Kit Palmer | September 22, 2021
We’ve seen it, we’ve heard about it, now it’s time to welcome back and ride the new Kawasaki KLR650.
In its element. The 2022 Kawasaki KLR650 Adventure is right at home on unpaved mountain roads like this one in New Mexico.
Photography by Drew Ruiz & Palmer
Depending on how you look at it, the 2022 KLR650 is an all-new motorcycle—or not. In the big picture, maybe it’s not so new, in that it’s still a 650cc four-stroke single with a five-speed gearbox that puts out roughly the same horsepower as it did 30 years ago, it has that distinctive large fuel tank and, overall, it still looks like a KLR.
On the other hand, the engine is now fuel injected and significantly updated, the frame is beefed up and is now a single unit, the swingarm is longer, the front end has more rake and less trail, it holds more usable fuel, the brake rotors are larger, the entire front end is redesigned, ABS is now offered, and the suspension is stiffer. (Read our 2022 Kawasaki KLR650 First Look for a refresher on all the detailed changes to the 2022 Kawasaki KLR650.) Seems all-new to me.
There are also three versions to choose from now: Base, Traveler and Adventure. Pricing starts at $6699 for the Base model and tops out at $7999 for the Adventure with all the helpings—ABS, factory-installed side cases, LED auxiliary light set, engine guards, tank pad and both DC and USB ports. In between, there is the Traveler model that comes with a top case and power outlets. All models are offered with or without ABS.
The KLR650 performed flawlessly in the blistering August heat of Arizona.
2022 Kawasaki KLR650 Review | The Ride
Kawasaki invited CN and a few other media outlets to New Mexico to ride the 2022 Kawasaki KLR650 for the first time. Over the next two days, we covered a little bit of everything: open highways, twisty two-lane mountain roads, well-maintained forest service dirt roads and a touch of technical two-track Jeep roads with a bit of soft sand mixed in to keep our heart rates up. We even played around in some tricky silt and crossed rocky streams. Much of the riding was also done at altitude, flirting with 10,000 feet at times.
It takes a little more muscle to negotiate technical sections due to the KLR’s weight, but the trade-off is you get EFI, ABS and a beefier chassis.
When our time in New Mexico had concluded, I wasn’t quite finished yet. I packed the Adventure’s side bags and rode the KLR650 back home to Southern California, via mostly back-country two-lane roads with a few off-road side excursions thrown in just for fun. After four days in all, I tallied a little more than 1000 miles on the KLR. And, after all that, the KLR and I are still talking to each other.
VIDEO | 2022 Kawasaki KLR650 First Ride Review
2022 Kawasaki KLR650 Review | Hot Topics
Here’s what I learned after all that time on the bike.
Power. There isn’t a ton of it, which isn’t surprising. It is what it is—a 652cc single-cylinder four-stroke that meets all the latest emission and noise regulations, including California’s. So, what can you expect? When I look at it this way, I’m impressed by how much power it actually has—enough to have fun on, that’s for certain, even at altitude. There’s enough juice to make quick passes on the highway, but there are some situations where some planning is required, like at high elevations or up gradual inclines at speed; you’ll feel like you’re stretching the throttle cable to its breaking point, and yes, there is a cable, no fly by wire here.
The fully loaded Adventure model has a lot to offer for the price.
Speaking of highways, 74 mph seems to be the magic number, the spot where it is most comfortable cruising. Every time I looked down at the speedometer on a stretch of highway, it always seemed to be indicating 74 mph. Sorry, I can’t tell you what rpm it was turning since there is no tach in the new compact LCD dash. I’m not sure if that’s a bad or good thing, but I know not having one isn’t a deal-breaker for me.
Overall, power is delivered smoothly, evenly and predictably, which I welcomed on the miles and miles of slick hard-pack dirt roads I passed over. Traction control is not needed on this bike because of its heavy flywheel effect, fair amount of torque, and ultra-smooth power delivery. Sure, the KLR might not have the kick-in-the-butt power of higher-priced twin-cylinder dual sports or ADV bikes out there, but I’ll take controllability and reliability over mega horsepower dirt bikes any day when exploring back roads far from home, especially alone.
Comfort is one of the KLR’s strongest attributes. A great seat and neutral ergos mean you can eat up the miles in a single sitting, no problem. Footpegs, however, get an “F” when it comes to standing.
EFI. I love it. The KLR’s EFI system works superbly, from sea level to 10,000 feet, and I can vouch for that. You know it’s good when you’re cruising along at speed and you can stand up on the pegs without fear of getting thrown over the bars when you crack the throttle; bogging or hesitation is non-existent.
Some carburetor diehards are concerned about reliability, but in my opinion, fuel injection has been around long enough to where I am not worried whatsoever about the KLR’s FI system possibly failing. Plus, with FI, you don’t have to deal with cold-starting issues or a petcock, so I have no problems at all that Kawasaki ditched the KLR’s old carburetor system for FI. It’s time to move on.
To accommodate FI, Kawasaki had to redesign the fuel tank. It holds the same amount, but this time it’s all useable. More capacity and FI equals excellent range. I averaged 49 mpg of mostly paved miles on my ride home to California, which calculates to nearly 300 miles on a tank! In the real world, that might be stretching it a bit, but 280-plus miles doesn’t seem out of the question.
As far as oil consumption, the sight window still shows full.
Five-Speed Transmission. I’m okay with it. First gear is just low enough, and fifth is plenty tall. And everything else in between is all good. At top speed, which seems to be 88-90 mph on level ground, full tuck with no wind, the KLR doesn’t feel like it’s straining too hard or about to launch the piston through the fuel tank. First gear, however, could be a bit lower. Even slipping the clutch, I found it difficult to purposefully spin the rear wheel for bike control at low speeds.
Overall, Kawasaki did a suitable job matching gearing with the KLR’s engine output, so I didn’t really miss not having a sixth gear. Plus, call me lazy, but I don’t mind not shifting all the time.
Speaking of shifting, my biggest gripe with the KLR does involve this process. There isn’t enough space between the footpeg and the shifter, which is also positioned too low. I flat out could not get my foot underneath the lever. So, I had to upshift with my heel most of the time. I admit I have large, size-12 feet but nearly every journalist on this ride had a similar issue. Raising the shift lever a notch made things worse because it would just hit the countershaft sprocket guard leaving you in neutral. I found I could change gears normally with regular shoes but not while wearing my foot-long moto boots.
There’s only 4.5 inches between the footpeg and the shifter, not nearly enough for my size-12 foot.
Brakes/ABS. I was disappointed to learn the rear ABS cannot be deactivated on the KLR (unless you want to mess around with fuses, not me); in fact, Kawasaki has never offered switchable ABS with any of its bikes. So, when Kawasaki asked me which version I wanted to ride back to California, I chose non-ABS but would ride an ABS version while riding in New Mexico. When it came time to swap bikes for the ride home, I had a change of heart—I asked to remain on the ABS model. I was extremely impressed with the KLR’s off-road-tuned ABS. It’s not obtrusive at all; you can still lock/skid the rear wheel—to a point. When you get to that point—where you’d release pressure on the brake pedal to stop the skid—it was about the same time the ABS would kick in anyway. Heck, I could live with that, for sure. And if that also meant I could get front ABS, well, I was sold on the ABS version. Sure, if you plan to spend most of your time riding the KLR in the dirt on hard-core trail rides, then the non-ABS KLR might be a better choice. That’s up to you. But if you’re on the fence about ABS, give it a try first if possible. You might be surprised. I was.
As far as braking power, the KLR comes up a little short. The rear brake is fine, but the front brake felt mushy from the get-go and seemed to get more so as things heated up. When ridden at pace on the pavement, I wanted more initial bite from the front brake. However, on slippery hard-packed dirt, the soft front brake did have its advantages in that it wasn’t prone to locking up, but that’s what ABS is for. But I don’t ever remember feeling the front ABS kick in; the brake itself doesn’t grab hard enough to let the ABS do its job most of the time. For a nearly 480-plus-pound motorcycle, a stronger front brake would be welcomed.
Weight. Yes, the KLR650 is heavy–approximately 450 pounds (wet) for the base model up to 490 pounds (wet) for the Adventure model. Using the Base ABS model as a starting point, the KLR put on approximately 20-plus pounds over the previous-gen KLR650. So, what did you get for the added weight? Mainly, a stronger frame, EFI, and yes, ABS. For some, that might be a decent trade-off. For others, not so much. I didn’t find the KLR’s weight to be a killjoy, though. Maybe in the sand, over large loose rocks and maneuvering in tight places I could feel it, but not so much on the pavement or dirt roads. At least it wasn’t a hindrance to me. The bike is well-balanced, and its reasonable 34-inch seat height helps keep things in check.
Kawasaki beefed up the frame to handle more carrying weight and to improve handling. It’s a single-unit frame now, the sub-frame is no longer removable. If that’s an issue for you, well, at least you don’t have to worry about the sub-frame bolts vibrating loose anymore.
Other contributing factors regarding weight gain include larger axles, a larger swingarm pivot, a longer swingarm, and larger brake rotors.
Comfort/Ergos. When I think of comfort, I think of the KLR’s all-new seat. It’s wonderful! And when you match the excellent seat to the KLR’s neutral handlebar/seat/footpeg relationship, you have one extremely comfortable motorcycle that’s ready to eat up the miles in just one sitting; at least it was for my 6’1” frame. Over the 1000 miles, I never needed a pain-related relief break; instead, all my stops were instigated by either thirst, hunger or nature.
The taller windscreen, rubber-mounted handlebars and footpegs, and the rubber foot pads on the pegs all contribute to the KLR’s comfortable ride, too. Kawasaki says that the windscreen is adjustable. I wouldn’t know; I never did adjust it because it requires tools and time to do that. But I never felt the need to change the windscreen anyway; it works well where it is.
The footpeg design is a double-edged sword. It’s great for sucking up the vibes when sitting on the bike and cruising down the highway, but horrible all other times. The rubber-mounted pegs droop while standing, so your feet tend to slide off, and God forbid they get wet! The pad isn’t easily removable, either. And if you do, the peg itself is too small. Aftermarket companies, get to work!
Handling/Suspension: All good here. The stiffer suspension is a noticeable improvement. For my 160 pounds, the KLR felt fine. Heavier riders might want more spring, but I thought both front and rear suspension soaked up everything exceptionally well through the first half of the travel and the second half preventing bottoming. The fork is non-adjustable, but the shock has rebound damping and preload adjustability. For this ride and with my weight, though, I never felt the need to adjust, even with both side bags full.
The KLR felt very stable on the pavement while at speed. The front end now ignores those grooves or imperfections in the road that used to make the bike float all over the place. The updated rake and trail, girthier frame and longer swingarm contribute to this, but Kawasaki told me one of the main factors is the new front end/fairing assembly, which does not stick out as far forward, improving the bike’s weight and balance.
The KLR has slightly less ground clearance, which could be an issue for some people. I smacked the engine cases once on a pothole/lip on a dirt road at speed that I did not see until the last second. It didn’t feel good, but no damage to report.
Cockpit: There isn’t much to look at from the KLR’s seat. The new dash won’t steal your attention away from the road; it looks boring and offers just the basics. The tachometer might be gone, but at least it has been replaced by a fuel gauge, which is great. The dual tripmeters are simple to adjust, as is the clock. I quickly figured that all out while sitting on the bike for the first time, waiting for the group to pull out of the parking lot on day one.
There is no confusing cluster of buttons on the handlebars since the KLR has zero rider aids to deal with. Right in front of you is the DC power outlet and USB socket. The USB port has a silly rubber cover to prevent the internals from getting wet. You can tell it was an afterthought.
There’s a handy navigation bar that I attached a ram mount to that worked nicely. I didn’t go with a fancy GPS on this trip, just my iPhone, and the USB port kept it fully charged.
The LED headlight does an excellent job illuminating the road. Coupled with the bright LED auxiliary lights, no one can say they didn’t see you coming.
Odds & Ends. The sidestand is 30mm shorter, which didn’t mean much to me at first, but there were times on the trail that I indeed thought I wouldn’t want it to be any longer.
Although I never had to mess with it, it’s nice to know the battery is now sealed for easier maintenance and there’s no chance of leakage in a fall. It’s also smaller and lighter.
I thought the mostly plastic-constructed side cases held a reasonable amount of stuff and were simple to operate and install/remove. One key does the trick. They also seal well, are not too intruding, and do a good job resisting dings and scratches.
What’s New Mexico without a spectacular summer evening thunderstorm?
Final Thoughts. I thoroughly enjoyed the new KLR650. To me, it feels much like it used to in its heyday, only better. At least in most areas. Yes, it’s heavier and retains roughly the same horsepower as it used to, which doesn’t sound good on paper. But the weight thing didn’t diminish any of the fun I had on the bike (well, except maybe in the sand but that might more of a tire problem than weight). If there was anything that took a bit of a smile off my face, though, it would be the awful footpegs and shifter. Seems like easy fixes to me, though. The front brake could use some attention, too.
But the KLR has improved in so many other ways—fueling (FI), ABS, more range, better suspension, improved comfort and more conveniences and model options—that it’s easy to overlook any of the KLR’s shortcomings. Luckily, there are only a few of them.
There isn’t much the KLR can’t do. Sure, there might be lighter, more powerful, better handling and more sophisticated bikes around that you could—well, kind of—compare the KLR to, but there is just one KLR, and it’s a motorcycle that does everything well, even better than before. And when you factor in price, the KLR just keeps getting better. CN
2022 Kawasaki KLR650 Adventure Specifications
| MSRP: |
$7,999 |
| ENGINE TYPE: |
4-stroke, single |
| VALVETRAIN: |
4-valve, DOHC |
| DISPLACEMENT: |
652cc |
| BORE & STROKE: |
100 x 83mm |
| COMPRESSION RATIO: |
9.8:1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM: |
DFI w/ 40mm throttle body |
| IGNITION: |
TCBI |
| COOLING SYSTEM: |
Liquid |
| TRANSMISSION: |
5-speed |
| FRONT TIRE: |
90/90-21, Dunlop K750 |
| REAR TIRE: |
130/80-17, Dunlop K750 |
| FRONT BRAKE TYPE: |
300mm disc, ABS |
| REAR BRAKE TYPE: |
240mm disc, ABS |
| FRONT SUSPENSION: |
41mm leading axle hydraulic telescopic fork |
| REAR SUSPENSION: |
Uni-Trak, 5-way adjustable preload and stepless rebound damping |
| FRONT-WHEEL TRAVEL: |
7.9 in. |
| REAR-WHEEL TRAVEL: |
7.3 in. |
| WHEELBASE: |
60.6 in. |
| RAKE/TRAIL: |
30°/4.8 in. |
| FUEL TANK CAPACITY: |
6.1 gal. |
| GROUND CLEARANCE: |
8.3 in. |
| SEAT HEIGHT: |
34.3 in. |
| CURB WEIGHT (Claimed): |
487.1 lbs. |
| WARRANTY: |
12 months |
