I just tuned it up: new plug, adjusted valves, and cleaned the air filter. I think it runs great. Maybe I need to hop it up.

 

Uh, yeah, my s rocks.

Btw, what's up with all the commas people are using instead of dots?

 

I don't know, guys. I love my KLX, but hey...even at a 292cc bike with most all the mods, it's still at best maybe around 24-25 horsepower? It's about a 300 pound bike. It has a 190 pound rider on it. I have a 3.7 gallon fuel tank. Now, compare to a 72 horsepower Versys which is hardly a fire-breathing sportbike, but it is a very respectably powered bike. The modded KLX has about .08 horsepower per pound. The Versys has about .16 horsepower per pound. That is dramatic, and it results in the KLX being dramatically slow...at least in terms of wringing out all the power you can get out of it at the extreme end of the performance spectrum. This isn't as important a number when you ride off road, but in reality, all these true dual sport engines produce a fairly low horsepower number for their displacement. It's why they're so tough and durable as a side bonus. A stock KX250F has about .17 horsepower per pound. A ZX636 sportbike has about .22 horsepower per pound. We shouldn't be surprised at the underwhelming power response out of our KLX's.

 

My usual vehicle for transporting myself to and from work is a 4 cyl. ford Ranger PU. Although the Ranger has a higher top speed than the KLX, I can get to work faster on my KLX. The simple reason for that is I'm reluctant to use the top speed of the Ranger for fear of getting a speeding ticket and more demerit points against my licence. To avoid a ticket I try to limit my speed to no more than 10 kph (kilometers per hour) above the posted speed limit. My KLX is capable of exceeding the speed limit by 10 kph just as easily as my Ranger ( I have know idea what's wrong with DRMs bike), but because my route has pretty windy roads, I have an advantage on the KLX in that I can take the corners faster, and I have better acceleration on the KLX as well. So should I not use my Ranger to drive to work because it's not as fast as the KLX? How about my wife's car? She has a 2005 toyota corrolla, same thing, it's top speed is faster, but she can't use it, too many speed traps. The KLX beats it in the cornering and acceleration.
No doubt if you are comparing the KLX to sport road bikes it will always come up short, but if you compare it to economy cars or trucks, designed for transportation, it holds it's own. Doesn't really mater what the power to weight ratio is, when I'm out on the highway riding my KLX I'm usually the one passing other cars, not always, but probably better than 3/4 of the time. I don't recall ever holding up traffic, so that has to say something.

 

I get your comparison method here in your post, but I'm not sure that's where some of the enjoyment factor comes from that the OP and others were talking about. Sure, we could all be riding Honda Metropolitan scooters in some settings and be just fine in covering a given transportation need. But if the speed limit is even as low as 60 mph on a given route to work, the snappy acceleration of a 50, 70, or 100 horsepower bike that isn't in the piggy, Gold Wing weight category is just a hoot compared to the utilitarian power delivery of the KLX on pavement. No one is suggesting that folks can't use whatever bike they prefer for their transportation needs or desires as long as they're safe enough to run with other traffic reasonably. However, I think most folks would enjoy a much snappier power package for pavement and highway than what the KLX offers. I'm even looking at the new ZX300R as a fun, pavement playbike. The thing cranks out just short of 40 horsepower now and has received many upgrades to the frame and suspension. It absolutely kills the new Honda CBR250R. Of course we're just talking about small engine packaged bikes here.

 

Why limit yourself to one bike? I have the KLX 250 and the Honda ST1300, all that is missing is a KLR 650 to have the best of all three worlds.

 

KLR650?...c'mon deej...go for the KTM690 to put hair on your chest...and lighten your wallet.

 

I've owned my KLX for the past 2 weeks and I've put 900 miles on it. Mostly on road but probably 100 or so off road or on dirt/gravel roads where a sportbike would bring the suck. I love it, granted I don't have much motorcycle experience (this is the first bike I've owned, ridden plenty of friends bikes in the past though) and I wouldn't have gone any other route in my opinion. I find myself doing 60-70 all the time (I weigh close to 250lbs so I'm not a small fella either) and can touch 80 if I try for it. I did however just order the FMF Q4 muffler and Powerbomb header, 13t sprocket, jet kit and an air filter to giver her some more pep.

My only complaint about the bike is that it's very finicky about starting from hills and lugging around in 1st gear which I do often in the woods. But hopefully my mods will help that.

 

Y'all ever check your speedo to gps? At 70 indicated, my gps says 60mph, and my tach says 7000rpm.

 

True...most OEM speedos on many new bikes are highly optimistic. It's one thing I like about the Trailtech Vapor unit. It's fully programmable to true wheel size.