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.

Perfection...at a price

The KTM 950 (990 for '07) Adventure has the perfect package for my needs, but at a price nearly double that of the DR and KLR. A liquid-cooled V-twin engine, 6 gallon fuel tank, 33" seat height and more spacious 2-up accomodations. New, it's out of my price range--but, who knows? Maybe I'll come across a great deal on a used one.

Today I'm leaning more toward the Kawasaki. I don't know about later on today. Or tomorrow...

Triumph Scrambler

OK, this is just plain cool, but--like my old Sportster--not very versatile. The 865cc twin only gets a surprisingly low 35 MPG (results from Rider magazine) which will only net a range of about 150 miles from it's 4.4 gallon fuel tank. You wouldn't want to replace that fuel tank, it's just too darn pretty! Doesn't meet my adventure touring requirements, but I'm sure it will appeal to a lot of nostalgic riders without those goals.

Also considered

Another motorcycle I considered is the new Kawasaki KLX250S. I really like the way this bike looks. For 70+ MPH highway riding, though, it would leave a lot to be desired, and even given the high MPG of a 250cc single it would have limited range with only a 1.9 gallon stock fuel tank. With a MSRP less than $1000 below the two 650's I've narrowed my choice down to, it just wasn't worth the compromise in performance. If all I was going to do was ride around town or local dirt roads (and I could also afford a touring bike for the highway), this might have been the way to go. Maybe if I win the lottery...