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kle500 whats it like??

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hmmmnz
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PostPosted: 00:06 - 05 Dec 2013    Post subject: kle500 whats it like?? Reply with quote

im trying to source 4 bikes for my bro, our mate, his old man and my uncle for a european bike trip next year, they are all coming over from nz, so its up to me to source and sort the bikes,

my younger brother has decided on a klv1000 or a v strom 1000,
our mate is a bit shorter than the rest of us, not that its a real problem he rides a bandit 12 in nz and has a smelly harley sportster in oz,
we are thinking of doing some light off road riding (he raced moto x for years when young so no troubles there either)
the problem is his back is a bit fucked from his youthful exuberance on dirt bikes,

so im trying to find something that has a reasonable turn of speed, is a up right riding position and comfortable, not too buzzy, but not to heavy,

and came up with the kle500, it seems to tick all the boxes,
it doesnt do any of they well, but it does seem to do them all reasonably,

so anyone have any real world experience on them (kickstart)
or can offer an alternative
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nowhere.elysium
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PostPosted: 00:08 - 05 Dec 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

Vracktal has two of them; he'd be the guy to ask, methinks.
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Mario_Kempes
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PostPosted: 00:24 - 05 Dec 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mate's got one. A limited edition black and gold.

It's very basic, a bit heavy, slow but super reliable and very capable. He loves it and claims he'll never sell it.

Can get them very cheap. Difficult to sell though, I imagine.
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 00:47 - 05 Dec 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

He should get a CBR600F.

I had (still have) a KLE500. As you said, it's not very good at anything in particular. Average at everything. Mine's a decent allrounder but it has 17" cast wheels and is still uncomfy over distance (Yes folks, I invented the versys before kawasaki did, you heard it here first).

Think what you'll be doing. It'll be 98%+ on the road.

A CBR600F is three times as good on the road and half as good off it (maybe better than half as good if you fit dual-sports tyres like avon distanzias).

In all honesty. Most of the ability of offroad bikes is in the tyres, not the chassis. If you fit offroad tyres on a sportsbike, you can ride it fairly effectively offroad but a dirt bike with slicks is still shit on a track.
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hmmmnz
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PostPosted: 01:05 - 05 Dec 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

i did think about a road bike, but even a cbr will have him leaning to far forward, and then there is all that plastic ready to break Very Happy
and he does break it, thats why i got him the bandit 12 in nz, and crash bars, he is a bike savage, he could get as far into the bush as me on his old gsxr400 as i could get on an old ag175
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 01:19 - 05 Dec 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

hmmmnz wrote:
i did think about a road bike, but even a cbr will have him leaning to far forward, and then there is all that plastic ready to break Very Happy
and he does break it, thats why i got him the bandit 12 in nz, and crash bars, he is a bike savage, he could get as far into the bush as me on his old gsxr400 as i could get on an old ag175


FIt 9" rise renthalls then. And take the plastic off.

Tyhere is just as much plastic to break on a KLE.

If you fall off to the right at any speed, you'll wear a hole in the water pump cover almost immediately. Mine fell of its stand to the left and broke the gear selector internals.

If he falls off. Fuck him. he should have been more careful. A CBR600 is one of the most crash-able bikes out there.
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I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.
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G
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PostPosted: 02:31 - 05 Dec 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

stinkwheel wrote:
If you fit offroad tyres on a sportsbike, you can ride it fairly effectively offroad but a dirt bike with slicks is still shit on a track.

https://www.bcsportbikes.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=42127&stc=1&d=1150172634
Thinking

And yes - KLE bit of a master of none.
Depends on the riding. What about a tedium?
They are a similar master-of-none, but google shows it to be listed at only 1kg more, but with an engine with a nice bit more punch.
Less mpg I presume, however.
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bladerunner
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PostPosted: 03:31 - 05 Dec 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

Funny you should say that...owned both a kle...and a tdm and mostly either small 2t or 750+ 4t jap sports bikes. Kle is fun for up to 30 mile rides....10 miles of straight road kills the fun....crap off road and a well ridden cb500 or vfr400 will probably kick your ass in the field type terrain ..I kid you not.....you won't dent your exhaust....but you'll get stuck in a 6" deep tyre track!....... The tdm however has enough power to meet those get out of trouble moments with just throttle control and pretty close to sports bike road speeds...even in the corners......but even the tdm seat gets plank like after 100 miles...
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_mjs_
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PostPosted: 05:30 - 05 Dec 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

G wrote:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9ng1KxhAOw&feature=youtube_gdata_player
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hmmmnz
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PostPosted: 10:34 - 05 Dec 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

^^Sick
he won't be walking for a while

i did look at the tdm as well but it came in at 20kg heavier
may be its an option although id like some thing with a cradle to bolt a bash plate to

the kle has 21" front wheel, which is a nice touch
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 11:17 - 05 Dec 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

I still say if you're going to be doing Europe properly, you need a bike that is first and foremost a road bike.

A KLE is less vibey than a single cylinder dirtbike but it isn't much more comfortable. It has pretty much the same seat and riding position as a KLR650. You're going to be topping out at about 100mph and streaked out in the wind. Even with the more powerful GPZ engine fitted and 17" wheels, I was very much playing catch-up when I went touring with my bike club on anything but the most horrible, gravelly c-roads (at which point I was able to hoon off into the distance, but it wasn't worth it for the slog to get to them). If he's out with people on 1000cc v-twins making double the bhp, he's going to get sick of it pretty quickly.

They are a bit of a cock to put luggage on too. (Note the standard SV650 parked next to me which managed the five miles of gravel road to get to where we were just as well but had a much nicer time on the motorway getting there).
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/imm039.jpg

I landed up building racks for mine. Even with a sheepskin, the seat wasn't very comfy.
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/c920f33e.jpg

What about a Triumph Tiger? Not the 900, they don't tick the "not heavy" box (I don't know in terms of actual weight but on the 900 you are aware you're sitting in a very large motorcycle. The later models kind of disappear when you're sat on them.

Or a versys?
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.
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garth
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PostPosted: 11:34 - 05 Dec 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

stinkwheel wrote:
(Yes folks, I invented the versys before kawasaki did, you heard it here first).



Really didn't, you put ER5 wheels on a KLE. The Versys is a LOT more punchy, has far better brakes and suspension and is a much nicer thing to be on. It's the best road bike I ever sold, I'll get another when the prices come down.

Still fuck ugly though unless you get a gen2.

I'll have a yellow one please.
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Rogerborg
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PostPosted: 11:36 - 05 Dec 2013    Post subject: Re: kle500 whats it like?? Reply with quote

hmmmnz wrote:
his back is a bit fucked

And he's planning on going off-road? In the wilds of Elbonia?

I'd be planning medical cover first, bike second.
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 12:26 - 05 Dec 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

garth wrote:
stinkwheel wrote:
(Yes folks, I invented the versys before kawasaki did, you heard it here first).



Really didn't, you put ER5 wheels on a KLE. The Versys is a LOT more punchy, has far better brakes and suspension and is a much nicer thing to be on. It's the best road bike I ever sold, I'll get another when the prices come down.

Still fuck ugly though unless you get a gen2.

I'll have a yellow one please.

Oh yes I did.

The versys is marketed as the KLE650 in other markets and mine has the 65bhp GPZ500 engine in it. So ner!

My bike is to the versys what the ER5 is to the ER6.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.
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garth
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PostPosted: 13:19 - 05 Dec 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

stinkwheel wrote:
My bike is to the versys what the ER5 is to the ER6.


That's a more accurate analogy, though I doubt a GPZ motor will kick out 65bhp.
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 13:30 - 05 Dec 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

garth wrote:
stinkwheel wrote:
My bike is to the versys what the ER5 is to the ER6.


That's a more accurate analogy, though I doubt a GPZ motor will kick out 65bhp.


It's as likely to as a versys.

Both manufacturers claimed output. Both lies.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.
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G
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PostPosted: 13:50 - 05 Dec 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

65hp and more seems reasonable for a Versys.
Ok, it had a full system, but my stock 99 SV650S was making 64hp, then 67hp with the carbs setup. When I put in cams from the 2003 and later model it had have the intake restricted to bring it down to 72.8hp on the dyno.
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hmmmnz
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PostPosted: 14:36 - 05 Dec 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

it'll probably be only my brother on the 1000 bike,
ill be rocking my old r80, and thats in at about 40hp,
so power isnt really an issue, i had an old klr650 tengai which had the best tank range of any bike ive owned,

ok if the kle isnt comfy ill cross it off the list,
https://www.rallytwin.com/ are pretty cool kle based bikes
might get one for myself at some stage, i do kind of like the look of them, i think id prefer a gs500 engine for extra simplicity though
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G
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PostPosted: 15:04 - 05 Dec 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you've got 40hp, dare I say it, but what about a f650 of some sort?
Not sure the prices on the GS model, but others are at KLE levels.

Remember comfort can be added by moifiying the seat, adding pads and the like.

I always fancied making a SV650 or 675 in to an adventure style bike (and a chunk lighter than Triumph's weight version, of course.)
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Vracktal
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PostPosted: 15:40 - 05 Dec 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

Stock KLEs are pretty much as described above, fairly competent but nothing massively noteworthy. With modification though, they can be made into something halfway decent. If it's going to be touring with people on 1000s though it'll struggle when they decide to wind on; Mine has upped gearing and top out at 100ish mph but you can tell it's not happy about it. Cruises fine (albeit noisily) at 70-80 mph @ 7500rpm though. There's two seat types available, a thin one and a thicker one with more padding. Both are terrible, but the thick one is slightly less terrible- I made myself a custom one in the end. The other issue is the fuel tank is only 15 litres, good for maybe 150-200 miles depending on roads. For touring, I'd recommend upping the gearing (17 tooth front 40 tooth rear is what I have iirc), fitting a taller screen (MRA make a good one) and some panniers (check GIVI, they have a set that fits) Additionally, the ER5 crash bars fit with some jiggling and a little percussive alignment. Finally, the stock mudguard on the front wheel isn't very good, and clogs with mud if you take it offroad. The KLR600 guard fits in it's place as long as you don't mind a bit of drilling.

If he's still dead set one one, there's a list of things I'd check before handing over money-
-The gearbox shaft to the front sprocket on the earlier models used a keep-plate (tabbed washer thingy) to keep the sprocket on, but they wear easily and after a while the sprocket can move on the shaft splines, which wears them down until they shear.
-Later B1-B7F models have a daft emissions system that adds a bunch of dead weight and tubing around the carbs and dicks around with the fuel-air mixture. Removing it is the best thing and legal to do.
-The swingarms seem to rust prematurely down the right fork, from the inside out. Both mine had this problem but tapping down the fork can usually identify it as the sound changes. New ones cost about £300 (plus shipping from Israel of all places where parts are still made)
-The brakes are fairly pathetic and get worse as the fluid ages over time.
-The bike has a cutout switch that stops the engine if it thinks the side stand is down. These inevitably break and can be a source of much annoyance as there's no override if it decides your side stand is down and no indicator light, so if the bike randomly cuts out trying to pull away it's probably that.
-The fairings are easy to break but surprisingly resilient. I reckon mine only have half the fasteners left it came from the factory with but they still grimly cling on.

Here's how mine looks with all the above mods fitted (plus a 2 inch suspension raise)

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3785/10905931834_f6933e26ea_h.jpg
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cdlxxvi
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PostPosted: 21:56 - 05 Dec 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

As much as I like my little KLE (see here), trying to keep up with more modern litre bikes can be uncomfortable.
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garth
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PostPosted: 10:13 - 06 Dec 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

_Iain_ wrote:
garth wrote:
[The Versys is a LOT more punchy, has far better brakes and suspension and is a much nicer thing to be on. It's the best road bike I ever sold, I'll get another when the prices come down.


Really? I rode the Versys 1000 demo & hated it. Engine was very nice, handling was Sick


The Versys 1000 is a fucking tank, completely different bike to the 650.

I really liked my old one, as an everyday bike. The engine worked well at road speeds for bend swinging A and B roads.
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hmmmnz
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PostPosted: 14:04 - 06 Dec 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

im now looking at old super tenere's mainly because i might buy it off him after Very Happy they seem to have a good reputation, apart from being infected with the honda reg/rec disease,

i also looked at the tiger, but that fucken sprag issue has me a bit worried about them, its either a mission or a pain in the arse depending on which tiger 900, makes the rotax sprag issues childs play Very Happy
not that im adverse to splitting some engine cases to fix an issue, i just wouldnt want to be doing it in fucken albania,

so tiger is off the list
kle is still kind of on there but a big single or the tenere are winning,
if i saw a tengai again for sale i'd buy that, its only problem was the countershaft balancer adjuster (doohickey) which is a minor issue easily fixed

im almost tempted to chuck him on a gs500 with some dirt tyres,
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 15:05 - 06 Dec 2013    Post subject: Reply with quote

G wrote:

I always fancied making a SV650 or 675 in to an adventure style bike (and a chunk lighter than Triumph's weight version, of course.)


I'm sure I've posted it before, but yes, they work well jacked up. My mate made one.

This one has some sort of KTM front end.
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/simmer%20dim/svlerwick.jpg
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I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.
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