About the bike

The KLR fully loaded and ready to go

What is it?

This is a 2009 Kawasaki KLR650. It’s not modified in any way so what you see is what you’ll get from your dealership.

Tell us a bit more…

I don’t want to bore you with all the technical specifications, especially as you can get these from www.kawasaki.com

But for those of you interested in bikes it’s a 650 cc single cylinder four stroke, liquid cooled. It cruises very happily at 70mph and seems comfortable pulling the weight of both me and my gear.

Fully loaded, I get about 250 miles from a tank of fuel, including part of the reserve (I haven’t run it fully dry for obvious reasons).

The standard seat is comfortable enough and the factory screen does a good enough job of deflecting most of the windblast up and away from me.

Brand new the bike cost about $5,600.

What about luggage?

As you can see, I’ve opted for hard luggage, in this case the Trax system supplied by SW Motech. This was not cheap – about $1,800 – but has proved pretty good so far. It’s strongest point is  the quick release locks that allow you to take the luggage on and off the bike easily without too much fiddling about, meaning you can be laid out on your motel bed five minutes after check-in.

Downsides are the fact they make the bike heavier than fabric panniers, and that the aluminium leaves marks on stuff you store inside so you have to remember to wrap everything in plastic bags.

So far, it’s also proved pretty waterproof only admitting a little water in a thunderstorm but the plastic bags kept everything dry.

What’s it like to ride?

Better than I expected. I graduated from Vespas to streetbikes so I know about comfort versus aerodynamism. This seems a pretty good compromise between both. The upright riding position is surprisingly aerodynamic, and the seat is comfortable enough for you to go two hours between coffees without feeling your backside going completely numb.

OK, so it’s never going to be able to compete with an R1 at the lights but it’s nimble enough to leave most cars eating my exhaust and feels grippy enough on bends – even with the slightly knobbly tyres – to make me feel I’m not about to go sliding off into the Gulf of Mexico.

There’s very little handlebar or footpeg vibration so you can jump off without feeling you’ve been operating a jackhammer all day. My initial grumbles – that the wide bars felt like steering a boat, and the height of the seat made it difficult to put your feet on the floor – have been pretty much cured by riding the bike. It’ll be interesting to go back to other bikes now.

Why did you choose the KLR?

Theoretically, a dual sport bike should be better able to cope with the poorer quality roads I’m likely to experience south of the US border, and gives me the option for some off road exploration too.

I’ve never been  a big fan of the aesthetics of trail bikes but you cannot argue with their practicality. Plus, I’m starting to get to love the kwak’s ugly-beauty.

The KLR has also been around for more than twenty years, only undergoing its first substantial upgrade last year, so its got a proven track record. The fact you don’t have to hook it up to a computer to fix it will also be an advantage outside the US.

But the real clincher is the price. $5,600 for a brand new bike? That’s half the cost of BMW’s F800GS. Plus you don’t look like you’re trying too hard when you’re riding the KLR.

Where did you get it?

Just a little plug for my friends at Palmetto Motorsports in Hialeah, Florida (www.palmettomotorsports.com). They’re not paying me to say this – just the opposite, in fact – but you’re unlikely to find a friendlier or more helpful dealer either side of the Atlantic.

Last question…

…is one for you. What are you waiting for?