Regular viewers will know we love the Suzuki DR650.
We have jumped it.
Wheelied it.
Thrashed it.
And made all sorts of wild claims about it.
Some viewers have told me they bought a DR650 based on my videos, which does worry me a bit.
As there are other options.
It's no longer available in Australia, but many countries still have the Honda XR650L.
And many claim it is a superior bike.
Is it? Maybe.
It depends on your style of riding.
In our opinion, the DR650 is a true big bore dual sport bike.
The XR650L is more of a big bore dirt bike.
While the KLR650 is for highway cruising and smooth dirt roads.
Sure, there is plenty of overlap.
Some guys modify the Honda and do crazy long road trips.
Others like me will modify the hell out of the DR650
and get it close to the XR650L for dirt riding.
But hopefully this guide should help work out which bike will suit you best.
Over to you, Matthew.
Thanks Barry. So why is the Honda best for offroad riding?
It's the lightest by a long shot.
It has the best suspension, and the longest travel.
Which also means great ground clearance too.
A shorter wheelbase makes it very nimble in the dirt.
And a wide ratio gearbox gives you a low first gear, and a fifth gear suitable for the highway.
Although some complain the gaps between certain gears are too wide.
Unlike the 17 inch rear wheel on the others,
the Honda has an 18 inch rear wheel, giving you a huge variety of tyres.
But in stock form the Honda isn't great for long distance.
With no oil cooler it can run hot when pushed hard for extended periods,
and wrecking valves has happened.
It has the least oil capacity, the smallest fuel tank, and that very high seat height.
Also there's no cush drive hub so it's not smooth on the road
and the gearbox will probably wear faster with big mileage.
The best dual sport bike?
The DR650. It's not great off road.
It's not great on road.
But it's a good compromise, and various mods will help with either.
It's weight is between the other two bikes.
As is the fuel tank size.
The oil cooler and larger oil capacity work well for long distance.
First gear is too high for slow dirt riding but fine for general dual sport work.
The mediocre suspension is okay as long as you are a gentle rider and not overweight.
It has the lowest seat of all three bikes, plus a further lowering option at the rear linkage.
It's main drawbacks on the highway compared to the KLR are the lack of fairing,
a hard narrow seat and the small fuel tank.
Your thoughts on the KLR, Matt?
It isn't much fun off road, Barry!
It's the heaviest by far.
The suspension wallows if pushed hard.
And there are big repair bills if you crash and damage that fairing!
But the weight makes it stable on the highway and smooth dirt roads.
You'll love the fairing especially in poor weather.
Your ass will love that comfy seat, as will any pillion passengers.
You even get a rear rack!
Plus it's water cooled which is great if pulling high speeds for hours on end.
A quick look at known issues.
While all three bikes have great reputations for reliability,
a few issues can stick out for long term owners.
The Honda? CDI modules tend to burn out easily so carry a spare. Lean jetting
and no oil cooler have seen riders blow their valves. Rejet and fit an
oil cooler. No cush drive hub can lead to premature countershaft spline wearing and
the transmission too. Fit a cush hub if doing long distance. And the DR?
There's a small chance the NSU bolts can work loose and destroy the gearbox. The
countershaft seal can pop out on pre-2013 models, and there's a very small number of
third gear failures. See our DR650 known issues vid for more details.
The Kawasaki? The pre-2010 models were known for using excessive oil. A weak weld on gear
shift lever breaks very easily. Use stronger sub-frame bolts if loading
up the rear rack. Don't overtighten oil drain plug - the thread strips
very easily. Most importantly fix the 'doohickey' problem before it destroys
your engine! This is very important, pause to read this for more details.
There you have it guys. If you have further tips let us know in the comments. And if you
own one of these beasts tell us what you like and hate about it!