2022 Kawasaki KLR 650 On and Off Road Test Ride and First Impressions

[@DorkintheRoad]

Want to support the channel when you buy your dual sport or ADV gear and mods? Feel free to use the following affiliate links! Rocky Mountain ATV/MC: bit.ly/3tYzpXq Amazon: amzn.to/3aDkk4z Revzilla: bit.ly/3tvAsOg MotoCamp Nerd: motocampnerd.com/?ref=dork DitR Storefront on Amazon: www.amazon.com/shop/dorkintheroad Dork in the Road’s Riding Gear Picks on RMATV/MC: bit.ly/3jU31Av Dork in the Road’s Dual Sport Mods on RMATV/MC: bit.ly/3gdkK4x Dork in the Road’s Adventure Bike Mods on RMATV/MC: bit.ly/3ga2zg4

[@Wabbit1961]

I'm 60 years old. My last few bikes were a Ninja 1000 (twice), an MT-07, and currently I ride a 2020 Ninja 650 KRT. December 3, 2021 was a demo day at Kawasaki. I rode the 900RS, the 650 Versys, the KLX300SM, and twice on the KLR650 (touring edition). If I was in the market for a street bike, the 900RS was an awesome ride. Only addition I would do is of course a windscreen. The bike was as comfortable as it gets and the ergos were perfect. The engine sound was very pleasant. All I can say about the KLX300SM is that it was a blast! Definitely a great beginner bike that affords a learning experience on and off road. My test of the 650 Versys was as expected. I've owned a 650 V-Strom. To me they're heavy and expensive. My particular unit kept going into first instead of neutral all but twice during the ride. The bike has 4,000 miles on it so if anything that shift should have smoothed out over time. It left me unimpressed. Surprisingly, for a bike that's been around almost half my life, I've never ridden the KLR till now. SUPER IMPRESSED. Very comfortable. Coming from a street bike history I didn't find any fault with the footpegs as you did. I also feel it turns in very easy. I'm 6', 180#. I touched ground flat footed easily. I own a 1986 Yamaha SRX600. The KLR had the same power. I also don't miss not having a 6th gear, although it took a second to realize I didn't have one. I rode this over every bump in the road and pothole, even RR tracks that everyone stood up on, except myself. The suspension is very welcome to these old bones. Overall, I just might trade in my Ninja for this bike. Or sell my SRX. It was that enjoyable.

[@dinoschumacher9226]

as a guy who has been riding adventure bikes for 30 plus years (bought my first R80 G/S in '86), I sold my R1200 GSA a couple years ago and built an 89 R100GS to ride as my DS. The bottom line is, I just want to slow it down. Having had KTM 950ADV/950SE and even a short stint as the owner of a 660 Rally, those bikes were great......10 years ago. This non-review and the others I have seen have got me seriously thinking about letting the airhead go and picking up a new KLR. Thanks Dork!!

[@JohnSmith-ef8nr]

Get a T7

[@graemelossey130]

At last someone who archally knows what he's talking about. Great mini review. I have a new Klr had it a couple of months as i live in Thailand we got them early, i love it and you was right on the money, Look forward to you doing a longer test,

[@MrPepper312]

I have had several powerful fast bikes over the years and its not about speed anymore. Now I have the 2022 KLR Adventure and its does everthing. Touring, trails, commuting and its so comfortable and easy to ride. If your trying to decide what to buy test ride this bike first.

[@dbrosnan1333]

Thanks for the review. I’m actually picking mine up from the dealership on Saturday.

[@thunderfromsea]

“Reliable chugging tractor”….sigh. Agreed. But to make me feel less mundane, I prefer to think of my 2016 KLR650 as an M1 Abram tank.

[@markcollins5026]

Man, nice I got the new KLR base model no abs, I love it !

[@gooseontwo]

I'm glad that they didn't make to many changes to the KLR, mostly to keep the price down. It's tractor of a motorcycle, not fast, not the prettiest, but it does everything it was built to do, no question about it.

[@DorkintheRoad]

So true!

[@ronny-drz]

Great first look, appreciated !! Comfort, value & great price. (I may be weird, but I love the orange) :) Really enjoying these test videos, keep up the good work!

[@DorkintheRoad]

I'm a huge fan of the orange color

[@SeanSR]

@@DorkintheRoad THEN WHY DID YOU BUY CRAPPY BLACK?

[@craigcook1571]

@Ronnydrz.........I think they call it lava red, and I guess I’m as weird as u are, I kinda like it too

[@bluefrog8670]

Spagettio vomit orange

[@elindenstein]

Is it weird I have always had so much love for the KLR 650 despite never owning one? I had a KLR 250 which got me into dual sport riding and I think it's just an awesome bike.

[@dyna_sour]

Seriously thinking about upgrading from the TW200 to the new KLR. Great video as always, my internet riding buddy.

[@DorkintheRoad]

It's a really fun bike!

[@takeshikusao4674]

You too! :D

[@michaelbayliss1794]

That's what I did , traded my 2019 TW in for a new 2022 KLR . I have to get some lowering links ,dropping it down 2 inches. If that's not enough, I my get the lower seat made by kawasaki. It drops another 1 3/8 inch. I'll play that by ear . The bike is still at dealership.

[@MrShad73]

Thanks for your honest detail review. Coming from a 250 bike and wanting to go a bit bigger I think this is going to be my bike.

[@missourioutdooradventures]

As always enjoyed watching thanks for sharing I got a klr650 I love mine never have any problems with it 👍

[@fergsfilms782]

The review I have been waiting for the most!! Great review, and I'm glad you like it. We are similar builds and this is the exact bike I have been wanting to buy for over a year now. Thanks for the honest review and hoping this is the new bike you are teasing that you bought so I can see more adventures on it 🤘🤘

[@DanielWiley]

Thanks Dork, Matt and Dave!

[@DorkintheRoad]

Thanks, Dan!

[@bjmiller386]

I love your videos and reviews. I will be purchasing a new bike this spring. I had a 2008 KLR that I put 14K on, and can’t wait to be out there riding again soon.

[@CM-ir8ms]

I love my 22 adventure. Great first impression I agree with everything you said. Good all around bike

[@marshall3498]

Excellent first ride video. Thank you for sharing I'm going to Kawasaki demo ride soon and I'm looking forward to riding it for myself even more now.

[@DorkintheRoad]

Thanks for watching!

[@Doublecheesemoto]

Nice job!!! Only thing missing was a milk crate on the rear.

[@TommyNitro]

I sat on one the other day, granted the tank was mostly empty, but I couldn’t believe how light it felt. I’d like to compare with a full tank of fuel. I was impressed.

[@markcollins5026]

Man, I keep my new KLR at a half tank of fuel, unless I'm going on a long ride !

[@plotholedetective4166]

It's not a real klr, it has too much tech and can't be fixed on the side of a road or trail. It's a worthless bike that falls in line with the modern "adventure bike" that really isn't good for anything especially adventure. They basically just redesigned the old klr to break more often and not be as easy to repair... The spirit did not transfer with the name it appears the klr did truly die.

[@markcollins5026]

Man, any bike can take a shit on the side of the road anywhere, anytime !

[@roysteves]

Yep, I bought mine from Matt, too! I'm 500 miles in, and loving it.

[@danmanthe9335]

Thanks for the review! I have an older KLR and a DR350SE. I dearly love both bike but I honestly prefer the 5 speed over the 6. Personal preference but that one extra gear doesn't make a huge difference other than keeping your clutch hand busier

[@jimtucker7005]

Thank You for another great vid. Appreciate your thorough, first impressions and enthusiasm for motorcycles!

[@DorkintheRoad]

I appreciate you watching the videos! 😁

[@markphillips8824]

I am always pleased to see reviews for this type of bike being ridden as intended and as the vast majority of owners will ride them. If you want motocross or technical trail stuff don't use this bike then complain about the shortcomings; get another bike. Thanks for the review.

[@terrell48]

Sounds good loved the days when I rode back country trails etc, then I went 100% street but long to go back to those backroads where I was not comfortable taking that 800 lb street beast

[@coyote102076]

When you hit that "road" at 6:21 , that is a large majority of the road conditions I find when doing my backroad explorations around here. lol Very nice initial thoughts video!

[@MrGTbadboy]

Love the reviews. Thanks!

[@DorkintheRoad]

Thanks for watching!

[@brantmcfarland517]

Loving the reviews, very good job. I’ve had 3 of them and to me the first few years of production seemed to have more power, and I really like it. It cost me a lot of money one night but that’s a whole Nother story for another time. It was a 93 model. Had the 99 with some engine, exhaust and suspension work and it turned out really nice and then there was the 2014 got it new. Was working for Kawasaki at the time and right out of the box first test ride after assuming it the shifter had no return spring. It had popped out of place so Kawasaki sent me new parts and had same results before the test ride. So I took upon myself to weld a washer on the shaft the spring was jumping off of. Had no more problems with that again. Ok first test well Second ride and I traded in my 09 DRZ400S thanking I would be getting way more power and top end speed. Boy was I wrong, 90 mph top end, DRZ was 103mph, suspension was way soft, top end heavy especially off road and technical trails and if you did get it over 90 mph mine had a BAD head shack scary bad. But the 2021 I have not got to ride yet. So have you ever rode an older KLR? I was wondering about the power difference? I was so disappointed the first ride on the new one. Now I’m back on a DRZ400S. In between the new KLR I had a new Yamaha super tan 1200 and a BMW1200GS. I would take the DRZ over any of them. Again you did a good job.

[@ThatGuy-Noob_69]

After watching this... Dork is defiantly replacing his Africa twin with it place Your bets dorks and dorkets.

[@kaiserdal]

The best KLR video out there!!

[@Crittermoto]

All these demo rides….awesomeness 👍🏻 Sure wish KZbin would get these early viewings available for iPad so that I can watch it n a bigger screen 📺 I’ve always wanted to try a KLR. Question: what was the amber flashing light on the lower right hand side of the instrument panel? Do I sense a KLR in your garage to replace the AT in the future??

[@DorkintheRoad]

The check engine light flashes until it's "unlocked" when someone buys it

[@unclebadger597]

Aww hell yeah! You loved it so much you bought one? Glad to hear you say it didn't feel like it needs sixth gear. I'm almost 300 lb and I hold 90 mph all day long. I mean you nailed it, KLR is just fun! It's better than it should be for the price and you can't have more fun for the money 😄

[@DorkintheRoad]

It really is just fun to ride

[@unclebadger597]

@@DorkintheRoad I know! That's why you bought one? Hmmmm? It makes me so happy to hear that you love it. I get tired of trying to defend why I bought one. But anybody that poops on a KLR has never ridden one. Don't knock it till you ride it! Oh, and I thought I would miss the tach, But I don't. Actually I really like this simple instruments. My V-Strom has too much information on the screen all at once and a tiny little clock that I can't hardly read. KLR instruments are All you need and easy to read

[@VoIPPortland]

As an old guy who hasnt ridden in many years it was this or the KLX300sm dual sport. Being able to easily load the KLX in into my van at 308(?) lbs, and being about all the bike I need these days the KLX wins. Gotta know my limitations these days and going back to a 600+ cc bike will probably get me into trouble. To say I was an idiot and a maniac on bikes is an understatement. How I am alive I don't know.

[@lambertwhite]

just bought my 2022 adventure.... and @7:01 you pretty much stole my words about this bike. it is literally the swiss knife of motorcycles.... the end. great vid btw !

[@MIKROBI219]

I am truly in love with this bike. I am wondering if it’s going to be available in Europe. Great vid!

[@markjones5235]

Bought my 2011 KTM 990 Adventure R from Power Motor Sports in Sublimity Oregon. Great group down there. Very helpful and will go the extra mile for you. Can’t say enough about the customer service.

[@adventureisoutthere.3857]

Weird I’m pretty sure I said it was a dual sport on this channel awhile ago lol and got roasted. How the tables have turned. Lol but I’m glad you got to see what I was talking about. It’s a fantastic platform.

[@danwarmke3348]

Thanks for sharing your first impressions!

[@DorkintheRoad]

Thanks for watching!

[@martini7454]

I love this review! You seem really excited about all the stuff I thought would be. I gotta take one for a test drive. :) Cheers!

[@takeshikusao4674]

Thank you! "Big dual sport" and "easy to handle" are just the things I like to hear. I've been looking for a bigger replacement of my small dual sport for some time now, and currently the KLR serie feels like what I need. BTW hardly any youtubers at all would tilt the standing bike, telling us how it feels to handle it. GJ!

[@DorkintheRoad]

Thank you!

[@Strayzshadow]

Great review and good to see some of the roads I grew up learning to drive and ride on.

[@senorboardhead]

They can be easily and reliably lowered without any loss in performance. Been riding a 2” lowered for 10 years. Does not affect handling. Perfect for Highway and Dirt Road. Not Freeway, not Off Road. Great Price !

[@ferkuzuel]

Another great. review, uups I mean first impression, I think the feeling of the weight may be because the single cylinder engine is more narrow and lighter the twins on most of the adv. bikes, it's hard beat the maneuverability of a single cylinder off road.

[@PatriotNC1]

Recently bought the 2022 base ABS model. Great bike. Oh, and sir...I've been riding over 40 years and this is not an "entry level" bike. A 300cc might be.

[@elderrider9298]

What was the engine light on for???

[@brentmitchell9116]

Excellent review.

[@tugdrivinj]

Great look! Many of the things you brought up ring true. Sometimes things don't feel the way they look on paper. 6th gear while appreciated on long rides isn't always a deal breaker. Hell, I still find myself trying to shift up one more time a lot. Weight too, where a bike carries it's weight is sometimes much more important than how much it actually weighs. I always thought I would prefer a DR to the kawi but you've given me something to think about.

[@usernamemykel]

How comfortable is it to ride at highway speeds for extended distances? (As in, keeping up top other club members who favor Harleys)?

[@kloppskalli]

it has a proper wind screen and plush seat so nothing can stop you. Harleys.. are you kidding? how many km/mi do they ride?

[@richvangorder3900]

I own a 22 KLR adventure. The 5th gear is real tall. I shift in to 5th at 50mph and itll top out just shy of 90. Real wide power band. Youll ring it out but itll take it all day everyday with no issues. It feels comfortable at about 70mph. I commute 43 miles to work and another 43 back. 50% interstate and 50% farm roads here in Texas. About 50mpg and 6 gallon tank. I refill at 200 miles once the low light flashes. When i refill i put 4 gal in the tank. Indicating there are 2 gal remaining when i refuel. Your not getting alot of performance for the money but thats not what its for. Its a competant bike at a price range that cannot be beat by any one and more reliability and durability a Harley could ever dream of possessing. I love it. But i am in a stage in life where i have relaxed and dont need the adrenaline

[@anthonyeverett1391]

Very good, what would you say about the Honda X500 adventure compering? Which one would be better?

[@santanaflores6005]

I would love to test ride one but the one place that has it around me doesn't allow test rides

[@trailblazeratv6306]

I think they are selling very well. Glad to see reasonable price !!

[@allanrilling6990]

Ben, when you mention being intimidated by a bike it is something new riders might learn the hard way and turn someone off quite quickly. I certainly had that experience. Cheers.

[@hankgs]

"New Riders" should ABSOLUTELY go to a M/C riding school BEFORE BUYING ANY BIKE...!

[@expandingknowledge8269]

What's not to like about KLR'S, they are fun to ride, get great gas mileage, and the best thing is they are reliable as the day is long. Yep still have my 2012, road it to work every day, even in the rain, and when it was 32 degrees out side, never a complaint ever! 😎

[@DuckingAround58]

I gravitate towards the Suzuki V Strom but theses are cheaper… this review helped thank you

[@inspectorgadget6321]

Do you know why the check engine light was flashing?

[@tobiascalvert3757]

I agree with Todd. I had a 2009 klr650, and I always thought it needed a 6th gear. But I welcome the fuel injection for higher altitudes like mountain passes.

[@davidparsons5727]

Love the KLR. Sounds improved.

[@josephbishop3231]

No one needs the 6th gear on back roads. It's on real long flat highways where you need 6th. As someone with an XR650L that's a lot lighter, better suspended, and relatively more off-road oriented, ripping gravel at the speeds you mentioned is SOOOOO easy, and I often find in going a good bit faster than I thought.

[@chrisholmes599]

Looked pretty good. Ol’ reliable back in the game with some upgrades! The bike not you,lol.

[@ForTheChristians]

Love this so much!

[@DorkintheRoad]

Happy to hear it!

[@AdventuringWithMike]

why was the engine light blinking for?

[@SamsquatchTactical]

Is the seat height taller then the drz400? I have a drz identical to yours and I can manage it, and I also have a inseam at 30in.

[@SamsquatchTactical]

Also another question. I am looking at this bike for mainly on road driving. Traveling to other states with my father. Would this bike be okay for that? I still want a bike to go offroad if I have to.

[@bluefrog8670]

I love how everyone thinks that the Tenere is a sleek, lightweight marvel of engineering and the KLR is an elephant with wheels, but with the same amount of fuel in them the KLR is actually lighter.

[@Sutherby_]

Would this be a good upgrade from a Crf250l??

[@markcollins5026]

Man, I had a 2017 CRF 250L, now I got the new KLR, love it !

[@MikesProjectsandHobbiesMC]

I know this video is a year old (or more) but I felt the same way you did about my Africa Twin. Why was it so sketchy to move around in the garage? Why does it feel as heavy as my old ST1300 on gravel? I know a lot of guys do amazing stuff on them but that bike “feels” 50lbs heavier than it is. Very weird. So I sold it and got a 1250GS and I’m not even joking, the GS feels lighter in all aspects, on the road, off road and in the garage.

[@marcoluoma3770]

Thanks for a good first impression. My favorite thing bout it is that it’s not K-green.

[@jeanmurphy6805]

Can you do a review on the tiger 800Xcx?

[@richvangorder3900]

I have a 22 KLR 650 ADVENTURE. I love it so long as your not interested in globs of acceleration and top speed youll find it a simple, durable, reliable bike that is nonexistant especially at this price range brand new. Only thing i dont like is it should of came with a tachometer. That and the shift lever is too low. I got used to it but it should be more ergo friendly for the pegged foot position while shifting

[@kentwilliams4152]

Howdy - what is your inseam length? Thanks…

[@jancoetzer9941]

I am glad the legend lives on. Good first look - thanks for the video! Question: Would you trade your DRZ for the KLR base model?

[@DorkintheRoad]

I would not. Completely different purposes for me. KLR is my long-travel/adventure/motocamping bike. DRZ is trail riding, forest exploration, shorter trips bike.

[@thedownwardmachine]

Love this review. Get the fully-kitted adventure spec, and for the $10k you'd save over a faster bike plus farkles, you can spend several months cruising Latin America. Once you get outside the expensive countries, extra power is almost useless. You'll find narrow curvy roads, speed bumps, slow road users, and marginal road quality keeping you from going much above 55mph. Plus a more expensive bike just attracts attention.

[@rogerbrown2838]

What was the yellow light flashing on the dash ?

[@TheMarcosdeo]

Engine light was flashing?

[@got_to_roll]

Really well presented, made me miss my KLR. I'll hold out for the 6th gear. 😉

[@berttompkins9096]

16 tooth JT sprocket turns 5th into a pulling overdrive. 20 bucks. 5 speeds is all you need in a torque engine.

[@INeedAKnockUp]

thinking about getting one of these for commuting about a mile of work would it be good because im not too sure

[@tomkatusa912]

KLR vs DRZ.... Price and ride thoughts??

[@scottschafer9739]

If you want to take it to Moab, it will go on trails there too. Regear and knobbys, it will go anywhere!

[@robertbruning1510]

My dealer just got a few in.........Possible purchase...? It would be my 14th KLR650.....

[@KLRmurdercycle]

I all ready have a build in mind😅🔫 But your excitement for the relic is reassuring.😆"stupid rubber mount footpegs" I'm sold on the orange. The rubber mounted bars will be interesting. Maybe older bikes can retrofit them? The 2015 and up seats were mint, apparently the shape has changed to fit a broader leg length. There's a device bar under windshield, similar to all the flagship bikes. I sorta have Stockholm Syndrome when it comes to this thing. It's my daily ride and my dirt bike. It single tracks great, just at a slower speed than the skinny bikes. I'm enjoying the slow crawling, border line hard enduro stuff over the past several years. Passing stuff on the highways isn't much of a priority...I'm going to be getting off soon anyways.

[@gregorbabic7664]

I am guessing the gas tank wasn’t full? Maybe that would make it feel different weight wise?

[@johnp1262]

I can’t tell the difference between a full tank and an almost empty tank on mine.

[@mattsloop2736]

Wondering if the tenere is worth the little extra cost

[@DorkintheRoad]

If you can find one, it's definitely worth considering

[@SolomonsMartialArts]

The tenere is not lighter with equal fuel. Klr holds 2 gals more 16lbs. So it s 14lbs lighter than T7. You started saying about dr650 what were you going to say . I am thinking either the new klr or a new dr650....

[@davidgrunklee8407]

Not only 14lbs lighter but carries the weight MUCH lower!

[@SolomonsMartialArts]

@@davidgrunklee8407 yes I heard that to. I think single cyl 652cc is better for off road.

[@MrPepper312]

Did Kawasaki fix the Dohicky ?

[@timothyparrucci809]

Are we just gonna ignore that minty cabover that passed by at 3:10?

[@ChaserTiponi]

Weight wise that thing is almost as heavy as MT09. I feel everything you said. If you don't want a ton of power it's great and all that. But one thing I wonder about? Is that single rotor on the front enough brake for that heavy of a bike?

[@geoportchile2770]

Desde Chile Saludos y felicitaciones por el objetivo analisis

[@sadnessinside123]

First.bike for a beginner? I was looking at cbr500x or crf300l rally. Duel purpose is in my heart. Thoughts?

[@billmcmeekin7909]

I'm just wondering if it would be a better cross state/province, multi day adventure bike? I've put 17000 km on my 2020 ATASes. So I put miles/kms on my bike when I get out, and often 500 + kms in a day to get to a next day offroad tour of choice. I imagine offroad it's a great bike, but for touring around country/world would it suffice? I absolutely love the price and durability of past and hopefully future. Looking seriously at this for my son! Thanks Kawi for bringing this bike back. Thank you Dork for the info :-) 🇨🇦

[@bustayu]

I need to go ride the new one !!

[@raulramos5682]

Hi I have a question,you mention 8.000 the walk out price but in the final addind shipping assembly and title and tax is almost 10.000thn. Is that correct

[@DorkintheRoad]

Depends on where you buy it. My dealer doesn't charge setup and we don't have sales tax in Oregon so I got out the door for just over $8k.

[@hankwojo]

What tires were on that beast? To me, tires are probably 90 percent of what roads the bike will handle. The gauge package looks like the same one that's on the KLX230.

[@KLRmurdercycle]

They are Dunlop K750. If your headed across country with forest access roads in mind or commuting these do the job. You'll get 10-15k km of mixed riding. The front in sand is like a lot of 50/50 tires, you need good balance😆 Mud is the same. I usually run a Kenda K270 set, sometimes with a more aggressive front. But these tires have close life spans. If I'm caught in the rain, my riding style doesn't change. Also the Dunlop D605 is factory tire on the KLX230, I like the front paired with the K270, K750 rears. The D606 front is a great match for them too. But for rallies or a special couple days of gnarly trails. If you put any aggressive or sneak some mx tires on, the KLR is only limited to your skills.

[@hankwojo]

@@KLRmurdercycle Thank you for the info.

[@KLRmurdercycle]

@@hankwojo a long winded answer, but ya😅

[@xxfltcom]

The check engine was blinking the whole time there man

[@markcollins5026]

Man, the dealer hooks up there computer to check the codes before you buy it, that turns off the blinking lite !

[@DavidDualSport]

I'd have to do a test drive... suspension length on paper it's kind of short and 17" back tire it's like kawasaki saying "this is not for dirt..." But I like it. 23 liters tank is nice and it seems comfortable. The Husky 701 LR is also on my list. I hope Honda moves quickly.

[@clifffawcett]

Big question (and quite possibly a dumb question… sorry) does it come with the “doohickey” or has Kawasaki fixed the issue necessitating one?

[@nathan00campbell]

its more fun to go fast on a slow bike, than to go slow on a fast bike. This goes for both on and off road.

[@daniel-eg2oq]

Thinking about grabbing one of these brand new with abs for $5200. I am intrigued

[@saltimoto3507]

Great video. The KLR sounds a lot like a more expensive Himalayan. Would you consider making a Himalayan video?

[@DorkintheRoad]

If I could get my hands on one to test ride, I'd love to

[@killerx1307]

"That's neutral you idiot" Bwahaha! I still do that after almost 50yrs of riding.