Currently studying the KLX 250s as a bike for my RV. I am a section hiker on the Appalachian Trail and park the RV (small pickup camper size) at one trail head and leave the bike 10-40 miles away and hike from one to the other then pick up the bike. Right now I'm using a Honda Trail 90 (wonder if any here are old enough to remember that bike?)....had a Honda xr650l until last week but it was too heavy to get up on the motorcycle carrier on the RV (RV could handle it with a class iv hitch but i didnt like ramping it up thinking if i slipped it would snap my legs), so have been studying something with a little more power and speed than the Trail 90.......like many here I'm guessing, I looked at the Yamaha xt 225 and the Suzuki DR 200...there is no perfect bike but the KLX seems nice in every regard excepting the small gas tank.
Well just want to say hello and say I appreciate the forum.
One question though, cold starting? is that an issue with the KlX...on the Honda 650 if i let it sit for 3 weeks and then tried to start it was a pain, with the old Trail 90 it can site for 4 months and still start at 32F with little effort (kick start, low compression engine I suppose are why).
Thanks,
Robert

 

Welcome Medicineman, the KLX is an awesome bike, there isn't anything I don't like about it. As far as the cold starting I found out something the other day. When I go to start the bike if I pull the choke just a little farther than the **** will stay by itself it starts right up every time. Just something I stumbled on. Again welcome and keep checking in.

deej

 

Thanks Deej....just a matter of time before I take the plunge.
I also wanted to compiment those with the Otter box on the bag (maybe its not Otter, Pelican rather?), nice idea.
I also like the solutions everyone is coming up with for extra gas on board....the MSR fuel tanks have been carried by hikers/backpackers for years. They are very tuff but dont vent-which might be a problem in hot environments)...so far I like the solution that looks like a duffle roll on the back of the bike-The Tour Tank 2 gallon-it doesnt look bad at all and would give you a total of 3.9 gallons which aint too shabby.
The reason I asked about cold starts is that the Yamaha XT 225 seems plagued with them. I live in upper east TN at close to 4000F, our coldest was in 1982 -32F (seems strange for east TN) but we usually get to -10 for a week at a time in January.
Also, there was some mention of the seat height not being as reported in Kawasaki's stats....any more clues on that?
thanks again,
Robert