Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Latest Moto-Lust: talk me out of it!

A couple weeks ago, the new Cycle World magazine arrived, with a review of the new Kawasaki KLR650. I am drooling. I have always been kind of fascinated by dual sport bikes. It seems like they do so many things so well:

  1. Tall suspension soaks up potholes without rattling the rider's teeth
  2. Modest torquey engine output makes lots of useful torque, but without so much horsepower that it's hard to stay out of trouble.
  3. Ever been on a nice ride, then have the road suddenly change to dirt or gravel and have to either turn around or continue on scared? No more!
  4. Tall seating position gives the rider a birds-eye view of traffic. Also, if you get hammered by a car, it is more likely to be at knee level instead of chest level. Better to have a wrecked leg than a wrecked ribcage, in my opinion.

The problem is that I just bought a new maxi-scooter, a Suzuki Burgman 400. (see previous posts) There aren't many dirty roads around here, but for some reason, I still lust after a new KLR. I love the scooter, and I also love the FJR. My wife also loves both of them, and we're still paying for both of them. What's a guy to do?

In the back of my mind, I'm considering selling the FJR in favor of the KLR. I'll be much less likely to get speeding tickets, for one thing. Much less likely to go 130 mph for another. (it is soooo tempting on the FJR, since it is so able to do it. Oddly, they seem to get about the same fuel economy. around 45 mpg. How is this possible, when the KLR's engine is half the size and less than half the power of the FJR's? I thought they did quite a bit better than that...

I'm having fantasies of riding on a pohole-stricken stretch of road and smiling the whole way. Of riding through the turn that would be perfect if not for the bumpiness, but not having the bumpiness ruin it for a change.

Sadly, I'm the kind of person who will sit here and stew about it all winter. Ready to jump and do something rash next spring. Talk me out of it fellas. That, or talk me into it such that I won't regret selling the FJR to make it happen. ;)

2 comments:

  1. I'm totally in the same boat with the Kawasaki Versys. Same concept, but one step further to the street side. 2008 will be its first year in America. It's getting fantastic reviews.

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  2. If you haven't yet, consider the Suzuki DL650 V-Strom too. It is the one the Versys is imitating. (except styling)

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