08 klr purchase

[hunter_chevy]

Given the recent V Strom references, just thought I'd chime in. After 33K smiles, I sold my KLR 2 weeks ago, and picked up a used DL1K the next day. Got really lucky and found a 2007 that was purchased 26 days earlier, and promptly traded in as the PO couldn't handle the seat height. Having put about 1000 miles on it in the last week and a half, here are some impressions. Do with them what you want. First impression is of course the power. Yes, more than double the HP over a KLR, and yes it's awesome. What I really like, though, is how similar the power delivery is off idle to the KLR. I have ridden many bikes, none impressed me as much as my KLR for off idle throttle response. The DL is very similar as low as 2000 rpm's, it pulls nicely. I have ridden many other bikes that just don't come alive as quickly. The DL is very similar to the KLR in this regard. Higher RPM's, of course the DL keeps making power and the smile factor increases right up to the posted speed limit. Second impression was ergonomics. My favorite attribute of the KLR was the seating position. I thought my next bike was going to be a Ulysses, until I rode one for 200 miles (rental) and absolutely hated the riding position. The DL is almost identical to the KLR in this respect. If I close my eyes, and stretch out my arms the bars are exactly where they should be. One gentleman made mention of "sport bike" seat to peg configuration. I have a VF750, and let me assure you the DL does not have sport bike ergos. Again, almost identical to the KLR. Next impression would be the brakes. I was in the minority in that I never had an issue with the KLR's brakes. The DL are much more powerful, but I never considered it a weakness on the KLR. One area that really stands out is the lighting. I went through several upgrades on the KLR, ending with a 80/100 bulb and upgraded wiring. Still absolutely no comparison to the DL (or any other newer reflector design). As was said before, I think the rectangle shape of the reflector really limits the lighting on the KLR. Off road is obviously going to give the nod to the KLR. I will say that I took the DL on about 50 miles of dirt roads, and one half mile section of single track (I got lost) on my 3rd day of ownership. While no where near as comfortable as the KLR on the loose stuff, it really was fine so long as I didn't hammer the gas. I didn't drop it, and didn't want to. Fun factor yes, I miss my KLR, and will undoubtedly be looking for one once the DL is paid for. The Strom is still a fun bike in its own right. I don't get as many waves from kids (hey, look at the dirt bike!) or laughs from the women (hey, look at the old man on the dirt bike!), but it's still plenty flickable enough to forget all that in the curves. So bottom line, I find it amazing how similar the two bikes are on the whole. Each has their plusses and minuses, but I can't think of two bikes I'd rather own. Jon Hunter 07 DLK 03 A17 (gone but surely missed) 83 V45 Interceptor 71 CL450

[E.L. Green]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "hunter_chevy" wrote:

> Given the recent V Strom references, just thought I'd chime in. > After 33K smiles, I sold my KLR 2 weeks ago, and picked up a used > DL1K the next day. Got really lucky and found a 2007 that was

...

> purchased 26 days earlier, and promptly traded in as the PO > this respect. If I close my eyes, and stretch out my arms the > bars are exactly where they should be. One gentleman made mention > of "sport bike" seat to peg configuration. I have a VF750, and let > me assure you the DL does not have sport bike ergos. Again, almost > identical to the KLR.

Note that the DL1000 does *not* have the same ergonomics as the DL650. The main difference is the seat height. The cockpit of the DL650 is *much* more cramped than that of the DL1000 because they moved the seat down -- but didn't move the pegs down too. Result: The "sport bike crouch". I dare you to find any photo of a stock DL650 going down the road which does not have the "sport bike crouch" for the lower body, where the knees are bent backwards at a fairly serious angle to get back to the pegs. However, after doing some more reading, it appears that there are aftermarket seats which restore the peg-to-seat distance to a comfortable distance. I'll have to check that out. -E

[Mark Harfenist]

Posted by: "E.L. Green" eric@... e_l_green Wed Jun 4, 2008 2:18 pm (PDT)

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogro ups.com, ""E.L. Green" wrote: > The cockpit of the DL650 is > *much* more cramped than that of the DL1000 because they moved the > seat down -- but didn't move the pegs down too. Result: The "sport > bike crouch". I dare you to find any photo of a stock DL650 going down > the road which does not have the "sport bike crouch" for the lower > body, where the knees are bent backwards at a fairly serious angle to > get back to the pegs. > However, after doing some more reading, it appears that there are > aftermarket seats which restore the peg-to-seat distance to a > comfortable distance. I'll have to check that out. I can't speak to the DL1000, or to what photos may or may not show, but I've got a 2007 KLR 650 and a 2008 DL 650. The riding position is indeed very similar, though the latter is lower and a bit more cramped in the knees. Raising the seat is one fix for this last; lowering the pegs is another (for those who do not scrape pegs). There is at least one cheap kit for this. I've got terminally bad knees, and I find the DL only marginally worse in this regard than the KLR. On either bike, after an hour or two I'm hurting badly, and by the time I've done a full day I can often barely walk. Note that my description is entirely subjective and represents just one date point; in other words, YMMV. Hope that helps. Mark

[J Fortner]

A cheap fix for this is for DL650 owners to swap seats with a DL-1000 owner. The DL-1000 seat is 1inch taller than the DL-650 seat... Depending on rider height some DL-1000 owners find the seat too high and some DL-650 riders find the stock seat too low. A perfect opportunity for a seat swap. JF

On Wed, Jun 4, 2008 at 4:18 PM, E.L. Green wrote: > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com , > "hunter_chevy" > > wrote: > > Given the recent V Strom references, just thought I'd chime in. > > After 33K smiles, I sold my KLR 2 weeks ago, and picked up a used > > DL1K the next day. Got really lucky and found a 2007 that was > ... > > purchased 26 days earlier, and promptly traded in as the PO > > this respect. If I close my eyes, and stretch out my arms the > > bars are exactly where they should be. One gentleman made mention > > of "sport bike" seat to peg configuration. I have a VF750, and let > > me assure you the DL does not have sport bike ergos. Again, almost > > identical to the KLR. > > Note that the DL1000 does *not* have the same ergonomics as the DL650. > The main difference is the seat height. The cockpit of the DL650 is > *much* more cramped than that of the DL1000 because they moved the > seat down -- but didn't move the pegs down too. Result: The "sport > bike crouch". I dare you to find any photo of a stock DL650 going down > the road which does not have the "sport bike crouch" for the lower > body, where the knees are bent backwards at a fairly serious angle to > get back to the pegs. > > However, after doing some more reading, it appears that there are > aftermarket seats which restore the peg-to-seat distance to a > comfortable distance. I'll have to check that out. > > -E > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Dennis Griffin]

On Jun 4, 2008, at 10:43 AM, Michael Nelson wrote:

> If I were riding 100% street I would MUCH rather have a Vstrom than > a KLR. >

...until the time came to check valves, or sync throttle bodies, or other such maintenance items. Also, I seldom see much over 40MPG on my DL1000, but have often gotten almost 60 MPG from the '06 KLR. Things to consider. Having recently gotten a Versys, it has become my new favorite for an all street play bike, although I suspect it will make a good showing of itself on a grade road. Dennis KD7CAC Scottsdale, AZ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]