sherpa vs klr250 - KLR650.NET Forums - Your Kawasaki KLR650 Resource!

green650 · 05-02-2009, 06:42 PM

What is the difference between the two?
Did they ever make both in the same year?
I found an 05 KLR250 nearby and have been thinking about buying it for the gf so she can go riding with me. I never see these for sale so I think I should jump on it or else my only other option is finding a dealer that has a new sherpa and forking out 4,600 plus tax, prep, etc.

XDragRacer · 05-02-2009, 07:10 PM

[quote=green650;700990]What is the difference between the two?[/quote[Quite a bit; you can Google the respective specifications, but, air-cooled vs. liquid cooled; electric starter vs. kickstarter only are a couple of major differences (is your gf comfortable with a kicker?).

Quote:

Did they ever make both in the same year?

Yes.

Quote:

I found an 05 KLR250 nearby and have been thinking about buying it for the gf so she can go riding with me. I never see these for sale so I think I should jump on it or else my only other option is finding a dealer that has a new sherpa and forking out 4,600 plus tax, prep, etc.

If she can kick-start it, or depend upon you to, you'll be money ahead with the KLR250; a terrific little dual-sport (not to take anything away fromthe Sherpa; easier to ride with its lower cg and seat position, electric starter and all).

Yet, you can't make a BAD decision between the two, or . . . even a KLX250S!

Chrome Sux · 05-02-2009, 07:12 PM

unless she is tall the KLR250 may be too tall for her, the sherpa is better suited for Ladies.
The Sherpa has a little lower seat hight, also the Sherpa is air cooled some folks like that some dont.
The sherpa has a a couple of things i like that is push to cancel turn siginals and stainless exhaust, vacume operated fuel petcock with a prime position if needed, it bypases the vacume operated mode so that when the bike has sat a while you can turn the petcock to prime and it fills the carb bowl.
I also like the choke being a simple push pull button old skool style, the KlR250 choke is a lever like the KLR650 mounted on the left near the grip.
The sherpa has the 18" rear tire KLR250 has 17"

SilentRay · 05-02-2009, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chrome Sux

unless she is tall the KLR250 may be too tall for her, the sherpa is better suited for Ladies.
The Sherpa has a little lower seat hight, also the Sherpa is air cooled some folks like that some dont.
The sherpa has a a couple of things i like that is push to cancel turn siginals and stainless exhaust, vacume operated fuel petcock with a prime position if needed, it bypases the vacume operated mode so that when the bike has sat a while you can turn the petcock to prime and it fills the carb bowl.
I also like the choke being a simple push pull button old skool style, the KlR250 choke is a lever like the KLR650 mounted on the left near the grip.
The sherpa has the 18" rear tire KLR250 has 17"

Also, the Sherpa has the six speed tranny. Good little bike for shorter/lighter folks. The wife likes hers and keeps up with the 650's no problem. Air cooled and the six speed make it make it a better all around bike, imop.

Little 250 · 05-02-2009, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SilentRay

Also, the Sherpa has the six speed tranny. Good little bike for shorter/lighter folks. The wife likes hers and keeps up with the 650's no problem. Air cooled and the six speed make it make it a better all around bike, imop.

KLR 250 is also a 6 speed.

**MSGT-R** · 05-04-2009, 02:15 PM

From a short person's experience:

The KLR in stock form is WAY high - too high for anyone shorter than about 5'5". I lowered mine 2" and took about a third of the foam out of the seat, and I still have to slide half way off at stops. I'm 5'1".

I sat on a totally stock Sherpa at TCI. I had the toes of both feet on the ground at once. Plus, it has electric start!

green650 · 05-04-2009, 06:51 PM

I guess I should of had my gf sit on it when we went and looked at it. She sat on the klx 250 supermotard version and liked that. I will have to research seat heights and see how that compares to a klr with a 2 inch lowering.
I still think it would be alot better than a KLR650 with a 2 inch lowering kit.

green650 · 05-04-2009, 08:21 PM

I did a quick google search and found:

2001 Super Sherpa seat height: 32.7"
2005 KLR250 seat height: 33.5"
2009 KLX250 sm seat height: 33.9"

So I think the KLR250 will be good to go since she was comfortable on the KLX250 super motard.

**MSGT-R** · 05-05-2009, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by green650

I still think it would be alot better than a KLR650 with a 2 inch lowering kit.

Yup, considering the 650 weighs around 400 lbs. The KLR is 280.

05-02-2009, 06:42 PM	#1
green650 KLR Enthusiast Super Cool Since: Jul 2008 Locale: Bellingham Postings: 1,002	sherpa vs klr250 What is the difference between the two? Did they ever make both in the same year? I found an 05 KLR250 nearby and have been thinking about buying it for the gf so she can go riding with me. I never see these for sale so I think I should jump on it or else my only other option is finding a dealer that has a new sherpa and forking out 4,600 plus tax, prep, etc. __________________ 2006 Lime Green KLR 650 (all black now) 2002 Red Titan Phoenix (for sale)

05-02-2009, 07:12 PM	#3
Chrome Sux A Regular Super Cool Since: Feb 2009 Locale: Lenoir City TN. Postings: 179	Re: sherpa vs klr250 unless she is tall the KLR250 may be too tall for her, the sherpa is better suited for Ladies. The Sherpa has a little lower seat hight, also the Sherpa is air cooled some folks like that some dont. The sherpa has a a couple of things i like that is push to cancel turn siginals and stainless exhaust, vacume operated fuel petcock with a prime position if needed, it bypases the vacume operated mode so that when the bike has sat a while you can turn the petcock to prime and it fills the carb bowl. I also like the choke being a simple push pull button old skool style, the KlR250 choke is a lever like the KLR650 mounted on the left near the grip. The sherpa has the 18" rear tire KLR250 has 17"

05-04-2009, 02:15 PM	#6
MSGT-R LEVEL 3 STAFF I'm a Premium Member! Super Cool Since: Nov 2004 Locale: Lake Elsinore, CA Postings: 6,614	Re: sherpa vs klr250 From a short person's experience: The KLR in stock form is WAY high - too high for anyone shorter than about 5'5". I lowered mine 2" and took about a third of the foam out of the seat, and I still have to slide half way off at stops. I'm 5'1". I sat on a totally stock Sherpa at TCI. I had the toes of both feet on the ground at once. Plus, it has electric start! __________________ Don't have a doohicky, and I've never suffered from testosterone.

05-04-2009, 06:51 PM	#7
green650 KLR Enthusiast Super Cool Since: Jul 2008 Locale: Bellingham Postings: 1,002	Re: sherpa vs klr250 I guess I should of had my gf sit on it when we went and looked at it. She sat on the klx 250 supermotard version and liked that. I will have to research seat heights and see how that compares to a klr with a 2 inch lowering. I still think it would be alot better than a KLR650 with a 2 inch lowering kit. __________________ 2006 Lime Green KLR 650 (all black now) 2002 Red Titan Phoenix (for sale)

05-04-2009, 08:21 PM	#8
green650 KLR Enthusiast Super Cool Since: Jul 2008 Locale: Bellingham Postings: 1,002	Re: sherpa vs klr250 I did a quick google search and found: 2001 Super Sherpa seat height: 32.7" 2005 KLR250 seat height: 33.5" 2009 KLX250 sm seat height: 33.9" So I think the KLR250 will be good to go since she was comfortable on the KLX250 super motard. __________________ 2006 Lime Green KLR 650 (all black now) 2002 Red Titan Phoenix (for sale)

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