Off Pavement Handling
Well, you should have kept the KLR650 for that stuff
Heck, I was considering buying a KLR650 for about the 6th time last fall, but bought the Burgman 650 instead. I always do that... look at the KLR and buy something else. Not sure why.
But I've had several experiences on the Burgman 650 that would suggest that it is not totally inept on gravel. I'm new to the Mid-west, and I still get caught off guard sometimes when the pavement ends - which it does a lot out here. I was flying along a nice curvy paved 2 lane in the Iowa Loess Hills last Fall - probably 75-80 mph. Went over a bridge, and suddenly realized I was flying on gravel! No drama. Just slowed it down gradually, turned around and went back. Not that it was handling scary you know, but I had just washed it, and the dust cloud you raise when flying over gravel will cancel out a wash job pretty quick. And its almost a sure thing that you'll encounter a pickup truck flying at you from the opposite direction. And the dust cloud he'll be trailing will look like a forest fire! Had several similar experiences. Never scary from a handling standpoint though.
I wouldn't want to try one of those trails where you have to climb over fallen logs and cross through streams etc. Wheels too small for that work I'm sure. But packed gravel won't upset the scooter. Heck the tires are about as wide as ATV tires...
Paul
Well, you should have kept the KLR650 for that stuff
Heck, I was considering buying a KLR650 for about the 6th time last fall, but bought the Burgman 650 instead. I always do that... look at the KLR and buy something else. Not sure why.But I've had several experiences on the Burgman 650 that would suggest that it is not totally inept on gravel. I'm new to the Mid-west, and I still get caught off guard sometimes when the pavement ends - which it does a lot out here. I was flying along a nice curvy paved 2 lane in the Iowa Loess Hills last Fall - probably 75-80 mph. Went over a bridge, and suddenly realized I was flying on gravel! No drama. Just slowed it down gradually, turned around and went back. Not that it was handling scary you know, but I had just washed it, and the dust cloud you raise when flying over gravel will cancel out a wash job pretty quick. And its almost a sure thing that you'll encounter a pickup truck flying at you from the opposite direction. And the dust cloud he'll be trailing will look like a forest fire! Had several similar experiences. Never scary from a handling standpoint though.
I wouldn't want to try one of those trails where you have to climb over fallen logs and cross through streams etc. Wheels too small for that work I'm sure. But packed gravel won't upset the scooter. Heck the tires are about as wide as ATV tires...
Paul
