200-400cc dual sport for big rider? | Page 2 | GTAMotorcycle.com

200-400cc dual sport for big rider?

More offroad:
Budget - DRZ400
Not on budget - WR250R

More pavement:
KLR650 or DR650 - trails are still possible, even those bikes are too heavy.
Then again, considering how much slabbing is necessary to get anywhere good in Ontario, unless you have a trailer, either one of these will be quite decent on the highway, especially KLR.

These are by far best options for what you want to do OP, since you don't wish to spend big bucks on fancy shmancy machines.
 
Had a blast at the KTM demo ride, the 1290 Adventure R was unreal. The 690Enduro R was insanely powerful, more than I would need for my purposes. Right now I'm torn between getting a cheap 250 to see if I even want to do this vs a cheap KLR650 - there are so many KLRs that they can be had cheaper than 250 enduros.

Hard enough to find time for the Bonneville. So whatever I get needs to be relatively maintenance free, cheap to buy and run.
 
Picking up a 1999 KLR650 for a song, bigger than I initially wanted but figure I'll mainly use it for touring cottage country and riding gravel roads
 
I'm 6'2, 200 lbs, was 220 when I got my DRZ. I haven't resprung or done anything with it really. It's worked extremely well right out of the box for me. I'm certain it would be BETTER if I were to adjust things, but I bomb around on the road with no issue. It's done 137 on pavement (so it thinks anyway). And plays well in the dirt. I'm not the best rider, so I can't keep up with the pure dirt bike guys with tons more experience, but I hold my own.

I got mine used for 3400.

Holler if you want to take mine for a rip. Just pay for the parts if you ditch it ;)
 
I've ridden off road a lot. There is a reason the KLR is cheap and easy to find. Everyone who buys one to enjoy offroading, quickly discover they're crap off the road. To heavy, squirrely, and for they're engine size, under powered. I've tried to like this bike, but to no evail. I find it uncomfortable too. Only benefit is their bulletproofness. Gas and go. You'd have been better off with any 250-400 dirt bike style dual, if you plan on any double/single track riding. My cent and a half anyway. Good luck.

I'll add that I'm 210lbs, 5'10", and ride a Kawi KLX 250. It's a blast in the dirt, and hauls my fat *** on the road adequately for a small displacement bike. Gets me to 105km/h within reason.
 
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Bought the bike for $1500 w/37,000kms and no issues. $1800 on the road and plated. Honestly probably would have gone DRZ400S if I could have gotten one anywhere near that price but I couldn't. Also for what I'm using it for I think this is the sweet spot. I put 750kms on it this week from Saturday to Saturday. I can see why this bike has a cult following. Amazing for commuting, rode it up to my cottage on back roads/some slab about 4 hours, spent all day Saturday riding gravel two up and blasting 518 sweepers two up. I've ordered crash bars and luggage racks for $300 all in.

Bike simply does everything well for no $. Love the range - so far filling up at 300kms and only 13 liters. I'll be using it for back roads and two track/gravel roads and I'm sure it'll be fine, ran into three riders coming off the Park to Park trail near my cottage and one was a gen 2 KLR and the other two were fully dressed BMWs so my Gen 1 should do OK.











 
I'm 6'2" about 245...my xr400 works great. As side from sprockets and proper jetting the thing keeps up to any ktm or yamaha in single track. At that point it's rider ability and I have smoked any newer expensive 4 stroke. Oil changes and general maintenance honda reliability at its best!

Xr650l will suit you well and if you want a bigger bite then the xr650r will give you that. A dr650 and is a good choice very reliable low maintenance and longer legs on the highway but heavier in single track but can be done...drz400 works too but I find a lil lacking in power on highways but serves its purpose..you can't go wrong with either of them.
 
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Gryph said:
Bought the bike for $1500 w/37,000kms and no issues. $1800 on the road and plated. Honestly probably would have gone DRZ400S if I could have gotten one anywhere near that price but I couldn't. Also for what I'm using it for I think this is the sweet spot. I put 750kms on it this week from Saturday to Saturday. I can see why this bike has a cult following. Amazing for commuting, rode it up to my cottage on back roads/some slab about 4 hours, spent all day Saturday riding gravel two up and blasting 518 sweepers two up. I've ordered crash bars and luggage racks for $300 all in.

Bike simply does everything well for no $. Love the range - so far filling up at 300kms and only 13 liters. I'll be using it for back roads and two track/gravel roads and I'm sure it'll be fine, ran into three riders coming off the Park to Park trail near my cottage and one was a gen 2 KLR and the other two were fully dressed BMWs so my Gen 1 should do OK.











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Congrats. I had a 1999 klr, it went anywhere I wanted it to, it just went a little slower in the tougher spots. Lol I actually prefer the gen1 bikes. YMMV
Pm me if you ever want to do some gravel travel.

Sent from my Le Pan TC802A using Tapatalk
 
abkdt41 said:
WOW thats an amazing price

How is the bike with a passenger? Taken it on the highway yet?
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Does fine on the highway, buzzy for sure at 110-120 but does it ok. Surprisingly fine with passenger, did a bunch of gravel that day too. Gonna slap on some pannier racks and crash bars this weekend too.
 
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