I keep seeing negative comments online about the new 2022 KLR 650. I think most comments are positive, but the biggest gripes among the negative comments are the bike needs more horsepower and a sixth gear. Although I understand why people want these features, I don't think they understand the KLR 650 is not your typical "adventure" motorcycle. It's a Dual Sport!
The KLR 650 is a Dual Sport thumper (single cylinder) motorcycle and that's what makes it attractive. It wasn't designed to be a great freeway motorcycle and it's not meant to have 60 or more horsepower. Dual sport motorcycles are designed to be ridden off road and on. It's about a 50/50 split. Most of the so called "adventure" motorcycles are designed primarily to be ridden on the street. It's probably more of an 20/80 split or worse. An interesting observation is all new dual sport motorcycles come stock with tires designed for dirt and street use. The category of tire is referred to as Dual Sport. Look at the stock tires on many new Adventure motorcycles, and they almost always have a tread pattern designed for street use.
Kawasaki only recently started calling the KLR 650 an Adventure bike for marketing reasons. Don't get me wrong, you can have just as many good adventures on a KLR as you can with any Adventure motorcycle.. Probably more if your adventures take you off road. If you think you need a bike with 6 gears and more horse power, then go look at other models and brands. There are plenty of them to choose from.
I believe sales of Adventure motorcycles are beating all other types of motorcycle, so I understand why Kawasaki sometimes replaces "dual sport" with 'adventure' when describing a KLR 650. Even other brands like Honda are throwing their dual sport motorcycles into the Adventure category. Go to Honda's website and you'll see their marking their dual sport CRF models and the classic XR 650 as Adventure motorcycles.
I'll be the first to admit I have in the past wished my 2009 KLR 650 had a taller 5th gear, but not because it wasn't capable of traveling at freeway speeds. For the most part I'm glad Kawasaki basically kept the same KLR 650 engine in the 2022 model. I would rather have a KLR 650 than a motorcycle with 100 or more horse power and 6 gears. I hope sales of dual sport motorcycles continued to do well, because it's such a fun type of motorcycle to own and ride.
2022 Kawaki KLR 650
