DL650 Compared to a KLR650 ?

[dannyg]

Hello Everyone,
Im in search for a new bike. I had an 04' KLR650 that I had for a year and recently sold due to needing the cash for some house work. Im in the market for a new bike very soon. My nephew just bought a Katana 750, and after me riding it several times, I realized Im not a semi- crotch rocket fan. Living here in Chicago on some bumpy streets made driving hard. The KLR was great on these streets. I always felt the KLR was geared to low, but after driving the Katana, I kinda regret selling my KLR. The KLR was a little lacking on HP, and there was not much that can be done to increse it. Im not really a "Cruiser" kinda guy either. I recently started doing some research on the DL650 & DL1000. For the guys here who have owned the DL & KLR..... how much better is the DL as far as power, confort, add ons, handeling, and reliability. Does it have any weaknesses like the KLR such as the "Doohicky" was with the KLR ? How is it on dirt roads compared to the KLR ? Also, the KLR would be all over the street at about 60 -65 MPH, does the Strom handle the wind better ?

Thanks Guys
Im seriously looking into the DL........

[Paul D]

For the guys here who have owned the DL & KLR..... how much better is the DL as far as power, confort, add ons, handeling, and reliability. Does it have any weaknesses like the KLR such as the "Doohicky" was with the KLR ? How is it on dirt roads compared to the KLR ? Also, the KLR would be all over the street at about 60 -65 MPH, does the Strom handle the wind better ?


Check this thread for someone who compares the DL650 vs. the KLR:

http://11109.rapidforum.com/topic=102381401846

I just sold my KLR and bought a DL1000 over a 650, based on the recommendations of people on all three Strom lists. It's still pretty new but I can speak to some of your questions. First and most important, the DL is in a totally different class than the KLR. It is far more sophisticated and is better in almost every way, including power and comfort, and also instrumentation, smoothness, brakes, lighting, fit and finish, and did I mention power? Handling is somewhat similar (although the DL can achieve higher speeds thanks to, yes, power), but the stock suspension is better than the KLR and the remote rear preload adjuster is cool. Reliability seems very good based on what I see on the lists. I don't know of any smoking guns like the doohickey, but the injection on my 1000 sucks around 3500 rpm and this seems hard to sort out without a Power Commander or similar. Other than that it is excellent in the city, with nearly as much bump soaking ability as the KLR. Wind noise is about the same as my KLR with high shield, but the bike is much more stable in cross winds. Of course it is significantly heavier. Because of that and by design, it is not anywhere near the KLR on dirt. It can handle an easy fire road but that's about all. As you know, the KLR can be really ridden for miles on single track. You would be crazy to do that on a DL, with the cast wheels and lack of engine protection. You can dress up a DL for dirt with a bash plate etc. but it will never be a match for the KLR. Some people get the DL way off road and more power to them. I loved the KLR especially in urban commando mode, but I got my DL because in 18 months of KLR ownership, I had it in the dirt exactly twice. If your experience is anything similar, you will love the DL. Good luck!

[RUUFMAN]

own both right now.different bikes,differnt roles in life.klr is great for dirt roads,back roads and easy off roads exploring.falls over well with minimal damage.cruising at 80 on the highway is not so fun.DL650 is like a minature sportbike with great ergonamics,off road pretensions and a killer price.buy one of each,you cant hav e just one.

[trailbuster30]

For your type of riding the DL would be perfect. But in defense of the KLR, two of which I've owned in the past, I never really considered the doohickey a problem since the cause was well known and there was an aftermarket fix for it that worked 100% of the time. On the other hand I owned bikes that had inherent problems that some owners succeded in eliminating and some never did find a fix for it. Such as my new overheating XR650, my new 1200 Sportster that would backfire upon hot startup and the oil consumption that the dealer deemed normal, and I hate to say it, but some owners of DL1000's still have idle hammer and surging at low rpm's after many attempts to eliminate these problems. I know the doohickey on the KLR could cause mechanical failure but, again, it could be fixed in advance and the problem would be gone forever. My riding habits these days are similar to yours which is why I went with the DL650, for what I use it for, 90% street, use was an excellent choice. I feel the DL650 isn't a better bike than the KLR, just different.

Dan

[Bobb_Todd]

I always thought of the KLR as being about 33/66 off/ on road.

The DL650 is more like 20/80 or 15/85.

Having ridden a KLR and owned a DR650 I like the DL650 better than both.

Faster, smoother, better built, has all the add ons I need and no major issues that I have discovered.

I will take crap for saying this but I would not but a DL1000. Too many issues documented too many times.