Edit: 2003 model, non-Dakar, standard seat option, ABS, heated grips
Anyone ever ridden/owned one of these? A clean well-used one just popped up on the radar but I have zero experience with this type of bike and would have to travel some distance to go test it out in person. I don't see many used KLR650s on the market where I live or else I'd probably go for one of those if I were shopping for an AdvTour bike. Great bike? Mehhh? Something else?

 

I got an XCountry, 650cc thumper. They have a big following over on advrider.com forum. I like mine, the one your looking at is a 650 or 800? Either one is pretty capable for road or dirt, within reason.

 

It's a 650cc. The generation (2002-2007) just before yours. What does it feel like relative to the KLX250 on say sketchy to clean roads? A joy to ride or just so-so? World of difference or no big deal? When I swap out the dirt wheels on my S for the motard wheels, roads are fun but not for very long. If the F650GS was a joy to jump on and opens up new worlds of riding possibilities compared with the KLX250 I'm likely to pick this one up.

 

I have one since 2002 and it's my best bike ever. It's small enough for city driving, big enough for long ride with luggage and a passenger. It's really nice on gravel road. It's reliable. The down side is offroad, it's low to the ground and it's a little bit heavy, so that's why I keep the klx too. The bmw single cylinder is not a monster of power but it's enough to drive with two up on all road, it's not really good on highway because the engin rev too much and you get more vibrations. The twin cylinders are much better on highway but you have to watch for the later ones because the gear ratio of the first ones were too tall on small gear.

 

I have nothing to add other than I've wanted one of these bikes for several years. Before I had any interest in owning a "dual sport"

 

We took a long trip last summer on mostly pavement but also a few gravel roads. My buddy was on a f650gs thumper and it did just fine against my 2014 DL1000 twin. He was loaded much lighter. I could pull away from him but he had no trouble keeping up. He's had this 650 for a couple years now and is thinking of upgrading to the 800, but he's a larger guy at over 6' and 220 lbs.

 

The thumper is a little busy on the road when you hit an hour mark. For blasting around town or to the next exit, it is a harley killer! The 800 is better on the highway and/or 2 up.
The 800 weighs about 100# more than mine. The 07 has a magnesium frame or something. I have had mine over most of the passes in CO, so it does fine. I have Heidnow DS tires, they are great on highway/trails.... except for mud, and nothing works there except full on *****. Mine has pretty good ground clearance, but you will not want to do A rated ST on it for sure, it is a 5 speed and a heavy clutch. Mine is setup super moto style.
The air shock on the bikes are ****, plan on upgrading if you plan to do a lot of dirt work. Woops blow right through all adjments.

 

OK, sounds like the kind of bike everyone should have in the stable at least once. Always thought I'd wait until the next gen KLR was here before trying an Adven thumper but that might be awhile away.