If you owned a DRZ400SM you'd ask: What vibration? The KLX is smooth as butter compared to the DRZ.

I ended up with blue because it was the only one I could find. A black Acerbis front fender toned the blue WAY down to just an accent. I really like it this way.


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Yeah, I'm not going 80 mph. I am only hitting 8000 RPMs accelerating. Usually ride between 5000 and 6000 RPMs. This is motorcycle number 26 and I have demo'd another 100 motorcycles. This bike is not a paint shaker like the KTM 690, but there is definitely a high frequency buzz that can be felt through the grips and seat.

My KLX250S was the same way. When you are focused on the ride you don't notice it much, but when you think about it, it is there.

On a good note the fuel economy on my last run through the twisties yielded 72 MPG even though I was revving to 8000 out of every turn.

 

I just want everyone that is "window shopping" their first motorcycle to have realistic expectations.

My KLX-250S at ~45MPH is a mellow beast. The newer 300cc engine definitely seems smoother though so, that is really tempting for me. If your 'commute" is ~55MPH or slower, the KLX-300S is a great option IMHO. Interstate speeds for short jaunts is doable as well but, IMHO that is really too fast for pleasure riding this motorcycle. And yes, accelerating to redline between gears is different from cruising there!

With ~13K miles in one calendar year, I may not be the high mileage king but, that is enough riding to make me a bit opinionated!

 

Yes, vibration felt by the rider is relative to what they have experienced before. Every bike has some kind of vibration. You can't get away from it with so many moving parts. When it is a low frequency vibration the bike is said to have character. When it is high frequency it can cause numbness and tingling.

If you are OK with running a 2-stroke weed eater / line trimmer, you will probably be OK riding the KLX. If that line trimmer numbs your fingers you will probably want to add grip puppies, wear gel gloves, add vibration damping material inside the bars, etc.

A lot of bikes use rubber isolators where the handlebars mount, dampening the vibration. Doesn't look like the KLX does. If someone is interested in a KLX and is concerned about vibration, they should definitely test ride one first.

 

Well with a redline of 10,500, 8000 RPMs is just normal acceleration when having fun! I haven't attempted to hit redline in any gear, yet. 8000 RPMs is where the peak torque and HP are achieved. 7000 - 9000 is where the bike is in the fun zone!

 

Regarding mods for vibration, when I ditched the steel bars and put some good quality aluminum on, the vibration to my hands was significantly negated on my KLX. The CR High Bend also made standing a lot easier on a challenging track.

 

I think I'm not having as much of an issue with vibration because my handlebars are attached to the tops of the fork tubes rather than onto the triple. The bars are also thick gauge aluminum, short, straight and rigid with large contact areas of attachment, so there is almost no resonance.

 

The steel bars tend to be less stiff so, I think they "buzz" more in general. YMMV

Aluminum bars are where I would start if I found the buzz to be more than I wanted to deal with.

 

I actually have aluminum bars (in black) with the cross brace that I have been thinking about putting on the bike. I'll have to compare the rise, width and pullback with the OEM bars.