thinking about 2nd motorbike to compliment my KLR

Downs said:

Not sure why you would forgo the DL650. The DL1000 has a host of little niggles and issues that the DL650 does not. I've ridden both and I really didn't feel like the DL1000 had that much more power than the 650 and I've ridden half way across the country multiple times on mine fully loaded with about 80 lbs of camping and travel gear on the back and had no issues whatsoever with power.

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Well the DL 650 is not totally off the list...but the 1K higher up. I won't know for sure until I can test ride one or both.

NomadicFireman said:

09 Concours14 and 04 KLR650. Best combo I've ever had. Travel on and off road all over the country in all weather. Both have been extremely reliable. 76000 on the Concours, 43000 on the KLR.

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I have heard great things about the concours. I sat on one (with a corbin seat) this weekend. it was like a recliner...

SparkyBlue said:

Wow, tough job picking a 2nd bike. And sounds like you already know what you want. And no shortage of candidates. Good luck with it

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Thanks. The more I sit on bikes/test ride the more things will change..which is what happened over the weekend hahaha.

I was in dallas visiting family for thanksgiving. On saturday, a buddy (the guy in the KTM picture) and I ran around carrollton and visited two bike shops. I can not recall the name of the first shop. The second was RPM cycles. Those two dealerships (combined) covered all brands except for suzuki, yamaha, and kawasaki. Which is a shame because I really wanted to rest my rear on a super tenere.

After a day of sitting on bikes, I MAY *and that is a BIG may* decide to buy new. Some of those bikes were soooooo comfortable and fit me so well. That being said, I am not a fan of financing/owing money/being in debt. So that is something I will have to seriously think about.

The three bikes that fit me the best were the KTM1190R, BMW S1000XR, and the Tiger 800 XCX. Unfortunately all are fairly expensive hahaha....but I can dream, right? The one "cheap" bike that fit me well was the honda nc500X. It is a serious contender on this list (even moreso with that cool rally raid kit they make for it)

Random thoughts on random bikes:
-None of the bikes I sat on were tall enough to allow me to stand on the pegs with looking like the hunchback of notre dame.

-This was the first time seeing a BMW 1200GS adventure in person. Those bikes are HUGE!!!! They were not as comfortable as I was expecting (from reading online, talking to people, etc).

-Although the 1190R adventure fit me well, the 1290 did not. It felt wide and my knees hit the fairings when legs were situated on the pegs.

-I sat on a few used sport tourers (Triumph Sprint, and F800GT). Both were fairly comfortable for sport tourers. The BMW S1000XR was still top of the list for that group...but $$$$$$.

-I checked out a new multistrada and a used multi. Both bikes were comfortable but not mind-blowingly so. I am excited to see the new enduro when it is released.

-The triumph tiger explorer 1200 seemed a bit large for my tastes. I also had the leg interference issue that was present on the KTM1290.

-the BMW 650GS and 800GS were neat bikes. I enjoyed seeing both models in person for the first time.

-Sitting on the honda NM4 made me feel like Judge Dredd.


Bike pr0n pictures are included for your viewing pleasure.

more bike pr0n

My primary choice is still a used bike.

That being said, it is ALWAYS fun to visit motorbike shops and see their new toys (even it you are not looking to make a purchase). I had a BLAST running around town with my buddy (he rides a Triumph Street Triple).

SparkyBlue said:

haha. Rick let me know where to find a 5k Multistrada. I'll get one.

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Unfortunately, if you find a 5k Multistrada run away.

Chris,

You might also want to consider the Honda NT700V. While not a 1000, it is more than capable of what you want to do and is economical to operate. I know of several with WAY over 100,000 miles on them and no sign of maintenance or reliability issues.

I doesn't hurt that I have one for sale

Please see the for sale forum.

Good luck,

Chuck

she's a big girl, but i concur w/ previous post on the concours, especially for touring.

Maybe checkout the KTM Duke 690 for 2016. New motor makes 73 hp, low weight and good handling make this one a winner. Especially if you like thumpers.

Get what you really want. You only live twice.

I was in your boat up until a few months ago. Wanted another bike to compliment the KLR for the longer distances... Ended up with a VStrom-650. Only a few thousand miles on it so far, but I have no regrets about buying it. Comfortable, low maintenance and goes faster than I would ever want to go. It's not perfect off road (especially coming from a KLR), but has handled every gravel road around Austin I've been on.

Good luck with your search! It's the perfect time to be looking for a bike.

I'm 6'2" with 35.5" inseam and the FJR1300 fits me quite comfortably. One of the big issues when you're talking longer rides with is wind management. Being able to adjust the windscreen up and down with the flick of a toggle on the FJR is a treat.

I've also in recent years had a KLR650, Tiger 955i, FZ1 (first gen) and Rocket 3. The FJR (on my third one now) is by far my favorite bike for longer distance or multi-day riding. The thing is smooth as silk and quite comfy at 75-80mph for hours. Side cases are standard, so you've got some luggage. Many on the used market have an added trunk (factory or Givi).

Saw this one in the TWT for sale section yesterday. Barely broken in at 11K miles, asking $7,000. http://www.twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=106583

Another one to consider in your budget is this 2010 Tiger 1050 (11.4K miles with cases, $5999) on CL - http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/mcy/5234197813.html