No the 1000 does not have ABS .
It's the same old story about big versus little bikes , big bikes have more power ,use more fuel and will haul weight more easily .
The two bikes are physically the same size so very little difference there ,the 650 is a bit lighter .

If you want to go faster with a pillion then the 1000 might be better .
But if speed is not an issue and you want to go solo or travel poorer roads and have better economy then go for the 650 .
Either bike will be fine.

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Blessed are the cracked, for they let in the light. - Spike Milligan
"When you come to a fork in the road ,take it ! When you come to a spoon in the road ,take that also ."

Speed is not really a huge factor. As long as the bike can cruise comfortably at highway speed when loaded, that is adequate for me. I would prefer better maneuverability over sheer power. That said, I am 220lbs and with a load, will the 650 have enough oomph when you need it? My friend has a BMW R1200GS and his philosophy is you'll never be sorry for having too much power.

Is there a reason there is no ABS on the 1000? That seems strange to have it on the little brother but not the big brother. I also notice that when looking for used V-Stroms on the net, there seem to be more 1000s for sale than the 650s. Is that because more 1000s are sold or because people who own them aren't as satisfied as 650 owners?

Thanks Mollydog, good info. Most of my riding will be highway, gravel roads, maybe the odd dirt road or wagon track, but nothing terribly technical. I had initially considered the 650 due to cost as I really wasn't wanting to spend $12K+ on a bike, but this '08 1000 is within a couple hundred dollars of a new 650 and with only 16,000km, seems to have lots of life left in it. I was just wondering if it would be a good move, and by what I gather from your info, it likely would be. I will go talk to the guy at the shop and see how much lower they are willing to go on the price. Thanks again.

So, back to the original DR650 vs DL650 discussion...

What kind of distances can a person ride with a DR650 on pavement and still be comfortable? I am thinking the majority of my rides would be pavement to a destination followed by a few days of riding trail riding and exploring. Say a ride to the Black Hills, set up camp, and then go exploring. Or there are Badlands within a 2-3 hour drive of home, so highway to there, then gravel/dirt/cowtrails. Or perhaps a 5-6 hour ride on pavement up north, set up camp and then a few days of riding logging trails and such.

Given the information, which bike would be a better fit for these types of things? Unfortunately, my life right now doesn't really afford super long trips, so a week or 2 would be the maximum I would be riding the bike anyway. Having something that would also be good for commuting to work on days when I don't ride my pedal bike would be a bonus.

Any recommendations?

:e ek3:

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Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

I have been doing some research into maintaining and repairing the DL650 on the road. For K6 and earlier models all you need to display diagnostics is a switch, any faults will be displayed. If your dealer wont sell one check out the forums for details of where to put a link. Also allows adjustment of the Throttle Position Sensor.

Details are in service manual Chapter 4.

Mollydog,

I read through your prep thread. It certainly has helped with my decision on the type of bike I will buy. I think the DR is more suited to the type of riding I want to do, at least at this stage in my life.

One thing I have a difficult time comprehending is why the bikes require so much modification in order to be suitable. I understand the need to add luggage racks and travel bits like that, but why are the bikes with beefier suspensions to handle loads and with skid plates, etc? When buying a bike, I would be also very leery of buying a bike that had been previously modified as there seem to be so many options and variables and it would be very easy to screw things up. I guess I just find it frustrating that after spending $5-7K on a bike, I would need to spend upwards of another couple thousand to get it to where it would perform properly.

On the issue of a larger fule tank, I see the KLR650 comes standard with a larger tank (23L vs. 13L). I am sure there are deficiencies in both bikes, so I am curious what advantages there are in the DR650 over the KLR650. (My apologies if this should have been in a separate thread.)

Time for you to go ride both bikes or others too, buy the one you like best.

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Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

After my last post, I went to those sites and did some reading. The biggest difference I see between the DR and KLR is air-cooled vs. water-cooled. Of course there were other things like brakes, weight, etc., but that was the biggest difference I could see. I do like the idea of the air-cooled DR, mainly due to the simplicity. I mean, that is one advantage of a single, right?

You recommend that I go out and ride a few bikes and compare. Being that I am 6', 220lbs, will a stock bike give me any indication of what it would ride like when properly set up? It would seem that any bike would likely require different suspension settings to work optimally. I have also learned that a test ride around town is somewhat different than real-world riding, especially over the long term.

I try not to be swayed by public opinion on these types of things, but it does seem that the DR650 would be the best fit. (KLR=liquid cooled, heavier; XR=more dirt-oriented) Where does a KTM 640 fit into the scheme of things?

Hi, Remy


I have both a DL650 and a DR650 and I really like them.

Of the two I would take the DR650 on a round-the-world trip. It's much lighter and simpler.

I'd chime on the side of the most paved roadworthy machine...I didn't think I needed to DS machine to ride dirt roads until someone told me I did...If you get my meaning.

So, +1 to Gary and the Burgman. Folks here in Iraq will ride a 125cc or smaller scoot on and over anything.

There´s absolutely no question about the DR outperforming a WeeStrom off-road.

But a RTW-trip... ask yourself, how much time have you got? And what routes do you plan to take?

You will need a massive amount of time to really go around the planet taking in some minor roads and tracks most of the time. I think most people will have some sort of time restraints on their trip, and so they will in fact be forced to choose the main roads quite often. Those roads are used by buses & trucks, and either of these bikes will manage them quite okay.

If you´ve really got time to explore the backroads often, and/or you´re planning to ride a lot in Africa, or some of the more remote parts of Northern Asia or South America, then yes, I think the DR650 would probably be a better choice.

For all other needs, I would choose the DL650. It is just much more of a tourer, and will be so much better on any ´normal´ road. It has much more power for easy cruising (and safe passing), will carry more stuff without a problem. And you can get it with ABS, also a nice thing to have on a real long trip.

Both are about as bulletproof as they get, and there´s no need to worry about the DL having FI, I believe there´s more to worry about the DR having carbs, if at some point you plan to go to very high altitude.

Just my 0.02 cents...

Hi D-Fuzz. This is something that has made me scratch my head for years. The buying-a-bike-and-then-spending-loads-more thing seems to be a very USA-UK-Germany thing. I think most other people might spend a bit of money on a well set up rear shock (but usually AFTER the OEM one has blown apart somewhere way out of the way of any dealer) then some on luggage and sometimes a bigger fuel tank (although even then most find the expense and hassle of fitting too much and end up carrying fuel on the very odd occasion they need it). The Suzukis you are considering will perform well out of the box, except in the case of loads outside of the manufactureres "normal range".
And you never get your money back out of a tricked out bike.... Remember that if you are looking at one to buy.

Kind regards

Nigel

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The mouth of a perfectly contented man is filled with . -- 2200 BC Egyptian inscription

The fact is no one makes a bike that is fully set up to fit everyone's desires.

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Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

DR 650 vs KLR 650 My take

I own both and they have both been extensively modified for Adventure Touring.
They both are bullet proof and will reliably and cheaply do the job.

The KLR is top heavy and can easily get away from you. I explain it that it is like riding an underpowered BMW 1150 Adventure ( I have one of those also). The KLR is more comfortable on the highway.

The DR is more like riding a 250 cc bike with gobs of power. Much better off road and properly set up , good on the road.

Both of my 650's have about 25,000 miles on them.
The KLR at extended high speeds will use oil. You need to check it at every gas stop.
The DR uses no oil! No matter what!
I prefer the DR.

This is my view YMMV!