New '09 KLR

[thommo77]

www.kawasaki.com.au

[thommo77]

http://www.kawasaki.com/Products/detail.aspx?id=358&content=photos

More info on this site. Black looks sharp.

[mazz1972]

There's one on trademe http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Dual-purpose/auction-176779718.htm

Apparently Motorad in Wellytown have some.

Still not up on the NZ Kawasaki website tho!

[Nateo Rossi]

Try the guy,s up in Tauranga, think they have one instore,Black looks very good!!

[Padmei]

Sorry guys I have to say they are ugly in my eyes. Looks like they are heading away from the sport bike look of the 08's (look at the top half of the 08s to see what I mean) & going back to the trad look of the earlier models.

Not saying the earlier ones are ugly but the design seems to be caught in limbo. Hopefully the probs with the 08s are addressed with the new ones.

[RedKLR650]

Sorry guys I have to say they are ugly in my eyes. Looks like they are heading away from the sport bike look of the 08's (look at the top half of the 08s to see what I mean) & going back to the trad look of the earlier models.

Not saying the earlier ones are ugly but the design seems to be caught in limbo. Hopefully the probs with the 08s are addressed with the new ones.

It is only the colours that have changed from the 08 models :-)

And what's wrong with the old school look anyway.... of course it's caught in limbo, the design didn't change for 20 years !!

Stu

[pete376403]

Motorads demo unit.
Differences I can see between this and mine are black frame, more black plastics. I'm pretty sure it's the same fairing
Internal changes are (for sure) piston rings. Other than that - same bike, but to my eyes, too much black makes it look heavier (if thats possible)

[Padmei]

There are alot of punters out there after an all black bike though so maybe it'll do well.

Not wanting to hijack or anything but how do you guys change tyres etc if you haven't got a centre stand? - seen the bits of wood & sidestand thing - anyone got any other ideas?

[pete376403]

Car trolley jack (a cheap-ass repco or supercheap one) under the suspension linkage, lift it high enough to put car axle stands under the footrest mounts.

But I'd really like a centre stand.

[marks]

lift it high enough to put car axle stands under the footrest mounts.

why didn't I think of that......

BTW - fitted the SW Motech crash bars over the weekend - super solid (4kg each) construction and good protection - very happy. Without them the radiator is very likely to be damaged by any left side drop.

[NordieBoy]

Motorads demo unit.
Differences I can see between this and mine are black frame, more black plastics. I'm pretty sure it's the same fairing
Internal changes are (for sure) piston rings. Other than that - same bike, but to my eyes, too much black makes it look heavier (if thats possible)

Ebony, Sunbeam Red, Oriental Blue.

[pete376403]

I think the new red and blue are wishy-washy colours, could be this, could be that. The previous ('08) red and blue were bright, in-your-face sort of colours, no doubt about what they were.
Possibly someone thought they were too close to Honda red and Suzuki Blue -thats why the green KLR is the right one - the One True Colour

[marks]

thats why the green KLR is the right one - the One True Colour

amen brother Pete :niceone:

[far queue]

-thats why the green KLR is the right one - the One True ColourYup :niceone: The new red and black ones are :sick: a mate has an 08 in green and it looks great.

[Padmei]

Yup :niceone: The new red and black ones are :sick: a mate has an 08 in green and it looks great.

You're gonna go far in life young fella;)

[NordieBoy]

And the green dosn't show up gass stains :D

[warewolf]

Car trolley jack (a cheap-ass repco or supercheap one) under the suspension linkage, lift it high enough to put car axle stands under the footrest mounts.For years all I used on the DR-Z250 was a single axle stand under the RHS footpeg. Park bike on sidestand, from RHS push bike off ground levering gently onto the sidestand and front wheel, slip axle stand under. Voila! Put the axle stand in a different position at a different height to lift the front wheel.

If necessary, you can fit a second axle stand to the LHS in a similar manner, after doing the RHS. Jacking bikes, especially narrow-cased dirt bikes, is decidedly dodgy - do take care. Several times I've caught bikes that fell sideways off jacks.

These days I have a proper dirt bike stand:
http://www.drcproducts.com/trans/hcstand/image-bg.jpg

But the mighty KLR may be too porky for either of these options.

[NordieBoy]

These days I have a proper dirt bike stand:

But the mighty KLR may be too porky for either of these options.

Jenni got me one for my birthday and it rated to 150kg and holds the DR fine.
It will only just fit under though on it's lowest setting.
That damper is a godsend when dropping the stand :Punk:

[XF650]

Those mx type stands are a bit high to fit under the XF650, so got one of these bike lifts - rated for 1500 lbs.
They have the advantage of being able to lift the bike to a reasonable height plus can move the bike around the garage while attached.
The lift mechanism is a bit obtrusive on one side, but can remove the handle or simply set it up to be working on the bike from the other side.
I'v also been using it to lift & move other stuff, including whole kitchen joinery units.
Great value at just $140.00

[Moki]

What dick forgot the green for '09?

[Padmei]

weird aye since green was the no. one seller for 08. Maybe next model they'll get it right.
Went into a shop & saw a bike - thought "thats a nice looking road bike" & then saw the Tiger badge on the tank:blink: Funny how designs either progress (GS, Tenere, KTM), stay the same (DR) or in this case go mental!

[cooneyr]

.... progress (GS, Tenere, KTM)....

Not sure that progress is quite the right word - shift might be more appropriate :( Here's hoping the "new" super ten that is supposedly going to have its first public showing in October is not another wannabe.

Cheers R

[Moki]

weird aye since green was the no. one seller for 08. Maybe next model they'll get it right.
Went into a shop & saw a bike - thought "thats a nice looking road bike" & then saw the Tiger badge on the tank:blink: Funny how designs either progress (GS, Tenere, KTM), stay the same (DR) or in this case go mental!


Yep,

Don't like the direction they're heading. The KLR is certainly getting to be a bit too smooth around the edges....in an "it's losing it's mojo" pussy sort of way. I never thought I'd say it but I'm starting to look at putting the DR or DRZ on the wish list.:confused:

[Padmei]

Yeah but if you want a bit of fairing then what do you do?

Adventure riding isn't all about single trail riding ( well for a lot of us anyway). What I meant about the GS & super Ten is the look is moving forward - almost robotic in a way.

You can always have a basic look of a DR but bringing style into it (no offence guys - roll down your shirtsleeves) they are lacking. I mean each year if they just change the colour -wow yippee:whistle:

Styling bikes is a tough thing in my opinion & for me the look of the new Ten & GS is the right way to go - tough looking & utalitarian. Funnily enough in saying that the KLR is the opposite really - smooth & roady looking but with a style I like.

Of course there is the superfluous stuff like horsepower,handling, gadgets beyond belief ( I mean tyre pressure indicator? good grief) but its the styling that grabs you when you look at it & think "yeah I need that"

[cooneyr]

.....for me the look of the new Ten & GS is the right way to go - tough looking & utalitarian....

I agree except I want spoked wheels, decent suspension travel and a most importantly a 21 inch front wheel.

A Vstrom or the new Super Ten (I'm guessing) with these would be pretty close to the right sort of bike for me. The old super ten and the KTM 9x0 fit the bill pretty well but one is old and the other kinda expensive. Wouldn't cost much to offer the strom in the right configuration from the factory - kinda like the F650 GS and G650 Dakar options.

Cheers R

[far queue]

Yeah but if you want a bit of fairing then what do you do?Then you harden the fuck up :dodge:
You can always have a basic look of a DR but bringing style into it (no offence guys - roll down your shirtsleeves) they are lacking.:girlfight:

I mean each year if they just change the colour -wow yippee:whistle:A bit like the KLR from 1987 to 2007 you mean :whistle: In order to keep up with that effort the DR has another 8 years to wait yet :D

[NordieBoy]

Then you harden the fuck up :dodge::girlfight:
A bit like the KLR from 1987 to 2007 you mean :whistle: In order to keep up with that effort the DR has another 8 years to wait yet :D

The 1990 DR650 was pretty much similar to the 96>
<img src=http://www.suzukicycles.org/photos/DR-series/DR650/1991_DR650R_redwhi-side_500.jpg>

[far queue]

The 1990 DR650 was pretty much similar to the 96Oi, whose side are you on :girlfight: The '96 Dr is quite different to the '95 in a number of areas, and then sticker and paint changes from there on ... and then there's yours which is quite different from what Mr Suzuki intended :shit:

[NordieBoy]

Oi, whose side are you on :girlfight: The '96 Dr is quite different to the '95 in a number of areas, and then sticker and paint changes from there on ... and then there's yours which is quite different from what Mr Suzuki intended :shit:

I'm slowly turning mine into a pre '96 DR 650.

It is what Mr Suzuki intended just not what came out of the factory after the accountants had a go at redesigning it.

[Padmei]

Sorry Far queue no offense was intended you sensitive chappy. :love: I didn't want it to turn into a KLRVsDR thread as there are enough of those.

What I meant is for those who want performance & brute horsepower without the hinderance of extra plastic bits there is the DR (& older KLR) however others want a different look.

[far queue]

Sorry Far queue no offense was intended you sensitive chappy. :love: I didn't want it to turn into a KLRVsDR thread as there are enough of those.Ha ha ha, none was taken, I was winding you up - it's kind of a hobby :D There's some mighty good fishing to be had around these parts. Harley owners bite especially well :angry2: :laugh:

I don't really care what people ride, I guess they're happy with their choice, and that's what counts. It's like the dicks that argue over whether Holdens or Fords are best - get over yourselves. But again, they make for good fishing :jerry: