The "KLR ain't cutting it" what bike thread

foxtrapper wrote: Underpants. The single most important item you wear for personal all day riding comfort. Athletic wear without seams that chaff and cut is wonderfull.

The best ones I've found are actual bike shorts. The higher end breathable spandex ones that you see people pedaling $5000 road bikes with. They keep the summer swamp azz in check and they have some padding to keep your junk from getting pummeled by a lousy seat.

With regard to the seat - Corbin stuff is megabux but it transformed an old FZR1000 from intolerable to reasonable for day trips and made my VFR750 a veritable couch from which to reel off the miles. It has been probably 10yrs since I bought a new one so they might be from China by now - but - I highly recommend the stuff they made up to 2002 :)

Foxtrapper said: You do realize that your description of what you want almost perfectly matches the Honda Pacific Coast? Ever read the threads about them over on ADVRider?

Sweet baby Moses that's an ugly motorcycle.

Foxtrapper, if you're wanting to pry the KLR out of my hands, that suggestion ain't going to do it.

Have a tank bag. Have a sheepskin seat cover. Have Renthal bars. Got the UnderArmour, uh, undies. Considered the numerous seat alternatives. I realize any replacement bike will still need a better seat, windscreen and possibly handlebars or risers.

ddavidv wrote:

Osterkraut wrote: Naked V-Strom. Boom done.

Wouldn't that just be a SV650?

Negative. The Strom is roomier, has a larger gas tank (IIRC), has a different power band, and more "adventure" style suspension.

ddavidv wrote: Sweet baby Moses that's an ugly motorcycle.

Ain't they? Biggest scooter Honda Accord ever made. LOL. It's enough to make a KLR look respectable.

Seriously, read Vermins stories about his global adventures on that rat of his over on the ADVrider forum. Great stories. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Neglect, The Grapes of Rat, etc.

I actually have read some of his stuff. And his bike is especially grotesque.

ddavidv wrote:

Osterkraut wrote: Naked V-Strom. Boom done.

Wouldn't that just be a SV650?

This looks about 500x better than the stock bike. I always wonder why Suzuki made the V-Strom so damn ugly and dorky looking.

Osterkraut wrote: Naked V-Strom.

Pretty damn similar. Lots of positive comments on the SV650 and they are cheap. Just have to find out if the ergos work for me or not.

Mitchell wrote: This looks about 500x better than the stock bike. I always wonder why Suzuki made the V-Strom so damn ugly and dorky looking.

It's hard to build a goodlooking "adventure" bike. I mean, look at the Multistrada:

ddavidv wrote: Pretty damn similar. Lots of positive comments on the SV650 and they are cheap. Just have to find out if the ergos work for me or not.

They're going to have fairly different ergos, rake/pegs/bars etc are all different. I loved my SV, but for your expected use I'd rather start with a DL than an SV. Another option for you, and probably damn near the best one.

I'm trying to move from my Guzzi to a more adventurous bike right now. I would really love a R100GS.

Osterkraut wrote: Naked V-Strom. Boom done.

Holy smokes... this could be the bike that gets me off the VFR I own with the bodywork that always annoys me by being in the way, the lack of highway pegs, and the suspension I sent off to have "matched to my weight and riding style" and came back a stronger and more annoying pogo stick than what I sent off.

Of course I'd probably want to go through the DL's suspension for similar reasons and there'd be a lot of sorting to do to emulate the look of the naked SV but this makes me quite curious...

Rode a BMW R1150R yesterday. Pretty much hated it. Ergos were weird, steering felt heavy and it tracked pavement lines something fierce...aside from the snick-snick gearbox I don't see what all the fuss is about. Need to ride a Wee still, but so far I'm leaning back towards the Triumph Tiger.

I also wanted to jump in and suggest a naked V-strom. I had an SV650S and while I loved the bike, the riding position was good for maybe 45mins tops. Maybe a bar change and new seat would have helped, but at 6' tall I'm sure the peg position would become uncomfortable for my legs and crotch long before the tank ran dry. Which is another difference between the two. SV tank is 4.5 gal and the V-Strom is 5.8 gal. If/when I get another bike it's going to be a V-strom DL1000.

ddavidv wrote: Rode a BMW R1150R yesterday. Pretty much hated it. Ergos were weird, steering felt heavy and it tracked pavement lines something fierce...aside from the snick-snick gearbox I don't see what all the fuss is about. Need to ride a Wee still, but so far I'm leaning back towards the Triumph Tiger.

If you ever get the chance to try one with the old Earles front end, you should try it. It's...an experience.

Seriously though, I'm not a BMW owner or fanatic. It does seem to be a "thing", and takes some adjustment. It is not at all conventional, especially to a sport bike type person. The posture and feel are completely different. Remember too though, lots of BMW's get ridden all over the world for a reason. I suspect it's a lot like the german cars. Not comfortable in a cushy Chrysler sort of way, but at the end of the day, you aren't in pain either.

As for heavy and tracking. It's a big bike, it's going to be heavy feeling. Tracking is usually a tire issue, not a bike issue.

The Triumph I rode didn't feel at all like the BMW, and it's no lightweight. The Triumph was easier to flick around. For something that brags about it's weight carried low, I the BMW felt ponderous at low speed.

I think I've settled on a Tiger 955i. The V-Strom is just too ugly even if it is better (which is debatable). The Tiger comes with full luggage as standard also. I'm finding a few in my pathetic price range, just need to find one that isn't slime green or day-glo orange.

ddavidv wrote: I think I've settled on a Tiger 955i.

Arrr, goin' all Girlie!

Ye be knowin' 'bout 'tis forum? Seems to be everythin' Girlie http://www.tigertriple.com/forum/index.php/board,5.0.html?PHPSESSID=bdiuha4en31ofghft56noq62b1

Wonder if ye can put them girlie headlight eyelashes on it...

You're hilarious.

So now that you're on my crap list how much are you going to give me for the Mighty KLR?

Woho! Comedy club auditions for me tonight!

I'm disapointed in this crowd that no one else made snide or huffy comments about the girlie thing. Which, considering you're throwing your leg over it, actually seems like a good thing to me.

I'll PM you about the KLR, though I really shouldn't. Did'ms scratch it when laying it down for a nap?

Sigh, I shouldn't pm, I am having frustrating fun on the XL500S, when I get a chance to ride it. But only during daylight.

Well, it's cheap enough even you could afford it. Cheaper if you want me to ebay some of the farkles you may not want. The only scratches are on the one handguard, and I have bedliner in a spray can that can fix that right up. PM when you desire; it's not going anywhere in a hurry (or until I find a Girlie in a color I can tolerate).

Hmm, looks like you're server or the classicmotorsports board is blocking PM's as spam. I'm getting bounces telling me it can't be delivered because I'm a spammer.

Maybe I'll see you tomorrow if you're doing the Jim Thorpe run?

Jim Thorpe run? I didn't get the memo.

Spam me at dvandtl at ya hoo dot com.

About the Jim Thorpe ride: http://www.triumphexperience.com/phorum/read.php?20,739883

I suspect if you gate crash nicely, she won't get bent out of shape.

This video looks like "stupid fun", the Triumph 800xc look nice too.

Portland-Dakar

Foxtrapper,

Read your damn emails.

Was high bidder on a Tiger until the last day on eBay. While I was beginning to think I had won it (HA!), I got this feeling that it may not be the right move. It's a pretty big bike. So I'm second guessing myself now.

And, dammit, those Triumph Bonnevilles are so freaking cool...

Yea, big bikes are for big boys

Just say'n....

And those pink ears are oh so cool.