I just finally got mine going again after it sat in the shed for a while. Absolute beast of a bike, titanium intake valves tend to wear out every 150 hours or so but otherwise rock solid. Definitely be keen to see some klx450 content
Good call, I had a WR500 to replace my aging TT600 way back then. Bought a KX500 new and that was me for a few years. Too many hospital trips and broken bones means I won't ride the 500 anymore. Might have to look at a KLX450 . Got a DR650 modified to get me off the road and a ZX14R to keep me on the road. I'm only 62 so, I'm still a young fella. Just subscribed.
Tremendous. Love to see some old school bikes re-loved. You will have a blast, Can't wait to see what you do and where you go with this great looking machine.
Good choice Curtis. An underrated bike imo and a bargain at $2800! That will take you anywhere your Vstrom won’t, and you could turn it into a lightweight adventure bike if you wanted too. From someone like me who doesn’t need the latest sand greatest I endorse your choice of dirt bike 👍 See you on the trails mate 😎
I wanted to thank you for your videos and sharing your rides. I found your channel when researching the VStrom 800DE. I bought one and love it and appreciate what you've done with yours and the places you take it! I also think it's a good move going to a lighter dirt bike. I can also attest to the earlier comments about hospital trips and broken bones with a KX500. I had a highly modified CR500. No hospital or broken bones but she was called the widow maker! Awesome channel and content! J from the USA
Great idea mate! Will make for good content given there isn't a lot out there! Really looking forward to some riding vids with this bike given what you can do on the Strom! Enjoy :)
Nice choice, definitely don’t see many others. I bought mine new in 2022, instead of a DRZ400. Pros are better suspension out the box, more power and nimble. Cons are that because they aren’t easily rego’d in the US, there isn’t a lot of demand for farkles. I sourced a second hand 16L Acerbis tank for mine and put a B&B bash plate on. Had the dealer restrict it before I picked it up. My fuel range is ~230kms with the big tank. I run soft panniers for longer trips. As others have mentioned, chain slap and wear on sliders is the biggest drama and keep an eye on valve clearances.
Yes had a 2013 klx bought new came with $2500 of free parts all they need is rejetting new exhaust system pro circuit of course and that's it suspension is great out of the box for enduro riding y9u will love this machine mate very underated bike😊
Awesome. A man after my own heart! You forgot to mention that nostalgic kick starter! Love my KLX450. Just bought a CRF450RL for my son and we plan to build em into light ADVs as kind of an old school v new school bit of fun. You’ll find it’s not so easy to track down aftermarket parts for the KLX - loads of parts discontinued. But I recon that’ll just make the build comparison more fun! Eg currently looking at modding a 20L Nomad tank for it - if I get it to work I’ll post a vid on it.
@@onthebackwheel the nomad 15L might work but will require a few mods for sure. Only other option I was considering was a custom aluminium tank and found a guy in Adelaide that could do it using the nomad as a template.
Bought one new. Good wheelie bike. Nice smooth power. Suspension is soft standard. I spent most of my time working on it. The inlet valves closed up really fast. Had to get the head rebuilt with new valves. The bike is slow to charge the battery and runs flat fast. Should have bought a wr from the same vintage, much better platform.
Had one. Loved it. Kept it stock.... apart from suspension set-up, bashplate and barkies. Never failed. Always started hot or cold. Got near what I paid for it when I sold it. Great choice.
Well done. Clearly a lot of untapped interest in Aus with such historical but relevant bikes. You've got my interest!!! Looking forward to what adventures you embark on with such a weapon. We aren't all into the latest farkled, you beut bikes- plainly to expensive. Go forth Curtis. Whoo hoo- theres going to be some epic posts i'm sure.
Good luck mate. You don’t see much about them because they weren’t ever delivered to the states for any length of time. I had an 07 KLX450 for 5 years. It was a love hate relationship. I found the FMF made it incredibly aggressive and twitchy. Careful with the kickstarter, it will try to break your knee if you’re not careful. It was also difficult to start when cold, which may have just been my particular bike.
Thanks for the info mate. She seems a bit tough to start cold but is ok once it warms up 😬. I've only ridden her the best part of 300 metres so far, definitely got some bark
good choice, dont extend the services too much unless its highway transits you could add 5 hrs if you know the condition of the top end, I am still riding the ktm 500 with 28000km
I have an 08, love it. I put fmf exhaust, aluminum skid plate, race tech springs, acerbis tank on it. Plus a few other things. I would like a rad fan or boysen water pump upgrade as well. Solid bike, cheap to keep and flickable, loves to launch ! Have fun and still can afford a working mans cold pint post ride.
Beast of a bike, i had a 2007 one and was so much fun and reliable. one downside is they chew up valves and need constant shimming then replacing. Miss that bike so much, was such a weapon at everything.
Always loved these. Back in 2007 I was tossing up between this and the DRZ400e. I ended up with the DRZ due to the aftermarket support, as you mentioned, these were a bit of an orphan model.
Nice ride bud , I just picked up one 2008 , 450 l , nice bike , with 1777 km for $ 4900 Canadian dollar , I watched your video and was intrigued , great stuff , keep two wheels down Cheers from Canada
Thats a Hyde Racing bash plate made in South Africa I believe. I have one on my WR450, looks like yours is retro fitted from a WR. The exhaust perfectly fits the front part sticking out. A very good unbreakable bash plate.
Great bike ,You'll love it. I've had one for many years and found it would keep up with any bike on the trails ( unless there was a pro rider on one). First thing I did was remove the air injection system, a small pump that injected air back in somewhere and made the bike run very hot, I'd say your's has been done seeing as you have an aftermarket pipe. And yes the original header dips down and back up over the filter hence the room in the bashplate,( It was a pain to get to the filter). I kept the stock muffler, it actually sounded good when on the gas. Prior to that I had a KLX 300 which I modded the carb, but the 450 is much more power and actually easier to ride and oddly enough doesn't shred tyres like the 300. I bought a T7 2 years ago and haven't used the 450 much , you've just inspired me to get it out again. Cheers from NZ (ps we don't have road registered ones here)
Klx450 seems good value for money! I own a klx 250 with the 331cc big bore kit which is more of a dual sport with longer service intervals and 6 speed transmission, after riding it for 100,000kms I started looking for a replacement the klx450 crossed my mind but with the 5speed transmission and carburetor it just didn't cut it for me, ended up buying a almost brand new swm rs500 set up for adventure work for thousands less than new and $10,000 cheaper than a brand new ktm500!
@@onthebackwheel I would say that I am reasonably happy with the rs500 the ergonomics and the kyb suspension is good, holds 1.7lt of oil and service intervals between 2000 to 2500kms for the riding I do! The only things I would say is a down side to the bike is stock plastics are rubbish, stock fueling and arrow map is not great have invested in power commander and 12 port injector which is much much better and close ratio transmission is not ideal but with a 14 or 15 tooth front sprocket it's no worries and being 501cc has plenty of torque to pull a taller 1st gear!
Great shout mate! Yer've done yer research and done well with yer budget there. I reckon yer probably couldn't have done better for that kinda money. Looking forward to seeing yer content on it. Enjoy! 🤙
I too am looking at the same bike or a KLX 300R. I am looking 2nd hand too and I am thinking of doing pretty much what you are but more to have a bike to ride with my nephew. So super excited to see what you do with it.
Yea I was because here in Aus we only got the non reg version. I am looking at a KLX450R as well and have the option of either. Looking at paring it with the KLR.
Blank canvas 👌 I've owned my 14mod from new, has gone from motard to trails to now multi day tourer. hasn't let me down mechanically. Faultless motors 🦾 Only thing to keep an eye on if doing longer trips up to a week is the swing arm chain guide, and lower guide. The torque chews them! Nice choice Curtis!
@@onthebackwheel you'll still find the acerbis 12.5L mate - roughly 170kms to the tank? . They used to have 28ish litre but no longer made unless you find a second hand. I found giant loop bladders are better honestly should you need more than the 12L.
@@Daniel-Mclovin good to know. I see you can get the 12.5 new, but they don't miss you, about $500. I'll try get a second hand one first, maybe even a 16 litre
Hey, I also have 800de + enduro. Last year I had a Wr450 and I did 5000 km on it, this year I replaced it with a KTM 625sxc because of the high mileage that this engine can withstand. I choose 800de when it's drier or when I need to go further to the offroad route. I drive enduro/dual bike in winter (a lot of mud - northern Poland) and within a radius of 150 km around the house
I've seen these pretty cheap locally too but got sold on the DR650 before learning about them. Before that I was on the hunt for a newer CRF450L/RL but those have very short maintenance intervals. Looking forward to seeing what you do this this bike, and how comparable it might be to others out there, old and new
I'm trying to find a street tilted one here in the US as we speak. Just seems like a fantastic bike that's hopelessly underrated. Following along to see it come together.
bloody excellent job! 😃 I can see why you ended up with a four fitty for the price (good buy!)...otherwise, it didn't surprise me you were lookin' at three fitty and below for that kinda work. Being a less famous bike, this will be really good to see ridden and toyed with. I reckon that in the same way the 800 can be taken down small tracks it wasn't really designed for, this bike can also range further from home that it was originally designed for....just needs a comfy seat and a piece of perspex above the headlight surround.....super light adventure bike AND trail bike, all in one. Awesome!
I cannot agree, I had a WR450 with a large tank, a soft seat and wind protection. This motorcycle was still not suitable for further commuting on asphalt. Great in heavier terrain, with a lot of mud, good for off-road trips up to 200 km a day, but if I had to go somewhere further, I took 800de.
Go hard on the 450!! Looking forward to see what you think about it in the long term. I’m interested in getting one but never met anyone that’s owned one and rode it properly before.
I love Team Green! You got me into the KLX300 Dual Sport with your videos in the States.(Yeah, I'm a wanker with a FE501 S now... That might change) I'm looking forward to your videos on this bad boy! P.S. Nice photography going around the bike, enhanced with some subtle music in the background.... well done!
@@onthebackwheel I had a Warp 9 Cush Drive put on the 501 the other day. I’ve got a lot of pavement to ride before I can hit any dirt. I’m gonna see if that can protect the gear box.
They were popular here in Malaysia. I remember when they first came out magazines (they had those back then) complained they were a bit down on power and up in weight compared to the EXC/TE/WRF line. But I rember reading sometime later a reviewer putting it in the class with the DR400E reliability wise (Which is way DOWN on power and UP in weight than the KLX450) and I thought, "If that's true, I would definitely be willing to sacrifice 10% power/weight for DRE reliability!
Mate that sounds pretty good to me. I've only had a quick look at the beast, but it has a fair few items you can easily remove that will bring it to a similar weight as the competition of the time
Wow, Crazy man Curtis! That looks super cool! Will you be going through sorting out suspension front & rear? Smallish crash bars? Changing plastics? Looking forward to your inspections & restoration!👌
Fit longer screws to the chain slide. And loctite them. Only thing that's ever let me down. I'm on my second KLX450, had the 07 and currently have a 23. Acerbis 12.5 tank is good. I can't ride for s@#t but on the straights it surprises people.
Perfect vid mate. I have the same dilemma, and looking at getting a Honda CRF450L with the Vortex ECU, to compliment my Tiger 800XC. The adventure bike is too damn heavy and like you, need to build my skills on something lighter.
I personally don't see it as obsolete at all. Sometimes, companies make the wrong decisions with new bikes. I would argue the best trail bike ever made, even to this day, is hands down the XR400, and it hasn't been produced for 20 years now.
@@onthebackwheel To be honest the Tiger 800 never even made the starting line. It was between the Norden and the Tuareg. But with all these camshaft failures happening to the KTM's (and by extension Husqvarna), there as no way I as going down that path. The Tuareg was just so scarce second hand. So, the Tiger popped up on the radar and I was watching a video (I think by by Pulvey from Brake Magazine) who said that the 2nd gen Tiger 800's had just the right amount of tech...cruise, ABS and TC. No inertial IMU's, no keyfobs etc. So, one came up stupidly cheap with very low km's on Bikesales and I jumped! So much more refined than the Tenere and just as good offroad IMHO due to the outstanding wp fully adjustable suspension and just the right amount of electronics. Plus, that triple has legendary reliability, almost as good as the CP2. Plus it can tour so much better than the ass-busting Tenere. Happy Days bro!
Im here for it. I've been looking at dual sports and i honestly don't get why the aftermarket is catering to Honda. The build quality on the kawasaki bikes look way superior to me but aftermarket parts are very hard to find for them. If we could get the klx300 id buy that in a heartbeat but might my forced into the Honda as i want efi
I think you’re tapping into what a lot of people are thinking. Big ADV for commuting/long distance mile munching adventure rides and touring, but cheap bush basher for fun and honing skills. Who cares if you bin it right? Promise me you won’t spend much on it Curtis. Put that money towards family holidays as the rest of us would. This is the bush pig and I know you will push it. 🙌🏾
All good mate. Dual sport is a street legal dirt bike, traditionally slightly longer service intervals and designed for both dirt and road use. Enduro is basically a competition bike made for trails, so has a wider spaced gear box, more compliant suspension than an MX bike and lights. Just to confuse things even more, they are generally street legal too. MX bikes are designed solely for motocross and supercross tracks, hard suspension and highly tuned
TBH you can extend the service interval of any Enduro bike by simply capping their RPM to 80% redline You lose a few horsepower but now gained 100-300% time between valve check
I will go out and say it. Fork springs, oil and an inexpensive shock spring is pretty cheap, you can do everything yourself, the bikes always were under sprung and at this point springs likely to feel like marshmallow
"This is a rock solid Japanese Dual Sport"" Did they sell those as a Dual Sport with blinkers and mirrors somewhere on earth? I'm pretty sure this is a trail bike with added blinkers and mirrors.
@@TheFixer-rq9tj yep street legal, turn key, speedo and everything. A fair few other countries had them too. They were only sold for 2 years in the USA though
@ yeah 08-09. My friend had one. I tried it multiple times. good bike except useless battery and so chocked up when stock that coolant would spill after a couple of minutes riding.
You kept us in suspense for that! You bastard, I should unsub! 😆Actually I'm a bit envious, looks like a great buy and should provide some great riding. See you on the trails sometime
@onthebackwheel well your still riding and having fun, that's really what matters. The old school bikes are still great, sure they aren't fuel injected and not all of them have electric start, but they can make amazing trail, Enduro, and motocross style machines.
I had a mate had one that i had to ride up the technical stuff for him. I hated the thing. (Stock) Feels like a farm bike. About 20kg heavier than it is, sloppy suspension and so bogged down. Yeah they're reliable but the last thing id choose for technical stuff
I just finally got mine going again after it sat in the shed for a while. Absolute beast of a bike, titanium intake valves tend to wear out every 150 hours or so but otherwise rock solid. Definitely be keen to see some klx450 content
Nice mate, keen to ride mine more in the new year. Got a big tank for it and some other gear too for future vids
Good call, I had a WR500 to replace my aging TT600 way back then. Bought a KX500 new and that was me for a few years. Too many hospital trips and broken bones means I won't ride the 500 anymore. Might have to look at a KLX450 . Got a DR650 modified to get me off the road and a ZX14R to keep me on the road. I'm only 62 so, I'm still a young fella. Just subscribed.
Cheers mate, appreciate it. KX500, now that's a machine
Tremendous. Love to see some old school bikes re-loved. You will have a blast, Can't wait to see what you do and where you go with this great looking machine.
Yeah boi, old skool cool
I think nothing will be able to stop you on this. Can't wait to see what terrain you will tackle.
Hope so mate!
Now that looks like a bike you can keep on the back wheel 💪 I'm excited for you and looking forward to more videos!
Good choice Curtis.
An underrated bike imo and a bargain at $2800!
That will take you anywhere your Vstrom won’t, and you could turn it into a lightweight adventure bike if you wanted too.
From someone like me who doesn’t need the latest sand greatest I endorse your choice of dirt bike 👍
See you on the trails mate 😎
That's it, we all thought these bikes were amazing when they launched. No reason with a bit of TLC they can't be a weapon
I wanted to thank you for your videos and sharing your rides. I found your channel when researching the VStrom 800DE. I bought one and love it and appreciate what you've done with yours and the places you take it! I also think it's a good move going to a lighter dirt bike. I can also attest to the earlier comments about hospital trips and broken bones with a KX500. I had a highly modified CR500. No hospital or broken bones but she was called the widow maker!
Awesome channel and content!
J from the USA
Thanks mate! Glad to hear you're enjoying the 800
Great idea mate! Will make for good content given there isn't a lot out there! Really looking forward to some riding vids with this bike given what you can do on the Strom! Enjoy :)
I reckon I'll be a bit rusty, she's been a while!
Interesting choice 🤔. It is so different, now I’m curious to see what ya do with it. Happy Trails and Safe Travels 🇺🇸
Interesting choice over a DRZ400. Can't wait to see how it fares. Nice one!
Nice choice, definitely don’t see many others. I bought mine new in 2022, instead of a DRZ400. Pros are better suspension out the box, more power and nimble. Cons are that because they aren’t easily rego’d in the US, there isn’t a lot of demand for farkles. I sourced a second hand 16L Acerbis tank for mine and put a B&B bash plate on. Had the dealer restrict it before I picked it up. My fuel range is ~230kms with the big tank. I run soft panniers for longer trips. As others have mentioned, chain slap and wear on sliders is the biggest drama and keep an eye on valve clearances.
230km is great. I'm trying to source a tank, no luck yet but hopefully something pops up
Yes had a 2013 klx bought new came with $2500 of free parts all they need is rejetting new exhaust system pro circuit of course and that's it suspension is great out of the box for enduro riding y9u will love this machine mate very underated bike😊
Sounds like a weapon mate
Awesome. A man after my own heart! You forgot to mention that nostalgic kick starter! Love my KLX450. Just bought a CRF450RL for my son and we plan to build em into light ADVs as kind of an old school v new school bit of fun. You’ll find it’s not so easy to track down aftermarket parts for the KLX - loads of parts discontinued. But I recon that’ll just make the build comparison more fun! Eg currently looking at modding a 20L Nomad tank for it - if I get it to work I’ll post a vid on it.
That's a big tank. I'm struggling to find even a 12 litre
@@onthebackwheel the nomad 15L might work but will require a few mods for sure. Only other option I was considering was a custom aluminium tank and found a guy in Adelaide that could do it using the nomad as a template.
Bought one new. Good wheelie bike. Nice smooth power.
Suspension is soft standard.
I spent most of my time working on it. The inlet valves closed up really fast.
Had to get the head rebuilt with new valves.
The bike is slow to charge the battery and runs flat fast.
Should have bought a wr from the same vintage, much better platform.
Yeah right. I did those 07 on wr450s too
Had one. Loved it. Kept it stock.... apart from suspension set-up, bashplate and barkies. Never failed. Always started hot or cold. Got near what I paid for it when I sold it. Great choice.
Hell yeah, hope mine is the same
Excellent choice.
Well done. Clearly a lot of untapped interest in Aus with such historical but relevant bikes. You've got my interest!!! Looking forward to what adventures you embark on with such a weapon.
We aren't all into the latest farkled, you beut bikes- plainly to expensive. Go forth Curtis. Whoo hoo- theres going to be some epic posts i'm sure.
That's it mate, don't need the latest and greatest to have a blast
Good luck mate. You don’t see much about them because they weren’t ever delivered to the states for any length of time.
I had an 07 KLX450 for 5 years. It was a love hate relationship. I found the FMF made it incredibly aggressive and twitchy.
Careful with the kickstarter, it will try to break your knee if you’re not careful.
It was also difficult to start when cold, which may have just been my particular bike.
Thanks for the info mate. She seems a bit tough to start cold but is ok once it warms up 😬. I've only ridden her the best part of 300 metres so far, definitely got some bark
I mean, cold start is an issue for ALL carburetor bike lol.
2:17 bash plates of a klx 230 mate 👋🤠👍
You reckon? I've got to take it off and have a look yet
@@onthebackwheel looks similar ,if so there pretty tough them .
good choice, dont extend the services too much unless its highway transits you could add 5 hrs if you know the condition of the top end, I am still riding the ktm 500 with 28000km
Goodness that's a good effort. Good to know, I'm going to use it only in the dirt unless it's for transport sections
Great choice brother
Thanks mate
I have an 08, love it. I put fmf exhaust, aluminum skid plate, race tech springs, acerbis tank on it. Plus a few other things. I would like a rad fan or boysen water pump upgrade as well.
Solid bike, cheap to keep and flickable, loves to launch !
Have fun and still can afford a working mans cold pint post ride.
Nice mate. Which Acerbis did you go with?
@@onthebackwheel
Oh gosh, it's like 4gallons(us), translucent.
@@mdinkelman3902 Ah yep. I can get the 3 easily enough, hard to find the 4
0:21 buy a 4 x 4 mate. 👋🤠👍
I have an amarok, but it's just a work/family rig!
Beast of a bike, i had a 2007 one and was so much fun and reliable.
one downside is they chew up valves and need constant shimming then replacing.
Miss that bike so much, was such a weapon at everything.
Fingers crossed I don't have that issue 😬
Good choice, and a bloody great price. Looking forward to the updates Curtis 🙂👍🏼
Cheers mate, the price was certainly right!
Always loved these. Back in 2007 I was tossing up between this and the DRZ400e. I ended up with the DRZ due to the aftermarket support, as you mentioned, these were a bit of an orphan model.
The drz is definitely spoilt for aftermarket options
Nice ride bud , I just picked up one 2008 , 450 l , nice bike , with 1777 km for $ 4900 Canadian dollar , I watched your video and was intrigued , great stuff , keep two wheels down
Cheers from Canada
Oh nice mate. How are you finding it?
Thats a Hyde Racing bash plate made in South Africa I believe. I have one on my WR450, looks like yours is retro fitted from a WR. The exhaust perfectly fits the front part sticking out. A very good unbreakable bash plate.
Ah ok, I'll have a good look at it when I get a chance. It's certainly unique!
Great bike ,You'll love it. I've had one for many years and found it would keep up with any bike on the trails ( unless there was a pro rider on one). First thing I did was remove the air injection system, a small pump that injected air back in somewhere and made the bike run very hot, I'd say your's has been done seeing as you have an aftermarket pipe. And yes the original header dips down and back up over the filter hence the room in the bashplate,( It was a pain to get to the filter). I kept the stock muffler, it actually sounded good when on the gas. Prior to that I had a KLX 300 which I modded the carb, but the 450 is much more power and actually easier to ride and oddly enough doesn't shred tyres like the 300. I bought a T7 2 years ago and haven't used the 450 much , you've just inspired me to get it out again. Cheers from NZ (ps we don't have road registered ones here)
Well there you go, thought for sure they'd be street legal in NZ
You’re making better videos each time. Keep up the good work. I’d love to get back to Glasshouse and do a ride on my adventure bike.
Slowly getting there mate. Hard to beat glassy
Klx450 seems good value for money! I own a klx 250 with the 331cc big bore kit which is more of a dual sport with longer service intervals and 6 speed transmission, after riding it for 100,000kms I started looking for a replacement the klx450 crossed my mind but with the 5speed transmission and carburetor it just didn't cut it for me, ended up buying a almost brand new swm rs500 set up for adventure work for thousands less than new and $10,000 cheaper than a brand new ktm500!
Mate I've been eyeing off the SWM for a long time and nearly got a 300. How are you finding it? 100000km is a huge effort btw
@@onthebackwheel I would say that I am reasonably happy with the rs500 the ergonomics and the kyb suspension is good, holds 1.7lt of oil and service intervals between 2000 to 2500kms for the riding I do! The only things I would say is a down side to the bike is stock plastics are rubbish, stock fueling and arrow map is not great have invested in power commander and 12 port injector which is much much better and close ratio transmission is not ideal but with a 14 or 15 tooth front sprocket it's no worries and being 501cc has plenty of torque to pull a taller 1st gear!
@@danielryle5596 I heard the fueling can be fiddly. Grunt for days on those motors!
KLX 450 Awesome bike , I went don the same track as you but bought a Husky 450 TE and it is in the rebuild stage atm
Nice mate. I had an 07 te450, the like a demon
Great shout mate! Yer've done yer research and done well with yer budget there. I reckon yer probably couldn't have done better for that kinda money. Looking forward to seeing yer content on it. Enjoy! 🤙
The price was definitely right!
I too am looking at the same bike or a KLX 300R. I am looking 2nd hand too and I am thinking of doing pretty much what you are but more to have a bike to ride with my nephew. So super excited to see what you do with it.
Me too mate. Was that the unregistered version you were looking at?
Yea I was because here in Aus we only got the non reg version. I am looking at a KLX450R as well and have the option of either. Looking at paring it with the KLR.
@@jonathanstormont2898 no idea why they don't bring the 300 over, bizarre
You're lucky! Here in the USA they only produced KLX450R motorcycle for 2 years. I always wanted one. Someday...
I learnt that just before purchasing one! So bizarre and a shame really
Blank canvas 👌
I've owned my 14mod from new, has gone from motard to trails to now multi day tourer. hasn't let me down mechanically.
Faultless motors 🦾
Only thing to keep an eye on if doing longer trips up to a week is the swing arm chain guide, and lower guide. The torque chews them! Nice choice Curtis!
Yeah right, I'll keep an eye out. Now it's time to try source a big tank for a reasonable price
@@onthebackwheel you'll still find the acerbis 12.5L mate - roughly 170kms to the tank? .
They used to have 28ish litre but no longer made unless you find a second hand.
I found giant loop bladders are better honestly should you need more than the 12L.
@@Daniel-Mclovin good to know. I see you can get the 12.5 new, but they don't miss you, about $500. I'll try get a second hand one first, maybe even a 16 litre
@@onthebackwheel yeah see how you go mate, let me know if you find a 16L cause I'll get one too😂
Last one I found was on a second hand bike for sale
I agree with you, this us a perfect bike for improving offroad skills. Old, light, enough power, super!
Hope she treats me well
I can see you having endless fun on that bike, Maybe scare the crap out of you every now and then as well :)
Haha I think it will, seems pretty rowdy
Hey, I also have 800de + enduro. Last year I had a Wr450 and I did 5000 km on it, this year I replaced it with a KTM 625sxc because of the high mileage that this engine can withstand. I choose 800de when it's drier or when I need to go further to the offroad route. I drive enduro/dual bike in winter (a lot of mud - northern Poland) and within a radius of 150 km around the house
Nice mate, seems like a good combo. 5000km on an enduro bike is a lot!
I've seen these pretty cheap locally too but got sold on the DR650 before learning about them. Before that I was on the hunt for a newer CRF450L/RL but those have very short maintenance intervals. Looking forward to seeing what you do this this bike, and how comparable it might be to others out there, old and new
Got to love the mighty DR. I'm hoping to get my hands on some newer bikes to compare, should be interesting
I did something similar - Bought a CRF250L for the single track gnarlier stuff and my Africa Twin for more Adventure/touring.
Good combo
It looks to be in pretty good shape for 17 years! If you’re whipping around the v-strom, I could only imagine what you’re going to do with this.
I think I'll be very rusty!
I'm trying to find a street tilted one here in the US as we speak. Just seems like a fantastic bike that's hopelessly underrated. Following along to see it come together.
I hear they are pretty rare in the states
@@onthebackwheel Indeed. They were only sold from 2008-2009 and came out without street papers so it's a mighty challenge.
@@johantaljaard2132 that's bizarre, wonder what their reasoning was
Would love to see you take the carb out and rebuild it. I have thr exact bike and theres a lack of vids on youtube
I feel ya. I know it's a pain to get out. I'll see how I go
@@onthebackwheel any videos with the klx greatly appreciated n subbed 👍
@@tpb1717 thanks mate. There's more coming, just slowly 😂
@@onthebackwheel would like to see the common smog delete and air box mods!
bloody excellent job! 😃 I can see why you ended up with a four fitty for the price (good buy!)...otherwise, it didn't surprise me you were lookin' at three fitty and below for that kinda work. Being a less famous bike, this will be really good to see ridden and toyed with. I reckon that in the same way the 800 can be taken down small tracks it wasn't really designed for, this bike can also range further from home that it was originally designed for....just needs a comfy seat and a piece of perspex above the headlight surround.....super light adventure bike AND trail bike, all in one. Awesome!
Cheers mate. I'm looking forward to getting out on her
I cannot agree, I had a WR450 with a large tank, a soft seat and wind protection. This motorcycle was still not suitable for further commuting on asphalt. Great in heavier terrain, with a lot of mud, good for off-road trips up to 200 km a day, but if I had to go somewhere further, I took 800de.
@@Marcepan455 fair enough. we all have different epxeriences. keep enjoying your riding, bro 👍
This is very interesting…waiting to see how the KLX performs
Awesome bike, would be good to see some overnight adventure stuff on the klx :)
I better find a bigger tank then
Yer you nailed it they go hand in hand iv all ways liked the klx 450 idea now I have the de800 klx would complement it as horses for courses
Keen to see how she goes
Go hard on the 450!! Looking forward to see what you think about it in the long term.
I’m interested in getting one but never met anyone that’s owned one and rode it properly before.
Mate me neither. I spoke to an old fella about 6 months ago on one and he liked it, wasn't an overly chatty guy though...
@@onthebackwheel of course he wasn’t 😂😂 they’re only chatty when you don’t want them to be…
@@aubscr3143 😂
I love Team Green!
You got me into the KLX300 Dual Sport with your videos in the States.(Yeah, I'm a wanker with a FE501 S now... That might change) I'm looking forward to your videos on this bad boy!
P.S. Nice photography going around the bike, enhanced with some subtle music in the background.... well done!
Thanks mate, getting there. TBH, I'd prefer a FE501!
@@onthebackwheel I had a Warp 9 Cush Drive put on the 501 the other day. I’ve got a lot of pavement to ride before I can hit any dirt. I’m gonna see if that can protect the gear box.
@@pinkiewerewolf good idea, should definitely help
@@onthebackwheel I got the idea from Dave Darcy’s (MADTV) 501 build. Took a bit of research to come up with what I wanted.
They were popular here in Malaysia. I remember when they first came out magazines (they had those back then) complained they were a bit down on power and up in weight compared to the EXC/TE/WRF line.
But I rember reading sometime later a reviewer putting it in the class with the DR400E reliability wise (Which is way DOWN on power and UP in weight than the KLX450) and I thought, "If that's true, I would definitely be willing to sacrifice 10% power/weight for DRE reliability!
Mate that sounds pretty good to me. I've only had a quick look at the beast, but it has a fair few items you can easily remove that will bring it to a similar weight as the competition of the time
Awesome bike. So hard to find in US. They get snatched up b4 i can make a call
You're not the first person to say that. Bizarre they didn't bring them for longer
Wow, Crazy man Curtis! That looks super cool!
Will you be going through sorting out suspension front & rear? Smallish crash bars? Changing plastics?
Looking forward to your inspections & restoration!👌
Definitely going to look at the suspension, plastics and stickers mate 😁
@@onthebackwheel Also, get in contact with Force Accessories. Was going to work for them but I live in the opposite end of town.
@@stevesane800 well there you go. Where are you at now?
@@onthebackwheel in the construction industry. But 30 years at Holden. I’m an old bastard 😂😂
@@stevesane800 haha it happens to everyone
ADB did a test on one of the Kelly brothers who owned a klx 450 years ago with all the modifications
I'll check it out. I remember he was rocking a nice looking one back in the day
Fit longer screws to the chain slide. And loctite them. Only thing that's ever let me down.
I'm on my second KLX450, had the 07 and currently have a 23.
Acerbis 12.5 tank is good.
I can't ride for s@#t but on the straights it surprises people.
Good to know much, I've heard they are problematic
Perfect vid mate. I have the same dilemma, and looking at getting a Honda CRF450L with the Vortex ECU, to compliment my Tiger 800XC. The adventure bike is too damn heavy and like you, need to build my skills on something lighter.
Yeah it's a tricky one, ultimately the answer is multiple bikes like you've said. I will probably go something even smaller and lighter over time
I personally don't see it as obsolete at all. Sometimes, companies make the wrong decisions with new bikes. I would argue the best trail bike ever made, even to this day, is hands down the XR400, and it hasn't been produced for 20 years now.
That's to great the mighty xr400
Adbs test against a crf450l much latter design saw it fair really well.
How extrordinary Curtis. I just purchased (like Friday) a 2015 Triumph Tiger XCX to repalce the Tenere for exactly the opposite reasons.
Haha there you go. The Tigers are such nice bikes mate, good choice
@@onthebackwheel To be honest the Tiger 800 never even made the starting line. It was between the Norden and the Tuareg. But with all these camshaft failures happening to the KTM's (and by extension Husqvarna), there as no way I as going down that path. The Tuareg was just so scarce second hand. So, the Tiger popped up on the radar and I was watching a video (I think by by Pulvey from Brake Magazine) who said that the 2nd gen Tiger 800's had just the right amount of tech...cruise, ABS and TC. No inertial IMU's, no keyfobs etc. So, one came up stupidly cheap with very low km's on Bikesales and I jumped! So much more refined than the Tenere and just as good offroad IMHO due to the outstanding wp fully adjustable suspension and just the right amount of electronics. Plus, that triple has legendary reliability, almost as good as the CP2. Plus it can tour so much better than the ass-busting Tenere. Happy Days bro!
@@andrewtreloar7389 sounds like a great buy mate. And yep, good luck finding a Tuareg second hand! I've seen one and it got snapped up
@@onthebackwheel yep, I think I saw that one too! Happy with the Tiger.
Im here for it. I've been looking at dual sports and i honestly don't get why the aftermarket is catering to Honda. The build quality on the kawasaki bikes look way superior to me but aftermarket parts are very hard to find for them. If we could get the klx300 id buy that in a heartbeat but might my forced into the Honda as i want efi
The KLX300 thing is baffling. I'm yet to find a good answer why they aren't bringing it here
A huge missed opportunity
Is it because it doesn't have ABS? That was my understanding
@@JoshSinnott97 yep, but they've added it to that 230, I don't get it
Great choice, looking forward to seeing you tear up the trails on that KLX
Cheers. Very keen!
I think you’re tapping into what a lot of people are thinking. Big ADV for commuting/long distance mile munching adventure rides and touring, but cheap bush basher for fun and honing skills. Who cares if you bin it right? Promise me you won’t spend much on it Curtis. Put that money towards family holidays as the rest of us would. This is the bush pig and I know you will push it. 🙌🏾
Mate you can guarantee I won't be spending big money on it 😂
Had a 2010, shouldn't have sold it.
Recommend you clean the oil screen if it hasn't been done.
I heard about that one, looks like a solid day in garage
I get confused by Dual sport, Moto Cross, Enduro, Dirt - What are they, what's the difference? Are they the same?
All good mate. Dual sport is a street legal dirt bike, traditionally slightly longer service intervals and designed for both dirt and road use. Enduro is basically a competition bike made for trails, so has a wider spaced gear box, more compliant suspension than an MX bike and lights. Just to confuse things even more, they are generally street legal too. MX bikes are designed solely for motocross and supercross tracks, hard suspension and highly tuned
What a bargain. It’ll be great to see you strip it down, fix it up then rip it through Glass House. Cheers
Glasshouse, can't wait
I’ll look out for you. Hope to bump into you one day. I ride a Husky 300 up there a bit. Cheers
@@glossblack1098 for sure mate, always keen for a ride (when I can get the time!)
Looks really clean! I'm looking at getting one as well! How do you like it so far?
Really enjoying it. Only been out on a couple of rides, but hard to fault for the price. Old school and simple
The best trail bike of 2007 was the KTM 400 XCW. IT did everything well.
You know I actually looked at a 2011 400. I've heard good things
That is probably the second best Enduro made at the time. One being the CRF450X
Funny you say that, my brother just bought one
There are a lot of KTM riders out there that know the 450/520 RFS platform was by far the best.
@@jimtitt3571 certainly got a great reputation. The newer 500 is no joke though
@@jimtitt3571 Why do KTM Cucks always feel the need to insert their 2 cents in? Trying to justify spending too much $ on unreliable bikes??
Looks good.
Seems pretty tidy mate
Now I have to adjust my saying a bit.....Keep your feet on the pegs ...and your right hand cranked...and...really hold on! Garth
😂
Mate are these based on the DRZ platform? Or were these entire Kawasaki?
No all Kawi. Pretty much a 2006 kx450f
@@onthebackwheel yeah righteo. Should be a blast mate
Run a light switch as it struggles to charge the battery with it on.
Not a bad idea
Looking forward to it
Slowly getting there guys 😂
TBH you can extend the service interval of any Enduro bike by simply capping their RPM to 80% redline
You lose a few horsepower but now gained 100-300% time between valve check
That's it. For trail riding will definitely be able to stretch out the valves
Hard to imagine why these weren’t more popular given that the WR450 is supposed to still be the #1 selling trail bike in Aus.
Yeah it's a strange one. The other brands did move in with tech, guessing people in this style of bike want the efi and lighter bike
That's why I've got the MuZ660. 👍🏾
Now that's a cool bike
I will go out and say it. Fork springs, oil and an inexpensive shock spring is pretty cheap, you can do everything yourself, the bikes always were under sprung and at this point springs likely to feel like marshmallow
Yeah right good to know. No idea if it's been done so I guess my first ride I'll find out
Nearly get a kdx250 for that…
Now that's tempting
good news for me kawasaki sells these here in india!! brand spanking new
Well there you go, did not know that!
Jealous! Those klx450's are listed $3-4k US here.
I'm still going to go with a DR-Z400 when I get the cash.
Not a bad price. Most are around that here too, just jagged a cheapie
Spunky 💯👍🏼
I thought it said you were a 17 year old and i was so confused
😂
"This is a rock solid Japanese Dual Sport""
Did they sell those as a Dual Sport with blinkers and mirrors somewhere on earth? I'm pretty sure this is a trail bike with added blinkers and mirrors.
Yes mate, they were sold here for 15 years!
@ Street legal from the dealer? You’re in Australia?
@@TheFixer-rq9tj yep street legal, turn key, speedo and everything. A fair few other countries had them too. They were only sold for 2 years in the USA though
@ yeah 08-09. My friend had one. I tried it multiple times. good bike except useless battery and so chocked up when stock that coolant would spill after a couple of minutes riding.
great price, 450 more fun than a 250
For sure, hard to beat HP for shits and giggles
Great looking bike …sensible choice the economy for the average Aussie is gone.
Yep, prices of everything is getting out of control
You kept us in suspense for that! You bastard, I should unsub! 😆Actually I'm a bit envious, looks like a great buy and should provide some great riding. See you on the trails sometime
Haha got to keep you weapons interested somehow 😂
Should have got Trials bike to improve skills.
I might get on in the future. I need something to ride with other enduro bikes too ATM
Shes a beauty!
Cheers. She needs a little work but what cheap bike doesn't?!
Nice bike but the enduro stuff is not for me, prefer the adv content especially the big 800DE 👍
Fair enough mate. ADV content will still be my bread and butter
Bargain. nothing beats a beater!
You got it so cheap, so what the hell. Not many KLX450 trail riding, so it will make for interesting content.
Was a cracking deal for sure
I was happy 4ya
Until u ripped on my drz
😅
Bring it 😂
I think its piece of shit.
Lets see u ride it 🙂
I prefer 'needs work' 😂
You f(ed) up buying a 4 stroke bloke
I'll be back on a 2 banger one day. I couldn't afford any of the modern ones either 😬
@onthebackwheel well your still riding and having fun, that's really what matters. The old school bikes are still great, sure they aren't fuel injected and not all of them have electric start, but they can make amazing trail, Enduro, and motocross style machines.
@@coloradodirtbike5930 that's it. Everyone thought they were the ducks nuts back in the day, can't be that bad!
I had a mate had one that i had to ride up the technical stuff for him. I hated the thing. (Stock) Feels like a farm bike. About 20kg heavier than it is, sloppy suspension and so bogged down. Yeah they're reliable but the last thing id choose for technical stuff
😬 hopefully it isn't too bad for what I'm going to do! She definitely seems more like an angry trail bike than hard enduro bike
@@onthebackwheel mate, compared to the strom, this will feel like a 125 two stroke! Plus you can ride like a beast....you'll be fine! haha
I basically can't understand a word you're saying. Lol
Straya
Mx bike with lights, bad choice.
Exactly what I'm after ATM