My *other* bike is a Triumph Tiger 800. It's a wonderful ride for long touring. But I just got a 2006 klx250s and it's just a blast. My moto friends seem bothered by this. They are giving me all the reasons why it's unsafe, uncomfortable, impractical to ride a 250. Privately I feel superior to the BMW 650GS riders on the road. The guys with the big aluminum side boxes that never leave town.

Lois Pryce told me small bikes are liberating and I think she's right.

 

I love my klx, but I do want to do some traveling so a 650 dual sport is indeed in my future, but even those (except the klr) are around 340-360 lbs.

The reason big bikes are intimidated is because of this question: How can they justify what they spent on the bike, and how much fun they actually have, compared to a dude who bought a 250 for dirt cheap and is having a blast like he hasn't had in a LONG time?

It's like you buying a corvette and driving around, and you see a guy in a vw who is having a ball flooring it around to its limits shifting her hard and making the engine scream. You do that with the vet (big bike) and you'll get arrested.

Jealously leads to ridicule.

 

I can see your Vette comparison well. I like it !

 

Meh!! Don't listen to them.
Do you feel safe?
Are you comfortable?
What do they claim is impractical about a 250?

My KLX is my only bike.
Safe, as safe as any motorcycle, we have to ride as though nobody sees us no matter the cc's.
Comfortable, once I upgraded to the Seat Concepts and put a bar riser on, but most any MC will require a bit of tweaking.
Practical, You Bet. Cheaper insurance, easier to pick up, get to more off-the-beaten-path spots.

If it's not too much typing: What are their reasons?

 

i got the same reaction when i posted my DS bike on my VFR forum

one guy that ive ridden and camped with several times, that seemed perfectly sane, detailed a list of reasons why the KLX is a terrible bike, and was a poor choice.

funny thing was that they were all the EXACT reasons that i had given as my criteria for selecting a small DS bike!

Lois on the loose- i stumbled onto her book years ago. it was def one of the drivers that got me thinking that my interests did not stop where the smooth pavement ends.

her book is def worth seeking out.

 

Most of the time, bashing like the case of big bike vs. small bike...especially dirt bike...is usually based on ignorance, fear, or both. Smaller bikes, especially dirt bikes, make much better riders on big bikes. Riding dirt in particular makes one a more competent rider on pavement and especially big bikes on pavement. It's harder and has greater consequences on a big bike to push the limits and learn the nuances of good bike handling. So, you ride a small bike and more specifically a dirt bike to learn those nuances of what to do when a bike is on the edge of handling performance.

People need only look at how Kenny Roberts put the GP road race world on its ear by doing things on his GP bike that only could be learned from a dirt background.

 

I have a 250cc motorcycle AND a VW, so you know how much fun I'm having. I'm about $5k in so far for the pair. The 4X4 and jeep guys don't get the VW either... Until they see a 1600cc 2 wheel drive buggy with an open diff do things they didn't think possible. Haters hate. That's what they do. Just smile and wave.

 

Ask them to follow you on the gravel roads and trails, that will shut their pie holes pretty fast.

 

no prizes for guessing which of my 3 girls has the most fun.

.

 

For a daily commuter, doing errands around town or going off-road I think the KLX is the perfect bike. So light and nimble! But for longer trips I'd like to get a bigger bike.