You don't mess around. Great topic! Now if someone with a KLR could tell me what they use for tires....

Glad someone has started a KLR file here as having ridden one recently I'm quite impressed with them as long range dirt tourers even though they are not available her in the UK since ten years. We 4 just did a trip in northwestern Canada on KLRs with Bridgestone TW 41 and 42s
(see my trip report: http://www.adventure-motorcycling.com/report/218.htm - also on video)
The back lasted the 6000 km (20% dirt) with a few mm left and amazingly good grip all round for a ds tyre, but the front was not so hot in the dirt - These are dual sport tyres of course - safe on the highway but for our sort of trip I would have prefered MT21s even if they had worn out quicker.

Chris S

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Author of Sahara Overland and the Adventure Motorcycling Handbook, among other things

http://www.sahara-overland.com

Sorry chris, but the KLR is still available here in the UK, it's the KLX that is not available any longer in the UK. Have a good look in MCN for prices they are very cheap.

Mark

Avon Distanzia's.
6,000 highway miles.
1,500 dirt. Then I broke my leg.

Not too bad on the crappy roads in Guatemala, but my next set will be some knobbies.

heré´s my .02 on tyres for the KLR...Gripsters are great for highway use (a good portion of what we´ve been doing in here in Central America) however I recently went to the stock Dunlops (due to a chunk gone missing on my rear and worn front). I would have preferred MT21s but you take what you can get. I have been pleasantly surprised by the Dunlops, a tyre that I´ve always heard bad things about. They´re a hell of a lot better than the gripsters in the mud and Guatemalan pricing was cheaper than the states.

nice to see a KLR forum...

Seamus

Actually Mark, its the big tanked 'A' model I was refering to (as in the book) although what they call a KLR650 here now is probably better in many other ways - I know a shop was flogging a new one for 3600£ which is as cheap as it gets.

Chris S

Avon Gripsters
Rear:12,500 miles. Mostly road, but a bit of ugly off road. Put it on new in S.A.,TX, rode to far side of Panama then back and some more Tex.riding. Put new Gripster on at 16,350 mi, now at 21,300

Front:Currently has 11,000 miles. Put it on new Panama(10, 232 mi), rode back to Tx, then, later, from Tex-Copper Canyon-Mazatlan-Baja-San Diego.

Works for me.--Porter

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on the road(almost)
and lovin' it!!
KLR650-A13 'BURRO'

I put a set of Perelli's MT21's. Very aggressive DOT tire. Great in the loose stuff and pretty decent on pavement. However, the rear is on it's last legs at less than 3000 miles of paved and unpaved roads.

Kurt