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KLE 500

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Sounds like two buyers Kawasaki now remake the thing here and park it beside the KLR for another option.
 
Mudclod said:
I like it!
73_kawasakikle500_1239274016.jpg
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Come on Kawasaki grow some and import this thing. Would be a great addition to the line up. Make mine Kawasaki lime green and make it with a decent seat height so more beginners will be comfortable on it. KP
 
kickstand~prophet said:
Come on Kawasaki grow some and import this thing. Would be a great addition to the line up. Make mine Kawasaki lime green and make it with a decent seat height so more beginners will be comfortable on it. KP
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It'll steel sales from the bread-n-butter KLR. And I don't think 500cc will do well in US. It might appeal to people with short legs, but that's a too small of a demographic for Kawisaki to care about.
 
TwoSmokeDS said:
It'll steel sales from the bread-n-butter KLR. And I don't think 500cc will do well in US. It might appeal to people with short legs, but that's a too small of a demographic for Kawisaki to care about.
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Well BMW has done it with the F700GS DP bike. I looked it up and according to the National Center for Health Statistics the average height for a male in the US is 5 feet 9.2 inches. So they are missing the boat. I might be the only one that would buy one but I doubt it. That is the reason I got the BMW because of the seat height. It is comfortable for shorter riders like myself.
 
What KLR should have been... Alas, the Versys is a nice motorcycle, but the form factor of the KLR is more appealing to me, just not the current motor. At least give me EFI.
 
Did some looking and they have dropped the KLR in the UK but have upgraded the little KLX250 to fuel injection, but dropped it here.
 
STman, thinking about taking a trip to Croatia to ride this fall. I understand it's beautiful there! Care to share your perspective?
 
This would make a good stable mate for the 300X. Come on Kawasaki. They could redo the body work a tad to match the 300 and there you go. Oh and matching saddle bags and top box also please.
 
Yeah..... I keep sayin that the 500 series twin engine is dead & gone...
The Ninja/Versys/Vulcan 650 engine replaced that 500 several years ago.
But the KLE500 layout lives on in the new 300 X.... jus needs a big brother 650 now

Sent from my LGL34C using Tapatalk
 
kickstand~prophet said:
This would make a good stable mate for the 300X. Come on Kawasaki. They could redo the body work a tad to match the 300 and there you go. Oh and matching saddle bags and top box also please.
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No! The KLE is a much more handsome bike than the 300X. A KLE300 would be a better move as far as I'm concerned. I'm sure others see more appeal in the Dakar/BMW induced fashions, but those swayback seat designs do not function well for me.

Mr2mch said:
Yeah..... I keep sayin that the 500 series twin engine is dead & gone...
The Ninja/Versys/Vulcan 650 engine replaced that 500 several years ago.
But the KLE500 layout lives on in the new 300 X.... jus needs a big brother 650 now

Sent from my LGL34C using Tapatalk
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KLR and Versys both have too much seat height for me and the KLR wind blast over the windshield hit me right in the face. Had a KLR, but it wasn't as nice and comfortable on the street as the old CB550F, nor as capable and confidence inspiring offroad as the TW200 even before it was bored and stoked to 267cc. The KLR just wasn't the best choice for the riding I was doing at the time. I was either riding tight 2 track or paved twisties most of the time, both of which the KLR can do competently but not excellently. If I expected to do both I'd take the KLR, but that usually wasn't the case. The Versys simply doesn't fit me, and it is cursed with that swayback seat stupidity.
 
KenH said:
No! The KLE is a much more handsome bike than the 300X. A KLE300 would be a better move as far as I'm concerned. I'm sure others see more appeal in the Dakar/BMW induced fashions, but those swayback seat designs do not function well for me.



KLR and Versys both have too much seat height for me and the KLR wind blast over the windshield hit me right in the face. Had a KLR, but it wasn't as nice and comfortable on the street as the old CB550F, nor as capable and confidence inspiring offroad as the TW200 even before it was bored and stoked to 267cc. The KLR just wasn't the best choice for the riding I was doing at the time. I was either riding tight 2 track or paved twisties most of the time, both of which the KLR can do competently but not excellently. If I expected to do both I'd take the KLR, but that usually wasn't the case. The Versys simply doesn't fit me, and it is cursed with that swayback seat stupidity.
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Ken I was thinking of what it seems riders now a days want style wise. Seems like if a bike looks like a transformer folks tend to like it. I am a old school rider and like the simplicity of the older rides. Heck I still like chrome on a bike.:deal:

The BMW I have looks still have not grown on me. Now function wise it is great but the bird beak from end still makes me wonder.:doh:

If Kawasaki imported them I would be down at Kawasaki seriously thinking. The 500 would be powerful enough for the street and still decent on the trails. Oh Kawasaki make mine Kawasaki green please.
 
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