2003 Kawasaki KLR650 Adventurer/Tourer
Written: May 31 '04 (Updated Oct 18 '08)
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Pros: A true adventure/tourer, inexpensive and great for long distance travel over a variety of surfaces.
Cons: Kawasaki should have made the fix required for reliability.
The Bottom Line: Great motorcycle (if fixed) but Kawasaki's failure to fix a known defect diminishes the brand.
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| nwram's Full Review: 2003 Kawasaki KLR650 |
1. Instruments. Includes a real tachometer and speedometer, both of which can be read at a glance. No digital displays that are invisible much of the time. Speed reads about 10% high. This is easily cured with a Nashbar cyclocomputer (NA-VLA). I use the wired version since I didn't receive consistent readings when I tried a wireless one. I also have a compass bell (NC-Bell) on the handlebar. The compass comes in handy at times. Not much use for the bell though since the stock horn is slightly louder. Cyclocomputer was less than $20 (often much less when on sale), bell $4. Both from nashbar.com.
2. Comfort. Seating position is very comfortable for me, no hunching over or trying to look around my kneecaps. I do not need to make any changes (like sitting on the tank) when my wife rides with me. Plus, the handles on the rack make the passenger feel more secure. Plenty of room for rider (6 1, 34 inseam) and passenger (5 1) although mounting and dismounting can be a bit comical for my wife. Hand guards and stock windscreen really help in cool weather and high speeds.
I installed Kimpex grip heaters ($25, denniskirk.com Off Road catalog) and new grips. Several layers of duct tape on the left handlebar is necessary before installing the grip heater and grip, otherwise the handlebar acts like a heat sink and won't warm the same as the right grip.
3. Style. They got it right. This model has gone through some weird colors through the years since 1987(I think my green/black is one of the best), but the body pieces haven't changed. The gas tank is the focal point and has beautiful curves. In addition, it has great capacity without forcing me to spread my knees far apart. Despite being in production for years you will not see these on the road often so people do notice (especially kids and teens), they even wave. Try that with a cruiser clone. This is a true adventure/tourer, great for long distance travel over a variety of surfaces and thousands less than the competition.
4. Transmission. A bit clunky like every other big single I've owned. In exchange it seems strong and durable. Missed shifts are rare and no popping out of gear. Standard countershaft sprocket is 15 teeth which is a good compromise. Try 14 teeth for more dirt intensive riding; 16 teeth for more relaxed, long-distance cruising over 70.
5. Engine. After forty years of riding various styles and engine configurations, I always come back to thumpers for power, economy, light weight, and ease of maintenance. Nothing else feels or sounds like a big single. In my opinion if a motorcycle has more than one cylinder, it has too many. The engine runs great; starts instantly, warms quickly. No fuel injection means the carb can be modified easily and inexpensively (see angelfire.com/mo/motormark/mikescarbmod). Plenty of power for two-up riding with baggage. P.S. Suzuki also has a great big beautiful engine in the Suzuki Savage. Unfortunately it is stuck in a 3/4 scale cruiser frame.
6. Exhaust. Sounds great, but a little more sound would be nice. I like the idea of a lighter, less restrictive exhaust but I'm still researching options. Loud I don't need nor do I want something I have to repack every 200 miles. The stock exhaust is fine for now.
7. Tires. Stock tires are a good compromise, not great at anything but certainly adequate for most situations if you keep aware of their limitations. Plenty of more specialized tires available to suit individual needs. I always use tube sealant in my tires and carry a CO2 tire inflator (nashbar or performancebike). The tire inflator uses unthreaded 12g CO2 cartridges (cheaper at KMart) like those used for air rifles and pistols. That may be enough to get me to a repair facility, but I wouldn't ride faster than 10-15mph under such circumstances.
8. Standard features not available or options on other motorcycles of this type: luggage rack, hand guards, tachometer, windscreen, comfortable seating for two.
9. Problems. None, reliable as a brick. The difficulty is finding a new one. They seem to sell as soon as the dealer receives it. I can't remember the last time I saw a new one on the showroom floor. If you can find one, but it.
10. Cam Chain tension adjuster spring. Some claim this is a weak item that could break at any time. I've owned various new and used KLR650's since 1990 and never had a problem. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration site shows only one complaint received regarding the spring (I only looked at the 2003 model year). I know various "stronger" parts are being sold, but so are stronger wheels, tires, chains, brackets, etc. If enough people do have a problem with spring breakage and they fill out a NHTSA complaint form, it would be investigated.
Update Feb07:
No problems of any kind, still a great ride. Just under 5000 miles so far, used primarily for commuting to work and weekend rides. Switched to synthetic oil at about 1500 miles and shifting is a little smoother. The two bolts on the tire side of the muffler were originally meant for carbon removal. Attempting removal breaks off the bolt head which then forced me to drill out the remains leaving a half inch hole which a copper elbow fits nicely. This allows a little more sound to escape without necessitating rejetting, etc.
Apparently 2007 will be the last year for this model. Although this may not be entirely precise, I believe the 2008 KLR will be: more powerful, larger gas tank, suspension changes leaning more toward road than dirt, somewhat restyled, more expensive. They forgot to ask me, but my suggestion would have been a six speed with lower first, fifth same as current, and sixth for high speed cruising.
Update Jun08:
Recently my dealer told me I should have the balancer mechanism tensioner spring and tensioner lever (aka doohickey and spring) replaced. He said this is a known problem area which could fail thereby causing extensive damage to the engine. He replaced the parts and I received the original parts in return. Looking at these cheaply made parts, it is not too difficult to imagine a failure waiting to happen.
After checking various web sites, I found this is indeed a problem which has been recognized for years. My dealer also told me this problem has been fixed with the recent changes to the KLR. Therefore, it is apparent that KLR's made before the 2008 model year have a known defect which could cause extensive engine damage and possible injury or death to rider and passenger. The fact that this defect was finally addressed with the 2008 model further indicates Kawasaki was well aware of the problem.
Naturally Kawasaki refuses to reimburse me for the $250 cost of this fix. A motorcycle with a ticking time bomb inside can not be considered well made or reliable, therefore I have revised my evaluation. Needless to say, I will never again buy or recommend anything made by Kawasaki.
Update 10/11/08
I'm revising my ratings since the fix is relatively inexpensive and I have had no other issues with this motorcycle. I do recommend this motorcycle only if the fix has been made.
The following is a helmet review which Epinions doesn't want you to see:
I purchased a HJC CL-MAX Element (modular) helmet XL in Nov07. The Chin-Bar assembly broke within eight months of limited use (I usually use an open face helmet). The release lever could not be moved forward to open the chin-bar. Disassembly showed 3 of the four plastic nubs in the Chin-Bar assembly broken, apparently from overtightening the screws at the time of manufacture. I believe these nubs are meant to keep the release mechanism in line. Once the nubs break, the release mechanism is not aligned so the helmet can't be opened.
When the Chin-Bar assembly release lever breaks, the helmet can't be opened therefore the helmet has to be pulled off the head. This is more difficult than removing a normal full face helmet because the modular style of this helmet provides a tighter fit, and it is meant to be put on and taken off with the chin bar assembly open.
I notified HJC of my experience and opinion. The company refused to provide a prepaid mailer so I could send the helmet to the company for examination.
In my opinion, this is a safety issue since it prevents the chin bar from releasing thereby causing more stress on the head and neck if it has to be pulled off after an accident. If mine broke within a year of limited use, why would anyone rely on it for protection in an accident? Modular helmets do offer certain advantages, but my experience shows that the release mechanism is easily broken thereby compromising safety. I now use a regular full face helmet. I hope my review provides some information for others to consider when it comes time to purchase a helmet. The overriding issue here is safety, not a particular brand. I won't buy another modular helmet regardless of price or brand.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 5000
Condition: New
Model Year: 2003
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Epinions.com ID:
nwram
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Reviews written: 14
Trusted by: 0 members
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