nklr- xr 650r vs drz 400 vs wrf 426 [vs klx]

[bill_morgan@jdedwards.com]

Hello Ed- Yes, mine is licensed. You can get what you need from Baja Designs, and if you are used to some of the constraints of the KLX650, the XR will seem like a cakewalk to ride and maintain. It's no KLR650 though, entirely different purpose, but it will dualsport a true 50/50. I built a set of dirt wheels and keep the stockers with 301/302 Trailwings for dualsporting. You will have an easier time on the XR650R in the tight stuff, than on the KLX650. It is no lightweight, so it depends on your definition of 'tight'. My first dirt ride on it was in the snow on a poker run, and I was very careful - until I realized I did not need to be, just wick it up and play moto-boy, it loves the berm lines and has endless power, what a hoot. It feels truly much lighter than it is, until you get into that kind of tight represented by Blanca Peak, far beyond the limits of a KLR, and maybe even the KLX650. And beyond my limits too, but not my buddy's on a similar XR. It serves me well on all but the most gruesomely technical trails, and goes 95mph on the highway to boot. In the technical woods, it does leave me a little more tired than the KLX300 did. For comparison, the KLX300 I had was a sweet ride- absolutely unbeatable in the tight stuff and I really miss it, but it could not dualsport. If you intend to do maybe 90% dirt and go between trails, the KLX300 (with a Stroker pumper carb, PLEASE, what a performance enhancer!, and some suspension work easily obtained) is often overlooked, and should not be. The saddle sucks (easily rectified, if you will pardon the pun), that's the only bad thing I can say about it. For Dan, my email ISP (truncated by Yahoo) is sprynet.com. All the best, -Bill Morgan

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "Duvall Ed" wrote: > Hey Bill, > > Very interesting. I've had the XR650R in the back of my mind for a > while now, but since its not street legal, and its getting harder to > get them street legal here in WA I haven't considered it seriously. > > And then to hear all this stuff about unreliable XR's I was beginning > to wonder. > > Do you have your XR650R licensed for the road there? > > How does it do on the tight stuff? My KLX is pretty tiring on the > tight trails. I found the DRZ to be much easier to ride in the tight > stuff, even though its just a little lighter then my KLX. > > I have my KLX 650R licensed for the road, but I only use it to go > from one trail to the next, or the occaisional cruise to a local > riding area. I'd like to replace it in a year or two, probably with > something like a DRZ, or if Honda decides to make a street legal > version of the new 450, or the 650R that would be nice. > > Thanks, > > Ed > Duvall, WA