In February, Kawasaki announced the updated version of its KLR650 adventure bike/dual sport. ADV readers had mixed reactions to the new bike, and as you can see below, so did ADV’s writers!

迈克说：

As we’ve already told you, theKawasaki KLR 650 is back. And presumably, it’s back better than ever. And that may be the case. If it is, that’s good news. An “updated” machine should be better than the one it replaces.

Although I haven’t ridden one yet, I’m happy Kawasaki chose to bring the KLR back. I was at AIMExpo in 2018 when the news broke that the KLR would be no more. Now, a couple of years later, it’s back and with some changes that should improve it over its predecessor.

While not an inclusive list of changes, some things should make this next-generation KLR better. Kawasaki says the newly updated machine now sports fuel injection, an adjustable windscreen, LCD dash, LED headlight, a larger front rotor, a welded-on subframe, longer swingarm, rubber-mounted handlebars, footpegs, revised ergos, and a revised seat. OK then. That’s the new KLR 650.

但是它比以前好得多吗？我认为不是。当然，它具有增量更改，但是更改的总和是否值得更新？由于川崎选择了大约两年的产品阵容中的自行车，因此他们会花一些时间设计一种可以与其他“中量级”冒险机抗衡的自行车？新利18苹果

Probably the KLR’s closest rival is the Suzuki DR650. Honda’s XR 650 also fits into this category, but it’s clearly more off-road-oriented than either the KLR or DR. The XR is more a dirt bike than a street machine, while the DRs and KLRs are more street-oriented with dirt capabilities thrown in. For that reason, I’ll just compare the KLR to the DR.

哪种自行车更好是一个激烈的主题。有人说KLR是一辆更好的公路自行车，而DR是更好的越野机器。我认为，DR总体上是更好的机器，但这就是我。其他人的想法却大不相同。

From my perspective, the DR is lighter (about 100 pounds), more maneuverable, has more suspension travel by a significant margin, and perhaps is more user-friendly than the KLR. The DR doesn’t have the bucket and shim valves that the KLR has which makes engine maintenance a bit more tricky.

博士也可以覆盖道路上的距离。我的妻子金（Kim）从我们在弗吉尼亚州的车道一直骑着她，一直到阿拉斯加，但从未错过任何节奏。如果我没记错的话，当时它的时间超过20,000英里。

The DR is also much narrower and about an inch lower stock than the KLR. And without buying parts, you can make it even lower using factory settings (you’ll have to cut the sidestand down though). For inseam challenged or smaller riders, that can be a big deal.

With the 2021 KLR updates, the bikes are closer, but I think the DR still has a decent edge overall. The KLR still has a weight problem. Depending upon where you read about both bike’s engine and torque outputs, the DR has both more HP and torque than the DR. Add that to the KLR’s around 100-pound weight and size disadvantage, and the KLR looks like the loser in this bout.

即使使用了ABS和LCD破折号等新电子产品，它们也不足以使新的KLR比铃木比赛更好。因此，即使有了新的更新，我认为新的KLR也会错过标记。这并不是说这是一台糟糕的机器，不是。但这可能还有更多。

Frankly, that’s what bothers me the most about the new KLR. I think that Kawasaki missed a huge opportunity to bring the KLR back as a competitor in the more “modern” middleweight ADV segment.

While the KLR still meets US emission regulations, I have to wonder how long it will. The regs keep getting tighter and Kawasaki just spent its money fitting the single lung machine with fuel injection. How long that formula will meet the regs is unknown.

But even more importantly, the KLR is still a very heavy beast for a single-cylinder machine. Yamaha’s Tenere’ 700 weighs in at nearly the same amount as the new KLR and it carries a parallel-twin engine. Of course, it kicks the KLR’s butt in horsepower, torque, and suspension. Why Kawasaki chose to bring the KLR back relatively unchanged seems to be a huge lost opportunity.

The bike was already off the market. Large displacement single-cylinder engines are going to have a harder and harder time meeting emission specs going forward. My thought is that Kawasaki should have just bitten the bullet and taken the time (and money) to bring the KLR back in a form that can compete with “modern” dual-sport/adventure bikes.

Significant redesigns to single and twin cylinder machines cost a lot of money. To me, it doesn’t make sense for Kawasaki to spend a lot of money on building a new single-cylinder machine. They’re somewhat narrowly focused, more emission unfriendly, and often less comfortable than a twin.

I recognize that an overhaul of any bike is expensive and that architectural changes would increase the price of the KLR significantly. But now with only a very slight $100 price advantage against the DR, the KLR still comes up in the number two position and that’s a shame. Kawasaki put the KLR on a two-year hiatus, spent money on it, and it still isn’t a better machine than the Suzuki DR in my opinion. Where’s the real benefit in that?

所以为什么不川崎设计一个新的多缸machine? Perhaps they could have scavenged the engine from the Versys and wrapped it in a new frame with upgraded suspension. That could move the bike into “modern” competitive territory. But unfortunately, that didn’t happen and Kawasaki has delivered more of the same with some new bits and bobs.

So all in all, I think Kawasaki tried but didn’t really improve much. Perhaps Kawasaki is already working on a new bike that will put Team Green into modern adventure bike territory. Hopefully, the new KLR is only a placeholder until they can bring a new machine to market. Something like an adventure-oriented Versys might be nice.

In the end, though, Kawasaki did deliver a better machine at an inexpensive price. And that does count for something.

Zac says:

我同意迈克上面所说的很多话。我拥有十多年的铃木DR650，从未拥有KLR650。我所有的朋友都有KLR。我骑过它们，扭动了它们，但从未拥有过，因为我认为铃木是一辆简单的自行车，但在许多方面都优越。而且，我认为这就是人们想要川崎建造的东西 - 更轻，功能更大。实际上，如果您在更新的KLR发布后阅读了很多评论，那么听起来像是DR的KLR对某些骑手来说还不够 - 他们希望Kawasaki将KLR推入KTM/Husqvarna领土。

In my opinion, that would have been a terrible idea for Kawasaki. Sure, some people would have happily bought a KLR with about 70 horsepower, but that market is getting crowded. On the leaner, trail-friendly side of the market, you’ve got the near-identical KTM 690 Enduro and the Husqvarna 701. On the travel-friendly side of the market, you’ve got the Yamaha Tenere 700. A Kawasaki with similar specs would have grabbed some sales from both. But, it probably would have alienated many existing KLR fans, as it would have had to come in at a much higher price. More power and lighter weight would have required a re-design, and pricey materials. Kawasaki would have lost its frugal fanbase by aiming higher. The same is mostly true if Kawi had tried to build a bike equivalent to the DR650; it still would have required significant investment, and it’s hard to imagine the resulting KLR could have competed with Suzuki on pricing.

Instead, Kawasaki built a bike that nobody else is making: an affordable 650-class thumper with the bare essential modern features. It’s the future.

毕竟，情况看起来很严峻。自1990年代以来，本田XR650L和铃木DR650从未看到重大更新。由于排放法律，这两辆自行车现在都看到有限的分销。这些自行车都没有ABS或EFI，并且比更新更可能被取消。与KLR相比，它们要好得多。他们的制造商对他们不太感兴趣。然后是前面提到的KTM/Husqvarna。他们拥有牵引力控制，ABS，EFI和其他现代技术，但它们的价格是从传统的650 Thumper范围内的。

与其他预算竞赛不同，新的KLR650具有EFI和可选的ABS。Kawi几乎没有远足新机器的价格；它与本田和铃木的MSRP具有竞争力，但仍低于欧元自行车。很重。其液冷DOHC单缸发动机的功率低。从长远来看，这并不重要。对于想要KLR（或至少是一个负担得起的650辆）的骑手，这辆自行车将在未来几年内使用。是的，提出的版本，工厂撞车栏和行李的价格很愚蠢，但是谁会买那些呢？只有不知情的人，无论如何都不关心定价。

Who knows? With ABS and EFI, Kawasaki may even figure out how to sneak it into regulation-happy markets like India or the EU.

I also think Kawasaki made some very smart choices with the styling. Lots of riders used the KLR as a dual sport, and it kinda worked in that role, but where it really worked was the budget ADV role. It was an affordable bike that could handle highway, bad roads, gravel roads, and some minor offroad, at an average Joe price. It was the mass market alternative to the BMW GS series, a gateway drug to the ADV world. With the new rally-style fairing, the 2021 KLR doubles down on that adventure bike theme, with lots of bodywork to hide behind.

So yeah, it would have been great to see the bike 40 pounds lighter, and 20 horsepower faster. But Kawasaki delivered an affordable, decent-looking bike that should just plain work, when the competition fades away. Unless Suzuki or Honda comes out with a surprise, this is the future of big-bore thumpers.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments below …