It's too heavy to be a dirt bike, too slow to be a sport bike, too ugly to be a cruiser and too crude to be a tourer. So, what's a KLR good for? Turns out, just about everything. Versatility is the keyword here. It's an affordable, do anything, go anywhere kind of vehicle that routinely takes me on adventures I couldn't enjoy with any of the more specialized bikes listed above. It ain't fast nor pretty but I like my KLR! Kawasaki has been building this bike essentially unchanged since 1987 and most of the other manufacturers now (finally) have a competing model - they must be doing something right. Someone has dubbed the KLR "a fat girl with a dirty mind" - you get the picture. 

At approximately 13,000 feet - approaching Mosquito Pass between Leadville and Fairplay Colorado

Thumping across the Tallulah River in North Georgia

On the White Rim Trail in Canyonlands National Park (Utah)

Returning from Moab near Taos, NM (yes, I rode it back to TN - 2,200 miles)

Riding in the Cherokee National Forest (TN)

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine Type: Four-stroke, single cylinder; Liquid-cooled with two chain driven overhead camshafts; four valves per cylinder
Bore and stroke:100x83mm
Displacement: 651cc
Transmission: Five speed constant-mesh, wet-clutch

Chassis type:
Single downtube, full cradle frame; box section aluminum swing arm

Suspension:
Front: Leading axle, air adjustable fork with 38 mm tubes and 9.1 inches of travel.
Rear: Gas charged shock absorber adjustable for spring preload, compression and rebound damping, and 9.1 inches of rear wheel travel

Wheelbase: 58.9 inches
Rack/trail: 28 degrees/4.4 inches

Tires:
Front:90/90-21
Rear:130/70-17

Fuel capacity: (main/reserve) 6.1/0.77 gal.
Dry weight (claimed) 326 Lb.
Curb weight: (full tank) 398 Lb.
Seat height: 35 inches
GVWR: 794 lbs
Carburetion: 40 mm Keihin CV
Air Filtration: Oil Foam Element
Oil Capacity: 2.6 Qts.
Bhp@rpm: 36.14@7000
Torque@rpm: 32.8@5000

RPM Bhp Torque
3500 20.09 30.15
4000 23.32 30.62
4500 27.50 32.09
5000 31.26 32.84
5500 34.12 32.58
6000 35.98 31.49
6500 36.13 29.19
7000 36.14 27.11
7500 33.69 23.59
8000 29.63 19.45

Final Drive: #520 chain,15/43 sprockets

1/4 mile:13.9 sec.@88.3 MPH
0-60 MPH: 4.74 seconds

45-70 MPH
(3) 3.9 sec. 338 ft.
(4) 4.7 Sec. 400 ft.
(5) 5.9 sec. 506 ft.

Braking 60-0 MPH 153 ft
Engine RPM @ 60 MPH 4186

Maxium speed in gears @7500 RPM:
(1) 37
(2) 56
(3) 72
(4) 89
(5) 107

Top Gear 40-60 mph 5.1 seconds
Top Gear 60-80 mph 6.2 seconds