KLX650 Vs. XR600
baj...@mailexcite.com
I heard that the Kawasaki engine is more modern and
better than the 15year old Honda design. Is this true?
Is the KLX that much heavier than the XR?
Which is better for mixed riding?
Any valid comparisons would be helpful.
Thanks
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Rider1958
>I heard that the Kawasaki engine is more modern and
>better than the 15year old Honda design. Is this true?
Yup, straight out of NASA. Overheats a bit though, if you don't get one of the
ones that had the electric fans installed. Installing a KX250 radiator cap
fixed most of that problem.
>Is the KLX that much heavier than the XR?
Uh, not a LOT heavier I don't think.
>Which is better for mixed riding?
>Any valid comparisons would be helpful.
The KLX650R is MUCH better looking. And that's my unbiased opinion.
Ron
1993 KLX650R owner, coincidentally
Mike Troast
originally came with a small tank but I have an IMS 3.4 gal. tank on it.
Breaklight switch, mirror, horn and high/low beam was all that really
needed to be added to be street legal in CO. It weighs 307 lbs. with a
full tank of gas. I like it because the perimeter frame is fairly stiff.
I've had a few XR's and they seem to have fairly flexible frames. The
KLX is like a real dirt bike only bigger and heavier. I can take it
almost anyplace I take my KTM, only slower. It has a six speed trans.
and I've clocked it at 95 on the street, so it's great for short road
sections.
Mike
Tim - fusion1
>I heard that the Kawasaki engine is more modern and
>better than the 15year old Honda design. Is this true?
Well, it's watercooled and has twin cam's.
If it's better is debateable, I suppose.
It seems sort of over-complex to me, with a funky twin chain and gear
setup driving the cams.
My buddy runs a higher pressure cap on his, and a cooling fan from a
later model. It was prone to spewing coolant before, but seems to be
working fine now.
Like the other guys said, it has a more rigid frame, and upside down
forks (although the flimsy conventionals on my 94 XR were better than
I expected).
He has the bike out in AZ now, and loves it for desert riding.
When he came back here to PA on vacation, he rode my XR600, and felt
it was superior to the KLX in the tight stuff.
We both think the KLX got kind of a bum treatment by the press, which
really hurt it. They immediately started bagging on it for overheating
and having too small of a tank. It was also reported to have some
really sloppy looking welds on the frame, but I don't know about that.
>Which is better for mixed riding?
I think either is OK. The KLX is more modern looking and feeling, but
the XR has monumentally better aftermarket support.
My buddy couldn't get an aftermarket exhaust for his, and had to have
Stroker racing cut, modify guts, and re-weld the stocker.
I'd go for the XR simply because they've proven to be tanks, and the
availabilty of aftermarket stuff is great.
--
Tim (fus...@fast.net)
http://www.users.fast.net/~fusion1
(dirt bikes, rat bikes, rental car abuse...)
Ed LaChance
oversize
tank. It's a BIG and HEAVY bike but easy to ride. The engine will overheat
and the footpegs are wide. Hope you've been working out if your going to
race it. I still have my KLX I don't think it will ever wear out.
I raced a XR600 for 12 years before I got a ride with Kawasaki. I'll have to
say the XR600 is a better motorcycle.
Pee Wee dad Ed
Doug Hunter
runners. Anyone who thinks the Honda is heavy is gonna hate the Kawasaki
though! The Honda engine is old tech but strong and responds well to an
aftermarket pipe, as compared to the stock "cannon".Hard to beat Honda
detailing and ergos too. If you really want something modern, wait for the
new XR600 (620?) this year.
Doug Hunter
baj...@mailexcite.com wrote in article
<71qem0$qpq$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com>...
> I am considering one of these bikes (used).
>
> I heard that the Kawasaki engine is more modern and
> better than the 15year old Honda design. Is this true?
>
> Is the KLX that much heavier than the XR?
>
> Which is better for mixed riding?
>
> Any valid comparisons would be helpful.
>
Rowdy
the KLX650C (passenger pegs, electric start, huge headlight, clogged
muffler) is quite something different !
from '93 to '98 i did 20000 miles on my KLX-R with virtually zero
maintenance.
some experience from that time:
- it's heavier than a XR600
- it's longer than a XR => runs like a freight train
(head shake? what's that?)
- it starts better than all other kick start enduros (XR, KTM...),
in freezing winter and even when coolant & gas are already boiling
(yes, the gas starts to bubble, too)
- the KLX650R A1 (sans electric fan) starts to boil easily in slow
sections/repeated hillclimbs, but as it has got an expansion bottle
i never lost coolant, and i never had to care/stop riding
(Apr.'93 at the "12 hours of Lignano,Italy" i just ignored the sound
of the boiling coolant after some 30mins in the deep sand)
- it has got massive torque
- it has a noisy cam drive
- it took KAWASAKI Austria lots of work to get it (KLX-R!!) street
legal
- it has a 2.5 gal (8.5lit) gas tank with virutally no reserve
read: 60 miles and you're dry
- acerbis has a KAWA-green 4 gal tank
(all your buddies wil run dry before you :)
- i've laced a KLX650C rear hub to the 18" rim, because i prefer
the buffered sprocket for long time freeway pacing
- the shock's rebound is extremely adjustible
(from "keep swinging" to "don't move")
- the fork is virtually unadjustible and mine always showed horrible
sticktion even after a 400$ shop-service, so i got me a Magnum45
(KX500 brake cliper carrier)
- it has a very durable font brake (fine for nose wheelies)
- the clutch is from outer space (hard pull, lasts 20000 miles !!!)
but
you don't need to clutch with that much torque from way down low
rpms.
conclusion:
fine for the woods as long as you ride; when you start dragging it
over huge logs
the weight will exhaust you.
tip: in enduro racing i found my WR400F to be much less tiring and
much more forgiving (due to much better handling and ergonomy),
but i still miss the KLX-R's gas wheelie capability :-)
Peter
WR400F
Squeky Lives!
>I am considering one of these bikes (used).
>
>I heard that the Kawasaki engine is more modern and
>better than the 15year old Honda design. Is this true?
>
>Is the KLX that much heavier than the XR?
>
>Which is better for mixed riding?
>
>Any valid comparisons would be helpful.
>
>Thanks
>
>-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
>http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own
I have no experience at all with the KLX, but if you get the 600R, you
will never be disappointed. Is there anything this bike doesn't have?
(except for a slim weight). There have not been many MAJOR changes to
the bike. I think they started putting Nikasil cylinders in '93 or
something. I think this is a disadvantage because it can't be bored
(just replated). Correct me if I'm wrong. Nothing wrong with the old
ones.
______________________________
SqUeKy LiVeS!
1986 XR600R
http://www.netcom.com/~squeky1
squ...@ix.netcom.com
______________________________
hi-...@webtv.net
condition, ect... were equal, I would buy the XR. Don't get me wrong. I
like riding KLX just as much, if not better than I did my XR, but the XR
is just easier to get parts and accessories for it.