klx 250 Coquihalla

[speedbird]

Hello Everyone,

Planning some road trips on the KLX this summer. Anyone ride up the Coquihalla to the summit on a stock KLX ? How is it coming out of Hope?

Thanx, Jamie

 

[McNutt]

That would make me a little nervous, but I am still a newbie. The KLX 's comfortable top speed is maybe 100 kph with a tail wind, although the speedo will say 110. People drive the Coq 140 - 150 kph. The winds from the semis passing you would toss you around like you were in a blender. There are a few other ways to get up towards Merritt.

 

[Farp]

Hello Everyone,

Planning some road trips on the KLX this summer. Anyone ride up the Coquihalla to the summit on a stock KLX ? How is it coming out of Hope?

Thanx, Jamie

I've ridden my Kawasaki Versys on the Coq and I was averaging between 130 and 140 kph just to keep up with the traffic, and there were still a lot of cars blowing by me. I used to ride a CRF230L Honda (roughly the same performance as the KLX250) and there's no way in hell that I'd consider taking it on the Coq. I think you'd need to have a death wish to ride a KLX250 on that highway. My advice to you is don't even think about it. By the way, I've been riding bikes for more years than I can count so I'm no noobie.

John

 

[klrroo]

I would steer clear of the coq. on that guy. My 08 KLR used to get tossed about on the highway and it was a lot heavier. I personally would not ride anything smaller than a 650cc on that road.

 

[vortexman]

KLX 250 Coquihala

KLX 250 Coquihala

No matter where you ride if you cannot keep up with the flow of traffic you create a danger zone around you.

That being said I have ridden the hi way on several different bikes and there is always a speed demon that blows by you no matter what you are driving.

There are always police on both sides (Merritt/Hope) ready to impound excessive speeders on most long weeksnds as well as sunny days.

What I usually do when presented with this challenge (small bike going up a grade) is follow a big truck who is in the slow lane with his 4 way flashers on or just pull to the right to let faster traffic pass.

I do not avocate riding in any unsafe condition but we do not always have the luxury of perfect conditions or traffic patterns.

I currently ride a 2011 KLX 250S and it makes 110 kph on the freeway. Common sense and a bit of discretion is a good rule of thumb here.

Just my two cents


JT

 

[04klr]

that avitar slug musta come out of yur head if you'd choose the "coke" over the alternatives.
I have a KLR and a KLX and neither have or ever will see the coq, I'm sure they would both be immediatly be struck fat (fatter) and lazy and would never want to get dirty again .

 

[tomcycle]

You guys dont have much imagination

We have been doing rides to the interior for more that a decade now and have lots of "off highway" routes

Although you say slow traffic is a problem I take the bus up the Coq at a blistering pace of 40kms per hour, I am sure a little KLX will leave me behind so I would not worry about going to slow up the highway. but I would be looking for something a little more interesting to ride rather than the highway

The old gravel road is still there so you can actually ride off road "no pavement" from the Caroline Mines exit. to just about anywhere North

There is always the East Harrison FSR which can take you to Boston Bar or Lytton "no pavement" I ride that regularly every year.

So you have choices other than the Coq, 3 or Canyon, but if you are looking to get somewhere fast you had better buy one of those KTM 690, you wont be holding any traffic up with that

TT

 

[250ccforme]

I think the concern about riding slower than the traffic pace on the coke is getting run over (oops, I didn't see the bike until I felt the BUMP) which with the bus would not be a problem.

 

[vortexman]

My parole officer says do not piss people off

My parole officer says do not piss people off

I've ridden my Kawasaki Versys on the Coq and I was averaging between 130 and 140 kph just to keep up with the traffic, and there were still a lot of cars blowing by me. I used to ride a CRF230L Honda (roughly the same performance as the KLX250) and there's no way in hell that I'd consider taking it on the Coq. I think you'd need to have a death wish to ride a KLX250 on that highway. My advice to you is don't even think about it. By the way, I've been riding bikes for more years than I can count so I'm no noobie.

John

Is this GVMC John??? My wife does not usually permit me to post unsupervised as I usually get myself into trouble.

I use my motorcycles in my business (mineral prospecting) as well as for recreation and have taken this year off to play dualsport.

Some of my posts might reflect this. Last year my bike was too big (R1200GSA) and it seems this year my bike is too small (KLX 250S).

Like many others who read these posts and contemplate joining rides it is a bit hard doing a cold call and just showing up.

I do not want to slow people down and never know what ability constitues "A" "B" "C". I can run 100 kmh on dry FSR all day long but it takes a bit to get up to that.

I was just reading about the late May Harrison West ride and would like to scout out two areas about the 80 km mark from the fish hatchery.

I beleive you also mention Nahatlatch and I was wondering if the slide area has been repaired. I had an interesting time on the GSA last year on the Boston Bar side.
I realise this is unrelated and off the topic I just wanted to clarify.


JT

 

[Farp]

Sorry about the Hijack - if it continues I'll start a new thread.

Is this GVMC John??? My wife does not usually permit me to post unsupervised as I usually get myself into trouble.

Not sure what you mean by that question but I do not belong to the GVMC.

I do not want to slow people down and never know what ability constitues "A" "B" "C

"A" is really gnarly, steep, single track, if you can ride this type of trail without getting into difficulty you're an A rider. "B" is not quite so gnarly or steep single track and 4WD roads. "C" is gravel surface FSRs.

You might wanna come with us on May 29th. We're gonna ride Harrison west up to Pemberton and come back the same way, should be about an 8 or 9 hour day - lots of fun. 80 km from the fish hatchery would put you about the head of the lake, or very close to it. What areas do you wanna check out there?

I beleive you also mention Nahatlatch and I was wondering if the slide area has been repaired.

The Kookipi slide has been cleared by the 4wd crowd. We went through there last June and it wasn't too much trouble, went through again a couple of months later and it was even better. A noob on a KLR could ride it as it was last Sept. But that area is notorious for having slides over the winter and as it's still snowbound nobody knows what the condition of the road is right now, at least not to my knowledge. We're planning some rides up there this summer so around the middle of June I intend to scout it out and see if it's still passable. There'll be several of us going and you're welcome to join us.

It seems you've gone from one extreme to the other as far as bikes are concerned. I upgraded my ride from a Honda CRF230L to a Beta 400RR last October and I highly recommend it. If you're looking for a very dirt oriented dual-sport I don't think you can do any better than the Beta.

John

 

[bobbib]

I rode my klx to Squamish from burnaby last week with a bunch of my rode bike friends. You can hit 130km/h wouldn't want to do it for to long.

 

[zoo]

Im gonna post something different than what others are saying just in case others are interested in the same, hwy or bike.
Do it. people always think that a 250 is to small for a hwy. not true. I would take a 250 any day on that hwy. There geared good stock for 100km/h. I rode from bc to colorado last year with a guy with an wt250. Yah he slowed on hills but could stay with most traffic and even if he was 10km/h slower who cares, he didnt. Sure a 1000cc would be better, but the 250cc can.
Dont be brainwashed by the "have to have big cc to handle the hwy" line. They can do it, just drive safe.

 

[cficare]

I agree that a KLX 250 can survive a trip on the highway without any problem. True,I wouldn't want to be cruising the freeway all day on one,but other than that...... I like when the guys on their new BMW's ask about the size of the bike (and frown), just ask them to follow you when you get to the gravel and single track! Suddenly their pride and joy comes up short!! Don Cherry said it best....."It's not the size of the dog in the fight,it'sthe size of the fight in the dog".

 

[Shuswap]

Wifey rode her XT250 from Langley to Scotch Creek(Shuswap).....I offered to trade off from the car to the bike and do my "duty", but she was having too much fun. To make it more fun, she turned off at Merritt onto the 5A, which delivers you to Kamloops as well, but is a 'funner' road.

She managed to keep up with some of the traffic, wore bright colours. You will be passed by lots of vehicles, but stick to the right lane and be easy to see.

 

[kenf]

Husky TE310 (300cc) in stock trim has a tough time getting much over 100, and 80+ on the longer steep grades, but I had no problems travelling a few sections of the Coq that were necessary on my last trip. Just stay out of the fast lane, and keep an eye on the rearview, and if something big is about to pass you, get well over to the right of your lane. No big deal.

Granted if you aren't confident, the buffeting can be alarming, but if you aren't tuned out staring at the clouds, there's no reason it it should be an issue, any more than any section of freeway in the lower mainland. In fact, I'd take a short stretch on the Coq over Hwy 1 from Bby to Hope any day -- higher speeds but way, way less vehicles.

Cheers
KF