The water cooling adds reliability and longevity to the engine, but it's not why it's a better bike. The KLX250 is just a more capable bike overall, with a more modern design than the air cooled bikes. The 09+ bikes have a lower seat height, but I'm not sure when they went EFI
I expected your market might be a little better than mine, but they're usually really good deals on the used market. My thoughts were that you could probably get into a lightly used but far better bike for less money than a new 230
Peabody here said:
The water cooling adds reliability and longevity to the engine, but it's not why it's a better bike. The KLX250 is just a more capable bike overall, with a more modern design than the air cooled bikes. The 09+ bikes have a lower seat height, but I'm not sure when they went EFI
I expected your market might be a little better than mine, but they're usually really good deals on the used market. My thoughts were that you could probably get into a lightly used but far better bike for less money than a new 230
Yeah I guess I just don't know about water cooling increasing longevity on underpowered lightweight bikes. I've got some original air cooled bikes that are over 50 and they seem to do fine. Maybe for really hot climates it would help. Our used market doesn't have much inventory and prices usually stay pretty high. Deals happen but it's rare since it's a pretty captive market
I agree that watercooled is not worth the risk, not for what you describe. Two YouTube motorcycle reviewers towed dirtbikes with Goldwing type bikes to the desert and camped and rode the dirt bikes. Any chance you have a tow bike? What about the Chinese dual sports? New, shipped, and mild assembly required for like $2k
Justjim75 said:
I agree that watercooled is not worth the risk, not for what you describe. Two YouTube motorcycle reviewers towed dirtbikes with Goldwing type bikes to the desert and camped and rode the dirt bikes. Any chance you have a tow bike? What about the Chinese dual sports? New, shipped, and mild assembly required for like $2k
I'm trying to focus on Japanese mainly since I've had great luck with them.
Fair enough, but if you look into CSC the Honda that they are cloned from was designed to be a tough, low maintenance work horse for "developing countries" I've read the clones are so accurate that factory Honda parts interchange. It's on the web, so it has to be true!
Peabody here said:
Justjim75 said:
I agree that watercooled is not worth the risk
What about the Chinese dual sports?
L
O
L
I had to laugh at that one a little too. If I was wanting ultimate simplicity to not be stranded in the mountains with a busted radiator, I'm not rolling the dice on a Chinese anything. I can't tell you how many times I've had to machine/lathe/hack at Chinese aftermarket parts to work as intended that I just don;t even consider them.
I have no first hand experience with the Chinese bikes but read good things. What's so funny? I'm personally a Honda and Suzuki fan so you wont hurt my feelings
Justjim75 said:
I have no first hand experience with the Chinese bikes but read good things. What's so funny? I'm personally a Honda and Suzuki fan so you wont hurt my feelings
Your quote was agreeing water cooling wasn't worth the risk but suggested a $2000 Chinese dual sport. Risk and Made in China go hand in hand in my experience. 
For a scooter in a 100% urban environment where worst case scenario is catching a bus home, I may roll the dice on Chinese. Getting stuck in a valley 7 miles back, trying to hike out my dirt bike I can hear myself now saying "I should have bought a Japanese bike"
Justjim75 said:
I have no first hand experience with the Chinese bikes but read good things. What's so funny? I'm personally a Honda and Suzuki fan so you wont hurt my feelings
If you're a DIY type, you can make some livable. The more common ones will usually have some sort of forum following that will hash out the glaring weak spots. They're usually assembled terribly with awful fluids, so assume a nut/bolt/fluid recheck on a crated a bike. Usually bottom of the barrel suspension and brakes, poor jetting and cheesy electronics like reg/recs. I'm a notorious cheapskate, and after researching, the generic Chinese ones didn't really add up versus an older Japanese bike, which I think are honestly overpriced too. It's wild to me that people ask and probably get like 2k for 25 year old Jap dual sports.The resale on Chinese bikes is terrible to boot. There are a few exceptions, the CSC products seem to be well thought of.
Which ones did yall own? Ill know to stay away.
In reply to crankwalk :
My KLR650 was dead on the side of a dirt road in the middle of BFE because the electric cooling fan blade broke, so in an environment where fragile things break easily (offroad) i won't have anything but aircooled.
Justjim75 said:
In reply to crankwalk :
My KLR650 was dead on the side of a dirt road in the middle of BFE because the electric cooling fan blade broke, so in an environment where fragile things break easily (offroad) i won't have anything but aircooled.
Right. I agree that air cooled is the way to go for ultimate simplicity I just didn't agree that Chinese was even an option If I'm worried about getting stranded.
Picked up the new bike today. It's a 2020 Klx 230 ABS model. Tagged and titled for under msrp. Weird time to be buying stuff but the dealer in Eagle River was excellent and we did everything 100% outside 10 feet apart. Hopefully it's simplicity and EFI will give me lots of effortless miles on the street and trail. I'll be updating my Crankwalk exploring Alaska thread later this summer once my driveway isn't a MF glacier.
Holy crap, its 80 and sunny as heck down here in Alabama. Its almost time to switch to enclosed air conditioned vehicles!
Justjim75 said:
Holy crap, its 80 and sunny as heck down here in Alabama. Its almost time to switch to enclosed air conditioned vehicles!
I'm still burning our wood stove before bed and plugging in the block heaters in the truck.
When I can see the first glimmer of what resembles pavement, I'll be out there though.*
*For now Only to commute to work as an essential worker as I have to do anyway and also to explore trails near my property that are nowhere near people.
