Before going riding with a friend yesterday, I rode over to his house and we weighed our bikes. He has a pair of scales so we can weigh both ends at the same time.

Starting out... his new-to-him 2009 DRZ400, stock but with a TCI rear rack and a full tank of gas, came in at 303 lbs. Suzuki says the DRZ400 weighs 330 lbs wet.

Next up, my KLX250S, which has a Cycleracks rack, Barkbuster hand guards, a SW Motech Skidplate, KLX300 exhaust, Acerbis 3.7 gal gas tank (full), ProTaper bars and 5" of rise, came in at 301 lbs. Kawi says it's 297 lbs wet.

Then for fun, he weighed his 2009 KLR650, which is stock except for a skidplate and crash bars (and had a full tank of gas too)... gack -- 472 lbs!! Compare that to Kawi's statement of 440 wet.

My KLX has probably 15 lbs of mods on it (not to mention 1.7 gal of gas more than stock), so even it's probably 25 lbs lighter than stated. Mine felt lighter than his DRZ, but his DRZ is so much taller. I forget the front/rear weights, but his DRZ was nearly 50/50 and my KLX was lighter in the front and heavier in the rear.

Rob

 

Gasoline is fairly heavy. In the military, we used approx 6lbs a gallon at sea level as a planning factor

 

I never thought it would be so much less dense than water. Go figure.


On the OP. Now that must be why the KLR LOOKS like a pig

 

I had a DRZ-E and now have the KLX absolutely stock.

I do suspect they weigh nearly the same (having picked up the rear end of the KLX to put it on a stand). Would have been my guess. However, there's no comparison in how they ride. The KLX rides way lighter. Maybe due to cg differences. The KLX is far easier to ride offroad.

 

Something was wrong with your scales, as my KLR650 weighs well over 1472 lbs...at least, that's what I'd guess when riding through dune sands...

Just kidding, I can ride that monster almost anywhere.

I have ridden the DRZ's a lot, owned a DR350 for a while, and I like the KLX better, unless I need the higher ground clearance of the DRZ. I wouldn't turn down a DRZ, they are great bikes...but, they do feel a bit top-heavy. It's all relative, though, as my XR650L made the DRZ feel almost flickable in comparison....the XR was a great open desert bombing machine, though.

Different characteristics shine in different conditions. I have a KLR650 and a KLX250S (331), and I'm set pretty well for most any riding condition I encounter.

 

The KLX feels lighter than its 300 lb, at least to me, out on the trail.

 

I weighed my bikes a few weeks ago. Both w/ full tanks.

KLX w/o bags
134 front
161 rear
295 total

TE630 w/o bags
161 front
190 rear
351 total

was 372 w/ givi, soft bags, and tools



.

 

If you were to swap the scales to the opposite tire, and get the same values, then, the results are as good as the scales' calibrations.

Alternatively, one could put the front tire on a platform the same height as the scale, and weigh the rear of the bike at the back tire. Swap platform to rear tire and weigh the front of the bike at the front tire. Add the two values to find your grand total weight, do the math to get % F-to-R balance ratio. Again, your result is as good as the scale calibration.

 

get a really big fish scale and hang the bike from it via the front or rear wheel.


Problem solved

 

Interesting numbers. I did the same last fall when I got my KTM 350 EXC-F:

2008 KTM 200 XC-W 2-stroke: 244 lbs
2012 KTM 350 EXC-F: 254 lbs
2009 Husaberg FE450: 280 lbs

All were gassed up with a full tank of gas and ready to ride. All had skid plates, hand guards, etc. It should be pointed out that the 200 XC-W 2-stroke has a 3 gallon tank, though. The other two have a 2 gallon tank. But the 2-stroke burns fuel at a higher rate, so it has to have a larger tank to go the same distance. The 'berg and the 200 are both sold, I'm down to just the 350 now. It's my favorite, by a long shot.

Anyway, not a KLX, but just some more bike weights for comparison.