I have spent the last year researching dual sport bikes. As of four months ago I had narrowed it down to the Suzuki 400 and the KLX250S. I have pretty much decided on the KLX250S. I am only 5'8', but 210 lbs., and being a novice riderthe KLXfits me much better. My riding will be split 60% street and 40% dirt. My street riding will consist of a five mile backroad journey to work. The dirt ridingwill consist of logging roads and trails in the woods. I have readquite a bit about the KLX250S and its power. I am a little bit worried that as I become more aquainted with the bike I may be dissapointed in its power. Why couldn't a guy buy a new KLX300, have a light kit installed and have the best of both worlds? I have compared the two bikes head to head and they seem very comprable. The KLX300 is 50cc bigger and approximately 30 lbs lighter. I would think that it would have a lot more get up and go. My questions would be: Does anyone sell a light kit for the KLX300? If so who, and how much does it cost? Is all it would take to get the KLX300 street legal is a light kit? I am located in Washington. Your knowledge and oppinions are appreciated. Thank you.

 

baja designs most likely will make a dual sport kitfor the 300. i think they're around $500. as far as getting it plated. it all depends on which state your in. some states it's easy some states it just won't happen. good luck

 

you can find some pretty sweet light kits here bikebandit.com
and pretty much everything elese to

 

Dual Sport kits run in the $400-$500 range.

http://www.electrosport.com/electros...st.html#anchor

It is certainly possible to gather all the pieces that are required by your state (you may or may not need mirrors, horn, turn signals, etc)and do it yourself. I'm not sure that it is still legal to convert a dirt bike in Washington (I'm from NM), be sure to check local laws before deciding on that route.

I'm about the same height and weight as you. I was very disappointed with the power of this bike. But then again, I live at about 5300ft and ride to about 11,000ft. I am currently on a work assignment in the Portland, Oregon area, and have the bike with me. It has more power (seat of the pants dyno) down at this altitude. I changed out the cylinder to the KLX300 (292cc) for about $500 (new). I think my exhaust was $390 (Big Gun). And then there was the Bill Blue pumper carb conversion (I don't remember what I paid, I bought his brake lines at the same time). I seem to have all the power I need now, but not all the power I want. Upping the displacement from 292 to 331 is on the "to do" list (I can afford it), after I re-spring the forks and rear first.

I don't think the KLX belongs on the Highway (I get blown all over the place), but many on this forum use it for a highway commuter.

It's a great bike on the trails (with the right gearing), and you can certainly make it perform how you think a 250 dual sport should.

Good Luck.

 

Did you see the part where the 300 doesn't have the magic button? It also doesn't have DOT street legal tires. Are an ignition with keys and a steering lock important to you? All important differences for you to consider.

 

Well being a long term klx owner....I'll chime in, with your riding expectations 60% street and 40% dirt (assuming you'll do more street than ya expect) and a new rider.......I would recommend a Used drz400E that already has a tag. The drz is a cheap great dual sport bike. Ya may be a little intimitadated by the power of the E at first but in a few weeks you'll be good to go. If you had said 80-90% serious off-road w/sugar sand and tight trails ....I would have suggested the klx....maybe a 2-smoke ktm xc-w 250 with a tag but thats almostan 8K set-up.

Just my lame Cracker opinion.

 

I don't have any answers to any of your questions, but in case I didn't say so somewhere, welcome to the site. Oh and what part of Washington do you live? I think I am the first on in Washington to get the KLX back in November of 05.

 

Okay... Okay... I am 6ft, weigh about 180, and just turned 72 yrs old.

My preference isfor a dual sport. With my preference for thedirt side. I do a fair bit of asphalt also. IMHO, if you're considering a dual sport and intend to put her through the paces in the dirt, you definitely want a bike that leans to the dirt perormance side. A lot more skill is needed in the dirt!!

I've been riding bikes for about 20 years. I havea best buddy who is an expert class rider. He boughta DRZ400Eand then "Baja'd" it for the street. Then he got his plate. I had a Yamaha XT225 that I found to be a sweet bike for my useage in the dirt. It was also fair for the asphalt. However, it was too short for my stature. At the time I had two other friends whom I rode with that had the XT225's. Eventually, I bought a DRZ400S. The power was there but the Suzidefinitely favored the street. (The tires were changed out within the first 50 miles to street legal Perrelli's for better dirt traction. I did the same thing with my '07 KLX250s within the first 100 miles, using Kenda Trak MasterII's this time.) So, in my opinion, both of those bikes are made with an emphasis to the street usage.

Another first order of business for me for both bikes was to drop the counter sprocket down one tooth to increase the low-end "grunt". Again, both bikes are built with a street emphasis.

I found the DRZ400S to be a bit too much for my dirt/skill level. In my humble opinion, it was too heavy, to awkward in the woods, rocky streams, bowling ball rocks, sand, and way more power than I needed. (Often, I could dig a hole up to the rear axle hub before I could get the needed traction to negotiate a knarly hill.) It was almost always a necessity to have a buddy to help me haul the "Z" off of the ground when I was too damned tired to get her up again!

My buddy sold his "E", drove all the way from Sacramento to Idaho and bought himself a KTM250, and I thought that he had lost his mind. (...and a bunch of money). That's how I felt until he came to some OHV trails in the Bear Valley area of northern California to ride with me and my other buddy to whom I had sold my XT225. (He is short of stature and fits the XT perfectly.) Both of these guys, with whom I ride all of the time, just out rode me all day long. Some of those trails were so bad that I wouldn't go back on them for any money!!

At this event I reached my "executive decision", ... this yellow S-O-B is history as soon as I can get to a Kawaski dealership in Oregon. (In '07 the KLX250s wasn't available in CA due to emission issues. The 300 couldn't be "kitted" for the street either as CA uses the VIN for registration/plating purposes. This was what the dealer told me in Chico, CA.)

I'm retired and live in my house with a "rubber foundation", so off to Oregon I headed. I sold my "DRZ400S" on Criags list over my cell phone while I was doing 65 mph. The new buyer was thrilled to get it and I was even happier to get shed of it.

I bought the KLX250S in Salem, OR, ($4,299 OTD).a Utah Skid plate and the Big Gun complete exhaust in Death Valley, taller handle bars in Parker, AZ, the 13 tooth CS and the Trak Master II's+ the tough tubes in Yuma, AZ.

I flat out love this KLX. All three bikes were bought brand new from dealerships and I thought that they were great at the time. However, having owned the three of them, I would buy this KLX again and pay more than I did with no hesitation. It is perfect in stature, performance, styling, and has the grunt that enables sort rather hairy hills in third gear... with robust performance to spare!! It eats those rocky, sandy, & super steep hills like there's no holding her back. ...and I can lift it myself without any help, thank you, when I take that embarassing fall!

I'm a happy camper now and am also happy that I had the opportunity to own a few of the bikes that are always being considered by members of this forum. So, now I've had my 2 cents worth... Thanks for listening.

 

Thank you for all of the great comments. I did not know about the electric start, key and steering lock. I guess if I go with the KLX I will need to stick with the 250. I am located in Vancouver. Thanks again for the information.