The KLR is a good middle of the road adventure/dualsport bike. If you are just starting out, you can find a nice one for a decent price already loaded with most of the accessories you'd likely want on it. IF you expect it to ride like a BMW 1200 GS/A, you will be SORELY disappointed. IF you expect it to handle like a KTM 500 EXC, you will be SORELY disappointed. It is what it is, a basic dualsport bike. Yet, there have been no shortage of people that have used them for world travel. Unless you plan to do monster highway miles or gnarly two track, the KLR will be a great bike. There are lighter bikes. There are bikes with more power, better brakes, and better suspension. So what!?
Get a KLR. Get some basic dirt training. Ride it for a while and have fun. You will then start to see what kind of riding you are gravitating toward. You might find the KLR perfect for that kind of riding. You might not. If not, then start looking at bikes that are geared more toward the kind of riding you are wanting to do. Trying to get the "perfect" bike without ANY real idea of what you truly want to do is pointless. The KLR sits pretty squarely in the middle though so it will let you explore the edges each way, toward more dirt and toward more pavement. Then you'll have a better idea of what you really want.
If you find a nice DR650, jump on it. The biggest difference is that the DR is air cooled, so slightly less weight and slightly more dirt oriented. That comes at the cost of a smaller stock gas tank, which cuts down range if you want to do trips. Or, you replace the tank with a bigger one. XR650L's are air cooled and more dirt worthy as well, and have smaller tanks. They are also TALL, which for many people is a big issue. All three bikes are early 1980s technology, even the new ones.
You might do what a lot of us have done, get a big comfy adv bike and a smaller lightweight dual sport bike. I had a KLR. Now I have a 1200 GS and a KTM 530 EXC (would be a new 500 EXC if I could swing it...
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