Finally a worthy replacement to the trusty KLR 650

[JohninVT]

https://www.advspecs.com/compare/Ducati-Scrambler-Desert-Sled-vs-Yamaha-Tenere-700/1294-1202/

[Chuck in Indiana]

THen again - anyone have a Baghira for sale?

I hate to burst your bubble, Ron.. but a Baggy is *not* a thumper. When I bought the Skorpion in a Pile, I was hoping it was a thumper, too.. but it's not. It's just a high rpm single with a counter balancer. Has all the character of a washing machine. 

[LowRyter]

I wonder why no one mentioned the DL650?

[Siamese]

But wait...isn't a KLR 650 the worthy replacement for a worn out KLR 650?  I see no reason why you shouldn't be able to get a used one with a thousand miles on it for not a lot of money. 

I sure miss my KLR.  What a cow on a single track, but terrific on the road, and capable enough on dirt roads and two tracks.  And they look good dirty.  What was I thinking?

[SIR REAL ED]

I hate to burst your bubble, Ron.. but a Baggy is *not* a thumper. When I bought the Skorpion in a Pile, I was hoping it was a thumper, too.. but it's not. It's just a high rpm single with a counter balancer. Has all the character of a washing machine. 

Thanks Chuck.  I always wondered what the Yamaha 660 single was like.  Easy to find owners out there who don't like them.

Always lusted after a SZR 660 myself, along with a TRX 850.

Practical Sportbikes, a British mag is a good source, and the last motorcycle magazine I buy on occasion.

[Phil/TX]

My 2c, I have a KTM 790 adventure, and a 390 adventure. For road trips with luggage, the 790 is great. For local riding, and dirt roads and light duty I like the 390. That said, here in Texas the speed limit is 75 on most roads, the 390 will more than do that, but the power starts to drop off over 85, so passing can be a problem. The 790 with cruise control, and a Sargent seat is the ticket for higher speeds, and longer distance.

[SIR REAL ED]

I wonder why no one mentioned the DL650?

Good question.  650 V-Stroms are great bikes.  As are Kawasaki VerSys 650's.

Never available in the US, but I have long thought the Kawasaki KLE 500 would be a great bike.  Basically a Ninja 500 motor in a KLR style chassis.  That little motor is very surprising.

Now that the excellent 650 parallel twin is available, Kawasaki are nuts if they don't produce a bike with that motor in a KLR 650 chasis,

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

New Morini with a Kawasaki ER-6 clone engine: https://motomorini.eu/bike/x-cape/?lang=en
Doubt it'll ever come Stateside though.

[Canuck750]

New Morini with a Kawasaki ER-6 clone engine: https://motomorini.eu/bike/x-cape/?lang=en
Doubt it'll ever come Stateside though.

Cool looking bike, agreed; will probably never see it in Canada either.

What I don’t like about the Morini and many others like it is the street bias front wheel size, like the KLR I want a bike with a 21” front tire.

I wish Yamaha had placed the front fender up at the underside of the lower triple clamp, dirt bike style. When I see these street style front fenders hugging the tire I am reminded of all the stuck Africa Twins and BMW GS’s stuck in the mud near Tuktoyuktuk two summers ago trying to free the mud out between wheel and fender. Maybe the hugger front fender is ok for gravel and sand but it sucks for muddy conditions. Probably easy to get rid of the stock front fender and fit an aftermarket plastic replacement. I expect an aftermarket larger capacity gas tank will soon be available, a range of 450km would be nice.

Like the KLR, a big market for add ons and swaps will likely occur and help improve on weakness. kLR’s are notorious for their crap OEM tires and weak springs and from what I have read the Tenere shares the same shortcomings. All of the KLR’s in my family have had spring and tire upgrades, crash bars, bark busters and bar risers, taller windshields, etc. to improve their ride and durability. I have really enjoyed the KLR’s I have owned but with new and better options available and the KLR having been discontinued it’s time for something else that is close in size to the KLR with the benefit of a little more power and having fuel injection will be great, KLR’s love to gum up idle jets if left to sit for a month or more.