The beauty of it is you can spend whatever you want, it is your decision, and you can make it based on your particular wants and needs. I don’t think there is any “normal” for adventure bikes, but I think the majority of people do mod out their bikes, and if they are anything like me, they enjoy the process of doing it.

No problem Jon, thank you for tuning in! I think you are right, it’s sometimes hard in those moments to make the call, but I’m glad I did. And now I can start getting excited for the next trip up there!

Thanks John! I appreciate the kind words.

Cheers David, I appreciate the support! Thanks for tuning in.

Great stuff! I used to own a z50j when I was younger! You will have a lot of fun on the KLR. Good luck out there on the new bike!

Thanks for watching. Group rides are risky too. Risk is just an inherent part of the game. I carry a satphone, and people know where I am at all times. Sure slightly more risky than a group ride, but the whole challenge of the solo trip is the reason I ride.

Congrats on the KLR purchase. Many great adventures await! Cheers mate, thanks for tuning in.

Thanks so much legend! I’m glad you enjoyed it. Welcome to the channel!

Thanks a lot, and welcome to the channel! The 2007 is a nice machine, I have a lot of love for the gen 2s. I bet it has taken you on some great adventures. Yep the option for a different bike starts to make some sense after the money I spent on these mods. I have absolutely no regrets about the way I went though, I had a lot of fun doing all the mods, and I absolutely love the KLR. I have a bike now that has legendary reliability and is customized to exactly what I need, while being capable and comfortable on ALL terrain. Its simple to work on and parts are abundant. I can load up with all the luggage I want or easily put my partner on for comfortable 2up rides.

Cheers mate! It was a really fun adventure. Don’t sell yourself short, start small and work up to it, you have it in you! I believe in you.

Hi Terry, The tent is an Explore spartan 2. Not really the best tent at that price point to be honest. Hasn’t been great durability wise. I also have a one man naturhike which was cheaper and is a lot more durable and better quality. I’d probably look at one of their tents if I was buying again, they seem to be better value. Thanks for watching though, I’m glad you enjoyed the video!

Cheers mate! Good luck on your trips. The Adventure model is a great looking machine.

Just normal 50/50 off-road and onroad riding. Carrying a bit of luggage sometimes. But I’ve never done a burnout on it.

Junk tyres

Got 10k from my next tyre (Motoz) and still had heaps of tread on it.

Yeah I do. I just use it mainly to keep track of KMs and hours, but I also sometimes use it with map waypoints. It’s a great backup if my other maps are not working too. It has saved me so many times!

@@NotShookADVmight give it a crack myself 👍

Yep it really is brutal lifting in the deep sand. Cheers for tuning in from Florida!

This video is literally titled Gen 3 KLR650.(2022 onwards). You are coming here to tell me that a bike from 30 years ago was junk? Are you okay?

Yep it’s a really good bike. Good luck on your trip! I’m looking forward to seeing some of the videos.

Thanks legend. It means a lot to hear that you are loving the content! Gets me motivated to get back out there and film some more videos.

Hi mate. This is the medium size. I absolutely love it. I also stuck some anti vibe tape on the bottom to reduce vibration from the metal plate and I keep all my camera gear in it, including expensive SLR lenses that are sensitive to vibration. It has been bulletproof. I also flood tested it in the bath when I bought it, and its leakproof. Never had any moisture come into it during rides during river crossings or rain. Excellent value for money. Nice that you can chuck a padlock on it too and keep people from snatching gear when you are asleep or in the shops.

@NotShookADV awesome mate thanks for the reply, I was looking at one the other day, you may have just sold me !

@tequilagrub no problem!

Not sure what you are saying here to be honest.

Of course, in many situations, a lighter bike would be faster and easier, but I dont just ride it to go fast. Reasons I love the KLR over a lighter bike: -Can literally go anywhere I can go on a lighter bike, check out some of my videos. -EXTREMELY capable offroad, many instances of lighter more high-performance bikes not making it up climbs I get up. Or failing to cross deserts I conquered. (Check out my channel) -Can do thousands of road & offroad KMs in comfort(did 8000km in 2 weeks mostly off road recently) -Ridden across the whole country multiple times unassisted on it. Including all the toughest tracks, desert and high country in Aus. (Again check out my channel) -SAFE, comfortable and great wind protection on the road. No fatigue on long hauls. -BULLETPROOF reliability. -Easy to work on yourself without mechanical background. -HUGE range of aftermarket parts. -Can take my partner two up on rides, which we both love doing. But hey, come to my channel and try and tell me what my bike can and cant do. And that I should ride a different bike. How about you get outside, see some sunshine, get therapy, and try and avoid such miserable behaviour.

That sounds like not a bad strategy. Would definitely work!

Haha! I reckon that’s spot on.

Beautiful description of the KLR, and touches on all the reasons I love mine too. Thanks for the comment.

Congrats on the new purchase! They are a great machine. Plenty of adventures ahead! Thanks for watching.

Cheers mate, nothing like the sound of a big thumper roaring through the desert!

Haha yep that sounds about right. I think I fit into the never get rid of them group!

Yeah a few people have mentioned that about the sand, makes me think I never want to be in there on the KLR when it’s soft and dry, sounds like a nightmare. Yep these are great tips thanks mate!

Obviously its not ideal with all the weight, you are right. But the entire point of doing this crossing unsupported isnt about doing it optimally, its about the challenge, the adventure. I could tell you 1000 more comfortable ways to cross the Simpson, but I wanted an adventure and some hardship.

Yeah it does, I love the color!

Im glad you enjoyed the video, I think it is a great machine, that you will be very happy with. Good luck on your KLR journey!

Yeah they are a great bike aren’t they! I think you will be happy you did the foot pegs, especially if you are going off-road. Thanks for watching!

To each their own. I think the biggest mistake you can make is thinking everyone should do things the way you do, and the idea that there is only one way to enjoy things. And then going to someone’s channel, who is putting themselves out there, and having a bit of fun, and then telling them that’s wrong. Fascinating behaviour.

No I didn’t. Some rare small inoffensive backfires, but pretty much runs perfectly.

Yeah I agree, its a really fun bike. I think I need to add the 16t sprocket! Thanks for the comment.

@@NotShookADV Honestly as much as I loved the KLR I was kind of on the fence when it came to on road and highway...then I put that 16 on there and man does it cruise nice and to me has more take off and power oddly enough

Thanks a lot! Glad you liked it.

Cheers mate! Yeah I really battled, but started to figure it out towards the end. Thanks for watching.

Cheers legend! Thanks for watching.

Yep brakes are really bad. A real letdown.

To be honest I don’t actually remember, I think you are right, there was something I had to do for the pegs on the new handlebars, pretty straightforward process if I have forgotten it I guess. Vibrations is fine at those speeds in my opinion, it’s very comfortable. I don’t feel any vibration fatigue from full days of highway riding. Obviously it vibrates more than a twin, but I think it’s pretty comfy. Cheers mate.

Cheers mate! Yeah this is actually great advice, so true, but so counterintuitive. By the end of this trip I think I was just starting to realise this.

Wow that sounds like an amazing trip! I hope I can keep my klr till it’s like an old friend like yours! Thanks for watching.

As a 12 year old used to ride solo miles into the bush, Z 50 J , YZ80E and F , IT 175 came later, never had a serious crash , didn’t even occur what would happen in the years before mobile phones , probably rode 40000 km s over six years . Now as a returning rider , I am indeed very wary of going on remote rough tracks on my own. You show great courage riding that isolated terrain on such a heavy beast . But as Itchy boots and her recent crash has shown , if there hadn’t been a car to come to her rescue , she would have been stuffed in the middle of Africa with a broken collarbone and injured foot. Good luck and travel safe .

Cheers mate, thanks for watching!

I didn’t realise you were the authority on what is and isn’t needed for each particular rider. Even so, I didn’t ask, so log off, and go and get some sunlight.

@@NotShookADV Get your big boy panty's on and grow up. SON!!

Cheers legend! Thanks for watching

Yeah it’s not a lot of fun at all in the deep sand. Cheers! And thanks for watching

It’s editing 100% in chronological order. But I yeah I know what you mean. I rewatched it a couple of days ago and it is a terrible edit. There was a big part of the ride that rained, so I couldn’t have the GoPro on as my mic isn’t waterproof. I probably should have given some more narration or something to help tell the story better. Also just how dangerous it was turning the go pro on and off, can cause you to crash. Just fatigue too, didn’t help with getting footage. Ah Dimboola! What an epic place to live. You must know the desert like the back of your hand! Yeah it was all pretty wet, thankfully. But with the weight of the KLR it didn’t provide much compaction. But I trust you and will never enter that desert in the dry on the KLR! Thanks for the comment.

Yeah that sums it up pretty well, not a great deal of fun. Thanks for watching!

Some truth to that, but I don’t think it’s as simple as lighter is better. Really depends on a lot of things, but yeah the KLR is probably too heavy for a lot of the riding I do. Thanks for watching!