Theres an 85 Kawasaki KLR600 for sale around me and I'm wondering who's had experience on this or any other type of "Dualsport" bike. The KLR600 imparticular since that's what a majority of them are that are for sale around me. Thanks.

Yea get atleast a 500, cos the 350 my neighbor had was just not going to make it on the streets with 55 speed limits or higher.
Cool.
Buddha.

They are great if you are tall or have bad roads. If you are a pure street rider they suck compared to even a Ninja 250. Small ones are more for going down a short road to a trail than highway use. They get crashed a lot if they had offroad use. In my area they get stolen a lot. I don't like kick start on the big ones which excludes most over about 10 years old. Kick start is great when reliable but lousy when you stall in traffic, on a hill, etc.

Personally I think that a 600 is big to start, while it won't go over 100, it will wheelie at will at 30. The term is hooligan bike. Main reason why people steal them, ride them dirty (no tags license or insurance) and crash them by me. Oh yeah. Maintenance on a single is about as simple as it gets with motorcycle. That 600 is too old weird to find used parts. The next version, 650, is much better.

I had a dual sport before the GS.  It was a KTM LC400, my first road bike that I actually owned.  I didn't care for it.  It was very tall and it wasn't very good for road riding and it wasn't much good for offroad riding.  It just sucked for everything basically.

My advice--buy a cheap road bike and a dirt bike if you plan on doing much offroading.  You'll be happier and better off in the long run, just my 2 cents.

a friend of mine has a klr 650. loves it. he's tall though. if you're looking for sport bike handling you aren't going to get it with a dual sport, but he can ride it almost anywhere in almost any condition... over curbs, through fields, snow banks, whatever. the gs has a better top speed and road handling but the klr is faster through the gears and isn't relegated to the paved flat stuff. just my 2 cents.

KTM 990 Adventurer. If your guna do it do it in style. R1150 GS by BMW - that thing really can do EVERYTHING! Including have its subframe snapped in half and still be ridden with gear in the panniers!

f%$k that shaZam!!!!   Ductard is the way to go..........  I rode one today, Holy f%$k is the only thing that comes to mind.   It was fast as hell, stable as hell, took bumps and curbs without a problem and though I didn't get the chance, it definitely felt like it was begging to put one of my knees down.

Ductard f%$ktard. 

What you want is a supermoto SV!   

Dude, those are f%$king hideous.   And you show me an SV supermoto with the kinda linear power the HM1100 has.

Hyperwhattard?

The 2nd gen is hideous, I agree.  The first gen (top pic) is pure sex.  Don't deny it!   

Quote from: spcterry on April 30, 2008, 05:26:41 PM
f%$k that shaZam!!!!   Ductard is the way to go..........  I rode one today, Holy f%$k is the only thing that comes to mind.   It was fast as hell, stable as hell, took bumps and curbs without a problem and though I didn't get the chance, it definitely felt like it was begging to put one of my knees down.

meh wait for a few years then buy one used. price is better then

Well I'm 6'1 so the height thing is no problem, that SV Supermoto looks f#%king beast, and I'll be doing 90% of my riding on the streets. I do have plenty of land where I live to roam around but I mainly wanted to know about these dual sports because theres never any good prices on bikes around me and rarely ever do I even see a GS come up for sale.

My hubby outcorners sportbikes in the twisties on his DR650, (he caught a Duc the other day) and he can go up and down curbs and wheelie it too. He is growing fonder of my GS, now that it is rejetted and has the suspension upgrades, but if there could only be one moto in the family, it would be his DR. He's a die hard dual sport rider from way back, though out of the 46-47 motos he's had in his 50 years, many have been street bikes with a few early super sports in the mix. So it's whatever floats YOUR boat.

But that SV650 up there just replaced the Desmosedici RR on my desktop!   

Lordy how I love supermotos! 

Quote from: Teek on May 01, 2008, 12:19:41 AM
My hubby outcorners sportbikes in the twisties on his DR650, (he caught a Duc the other day) and he can go up and down curbs and wheelie it too. He is growing fonder of my GS, now that it is rejetted and has the suspension upgrades, but if there could only be one moto in the family, it would be his DR. He's a die hard dual sport rider from way back, though out of the 46-47 motos he's had in his 50 years, many have been street bikes with a few early super sports in the mix. So it's whatever floats YOUR boat.

But that SV650 up there just replaced the Desmosedici RR on my desktop!   

Lordy how I love supermotos! 

neat how motorcycles get so many names attached.

supermotard = remember back when a motorcycle could go -anywhere- ?
superbike = EVERYTHING is limited except speed
scooter = you know you want it


anything with two wheels rocks

Quote from: Teek on May 01, 2008, 12:19:41 AM

But that SV650 up there just replaced the Desmosedici RR on my desktop!   

Lordy how I love supermotos! 

RAAAWR!   

Honda just came out with a CRF230 dual sport.  I sat on one about a month ago at the dealer.  No, it won't do the interstate or long highway trips, but you could sure stir up trouble in town!   

wow, never seen an sv motard/retard whatever its called these days.  As per the OP, I got a quick ride on a drz and it was a blast with knobbies and all.  Don't hesitate to get a drz400 or 650.  I'd almost prefer the 650 just cause its air cooled and easy to work on but the 400 has way more aftermarket avail.  In either case, drz or klr and you can't go wrong.

I still own a KLR650 1997 and love it.  I am a short arse and used it for cummuting daily to work (round trip 66km).  I put 93000km on the clock and loved the weekend rides with members of ADVrider.com and solo rides once I fitted the GPS

Top speed of about 160km/hr (roughly 100mph) though it did not like the high speeds and would be happy to cruise all day at 100 to 110km/hr

Easy to maintain and service

If you like offroad and want to get in places where dirtbikes are not allowed to go becuase they are not licenced then duel sports is the way to explore.  Chuck on a GPS to the bars and go bush and have fun. 

knobbies on teh road tho wont last long. but heh i want one also