im sure i will recieve a lot of people calling BS, but here goes.

my 09 sf with 15t and two bros pipe and clip ons(helps alot with headwind)and my 5'7" 160lbs frame. i have seen and indicated 94 mph

and im not the best rider in the world or even close, but i am nutty and willing to endure road rash and my friends on R6's and 636's and theres even a buell street fighter that ALL fall far behind in the twistys but they do ZOOM by at the end when i start hitting the wide truns in 5th gear.

 

I believe you. I've seen 96 indicated on mine flat out on a cool october night, throttle pinned and tucked in as best i could.

I've only got the KDX snorkel, re-jet and my own custom modded can. I'm really surprised that other people can't seem to break the 90+ indicated barrier.

 

oh so true, drives them nuts when we go for a ride up in the mountain passes in utah. makes it really funny when i'm sitting at the other side of the pass with my kickstand down, legs resting on the handlebars enjoying a snack waiting for them to catch up.

 

On the straight the most I've seen was 83-84 @ 9000+ RPM one or two weeks ago when I was checking something for DavidR . I have the 250 FI and the stock gearing 14/42 . I'm 6 foot and 230 pounds so I will not lay on the bike , some cop may arrest me for indecent something ...
When it comes to the really twisty mountain passes ( with road tires ) the KLX wins to all the litter bikes and harleys and it may give plenty off headaches to the 600 or smaller bikes . The bike is light so it can mantain a high corner speed . I play most of the tme in the dirt so I´ll change my gearing shortly , I simply want more gears avalable to me at 40 MPH and a top speed of 60-somthing MPH . For the road I have a ZZR 600 wich is far better for the long trips ( and comfort , and 100 and many miles per hour , can't say or they'll arrest me ) .

 

It looks like I'm getting mixed answers. For those of you saying it won't do what I'm asking, where does the bike lack?

Matasickle mentioned it could cruise at 55-65 mph. I'm assuming this is with stock gearing. Thats about in the 5100-6200 RPM range. So if I bump the gearing to 15/37 that puts me at 67-80 mph in the same RPM range. That has a theoretical top speed of 101. Would this be ok for street riding with the sport bikes? And again, they don't ride like its a trackday so its not that fast, but they do keep it around 75 on most winding roads.

Now with the increased torque of the 351 and these higher gears, how would the low end suffer? Would it be comparable to stock on the low end in the dirt or would it bog it down way too much with these gears? I dont think I need a low end monster off road, just something that will let me get out there and have fun with the other guys when they take their bikes and four wheelers out.

So if the gearing would help me keep up with the sportbikes a little better and wouldn't hinder it in the dirt, what else would hold it back from keeping up with the sport bikes? Are we looking at suspension at this point?

 

i dont know about anyone else, but it sounds like you need new friends...









LOL...j/k.

 

I think my stock-geared KLX is as low as I need it for off-road, including some nasty hills. I have the 331. It's MUCH better than it was at 250, but, it simply isn't a highway machine. My old DR350 seemed better on the highway...perhaps because it was heavier. Depending on how low you NEED it to be geared for your off-road riding, I don't see a problem gearing it up for the road. Your speed will be limited by your total power and CD, so, even if you gear it to run 100 mph, it doesn't mean it will actually do it...unless you are going downhill with a tailwind.

Different tools for different jobs. But, you MIGHT be happy with a 351, opened exhaust and intake, street tires and re-gearing. I would not be...I have a CB919 for road riding....there just isn't much comparison between the two. If it were me, I'd keep the SV and buy a cheap dirt bike.

 

The bike just runs out of power above 80. I think its wind resistance.

The 351 is ALL torque or bottom end. I did not gain much top end from the 250.

For the first month I had the 351 I thought I had to do a wheelie at every start. I got over it after a while. I still love throttle wheelies in first. I do many in a day.


I was riding my bike on a straight smooth back road doing a top end test. 83 in 5th gear was all she had. SO I did a quick shift into 6th to see if it made any difference. Way too much input to the handle bars and the bike wobbled. Scared the **** out of me. I gained no more speed in 6th. This is what I am talking about being un stable over 80. It drives like a bicycle. Bicycles don't go 80+.

David

 

At a pace below spirited you could hang with most bikes, but to maintain 80 mph for an hour or so at a time will be wringing the quater liter or (351) totally out. Sure you can do it but no bike is fun to ride at or near redline for extended periods of time. You need two different tools. Dual sports can be had cheap if your willing to do your research so get two bikes and you won't be sorry.

 

Hey..Hey,,Don't be bashin the Harley guys..I love my Harley,It is a heavy big beast,all show no go..I love all bikes and never put down a rider...But I'm sure glad I got a KLX love this little bike,now I have the best of both..sorrta...I agree you need two bikes