I want one more motorcycle...maybe a supermoto

[the Ferret]

Lol there is NO WAY you'd find me on a Grom in California traffic. When it isn't doing zero...it's doing 90. I always thought Kentuckians drove fast until I got to California.

the other use makes sense.

[the_undecider_imp]

I'm biased as I own the XR650L, with two sets of rims, one with knobbies, one with dual sport tires. Weighs about 80-100lbs less than the KLR 650, does not have a chain driven counter balancer (really? seems to me a gear driven one would have been the way to go). Better in the dirt than the KLR, not too shabby on the slab; but the mileage ain't nothin' to write about.

I added an oil cooler (this is AZ after all), wolfman side racks, 5.8gal gas tank, real bark busters, and some armour on the side cases. Kinda of a step child in my kit now, but is so fun in the twisty bits, I still envision some touring on it.

It does not get the love of the KLR; perhaps if I rode a KLR I'd see why. But I can't get over all that extra weight.
By the way, a buddy has a GROM and has been putting stupid money into to get it to perform like a 350 (or 250). But he's a bit shorter and has a blast on the darn thing as well as getting a ton of ribbing from me.

I do admit it would be fun to have if I didn't have the 650L already. But I think a real 250 would make more sense. Especially with my 36"+ inseam.

In stock form, the KLR is a much better highway mount than the 650L. Obviously, you can alter either bike to move it closer or further away from it's respective on or off road bias. I love the 650L, but It isn't enough of a highway cruiser for me.

Ironically, the 250 offers none of the advantages of either 650, but it is more useful than the Grom...which isn't saying much. I still want it, though.

[kevbroce_imp]

Lol there is NO WAY you'd find me on a Grom in California traffic. When it isn't doing zero...it's doing 90. I always thought Kentuckians drove fast until I got to California.

the other use makes sense.

Obviously not in any freeways or faster roads, but if I live in Hollywood or Santa Monica and wanted to get around, it would work great. The only time the CB really feels its weight to me is when I'm peddling through dead stopped traffic. When traffic's moving you can time your passes to get around those two cars who's mirrors are right at that annoying spot of being level with your bars/mirrors. When they're stopped side by side and you have to tip/lean the bike over at a walking pace to get your mirrors around one stopped car, give it a little gas, turn the bars the other way, lean it over, give it a little gas, to get around them.. I wouldn't mind something lighter.

Yeah, you could wait till they start moving, but when those two cars are 60 cars back from the light, you'll be waiting at least another light cycle if you don't pass them. Call me impatient, I prefer just getting on with my day.

[the Ferret]

Lol there is NO WAY you'd find me on a Grom in California traffic. When it isn't doing zero...it's doing 90. I always thought Kentuckians drove fast until I got to California.

the other use makes sense.

Obviously not in any freeways or faster roads, but if I live in Hollywood or Santa Monica and wanted to get around, it would work great. The only time the CB really feels its weight to me is when I'm peddling through dead stopped traffic. When traffic's moving you can time your passes to get around those two cars who's mirrors are right at that annoying spot of being level with your bars/mirrors. When they're stopped side by side and you have to tip/lean the bike over at a walking pace to get your mirrors around one stopped car, give it a little gas, turn the bars the other way, lean it over, give it a little gas, to get around them.. I wouldn't mind something lighter.

Yeah, you could wait till they start moving, but when those two cars are 60 cars back from the light, you'll be waiting at least another light cycle if you don't pass them. Call me impatient, I prefer just getting on with my day.

Yea, I don't think I could ever do that. I would just wait. Really is a different world out there. Lol

[Elipten_imp]

I agree completely Ferret. I wonder how many accidents and deaths are directly related to lane splitting? With the cell phone era the only hope for safety is proximity activated brakes for vehicles. Must take the "lose nut" (the driver) out of the driving equation. What makes driving unsafe is poor performance by the vehicle operator.


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[Cormanus]

In Queensland, Australia, lane splitting will become legal from the beginning of 2015.

[kevbroce_imp]

I agree completely Ferret. I wonder how many accidents and deaths are directly related to lane splitting? With the cell phone era the only hope for safety is proximity activated brakes for vehicles. Must take the "lose nut" (the driver) out of the driving equation. What makes driving unsafe is poor performance by the vehicle operator.


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I'd guess there's very few deaths related to lane splitting in dead stopped traffic. It pretty amazing how often even a 5 lane freeway will be dead stopped out here. Every stoplight, you can count on me moving to or as close to the front of the line as possible. I save a lot of time this way, it doesn't harm anyone. In fact, getting me out of the line of car and in a space they cannot occupy allows everyone else to be further up in the line. Plus, unlike a car, if I'm stopped going straight at a light, anyone wanting to make a right turn behind me can easily get by me and make their turn. I don't know about you, but I get annoyed when I'm trying to make a right turn at a stoplight and there's just that one car going straight in the right hand lane blocking everyone from safely turning right on a red.

Lane splitting is no more unsafe than driving too fast around a blind turn, following to closely in traffic, or not checking your blind spot when changing lanes. Just as a competent driver knows how to safely drive, a competent lane splitter knows how to safely filter though traffic.

My hands are at the left and right extremes of my bike, I can see the exact position of my front tire and the read tire is the same 2 feet behind me it always is, I have a very clear understanding of when my bike will and will not fit. If my bike will fit there, I should be allowed to go there.

[the Ferret]

Kev I am not arguing against lane splitting, and I understand it is actually a pretty safe practice. I just don't think I could pull off the maneuver you described. When I was in California traffic was stop and go alot, other motorcyclists were lane splitting. my buddy and I had intercoms and we discussed trying it, but in the end decided against it. Neither one of us had confidence that we could pull it off. ( this was on the freeway).

[the_undecider_imp]

How and Why Motorcycle Lane Splitting is Safe and…: http://youtu.be/JNGD9AAIfFU

This changed my attitude towards lane splitting. Interesting stats in there. I wish it was legal across the country.

[kevbroce_imp]

Kev I am not arguing against lane splitting, and I understand it is actually a pretty safe practice. I just don't think I could pull off the maneuver you described. When I was in California traffic was stop and go alot, other motorcyclists were lane splitting. my buddy and I had intercoms and we discussed trying it, but in the end decided against it. Neither one of us had confidence that we could pull it off. ( this was on the freeway).

Sorry, yeah I'm not argueing with you. You and I just sort of got on this tangent. I'm more just stating my experience as one of the few on the forum who legally can and does filter every day. I dont understand why its completely illegal everywhere else in this country. Its as dumb as if they outlawed rights on red. My opinion is it is way to easy to get your license in this country. You basically just have to know the rules of the road. People should have to prove competence in situational manuevering, car control and reaction times as well. It should not be legal for someone to drive on the road if they do not understand how to quickly stop a car that does not have ABS, whats going on when braking mid turn, or how to counter steer a slide.

Anyways...
I personally would love to have a supermoto. They look like tons of fun and that they'd make an excellent bikes for urban traffic. I wish there were more available. I'm definitely looking forward to the new 390 KTMs, I feel like they'd fill a similar role.