FortNine from YouTube called Kawasaki KLR 650 owners "cheap," and that video got a lot of views. I suppose some KLR 650 owners are cheap, but it's also true that some KLR 650 owners don't want a faster motorcycle with better specifications. And it's also true some KLR 650 owners can't afford a $10k to $20k motorcycle.
The KLR 650 is a good, reliable motorcycle that's been around for decades, and having survived this long is proof of it's value. It's good for a lot of different reasons. Right out of the box it can be used for all type of riding, and it's affordable. A KLR 650 can easily be improved for any type of riding because every aftermarket accessory imaginable is available to make it an even better motorcycle for the owner.
Another top YouTube channel, Adam Riemann, with almost 1 million subscribers, is paying attention to the KLR again, a motorcycle he doesn't seem to like if you go by his past comments. The bike is a 3rd generation Kawasaki KLR 650, and he's going to ride it across Australia. He admits that the KLR and it's riders have been the subject of his ridicule in the past, but he also admits the Kawasaki KLR 650 is a good, reliable motorcycle and meets his approval, at least for his daughters. Argh!
I for one won't allow what these YouTubers think to affect what motorcycle I choose to ride, but it would be nice if they represent the bike in a more positive light for the sake of the model. I have no doubt Riemann's KLR 650 will successfully travel a long distance across rough terrain like so many KLR's have done in the past, and it will garner him a lot of attention and views.
