Dual sport motorcycles are an interesting hybrid of street and off-road capabilities. The bikes lumped in to this genre range from big dirt bikes to small tourers that look more at home on the interstate than on a gravel road. The Kawasaki KLR definitely leans toward the dirty side of this mix.
I was particularly interested in riding the KLR so I could compare it to my old BMW which follows is also a 650 cc single cylinder dual sport. Note that both the KLR and G650GS (ex F650GS) are now pretty old designs.
A 35 inch seat heigh make the KLR seem a bit much to handle (especially for someone with a 29 inch inseam) but the cushy rear suspension gives quite a bit of sag. I still had to pick a side and lean it over when stopped, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as the spec sheet would make it appear.
Once started the big cylinder definitely lets you know that it’s acting alone. This is a thumper in every sense of the world. There’s always some power, never a lot and never in an unexpected manner. Revs build slow, and fall slow. Engine braking can be fairly severe and I never did find the nice balance between throttle and clutch to make a smooth downshift. Every attempt at gear changes led to some serious bucking on the soft suspension.
Soft is a good word to describe this bike. Soft shocks, soft power, soft seat. This isn’t always a negative though. Some parts of the road were fairly bumpy or had a washboard ripple where cars brake. The KLR just ate that up keeping me completely comfortable. I imagine off road riding would be a joy on this bike.
Rider comfort seems to have been a big factor in the design. The seating position is neutral, like sitting on a chair. The ride is floaty and smooth.
Now for the comparison to the BMW single. There really is none. These bikes are at totally different ends of the dual sport spectrum. The G650GS is a road bike that’s capable off road. It’s pretty smooth and precise. Long highway trips were without complaint. The KLR is clearly a dirt bike that can be ridden on the street. The motor’s a little brash and the whole package is much more bare bones.
Where the KLR really makes its stand is price. At just over $6k new (and much, much cheaper used) the KLR is a great bargain for someone venturing into dual sport or adventure riding.