When you listen to the middleweight adventure bike hype these days, you would think this whole scene has sprung out of nowhere. But is that really fair? You could argue that the KLR650 was a trailblazer for “responsibly sized” adventure bikes back in the 80s, a bike that spanned the bridge between the crude, lumpy big-bore dual sports of its day and the large kitted-out adventure bikes that were just finding their own place in the industry. While the concept of a middleweight adventure bike has evolved over the years, the original KLR650 met the same need of riders today seeking a bike that can serve as both a dual sport or an adventure bike, depending on the journey.

Origins

With a liquid-cooled four-valve DOHC motor and a disc brake up front, and electric start on later models, it was more modern than most of the dual sport competition at that time. That single-cylinder made a claimed 42 hp and 34 lb-ft of torque, and the KLR600 weighed about 360 pounds wet sporting a 3-gallon gas tank. Was this the start of a series of fast, lean and mean dual sports?

The KLR650 Arrives

The KLR600 was not the genesis of a series of XL/XR600 dual sport competitors. Instead, Kawasaki went in a different direction, adding a massive 6-gal fuel tank, small windscreen and a lot more bodywork. It was still a dual sport, or at least it was ridden as such and marketed as such, but it looked a lot more like an adventure bike than a dirt bike.

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Or at least that was the case with the KLR650-A model, which is what most people refer to as “the KLR.” There were actually two sub-models in the beginning. The KLR650-A is the most common, but there was also the KLR650-B, aka the Tengai.

If the A-model looked a lot like an adventure bike, the B-model was even more kitted out for travel. The Tengai had bodywork that flowed from the headlight to the gas tank, and a low-mount front fender. It was made between the late 80s and early 90s and looked a lot like the Honda adventure bikes of that era like the Transalp or Africa Twin.

In the US, the Tengai was a one year model and lasted only about five years in the lineup in other markets, probably because it didn’t offer much improvement over the A-model except for its looks. 

Through the mid-1990s, Kawasaki instead offered two other models based on the KLR platform, but aimed at off-road use. There was the KLX650 series (which included both a dirt-only and a dual sport model), and then later the KLR650-C. The KLX machines are perhaps worthy of their own write-up at some point, as they did have significant differences from the standard KLR engine and frame. 

The KLR650-C had the same engine as the A-model with only slight changes, but fuel capacity was reduced to 3.7 gallons. Kawasaki put a two-piston brake caliper on the C-model and a beefier fork, and strengthened the sub-frame. Bodywork was streamlined and the carburetor was slightly different as well. All in all, it improved on many of the first-generation KLR650-A’s weaknesses, but for some reason, it never achieved the same popularity. They’re somewhat hard to find on the used market as a result.

The other legendary KLR650 variant is the Hayes Diversified Technology version. These machines were altered to run on diesel or jet fuel, and sold to military customers (mostly in the U.S.). They were reportedly very sluggish, but had crazy fuel range (reportedly over 600 miles). These bikes are rare, but they do pop up on military surplus auctions, and they’re surprisingly affordable when they appear.

Gen 1 and 1.5 Production

The first-generation KLR650-A had a production run from 1987 through 2007, and it didn’t change much during that time period except for a slight overhaul in 2000. Only a few parts were not interchangeable.

Generally speaking, the first-generation A-model is the most versatile of the bunch. It’s also the lightest. It doesn’t like being flogged off-road, but if you upgrade a few parts (tires, subframe mounting bolts, shock, fork) it will go just about anywhere if you ride at a sensible pace. 

The main weakness of the first-generation KLR650 is not so much the bike itself, but its owners. Because they bought the machine due to its low price tag, many buyers were loath to invest more money into addressing the deficiencies (which were not unique to the KLR, since every bike has room for improvement). They beat the bikes to pieces riding them harder than the platform was designed for—and yet, like cockroaches after a nuclear war, the KLRs were so strongly-built that they still could hold out to that kind of abuse for years.

But there was also one weakness with the platform that needed immediate addressing. The infamous Doohickey, aka the idler shaft lever, was the cause of many a mechanical meltdown. This stamped chunk of metal keeps tension on the counterbalancer chain mechanism, and in first-generation bikes, it was prone to failure. Some owners never had an issue, but so many riders had problems that the aftermarket developed a replacement kit and the part entered adventure bike lore. “Doing the ‘Doo” was a rite of passage for many KLR owners. Re-designs in 2008 and 2022 saw the mechanism get updated, but the aftermarket still sells replacements.

Other upgrades

As mentioned above, the subframe bolts were another weak part, but they were much easier to change than the Doohickey. Some owners also bolted up a better front brake caliper, but most just learned to ride within their stopper’s limits.

The Thermo-Bob was another popular mod on first-gen bikes, allowing coolant to bypass the KLR radiator so the bike could warm up more quickly. There were 685cc and 705cc big-bore kits as well, which didn’t turn the bike into a powerhouse but certainly improved pickup and throttle response. They also helped reduce oil consumption, which was a problem on some KLRs.

Despite the massive stock fuel tank, aftermarket companies offered even larger tanks for the KLR, with capacity up to 10 gallons. Of course there were seat upgrades available; Top Gun, Progressive and many other companies offered suspension improvements. And any luggage setup you wanted was available, from the cheapskate milk crate top box to hard-mounted aluminum panniers to soft saddlebags and everything in between.

Affordable adventure

The enduring image of the KLR owner isn’t someone with all these farkles, though. Thousands of KLR650 riders hit the road for Alaska, Argentina and countless remote locations in between with almost zero modification—maybe a 12V accessory plug and some basic bags. With its large tank and a seat that was far more comfortable than the saddle on the Suzuki, Honda and Yamaha competition, you could roll a KLR650 from the showroom and point the front wheel towards adventure without sinking a lot of Benjamins.

On to Gen 2!

That theme continued with the second-generation KLR650, which arrived in 2008. Gone were all the off-road versions and other variants. The new KLR was very obviously aimed at affordable adventure, with more street-oriented bodywork and a generally more street-friendly build. Suspension was improved for better handling but it lost some suspension travel, the front brake was changed for a two-pot caliper, the look was modernized and the charging system was powered-up. The engine was basically the same, with some improvements to help it rev more freely and an updated Doohickey assembly. 

Would this be the ultimate cheap adventure bike? It depended on what you wanted. Out of the box, it was even more long-mile-ready than the Gen 1/1.5 machine, but many owners wanted a bit more off-road capability, and ended up spending money making their dual sport more dirt-worthy. It didn’t help that early-production 2008 models often developed a bad oil-burning problem. Kawasaki quickly sorted that out, but some of the buyer enthusiasm was dampened, and the Gen 2 KLRs never seemed to get quite the same cult following as the first production run.

But they were still very good bikes, and Kawasaki sold a lot of them. The updated KLR remained a basic bike that could comfortably run down to Baja or Panama with no real changes. Like the first-generation machines, the 2008+ models were do-it-all Swiss Army Bikes, perfect for the rider who wanted one machine to do everything: dirt, street, touring. Competing machines from Japan could only reach the same capability with add-on accessories. As a result, the KLR remained the bike of choice for many in-the-know riders across the U.S. (it still wasn’t sold in Europe after 2002), despite its low price tag. In this case, “cheap” was just another feature.

Today’s Gen 3 model

And then, in 2018, Kawasaki announced the end of KLR650 production. The fanboys wept and wailed. Dealerships got Kawi to import as many ‘18 models as possible, anticipating they’d have a demand for years to come (they were correct). It looked like 650 single-cylinders were going to fade out of production… and then, Kawasaki brought out a new KLR650 for 2022.

Nobody really expected this, especially because the new bike was significantly updated while the price remained low. Electronic fuel injection replaced the old carburetor. ABS was now available (standard, in some markets). There was a lot more bodywork, and in many markets Kawasaki sold an “Adventure” version that came pre-farkled with lockable hard boxes and auxiliary lights. 

Along with the more noticeable upgrades, Kawasaki improved many little things on the bike. They stretched the swingarm and lengthened the wheelbase for stability, beefed up the frame for better load carrying, made the windshield taller and adjustable, changed the headlights to LEDs, and even gave the charging system more power.  But at its heart, it was still the same layout and design, with a basic DOHC 650 engine sporting a four-valve head and five-speed gearbox.

The new machine is better than its predecessors in almost every way, except one. It’s a lot heavier, with a wet weight around 450 pounds for the base model. That’s the same as a Yamaha Tenere 700, which has about twice the muscle of the 36-horsepower KLR650 Gen 3.

But most of the modern KLR buyership doesn’t care about that. They want an affordable bike that can handle everything, and this machine still does just that, even if it’s more biased towards street riding than ever before. One gripe that still has never been addressed though is a lack of a 6th gear.

Which one should you buy?

New and used OEM parts availability is high for all these machines, as well as aftermarket add-ons. There’s a massive knowledge base that can help you whichever you pick, be it Gen 1/1.5, Gen 2 or Gen 3.

The smartest move is probably to buy a Gen 1/1.5 if you’re planning on riding a lot of off-road. It’s still a capable all-rounder in 2024, and you’ll have to upgrade any of these models if you plan serious dirt riding. Buying an early-production machine means you have lots of access to used upgrades at affordable prices, and you have less bodywork to smash up in the inevitable tip-over.

If you’re looking for an affordable adventure tourer that can still handle a lot of gravel, the Gen 2 machine makes sense. Many of these are hitting the used market in good condition with low miles and these could be the most affordable machine to start your long-distance trip with. 

But the Gen 3 is certainly the most-refined version, if you don’t mind spending a bit more money and you don’t mind the bike’s extra weight. This is a much more comfortable machine if you want to do long miles, and it will be an ADV classic for years to come thanks to the improvements that Kawasaki built in while maintaining an affordable price.

Whichever option you choose, know this: The KLR is a classic adventure bike for good reason. It’s built tough, and with help from the decades of expert mechanical advice and robust aftermarket, if you buy one and learn to maintain it, you can expect years of dependability no matter how tough the going is.