a dual sport mule in the barn, steer with the rear !!!

well, at least it ain't green !!!

ive been wanting a dual sport bike for a couple of years now.

you know how it is. the pavement ends, and you are stopped thinking,
i wonder whats down that gravel road or dirt trail? im never gonna find out while riding the VFR

so... i wanted something trail ready, street legal, great MPG, light as possible, small cash outlay
i wanted to like the honda CRF230/250L, but it was too small and heavy (but the EFI would be OK)

this popped up nearby on CL by guy that used to run a kawi shop, and i was the 1st one to get there
09 kawi KLX250S, approx 3k miles. tons of aftermarket support and a very active forum for info




i recently relocated back to east tenn, and have great roads and trails all around me.
its only 20 miles to foothills pkwy which is the warmup/entry road to the dragon.
i can be on the cheroloa skyway in about 90 minutes, also lots of forest service trails there.
windrock park is about an hour north, over 300 miles of trails on 72,000 acres of private land

so, lots of opportunities for exploring and slinging some mud. steer with the rear !!!

PS- another plus. it makes the VFR feel like a freaking ROCKET-SHIP !!!!!!!!!!

 

Awesome, How is the MGP? and have you taken in on the freeway yet? if so, how did it feel?

 

Get ready for some numb hands if you plan on riding that thing long distances. Those bikes are fun but they really are nothing more than a dirt bike with turn signals/lights that is best suited for trails with the occasional light road use. I personally would be terrified riding that thing on any major roads since they don't have a very high top speed and the wind blows you all over the road. If you don't have local trails nearby throw that thing on a trailer and take it where you can appreciate it. After a couple of hours riding on the road your ass will feel like its been sitting on a 2x4 all day even with an aftermarket seat. Be careful not to run out of fuel on a trail in the middle of nowhere since the range is pretty limited unless you have a larger capacity tank. What other mods does it have? Do you plan on changing the tires or keeping the knobbies?

Rollin

 

i had gas left in a 2 gal tank at 150 miles, so over 75 MPG on the road for the 1st tank.
i threw in a 2 clicks bigger main jet already, and it feels much stronger at WOT,
and that shouldnt affect MPG much except at WOT. pilot jets are on the way.

its nearly perfect for what i wanted: trail capable and street legal to get there without trailer.
50 MPH down at country road is a joy, and 40-70 MPH is right in its wheelhouse
however, i do see a set of 17" more-tard wheels in my future for quick swap fun
stock gearing as is probably tops out at about 80-85 MPH
it feels perfectly stable at 70-75 MPH even on the dual sport knobbies on there now

rollin, it came with the stock seat and a corbin for the road, and pro-taper bars, and the factory service manual
a forum guy sells a 351 complete kit that bores a OEM jug with new nikasils (SP?) that is bolt-on for under $500

i already added a rear rack (also have the side racks waiting), and it is pre-drilled to hold a roto-pak xtra tank if needed.

the TAT (trans-AM-trail) starts in east TN about an hour from my garage, mostly dirt and gravel all the way to the left coast
i hope to find out what it would be like to see a state or 3 from a off-road perspective. very off the beaten path.

big DS rally at tellico plains next week. i think its mostly geared to the BMW guys, but all kinds of DS will be there.
i plan to go explore some of the forest service roads and trails near the cherola skyway with some of those guys,
and pick their brains about gearing up for the TAT.