Africa Twin to The 2022 KLR, The story behind the switch

In this video, we will be sharing with you our story as to how we went from the Honda Africa Twin to the 2022 KLR 650. I was recently asked this question on one of our videos, so I figured if he wanted to know you might want to know as well.
#KLR #klr650 #KLR Adventures #motocamping #adventure #adventurebikes
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[@lesterroberts4787]

Faith and Honesty, I like you Dale am retired, I just needed/wanted a bike that would let me see the countryside and the KLR fit the bill. For me it's about the sites, smells and pleasure of just getting out without breaking the bank.

[@Heartlanddualsport]

Amen to that sir, you summed up exactly what I was trying to say. Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment. It really helps this little channel out more than I can say, so thank you so much and I hope you have a blessed weekend. Dale

[@jimdoolan2277]

Good story Thanks 👍🏻

[@Heartlanddualsport]

Thank you so much for taking the time to watch and comment and I hope you have a blessed week my friend. Dale.

[@Tankerman]

Did I hear you say “ get your mind right” 😂 I really am happy that you are extremely happy with your KLR. I am really happy that you moved to Texas and we got to finally meet and ride.

[@Heartlanddualsport]

Hahah yeah that’s what I said. Hahah. It worked for a little bit. Haha. Yes sir. I am blessed to be there and we look forward to more fun with y’all. Have a blessed weekend. Dale.

[@stephenmedlin2367]

How old are you? My name is Steve and I live in Muskogee, OK. I am about to turn 70 in a couple of weeks. I am 3 years now without a motorcycle. My last bike was a Kawasaki Versys 650. I loved the bike but found myself riding NW Arkansas curves much faster that I should. I sold it before the inevitable happened. I had an 09 KLR prior to the Versys but couldn’t keep up with the people I was riding with. I am considering purchasing another KLR and riding it for what it was made for. At 70, I don’t need any things rushing by like I did earlier in life. Love your channel and have watched several of your videos. I understand you live someplace in east Texas. I am a retired salesman of Mobil lubricants.

[@Heartlanddualsport]

Sorry for the delay in my reply, I have been on a two week hunting and camping trip and made it back home. I am 52 my friend. If it helps at all, the KLR will probably fit your needs better now, since you are in a place like myself, I find myself wanting to put around and look at the flowers, nature and if I am really lucky some wildlife. I enjoy that so much as well, as trying to find an old back road to fish a creek or two. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment and know I will be posting some more videos soon, I got sick prior to my trip so I haven't had an upload in a couple of weeks since I was out of town. If I can help in anyway, feel free to reach out. Thank you so much for taking the time to watch and comment as it truly helps our little channel out more than I can say, so thank you so much for that as well. I hope you have a blessed week. Dale

[@CountryBoy1069]

Hey brother. Just come across your channel and subscribed. I am a retired Officer myself. I retired back in 2020 after 23 years of service. Glad to see you are having fun after retirement. Lord knows we need it lol.. I am going to be buying myself a new KLR in the next week or so. I have been doing a butt ton of research on adventure bikes and have decided on the KLR 650 over the Tenere 700, Africa Twin, CFMOTO Ibex 800, 650 adventure and so on. I had a Gen one KLR back in the early 90's and loved it. That thing was a TANK. I live in Roane County in East Tennessee and the roads are a little bit rough in and around my area. That's why I'm going with the KLR because it has proven to be a good bike for adventure riding for older guys like us. I am also very seriously thinking about starting my own adventure tour business because where I am located in East Tennessee. I can show people more things in all of East Tennessee other than just the Smoky Mountains. Especially in the fall that's already here. Stay safe out there while ridding.

[@Heartlanddualsport]

Congrats on your retirement and making it out alive as well my brother in blue. I also want to thank you for taking the time to watch and comment and it truly helps this little channel out more than I can say. Congrats on your new bike my friend. I think you will love it, and I will follow up and tell you a few things very few people know about me. I Love Love Love the area you are in. Truth be told, and you can ask my wife and daughters, they all knew when I retired, my goal was to move out there. I can't explain it, but I fell at home there like no other place in the world. and I am so excited to hear you say you want to start a business out there. This little channel is my hope of some extra money and I know you know what I am saying when I say that being a retired officer yourself. I won't go into a ton of details, but life etc, I am in East Texas. However, my heart will always be in that Same, East Tenn NC, Georgia, border area of all three states. I have actually risen and DRZ all over some of those old back roads as we as an Africa twin etc. The KLR, it the better choice in my opinion, you have plenty of gas range and the NEW KLR suspension etc along with fuel injection dependability make it a great choice especially on a budget and with that budget bike, I will also say, you will take it places, you wouldn't take a 15K-20K adventure bike, because in the end, It is a 7000 bike and if you do fall over, who cares, so to me, in the end, it will make for an awesome. Now I know this is lengthy and I could keep on going, but know this, from one Brother in Blue to another, if I can help in anyway with your business let me know and feel free to reach out to me and connect via my email or phone or Facebook, I am very easy to find all over the place. I wish you nothing but the best and keep living the dream my friend, that was a goal of mine for many Years, is to be out there doing what you are fixing to be doing. I hope you have a blessed week and look forward to hearing more from you. Thansk so much for the sub, as it truly helps this little channel. Dale

[@texaslonestarrider]

Awesome!

[@Heartlanddualsport]

Thank you sir, I hope you are doing well and have a blessed weekend. Dale

[@KR-qs3rt]

My question exactly too

[@Heartlanddualsport]

Thank you for taking the time to watch and I hope this helps answer the question for. you. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment, it helps our little channel out, so thank you. I hope you have a blessed weekend. Dale

[@DJPTEXAS]

Glad it all worked out in the long run ! God bless !

[@Heartlanddualsport]

Thank you so much for the kind words my friend. I so agree and The Good Lord Himself helped save my thumb. I appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment it helps our little channel out more than I can say. God Bless you as well my friend and I hope you have an awesome weekend. Dale

[@gabrielkopp2036]

Very interesting story. Thanks for sharing that Dale..i am so glad you didn't lose your thumb..you have a cute dog...

[@Heartlanddualsport]

Thank you fore the kind words. Amen to that It was the Grace of the Good Lord above that I didnt loose my thumb, I agree, I am glad I have it, it looks funny but works. hahaha. Thank you, he is my running buddy, he hates to see me climb on the KLR because he knows he can't go, If I am leaving in the jeep, he is with me. hahaha. Thanks again for taking the Time to watch and comment and I hope you have a blessed weekend. Dale

[@chiptaxfree]

U DA MAN 😜. Thanks for answering the question.

[@Heartlanddualsport]

Yes sir, you know me, I will always help when I can. Thank you for all your support over the years my freind. I hope you have a blessed weekend and have safe travels on your trip. Dale

[@eduardomonteclar392]

You can’t go wrong w/ The KLR Sir…Have a blessed week🌺🙏🏾❤️

[@Heartlanddualsport]

I so agree, thank you and I hope you have a blessed weekend as well. dale

[@brandonl5343]

Great video Dale. I have both, a 16 Africa Twin DCT and a 22 KLR 650 Adventure ABS. I love them both and yes they are both great bikes. The KLR is no doubt the best bargain with an endless supply of cool accessories and upgrades available. I use the KLR for more off road riding and local rides around NE Texas. The AT is great for longer rides. I’m taking a couple weeks off next month with the AT for Arkansas moto camping.

[@Heartlanddualsport]

How fun is that. Sounds like you have a wonderful trip planned. I need to get some moto camping in soon myself, I feel like I have neglected the this spring with everything else that was going on. Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment and I sure hope you have a blessed weekend and I also hope you have an awesome moto camping trip my freind. Dale

[@dirtpirateracing1629]

Fully respect you! I have had to sell a few bikes due to life changes. My KLR fit my budget and does exactly what i want to do with it.

[@Heartlanddualsport]

Thank you so much kind sir. Yes sir, over the years, I have sold a lot of them. Life has been good to me though all in all and I have no complaints. I love the KLR and it fits me to a tee. Thanks for the kind words my friend and I hope you have a blessed weekend. Dale

[@xnihilo1044]

Kindred spirit here, Dale, and with others who posted. For 25 years I lived in So. Cal., and had a plethora of bikes from Harleys, Ducati, Guzzis, Triumph, and V-Stroms. My last bike before the '23 KLR was my '20 V-Strom 1050XT Adventure. After retirement last summer, The Wife and I moved to Iowa to escape Kalifornia. I rode the big 'Strom here and decided that it was too much bike for Iowa riding. Thought about keeping it, but the KLR just....does it for me. Sold the Suzi. And I'm happy. Very happy. Perhaps it's age and/or maturity, but I just don't feel the need to have the biggest and best. I've already proven myself on twisty roads chasing down sport bikes and dragging knees around canyon corners. I just wanna ride now. For once it's about the ride; not the bike. There might be another someday, but this I know for sure. I'm never selling the KLR.

[@Heartlanddualsport]

I so agree on all accounts my friend. I too have been blessed to own a lot of them, I started on a XL100 when I turned 14, and have been blessed to have a bunch of different bikes, different styles etc. I think you summed it up best, just go ride, and have fun, Im done racing, wheeling etc, just give me an old back road and see what I can find and If I dont find find anything, I still did in a sense. I so agree. Than you for taking the time to watch and comment, it truly helps our little channel out and. I hope you have a blessed week. Dale

[@marklawrence4596]

Interesting. A good friend of mine that I often ride with bought a '21 Africa Twin and I was riding a Vstrom 650. At the beginning of 2022 parts for the Vstrom became very difficult to find and I needed a brake caliper that wasn't available. I didn't want to lose the '22 riding season, so I looked at what I could afford that would allow me to ride with my friend on a capable bike and... Kawasaki brought the KLR back to the market at just the right time. Both my brother and my dad had owned KLRs and I'd ridden them and enjoyed them, so it was a no brainer for me. In my group of riding friends we have a '20 Ducati Multistrata 1260 enduro, 2 '13 Vstrom 1000s, my old '13 Vstrom 650 (I sold to a friend after parts became available) and the '21 Africa Twin. For me the KLR is a more capable machine than I am as a rider and the only time I can't keep up with my buddies is when they hit the throttle hard, but then due to speed limits and their good sense I can always catch up. My Multistrata and Africa Twin buddies are higher income guys and I'm grateful I can join them on riding adventures on a bike that was 1/2 the price of the Twin and 1/3 the price of the Multistrata.

[@Heartlanddualsport]

Man, that is a fun story, Thank you so much for taking the time to watch and share this story with us. It sounds like you guys have a great group to ride along with. I think that is a lot of fun when some guys can all get together and go out and make some fun memories. Thanks again for taking the time to watch and comment and I hope you have a blessed weekend. Dale

[@marklawrence4596]

@@Heartlanddualsport Thank you for your videos! Your efforts to keep the KLR gang thinking, informed and entertained are much appreciated.

[@user-sh3ss5bz9v]

Love the channel and info. I am looking at a new '23 klr 650s for my wife. After negotiation between a couple different dealers we have settled on $6400 cash OTD. I bought a used 2013 klr with 2200 miles this spring for $5000 but it had a bunch of mods. It's hard to tell if you're getting a decent price with everything dealers add to the final price. What do you think? Any help is appreciated.

[@Heartlanddualsport]

Thank you for the kind words my friend. I truly believe that is a great buy on the new one. I so agree it is always hard to say what the dealers are adding in etc, but that sounds about as fair as I have heard. Thanks again for taking the time to watch and comment , as it truly helps out little channel out. Please come back and let us know what you decide on the new bike and I hope you have a blessed weekend. Dale

[@KR-qs3rt]

BTW... Love the dog at the end 😊

[@Heartlanddualsport]

Ha, thank you so much, he is a fun pup, he is my little running buddy. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment and I hope you have a blessed weekend Dale

[@doggonenomads]

I was on the fence between the KLR and Honda 450RL and ended up with the Honda 450RL due to weight and let me tell you there was a few times I crashed lately and I'm glad I have a bike that is only 291lbs. One crash was up a hill and sitting on that hill I'm not sure how I would have been able to lift up a bike that weighed more, due to the grade of the hill. I just started following you and watched your other video on selling the 450RL, but didn't hear a specific reason for selling it other than money? I wasn't sure why you picked the KLR over the 450RL. Thanks for the videos!

[@Heartlanddualsport]

Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment my friend, that is a fair question you asked as well. I should probably make a video on that also. The biggest reason for me, If I wanted to go see my daughter and was going to ride to go see her, she lives on the east coast and making a 1000-1100 mile moto camping trip there and back, the KLR is a better fit for that. The being the main reason for the choice. I have enjoyed the 450 as much as I can in a short amount of riding time and I love the bike, but in the end, money being the biggest issue, it makes sense for me to get rid of one and with my daughter living so far away, the KLR is my go to across the country ride. Thanks agian my friend and I hope you have a blessed weekend. Dale

[@cledussnow9507]

I had a 17 Africa Twin, traded it plus $120 for a new 23 KLR Adventure. Absolutely no regrets. I never saw the hype in the Honda. i used it probably 50/50 off/on road. Yea, it had more power than the KLR, but i didnt see enough upsides to keep it over a new KLR. Plus it had the worst shifting notchy transmission of any streetbike, dirtbike, or quad i ever owned. No regrets.

[@Heartlanddualsport]

Thank you so much for taking the time to share this with us all. I agree, I really love my KLR and I am so happy with it, it simply works and does everything I would want it to do. Thank you again for taking the time to watch and comment as it truly helps our little channel out. Thank you and I hope you have a blessed weekend. dale

[@yomommaahotoo264]

Yo - lemme axe you sumpmm. What millage is on your KLR now?

[@Heartlanddualsport]

Off the top my head over 9K I dont know for certain, I didnt get to ride as much this summer as I was hoping, so not nearly as many miles went on the bike this year , Like I was able to do last year. The heat was amazing this Year, I will update you on my next trip out and let you know for certain. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment and I hope you have a blessed weekend. Dale

[@MrRodwatson]

As I age....I'm just past 50 now.....I realize that it both sucks and is cool at the same time 🤔. I've also grown much more fond of the old saying...."youth is wasted on the young"...🤨😏

[@Heartlanddualsport]

hahahah, make no mistake, being about the same age, I totally get it my friend. Thanks so much for taking the time to watch and comment and I hope you have a blessed week. dale

[@yomommaahotoo264]

You don't seem to be the product of a police career. Maybe there is some good in the universe.

[@Heartlanddualsport]

Ha. Thank you my friend. I take that as a very nice compliment. I appreciate you and your support of our little channel. I hope you have a blessed weekend and again. Thank you. Dale.