DR/KLR = waste of money? [Archive]

PirateJafa

1st June 2009, 21:26

Let's face it. These "adventure" bikes serve no purpose.

A mate bought one last year and has done what most of their owners consider to be "some serious offroading" - namely riding across his lawn occasionally when he's too drunk to stay on the footpath.

Sure, they look real good parked outside the cafe whilst the riders are having their frapacapalattechino inside, but do they ever actually use them? Not a chance!

Here's your typical DR. Note that even the knobblies are clean. Can't be traipsing any dirt onto mah polished garage floor, by golly.

<img src="http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=130851&stc=1&d=1243915993">

If you're going to leave the sealed track in NZ, you might as well do it in style IMO. Style, comfort, speed and handling - no downside! Plus you don't even need to change out of first. 'Course, all the wildlife are scared away by the sound, buuut it's more of a safety feature really.

About the only "upside" to the these "adventure" bikes is that they use less gas. Where the hell is the fun in that? With the world's oil reserves running out, I want to use as much as possible before those dicks in their mid-life crisis Falcadore use up the last of it. If this means blowing flames from the exhaust for no good reason, so be it.

<img src="http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=130854&stc=1&d=1243915993">

Get a real bike, you poofters.

Slyer

1st June 2009, 21:33

These bikes are an all-purpose AKA no purpose bike.
Sport bikes are better at road riding
Tourers are better at long distance
Small dirt bikes are much better at off road.
Scooters are better at city riding

Unless you live in the third world and your daily commute involves 100km of gravel and rivers etc, you don't need one.
But then, a ute with a top mounted .50cal might be a better choice anyway.

Squiggles

1st June 2009, 21:45

I love how clean my bike is :lol:

Spyke

1st June 2009, 21:52

just like you say, thats the way.

ROCK ON :devil2:

Eddieb

1st June 2009, 21:53

Haha, feel better now? did your little outburst make you feel like a real man, manage to push those inadaquacy's back to the dark places where they normally live?

Blackshear

1st June 2009, 21:55

Dual purpose have always looked a little 'bland', for lack of better words.
Like Slyer said, they kinda don't really fit into any catagory.

I have used my bandit, with too-soft front forks on gravel before, and she coped pretty damn well. You'd get a KDX200/XR250 for the REAL bush/gravel lands.

Perhaps it's the mindset, where you 'can go anywhere' on one, but to each their own.

Squiggles

1st June 2009, 23:04

Im thinking off road coro after exams then, we'll see who "cant make it" all of a sudden :D :lol:

TLDV8

1st June 2009, 23:09

PirateJafa

1st June 2009, 23:10

Im thinking off road coro after exams then, we'll see who "cant make it" all of a sudden :D :lol:
We'll be riding in the South Island if you recall?

Showing you girly-men how it's really done.

Unless you live in the third world and your daily commute involves 100km of gravel and rivers etc, you don't need one.
But then, a ute with a top mounted .50cal might be a better choice anyway.

The man speaks the truth.

Squiggles

1st June 2009, 23:15

We'll be riding in the South Island if you recall?

Showing you girly-men how it's really done.

Ill time it so we'll go once you're back :msn-wink:

Swoop

2nd June 2009, 08:48

<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c345/manurewa/IMG_0589.jpg>
A flat, straight road?
Surely a harley would be better suited to those conditions.

Mystic13

2nd June 2009, 08:55

Hey Pirate I have a DR and I can tell you it gets dirty.

Like you my road bike has been up long metal roads. It's also been up beaches across streams 3/4's of the way up a sand dune (a bugger that I had to retreat and take the long way). More off road than you can imagine.

The reason I have the DR is it takes me where the road bike can't. You can do 7 hours of loose metal on the DR at speed and follow that with the 42nd Traverse.

If I took my road bike where the DR has been there would be a road bike abandoned in the middle of nowhere.

I think sometimes folks by the DR to explore the idea of going to the back of beyond but find it's not them. My DR doesn't clock up as many km's.

The problem for me is my DRZ400 weighs 119kg's and off road that is just so damned easy to ride. I wouldn't want to take a dual purpose 1000cc KT-MW thingy that weighs 230 kg over the same terrain. I'd be buggered just picking the thing up a few times.

I think you've mistaken your ride up metal roads for DR country. There are some amazing sights in the back of beyond.

BMWST?

2nd June 2009, 09:25

and the DR and KLR are very good value for money.You can get a new or near new bike for very resonable money.

Slyer

2nd June 2009, 09:26

He's not ragging on you mystic, the 250's and 400's etc are decent bikes for off road, the DR650 weighs 166kg. ;)

.chris

2nd June 2009, 09:34

Unfortunately you have only seen one small part of adventure riding, have a look at Nordy's videos in the North Invade the south thread, see how your sports bike would handle some real adventure.

Good on you for getting your sport bike in the gravel tho, you should join some of the adventure rides around the place, last ride we had a guy on a CB250 and one on a Buel.

Sport bikes are better at road riding
Tourers are better at long distance
Small dirt bikes are much better at off road.
Scooters are better at city riding

For the riding that I do for fun, none of those suit at all.

Sport bike, trail riding I do not think so.
Tourers on the trail, would be left in the car park with the sport bike, too heavy to take on any decent trail.
Small dirt bikes, yeah great off road but have you every spent more than 10 minutes on one? like sitting on a 2x4, the ride to the trails would cripple you. Cage + Trailer being the best option, where is the fun in that?
Scooter yeah well, obviously the comedy option.

3L4NS1R

2nd June 2009, 09:44

Scooters are for fags.

Sports bikes are for fags who want to get to thier boyfriends place faster.

Tourers are for fags who want thier boyfriend to give them a sore ass, not thier bike.

Dirtbikes are cool. Only cool hetro's have dirtbikes.
And they all wish they had a bigger bike.

Que: KLR/DRs.

PirateJafa

2nd June 2009, 09:45

All you need is just some knobblies.

Plus it's got USDs, so t'would be able to stop from 60km/h in two metres.

<img src="http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=130901&stc=1&d=1243960866">

'Course, I'd've left the fairings and clipons on myself, but for some reason people like the street-fighter look. Sjaak Lucassen would tell them to harden the fook up too.

<img src="http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=130902&stc=1&d=1243960866">

Slyer

2nd June 2009, 09:48

3L4NS1R

2nd June 2009, 09:55

Understand this:
Small Dirt bikes = Awesome
Huge Dirt bikes = Lame

But then how would you do something like... say... bike from Britain, through Europe, Russia, Mongolia, then take the Road of Bones and across to America to New York? And film your numerous escapades at the same time?

Huh? Huh?

Oh, yea, I'd do it on my KLX, there'd be no problem... whatsoever...

Riding a 600 on gravel for the first time was an absolute blast. It's a lot easier than my klx, something about having an extra 350ccs of power makes the whole process less of a survival ordeal and more of a thrill.

Slyer

2nd June 2009, 10:06

But then how would you do something like... say... bike from Britain, through Europe, Russia, Mongolia, then take the Road of Bones and across to America to New York? And film your numerous escapades at the same time?

Huh? Huh?

Oh, yea, I'd do it on my KLX, there'd be no problem... whatsoever...

Riding a 600 on gravel for the first time was an absolute blast. It's a lot easier than my klx, something about having an extra 350ccs of power makes the whole process less of a survival ordeal and more of a thrill.
We're not saying they don't have their use, we're saying that the vast majority of their owners never even do this sort of thing.

Mikkel

2nd June 2009, 10:08

We'll be riding in the South Island if you recall?

Ah, in that case I have a wee challenge for you when you get to Christchurch :D

Now, sometimes google maps sucks arse, here's (http://maps.google.co.nz/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Worsleys+Rd&daddr=-43.606375,172.644739&geocode=FbO9Zv0dq_ZJCg%3B&hl=en&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=14&sll=-43.61172,172.630577&sspn=0.044619,0.076904&ie=UTF8&t=p&z=14) a map to give you an idea.

What you want to do is go from A to B - not via the marked route, but via Worsley's Road and Summit Road. If you manage that on your VFR400 I'll buy you a whole crate of beers. Worth a try isn't it?

I'll even come along to keep you company, point and laugh, etc. :devil2:

Huge Dirt bikes = Absolutely brilliant for cruising all day on shingle.

Fixed.

Bass

2nd June 2009, 10:08

Let's face it. These "adventure" bikes serve no purpose.

Get a real bike, you poofters.

Hmmmmm....... an interesting point of view.
What say we put it to the test???
I had in mind a race from say Perth to Cape York and back.
Just to make it interesting, we have to use the Canning Stock Route, the Gibb River Road and The Burke Developmental in both directions. Also have to carry our own supplies and accomodation.
You use the VF and I'll use my DR.
I do have some advantage having done much of this before so I'll give you 2 day's start.
We will have to move fast though. It's dry season only stuff. Next month would be great.
What do you say?

3L4NS1R

2nd June 2009, 10:10

ahhh... but dreams are free (and klrs are cheap...)

You would destroy that for them?!

Might I ask what these sports bikes with knobblies do regarding bashplates/ground clearance - like that extreme R1? (genuine question...)

Bass

2nd June 2009, 10:17

Let's face it. These "adventure" bikes serve no purpose.

Get a real bike, you poofters.

Ahem....
Yoo Hoo ......over here

We're not saying they don't have their use, .

PirateJafa

2nd June 2009, 10:17

Bit optimistic guys.

Mikkel doesn't realise that our South Island trip will be two uni students on a 72cc 70's beast.

Bass doesn't realise that, being a student, I can't even afford a new set of tyres (which I desperately need) let alone his little "macho-man" challenge. (why the fuck would I want to go to AU anyway? Boring country tbh, much prefer the UK - the beer is far better.)

And 3L4NS1Rneeds to do moar wheelies, evidently. Don't need no steenkin' ground clearance.

Slyer

2nd June 2009, 10:18

I want to see you lot complete the red bull endurocross track on your 650's. ;)
http://www.deflux.co.nz/redbull/

Bass

2nd June 2009, 10:30

Bit optimistic guys.

Bass doesn't realise that, being a student, I can't even afford a new set of tyres (which I desperately need) let alone his little "macho-man" challenge. (why the fuck would I want to go to AU anyway? Boring country tbh, much prefer the UK - the beer is far better.)

Ah right........I'll take that as a "Thanks, but no thanks" then.
Im almost tempted to pay your expenses just to make a point, but hey, let's not lose our sense of humour here, eh?

BTW, when you deem this sort of riding in Oz to be boring, you display a great deal of ignorance. Having said that however, to be honest, I have to admit to having a somewhat similar attitude until I went and did it.

.chris

2nd June 2009, 10:46

I want to see you lot complete the red bull endurocross track on your 650's. ;)
http://www.deflux.co.nz/redbull/

You have no idea how much I wanted to.
I reckon the pro's could do it easily, after all bikes like mine are only about 20-30kg heavier than the bikes they use.

Mikkel

2nd June 2009, 10:58

Mikkel doesn't realise that our South Island trip will be two uni students on a 72cc 70's beast.

All I hear are excuses... Don't have to take the pillion. And what's being a uni student got to do with anything?

If anything you're more likely to succeed on the 72 ccm bike than your 400 ccm. Unless of course it's a 72 ccm dragbike.

Slyer

2nd June 2009, 11:12

You have no idea how much I wanted to.
I reckon the pro's could do it easily, after all bikes like mine are only about 20-30kg heavier than the bikes they use.
A stock Yamaha WR250F is 118kg wet
The 690's is 152kg dry.
So we're looking at 40-50kg difference
Not a small difference. =/

3L4NS1R

2nd June 2009, 11:17

A stock Yamaha WR250F is 118kg wet
The 690's is 152kg dry.
So we're looking at 40-50kg difference
Not a small difference. =/

Is that including the weight of the car and trailer to get the yama to the trail start?

Face it. You're on your way the door to your boyfriends place...

TLDV8

2nd June 2009, 11:34

A flat, straight road?

Only to someone who knows nothing about riding dirt roads or reading the conditions.
It is a easy road here but corrugated as far as the eye can see,not to mention the sand patch's.
Sure you could do it on a road bike but it would be a PITA.

What is the point of the thread. :laugh:

I hated big singles but the last one i rode before the DR was then new 79 XR500.
I am kicking myself for not buying one 20 years ago.
Good speed.
Handles very nicely on the road.
Up to 50 mpg.
Reasonably light (150kg dry)
If you drop it,you just pick it up and carry on.
etc etc etc
You see something off in the bush you just ride into it,be it single track or a dirt road.

Works for me,versatile and fun bike and proves you do not need 200 hp.
The DR is based on Less is More,keeping it simple.

Bass

2nd June 2009, 11:41

Face it. You're on your way the door to your boyfriends place...

I quite enjoy this sort of stuff.
It's a really obvious troll after all and so we can all have some fun with it. The problem with this approach is that we sometimes tend to get into a bit of serious debate and then lose sight of the fun that was originally intended.

I say "more power" to the guy for taking his road bike out into the gravel in the first place. If he keeps it up, he will end up with an adventure bike one day, despite what he thinks (or pretends to think) now.
We all get hooked once we discover how much of the country we miss out on until we leave the seal behind.
It WILL be an adventure bike too.
None of us would claim that our 650's are trail bikes. That's just not the point.
The point is that they can get you to where the fun starts at a reasonable cruising speed and then they can do the fun stuff with 4 days fuel and provisions on the back, if that's what floats your boat.
Starting to sound like a serious discussion now though.

Flip

2nd June 2009, 11:48

I’ve been thinking about getting a DR/KL 650 myself. After my 340kg Harley a DR is going to feel like a flea under me. Thinking about hunting from it ie,carrying my day pack and rifle and riding up into the hills (on farm tracks not the big hell stuff). Might also do some of the soft c0ck adventure trips. Would a 250 be a better bike? It has to be road legal has to take me and my pack and be comfortable on the road.
Mikel, Wolsey Spur, umm drove my Land rover up there the other day, did a bit of panel damage, fell into a couple of holes and got stuck twice, had to winch myself out and almost tipped the rover on its side at one point. I remember reading in a 4wd book that this is a "guarantied damage road". It is...

3L4NS1R

2nd June 2009, 12:00

Would a 250 be a better bike?

only issue with the 250 is usually they have smaller tanks, so no good for the longer/overnight trips. Also I've found higher cc's handle gravel a bit better, more power to get through the soft stuff. That might just be me though having a placebo moment?

.chris

2nd June 2009, 12:11

A stock Yamaha WR250F is 118kg wet
The 690's is 152kg dry.
So we're looking at 40-50kg difference
Not a small difference. =/

not sure where you got your stats from, the 690e is only 138 dry.
Either way my statement stands, the pro's could do it.
My plastic bash guard would last about 8 seconds tho, would definitely need to swap that out for something more solid.

Might I ask what these sports bikes with knobblies do regarding bashplates/ground clearance - like that extreme R1? (genuine question...)
the only answer to this is, they use their exhausts as bash guards.

Swoop

2nd June 2009, 12:17

Sure you could do it on a road bike but it would be a PITA.

What is the point of the thread. :laugh:
I think there are contrails forming off of the wings, when that one went overhead.:laugh:

Slyer

2nd June 2009, 12:19

ah right sorry, was looking at the supermoto.

3L4NS1R

2nd June 2009, 12:22

ah right sorry, was looking at the supermoto.

Now there's a class of bike that I don't understand...

Squiggles

2nd June 2009, 12:28

I want to see you lot complete the red bull endurocross track on your 650's. ;)
http://www.deflux.co.nz/redbull/

Why werent you out there on the gpx? :lol:

Mikkel

2nd June 2009, 12:32

Mikel, Wolsey Spur, umm drove my Land rover up there the other day, did a bit of panel damage, fell into a couple of holes and got stuck twice, had to winch myself out and almost tipped the rover on its side at one point. I remember reading in a 4wd book that this is a "guarantied damage road". It is...

Yep, I damaged an indicator too - and without the good bastards on mountain bikes that gave me a hand when I was stuck I could still have been up there. The mud was really slippery indeed...

Now there's a class of bike that I don't understand...

You have got to be really clueless not to understand how easy it is to get a bike sideways on gravel on sport tyres.
Of course, if you don't get why that is a good thing then I think there's no point in trying to get you to understand supermotos.

EJK

2nd June 2009, 12:32

3L4NS1R

2nd June 2009, 13:03

You have got to be really clueless not to understand how easy it is to get a bike sideways on gravel on sport tyres.
Of course, if you don't get why that is a good thing then I think there's no point in trying to get you to understand supermotos.

Ohhhh... so you want the uncontrolled slides... right. gotcha. :P

3L4NS1R

2nd June 2009, 13:12

I think DR/KLRs are like some SUVs e.g. Wrangler , Land Rover, Discovery etc but supermotards are like Porsche Cayenne. They are actually fast on and off road and proves enough agility too.

I dunno, I've never drivin or rode one so it's just a guess...

but but.. there are things that could SCRATCH a cayenne... not to mention dirty it! A porsche driver would never let that happen!

Crisis management

2nd June 2009, 13:14

Let's face it. These "adventure" bikes serve no purpose.

most of their owners consider to be "some serious offroading" - namely riding across his lawn.

Sure, they look real good parked outside the cafe whilst the riders are having their frapacapalattechino

Where the hell is the fun in that?

Get a real bike, you poofters.

Well guys, I think he has finally seen through our pretence, rather than engage in futile arguement I will concede that all he says is true of me. I'm over fifty, lethargic and balding and own a hugely expensive european "adventure" bike that gets used on the occasional sunday to pootle down to the Mt Eden cafes for a coffee (I even subscribe to HTFU). The only time it gets dirty is when I throw a dusting of soil over it for authenticities sake. Just an aside here, it's really hard to get the right consistency of moist dirt that sticks readily but doesn't look hand applied, I've have found that the Living Earth garden mix with a small additon of water seems to get the best results, if anyone has a better solution a PM will do.

I have had it off road until my wife told me to stop messing up the lawn and the gravel at the road works is fairly challenging at times so maybe I'm not a total poser. Tell ya what, I'm heading into town around five-ish (it's sunny and not raining, I checked the rain radar) and I'll travel down symonds street...look out for a highly polished 990 Adventure and we can exchange hair product notes, reminds me, manicure....must rush!!!

Flip

2nd June 2009, 13:15

Mikkel

2nd June 2009, 13:50

Ohhhh... so you want the uncontrolled slides... right. gotcha. :P

No, but I will settle for semi-controlled ones.

Nothing SUV about my landrover......

Ah, so you had gravity assist on your trip :D
The motard may only be about 160 kgs wet - pushing it uphill quickly becomes hard work though.