08 KLR Owner input wanted

[Andrew]

Well the new year is almost here and the new model year is already out.
I have my eye on the KLR 650 (the wife does not like the blue, me I don't care what color it is)
I am looking for the PROs and CONs.
I like the new headlights, looks to be a lot more light on the road/trail.
The forks seem a bit beefier (not sure that is a real word)
Who has one? and how do you like it?

[MWSedam]

Join advrider.com, its a great forum for dual sport stuff.  I'm sure they can give you some good info.

[JoBu]

I like the blue.  (I hope this helped in some small way).  

Cheers,

Joe

[Slorigami7]

A friend of mine has a green one, we call it the Green Gobblin. My friend weighs 340 ready to ride, with the preload cranked up he has about an inch more ground clearance than me on my C 14. The suspension is actually pretty good all around, just a little soft.
Headlights are awesome, almost as much light output as C14.
The KLR is surprisingly good on and off road, my buddy can drag the peg feelers up in the twisties, and there are few sights more entertaining than seeing the bike crushing through a dirt trail.
 Get one if it fits you, you won't be sorry. Hope it helps.

[Bombauer]

I've got the blue 08.  I'm happy with it.  Frankly none of the colours is very nice, but I especially dislike the traditional Kawi green.

The lights really are very good. 
The forks are beefier but I think I'll still need to get the fork stabilizer set for the highway, but for now it's not a problem up to ~130 kph  ( think that's about 65/70 or so? i dunno). 

I'm just over 5ft9 (~32 inch inseam I think) and with the stock seat (that I find comfortable) I can touch the ground with the balls of my feet -- this might become a problem on some very uneven terrain  .  I haven't taken it off road yet. 

It is a noisy bike no doubt. I can't stand riding it without earplugs, even at low speeds around town.

When I'm on it, I can't stop grinning.   

It gets lots of attention at stoplights. 

[jpred]

Hay Andrew, I picked up a new blue one last wed. Put a couple of hundred miles on it over the weekend. It's a kick in the ass. About the most fun that you could have on a bike. I still have my BMW for hi speed and long distance touring. Got the KLR for kicking around in the hills and a little slower speed touring.

[jpred]

BTW check out KLR650.net. It will answer any questions that you might have.

[Andrew]

Thanks for the input

The wife says "If we can afford it ,OK"  Me being the piratical one I know I need to sell the ZX11 first. I think I may even have a buyer for the ZX  

Well a new year is almost upon us so maybe with some luck a new bike will be mine soon

[Mrs. DantesDame]

 I haven't taken it off road yet.  

Bwahahahaha...  "yet"  

[Bombauer]

Bwahahahaha...  "yet"  

  out of the frying pan, into the fire!  And just think! I'm almost healed from last time!  

  08 is gonna be a busy year!  

[Tar Snake]

Hay Andrew, I picked up a new blue one last wed. Put a couple of hundred miles on it over the weekend. It's a kick in the ass. About the most fun that you could have on a bike. I still have my BMW for hi speed and long distance touring. Got the KLR for kicking around in the hills and a little slower speed touring.

Oh shut up "Mister-I-got-a-new-KLR-look-at-me"!

(Can you tell I'm jealous?)

Congrats Jim!

[august]

I had the 08 red, and I liked it a lot.Definite improvement over the 03 I had previously.

Couple of things I didn't care for , one was it kind of noisy with the fairing they put on it, funnels the engine noise back in your face.

If you want a KLR, I think the 08 is the way to go. It is probably the best do everything bike. Isn't the greatest at any thing, but pretty good at everything.

Having said that. I traded mine in on the new Versys. After riding the Versys and experiencing  that twin cylinder motor, I just could not be happy with the KLR.

The Versys puts out about 58 horses at the wheel, and 42 lbs torque. The torque is from about 1500 on up. It runs so much faster than the KLR, and the torque is there from idle on up. You like wheelies?  the versys will satisfy your needs. I don't do wheelies myself, but a couple of times I have surprised my self with the response of the Versys.

I don't do dirt riding other than gravel roads and good two trackers, and thats all I did on the KLR as well.  I put some Avon Distanzias on the Versys, and with these tires it will do  anything and more than the KLR will do on gravel roads. If you like to play flat tracker, you would love the Versys.

In the mountain twisties, as good as the KLR is , it is not even in the same league as the Versys.

Sorry if this sounds like a sales pitch for the Versys, don't mean it that way, I am just mentioning in case you might have an interest in something other than the KLR.

Anyway, the 08 KLR is a great bike, if you get one ,you will love it.

[Conniestoga]

I had a '92 KLR and put 45,000 miles on it before I bought my Tengai which is now also approaching 45,000 miles. I bought the Tengai because it had better brakes, suspension, headlight and electrics than the KLR, plus it looks a whole lot better. I think the '08 KLR is closer to the Tengai than it is to the earlier KLR's. The Tengai still looks better than the '08 but that's just my personal opinion. The KLR is a bullet proof bike which will serve you well on or off road. You can ride it fully loaded with camping gear etc. to Moab, do the white rim trail or take a trip to Death Valley and try out Mengle Pass (I've done these both several times) and not worry at all about getting home. My only complaint is that when you're going up hill, up wind loaded with bags etc. it won't go much faster than about 65 mph. You can't have everything. The main reason I bought my Concours was I was putting too many miles on the Tengai. Now I'm not putting on enough. Andrew, You're welcome to come to Ukiah and take my Tengai for a ride anytime.

Eric

[marc11]

You said Tenagi 6 times in that post and I STILL have no idea what it is...but I know the name now...are you in marketing?

Back on topic, so, will the 2008 KLR sport tour at essentially legal speeds over distances of say 250 to 300 miles per day if needed?

[Mrs. DantesDame]

Back on topic, so, will the 2008 KLR sport tour at essentially legal speeds over distances of say 250 to 300 miles per day if needed?

If my 2000 can do it, then I don't see any reason why an '08 can't

[atadaskew]

I'm thinking of the 08 KLR too, but I've been reading really bad stuff on the new KLR too on KLR650.net and KLRworld.com. Crazy high oil consumption - 1 quart every 500 miles, thrown rods and the doo-hickey , after 20 years of problems, still has not been fixed.

Are these one-offs or just chalk it down to first year bike production?

[Bombauer]

I'm thinking of the 08 KLR too, but I've been reading really bad stuff on the new KLR too on KLR650.net and KLRworld.com. Crazy high oil consumption - 1 quart every 500 miles, thrown rods and the doo-hickey , after 20 years of problems, still has not been fixed.

Are these one-offs or just chalk it down to first year bike production?

   You've probably already read this ok klr.net etc but the doohicky has been improved.  A lot of people are changing them pre-emptively.  Even on the older models it was a common problem, but not exactly epidemic.

  The first model year concern is a valid one though - I've read some places say the 08 is NOT recommended now, but it will be in two years, once the aftermarket for new and used parts has built up a little.

[Conniestoga]

    Don't know what a Tengai is. I thought everyone knew what a Tengai was. Do a google search for: Kawasaki Tengai and you will get more information about the Tengai than you want. Make sure you search for "Kawasaki Tengai" and not just "Tengai". If you just search for "Tengai" a lot of non motorcycle Tengai stuff pops up. Here's a picture of my Tengai. It used to have a large pink "Tengai" stenciled on the gas tank but I took it off. Nothing looks worse than Tengai. If I type Tengai one more time, I'm going to puke.

Eric

[marc11]

I'm thinking of the 08 KLR too, but I've been reading really bad stuff on the new KLR too on KLR650.net and KLRworld.com. Crazy high oil consumption - 1 quart every 500 miles, thrown rods and the doo-hickey , after 20 years of problems, still has not been fixed.

Are these one-offs or just chalk it down to first year bike production?

I am hoping they are one off's, but Kawasaki has been known to have first year production teething pains.  I wouldn't be in the market for one until next year anyway, so perhaps things will improve.  

[sagerat]

I've got an '05 KLR and two of my fellow Ural pilots have '08 KLR's.  Both love their thumpers, although one rider is 6'6" and the other is 5'7" and has dropped his twice off road.  Bikes do excellently on/off road and neither one has had oil consumption issues.  Seat are excellent and fairing is quiet.  The stock seats are acceptable, but not fantastic.

I have ridden their's just to see how the '08 compares to both my '05 and my '04 GS.  I can see why they went with the newer KLR.  Better at highway speeds than the older model.

Regardless of year, a KLR will put a huge grin on your face as it's motorcycling at its basic best.