Kawasaki KLR 650

Whether they call it a tourer, a commuter, a canyon carver, an off-road-assault vehicle or all of the above, just about everyone who answered this month's readers' survey said their KLR was the the most enjoyable, versatile motorcycle they'd ever owned. A few of the owners figured the KLR didn't deliver what they expected, but they were a small minority.

Eighty-five percent of owners who filled out the survey forms gave the KLR a "good" rating. The other 15 percent pointed to its dirt capabilities in rating it only "satisfactory." Riding among survey respondents broke down into 37 percent commuting, 25 percent sport riding, 21 percent touring and 17 percent off-roading.

Kawasaki's senior dual-sport campaigner has some problems, but most are easily fixed. The most common failure is the ignition-cutout switch on the sidestand. When it's working properly, the switch interrupts the ignition to keep owners from riding away with the kickstand down. The trouble is the switch isn't very reliable. If it fails, the bike stops running, which can be inconvenient, annoying or downright scary, depending on where you happen to be when it quits. But the cutout switch can fizzle in more subtle ways, interrupting the ignition while the motor is running but never switching it off completely. Thus some KLRs are plagued with a sporadic ignition miss that defies diagnosis because the ignition system stays in perfect working order. The good news is owners can simply bypass the switch by connecting the wires that plug into it. You can also replace it with a more reliable substitute if you want to keep the safety interlock.

One California rider.reported an electrical short in the wiring harness around the steering head that was caused when the harness chafed against the fairing mount. That type of predicament is easily solved with some electrical tape and careful routing of the wiring harness.

The most often cited nonelectrical problems included troubles with the countershaft. The seal leaked, the sprocket came off and the splines stripped on various bikes, something to consider if you want to buy a used KLR. The standard KLR rear shock is marginal and can fail when subjected to many miles of rough going. The shaft seals leak, which led many owners to seek aftermarket rebuild services and shocks.

Elden Carl had an Öhlins shock custom-modified by Pettersson Pro Suspension of Placentia, California (714/970-2423). Like other owners with aftermarket or professionally rebuilt stock shocks, he reported a significant improvement over the original setup. He guarded against future problems by constructing a splash shield to protect the rear shock. Derrick Harff achieved the same end by installing the inner fender from a KX motocrosser. "With a little trimming and shaping with a hair dryer and by using a few pop rivets, it looks like a factory job," he said.

Stiffer springs, bigger preload spacers and/or heavier fork oil were cited as improving control. Handling can be quickened by sliding the fork tubes up between .5 and 1 inch in the triple clamps.

The single front-disc brake is a bit weak. Aftermarket pads and braided stainless steel brake lines help, but Clay Perry reported a better solution. He installed a kit from Kosman that includes a bigger cast-iron rotor and a bracket to relocate the stock caliper. This brake doesn't fade like the stock unit and isn't overpowering in the dirt.

Aside from being heavy, the stock muffler rusts inside. Several owners reported having the internal baffles break. The trouble is too many replacement exhaust systems are just too loud for stealthy progress through off-road environs. Cobra and Super-Trapp systems were widely used but denounced for their racket. Some Su-perTrapp users are running as few as four or five disks in their mufflers to quiet the bike. But don't expect a power gain from such a restrictive setup. Riders in search of extra power, who don't want to go deaf or irritate their neighbors, turned either to modified stock systems or quieter bolt-on alternatives.

Clay Perry says his new Cobra ISDE is as powerful as his noisier old Cobra pipe and as quiet as the stock muffler. Lockhart's DualShot exhaust was also rated as a better solution than the older, louder pipes.

Other problems with the exhaust related to its heat and high routing. Owners reported melted body panels, air-boxes and luggage. After singeing a Chase Harper saddlebag while carrying a passenger, Kevin Johnson concluded that the two are mutually exclusive. "If the bags are far enough forward to avoid the muffler, the passenger can't get to the footpegs," he wrote.

Roger Lewis thought he had worked out a system to fit both his luggage and his wife on the bike. He was mistaken. "As I glanced back, I saw flames streaming from the right saddlebag. I pulled over on the shoulder and learned the true meaning of 'quick-release buckles.'"

Upstream in the engine bay, there were few problems to note. Annual maintenance costs averaged less than $100, but nearly all owners expressed irritation at having to remove the gas tank to get at the spark plug. Aside from regular scheduled maintenance, the engine was admirably reliable and required little attention.

Some bikes vibrate more than others due to production variations; both KLRs and KLR riders differ in their tolerance of that vibration. Bits like light bulbs and fasteners were sometimes affected. Some owners reported persistent problems, while others had no trouble whatsoever.

"It burns out headlight bulbs every 500 miles," Bill Heistermann reported. The solution, according to Joel Cagno, is to rubber-mount the fairing assembly. This cushions the headlight and prolongs bulb life. Riders whose bikes

lost fairing bolts told us putting Loctite on the new bolts kept them in place.

The small headlight was criticized for not throwing enough light down the road. Many owners installed higher-wattage halogen bulbs and were pleased with the outcome. Robert Herndon mounted a pair of 60-watt heavy-equipment lights to the hand-guard bolts of his handlebar.

Some riders wished for a center-stand, and Ron Kellner found that an OEM stand is available in Europe, if you can find a way to order it.

The stock seat is a sore spot with a good number of owners. Though some found it comfortable enough, others found that after a couple of hours of riding or a couple of years of age, the soft foam simply crushes, offering little cushioning. Some riders liked the KLR's motocross-influ-enced appearance, but the KLR's customer base is not a young bunch of Jeff Ward wannabes. The average KLR650 owner we surveyed was 38 years old.

Owners used traditional means to wring more power out of their steeds. Ventilating the airbox, rejetting the carb and installing an aftermarket exhaust were the means most often chosen to get KLRs thumping out more power. Paul Vernes and a friend with a KLR performed side-by-side acceleration tests to determine optimum jetting for their conditions. By installing a 142 main jet, raising the needle with a .032-inch washer and opening the idle jet four turns of the screw, Vernes found maximum power with no flat spots. Other owners went for a Dyno-jet kit, which reportedly also improved carburetion.

Some owners recognize the innate limitations of tires designed to stick to both dirt and pavement and keep two sets of wheels shod with knobbies and street rubber. Others have found the best compromise for their needs. The stock Dunlop tires are widely considered an acceptable compromise. More specialized replacements ranged from Metzeler ME33 and 55 sport-touring tires to dirt-oriented knobbies. For dirt action, Pirelli, IRC, Metzeler and Cheng Shin tires all proved suitable. For more street-oriented riders, Avon Gripsters proved to be the most popular choice.

Of course, dirt riding introduces its own set of variables in motorcycle ownership. Crash damage and protection become more pressing issues. The KLR's primary flaw when it is crashed in the dirt is the radiator shrouds, which owners say come unglued almost instantly on contact with terra firma. Other problems include a shifter that smacks into the engine cases when the bike lands on the left side and an exposed undercarriage. After rocks punctured his KLR's engine cases, Vernes added a custom extension to the stock case guard to prevent future havoc.

Most KLR owners also have other bikes. This circumstance, combined with the partially off-road mission of the Kawasaki, results in lower average mileage than found in other "Reader Reports." The bikes surveyed averaged 11,835 miles each. Riders added to that total by 6100 miles a year on average. Robert Herndon puts more miles on his bike than any other owner surveyed: 12,000 miles a year and 38,000 miles total so far.

The miles have been inexpensive, as evidenced by the aforementioned low cost of maintenance. Insurance was also cheap, averaging $223 a year. The relatively high average age of owners most likely helped.

Low cost of ownership was also reflected in the gas mileage. Hard sport or dirt riding reduces fuel efficiency to 40 mpg. Commuting produced 50 mpg, while highway cruising stretched each gallon 60 miles or more. Combined with a 6-gal-lon tank, that gives the KLR a 300-mile range.

Entry costs to play with a KLR were also reasonable. The average out-the-door price was $3276. Three-quarters of the bikes were bought new.

An unprecedented 100 percent of all owners who filled out survey forms were satisfied with their purchases and would buy them again. But that figure is also a bit misleading. Unhappy owners sent letters but didn't fill out survey forms.

But even though Kawasaki's KLR didn't turn out to be the perfect tourer, commuter, canyon carver or urban-assault vehicle, it's still one of the most versatile, dependable, affordable motorcycles money can buy. M