Kawasaki Versys competition for BMW F800GS

[SamM]

Fjord,
You are a smart man!

The Versys parts are very inexpensive. Especially, when you compare it to a 705cc engine kit and all the goodies. My conversion parts cost around $1300. I don't expect that to always be the case, as the Versys parts will become harder to get. Many people have said that it won't really be a KLR after the conversion to the KLE650 engine. I don't see it that way. It's a progression to me. Just like KLRsuperRio's bike, we will call it a KLRE650. The Versys engine is just a few pounds heavier than the KLR engine is. This may well end up being the perfect dualsport motorcycle. I see all positives and no negatives.

I'll be starting a build report on AdvRider soon. My bike is at my builder's place right now. We have talked about this conversion a great deal. He's looking at this from all angles. I really can't say much at this time but it will be worth watching, once we start posting about it. I'll post links on this site.

One thing to remember is that my bike was put on a strict diet to get it down to 345lbs. Most KLRs typically go over 400lbs without fuel. My bike weighs 392lbs with 7.5 gallons of fuel. An off-road Versys will weigh much, much more than that and carry a lot less fuel. Once I get it back I have quite a few changes in mind, to reduce the weight even more.

Stay tuned!

SamM

[KLRnit]

Yet anoter thread about this.......Someone build one dang it .v I'm also thinking of diving in and drinking the Versys Kool-Aid. I personally think the KlR frame will hold up to the extra 30 hp. Its not like someone (at least with any sense) will be going down heavy single track at 70 MPH. I just want to do this engine swap so I can have a great all around EXPO bike.

Just imagine a 08+ KLR with KLX 450 front forks, New MOAB or Ricor rear shock, Versys engine, and all the standard KLR farkles. That my friends is one hell of a perfect combination that I intend to try

[Fjord]

Any news yet on if the motor will fit into the frame without cutting the down tube? For me this is a kind of dividing line between doing a conversion and going the KLR 705 route. It's kind of arbitrary but once I have to contemplate fabrication of a new cradle and perhaps making a bolt frame sub-section to re-connect the down tube to the swing arm pivot region it starts too look more attractive to do a more modest engine upgrade via the big bore kit and head / cam work.

[SamM]

Nothing to report yet. Still measuring and figuring it all out. We have some certain criteria that we would like to achieve with this build. Once you start cutting frames apart, it's really hard to go back. This is a measure 5 times and then after thinking about it for a long time, maybe cut it, maybe not type build. Then you think about it some more. Once everything starts it will progress pretty fast.

The plan is tp pick up the bike sometime in late March or probably and more likely April. I will be riding it home but it will be throughly tested before I get it.

This bike is going to be well worth the wait!

SamM

[KLR Bryan]

Sam M. Great project! Is it nearly complete? I a very interested in this swap. May undertake it myself... Could put the old klr motor on a little streetbike and rip around!

I think it funny that no one has commented on how nice it would be to have fuel injection. Would be nice to go from the valley to the mountaintop without fuss and loss of power. I will do a search on advrider and see if you have anything else going on.

[SamM]

KLR Bryan,
I really can't comment much about the bike right now. It is in the building stage and things are progressing. If you have thoughts of doing this, wait! You may be impressed with what you see in a few months.

Can't say much else! Be patient. As things come together we will be starting a build thread. It's just too early in the build to post anything right now.

SamM

[SamM]

I wanted to also mention that this project is taking a little longer than we had originally planned. It's a fairly complicated process and everything needs to be just right. My hat is off to KLRsuperRIO for what he has done with his KLRE650. This is NOT an easy conversion. In fact, it is quite complicated.

My build is going to be somewhat different than his. We have thought of a few other things that we wanted to do. We also understand why he did the things that he did with his build. A lot of what he did makes much more sense to us now.

SamM

[KLR Bryan]

I am in no hurry whatsoever, with summer nearly here. I have another project anyway, a 1976 Honda GL1000 that is gonna get a 2 barrel weber carb. It is mocked up like a cruiser, with Harley seat and rear fender. Kind of like a 76 Valkyre, if Honda made one then. Once the Wing is operational, then I can look into the engine swap. It will be a winter project, if I ever do it. My KLR is good the way it is, but I am interested in the swap anyway. If the swap is difficult, then it must be worth doing! Because anything worth doing isn't easy.

Just gotta find balance

[SamM]

The KLRE650ie is going to be well worth it. Trust me on this as I have seen the bike. She looks nice! This thing is going to have 65hp, EFI and a 6-speed. Couple those features, to a bike that will weigh around 300 to 350lbs and it's a winning combination. When you weigh this project against the costs of modifying the stock KLR engine, I'm hoping that people will see that the KLRE is the way to go. Of course, that's going to depend on what engines go for. I only paid $699 for my '08 Versys engine. Once I added the rest of the required parts that total went up to $1500 maybe a little more. Still cheaper than KLR mods. The fab work will drive the cost up but you have to pay to play.

The one thing that I have decided with my KLRE project, is to go much further than most others would go. There is no budget on this one. My bike will also have a Lithium-ion battery, USD forks, a new long travel CD shock, eventually Brembo brakes, and a hydraulic clutch. I'm even looking at a linked Brembo braking system.

When the KLRE is finished we'll be starting back up with the Diesel KLR456 project. I'm hoping to run that motorcycle on bio-diesel and may even try making some bio-diesel myself.

My latest project is an over the top KLX250SF that I am making into a killer trailbike. The new designation on that is either KLX300F or KLX350F. Depending on what engine kit I decide to go with. The new wheels for that bike will arrive next Monday. It's going to be one cool little bike. I have started a build thread in the KLX section. I'm just doing bolt-on mods for this project and I'm doing everything myself.

SamM

[SamM]

Just a short update!

We are still into this. The build is taking more time than we thought. I need to send some parts to the builder and I've been away on vacation and then sick, in the hospital. I'm still messed up but getting better. Anyway, here are a couple of pictures showing the bike with the new Versys engine installed. There is still much to do but we are commited to seeing this through to the end.

I have lots of plans for this bike once I get it back! I'll be dropping the weight down to the bare minimum and then adding Pelican 1550 hardbags for touring. It may even get billet RAD hubs and new 21/18" Excel wheels with tubeless Heidenau K60 tires.

SamM

[Michelangelo]

Awesome build. Would love to see this thing come to fruition. More pics!

[SamM]

My KLRE650 IS coming together. It's just taking longer than we expected, but there are good reasons for that. I'm putting all my eggs in one basket for this bike and all my resources are going into this build. The fact that it is taking longer is unfortunate, but I feel that the bike will be well worth the wait. Hopefully this will pave the way for many others to also complete this same swap.

My KLRE650 will be significantly different from the KLR650 donor. Many things will remain but some things will be very different.

SamM