34 thoughts on “Re: “The Kawasaki KLR 650 is an AWFUL Motorcycle for Beginners!” What?! #everide”

1. I am a 21 year old female. 130 lb, 5’8″ I have a gen 1 KLR650 and I love it. I was really scared of it at first, but it’s so easy to ride. The only thing I do not love about it is the weight. I’ve walked it over uneven off road terrain and it’s a fat pig to muscle around, and if it starts leaning you kind of just step away and let it go. But, it’s a ton of fun to ride, we adjusted the rear suspension to my weight (took it all the way down as far as it could go) and even though I can’t flat-foot it I still feel like I have fairly good control of it. The thing is an absolute blast, and even though I wouldn’t want it for serious off-roading because of the weight, I love it for street riding, moderate highway (tops at ~90 with the gearing), and minor off-roading. Even in heavy wind on the highway the bike feels planted, because of the weight.

   For me, it is a great beginner bike (after being confident enough to not constantly be dropping it).

2. Would also like to know what the oil consumption is on the Kawasaki 2017 versus X300 thanks

3. what religion are you in. my dads a preachers an evangelical free church in neberaska and im 17 and ride a 96 XT350. just wondering thanks.

4. Which place is this mate?

5. as a general point,perhaps a heavier bike requires more advanced-earlier anticipation to ride-particularly in gnarly terrain,perhaps learned more easily on a small,very light bike,regardless of how slow. I’d say the klr is a great bike to continue riding with rather than an-“i dont know how a clutch works” type thing.

6. The klr was my first bike an i loved it,i would recommend it but saying that i now own a honda xl600v transalp an love it more but it is extremely similar, but i say just look an see what fits u an choose that.

7. I would love you opinion of the versys x300, obviously it is more geared for the road but for a rider that wants a lightweight dual sport and does not intend to do hardcore offroad I think it could be a good option. I Would love a drz400 but here in south africa they cannot be registered for road use.

8. hey man, is the Versys x300 on the list for a review? i have reasonable to high expectations for dual purpose uses for that bike.

9. Okay… 5’9″ female here. The KLR650 is my first bike and it was a brutal cage match for about 2K miles even after I lowered it 2 inches. Then something clicked and we began to become friends. At 4K miles I was pretty much in charge – on pavement. I ride in Mexico a lot and my KLR is great for getting me to Ensenada from San Diego and I am now easing into well-worn dirt roads in Mexican wine country. Truth be told I would really prefer a much lighter bike to do the kind of riding that most of these videos are showing but after taming this beast I feel like a lighter bike would be a cake walk.

10. Solidddd!!

11. Check out Friday’sThe Bomb if you like this video

12. Good video Tyler. I had a KLR250 when I was a teenager. I abused that bike and loved that bike. I didn’t know anything about bike maintenance back in those days. I took it everywhere.

    Getting back into riding a few years ago, I thought bigger would be better, so I opted for a 650cc also. It was a wonderful bike in many ways, but also very limiting. I couldn’t tackle the terrain I wanted to with confidence.

    I found moving from a heavy bike to a lighter bike a great move. I’m now riding a Beta 300RR and it isn’t intimidating at all, I can pick it up all day with ease, and the weight doesn’t get me into trouble on technical riding like the 650 used to.

    Your points are good ones re : cost/ease of maintenance/parts etc. But, for new riders to the sport I’d still recommend they learn on a much lighter machine and get their skills up. They can then decide if they want to move on to heavier ‘adventure pigs’ or keep riding lighter enduro/DS machines. I realize it’s all a personal journey, and I commend you for your informative videos.

    Cheers 😉

13. Hi! i’ve watching and following you for a while, and i’ve asked you in two times your opinion (or better a personal review) on the XT 600 yamaha! looking fordward for the answer. TY. PS: BIG FAN of your channel!

14. I want to see your opinion on the new Versys-X 300… I think it will probably encroach on KLR sales, even though it’s a lot more complex and not as easy to fix on the trail side, it’s lighter and more nimble, and the twin cylinder engine will likely combine with that to make it just as fast or close to the KLR.

15. Subscribed today…you got great videos!

16. Hey, a friend of mine and I are planning a trip from where we live in northern utah up to Alaska in July. We didn’t have any experience with motorcycles so we bought a kawasaki ke100 enduro to learn on. Any advice on how to make the transition from that bike to something like a klr650?

17. Where are these trails???? I live in Las Vegas and would love to check them out.

18. I think if you want to do adventure riding you need to be willing to learn how to work on your bike. Taking it to a dealership for repair is extremely expensive and and you are not guaranteed that they will do a good job if at all. buuut that’s just my opinion.

19. i started on a 2007 yamaha xt225 it only has 17hp but is a lot lighter than the klr, top speed of xt225 is 80 – 90 mph, my 2011 klr 650 has 40hp, top speed is 100 mph, goes to top speed a lot quicker and easier than the xt225

20. is $4,200 a good deal or did i get robbed

21. you need the $600 EVO R racing exhaust system on the klr 650

22. i started on a klr just like the one on the video. and if your thinking about getting one. do it. won’t regret it. he is right about the height too.very nice video

23. Well people have an opinion as always. But i never had any type of motorcycle. I bought a KLR 650 at 31 years of age and haven’t had a problem with it. I find driving any other bike quite easy now. Just another opinion i suppose. Great videos.

24. I ride a Briggs & Stratton.

25. Great Vid,help me make up my mind to buy a KLR,thanks!

26. DR man….had KLR… top heavy and terrible for dirt…..I’m 6’5″ 250 ….Add a bigger tank and windscreen to the DR….

27. I got here by way of a couple of other vids about off road bikes and novices and what have you. I’ve done a lot (and I mean a LOT) of road riding and a small amount off-road, so take this with as much salt as you need.

    But you are right about one thing – there are plenty of times when being on a bike with some weight in it helps an awful lot. Assuming the mass is down low, a heavier bike will track better than a flyweight, will ride bumps and weird cambers better, and will be a lot less fidgety (and thus less stressful). Yes, a heavier bike will be an absolute pig to lift when you inevitably drop it, but its benefits outweigh the occasional struggle.

    No, I am **not** recommending everyone go out and buy an R1200GS, far from it – just get something that you can handle that has a bit of mass to it that won’t fall over the moment a slight breeze turns up.

28. Lack of power? I’m 6’5″ 210lbs and can rip through city traffic with easy and have never stalled out starting on hills or any other power requiring situation. If you’ve got a problem with power on road get a street bike, off road, learn how to feather clutch and throttle control properly. That being said, it is crappy on the highway. But pigs belong on the trails anyway.

    Like was said, it’s a simple, reliable bike. This bike can make it around the world for a 10th the price of a BMW and get fixed anywhere when you do beat the shit out of it or have bad luck.

29. I’m a kawi fan boy but that dang klr is pretty close to my ninja 500r ‘s weight. I’m also very short and believe I’d be falling more often than I’d mind picking it up. wanna start off on a smaller cc , but the 650 is in my opinion the best dual sport to live

30. Let me put it like this – I ride with around 15 other guys, mostly on little KLX150, KLX250, a few KTMs, Huskys etc. There is one guy among us who sometimes brings his KLR650. When he comes we have to arrange a route that he can ride, as he just cannot go places the KLXs can. Even when he does, we often have 3 or 4 guys having to help haul that lump of hot lard over various obstacles, or help with descents etc. The huge fuel tank and big panniers he had fitted made it a great “mother ship” for some rides but in the end he bought a KLX. He still has that KLR and it’s still ideal for long distance smooth tracks, but when the going is gnarly, or might be, it’s best to use something a bit lighter. OK, a LOT lighter. The name “Pig” is well-deserved

31. I think the DR 650 is better, because it has a lower seat height, lower weight, and lower center of gravity. And is very easy to lower. And it simply has a better motor. I owned the DR, KLR, and XRL. The DR had the best motor hands down. The XRL was super torquey, but falls flat after 70mph. The KLR is close to the DR, but at 75 it is buzzy, and the DR is more comfortable with humming along at 75 and 80 then the KLR is. Also, If you want to blast past a semi, the DR has no problem doing a quick blast up to 100mph. The KLR and XRL feel like you are flogging them when you do this. The DR feels smooth while doing it. The DR is the most stable passing semi trucks as well. On dirt roads, the XRL is twitchy as hell at 70. The KLR headshakes at about 75 and makes you want to back off(wimpy fork) The DR will go as fast as you dare. It is stable at 75 on dirt roads. I passed a Toyota truck on a dirt road, and was going almost 90 when I went past, with no problem. The XRL is very top heavy. The KLR is tall, top heavy, and just plain the heaviest. The DR has the lowest center of mass, and can be drifted well off road. Valves on the DR can be adjusted and don’t require getting shims. People say the KLR is the best street bike. Bullshit! It just has the most street stuff on it. Put a seat on the DR and bigger tank, and it kicks the KLR’s ass on the street. More stable, smoother at 80mph, and handles better. If I buy one again it would be the DR. The XRL is just a dog above 70 and that just kills it for me, it’s tiny edge in suspension does not make up for the motor that falls on its face. The KLR is okay on the street, but is waaaaaay too heavy off road. Then on road it simply does not run at 75 and 80 as effortlessly as the DR.

32. If you’re short then just don’t buy a motorcycle with one of the highest seat height, seriously…
    What’s wrong with some peoples brain ?

    I’m 6′
    It’s like I’d buy a kids’ tricycle and complain about the fact that it’s too short for me…

33. A 2001 KLR Gen 1 was my first bike ever. Got it right after licensing. Pretty much jumped head first into solo adventure riding. Of course I spilled it a couple times on some fire roads at low speeds in the beginning. Learned a lot of hard and sometimes exhausting memorable lessons from its disadvantages and capabilities. Three years and thousands of miles later and I feel extremely capable off/on road, continue to surprise myself of what it’s capable of. It has taken me to every place I’ve wanted it to go. Long distance road trips, gnarly abandoned forest roads, old trails, places highly unreachable by my 4wd. I don’t know if it was the best choice of first bike, and honestly don’t care much at this point, I just adapted to it well. If I could go back in time, I wouldn’t change a thing.

34. I have always wanted a KLR and am ready to make the ADV change. Now my wife doesn’t understand why I would want to get rid of the cool looking Kawi mean streak for an ugly mule. I like the KLR look and after a demo ride I’m in love. Help

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