You too eh?

 

So I totaled my '01 KLR 250 a month back and am now looking for a replacement. I found what appears to be a good deal ($3200) on a '07 KLXS with 53 miles. I was fine with my stock KLR performance but many are making the KLX sound like a real dog in terms of power-is it comperable to the KLR? Is it a bike that will support 6'2 190lbs as well as the KLR? Thanks for any input, I dont want to pull the trigger on something that's not as, or more, capable than my KLR-it was a fantastic bike.

 

I got ripped off, $4800 from the dealer with 1000 miles and mild plastic scrapes.

 

I'm ~190 pounds in my birthday suit and its good enough for me (after the jet kit). Dunno what your riding background is, though.

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Yeah I think so, too. I got mine brand new AND they had to find one and ship it, for $5400, and I know I didn't get the best deal either.

 

Yeah, live and learn. It's my first bike. I would really love a KTM 690 SMC, but...just a little out of my price range

I will never make what I paid for it back, and I'm sort of debating if I should even spend much on upgrades at all. I originally wanted the WR250X, and I still do.

 

I ride a couple hundred miles a year packing into hunting areas-nothing super agressive. My KLR was right at the cusp of being too soft in the rear suspension, but otherwise served its purpose extremely well. Does anyone feel their KLXS is too soft ( I carry a 40lb pack-so I should say 230 vs "birthday" weight of 190. Just lookin' for a general opinion from folks who have ridden the KLX casually in some steep and deep stuff-I'm not going to be flat tracking, rarely if ever go on the freeway and dont need to do 25 up boulder strewn muddy hillsides (sheesh-what fun am I) Just looking for a great 2 weeks a year backwoods workhorse.

 

You will need new springs front and back for sure. Period.

Otherwise, as long as you know stock it only puts out 18hp without mods and you are ok with that, go for it. It will chug along and get you where you need to go, although you may not get there first. You can pipe and jet her and get that hp up to 21-22. Then of course you could always put a big bore in.

Have you considered a used drz? A drz is a bit more of a pig in soft stuff, but everything in life is a compromise.

 

Well, I want a KTM 450-EXC myself, but yeah, that's just a pipe dream for years to come. And most any vehicle purchase will never net a return of what you originally invested, that's just the breaks of economics. I figure, I'ma ride the utter crap outta this, and if its not destroyed when the loan is paid off in 2012, I'll buy something else and keep this as just another toy. Maybe give it a rebuild and big bore kit

Yeah I should have noted that just with boots and stuff, the rear is a bit soft, I need to stiffen it up, take some sag out of it.

 

Ive read about the drzs, and theres a low mileage 06 locally for $4100, just dont think I want to get into that kind of coin for a once a year bike. 3k was my budget. Of course, if I have to do lots of mods to make the klxs rideable, as many of the posts suggest, I would probably get there anyway spending $3200 on this bike. My local Kawi shop charges $300 to use their restroom.

 

Yeah...I would've been just as happy with a used ninja 500 or something. I could sell it for what I bought it for. Oh well, trail riding is FUN!!

Decided to go for a ride around the downtown college campus area. I got tons of compliments on the bike.

As far as the suspension, apparantly I've maxed out the front all the way as stiff as she goes. For the rear, I need a spanner wrench and maybe I can get this thing set properly. For us 200lb guys I suspect we're pretty much maxing out this spring. Gonna spin that thing in the back CCW a bit and see how it feels. Right now, when I'm accelerating, the back drops back, clutch in, shift, it falls forward, clutch out, gas, it drops back down. I'd like to eliminate that as it's wasting energy that could be better spend on the sprockets/rubber!