I recently finished a 10 day long stretch of going to work in the morning before sunrise and coming home in the evening after dark. It was a beautiful afternoon today and the autumn leaves haven't fallen from the trees yet. A great time for a ride on the back roads with the XT.
I got an F.
I know I've rambled and changed my mind a few times about what I like and what I want. Pretty consistently I've concluded that I don't enjoy the KLR 650 and the R75/7. Both are bikes that I wanted for a long time. When I finally had them I realized that the image that I had of them was not the reality. Also, the KLR has not run well since I got it and I don't want to spend more time with it as a project.
A few days ago I saw this BMW F650GS on FB market and tried to ignore it. I really did hope that it would sell fast because I am in the middle of sorting junk and reducing my load of stuff. When it had been on the market three days, I was telling Mrs AAZCD about my frustration with the KLR and how I'm going to sell it as soon as I have time to list it and deal with typical 'buyers'. "...and After I sell it, I might look for something like this [BMW F650GS]."
She said, "That looks nice. Why don't you stop telling me about it and go message the seller? Buy it now." She is such a good enabler. The seller didn't message me back until the next day and during the wait, I was sure it was already sold. His reply was "Yes, it's available" along with his address and phone number. An hour later I was there, cash in hand. His wife is also an enabler. They had just bought a new RV and a red BMW F900XR to go with it.
I like it. The riding position is comfortable for me and the balance feels a lot better than the KLR. The tall windshield keeps the wind off without making the bike bulky. It handles well on the street and does fine on back roads and open ground. It's heavy for true off-road, but If I want to hop over rocks and climb trees, I have the XT225. Mid January, I'm planning to market the KLR and R75. This bike easily surpasses both for any riding that I would do with either.
Nice choice. A buddy had the same bike and loved the E36 M3 out of it.
Good choice. Indestructible engine. They are comfy to sit on too. I just couldn't get past the pulses of the single after moving to multi-cylinder bikes.
I liked my KLR while I had it but it was a bike full of compromises.
Everyone loves the KLR but the truth is they're heavy, under powered, don't brake well and just aren't particularly good performing bikes.
My first bike was an F650GS Dakar, so basically the same as what you just picked up. Fun bike, gets crazy good gas mileage. Still a bit underpowered, vibrations weren't bad but were the wrong frequency for me, my hands would start to fall asleep after riding for an hour. Very uncomfortable.
There are a lot of differences between the KLR and the F650GS, but to me the most significant is the center of gravity. The KLR is tall and has a big tank mounted up high. On the F650 the gas tank is below the seat and the rider sits a lot lower. I always felt unbalanced and awkward on the KLR. I do notice some significant vibration on the F650 at the lower rpm range, but so far it has not been a problem for me. I have yet to ride it for over 30 minutes at a time.
For power I am intentionally avoiding 'powerful' bikes. I know that on the street, they feel too good and I don't have the restraint. I was fortunate in my youth to get away with things and not face the consequences - and I loved it too much. A bike that can do 75 mph comfortably, but not take me to 130 mph with a quick twist of the throttle is what I need. Likewise with helicopters, I now fly one that often requires a little finsesse to mange take offs and landings rather than one I can blast between trees at 130 knots and throw into a 90 degree bank.
Just thinking about the joy of a powerful aircraft in terrain flight leads me back to my last year in the Army. Typically when Blackhawk pilots took infantry out for aircraft orientation and training flights we would try to give them a 'good ride'; some close formation flight, some on-the-trees NOE, and some high-to-low G manuevering. It was AWESOME to play with a multimillion dollar, high power machine. A friend of mine was out doing that, flying trail in a flight of three. Nobody knows exactly what happened, but near the end of the flight, the crew chief on chalk two noticed that three was not behind them anymore. The smoking hole in the ground found over an hour later, erased our hopes. One dazed survivor was consious, but had no memory of what had happened. A second survivor of the 13 on board was found in critical condition. 11 dead. Not to be trite, but that could have easily been me. Many times over many years. Even if we are as good as we think we are, when you are running on the edge it only takes one small thing to put you on the other side. I'd prefer to die a warrior's death, but I do not seek it.
Um... That's not where I had intended to go with this, but I'll leave it. I meant to say, "It's more fun to ride a slow bike fast....."
Speaking of slow bike fast, I may need to pick up a mini bike. The "Lime 100" with North Texas Rallycross and Lonestar Gambler 500 looks like fun. I could give the bike to grandkids and borrow it for races.
The KLR is a great machine...when purchased for sub-$2500. 
I don't regret owning it but I knew going in it did nothing particularly well. As I wasn't entirely sure I would enjoy the motorcycle thing it was a safe choice vs a BMW or other bike for at least twice the cost. I put a LOT of miles on it while I had it.
While it is a fond memory today, I have no desire to go back. I've sat on a few since and am astounded that I could ride something so absurdly tall.
I had an FZ1 for a short amount of time. When cruising at 85mph you could feel the bike egging you on, it really wanted to do triple digits all the time. I'm happy on my thumpers but I still want some power. My 690 "Adv" probably makes 80hp and it's the perfect amount. It also has the tank under the seat but it came with a Safari tank too, which still puts the fuel pretty low on the bike.
In reply to docwyte :
I love your 690.
In reply to AAZCD-Jon (Forum Supporter) :
It's really the perfect bike for me. Total hooligan feel, good power and suspension, excellent range with the two tanks. Perfect bike for me here in Colorado.
In reply to AAZCD-Jon (Forum Supporter) :
Glad ya left that. Never got to control multi million machines, and never rode wicked fast stuff. But lots a time ridin' on the edge.
Much older, and just slightly wiser, these days.
In reply to ddavidv :
Unlike most of the folks I was around during my chopper days, I didn't grow up on dirt bikes. Never rode one, except a few times in friends yards, and that ain't really ridin' a dirt bike.
the enduro bikes, even the "little" 250s, are all a bit tall for my style. I did own a $2500 BMW F650 for a bit. Granted, it did have pure street tires, but it was worse on dirt or fire roads than my ol' FXR shovel (despite being very lowered) was. And commuting to work on it (what it supposedly excelled at) was so incredibly boring, it wasn't worth putting gear on to ride to work.
Granted, my K75 is considered to be a boring bike; it's just so pleasant to ride. I guess!
I had four of them out for rides over the weekend. The weather was great and I had some free time. They were all good except for the XT225. I let it sit outside all winter under a cover with gas in it. It ran okay with a lot of choke, but it's going to need a good carburetor cleaning. Stalling out in the middle of crossing a 2' deep section of river was not fun, but most of the ride was still good.
It's funny; it has worked out that nearly 50% of the times I ride the Ninja to work, I'm immediately called for a flight. It makes me feel like some type of superhero to roll right into the hangar, check a few boxes on the computer, then jump into the waiting helicopter and fly to a place where someone is dying and needs help. When I drive a car or ride another bike, it happens a lot less. No sense to it. Just one of those weird random things that seems to happen.
Still loving this thread! As another relapsed motorcyclist, I can relate. I certainly find an appeal for the machines that are light and nimble with just enough power, and just enough refinement. I rode to work today, and it is amazing how riding a bike makes the ordinary special, and really reinforces that you are alive.
I have a "Serious Buyer" driving 4 hours from KC to look at the R75/7 tomorrow. The last thing I need to do is replace it with yet another bike.
Which will probably be this project:
In other notes, I ended up getting a carb rebuild kit for the XT225. A basic cleaning wasn't enough. I also replaced the throttle cable, intake manifold rubber, and installed a choke lever vs the cable choke. With that and a fresh adjustment of the idle mixture screw it is running better than ever now.
Can't say I'd replace a nice /7 with one that looks like a pile of parts but I like riding more than wrenching
docwyte said:Can't say I'd replace a nice /7 with one that looks like a pile of parts but I like riding more than wrenching
1) I've followed a few of your builds. You Wrench.
2) It's a nice /7 that I don't care to ride or work on anymore. That means time for it to go. The guy buying it loves it as an unmolested rare bike. The other one literally is a 'pile of parts' to me. ...with a 898cc kick start engine and a 5-speed transmission in a frame with a title. I look at BikeExif.com and get ideas. Bike Exif R90/6
I'm not interested in The R90/6 at $1800. The seller contacted me about my ad. His ad has been up for a few weeks without a serious buyer and he was asking how well mine was doing and what I thought he could realistically get for his if he fixed it. After some discussion of the market and prices he left me with, "I’d give you a heck of a deal on the 90, I’m trying to scrape up cash to get a 1985 Harley project." I'm still undecided, but expect that I'll contact him during the week to see what "a heck of a deal" looks like. I have too much depreciating cash sitting in my safe.
In reply to AAZCD-Jon (Forum Supporter) :
LOL, busted. Yeah, I wrench but I ride the 690 way more than I wrench on it. Thankfully it's mostly been regular, simple maintenance or ergonomic setup stuff. I've got some off season work to do on it to address the last shortcoming, which are the fuel filters.
I have to say I'm enjoying having a DD that I basically do nothing to (the land cruiser) and a fun car that I get to choose if/what I want to do to it (996). Thankfully my wife's Cayenne diesel keeps plugging along with just oil changes and some brakes here and there. My daughters XTerra is being a little annoying, I've decided to throw in the towel on the persistent O2 sensor light and take it to a shop. I just don't feel like dealing with it.
In reply to AAZCD-Jon (Forum Supporter) :
If you are struggling with too much cash, I am getting ready to put the 87 K75S up for sale again - found an LT, and gotta move the least ridden out!
That R90 that I saw on FB back in July... It came back up on Marketplace a week ago... and I came off a week of night shift today.
Comes with lots of useful parts.
Winter Project: R90/6 Scrambler after I finish up some car stuff in November.
In reply to AAZCD-Jon (Forum Supporter) :
dude, you *are* some type of superhero. most people don't save lives.
The R90/6 Scrambler is in the rough planning and gathering parts phase now. My intention is to make a bike that will ride well on the street at 60 - 65 mph and also be rideable on rough dirt and gravel roads. The XT225 is fine for anything rougher than that and the R60/5 Cafe and Ninja keep me happy on pavement. The F650 is a good bike and I have enjoyed riding it, but the intent of the R90 is to replace it. I love the old Airhead style more than the F-Bikes. The F650 will need to find a new home eventually because I am already well into the 'too many rides' for someone who doesn't have a 10 car garage or warehouse to keep them all in.
The front brake system is an old style with the master cylinder under the gas tank. All the hoses are shot and the MC is seized and corroded. I'm planning to adapt a newer set of forks+brakes and probably wheel to the bike rather than stay with the old stuff. There is plenty of discussion of fork swaps on the ADVRider forum. For lower gearing I have the final drive from the R50 parts bike which is a 32/9 drive with almost no wear. I plan to lighten the bike as much as practical, removing the heavy old starter, big metal seat, and a few other parts. No work on it yet. I'm still dealing with cars that require attention.
Lots of inspiration here: https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/lets-see-the-airheads-scramblers.678840/
That R90 looks like a really cool starting point for a project. The under-tank master cylinder on these is rather annoying though, nd my current excuse as to why I don't own an R90S. I think it might also be possible to convert it to the later handlebar-mounted master cylinder, but at that point you might as well use a cooler aftermarket one.
You'll need to log in to post.
