twice the annual mileage of the other 3 combined. I commute and Moto camp on it, the ergonomics are perfect for me at 6’ tall 185 lbs. My biggest gripe is the poor fit and finish; it keeps shedding fasteners and the plastics are irritatingly asymmetrical. I’ve had 3 Gen 1’s and the Gen 3 is a brilliant step up… I’d pay more for it if they could tidy up the detail.
Great video, and "enough" is the KLR! I have owned 6 KLR's in the last 40yrs! I go through bikes and low and behold a KLR shows up in the garage again. Guess I have learned that I should always have a KLR in the garage. I currently own a Gen3 S model. I think the Gen 3's are the best KLR's so far. It handles twisties as fast as I need to go. I find it also handles wind on the highway much better then the Gen 2's. I usually shed about 25lbs on all the KLR's I have owned with basic mods. Yes it is heavy but it is soo comfortable. I am fortunate to own a couple of dedicated off road bikes so I know my KLR's limitations. I paid $7200 OTD for my bike. That is the kicker. Hard to beat for the price.
@@adventurebikesaustralia7627 On my past KLR's slip on exhaust, lithium battery, lighter handle bars, pegs, license plate holder, de-smog stuff, got me about 23lbs. So far just a slip and pegs on this bike. I think it comes out to about 8lbs.
Love your video, is that a staintune muffler, are you happy with it. Owing a KLR is frustrating because it does everything well, which makes it hard to move onto any other bike. I have been using pivot pegs, that are expensive but the ride days out in the bush are much more enjoyable. Thanks again for your video. 👍👍
Yeah mate, that is indeed a Staintune. I highly recommend it. I have a video with more about it here: Unlock 10% MORE POWER On Your 2023 Kawasaki KLR 650! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-a1jgQWANlzU.html I would have loved Pivot Pegs but didn’t have the coin, so I have NiceCNC instead.
Nicely done and well said. I love my KLR and know it's limitations but I do sometimes want another bike. If I were to get something else I would keep the KLR cause like you said, I've built it into what I wanted it to be and it does everything I need.
Well I have it on good authority that the correct number of bikes is N+1, where N is the number of bikes you already have…. But yes, for me, a second, lighter trail bike would be nice at times.
The Gen2 2010 is my first bike I have owned It cost me bugger all And I love riding it , highway , gravel roads and just to the shops and back . My next purchace will be a Gen3 , why would you buy anything else ? Ps : I have ridden other bikes . 😅
@@adventurebikesaustralia7627 Im looking for a kit ro replace the rubber dampers and I'll be replacing the pegs amd soon buying another pair of DoubleTake Adventure mirrors.. should have snagged them from the XR before I sold
True - the KLR offers a lot to a new rider. Things to consider are resale value if you decide it's not for you, and picking the thing up when you drop it. But search up some 'how to pick up your adventure bike' videos here on RU-vid and you'll learn some good techniques.
@@adventurebikesaustralia7627 yeah made in China, US design there’s a RU-vid vid from the designer fitting it to a gen3. Fitted perfectly in 10-15mins. Also reduced the effect of road snakes where road repairs have been done
As a long term KLR owner I attributed the wobble in the front end to the ridiculously large front mudguard causing wind steer. I changed it out for a smaller aftermarket item, problem solved. I found the Gen 1 didn’t suffer from the problem but the Gen 2 and Gen 3 did. I have never experienced any problems that couldn’t be solved at the roadside. The biggest one being the failure of the kick stand start safety switch. Thanks for the video. I wish I had bought the green KLR 🤔👍🇦🇺
Thanks mate. Happy to hear you liked the vid. Was the Gen 1 fender different to the Gen 2 / 3? I’ll have to Google it. What fender did you replace it with?
@@adventurebikesaustralia7627 I went down to a 42 tooth. I tried a 40 but it lost to much off the bottom. I don’t like changing the front. Last year I did about 16,000 miles (25,500k). My normal is around 9,000 miles (14,500k) …
@@adventurebikesaustralia7627my KLR is a 2013. It uses about 1/4 of a quart of oil every fill at the pump. Thinking of just doing a big bore kit on it to fix the issue
@@adventurebikesaustralia7627 I load mine up with gold mining equipment and was very surprised of the type of terrain you can conquer on them. Very underrated bikes because I think the majority of KLR owners aren't really experienced riders so you hear alot of not so good things about them. You really just got to keep those big bikes moving and constantly looking ahead for your line. I wouldn't trade mine for anything
Great review....interesting on your feedback regarding the fork brace. The gear shift lever may need replacing or adjusting, as riding with adventure boots is a bit of an issue and the seat for some odd reason gave me a sore ass after my last long ride....not sure why as the seat appears comfortable 🤔
Thanks mate. I'm glad to hear you liked it. Did you catch my last video? In that video, I install the fork brace, along with two other mods, and go for a ride to get a feel for it. You can check it out here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Bw5VC5N-YrY.html
My 22 KLR is a beast on the twisties, sits solid on the road. After doing an airbox modification so I have positive air pressure the torque is amazing in top gear, overtaking is no problem
I capped the intake at the rear of the box because it was just dragging in dirty air from the rear of the bike. I then neatly carved a nice sized opening in the airboxes service door along with a nice slit in the outer side cover, then I made packing around the new intake with some stiff leather and pot rivots so when the side cover was placed back on the air is forced into the box 👍 I got the idea from an Australian dude that done the same to his Africa twin. You may know of him, he calls that bike the 'War Horse
@@adventurebikesaustralia7627 it has lowered it slightly but I think if I was in a situation where the water is up around the high end of the engine I shouldn't be attempting it on the heavy KLR anyways, but up around the bottom of the engine I would have no doubts water would not get in. But absolutely so much more torque than the restricted version and thats just my first modification. I have got about 6000 km's on it now, love it to bits offroad because its like a tractor and its awesome on the twisty hilly bitumen roads. The things I dont like are straight roads, its abit boring on the KLR and it doesn't corner well on loose gravel roads, the back end stays to planted which in turn makes the front feel weird because you are then just relying on the steering to get you around the corner without the aid of some rear end drift
@@shanewilliams7742 I just went back and watched that Warhorse video again. Did youcut holes in the side panel as an intake like the Warhorse has? Did you take any video or photos of it?
Thanks for the feedback. I appreciate it. Unfortunately I can’t change videos that have already uploaded, but I have been learning about how to edit better and the next one uploaded should be better. It’s all a learning process.
Great video, excellent explanations and pictures! Just so I understand, if I want the firmest ride, the preload line will be set at "5", and I will turn the screw clockwise as far as it will go? Is that correct? Thank you!
I enjoyed the footage of your ride. I’ve tweaked my back so I have to take it easy. This ride looks a little similar to some of the logging roads we have in Canada. Some of the older roads are so eroded they are very challenging.
