A fair number of the members of the Yahoo KLX650 group have made them supermotos. But there is one guy who's done a serious Dakar type cross country bike for some Australian cross country races. Built a full race 700cc engine. Look in the ADVriders Thumpers forum under "KLX650 riders unite!" thread.

Gotta say it is a big heavy clumsy bike when riding tight and rutted stuff in the eastern U.S. (Ohio/West Virginia). That's why I also have the 250 now. The 650 will wear a set of 17s probably next summer and be my street/back road bomber bike.

 

All we have out here is open desert. Ive been looking at the plated xr650r, xr650l, or xr600r. The choice is tough.

 

You're in perfect territory for the big bore. If you can find one, the XR650R LC would be great. If titles are any problem in NV the XR650L is the bike.

If you found a plated KLX650R it would be fine, but the growing problem with the KLX is the body panel availability. In other words you crash and break the radiator scoops, fuel tank, or number plates they're hard to get. Other than that, the bikes are great, the engines rock solid... with a manual tensioner and the KACR (compression release) rivets re-staked. The tensioners, like the 250, tend to go bad and the compression release can be an issue, but rarely.

If I was in your position, had the cash and time, I'd do serious looking for the XR650R. A friend supemoto'd one and it was really strong. A bike that would be worth traveling to get one. I went about 200 miles one way to get my KLX. Took a day off work. But you have to have the attitude that you could be going a long way for dinner - if the bike isn't what it was claimed to be or the price negotiations break down.

 

Well, I rode my friends xr650r (not hard to kick being the first bike I've ever kicked) which just had an aftermarket pumper installed, and it didn't feel as powerful and torque as the xr650l's I've rode. His throttle was sloppy, and his jetting might not have been spot on, but that distinction seems wrong to me.

You and everything else will want to slap me when I say here in Las Vegas, you can find plated xr650r ALL DAY EVERYDAY for $2000-$3000. But my only concern is kicking it as a commuter, and doing 50 miles of commuting a day.

 

Echidnachimera, I saw a Super Sherpa parked on Ward just above Latimer when I was out 'n about on the KLX today. Saw it there on the way out and it was still there a couple of hours later. Might be a chance to see one up close.

 

Kick starting isn't bad, only done whenever you start up, not as if you have to constantly do so. If the bike is smooth enough is the only concern.