L
litekpr
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I'm with Fixer Dave... I think it is sad simply because whatever your opinion of the KLR650, it is a classic and we are seeing the end of an era. They changed something needlessly, that has lasted so long because it worked then, and it still works now. The KLR is a retro bike that isn't retro. I can't comment on the suspension which seems to be bearing the brunt of complaints... using new technology I am not sure a loss of an inch or two in suspension travel will affect the off road performance of the bike if it is indeed much more advanced than the old suspension. Though it still begs the question why lower it at all? I am disappointed with the lack of a sixth gear.
Here is my ten cents worth- Kawasaki is coming out with the Versys... by all accounts it will be a great bike, and far better on the street than the KLR will ever be. It's also more expensive! I know they are not competitors to each other, but why narrow that gap between them by making the KLR more street worthy? By the same token I don't think the KLR needed to be made into a dirt machine... it fills its niche perfectly the way it was, it simply needed some tweaking. What I see possibly happening now is a foray into markets that other bikes are just plain better in. The nearest realistic competitor to the KLR cost twice as much to buy. By tweaking the bike a little but not providing what the consumer wants the company risks having to make further changes to keep up with market demands, this will drive the price of production up and further slow sales since the price was one of the big attractions with this bike.
If I ran Kawasaki (thank god I don't but...since we're dreaming here) I would come out with a one-time changed KLR that had a sixth gear (a lower first gear and a sixth gear higher then the present fifth), better suspension, possibly a little less weight and lower centre of gravity, better stator, and a better doohickey (farm it out to one of the present companies already making a bomber one). Then I'd go for another 20+ year production run. Other things, such as styling and power would be ignored unless they could be made with no change to the bottom line cost of the bike. I wouldn't worry too much about increasing the power since that is not a market the KLR will ever be competing for. I wouldn't change the styling too much... notice that of all the aftermarket products available for the KLR there are no fairings or major "look" upgrades... why? Maybe because the average KLR owner isn't interested in making his 36 Hp bike look like any thing other then what it is... an extremely useful, very reasonable, do it all bike.
As for offering a motard or street version of the KLR... why bother? It would only drive up production costs by watering down the market and requiring new tooling. And there is already the Versys.
I think Kawasaki should make the needed changes to the 2008 KLR and then leave it alone for another 25 years.
:hb:
imported post
I'm with Fixer Dave... I think it is sad simply because whatever your opinion of the KLR650, it is a classic and we are seeing the end of an era. They changed something needlessly, that has lasted so long because it worked then, and it still works now. The KLR is a retro bike that isn't retro. I can't comment on the suspension which seems to be bearing the brunt of complaints... using new technology I am not sure a loss of an inch or two in suspension travel will affect the off road performance of the bike if it is indeed much more advanced than the old suspension. Though it still begs the question why lower it at all? I am disappointed with the lack of a sixth gear.
Here is my ten cents worth- Kawasaki is coming out with the Versys... by all accounts it will be a great bike, and far better on the street than the KLR will ever be. It's also more expensive! I know they are not competitors to each other, but why narrow that gap between them by making the KLR more street worthy? By the same token I don't think the KLR needed to be made into a dirt machine... it fills its niche perfectly the way it was, it simply needed some tweaking. What I see possibly happening now is a foray into markets that other bikes are just plain better in. The nearest realistic competitor to the KLR cost twice as much to buy. By tweaking the bike a little but not providing what the consumer wants the company risks having to make further changes to keep up with market demands, this will drive the price of production up and further slow sales since the price was one of the big attractions with this bike.
If I ran Kawasaki (thank god I don't but...since we're dreaming here) I would come out with a one-time changed KLR that had a sixth gear (a lower first gear and a sixth gear higher then the present fifth), better suspension, possibly a little less weight and lower centre of gravity, better stator, and a better doohickey (farm it out to one of the present companies already making a bomber one). Then I'd go for another 20+ year production run. Other things, such as styling and power would be ignored unless they could be made with no change to the bottom line cost of the bike. I wouldn't worry too much about increasing the power since that is not a market the KLR will ever be competing for. I wouldn't change the styling too much... notice that of all the aftermarket products available for the KLR there are no fairings or major "look" upgrades... why? Maybe because the average KLR owner isn't interested in making his 36 Hp bike look like any thing other then what it is... an extremely useful, very reasonable, do it all bike.
As for offering a motard or street version of the KLR... why bother? It would only drive up production costs by watering down the market and requiring new tooling. And there is already the Versys.
I think Kawasaki should make the needed changes to the 2008 KLR and then leave it alone for another 25 years.
:hb:
My guess is Kawasaki really doesn't care what I think, but it's worth a try..:hb:
