Modular helmets

I think BMW was the first to market a modular helmet back in the 80's. Almost all helmet manufacturers have at least one of these designs now. They make a lot of sense for riders who wear glasses--like me. The convenience of putting on an open-face helmet with full-face protection.

Buell Blast

The Buell Blast is a 500 single derived from half of a Sportster V-twin engine. It's belt-driven and very underpowered. It's also the cheapest bike Harley makes. But, if you want a street thumper over 250cc that isn't a cruiser or a supermoto, this is your only choice here in the States. What this bike needs is a displacement increase to 650cc...

Café racer

The Triumph Thruxton is an homage to the old café racers of the 70's. Riders would install rear-set foot pegs/controls and clip-on handlebars for a road-race seating position. They were just going out of style when I first got into riding as manufacturers were beginning to come out with more sport-oriented models right off the showroom floor. This bike reminds me of one of my favorite classics: the Norton Commando.

Makin' it mine...

Every motorcyclist adds some personal touches to his bike to make it his own. A few of the factory options I'd like for a DR650 are a luggage rack, skid plate and the shorter kickstand necessary when the suspension is adjusted to lower the seat height. I've decided since I'm not going to be racing it like an idiot off-road I can live with a little less ground clearance and suspension travel (it's still more than a KLR or any street-only bike).

Kawasaki Ninja 650R

Kawasaki's Ninja 650R is a liquid-cooled inline-twin with an upright riding position and a full-fairing. This bike would be ideal for commuting and solo sport-touring. It was designed with beginning and returning riders in mind. It's certainly a more attractive bike than Suzuki's 650 V-Strom (cooler name, too).

Honda Nighthawk

The engine in this motorcycle has been around since 1978 in it's first incarnation as the CM185 TwinStar. The displacement was increased to 200cc and finally 250cc with the name briefly changing to the 250 Custom. It now powers the cruiser-styled Rebel and this bike. For some reason this sportier version has drum brakes while the laid-back Rebel gets a front disc. My mother used to have a 200 TwinStar. The Rebel and Nighthawk are favorites of Motorcycle Safety Course programs, but their limited power is quickly outgrown by most riders.

Honda XR650L

I've always liked Honda motorcycles. My first bike was a Honda. Unfortunately, the only dual-sport Honda sees fit to import to the US is their towering XR650L with it's 37" seat height and tiny fuel tank. Wish they'd bring back the XR400 and XR250F and slap-on street-legal lights, mufflers and an L-suffix. Oh, yeah...and bring back round headlights!

Honda Shadow Sprit 750

Honda put this bike together with riders like me in mind: middle-aged men getting back into the sport after a long hiatus. A friend at work wants to get a bike like this (being vertically challenged he really appreciates the low seat height). Personally, I think I'll save a couple grand and stick with the DR650.

Safety first

Here's an interesting helmet design. The face shield flips up with or without the visor being attached. Both are removeable (it is not recommended to wear the visor at highway speeds).

Just thinkin'...

...'bout what it would be like to have these two black beauties parked in my garage!

Check out the tires

The Honda XR650L is skewed more toward the dirt side of the dual-sport equation than Suzuki's DR650SE. More ground clearance and suspension travel, but this results in a greater seat height. Lighter weight, but at the cost of fuel capacity and range. More low-end power and agressive tires, but less comfortable at higher speeds on the road.

Yeah, I'm back with the DR today...

Just thought this looked cool...

Maybe this...

Maybe this is what I shoud get. Air-cooled and simple, electric start with a six-speed transmission. Low seat height and a 2.3 gal. fuel capactity (it probably gets more than 70 mpg). $1000 less than the DR650 and $600 less than the KLX250S. It would also be the perfect bike to teach my wife and son how to ride--if they're ever so inclined.

Dual-purpose or strictly street?

Let's face it, most people who own dual-sports ride 80-90% of the time on the pavement. There is a big difference in power output between a 650 single and a 650 twin. So it comes down to a choice between versatility (a multi-surface mount) and performance (more than adequate speed and handling). The SV650 is less than $1000 more than the DR650 and is more comfortable for long highway stints. Would I want to give up on exploring dirt roads? Decisions, decisions...

BMW G650 X

BMW is updating their F650 motorcycles with the G650 line. The XChallenge (top) is the more dirt oriented model, while the XCountry (bottom) is described as a "scrambler" (i.e., dual-sport). I do like the round headlight on the XCountry, but it needs a larger fuel tank and a higher front fender.

Warm days, cool nights

It's a perfect, early fall day and my favorite riding weather. Just the right temperature for wearing a helmet and jacket. I used to love riding in the fall. I remember riding my old 550 Yamaha to school for a night class, just enough of the cool air brushing my knees and shoulders from around a Plexifairing®. Cool weather riding was the best!

Hayabusa

Isn't this a bad-ass looking bike? It reminds me of something out of a Japanese anime. This is the kind of motorcycle Ben Rothlisberger almost killed himself on. I'm pretty sure I'd much rather look at it than ride it. Can't think of a reason I'd need to go 200+ MPH on two wheels...

Bandit 1250S

After a 2 or 3 year hiatus Suzuki has brought back the Bandit, now liquid-cooled with a 50cc bigger displacement. On the way home from Kansas City with my wife yesterday we came upon a guy on an older 1200 Bandit with Givi luggage. I think this new bike would be an excellent sport-tourer with soft bags. This bike and a DR650 together would cost less than a Honda Gold Wing! Wish I had some bucks today...

New KLR

Kawasaki has made my decision a lot easier by redesigning the KLR and making it more like a pseudo-adventure bike and less like a dual-sport. The suspension travel has actually decreased! Braking should be improved, but I don't know if they fixed the "doohickey" problem. I don't think this is what I want...

Sexy Beast

The new Triumph Tiger for '07 is something to lust after. This would be a terrific 2-up sport-tourer. If I had the bucks I'd be seriously looking into getting one. Heck, if I won the lottery I'd get one of these, a Scrambler and a little dual-sport like the Kawasaki KLX250S, Yamaha XT225 or KTM 400 EXC-G.

Wishin'

Bored out of my skull tonight. Wish I had a bike to ride.

This is what I want to be doing...

...instead of just thinking and blogging about it. Don't ever sell your only motorcycle--it could be years before you get another one.

Another dream stable...

For 2007 the Triumph Bonneville Black gets the bigger engine of the T100 and Thruxton (the Scrambler is tuned for more low-end torque, but at the expense of peak horsepower). I'm thinking this would be a cool bike to blast up the turnpike with my wife to the Indian casinos for a weekend getaway. The DR--also available in black for '07--would be my unpaved road explorer. Come on Powerball!

What was I thinking?

I'm back with the DR650 today. As much as I appreciate the versatility of the V-Strom--especially it's two-up, highway capability--I don't think my wife and I would be doing that enough to compromise the dirt road and trail riding I think I'll be doing more of.

That, and the look of the V-Strom just doesn't do much for me. I guess it's the same with the KLR. The DR just looks better to me. A guy should like the way his bike looks.

Suzuki V-Strom 650

Here's another bike I might consider getting. Though not as off-road capable as the DR, it does have comparable range to the KLR with a 5.8 gallon fuel tank. It would probably be more comfortable than either dual-sport--especially two-up--but not as stable on unpaved roads. It's also $1600 more expensive. I don't know if it's $1600 more versatile...

Getting away

Time for a new post (if for no other reason than to put another picture of the DR at the top of the page). I know a person shouldn't wish his life away, but I sure would like it to be time to finally get a bike again. What I miss the most is just being able to get away from everything for a little while and do something I really enjoy. Maybe soon...

Out of the running...almost!

I've just about eliminated the KLR. Finicky turn signals, weaker brakes, less ground clearance and suspension travel, the whole "doohickey" thing, and overall build quality (the Suzuki just looks put together better). The big fuel tank might be nice right off the showroom floor, but it seems to me the DR beats it out in most other categories.

Of course, I should never say never. The KLR is a very popular motorcycle in spite of it's shortcomings. Guess I still have a lot of time to make up my mind.

My first bike

The first bike I ever rode was a friend's CB125. I cracked the throttle, let out the clutch and promptly crashed right into the back of a parked car. I bought my first bike, a '77 XL100, a few weeks later. After my dad and I got it out of the back of his pickup I kicked it to life, cracked the throttle, let out the clutch and tried to climb a huge elm tree.

Amazingly, I didn't crash again until one day I was riding it home from work and hit some loose sand in the street. That was the last time I ever rode without gloves after the bloody roadrash mess that was left of my palms.

Sand caused my only other crash when I was turning into an on-ramp and my '81 Yamaha 550 Maxim just slid out from under me. This time I was wearing leather, but I probably would have been OK in pajamas. I landed flat on my butt and just sat there watching sparks fly from the chrome exhaust.

Never got a scratch on my Sportster. In twelve years of riding those were the only mishaps I had on motorcycles. One nice thing about dual sports, if I do bang it up, battle scars are appreciated.

OEM or aftermarket?

Two of the most popular accessories for the DR650 are the IMS fuel tank and the Corbin saddle. They seem to go hand-in-hand with increasing range and comfort. A lot of riders seem to order these items when they buy their bikes, but I think I would wait to see if stock proves to be inadequate for my needs.

Black Betty

It's still the DR650SE today. I ordered a couple back issues of Dual Sport News with reviews of the Suzuki and Kawasaki's KLR. The articles brought me to the conclusion that the DR fits my needs better without making compromises I don't want (finicky turn signal controls, less suspension travel, weaker brakes and the whole "doohickey" thing). The ironic thing is Dual Sport News used to be a KLR-only magazine.

I used to think I'd call my bike Suzy, but this one looks more like Black Betty to me...

Dream stable

Let's say I won the lottery and could buy whatever I wanted. My wife brought up this hypothetical situation and said I could get a touring bike (which is the only thing she'd be interested in riding with me) and another for riding around town. Since I don't think there's anything more suited for two-up, long-distance comfort than the Honda Gold Wing, my first choice is a no-brainer. For my around town (or "all-around") bike I'd have a KTM LC4 640 Enduro imported, since money is no object. Put on the optional 18 liter fuel tank and some Wolfman Expedition soft bags--probably the black ones would look better on a orange bike--and it's a perfect adventure tourer.

Suzuki DR650SE

I've been leaning more toward the Suzuki lately. I really like the simpler design--both the engine and styling. I think if it comes down to buying one I'm probably going to get whatever color is in stock because I can't decide which one I like more: yellow, blue or the new for '07 black. Black would probably look good with yellow Wolfman Expedition bags. The bike needs a skid plate, luggage rack and probably some side guards like the ones from Happy Trails. Might think about a Parabellum fairing for cold weather riding or if I'm planning an extended stint on the highway.

BMW F650 Dakar

Here's another 650 single. It's liquid-cooled, like the KLR, but it's fuel capacity is only a little more than the DR. My problem with this bike? I'd be afraid to take it off-road! Replacement parts are probably as expensive as the price of a new BMW would lead me to believe. If I had that kind of money to spend I'd go with a KTM.

Who am I kidding? If I had BMW money I'd have a different bike for each of my motorcycling needs.

What does Zen have to do with motorcycle maintenance?

To say I'm not mechanically inclined would be a major understatement. Tools and I just don't get along. Having said this, you would think the more complicated liquid-cooled engine of the KLR wouldn't be a big deal because I'm probably not going to be doing a lot of my own bike maintenance. On the other hand, if I do venture off the beaten path and suffer a breakdown, wouldn't I want the most simple motor to have to fix? Maybe I should find a mechanic friend to ride with...

KTM 640 LC4 Enduro

Here's a bike I wish KTM would bring stateside--and now that they're merging with US manufacturer Polaris, maybe they will. There is also a 950 LC8 (V-twin) version, but for this type of motorcycle I prefer a thumper. It could probably use a slightly larger fuel tank, but nothing is perfect. This is more like the DR650, while the Adventure is more comparable to the KLR. The 990 Adventure, mentioned in a previous post, is incomparable. This bike would probably be out of my price range too.

Changed my mind...again!

And today--after going to the trouble of establishing my KiLRoy650 user name on various websites--I'm leaning towards the DR650. Guess I'll have to come up with something else that's a clever connection to this bike. Will I ever make up my mind?

New user name

Now that I'm definitely leaning toward the KLR, I think I should have a more appropriate user name to go along with my choice of motorcycle. I've decided on KiLRoy650 (note the capital KLR). In the future I can sign my ride reports with KiLRoy650 was here! and maybe take a picture of my final destinations with the lower part of my face covered by something. I've even picked out a new avatar.

Fly me away

I think this is one of the best looking motorcycles ever made (beauty is in the eye of the beholder). I think the first bikes that really caught my attention as a kid were the YZ Yamahas. The dual-purpose DT400 was one of the last mid-size two-strokes sold here in the US. The '78 (pictured here) is my favorite. The all-yellow '02 Suzuki DRZ400S reminds me of this bike. Either would be fun to have, but wouldn't meet my one-bike, do-it-all needs.

Need to move up

My current ride is a Trek 7200. It has a luggage rack with a quick-detach bag and lights for commuting at night (I get off work after midnight). I want to replace it with something like the Kawasaki KLR650. Notice the similar paint scheme on the '07 model?

A co-worker just bought a new KLR and he let me sit on it the other day. I no longer think the 35" seat height would be a problem for me. Even wearing tennis shoes I was able to get the balls of both my feet on the ground and the bike felt very light.