Motorcycle Mike
Well-known member
Personally, if it was a choice between a KLR650 and a DR650, I'd go with the DR... but I wouldn't mind a KLR, especially the older generation (pre 2008). I love bikes that you can get for cheap ($3k or less), beat the hell out of, not care about at all, no one will steal them, easy to maintain.
I'd buy that $1300 KLR posted above, tie a sleeping bag and tent to it, and go on a one-way mission to Alaska. If it broke down/got buried in a mud bog, or whatever, just leave it and fly home. That way you are only out the purchase price. Get a serious break-down in a remote area with a valuable KTM/BMW/ or whatever, and you'll be paying more than $1300 recovering it or having parts express shipped to you while you wait in an expensive hotel room for them to arrive.
I actually did a similar thing on a Honda... I bought a Honda Tiger 2000 in Jakarta for $600. It had 160000km on it... I rode it all around Java, up volcanos, over to the beach resorts, etc, all the way to Bali. On my way back to Jakarta the bike broke down and it was a serious issue (engine was toast), so I left the bike, caught a bus to a city with an airport and flew back to Jakarta. I'm sure someone made good use of the remaining parts after a few days of the bike sitting on the side of the road.
I'd buy that $1300 KLR posted above, tie a sleeping bag and tent to it, and go on a one-way mission to Alaska. If it broke down/got buried in a mud bog, or whatever, just leave it and fly home. That way you are only out the purchase price. Get a serious break-down in a remote area with a valuable KTM/BMW/ or whatever, and you'll be paying more than $1300 recovering it or having parts express shipped to you while you wait in an expensive hotel room for them to arrive.
I actually did a similar thing on a Honda... I bought a Honda Tiger 2000 in Jakarta for $600. It had 160000km on it... I rode it all around Java, up volcanos, over to the beach resorts, etc, all the way to Bali. On my way back to Jakarta the bike broke down and it was a serious issue (engine was toast), so I left the bike, caught a bus to a city with an airport and flew back to Jakarta. I'm sure someone made good use of the remaining parts after a few days of the bike sitting on the side of the road.