Cagiva Canyon 500 vs Kawasaki KLE 500

[limbimtimwim]

I think the DR650 is cheeper than DRZ400 new and the DRz400 I also think has a short skirt piston, the DR650 one is old school, less stressed, should last a little better, but I'm not a mechanic and hate pulling engines apart so this is just hear/say.

Yes, it is more expensive. And more highly strung. The maintenance will be more expensive. Swings and roundabouts really.

[NordieBoy]

Goes very well, very comfortable, lots of improvements over the older KLR for only another $305 (old - $9290, new - $9895).

Another $605?

However for gravel road/back road scratching the KLR is great. Has a huge, almost cult-like following in the States - have a look at www.klr650.net, klrworld.com or advrider.com

The same can be said for the DR and BMW as well.

It really comes down to riding one of each and seeing which one suits you better.

They will all do the job but you'll find one that pushes more of your buttons.
It may be the seat on the Dakar, the flickability of the DR, or the colour of the KLR.

But hey when it all comes down to the nitty-gritty and you've chosen your bike, we'll all be here to tell you how to get it dirty

[bell]

Those new KLRs are starting to look good. Thanks for the links windboy.

Eh? "Windboy"? Is there something you're not telling us Nordie? A flatulence issue that we don't know about? Was it a Freudian slip perhaps?

Good to see the KR spirit of helping out with the inevitable questions that arise when buying bikes is alive and well.

I recall getting the same practical no bs advice when I asked similar questions as a new KBer.

Incidentally I'm 188cms and the DL fits me like a glove. I would've thought it was considered a "tall" persons bike. As mentioned though, these things can be worked around if the machine really does it for you. Best of luck with your purchase. I'm returning to Australia in the next 6 months and the bike shortlist is actually rather long - GSX1400, DL650, Versys 650, R1150GS...aaah, gotta have dreams eh?

[NordieBoy]

Eh? "Windboy"? Is there something you're not telling us Nordie? A flatulence issue that we don't know about? Was it a Freudian slip perhaps?

Or "Windboy" is another user perhaps?

I'm returning to Australia in the next 6 months and the bike shortlist is actually rather long.

Voluntary or forced return?

[far queue]

Voluntary or forced return?

Back to the penal colony you think?

[pete376403]

Another $605?

crap. Maths never was my long suit.

[NordieBoy]

crap. Maths never was my long suit.

Nor metaphor.
Strong suit.

[pete376403]

Nor metaphor.
Strong suit.

I've seen both forms.

http://www.answers.com/topic/long-suit.

[NordieBoy]

If it was a long suit you'd have to roll up the cuffs and it'd look totally bogan.
Now, wear a strong suit and no-one would mess with you.

[bell]

Or "Windboy" is another user perhaps?


Voluntary or forced return?

Er, er....I'd had a long day. It started with a 3:15am wake up call - fire up on Walters Bluff to assist with. Spent the day there and got home at 5:30pm.

Apologies to windboy.

How is the flatulence by the way....

Re returning to the penal colony: my wife is applying for nursing vacancies in Qld to start next year. I'm trying to steer her decision making toward those parts of Qld that have some twisty bits! That pretty much narrows it down to the SE corner or the Atherton Tablelands up north.

See you round.

[windboy]

Hey Bell,

no problem, flatulence problem still there, especially with these storms...

sorry to hear you back doing time

have a good time in oz

later,

[Old Grant]

I've owned a KLE 500for about nine months but sadly because of work pressure have only done 5000k's. It is a good little bike,not overly powerfull but very easy to ride and very stable off the seal. Compared to some of the big bore singles it is very smooth with virtually no vibration. I am over 100kilos and the KLE will maintain 100/110kph all day but i need to make use of the gears. It will do about 350 k's of easy road work on a tank. I am told that a performance pipe will give a significent increase in power. I think it was excellent value for the price.

[kro]

My personal preference would be a GSXR 11, plus 4k to spend on booze.

[ZReX12]

I haven't ridden the KLE but have ridden the Cagiva, ended up buying an F650GS.
The Cagiva is one dodgy motorcycle. For a "modern" bike it had the clunkest starter motor engagement system I've ever come across. This combined with a unbelievabley bad fairing put me right off the thing. At 100kmph the buffeting was so bad and of such a high frequency I couldn't read road signs. Someone taller or shorter may fine it OK, but at around 5'10" I found it dangerous.

Even without riding the KLE my advise would be to go with the Kawasaki.

[Noote]

If you can hold off a week or two you can take my KLR650 for a burst, I live
handy at Te Awamutu, I'm away in Singapore till the 11/08/07
Cheers Michael