No truck, no trailer, will travel...

In the region where I live, there isn't much in terms of trail systems and sand dunes, just a lot of service roads and grass fields. About 20 to 30 kilometres beyond city limits, however, it’s a different story.

Unfortunately I don't own a truck, or a trailer, to transport my KLX250S to these locations. Mechanics and seasoned riders have said repeatedly not to ride at steady, continuous RPM's because it can cause damage to the engine. But since the KLX is street legal, I'm beginning to wonder what this bike is truly capable of?

In your experience, what distance can the KLX travel without risking damage to the engine? What's a good steady speed if traveling long distances, say 15 to 35 kilometres?

The KLX certainly isn't a highway cruiser, nor a KLR650, which both have larger engines and more fuel capacity, but if you're travelling down the highway, your only option is to maintain a steady RPM of about 4,000 RPM, or so, to keep up with surrounding traffic.

*At 4,500 to 5,500 RPM in sixth gear, the KLX is capable of doing around 80 kilometres per hour or more.

Without a truck or trailer I'm forced to ride my KLX to these destinations, some of which are 30 kilometres away.

Is this a big deal? Am I risking damage to my bike, or should I avoid traveling down highways, or long distances, at all costs?

Thanks everybody.

 

If you're talking about driving at higher, steady speeds for break-in, then I wouldn't recommend that. Varying speeds and rpm ranges from low to high are better...in the vein of the Mototune procedure.

Now if you're just talking about cruising at highway speed for 20-30km to get somewhere, that certainly isn't a problem...unless perhaps you have some crazy, super low, gearing you've installed. While the 250 displacement isn't the ideal highway combination, the engine is up to it. It's usually harder on the rider than the bike in such cases. I don't like longer highway stints on my 250 with a 300 jug, but it's the lack of comfort and not having gobs of power that makes it not so enjoyable for me and not the bike's ability to do it.

 

dude i went 180 miles on I-15 in socal geared 13-43 at 7500-8000 rpm's the whole time. you will be totally fine at 4500-5500

 

When we mentioned avoiding steady rpm's, that was only during break-in. Even still, you can ride it on the highway during break-in, just sort of gently rock the throttle back and forth so the forces on the engine internals are varied. Once you get a few hundred miles on, do another oil change, you can start riding it a little more normally, do a few hundred more, change the oil again, and then ride the wheels off that thing and don't worry about hurting it. Change the oil and filter as per the manual and you're good to go. Eventually you'll need to check the valve clearances but that's a long way off for you.

These bikes are very reliable. The engine is a "mature" design and has proven itself over the years to be quite capable of holding up to pretty much any abuse you can dish out short of running it without oil or coolant.

I imagine you could actually ignore all break-in procedures on this bike with no noticeable ill effects, but the object is to extract the maximum horsepower and ensure the longest life out of your engine. A decent break-in is free, can save you money in the long run, and is just sort of an accepted ritual of buying a new bike. Enjoy the process and the satisfaction you'll get from knowing you are doing your part to give your bike a long, healthy life.

 

I did my 90 km commute at 100 km/h a bunch of times, and would not hesitate to do it again.

 

I would underscore above comments with my own testimony. I now have over 5000km on my '09 SF which is routinely ridden to off-road destinations on the highway at speeds of up to 115 km/h for periods of up to an hour at a time. I have a 13 tooth c/s sprocket which means the RPMs are around 8-9500 for the same duration.
The 250 is a robust & under-stressed engine which can be ridden hard without worry of damage. As they say, ride it like you stole it!

 

I have ridden my KLX for 5 and 6 hours straight at highway speeds for three or four days in a row with no ill effects on more than a few occasions buzzing at 6000rpm steady. Not that I enjoy riding on pavement even on a street bike.

 

6000-7000rpm most of the time.........the only problem for me is my hand going numb with vibration after hour or so.

 

Red Line constantly at 80 - 90 mph ever since I owned it. 5,400 miles on it, never adjusted the valves, frequent oil changes with Castrol Power RS Racing 4T, 5W-40, NGK Iridium and clean air filter.

Let her rip-WFO for me.....and no problems.

 

The only problem this has caused is that I have been through 5 sets of Dunlop D606's. On the road is hard on these tires but they provide the grip you need to give you the confidence to ride this bike this fast on the road and through the corners. Purchase your D606's at RMATV Dunlop D606 Dual Sport Tire | Rocky Mountain ATV/MC as they have the lowest prices you can find.