New 2021 Kawasaki KLR650
 

So here it is - the new Kawasaki KLR650 2021.

https://www.kawasaki.com/en-us/motor...L-AQ4J2Yv-dF5E

Now it gts EFI, it comes in 3 different editions. And it weighs 460 ibs/210 kilos wet. Hm hm hm, what are your thoughts travellers?

Advpulse has a more detailed article about the KLR: https://www.advpulse.com/adv-news/ne...Hj7v225kJjQz_Q

Having a seen the price they must be planning to shift them very fast - $8000 for the top spec model - does that include local taxes? If so, what would the normal on the road price be?

I think they will sell well, but I am surprised that the weight has gone up.
I believe the previous iteration had a wet weight of about 430 lbs.

for more on the new KLR, check out this video:

I am not a fan of anything over 400cc with only one cylinder and with the same or more weight than my old R80G/S I would not consider one but I am sure they will be popular.

Good for Kawasaki to update it but they do look a little like lipstick on a pig updates - tart it up with whatever costs next to nothing and gets it through e.g. pollution regs. Having said that I do have a soft spot for the KLR. A friend in the US has one and its been an amazingly reliable workhorse. I've done quite a few miles on it when I've been over there and it's one of those ride and take for granted bikes. It's not great at anything but it's comfortable enough, fast enough, reliable enough, cheap enough, plus a whole load of other 'enoughs'. I'm pleased it's back.

If you account for the bigger fuel capacity compared to the T7 the weight is basically the same.

The power is not great, but that has never been the point of the KLR.

I think this is a good cheap travel bike. It wont get you there very fast or very smoothly, but it will always get you there.

Ahhh. Kawasaki finally release the 2005 KLR650.

It literally is a 2005 spec bike isn't it. With 2005 technology and specification.

Five speed gearbox in 2021.. Really ???

HOW HEAVY ??

It would have been comparable and in competition with the XT660Z which came out in 2007. That bike is out of date and discontinued now.

I think it still seems way too expensive for what it is. Even though I really don't like the Himalayan, it's $3000 cheaper. The only appeal of the KLR is that it's Kawasaki and they make extremely reliable motorcycles.

doh

For the price, brand new, it would go right up against a CB500X. Can't see myself making a choice towards the KLR in that case.

It appears a lot of folks are disappointed Kawasaki did not take the opportunity to innovate with a new Versys 400X or a KLE500 twin type of motorcycle as opposed to marginal updates of the KLR 650.

Is there a market for this type of bike? Yes - but like Suzuki's ancient Dual Sport range of the DR650/DRZ 400 models, Kawasaki seem to be willing to be left behind in the ADV/Travel market.

and more thoughts:

I think he sums that up pretty well.

Disappointing and rather pointless.

I’m glad to see a 650 single back in the market but agree with Ted - it doesn’t even quote the HP on the Kawasaki website!
My frustration is, when will SWM get their distribution and franchise dealership sorted in the U/K and Europe? I’m not sure what it’s like in the states but it must be okay in Australia as they are popular bikes and getting excellent reviews.

My point is that they produce a modern, single cylinder, 650 that, I feel, is a true middle weight. I feel confident, given the right advertising, that they would become very popular which might encourage Suzuki and Kawasaki to to do likewise.

Its not gone down well over on Facebook either but I think it bridges the gap well between the cheap and cheerful - R.E., Chinese stuff etc - and the more technologically advanced Japanese and European offerings. I suspect it'll become one of those bikes that sells well enough on a combination of ease of riding (mostly on road) and Japanese reputation, but it'll stay under the press / social media radar.

It's pretty obvious what they've done is just to change those parts that are passing out of standard motorcycle industry production. LCD instruments, LED lights etc - all easier and cheaper to source now than, for example, cable operated mechanical speedometers. Lack of Euro5 means it's not likely to come to Europe but (on price alone) I could see myself buying an older one in the US (to keep in the US) after I recycle my current Honda there in a year or two. Old school and 'meh' yes, but undemanding as well.

Lets all hope there is a DR 650 in the near future , but sadly i doubt it !
I would buy one !:scooter::scooter::scooter::scooter::scooter:

Check out Australian reviews of the post 2018 SWM Superdual X
A modern day DR 650 perhaps?

See Australian Motorcycle Review.

Dr 650
 

DR 650 is still in production.
But not compliant to Euro norms.
So it is not imported to Europe

=
As of 2020, after 24 years, the model is still in production and is the best selling over 500cc bike in New Zealand. The bike is often in the top five sellers of any capacity bikes in New Zealand. The DR650 is also a big seller in both Canada and Australia. It has long been unavailable in Europe due to stringent emission regulations which make it virtually impossible for a non-fuel-injected machine to pass.
=
And with Euro 5 around the corner. It wan't get any better.

But will the new EFI KLR be available in Europe now then? And if not - why did they make it EFI then? Are there any other countries that have tightened their emission laws lately?

I think the EFI is just an upgrade to help with fuel economy and altitude, possibly a reaction to requests from its biggest market - the US.
Apparently it won’t be coming to Europe.

Thanks for that Grant.
The more I read and see this bike, the more tempted I am to test ride - trouble is it’s a long way to Cornwall doh

Could be that the EFI is because the carburetors are just not available from suppliers reliably enough any more. ;) So they took an off-the-shelf EFI instead.

my thoughts on the new KLR
 

a very interesting marketing decision by Kawasaki? It may work out okay. They are definitely marketing it as an ADV bike now. No pretences of it being a dualsport. That class is now reserved for bikes like the Honda 450CRF-L, KTM 500, Husky 501,...! BLOM-Bing Lots Of Money!

The 'mid' sized ADV bikes are where it's slotted in, whether by design or not. So it's competing against the Vstrom 650, BMW 750gs, T-7, KTM 890,...? If price point is an issue, the $7600, base model, $7900 abs makes it a great buy for true ADV. $2600 (for the abs model) under the cost of the Vstrom 650 XT. So one can wisely shop and add that amount of good farkles-foot pegs, side cases, lighting,...!

The $10k 'fully loaded', will be okay for the wanna-be ADV types, who just want to walk into the dealer and ride out feeling like they can go anywhere, and look like it. Some people don't like to farkle! In my thinking, that's about 2 or 3 out of 10 buyers?

Lack of power? A contentious issue for some but that's the intrinsic beauty of the KLR, tractable power delivery, ie try riding a GS or Tiger 800 in loose slow speed terrain! Trench diggers! It can be called a 'boring tractor' but if you're doing what I call, 'real world' adv touring, where you want all day, all week comfort at a slightly relaxed pace but still have enough capability to do reasonably tough terrain, they just work. The 1200 GS is an awesome bike but I would pick my KLR's any day for one-up, adv with serious off road jaunts. Especially if it were to fall over! A side bar, on a week plus tour to California with my son where I was on my 800 gs and he was on my 2009 KLR, we both agreed the KLR was much more relaxing and comfortable with the long hauls, typically 600+ kms. After trading back and forth a couple of times I couldn't pry him off the KLR, while I wanted relief from a buzzy, droning, improperly geared, GS.

Fuel economy should be improved with the efi. I regularly get 60 mpg (Imperial) in town, 65 at legal highway speeds, and have with all my KLRs. the exception being my 2010 with much larger jetting. I think 65mpg on regular gas is more to my liking than 50-55 on premium, like my GS1200. My 800 GS got up to 70+ but on premium. Tigers get about 50 mpg, depending on what year as they did improve with the 2015 or 2017 model year.

Finally, will I buy a new KLR? Not until I put another 60-80k kms on my current one. With all the farkles and when loaded, it's relegated to being a mid sized adv bike now. A new KLX 300 or nicely used small DS bike may happen later in the year for me. My 'big' decision for replacing my GS 1200 will be interesting. If I do replace it, I'm looking at a Versys 650, Vstrom 650, Tiger 800,..?!

Winter thoughts! Al

Never owned or ridden a KLR - but except from the weight which is waaay too much, this new KLR does seem to give good value for money. And from my understanding its almost the same price for this new improved model as it was for the last carby edition in 2018. And thats not bad at all!

It would have been good with a sixth gear and a tachometer of course.

Now if only Suzuki could make their DRs with EFI and legal in Europe....

Never get this fixation with 6 gears as if more must be better, like 5-bladed razors.
On a peaky or performance machine – road or dirt – it might make sense.
On a torquey, low-revving 'Himalayan-like' plonker, not needed.

I've owned or ridden 6-speed bikes and can't ever recall thinking: 'gee, these 6 gears are just great' or 'darn, I wish I had another gear'.

I admit an extra gear ought to mean 1st could be lower for easier control and less clutch slipping on a rocky climb – a common failing on all travel bikes which tick-over at 6-8mph in 1st.
Can't say I noticed on my 6-speeders but anyway, how much of that can you sustain on a 200+ kilo machine?
If you have days of such terrain ahead, fit a smaller front sprocket.

Plus I've been told 5 gears are marginally wider and therefore more durable than six. Sounds plausible.

It may look little changed, but whether they meant to or not, I agree Kawa did the right thing.
Few of us have become better off over the last year.
In North America, the KLR will carry on where it left off.
As said, let's see the DR-Z, DR-S and XR-L follow suit (and bring them all over here).

My KLR PoV:
https://adventure-motorcycling.com/2...e-2021-klr650/

I must say I prefer the 5 speed box on a GS1100 to any of the 6 speed 1150s I tried

Not coming to the U.K. - Not this year anyway.
 

I do some work for a Kawasaki dealer quite often.

I was there yesterday as they had all their new prices and stock lists for this year from Kawasaki.

No KLR650 is mentioned or listed. So anyone in the U.K. shouldn't get their hopes up for Kawasaki's brand new 2005 KLR :rolleyes2:

Great that the KLR is available again. Surely a candidate for the greatest travel bike ever due to its longevity if not its many other attributes?

Shame they're unlikely to be available round these parts.

sent an email to kawasaki asking if this new model would be available in Europe. the answer was " NO :censored: " for the same reason as the previous version.

Rumours abound of a new Transalp, much more interesting (to me) than a new KLR.
Just saying :innocent:

Heavier and heavier.
 

Sadly, all upgrades becomes heavier and heavier.
Sad for us customers, better bottom line for the owners.

My CRF250L is my all to go bike rather than my CRF1000L DCT..:D

The new KLR 650 2022 model was shown at the Bangkok Motor Show in March.
I must admit I like the look of it and might have to be going for a close up in Khon Kaen when I am next home.

https://www.gt-rider.com/se-asia-mot...hailand.15646/

https://adventuremotorcycle.com/news...ki-details-new

https://www.kawasaki.co.th/motorcycle/klr650

I have been in touch with the Kawasaki Dealer in Khon Kaen, Thailand and they have it in stock. I will be hopefully going for a look when I get home in Nov
I asked them to send me some photos

http://i.imgur.com/8bmW29rl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/kkxpwS4l.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/gNw1U88l.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/mTuTgHCl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/vH9gBQGl.jpg

I quite like it!

And the reviews are positive too - it's what people REALLY wanted, and made sense for Kawasaki.

The Cosmic KLR 650
 

Several nice upgrades on the 2022 model.


I'm still plodding along on the 2009 Happy Trails Project Bike (see photo), now at 73,000 miles. At 100,000 miles I may step off and onto the upgraded 2022 or newer model.


Currently using the '09 on the "LOOKING FOR AMERICA AND $29.95 MOTELS" leg of The Great Around The World Motorcycle Adventure Rally.




Sun Chaser or 'Dr.G' as Professor of Motorcycle Adventures -SOUND RIDER magazine. Professional Motorcycle Adventurer/Indian Motorcycle Racer/journalist/author/global economist/professor/World's # 1 Motorcycle Adventure Sleeper & Wastrel

Massively disappointed at its' 211kgs and 223kgs for the adv model, for me it's an epic fail.

Yes, it seems a very similar size, shape, style to my old XT600E which I sold in the UK, and really enjoyed, as it was not cost effective to ship it to Thailand and import it.

I'm on the other side of this fence. I think six gears on low powered bikes makes a HUGE difference. The popularity of the 250/300 Hondas and 310 BMW's are largely based that you can potter about on trails and still travel home at motorway speeds. Because those 6th gears are mostly cruising gears with very little pull.

My DRZ400s or Honda 650's makes almost double the power and torque of a CRF250L but I can't cruise at 70mph due to the five speed boxes.

Six speed trail bikes have been the dream of everyone I've ever met who's had to sit on long boring roads on trail bikes for prolonged periods.

I still have back ache from riding my XT600E down the RTA 3 in Argentina at 60mph for five days. With trucks up my arse because I was just 10mph too slow.

I've also never known a six speed gearbox to be less reliable than a five if correctly built and designed correctly. But I've seen plenty of poorly engines that have been ragged to death by people wanting to keep up with highway traffic with their five speeds.

I've KILL for a six speed gearbox on all of my older ADV bikes. Even my XRV750.

The reason the KLR doesn't have a six speed is because Kawasaki didn't want to spend any money developing one. It's still using the old lump.:innocent:

Im not a mechanic as Ted is but isnt the spread between gears (wide ratio - or whatever its called in english) more important than the actual number og gears?

On the Crf250 which has 6 gears the difference/distance between the gears are on the limit to ridiciolus. I often skip a gear both going up and of course going down. Just as an example….

"Wide ratio" boxes have low first and high top gear, and "Close Ratio" gearboxes have "higher" firsts and "lower" top gear if that makes sense. Close ratio boxes are great for racing, street / general purpose bikes tend to have wider ratio boxes.

On my R80G/S I put in "wide ratio" first and fifth gears and it made a significant difference to a box that was designed for STREET use, not on and off-road.

I also have a DRZ400E, originally designed as a "race bike" but quickly relegated to "dual sport" when the competition came out with much better race bikes. It is a close ratio box, and supremely annoying, as there is no setup of sprockets that work WELL for on and off-road. There is a gear set available for it to make it a wide ratio box, and is on my to buy list for the winter. US$650-ish.

I also have a Hercules GS175 Six Days bike with a SEVEN speed gearbox. It's soooo nice for that purpose, excellent down low and runs out of puff about the same time as it runs out of gearing, around 80+mph.

I agree with Ted, a six speed would be wonderful on any "world tour / adventure" bike, BUT understand why Kawasaki didn't do it. Fortunately there are alternatives, which is a significant part of why Kawasaki took the route they did - they've filled a hole, largely defined by price, that no one else occupies. Better to own a niche than compete fiercely!

Another factor is the power / torque characteristics of the engine, and its ability or inability to hold those gears.

My GS could get by with an old ‘three on the tree’ box LOL.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Yup....

It really is very specific to which bike. And which engine. And which purpose etc etc. Much more engineering and science than any of us on here have the time to discuss correctly. I'm a mechanic, but not a engine designer. I don't have enough letters after my name for that "Hard maths"

But in a nutshell more gears give you more ability to get the most of of the power and torque you have.

The more gears you have, the better your gearbox needs to be in terms of build quality which then equals more cost. And it adds a layer of complexity to an engine as 'Where does this extra bit of gearbox go".

I genuinely believe that the KLR has a five speed box because they didn't want to spend the time developing a new engine for what is a niche bike. (as Grant correctly describes it) When they originally designed the KLR, no one had a six speed box. They didn't have to do it. And it makes no sense to do it to this one.

I personally think the KLR is out of date and has just been marginally upgraded for emissions. It's a bike that would NEVER be developed or produced if it didn't already have a huge following in the worlds biggest market.

Kawasaki have a reputation of selling bikes for WAY longer than anyone else would have (KLE500 anyone). The motorcycle arm in Kawasaki is TINY compared to what they really do in the world. I work for a Kawasaki main dealer now. The bikes are very good. Great build quality and they do what they need to. But they are SO SLOW with development and keeping with the times. That's always their biggest criticism. But they're relatively cheap for excellent quality bikes.

Hi Ted

It reminds me of how people used to complain about Series I and II landrovers breaking axles. Back when I was on the tools the workers on site would routinely break them.

LR could have made them stronger, but they were the perfect ‘fuse’ to save diffs/gearbox’s/clutches ….

:)