Dominator versus KLR

[fridge]

Hello chaps,

Been lurking for a bit, finally registered after a false start, looking for my first bike. In between my first visits I've been distracted by KLRs featuring heavily on advrider; spotted a NX650 which looked nice and wondering if anyone has experience of how they compare?

I'm looking for something durable, and cheap, to ride to work and explore the back roads with. Once I've gained a bit of skill, which may take some time, then I'll start looking for something a bit smarter.

Cheers

[nickygee]

Hi ...fridge I'll try to be as objective as poss as my comparison is based on a KLR i had 1990-91 and i only had the dommie since may last year. If i recall the klr was pretty reliable, as is the dommie and both are torquey as you like. The only probs i had with the klr was the cam chain tensioner rattled a bit, sporadically, and i had to replace the balancer chain after it snapped.(That was less than 16k but i think someone had done the clocking thing on it b4 i got it) I did do some heavy off roading on it as well as use it for potting around town both which were loads of fun. i have to confess that i find the dommie a brilliant commuter and potterer around bike, but i don't think i would take her the places i use to go on the klr. that could also be due to the fact that im a boring older fart now than back then I guess what im trying to say is that if i was going off road a lot, id probably plump for the kwaka, otherwise the dommie does everything you could want of a commuter and general all round fun bike, as well as being cheap as chips to run
See if you can test ride either or both, but overall, given what you state your identified needs to be, i'd hunt out a good dommie, change the oil and enjoy Good hunting

[fridge]

nickygee, thanks for the wisdom, just what I needed to hear.

The KLRs do seem to be used off road (at least on fire-roads in the US) a lot, probably more than I think I'll need. Picked up the oil changing advice in a few places along with some other dommie tips.

How did the KLR compare to the dommie power wise?

Looking forward to trying one for size!

Cheers

[Rubberchicken]

Dommies work well enough offroad, it's just that there's all that fragile plastic when things eventually go pear shaped...

The KLR has offroad plastic, which will bend instead of shatter. The KLR is more like the old Honda XL600R, both more offroad bikes than the dommie, which is closer to the F650.

[samwise]

Don't forget that the KLR650 is still sold brand-new in the US, and for a very low price ($5199 or currently £2655), whereas the NX650 was only sold over there in '88 and '89 (although they get the XR650L instead )

Indeed, they've got a revamped model just launched by Kawasaki, whereas they won't import it back into Europe because it won't pass our emissions regs.

[fridge]

Interesting; had wondered why the KLR features so heavily on the US boards (amazing price must help), plus lots of mentions of the 'new' model, whilst no sign on the uk Kawa site.

Really just a case of seeing what comes along now....

Cheers

[Loomesy]

A while ago i was stuck in slow moving traffic and a bloke on a klr650 turned up, so whilst riding slow we had a small converstion. it went something like this.
me: alright
him: alright, what are they (dommies) like.
me: theyre brilliant, they go well, handle really well,reliable, comfy
him: ah right. whats the sort of cruising speed?
me: it'll sit at 80/85 all day and its smooth too
him: really. this shakes itself to bit at that speed

and with a nod he sped off. from this we can gather that klrs are vibey, possibly unreliable and probably uncomfortable
they probably are better for off road malarky cos theyre lighter (and come as standard with knobblier tyres), however they are liquid cooled and radiators dont suffer drops well, so thers + and - about both
in my opinion, get a dommie, theyre great

[afk40]

Ive had 6 Dommies.. an ave had around 6 KLRs 2 of them NEW.. I like them as they are a real Plodder of a bike.. they do 100mph they are in ma opinion heavy fur off road work.. I once spent the day in a big ash bing wi ma pal on his xr400 i ma Dommie allbeit it was in street mode...no fairing... it just looked like ma pals xr400... an I done evrything he done an more... a could never have done it on a KLR... they are much the same as Dommies in overall runnin... 55 tae the gallon...jist as fast as Dommies.. gettin a good one now will be hard.. if ye wir goin fur one go fur the C series...thats fae 2000 on wi none o they big ugly cockpits... would they wheelie..... YES.. but not as good as a dommie.... dommies are Iol in frame.. klrs are not...I like them an ad have another.......but Dommies have more street cred........need tae know anythin.. ask me......