I've got the 1150GS Adventure. I've put about 30,000 miles on a KLR. I
got rid of the KLR after owning the Adventure for a while. It was
honestly like parting with a girlfriend. Very difficult. But i
realized the KLR lost its "niche" after i got the GS. The KLR is
definitely better offroad, but i also disagree that the GS won't do
anything but improved roads. It's just not true. It may not be FUN on
more difficult trails, but it will definitely do them and i have been
impressed by its capabilities, more than i expected. But who wants not
to have fun? I think it depends on what you really want to do with your
bike. For me, i think a dual-sported medium-bore (xr/drz 400, exc, etc)
or big-bore dirt bike (xr650r, etc) is ideal for most dual-sporting with
an emphasis on dirt. For street rides with lots of curvy roads, or
higher speeds, or two-up, and certainly with any combination of these on
rougher roads, and incidentally also on wet roads, i much prefer the GS
over the klr. It's a no-brainer on the highway.
Any dual sport is a compromise, which is why i have so many... :^)
_pete
03GL1800
02BMWR1150GSA
01GasGasPampera280
00XR400R DS
01XR650R
83XL600
-----Original Message-----
From: kdxkawboy@... [mailto:kdxkawboy@...]
Sent: Saturday, August 09, 2003 6:49 AM
To: dmtullis@...;
DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [DSN_klr650] KLR650 vs GS1100
In a message dated 2003-08-06 5:05:47 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
dmtullis@... writes:
>
> I noticed some of the listers here have experience with the both BMW
GS1100
> and the KLR650. I've got a buddy who has been considering buying a
2002 KLR
> but now is being seduced by a clean 95 GS1100 that is newly for sale
for
> around $6K. Like me, he'll be doing a combination of on and off road
riding, DS
> rides, some desert, some moutain riding, a fair amount of two-up. I
have no
> experience with the GS, but love my KLR and have been trying to sway
him in
> that direction, but I think I'm losing. Clearly, they are both great
bikes,
> and have strengths and weaknesses in different areas. But for those
on the
> list who know both bikes, I'd appreciate it if you could share your
wisdom.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Mark T. A12
>
> Portland, OR
>
In my mind here is the big difference -
I just got back from a 15 tour with twenty other bikes, two of which
where
BMW GS1100/1150s. We spent two days in Ouray, Co. My KLR, complete with
panniers
and back pack for a tail trunk had no problems making it over Imogene,
Black
Bear and Ophir Passes. The GS1100 were only able to conquer Ophir, the
easiest
of the three, and they had to portage their luggage through the tougher
spots
and even had to 'walk' their bikes over the top of Ophir. With the clear
fact
staring them in the face both riders offered up opinions that the BMW GS
was
an off road bike in name only. Both offered up the fact that 1st was
just too
tall to allow for decent plonking and the front kept wandering.
The GS1100/1150 is not an off pavement bike unless you plan to spend all
your
time exploring the super slab equivalent of dirt roads. If the dirt gets
any
nastier then between the weight of the GS and its lack of a 21" front
wheel
made riding the bike more of a fight than a pleasure. If you are on a GS
and
want to ride anything rougher you need to have a couple of friends along
because
sooner or later you will need their help to 'portage' you GS though the
rougher stuff.
Might also mention that in two weeks of exploring the Colorado Rockies
while
I saw plenty of GS's on the pavement, except for my buddies on the tour
I
never saw another BMW off pavement while I managed to average about 50
miles of
off highway riding and half of that was on stuff as rough or rougher
than
Imogene Pass and Black Bear Pass. To have ridden a GS, or the FS for
that matter,
would have been like bringing a knife to a gun fight if you want to
really take
the bike off road.
Pat
G'ville, Nv
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