Why the Honda and not the Yamaha or KTM ? Honda might be better but not by a mile .

 

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

Every bike is priced its way for a reason, yes the honda has fi for $600 less, but where did they cut the costs?

 

yup, you get what you pay for. Time will tell where the costs were cut.

 

I love the KLX it's been a great bike it was faster then my xr200 when I bought it and will now put a good scare on a stock dr650 till about 70 with the go fast parts. Cant say anything too bad about it, it's been on everything from major highways to full on rock hell. Im going to try and keep it even if it's tucked in the corner without a plate. I just like Hondas, currently own a civic I have a Honda tiller motor powering my weed wacker an 01 xr200 with an atc 200s bottom end and two atc200s one is being converted to a bike and theres a Honda genetor in the garage.

So I sat on the honda and looked over every square inch of it. Things I liked included

chain tensioner no more snails
seat was wider
fork gaurds were flexible and not brittle
throttle was super easy
clutch was a one finger operation klx is 2
didnt get my knees stuck is the hole on the rad gaurds like the klx
I could almost flat foot it the klx was tippie toe when new its about the same as the crf now.

I dont like

The bird nose front end same hatred towards the new klx
obviously the GIANT and so ive heard super quiet exhaust same as klx
Rear tail light and plate holder debochery
gas cap where do you put it when filling up?

Either way new out of the box both bikes need tuning and customization the tires suck, crappy mirrors etc. I know what to expect. My friends have sold there DS bikes and had kids instead so it's down to riding with atv's or by myself. I just cruize around, jump rocks on the trails, ride to work and try to keep the local fuzz off my ***. I have a full time job a pin in my wrist from an atv accident and no desire to race anybody so theres no need for a high strung racing bike in the hurd.

 

Bill blue has already started on big bores for the crf

 

Why would anyone want to sell the KLX? Just like guns, buy, buy buy, never sell! lol...

 

If you really want the honda then thats cool, i can understand.

Are you really ready to downgrade from ~30hp back to a heavier 20hp bike though ?

 

I think the bikes are fairly equal. If Kawasaki would import with FI, then the KLX would win over most people that are turning to the CRF. What I can’t stand is when people buy Honda because it is a Honda. Those days of bullet proof bikes are long gone with the bigger cc XR line, like the 250 and 400.

Another thing that Honda did that I find irritating is re-naming the smaller XR’s as CRF’s. I know a few kids back in 2003 or so when Honda changed over to the CRF name. The all had the mentality of I am getting a “CRF100, it is a racing bike just like my dad’s CRF450. I am going to blow away my friend on his YZ80”. Good Scam Honda, way to mislead your customers.

 

From the jump on and go aspect, the FI certainly rules, and gives the nod to the Honda.
I certainly get frustrated watching the 2 other bikes at work leave, and there I am, you guessed it...still trying to get started.
I'm sure the after market for the CRF will be as good, if not better, than what we have for the Kawi, given time(and probably less time, too).
I think most KLX rider's would be satisfied with a CRF. I also think the KLXers on KF are not your average KLX buyer. I think we tend to lean towards the dirt. I think a lot of these bikes are being sold to people with short commutes that want to get back into motorcycling. Again, the Honda is better suited to that market with a lower seat, better MPG, and lower cost, and EASE of STARTING.
I've never owned a Honda, but the first bike I ever lusted after was the 80's V-4 750. I think Honda is a brand name that is synonymous the world over like Coca-Cola, thanks to their history and marketing. Doesn't mean it's always the best, but the exposure of the brand is worth $$$$$$$ in sales. And good products helped back that up and built their brand loyalty.

If it were up to me...I'd be inclined to roll the KLX back into the garage, sell the extra parts and use that as a down payment on the CRF. Set up the CRF for road use and the KLX for trail riding.