from the Gen 2 model . This is one area the KLR shows its budget nature as the front cowlings feel like great quality sturdy plastic , while the rear plastics feel noticeably softer / cheaper and flex a lot when you give them a wiggle . The right rear cowling in particular is possibly the worst here , but as it is a contact point for when the bike is dropped , I suspect Kawasaki did this on purpose for durability ’ s sake . The harder plastic of the main fairings are similarly protected by smaller sacrificial plastic parts that should act as a first point of contact should you drop the bike . Interestingly , the new KLR650 actually weighs a couple of boxes of beer heavier than its predecessor , with a 210kg fuelled weight . That ’ s still in the ballpark for what ADV riders want , but is still around 15kg heavier than the old bike . Where that weight has come from I have no idea , but at a guess , the longer swingarm is partly to blame along with the additional electronics and ABS gear .
With the KLR being primarily a travel bike these days Kawasaki put a lot of effort into reducing the vibrations that reach the rider . For the most part , their efforts have worked nicely . The bars are rubber mounted , as are the seat and footpegs ( more on those later ) so your primary contact points are pretty well insulated . At least compared to the old bikes . However , the fuel tank doesn ’ t appear to have received the same attention and clamping the tank with your knees quickly reminds you you ’ re riding a large capacity single . Power is still transferred to the ground through a five-speed gearbox , and , while a six-speed is the expectation these days , I honestly didn ’ t find myself hunting for a sixth gear often during my time with the KLR . For adventure touring , the factory gearing seems pretty good for New Zealand conditions and our low highway speed limits . Despite the numerous changes , the KLR650 is still a rather old soul at heart . That ’ s far from
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