Need another bike

[ponch]

The DR or KLR would be better offroad than the big adventure tourers, but if one wanted to go long distances and carry a lot of stuff, the bigger bikes are better. It all depends on what you want to do with it. I'd get the bigger bike just because I am not a serious dirt rider and I am big enough that the smaller bikes would be too small for road work.

[nomad ryder]

Originally Posted by jjg3

I have a DR650 that can do just about anything. They're bulletproof and can be had for a song. The gas tank is a bit small but I'm getting a 6.6gal Acerbis for my birthday in a couple of days. I guess they're not sexy enough for most people looking for an all-arounder, and for some reason people just want to spend a lot more money and get way more bike than they initially look in to. Like wanting to go light and dirt capable and ending up with a bike that's really neither. Dual sports like the DR, KLR, or XR are not in the same class as a big adventure tourer, but will accomplish the same mission if asked. A DL will do fire roads and take you across the country (IMO a 650 better than a 1000) but I think I'd hesitate to take one into Arches Park. The Triumph Scrambler is really a streetbike with scrambler pipes. I wouldn't get one expecting it be anything other than a streetbike. If the Scrambler was really Triumphs dual sport there wouldn't be a Tiger.

Of course it's no ones business but yours what you get as a second bike so good luck and happy hunting.

There is much truth in what you say; a good correlation is sailing. I've seen many people buy waaay more boat than they need, only to have it bite them in the butt with complexity, cost, and lower fun factor. The DR is more dirt-centric than I want. I'm looking for a bike that's easy to tow on a small trailer behind the Honda CR-V when we go with friends in their RV. The Kwacker is just too big and heavy to deal with for the limited riding the wife and I will do. I'm looking at a DL650 on Saturday, and if I like it I'll make an offer.

[jjg3]

A coworker finally sold his wee once it hit 130,000 miles with no more than oil, filters, tires, and the occasional chain. Only thing a wee can't do is be a cruiser. Good luck man, hope it works out for you.

[mick56]

Originally Posted by jjg3

A coworker finally sold his wee once it hit 130,000 miles with no more than oil, filters, tires, and the occasional chain. Only thing a wee can't do is be a cruiser. Good luck man, hope it works out for you.

Ok, nobody else is going to ask, so is a wee

[ponch]

Originally Posted by mick56

Ok, nobody else is going to ask, so is a wee

A DL650 or 650 Vstrom is also known as a Weestrom. This is because there is a 1000 Vstrom, but the 650 is more popular.

[landman]

Originally Posted by ponch

A DL650 or 650 Vstrom is also known as a Weestrom. This is because there is a 1000 Vstrom, but the 650 is more popular.

jim your general knowledge of many different bikes never fails to astound me.

[ponch]

Originally Posted by landman

jim your general knowledge of many different bikes never fails to astound me.

I have a facts curator mentality. It's part of aspergers or is it the other way around?

[glwilson]

Basically you will not go wrong with either the DL or KLR. Both would be great choices.

Which one I would choose would be determined by the amount of riding done off-road. The KLR would be favored by me for off-road use. Otherwise, the DL would be my preference.

The KLR has a legend of fans and continually wins the appreciation of reviewers in the dual-purpose category. You can get OEM luggage and a trunk for the KLR if needed... or possibly after-market as well.

Price-wise, the KLR is less expensive.

Regarding the specs between the two; there are too many variances to compare properly, in my opinion. It would, again, depend on one's purpose for the bike.

Best of luck to you on what you get. I can appreciate having a spare bike or two for those certain rides you want to do. Hope to hear a review once you get one.

[nomad ryder]

T'anx, ya'll. If I get that Wee, I'll post up impressions. I don't really plan any serious off-road shenanigans. The only guy I'd go with is my BIL, and I don't have a snowballs chance in he!! of keeping up with that guy. We'll do mellow fire-road stuff out in the local mountains.

[mick56]

Originally Posted by nomad ryder

T'anx, ya'll. If I get that Wee, I'll post up impressions. I don't really plan any serious off-road shenanigans. The only guy I'd go with is my BIL, and I don't have a snowballs chance in he!! of keeping up with that guy. We'll do mellow fire-road stuff out in the local mountains.

I just got explained to on the wee now i get the other, is a bhl damn yankee's.

[id-man]

BIL = brother in law I presume. Apparently Nomad Rider's BIL is a little crazy on a dirt bike. :0

[nomad ryder]

Originally Posted by id-man

BIL = brother in law I presume. Apparently Nomad Rider's BIL is a little crazy on a dirt bike. :0

You are correct. Brother-in-law. Not so much crazy, just very, very good at it.
I rode that Wee, and was not impressed. Could be I'm just too used to the Nomad's power and acceleration and sense of being planted, but the Wee was too buzzy, first gear too short. I'm trying to get a look (ride) on a DL1000. We'll see how that goes. Somewhat pricier, but we'll see. Have not given up on trying to find a clean 90's era Honda NH750 or Suzi SV650, though they wouldn't do fire road so well.

[ponch]

Originally Posted by nomad ryder

You are correct. Brother-in-law. Not so much crazy, just very, very good at it.
I rode that Wee, and was not impressed. Could be I'm just too used to the Nomad's power and acceleration and sense of being planted, but the Wee was too buzzy, first gear too short. I'm trying to get a look (ride) on a DL1000. We'll see how that goes. Somewhat pricier, but we'll see. Have not given up on trying to find a clean 90's era Honda NH750 or Suzi SV650, though they wouldn't do fire road so well.

Not saying it's the case here, but I see a lot of cruiser folk ride bikes that can actually rev and ride them like a cruiser and comment that it doesn't have much power. IMO, the Nomad isn't a quick or fast bike and the Weestrom should have have better power to weight ratio. May be a ride on the Versys 1000LT would be in order. That should have some get up and go.

[petenomad]

Agree with Ponch here. Make sure you're getting the revs up. Web search shows 62HP at 8800 rpm.

[nomad ryder]

Originally Posted by petenomad

Agree with Ponch here. Make sure you're getting the revs up. Web search shows 62HP at 8800 rpm.

Their numbers look good, but in the real world, how often are you going rev it to 8800 rpm? Given that those bikes are ridden on the street 95% of the time, it just didn't seem like it had the beans at a typical street-riding pace. On the trail, it might be different standing on the pegs and running in third gear without red lights and crosswalks. But the search is half the fun of the whole thing.