Thumper eats up the gravel

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 38, 10 March 1987, Page 6 (Supplement)

Thumper eats up the gravel

The world's strongest thumper. That's how the Japanese makers describe the latest Kawasaki KLR650, a 651cc four stroke single cylinder which can just eat up New Zealand's back country metal roads. Styled a little like a motocrosser, this powerful all-

new bike is aimed at long distance back road touring rather than off road work, and it most definitely has all the touring features such as electric start, a large fuel tar.k, mini fairing, comfortable seat and riding position and a large capacity resin fibre rear carrier. It is the strongest thumper in its class, with a huge 14% more power and 19% more torque than last year's 600, but with disc brakes front and rear it has the stopping power to make the riding exciting but safe. Giving the KLR650 the ability to cruise for long distances over rough roads are large diameter wheels, a long suspension travel and plenty of ground clearance. And it is available in this country at a very competitive price. The all-new engine features liquid cooling, dual overhead cams, four valves, and a power boosting 9.5: 1 compression ratio which delivers 48ps at 6,500rpm. With dual counter balancers to reduce vibration, it drives the bike through a five speed box. The frame is made of high tensile steel for superior rigidity with minimum weight — one reason why the KLR features a dry weight of only 153kg. To ease mainte-

nance, the rear section unbolts in minutes. The air adjustable front fork allows 230mm of wheel travel, fiveway adjustable pre-load and four-way adjustable rebound damping. The UniTank rear suspension allows a similar amount of travel. Special features for.rough road riding include engine and hand guards, a stainless

steel exhaust and a chain mudguard. Street extras include a remote choke, a lockable helmet holder, fuel tank cap and a headlight flasher for overtaking. The touring extras include a huge 23 litre fuel tank, a Trame-mounted fairing with built-in windscreen, large capacity carrier and superbright headlight.