Okay, so I finally got around to really testing out the cruising speed of my KLR 650. I’ve heard so many different things, so I wanted to see for myself what felt comfortable and what the bike could handle.
Getting Ready
First, I made sure my bike was good to go. I checked the tire pressure, made sure the chain was lubed, and topped off the oil. Basically, I just gave it a quick once-over to make sure everything was in decent shape. Nothing fancy, just the usual stuff.
Hitting the Road
I picked a nice stretch of highway where I could really open it up without worrying about traffic or anything. I started at around 55 mph, just to get a feel for it.
- At 55 mph, the bike felt super smooth. No vibrations, engine wasn’t screaming, just chugging along nicely.
- I bumped it up to 60 mph. Still pretty good. The wind was starting to pick up, but the bike felt stable.
- Then I went for 65 mph. This is where things started to get interesting. The engine was definitely working a bit harder, and I could feel some vibrations, but it wasn’t anything crazy.
- I pushed it to 70 mph. Okay, now we’re talking. The wind was really pushing me around, and the bike was vibrating quite a bit. It didn’t feel unstable, but it wasn’t exactly comfortable either.
- I even tried 75 mph for a short burst. Yeah, that’s about the limit. The engine was screaming, the wind was insane, and the whole bike was shaking. I didn’t hold it there for long.
My Takeaway
After riding for a couple of hours and testing different speeds, I’d say the sweet spot for cruising on the KLR 650 is somewhere between 60 and 65 mph. It’s a good balance between speed, comfort, and engine strain. You can push it faster, sure, but it’s not going to be a pleasant ride, especially for longer distances.
For my KLR, I found out the comfortable cruising speed for me is around 60mph. I can enjoy long distance ride without any fatigue.
Keep in mind, this is just my personal experience. Your mileage may vary depending on your bike’s setup, your riding style, and the road conditions. But hopefully, this gives you a good starting point.
