The greatest DualSport of all time

LordEndo

LordEndo

Member
Staff member
The reality of the KLR is that it's the worst of both worlds, but twice the fun. It doesn't make sense - you can't read anything that will convince you of this....but take one at high speed through some twisties and notice the bit shit-eating grin on your face as you conquer a corner terrified all the way through at half the speed of your supersport..... I'd have to go at least twice the speed on my previous SS's to have this much fun.

Off road - yah....it'll get there...... I can still loft the front wheel over waterbars and water pools despite it's portly mass (465 lbs or something like that). On road - yah....it'll get there.....and pretty comfortably. Not real fast, not cruiser comfortable, but it'll get there all the same and won't complain about it.

I've got the 'new edition' and I was pretty impressed at the speed I could do the last fall noobie ride C route on it. Took two hours start to finish..... I was hauling ass through the FSR's and the stability and predictability were much better than I expected.

So here's the thing - it's a whole lotta fun. Would I love a 990? Absolutely..... Would it be $11,000 more fun.....I dunno - $11,000 can buy a lotta fun.....
 
S

Shuswap

Member
offworlder said:
The crux of the biscuit - while some bikes are more agile than others :p, is summarized succinctly in Farp's quote:
"A motorcycle will go anywhere the rider has the ability to take it."
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Well proven to me when, in the early 70's, I watched Mick Andrews climb a 'vertical' rock face at Ioco on a stock 80cc Yammie trials bike. Quite in conflict with the laws of physics, as I understood them at the time... and today as well.
 
04klr

04klr

Well-known member
Ride what ever you like and have a blast doing it. It's all about putting a big grin on your face, like I had on mine after reading that article and like I was wearing when I earlier replied. As a kLr rider I felt like a dog rolling on a beached dead fish, sure after the moment passes I'm going to smell bad and likely look bad but right now it just feels sooo good.

The lowly klR as "TGDSOAT", hardly, the most practical surely, but, just for a moment before the carriage reverts to a pumpkin the KLR is,


The Greatest Dual Sport Of All Time (add fading echo for effect)


heck, at this rate my 07 with 83 thou on it may become a collectors bike.
 
joker650

joker650

Active member
Although I would never (never say never?) buy a KLR...I do agree that it is in fact most likley the greatest dual sport of "It's Time" They have been everywhere.
Although , "Greatest of ALL time", Harley or BMW...no not he new ones, I'm thinking anything before 1950. Ths shit those things had to go through. Mud, rivers, no pavement and bullets !
tumblr_lx0s5kU3fu1qk6uvyo1_1280.jpg
 
LordEndo

LordEndo

Member
Staff member
So here's the thing.....I just got back from a demo ride of the new KTM 1190R. Very nice machine. Nice road manners, great power, but at the end of the day if I'm off the highway, I'd rather pilot my KLR. For that matter, the KLR was nearly as comfortable - add a better seat and it's good to go. I'm just a bit shocked. Thought I'd be blown away but I'm not. $12000 less expensive and a bike that once all things are considered comes out even. Not trying to slam KTMs - I own one and love it, but for me, I'll stick with the KLR as my adventure machine. Probably gonna buy a new seat though after riding that KTM..... :)
 
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triplenickel

New member
LordEndo said:
So here's the thing.....I just got back from a demo ride of the new KTM 1190R. Very nice machine. Nice road manners, great power, but at the end of the day if I'm off the highway, I'd rather pilot my KLR. For that matter, the KLR was nearly as comfortable - add a better seat and it's good to go. I'm just a bit shocked. Thought I'd be blown away but I'm not. $12000 less expensive and a bike that once all things are considered comes out even. Not trying to slam KTMs - I own one and love it, but for me, I'll stick with the KLR as my adventure machine. Probably gonna buy a new seat though after riding that KTM..... :)
Click to expand...


Yup and lots of people are happy driving a Tercel even though they could get a Porche instead. Guess what the most boring and uninspiring motorcycle I ever owned was? ;)
 
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