KLR600 for Trans Africa
 

Hey all!
I am setting off next september trans africa. I had decided on trying to afford a dakar as my bike But have just been offered his 86 KLR600 with 22'000 miles (he put the last 10'000 in the last 12months) It has a new rear shock, large fuel tank 300+miles and racks and hard luggage for £600. The bike is sound running smothly coming from a close friend whom knowing what im doing would't sell the bike if there was something wrong with it. I have read about 'hoodickery' needs replacing, and I would also strenghten the rear sub frame. How much would a carnet for the east coast cost rufly for each bike? reading around no one seams to be using KLR's in Africa-why?
Thank you in advance George Guille

African KLR's
 

I am using KLR's in Africa. Many of them and already for quite a while. KL650C's as well as KL650A's.

IMHO a very capable bike. The 600 is very similar to near identical in most aspects.

I would prefer a KLR over a (BMW F650) Dakar as well s a GS at any time. From own experience.

The main problem with the KLR600 is that replacement parts are no longer available. You would be better off with a KLR650, which is still in production and thus still has replacement parts. For Africa it probably is superior to the F650GS Dakar, since it has a larger fuel tank, sturdier suspenders, and superior reliability when fed poor-quality petrol.

I would not worry too much about spare parts for the KLR 600. All the stuff you usually need is still available, even semiexotic stuff like a balancer chain (all wearing / breaking parts of the balancer assy are identical with the 650's or the 650's can be substituted). Lots of "consumables" for the 600 are available aftermarket. As long as the engine is in good condition I would not worry. My 650's have done up to 75000 km before they needed a rebore and new pistons. I have seen privately owned 600 and 650 KLR's with up to 90000 km which were still fine and did not use oil excessively.

If you want to run your trip on a low budget just go with the 600. The worst that might happen is you thrashing the bike and having to dump it somewhere in Africa and fly home. Very unlikely. There's next to nothing you can't get fixed in Africa.

If you make it all the way down to South Africa you can probably sell the bike for 12000 to 15000 Rand with import duities being around 3000 Rand and fly home without having to worry about horrendous shipment charges for your bike.

I keep an '87 600 in Kenya. It's done well over 40,000kms and apart from a current misfiring problem due no doubt to under-use I've never had any serious problems with it. Over the years I've given it a solid thrashing 2up on corrugation, bad roads, with lots of weight etc and it's has never let me down badly. I'm no great mechanic either. My subframe is aluminium but is still fine. I've found some things on it much simpler than other bikes such as the rear wheel camber thing for chain tensioning, oil changing, taking wheels off etc.

Good that you have a new rear shock as my original was shot after a 2up trip into northern Kenya.

No parts available in East Africa but I know a good mechanic who's still around in Nairobi who is familiar with KLRs if that's any use.

Cheers
Christian