Finally gettin around to posting up some pics of the 'new' bike i bought about a month ago.





It's a 1993 KLX 650, basicly the big brother of the 250 that they stopped importing to the US after 96 . Really enjoying this bike.

Not bad on weight either, about 360 lbs which is much lighter than most of its modern day competition.

 

Sweet! Is street worthy?

 

That was a good bike. IMO it was on par with the XR650R model. It just didn't get the notoriety of the Honda.

 

yep street legal, just barely haha. Does alright except for I get a slight vibration through the handlebars around 65-70mph, thinking it has to do with the rimlock throwing the front wheel outta balance. Also want to wrap the exhaust header. Handles the usual 15-20mph wind out here pretty well. Plenty of power and easy to throw around, wheelies very easily even for a newbie like me haha.

Has the aftermarket 4.7 gallon tank, and I put the wolfman tank bag onto it as well. Will be ordering a set of day trip saddle bags, tool bag, and maybe a pair of 1L bottle holsters so it can go on longer trips with no concern. Also has the manual timing chain adjuster which takes care of the main problem these bikes ever had. Shame this bike wasnt continued here in the US, maybe with the recent growth in enduro's here they will start importing them again?

 

Kawasaki haven't made them for years

 

If I'm not mistaken, that looks like the KLX650R (dirt) model rather than the C model (dualsport). Seems like I see a kick lever on the right and a shock reservoir on the left. If that's the case, then I think your weight is closer to 330 than 360 pounds.

The R model came obviously lighter and with a better, more tuneable suspension. Think same class as XR650R but a little rougher around the edges.

Great find, but parts can be elusive. Good find, especially titled for the street.

 

Good eye there djchan, yep it's the R variant made street legal. Previous owner made it street legal in Arizona. To make it legal here in Texas it was basicly ready to go, except for the horn wasn't loud enough for the inspectors liking (really? useless anyways). Rewired the horn so it was going directly to the stator and made it loud enough. Kinda funny when they were inspecting it, one of the guys turned the bike off and started trying to test the lights/horn. Doesn't work to well on a bike with no battery by design hahaha.

Didn't know the R's were that much lighter.

mechanical parts are pretty easy since it's basicly a slightly more powerful klr650 motor with a different head. R has the adjustable suspension that is easier to get parts for as well as the oversized gas tank is still made (for the C variant both of those are difficult). Body panels on the otherhand, creativity and research are mandatory haha. Since the R doesn't have a speedo that makes that easier as well, just put a gps up there and call it good.

Thanks, the bike has been alot of fun to ride. Planning to tear it apart this winter to repaint the frame. who knows what they were thinking with the color scheme from the factory (green and white body with a purple frame and seat).

 

i want your tank.

 

the fuel capacity is great, aint willin to give it up though sorry.

 

I hate to disappoint you, but virtually NONE of the KLR parts work on the KLX, with a few minor exceptions, like nuts and bolts, maybe the oil filters.

Having lived with a C model quite happily after a top end job caused by TWO failed OEM cam chain tensioners - my introduction to the wonderful world of Kawasaki tensioners. The top end had to be redone at 15,000 miles after the cam chains (2 on the KLX) were worn out and some exhaust valves being burnt. Now after over 30,000 miles using the manual tensioner, it's still working great. I want to paint the frame silver and refurbish the general chassis, but I just can't get myself to tear the bike down.

If you want the best source for information on the bike join the Yahoo KLX650 group. I'm one of the moderators. Not too user friendly, but focuses on the KLX only.

Back when I had the top end done (I had the shop where I sold bikes do the work, I knew they'd get it done faster than I would doing it after work) I was told my friend, one of the mechanics working with it, wanted to see me. I went back, he wasn't there, but my 650 piston was... With the wrist pin half way in it and half way in a 1500 Vulcan piston! Being a quality engineer I did the measurements to verify if the piston would work in the 650. There was plenty of sleeve (steel in the C, plated cylinder on the R) for the bore. I found the valve pockets were virtually identical in position in all ways. The squish band of the piston was slightly higher, but there was room between it and the head. We did it, thus my moniker - klx678. It's 678cc. Higher compression pistons could be had, but I wanted and got reliability with significantly more power over the entire power range.

Lots of little tricks to be done with the KLX. The only stronger Japanese 650 is the newest 650R. The C model is still the strongest 650 dual sport from Japan.

One nice thing for road going with the C is the 300 mm front brake rotor. Both bikes share the fenders, headlight shells and fork protectors with the KLX300R and the early 250s. It is the tank, radiator covers and side panels that are unobtanium.

Have fun with the KLX.