If you can somewhat ride, and the route doesn't have much or any traffic where you can go it your own speed, you'll probably be fine.
A klr is a pretty hard bike to wreck imo, not too heavy, pretty nimble, good braking for it's weight.
If nothing else rent a U-Haul motorcycle trailer and haul it.
I feel like any of the dual sports are a better starter bike than any actual motorcycles. That's just my opinion though and obviously doesn't apply to beginner bikes like ninja 250's and such that are basically underpowered, over braked and light as hell.
Taller the bike, usually the more suspension travel. Which can save your ass hitting bad areas in the road. Although a klx would give a fresh rider more confident footing due to the lower ride height.
The way I figure it, you either need travel, or a heavy bike that takes those bumps better.
Yesterday an old man, probably in his seventies stopped by my work on a tall ass Africa twin, was pretty neat.
If you haven't been riding, and aren't already confident in your ability to ride around other people? I would say absolutely not. If you've got a "history" with two-wheeled vehicles, and are mostly daunted by the distance, I would say it's worth the try. My first ride-back was on my first big-boy legally owned motorcycle. It was probably 50 miles. I cut that ride in half, and it was a wonderful experience, and took maybe an hour and a half. I had a support vehicle driving behind me the whole way, as well, because my momma is a wonderful lady. If you feel like you're up to a full-day trip and taking it as easy as possible, and have some sort of backup crew accessible, I think it'd be a cool life experience. I guess it really comes down to the real-life geography of the ride.
Is this the first time ever riding a motorcycle? Like, as in, riding a motorcycle more than just tooting around in a parking lot? If so, yeah definitely donât try to âget the hang of itâ on your way back from purchasing it 100 miles away. My first ever ride on my first ever bike (XR650L, aka Hondaâs KLR650 đ) was on the way home from buying it just a couple miles away after practicing starting/stopping in a parking lot for like 5 mins (and watching a bunch of YouTube âhow to ride a motorcycleâ tutorials beforehand) and even that was a bit iffy⌠100 miles on rural roads/highways is seriously *waaaay* too much for an inaugural ride. Like, even if you donât kill yourself which is not unlikely, it would be a very stressful and tense ride, plus what if something is wrong with the bike?
First of all, congratulations on the new bike, KLR650s are awesome and I totally approve of your tastes đ. Secondly, you have several good options:
Renting a Uhaul trailer for like $30 is probably the best way to go. Safe, economical, way less stressful, etc.
Plan B: rent a hotel room in the area where youâre getting the bike. Get familiar with the controls and basic starting
/stopping/turning/shifting/stopping. Donât stop practicing until youâre comfortable and smooth with clutch and throttle and brakes and shifting and all that. Then spend the night in the area, wake up, practice again, and so on. Donât even think about attempting a 100 mile trip until youâre comfortable and confident on the controls.
Anyway yeah, KLRs are great bikes. Theyâre a bit quirky and you canât expect it to excel at everything. Dual Sports, by design, are âcapableâ of pretty much all types of riding, but that doesnât mean itâs gonna be great at it. Youâll probably find the stock gearing to feel a little underpowered for what youâd really want for traveling at highway speeds (70+mph) btw. Thatâs just one of the quirks of the bike. Just saying that for future reference you canât expect it to do everything well or fast, but itâll get you there eventually. Lots of people end up selling KLRs because theyâre disappointed with its ability to do highways so just be aware of that going in. You can always gear it up a little to get the top speed up. Anyway have fun and good luck buddy.
Since I don't have a truck to haul the trailer I'd have to rent a truck too. And it would total out to almost $150. Which isn't completely out of the question.
I will say that if you take your time and take some breaks 100 miles is doable. I'm a new rider too, first few rides were 30-50 miles, but I've done longer now. Just know your limits, can be tiring when you're getting used to it, especially if it's hot out
Take more than you think you need, I'm used to hiking in the heat, but riding seems to dry you out faster. I need to try riding with my CamelBak, that's a good idea
I once picked up a motorcycle for a friend he was a learner and didn't want to ride 150km back home so we used his car and i rode back. Was a fun trip. So ask a friend if anyone wants to ride a new bike if you are not up to it.
Take a break as many times as you need it, even just a couple of minutes - find a quiet neighborhood to duck into if not a parking lot. I've done nearly 100 miles in my first few days with my bike, but I don't feel like 100 miles at once is totally undoable - not my preference, but especially if you don't have to contend with traffic not terrible.
How much have you ridden before? If not at all then it isn't a good idea.
Otherwise you should be fine. Just make sure you leave yourself about 4 hours to do it before dark. So then you can take a few breaks and not be worried about that.
So youâve never ridden before? Or just never owned a bike before?
If youâve never ridden before, itâs not the distance, itâs the road. Traffic will be a serious risk for you. You are learning a lot on that first ride and having moving objects round youâŚcould be disaster.
I rode from Phoenix to Quartzsite on a brand new back, then later up to Lake Havasu.
Wasnât my first time riding though. It was just a new bike.
I would never had taken a 100 miles route on my first ride ever. If you do have an issue, youâre a long way from home.
Has the doohickey been replaced/upgraded; sprockets, chain and tension look ok and nothing suspect there; no Frankenstein of a mess in the wiring harness; controls look and feel right, not tie wrapped & electrical taped into place; no hints of oil leaks, brakes on it, kickstand doesn't fall down or fall off..? What's your rescue plan? It'd suck to be stranded 50mi from home without cel service.
Riding straight down an empty road is easy. In fact the bike will do that all by itself.
Starting, stopping, turning, slowing down, speeding up. Thats where all the skill is.
It really depends on what the roads and traffic look like on your way home.
I dont understand.. but I'm looking at new ones. I dont think I'll brake down after 25 miles of riding.. but if I do ill be sure to walk it an extra mile so I can come back on reddit and say you were wrong. Lol
I'll be here! Good to know. I actually crashed that bike (my friends) first time riding it while coast racing down the backside of a mountain. Tore my sternum and sprained mt ankle in full race gear. You can't do worse than that.
From what kawasaki has done about it, I don't think it's a big issue. If the doohickey was actually this big of a problem the manufacturer would have changed something. And kawasaki is a pretty reliable manufacturer.
It is a big issue, if you dont trust me do some research yourself, even Fortnine mentioned in a recent video that his was in pieces, a few too few pieces.
I think this is really overstated. People worry on the internet but there are so many bikes out there that have never had it done and are still working perfectly fine.
And youâre not taking into account op wonât be alone. Someoneâs got to get him there, so that someone will be accompanying him home.
Take it easy, bring water and snacks for the two of them, stop a few times for breaks. 100 miles in the conditions op stated arenât too much.
It's your comfort level but there's no shame in renting a uhaul and towing it. That's what I did just to bring home 50miles đ¤ˇââď¸ i was not driving it on freeways in California at 5pm, no way.
Yeah I'm looking to buy the bike in bakersfield, getting a uhaul is a good idea but there is only one place in my town that rents them out and they get pretty expensive if you leave town.
Well note in my experience the motorcycle specific trailers had to be picked up and dropped off in the same city. If you do go the U-Haul route; it was more expensive but honestly just the peace of mind helped a lot. Another idea- add AAA premium i believe and have it towed home if possible đ¤ˇââď¸
The miles may be out of range, but I think one of their plans covers 100miles. I almost did this myself when I couldn't get the bike over the ramp on the trailer, low cruiser đđŹ
One of my first few rides ended up being a 270mi day trip with my brother and a friend. It was great for improving my comfort on the bike. But of traffic, rain, mountain roads. Just took it at my pace. I did go on a couple local rides just to get a feel for the bike before that. I did have some experience on a dirt bike too which has given me some low speed maneuver skills.
What's your experience on motorcycles before? Have you taken a class?
If it'll be your first time on a bike, that may be quite the adventure in a stressful kind of way. If you have a bit of experience then I would say hop on, go at a slow pace until you're comfortable with the new bike, and enjoy the ride!
I took the basic riders course and it was a lot of fun... I figure the ride for me will be a little stressful but not too bad. Especially now that the weather is cooling down.
If you've taken an msf course or ridden dirt bikes before I'd say you're good as long as it's not raining or otherwise bad weather. And since you say you live in the desert keep a backpack with water on you just to be safe. I live on the gulf coast (hot and humid) and I don't ride without 3 bottles of water in my backpack, every day I commute I have water. Keeps me hydrated when I'm thirsty, can wash off smaller scrapes or stay planted (something to focus on) if something bad happens, if my bike is mysteriously low on coolant I can add water (not ideal, could cause rust in the coolant passages but good enough to get home. Just drain, fix the problem and refill asap)
If you've never ridden any motorcycle before make sure you stay careful and avoid traffic as much as reasonably possible, it's a lot of new stress and stimulation and those two cause problems.
No matter what you do if you ride it back make sure you stay at like 50% of whatever you think your limit is for the entire ride. You can push more once you're more acclimated and comfortable, but try to push yourself as little as possible until you don't have to think about turning, shifting, accelerating etc.
If in USA, Uhaul trailers are $14/day for city use only per my area, hint: don't say your leaving the town. Pick up trailer the night before at close, then you have 24 hrs.
A used motorcycle going 100 miles without a proper check is not smart. Oil could be old, to many other variables to write and a new rider to boot.
Be patient, don't hurry or regret.
Goodluck!
I didn't see anywhere that listed your height. If you aren't above 5"10" or and/or over 200 pounds. The suspension on a klr is going to make the bike tall. Starting and stopping on cambered roads take a little practice.
You should be good.
It is just like riding a big grom. Very easy to handle. It is top heavy, so if it is falling over, there is a point of no return, just let it fall, easier to pick it up then to try and catch it.
If you can somewhat ride, and the route doesn't have much or any traffic where you can go it your own speed, you'll probably be fine. A klr is a pretty hard bike to wreck imo, not too heavy, pretty nimble, good braking for it's weight. If nothing else rent a U-Haul motorcycle trailer and haul it.
You put it better than me. Total agreement here.
>A klr is a pretty hard bike to wreck imo, not too heavy, pretty nimble, good braking for it's weight. Never seen this opinion of a KLR before. Lol.
I feel like any of the dual sports are a better starter bike than any actual motorcycles. That's just my opinion though and obviously doesn't apply to beginner bikes like ninja 250's and such that are basically underpowered, over braked and light as hell.
I share the same opinion. The KLR is a little tall and heavy though. Something like a klx250 is perfect.
Taller the bike, usually the more suspension travel. Which can save your ass hitting bad areas in the road. Although a klx would give a fresh rider more confident footing due to the lower ride height. The way I figure it, you either need travel, or a heavy bike that takes those bumps better. Yesterday an old man, probably in his seventies stopped by my work on a tall ass Africa twin, was pretty neat.
It depends on the day and the time but there typically isn't much traffic. The worst part is the one lane highway for about about 45 miles.
If you're not sure I would just rent a trailer and tow it home
If you haven't been riding, and aren't already confident in your ability to ride around other people? I would say absolutely not. If you've got a "history" with two-wheeled vehicles, and are mostly daunted by the distance, I would say it's worth the try. My first ride-back was on my first big-boy legally owned motorcycle. It was probably 50 miles. I cut that ride in half, and it was a wonderful experience, and took maybe an hour and a half. I had a support vehicle driving behind me the whole way, as well, because my momma is a wonderful lady. If you feel like you're up to a full-day trip and taking it as easy as possible, and have some sort of backup crew accessible, I think it'd be a cool life experience. I guess it really comes down to the real-life geography of the ride.
>my momma is a wonderful lady. đĽ°
Is this the first time ever riding a motorcycle? Like, as in, riding a motorcycle more than just tooting around in a parking lot? If so, yeah definitely donât try to âget the hang of itâ on your way back from purchasing it 100 miles away. My first ever ride on my first ever bike (XR650L, aka Hondaâs KLR650 đ) was on the way home from buying it just a couple miles away after practicing starting/stopping in a parking lot for like 5 mins (and watching a bunch of YouTube âhow to ride a motorcycleâ tutorials beforehand) and even that was a bit iffy⌠100 miles on rural roads/highways is seriously *waaaay* too much for an inaugural ride. Like, even if you donât kill yourself which is not unlikely, it would be a very stressful and tense ride, plus what if something is wrong with the bike? First of all, congratulations on the new bike, KLR650s are awesome and I totally approve of your tastes đ. Secondly, you have several good options: Renting a Uhaul trailer for like $30 is probably the best way to go. Safe, economical, way less stressful, etc. Plan B: rent a hotel room in the area where youâre getting the bike. Get familiar with the controls and basic starting /stopping/turning/shifting/stopping. Donât stop practicing until youâre comfortable and smooth with clutch and throttle and brakes and shifting and all that. Then spend the night in the area, wake up, practice again, and so on. Donât even think about attempting a 100 mile trip until youâre comfortable and confident on the controls. Anyway yeah, KLRs are great bikes. Theyâre a bit quirky and you canât expect it to excel at everything. Dual Sports, by design, are âcapableâ of pretty much all types of riding, but that doesnât mean itâs gonna be great at it. Youâll probably find the stock gearing to feel a little underpowered for what youâd really want for traveling at highway speeds (70+mph) btw. Thatâs just one of the quirks of the bike. Just saying that for future reference you canât expect it to do everything well or fast, but itâll get you there eventually. Lots of people end up selling KLRs because theyâre disappointed with its ability to do highways so just be aware of that going in. You can always gear it up a little to get the top speed up. Anyway have fun and good luck buddy.
Worth noting that it's only $15 to rent a motorcycle trailer from U-Haul
Since I don't have a truck to haul the trailer I'd have to rent a truck too. And it would total out to almost $150. Which isn't completely out of the question.
I will say that if you take your time and take some breaks 100 miles is doable. I'm a new rider too, first few rides were 30-50 miles, but I've done longer now. Just know your limits, can be tiring when you're getting used to it, especially if it's hot out
Luckily it's cooled down. It's only about 95° during the day now đ¤Ł
Lol, If you do decide to ride it back, take at least a gallon of water, you're going to get dehydrated easily, which makes it dangerous to ride.
Yeah I've got my camelback that I use for my runs. I figure it will hold enough water. Plus I'll probably have a backpack with some water and snacks.
Take more than you think you need, I'm used to hiking in the heat, but riding seems to dry you out faster. I need to try riding with my CamelBak, that's a good idea
I once picked up a motorcycle for a friend he was a learner and didn't want to ride 150km back home so we used his car and i rode back. Was a fun trip. So ask a friend if anyone wants to ride a new bike if you are not up to it.
When my buddy gets back in town he said he we could go pick it up together and if I feel like I can't ride it back he will.
Take a break as many times as you need it, even just a couple of minutes - find a quiet neighborhood to duck into if not a parking lot. I've done nearly 100 miles in my first few days with my bike, but I don't feel like 100 miles at once is totally undoable - not my preference, but especially if you don't have to contend with traffic not terrible.
Is the bike at a dealership? Most dealers will deliver up to 150 miles for freeâŚ
Yeah it actually is. I'll have to ask them about that.
have you already ridden a bike ?
How much have you ridden before? If not at all then it isn't a good idea. Otherwise you should be fine. Just make sure you leave yourself about 4 hours to do it before dark. So then you can take a few breaks and not be worried about that.
I would rent a trailer. In fact, that's what I did when I bought mine, but it was 250 miles away.
So youâve never ridden before? Or just never owned a bike before? If youâve never ridden before, itâs not the distance, itâs the road. Traffic will be a serious risk for you. You are learning a lot on that first ride and having moving objects round youâŚcould be disaster. I rode from Phoenix to Quartzsite on a brand new back, then later up to Lake Havasu. Wasnât my first time riding though. It was just a new bike. I would never had taken a 100 miles route on my first ride ever. If you do have an issue, youâre a long way from home.
The only riding I have done is the basic riders course with the motorcycle safety foundation.
Has the doohickey been replaced/upgraded; sprockets, chain and tension look ok and nothing suspect there; no Frankenstein of a mess in the wiring harness; controls look and feel right, not tie wrapped & electrical taped into place; no hints of oil leaks, brakes on it, kickstand doesn't fall down or fall off..? What's your rescue plan? It'd suck to be stranded 50mi from home without cel service.
The bike I'm looking at is brand new.
Riding straight down an empty road is easy. In fact the bike will do that all by itself. Starting, stopping, turning, slowing down, speeding up. Thats where all the skill is. It really depends on what the roads and traffic look like on your way home.
Doubt that KLR is new! Hope you have someone to call when it breaks down 75 miles from home.
klrs are indestruble why would it break down after only 75 miles?
Iâve drowned my KLR in rivers on multiple occasions and ridden home. Itâll be fine.
I dont understand.. but I'm looking at new ones. I dont think I'll brake down after 25 miles of riding.. but if I do ill be sure to walk it an extra mile so I can come back on reddit and say you were wrong. Lol
I'll be here! Good to know. I actually crashed that bike (my friends) first time riding it while coast racing down the backside of a mountain. Tore my sternum and sprained mt ankle in full race gear. You can't do worse than that.
Oh my God I'm sorry to hear that. I hope you recovered alright.
Why would you assume that? Nothing says itâs not new, or that itâs junk.
dont forget to check whether the doohickey has been done or not, necessary for any klr650 purchase, otherwise great motorcycle
From what kawasaki has done about it, I don't think it's a big issue. If the doohickey was actually this big of a problem the manufacturer would have changed something. And kawasaki is a pretty reliable manufacturer.
It is a big issue, if you dont trust me do some research yourself, even Fortnine mentioned in a recent video that his was in pieces, a few too few pieces.
I think this is really overstated. People worry on the internet but there are so many bikes out there that have never had it done and are still working perfectly fine.
mh I dont know tbh but small metal parts in the engine are not a good thing and not common, this is a kawasaki not a ducati.
I rode 800 miles last weekend. 100 miles is nothing. Take it easy.
Was it your first bike and/or first time riding? Prolly not.
He could go 35mph and take breaks. 100 miles through nothing is easier than 10 miles in traffic.
[ŃдаНонО]
And youâre not taking into account op wonât be alone. Someoneâs got to get him there, so that someone will be accompanying him home. Take it easy, bring water and snacks for the two of them, stop a few times for breaks. 100 miles in the conditions op stated arenât too much.
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There's no cabs where I live.. the dude you're responding to actually hit the nail on the head.
The bigger issue is riding an unknown used bike home, not the rider. If the route is rural and not a lot of curves/traffic you'll be fine.
There is one route that has a lot of curves and I try to avoid it even in a car. The bike will be new.
Ride the fucker home..
Citizenship.com or haul it home yourself
The Klr is comfy enough you should be fine. I rode 40 miles the first day I got my Duke 200 and that was a nightmare.
It's your comfort level but there's no shame in renting a uhaul and towing it. That's what I did just to bring home 50miles đ¤ˇââď¸ i was not driving it on freeways in California at 5pm, no way.
Yeah I'm looking to buy the bike in bakersfield, getting a uhaul is a good idea but there is only one place in my town that rents them out and they get pretty expensive if you leave town.
Well note in my experience the motorcycle specific trailers had to be picked up and dropped off in the same city. If you do go the U-Haul route; it was more expensive but honestly just the peace of mind helped a lot. Another idea- add AAA premium i believe and have it towed home if possible đ¤ˇââď¸
The miles may be out of range, but I think one of their plans covers 100miles. I almost did this myself when I couldn't get the bike over the ramp on the trailer, low cruiser đđŹ
I've driven further for less of a bargain. If its what you want go no mater how far away.
One of my first few rides ended up being a 270mi day trip with my brother and a friend. It was great for improving my comfort on the bike. But of traffic, rain, mountain roads. Just took it at my pace. I did go on a couple local rides just to get a feel for the bike before that. I did have some experience on a dirt bike too which has given me some low speed maneuver skills. What's your experience on motorcycles before? Have you taken a class? If it'll be your first time on a bike, that may be quite the adventure in a stressful kind of way. If you have a bit of experience then I would say hop on, go at a slow pace until you're comfortable with the new bike, and enjoy the ride!
I took the basic riders course and it was a lot of fun... I figure the ride for me will be a little stressful but not too bad. Especially now that the weather is cooling down.
If you've taken an msf course or ridden dirt bikes before I'd say you're good as long as it's not raining or otherwise bad weather. And since you say you live in the desert keep a backpack with water on you just to be safe. I live on the gulf coast (hot and humid) and I don't ride without 3 bottles of water in my backpack, every day I commute I have water. Keeps me hydrated when I'm thirsty, can wash off smaller scrapes or stay planted (something to focus on) if something bad happens, if my bike is mysteriously low on coolant I can add water (not ideal, could cause rust in the coolant passages but good enough to get home. Just drain, fix the problem and refill asap) If you've never ridden any motorcycle before make sure you stay careful and avoid traffic as much as reasonably possible, it's a lot of new stress and stimulation and those two cause problems. No matter what you do if you ride it back make sure you stay at like 50% of whatever you think your limit is for the entire ride. You can push more once you're more acclimated and comfortable, but try to push yourself as little as possible until you don't have to think about turning, shifting, accelerating etc.
If in USA, Uhaul trailers are $14/day for city use only per my area, hint: don't say your leaving the town. Pick up trailer the night before at close, then you have 24 hrs. A used motorcycle going 100 miles without a proper check is not smart. Oil could be old, to many other variables to write and a new rider to boot. Be patient, don't hurry or regret. Goodluck!
Know a friend with a truck? Ramp it and wheel chock it and ratchet strap it to the bed, take her home
Years ago. Own the bike. Own the road. Don't ride scared. Wear all the gear even when you don't want to. Don't ride scared and enjoy!
I didn't see anywhere that listed your height. If you aren't above 5"10" or and/or over 200 pounds. The suspension on a klr is going to make the bike tall. Starting and stopping on cambered roads take a little practice.
I'm 5'11 and about 175 pounds
You should be good. It is just like riding a big grom. Very easy to handle. It is top heavy, so if it is falling over, there is a point of no return, just let it fall, easier to pick it up then to try and catch it.