When I looked into the big bore options for the 2007 model engines like I have, I was told it didn't have the same compression release as the KLX-300. I this something added to newer KLX-250's that wasn't on the older ones like mine?

 

Sid, on the 60mph pavement cruising, I don't like to rev the guts out of my KLX. Mine easily cruises at a true 60mph all day with 14/47 gearing...that's a 5-tooth bigger rear sprocket. This is a highly understressed engine and 60mph doesn't challenge it a bit unless you've geared way, way down.

If you're used to riding the KTM, then yes, the KLX and the WRR will need revalving to achieve performance approaching the WP stuff. I did the Gold Valve deal front and rear on mine, and it totally changed the off road character of the bike. Still, with your 80/20 description with the 20% being "easy off road", one of the 650 DS bikes should easily fill that. On my modded KLX I can ride most anything off road that I used to do on my enduro race bikes...just at a slightly slower overall pace. The funny thing is that this KLX will climb gnarly, loose stuff as good or better than some of my race bikes.

 

Thanks! That's the kind of information I was looking for. I have some hand and wrist issues so, I'm a little reluctant to get this deep into the rebuild by myself. I grew up on a farm so, I'm reasonably handy with wrenches. However, I don't want to get half way through a rebuild and find I have to put it away for 3 weeks for the wrist and hand pain to ease.

 

I've taken the KLX on one highway ride that was ~110 miles each way when some idiot totaled my car. The buzz really bothered my hands and I didn't have enough power to really run with traffic (70 MPH on I-10). Being passed by big rigs pulling enclosed trailers was a real experience ... So were the rain grooves in the I-10/I-19 exchange.

I've got over 10K miles on the KLX with a lot of easier trail rides but, I'm still learning on the KTM. I consider myself an experienced amatuer or begining intermediate rider.

Regarding the 650 dual sports, I just don't want that much weight. Arm pump on the KLX is bad enough. On challenging trails, I can pick my way through the boulder fields. And sandy washes, the KLX is bad enough, I can't imagine another 80lbs and struggling through successfully.

I also want to keep a lower maintanance long life street motor for the bulk of my asphalt cruising and leasurely rides. A 650 Dual Sport is tempting at times, though a plated KTM is tempting too. A 351cc KLX-250 seems like a possible solution at much lower cost and easier relaxed maintanence routines.

 

LOL!...OK, maybe I'm misreading your previous post. Since when does 80% pavement and 20% "easy off road" contain boulder fields?

 

For what it's worth, I like my 14/47 too, but am still running as a 250.
The 351 is next, love the gearing, just want more HP not a bigger/heavier bike!
Then I'll save up for suspension mods, but with rim locks and low air pressure the KLX is light and stable in the woods, while climbing like a goat through rock fields!
Now, like TNC noted...about those boulder fields on the easy trails?
Maybe you mean slow, not easy? I ride gnarly stuff, just pretty damn slow, but getting faster!

 

I did a Forestry area ride that was 45 miles each way to the trailhead. The trail mileage was maybe 20. 90 - 20 on that one. I also commute so, that is a lot of road miles. On the weekends I would ride past where the pavement ends to see where I could find pavement on the other side. When going to work, I would often go the back way underneath power lines. One area was a really wide ditch/drainage area that was nothing but rocks from softball to basketball size that rolled and moved as I rode through. Exploring ghost towns and abandoned mines was similar with a pavement ride of ~20~50 miles each way with ~10~20 or so miles off road with various challenges. Rock ledges were pretty hard on me. I don't trailer my motorcycle so, every off road ride involves 45 minutes to an hour and half of pavement time for nice long slow off road ride. The stuff jeeps can't traverse would probably have been faster if I was hiking through but, I generally made it through after a few falls. Nice off road "car routes" on forestry land are generally pretty easy. The detours is where you find the hard single track stuff.

And yes, I ride slow in those areas because my off road confidense is low. I also figured out that I really needed to carry more speed through some areas because going slow was causing me problems too.

I'm not a hard core experienced single track, enduro, or motorcross racer but, I do ocasionally go to rough areas. I just don't live in them and spend most of my time doing more mundane things as I earn a living.

 

Yes, probably poor word choice. I generally start out somewhere where a weekend jeeper would go and detour to areas that they can't get to. Exploring ghost towns and abondoned mines also took me through some gnarly areas. So yes, most was a slow easy ~35MPH 2WD pickup area that would offer various routes that included slow tedious navigation of rocks, boulders, etc. or rock ledges. The inclined areas that were slick were the scariest for me with a drop off ~100~300 feet on one side, a vehicle wide hard pack "path" covered in loose sand and small pebbles with a wall on the other side. Yes that was slow which was a problem as my rear tire would slip and leave me trying to climb the wall in inclined/slanted areas.

So, no I'm not a gnarly single track junkie. I'm sowhere past beginner but, I'm not a gnarly trail guru either. My off road experiences are a small part of my total motorcycle time though, I do travel to gnarly areas to try and build my skills.

 

Since I was doing a lot more freeway riding than I initially thought I ended up with a different bike. A Ninja 500. Night and day for that purpose. It was cheap and it is really a fun bike. That way I got to keep the KLX. The combination was less than a really nice DS as mentioned so I am pretty happy with the trade offs.

Having two bike is nice since I am doing all the the maintenance. If a bike is down for a couple of days that is ok since I will just ride the other. Having no car makes that kind of nice

 

Sounds to me that a big bore kit for your 250s will be your best option. Not very expensive or complicated, there are many threads on this forum that will walk you through the process. Also alot of good help on this forum if you run into problems.

If you decide to make the step up to a 650 and dont want to gain alot more weight the 3 options I'm aware of are the ktm 690 (expensive but a good bike), honda's 650 (air cooled which can be a big problem in deserts), and a kawasaki klx650 (old and harder to find).