I put 38,000 miles on my 2008 KLR 650 and only sold it to make room for my 2022 KLR 650 Adventure. These motorcycles made me love riding again after being burned out and bored with road bikes. They will do it all and make you smile while you're doing it!
Everyone says that KLRs are heavy, and they are compared to dual-sport and dirt bikes, but compared to street bikes they are light! I've ridden about 150k miles on sport-touring bikes, so any time I get on the kLR, it feels really light. Love it! Yeah, its ugly, but that's part of its charm... it's not pretending to be an Aprilia or Ducati, it's just a go-anywhere, do-anything motorcycle. Perfect for what it is!
I'm 71 and still riding at least once a week. I bought my 2008 KLR650 a;most 16 years ago, Oct. 2007 for $4200. She's been reliable, she's actually never broken down on me. I changed the oil, filter at 500 then every 2k miles after that. adjust the valves, change the fork oil and grease the steer head bearing every 10k. miles. etc. I love the 6 gallon gas tank, gives me a 300 mile range. I rejetted my carb (.22 cent mod) and installed a Super Trapp exhaust back in '08. Rental high desert bars, Seat Concept seat. Heidenua K60 tires. She uses less than a 1/2 quart of oil every 1k miles or so. She's great on the trails, she's like a tractor in the mud, a handful in the sugar sand. My play ground is the Oceola NF
Never owned one myself, but I also never bought the narrative that they are "too slow" either. Tractor like power is EXACTLY what I want off road! Motocross power is fun, but less useful in gnarly terrain. And I'd trade weight for reliability any day on a dual sport bike that is going to see road use.
I had a gen 2 and a WR250R and when the time came to thin the herd, I sold the WR250. Even though people absolutely rave about the WR, I much prefered the KLR for the day to day riding I was doing. Sadly I sold the KLR a year or two later, but I still miss it.
i used to own the gen 2. Alongside my GTR1400. I ride the KLR more, to work because of the type or road i have to travel. I owned it for a good 3 years before i sold it off (not before i sold the GTR). That was almost a decade ago. Recently I got the itch to ride again. I didn't recall anything memorable about riding on the GTR, or the 3 BMW RTs i had before that. They were just rides. Zooming on the highways and such. I only remember how versatile, go anywhere and FUN (capital , for a reason) the KLR was. So when the itch becomes unbearable now, i want that KLR fun and go any where versatility, minus the slow speed on highways (it can do 130 kmh and the front started to yaw). I remember test riding a bike that can give me all the KLR FUN, and can also piss GTR off when situation is right. Its the KTM 990 Adventure. It may be less (maybe) reliable than the KLR, but i need the highway speed for the purpose i intended. And the FUN is just obscene. Yes. KLR rocks. If it were not for the kind of travel i need to do now, i will still get the KLR.
I honestly can't wait to get mine... I love the ugly factor gonna help not have my stuff stolen when I'm at work! 😂 but plus on my way home I'm not stuck taking the same road I can get lost in the woods and just enjoy life again
I bought mine when I was planning to move to BC, Canada. Lots of HUGE forests with old decommissioned logging roads. If it looks interesting, just turn and explore. If you choose to ride like that get a good engine bash plate (the factory one is a joke at best) and tall engine crash bars (the radiator is at big risk if you drop the bike on the right side). The KLR is a heavy beast but a delight once you learn how to dance with her.
I'm 6'6", 270lbs and can throw my klr around like nothing..Its awesome. I do ride heavy touring bikes though. The klr650 is my all time favorite. I had an XR650l that i loved, but the klr is better. A jet kit, air filter, and an afternoon make this bike perfect!!!
Great video bud👍🏾I’m a KLR gen 3 owner and a gen 1 was my first bike. Sold my Africa Twin in 2020 and couldn’t deny myself anymore…Like a Glove! Stay up bro👍🏾
I enjoyed your video. I especially enjoyed the footage of you riding. I believe in the use of protective clothing. Even though I have protective jacket and pants, I fell and landed on my back on a rock. The jacket had armour where I hit, but still broke two ribs. Because I am so old, now 70, I had to sleep in a chair for two months because I couldn't lie down. Keep making videos.
I understand the that entirely. About 8 months ago I broke my tail bone and I’ve had issues with my back ever since! I appreciate you showing the video some love though! Happy trails!
@@WheelieWeasel I have never broken my tailbone but I have hammered it a couple of times. It’s very painful. Last summer I camped while riding and when I went to taking off my riding pants, I fell backwards and hit my tailbone on the seat of the picnic bench, ouch!
I hear you brother! I have fallen over on my KLR twice in less than 200 mi since new, and have been lucky to have escaped serious injury so far. Both times I was standing still and the lean got me. 65 feels pretty old when the ground comes racing at me! 🚑
@@WheelieWeasel Sorry to hear about your tailbone. I know first hand how painful that can be. I slipped backwards on the restroom floor and landed on it. The pain was so bad, I thought I had broken it. Luckily the x-ray showed that it wasn't broken. But it took me a few weeks before I could even sit down or lie down because of the pain.
@@nerychristian it’s probably one of the worst feelings ever because you don’t realize how much you actually use your butt 😂 it just makes it so unfortunate
TÉNÉRÉ Teh-nuh-ray, named after a part of the Southern Sahara near Niger. Was part of the Paris-Dakar rally till they moved it to South America. Great bike, i test rode it and almost had the € 13.000 saved up, the health gods decided otherwise unfortunately. Not complaining, my 2000 XL650V i had to 'settle' for will give your 'new' bike a run for its money. I would also ride that KLR legend of a bike proudly and the one pro you forgot: no crying when drop it😂
I actually didn’t know much about those Ténéré bikes but they’re cool just the only dual sport I could really compare it to other than the XR650L but those XRs and XLs are in a class of their own lol, they’re truly unstoppable. But isn’t that the truth with the KLR
A week ago i bought a new 24 klr l also own a 13 ultra limited wanted a bike that could take me where the harley couldn't. I love the klr takes me back to when I was young and why I fell on love with motorcycles I'm 66 and don't plan on quitting riding until they put me in the ground.
Sounds like David Spade if he grew up in Georgia. Or here in NC. That's a nice looking klr too. They really take a beating. I really enjoyed the video. This is the exact riding I love the most
I dumped it the other night going 30 with a hoodie and jeans pulled out the ditch drove off with a crf thats not a pig,show me your back tire,that means all the difference in the woods Got a crf 450 rl
I've been having my gen 3 for over a year now and the only problem I'm having now is deciding which one to ride, the klr or the fjr, two bikes on completely opposite ends of the spectrum and one is just as fun as the other one.its 65 degrees now so I'd better make up my mind.
That was a fun video, nice riding! It's probably been close to 30 years since I've ridden a Gen 1 KLR 650. I have a 2018 Gen 2 with less than 100 miles on it torn apart in my garage. I started doing mods to it soon after I got it.
Glad you enjoyed the video! Also I’m wanting to start on some mods for my Gen 1. I have the exhaust and jetting done. Any more recommendations for mods?
Been looking at this for my first bike and I enjoy the video ima check out the others I like the no bias and informative views of a young guy who’s probably gonna be riding it the same way as iam
if you have a problem with the size of the fuel tank. then you would gate my fuel tank. never have run out. but is a good 8 gallons total cap. first gen bike here miles? i just ride but i did buy as used so before me? not much stops this bike, but if i want a good spirited, or long distance or need to get there now. i ride my first gen FZ-. it is more like a transporter as your there now.
I love these bikes but I have always wished Yamaha would have made a competitor with the raptor 660 engine or at least the top end like he said in the video the bike Yamaha has now is not like a KLX or KLR
Gen 1 KLR's are a great bike, I have a 2007, I love the big gas tank especially when you're out in the boonies and gas is far away. I take this bike most the time over my DR650 especially if there is a lot of highway mile to get there. Like you said it is a comfortable bike.
If you haven't heard about the 'second reserve tank' you should look it up. The lower right side of that huge tank holds a fair bit of gas that doesn't drain out under normal riding conditions. To get to that gas park the bike, raise the kick stand and lay it down on the left side as gentle as you can. Gas from the lower right side of the tank drains over to the left side. Pick the bike back up (UGH!) and you get a few more miles from your 'second reserve'. A bit of work but it sure beats walking!
I’m looking to get this same klr it’s a 2003 with 40k miles on it . The owner claims to have kept up with it throughout its lifetime but is saying the bike is starting to use oil , should I buy ? The bike is only 2,500 and it’s kitted out
the KLR may be known for a lot of things but being fast is not one of them. Sure it will get there and yes it's reliable but fast, no. People don't get a KLR for speed they get it cause it's the multi- tool of motorcycles.
The KLR is fast but no quick, there is a difference. A off road bike that will do 100mph is definitely fast however getting to 100mph is a different story LOL They’re definitely not quick by any means
According to the condition. I’ve seen some with 100k and be mint and I’ve seen some with 10k and be trashed. I have mine posted for $2,800 obo but wouldn’t take less than $2,500 and mine has 32k miles but it has some add ons and needs nothing also has a clean title. If the bike is in great shape, runs killer and looks killer it could be worth $3,200+ if it’s in decent shape but needs a lil love I wouldn’t give more $1,500
@@leeinwis 100mph on dirt Is fast lol I didn’t say it was quick. 450s are considered fast and they barely will hit 90mph with proper gearing yet we still call those fast lol This bike is not quick by any means, it takes a while to get there however it is fast
Hard to relate to someone if you can’t try to understand why they wouldn’t show their face. I was sick as heck and had a black eye from a incident so why would I show my face? Video is about a bike, not about me or my looks
That’s entirely subjective. Considering the KLR cult following also agrees they’re not all that good looking just shows. There are better looking bikes all day. The XRs honda makes look 10 times better than the bulky XR but even the new 250/450rx Hondas make look 10 times better
The big tank and heavy weight are only an issue until you hit the hiway, its all a trade off in the end, that being said Kawasaki really had a unique solution with the KLR. 😊
This is an awesome video man. Just seeing you ride around in the woods on that thing is convincing enough, you've got an asian guy living in Australia sold on this bike.
Good video. I've not ridden for over ten years now, and the crf300 rally and '22+ injected klr 650 adv are at the top of my short list (I want fuel injection for the elevation changes in the west-coast mountains). The klr will likely win out as there are some screamin' used deals on them, and I want to cover more distance than the crf rally can -- I know camel and others have an auxillary tank. I'm 57, and these days want too noodle around and explore at slower speeds.
I've been looking for a dual sport for a long time, and i think i found it in the KLR650. I live in the desert, and i can pretty much ride year round. Would love to have something i can ride to work, and trek around on whenever the mood hits me. I'm definitely getting one come February. Thanks for the review!
Those coulours says its an 2003 unless the bodywork and tank were switched, which does happen you can change your colours by using the body work of other years...butt, based on color that's an 2003.
Been buying and trading bikes for 11 years and been riding since I was 3. i'll be 22 this month lol. On a bad year I'll own roughly 55-60 bikes. I don't show even half of them on the channel lol. Since I've had the channel I've had over 150
I have a 2009 since 2012 . I am the second owner . It has been blinged up but it still rides like the klr should. It is not just a show girl . Lol ! A klr show girl ! Lol ! It is the Goat ! NavyThomas8 was the first owner. It has been on RU-vid all it's life .
I purchased my first KLR last March, a 2023 model, and I am absolutely loving it! I would love to have a Gen 1 as well, but trying to find one that doesn't have a zillion miles and the sh*t kicked out of it is not an easy task, at least out here in the west. My Gen 3 hides it's weight well, and with a set of IRC GP110's, it's like a tractor in sand.
Dude..? 25 years ago the KLR made some sense but in todays world there are other good bikes in the 450lb class that simply put the KLR to shame. If you are looking for old school reliable single thumper then the DR650 does everything the KLR does but weights 100lbs less. Fully loaded with every bit of camping gear the DR weighs less than the KLR weighs empty.. If your going to ride a 450lb bike, then ride a new T7, 800DE, Transalp 750, Tuareg 660 with twice the hp, better handling and modern convenience. I’m not saying the KLR is not a good old bike but except for price, it doesn’t have anything over a newer bike..
How much do all those newer bikes cost? Can you go pick up one of those newer bikes for $2,500 or less and still get 30,000+ miles out of them? DR650s are $1,000 more in the same condition. Even still Can you ride those newer bikes for thousands of miles without tinkering with something or fixing it? Of course there are tons of bikes that outclass it but hardly any that are as reliable and as cheap. Using your logic if I wanted a daily driver that I wanted to drive every single day with little to no maintenance I’d need to have the best in class or it would be pointless. That’s like saying there is no use for a Ford F150 because the Ford raptor is faster and weighs around the same. That’s not exactly the best idea. For someone who is tight on money, wanting some CHEAP and RELIABLE the KLR is no doubt the way to go. I can find a gen 1 KLR for $1,500 and still get 10,000+ miles out of them where as I’d be lucky to find a DR650 for less than $4,000 and be insanely lucky to get any of the newer bikes for less than $10,000
@@WheelieWeasel- Your 3 Pro’s are: 1. Reliability, 2. Comfort, 3. Versatility; cheap is not on your list, it’s on mine. I disagree about the cost of a DR650, many can be had under $3000 so if your title was 3 reasons to own a DR650 then I’d agree with you but the DR and KLR are completely different bikes..
@@ynotjf I thought I threw cheap in there as a honorable mention lol. I’m pretty sure I talked about how cheap they were a few times actually. But yes I know they are I didn’t say they was. I just said the DR650 is more expensive than any gen 1 KLR650 I’ve seen. That’s literally the only point I made about the DR lol. I never said they were identical. If we’re being real here the XR650R is better than the KLR and DR but that’s another story for another day
How many miles on your KLR?? Mine has 30k and it's a total piece of shit.. Might be good of the showroom floor but down the road. It's a total piece of shit.. The worst motorcycle I have ever owned!!!!
Mine has 32k and counting and Never had a issue out of it! I feel like the KLR being trashy at 30k is how it’s been treated for those 30k Miles. If it’s been rode hard and put up wet, never greased anything or changed the oil as needed it will start to show wear on it fast.
@@WheelieWeasel Been rebuilding, On the third set of fork seals in 2k miles metal fatigue of the cases required Helicoil for the drain plug. Brake pads specked for a 125 last me 1k in the rear. Front and rear suspension entirely under sprung and nearly worthless off road.. People need to stop painting the picture of invulnerability... IT IS NOT. It's a 25 year old tech totally dated and for the money, much better options out there..
The gen 1 is identical from 1987 to 2007. They just had different color ways you can get. The title states it's a 2007 but according to the 10th digit on the vin that's on the title and bike it's a 06. A very easy way to know is count 10 digits down the vin from the top and then look up what it lands on and it should tell ya!
Obviously lmao. Try finding a T7 for $2,000 that runs as good and last as long as this KLR does. You’d be lucky to find a frame of a T7 for $2,000. That’s like saying “a Ferrari would eat a corollas lunch”
@2twolow if I had the 20% more to spend I’d definitely own one! They’re sick but I can’t justify the price when the KLR is just as capable except it’s ugly and slow compared to it 😂
@@2twolow I think the newer ones look good or a slightly different headlight on the Gen 1s look good. The T7 just looks 10 times better in my opinion, they’re sick!