The Kawasaki KLR in Africa

Kawasaki KLR 650

At the start of the planning phase of Naboom2Germany I decided to do the tour on a KLR. I based my decision on four arguments:

1. The low weight of the bike:
2. The KLR model was already 21 years old and proved itself as a simple design and reliable;
3. Big fuel tank (23 liters) and quite a good consumption figure when ridden wisely;
4. Low price in comparison to other 650’s.

Later a fifth reason was added: Egypt demanded a 200% deposit on the current value of the bike before the bike was allowed into Egypt. You can do your own calculation how much that would have been if I had done the tour on a bike of R 110 000.00.

Purchase of the KLR

I bought the KLR new from Centurion Lifestyle on 1^st March 2007. Price: R 42 000.00

Training rides

I did about 15 000 km on long and short trips to improve my skills. I did a lot of riding in sand, on gravel and through the Botswana bush.

I never encountered any problems with the KLR during these long rides.

Upgrading of the KLR

I decided to upgrade the KLR only due to one reason: I would be doing the tour on my own without any assistance or help of any kind in the form of support vehicles of other riders.

I contacted Ray Muller of Cytech. Ray is a knowledgeable and experienced rider of many trans-Africa tours.

Ray suggested the following changes:

1. Replacing existing hand-protectors;
2. Crash bars to protect the engine and radiator;
3. Replacing plastic engine protection plate with aluminum plate;
4. Replacing hooter;
5. Bigger ground plate for side stand;
6. Main stand;
7. Protection plate over main headlight;
8. Bigger wind shield;
9. Stronger springs in front forks, better rear shock;
10. Hepco Becker panniers;
11. Thicker tubes;
12. Michelin Anakee tyres (fitted on 14 800 km);
13. Tube fluid to protect against punctures; balanced electronically;
14. Heavy duty chain, new sprockets;
15. Inline fuel filter.

Naboom2Germany

My tour started with the odometer reading on 15 360.1 km.

From the beginning I decided that my tour won’t be a sport-riding tour, i.e. as far and fast as possible. I toured the continent. In Africa that meant a speed of 80 – 90 km/h. On the European highways I was happy with a relaxed cruising speed of 110 km/h.

To get the most from the bike I decided I would treat it like a gentleman would treat a lady: Gently. Do you get the message? The KLR could have gone much faster but I wasn’t interested in racing through the gears each time. It was all about saving the tyres and chain / sprockets to get the highest possible mileage.

My comments on all the upgrades done by Ray:

1. Hand protectors – one of the best suggestions. It saved the levers during the crashes.

2. Crash bars – ditto. They protected the engine and radiator. Without those crash bars my tour would have been over after my crash on the rocks in Northern Kenya.

3. Engine protection plate – The sound of rocks and stones hammering the bike from below was proof enough why a plastic protection would be sufficient only in a city, not on a trans-Africa tour. It is a must.

4. Hooter – I couldn’t understand why a louder horn was necessary. Ray said that I would know soon. He was right. There were countries where you had to hoot to warn pedestrians; otherwise they would have just crossed in front of you. In Cairo you had to hoot to keep the cars away from you.

5. Bigger foot plate for side stand – It helped a lot in the desert.

6. Main stand – now and then useful, was also a nuisance now and then. With the bike fully laden I couldn’t get it on the main stand alone.

7. Headlight protection – Riding in the dark without a headlight would have proved why such a protection was important. In the desert I often started a few hours before sunrise.

8. Bigger wind shield – it helped a lot especially during rain storms. The ride was more comfortable with the better wind protection.

9. Stronger springs and rear shock – Northern Kenya is a shock destroyer par excellence. If you have a support vehicle with you that could carry your luggage, and if you would stop often for the shock to cool down you may take the chance with your standard shock. Many did, some got through, others not. The guys from Long Way Down blew 5 shocks on that stretch. Chris from Jungle Junction in Nairobi has got a box full of shocks that hadn’t survived that stretch of road. In Northern Kenya one day late afternoon when I was all on my own I told myself that at least I had not to worry about my shock.

10. Hepco Becker panniers – Brilliant! My luggage stayed dry and dust-free. I felt more relaxed, knowing that when I had to leave my bike for a while unattended that my luggage and documents were safe in the panniers. Furthermore the panniers protected the bike during crashes. Never any bracket or pannier was damaged during a crash. Only one lock was broken, but the African mechanic in Kenya did a wonderful job and it held until now. The one pannier bracket broke when the guys at the ferry to Aswan tried to pick up the bike by using the panniers as handles. I fixed it in Aswan and it held until now.

11. Thicker tubes – it lessens the risk of getting a puncture. It is no guarantee, however.

12. Michelin Anakee tyres - Ray recommended these tyres, and they did their job brilliantly! The tyres were fitted on 14 800 km. My weight is 103 kg, my luggage about 60 kg, the wet weight of the bike about 190 kg. I replaced the front tyre in Germany after 13 584 km. The rear tyre, after doing 18 256.3 km, is still going strongly and will most probably reach Naboom after 20 000 km. The key to a long tyre life: Don’t race, and check the tyre pressure at least every second day!

13. Anti-puncture fluid – I had my doubts after hearing so many stories about the stuff influencing the handling of the bike. Ray believed in the anti-puncture fluid, but then one had to balance the tyres electronically. I couldn’t detect any change in the handling of the KLR afterwards.

14. Heavy duty chain, sprockets – The chain has done 18 816 km and is still fine. I was surprised that I had to adjust the chain only once in a blue moon. The sprockets should hold at least until I get to Naboom, 20 000 km later.

15. Fuel filter – Petrol is not always clean and a clogged fuel line may be the result. The filter was easily accessible. I bought a new filter in Egypt but have never used that until now.

The odometer reading of the KLR stands at 33 616.4 km now. Switching it off at Munich Airport yesterday the bike had done 18 256.3 km on the Naboom2Germany tour. Reaching Naboom at the end of next week the kilometers done on Naboom2Germany will be about 20 000 km.

Maintenance / services during Naboom2Germany

Nairobi – oil, oil filter, brake blocks (I wanted to get my luggage lighter)

Tel Aviv – oil, oil filter, fuel filter

Altenstadt (Germany – oil, front tyre

In my luggage I had two extra air filters, which I’ve used after very dusty stretches.

Fuel consumption

I never carried any extra fuel. I never went on reserve (last 5 liters) except on the 1^st June on my way to Langenselbold, Germany.

I couldn’t fill up at the airport yesterday as the petrol tank had to be nearly empty during the flight. On the last 17 857.1 km of Naboom2Germany the KLR used 783.166 liters of fuel, which gives an average of 22.8 km/l.

The longest distance travelled between filling-up was 408.2 km, and then I put in 16.93 liters.

The worst average was in the Nubian desert, which was 14.88 km/l. The best average was in Latvia, 25.53 km/l.

Mechanical problems on the KLR during the trip

Where will I start? Will you have enough time to read through all of it?

Punctures: Zero

Repairs on bike after mechanical failures: Zero

Electronic problems: In Italy I had to replace one fuse, the fuse for the headlight and instrument lighting.

That was the one and only problem on the KLR. And now, after more than 18 000 km on tour and without a proper service it is still running fine.

My final résumé on the KLR

The KLR is not the ideal bike for the speed freak or Shiny Shaun of the suburbs. It is a dual-purpose bike for the guy or lady that first of all wants a reliable bike, with which they could tour to the furthest corners of the earth, especially without a support vehicle.

I admire the KLR, I love the sound of its one cylinder, I am going to exhibit it in my coffee shop (another dream) one day after many more long distance tours.

If I had to buy a bike to start a trip across Siberia tomorrow I would buy again the KLR.

I have to mention that I never approached Kawasaki South Africa or Centurion Lifestyle or Cytech for any kind of sponsorship, neither was I offered anything to promote a product. What I’ve written here are honest impressions of products as I’ve experienced it.