Harris Voices Outrage in Interview with Howard Stern

[jubby]

I'm realy interested in what I would call an all-round Bike. Decent on road but with a bit of offroad (off-tarmac, dirt tracks, nothing extreme)

I have an assortment of scooters & a Phantom at the moment (say no more).

The KLX looks to fit the Bill but I'm not sure how good it is on-road with those knobbly Tyres. I will be Hiring one shortly but what about the D-tracker. It appears to be almost identical except for the tyres and maybe wheels. Its supposed to be a Motard which is something i'm not familiar with. I was thinking maybe it would be even more suitable except for wet Mud or really ruff terrain.

What do the experts think ?

[Fishenough]

Can non-experts answer too, ah will anyways.

When first here and renting every thing to try to find a fit for me, was sure the KLX would be perfect for my needs(30 years of offroad bikes). But with abundant tarmac everywhere, my preference not to use our scooter for most in town riding, D-T has a stronger front brake, and the firmer suspension of the D-T felt better on very tight roads. But I have seen a rider of a KLX keep well ahead of D-T riders on twisty roads like the 1148 and 120. If your into dirt the KLX is a fantastic ride to explore the trails with.

Rent both back to back, they really are the same bikes but with different suspension and wheels set ups. Buy either and you'll sell the Phantom, you'll be happy with either, unless like our Phantom it's her bike.

Cheers

Edited July 21, 2010 by Fishenough

[jubby]

30 years of off-road bikes Fishenough, thats almost an expert I would have thought.

The KLX is easy to hire, but I've not seen any D-trackers.

Yeah, the Phantoms not going to take much beating

[HangDongRider]

Both are great, much to weak, quite similar, except the brakes, 17´´ to 18/21´´ and tyres. Both are everywhere in Chiang-Mai (POP) available to hire. And surprise, also the Super Moto is quite good on a off-road track and the KLX works great on a hairpins mountainroad. For both bikes: If it´s not to slippery. My heart is a dirt biker machine, so I like the KLX more. Stoppies are easy with the Tracker, KL X impossible, wheelies opposite, KLX can, D-T. impossible. Suspension much to soft, engines much to weak. The handling is fantastic, on and off-road a pleasure. In Germany you can get the KLX nearly for same price than in Thailand. What means, in D a good offer, in TH too expensive. But I like the KLX since 1994. Today it´s modern bike with FI and E-start, but still the same bike.

[ScubaBuddha]

There is a bit of personal choice involved. I would never consider a D-Tracker. An off-road bike with street tires? What on earth for? My second bike is a Platinum PX175, basically a poor man's KLX 250. I am more confident on that than I am on the Ninja in terms of road stickyness, and the tires that come on the KLX look nicely suited to tarmac and off road.

KLX 250 all the way IMO.

And if you want to save some cash, don't forget about there is also the Chinese Lifan LF200 GY-5 for 1/3 the price of the KLX. It's been semi successful beeing sold in the states for a while. The Thailand versions are as of yet untested. I plan on getting one when my Craptinum craps out, which could be soon. Nearest dealer is in Nakon Si.

[ttakata]

I'm a street guy so went with the DTX.

Superbikes don't like to crash and they weigh alot.

So at some point a dirt biker took the lightness and better crashability of a dirtbike and stuck the good tires of a superbike on it.

The motard/supermoto was born.

It's a lot easier to get decent off road and dual sport tires on a DTX and go off roading than getting non existent street race tires on a KLX and go street racing.

You lose an inch of suspension but you get a bigger brake rotor on the DTX.

So unless you're on dirt more often, I'd go with the DTX.

If you got 2 sets of DTX wheels you could have a legitimate street racer and off road bike, but the KLX could never be a hardcore street bike.

You can do this on race tires, but such tires don't exist for the KLX's narrow rims.

Edited July 21, 2010 by ttakata

[sendbaht]

Jubby, You did not mention the Tiger250RS but since ScubaBuddha

bought up the Lifen I thought I'd toss it in the ring.

How about a RS? Seems like one heck of a price for from what I have heard from owners

a great bike.

Even at the same price some would go for the Tiger RS 250 but I looks like

the 250 RS is 1/2 the price of the KLX 250.

Back to your question:

As far as looks (only) go the KLX 250 looks great to me and the D-Tracker looks

ridiculous with those small tires.

[jubby]

Thanks Guys, keep it comming.

The kawasaki's are a little expensive, but maybe you get what you pay for. I'm still not sure about chinese Bikes or anything else for that matter. But I have more to think about , thanks a lot.

[jubby]

Maybe the D-T with a slightly less slick set of tyres is the way to go.

I'm not really an experienced Biker , but I have a few years 4x4 experience and know that Tyres make all the difference.

The offroading around here is mainly dirt tracks, passable most of the time on a honda dream unless they are washed out. I'll be 90% on tarmac or concrete or hard packed tracks. I'm not going to be rock hopping or anything, its only when the dirt track gets wet that I can forsee a problem with the tyres on the D-T.

I know nothing about bike tyres, would I be able to get something less slick but not as agressive as the ones on the KLX for the d-t here in Thailand ?

[ttakata]

Maybe the D-T with a slightly less slick set of tyres is the way to go.

I'm not really an experienced Biker , but I have a few years 4x4 experience and know that Tyres make all the difference.

The offroading around here is mainly dirt tracks, passable most of the time on a honda dream unless they are washed out. I'll be 90% on tarmac or concrete or hard packed tracks. I'm not going to be rock hopping or anything, its only when the dirt track gets wet that I can forsee a problem with the tyres on the D-T.

I know nothing about bike tyres, would I be able to get something less slick but not as agressive as the ones on the KLX for the d-t here in Thailand ?

You could get a set of these Pirelli MT60/RS, I bet you can go anywhere on them.

This guy's, post #4

http://www.dtrackert...f4b&topic=916.0

There are lots of other brands that will fit, just make sure the sizes are the same as stock and you're good to go.

The DTX runs 110/70-17 and 130/70-17.

I've seen people run up to 120 widths up front and 150 in the rear, but try to stick to stock if you can so you have less rotational mass.

Edited July 22, 2010 by ttakata

[troehr]

I'm a street guy so went with the DTX.

Superbikes don't like to crash and they weigh alot.

So at some point a dirt biker took the lightness and better crashability of a dirtbike and stuck the good tires of a superbike on it.

The motard/supermoto was born.

It's a lot easier to get decent off road and dual sport tires on a DTX and go off roading than getting non existent street race tires on a KLX and go street racing.

You lose an inch of suspension but you get a bigger brake rotor on the DTX.

So unless you're on dirt more often, I'd go with the DTX.

If you got 2 sets of DTX wheels you could have a legitimate street racer and off road bike, but the KLX could never be a hardcore street bike.

You can do this on race tires, but such tires don't exist for the KLX's narrow rims.

Well, maybe you can do that. I know I can't. I'd run out of guts first.

[Fishenough]

Ran 18" rear wheels on my last two MX bikes, both RM250's, so the DTac tires don't seem small - I don't have size issues.

Dtac tires are brutal in the wet, and I've been caught several times and had to skate my way out. Not the way to go on a week long trip to laos.

So many days enjoying the roads along the border in MHS province, except for the wet days, happy with the DTac as I go wanna go slower in the dirt then I did in years past. If you want more speed in the dust and mud a KLX is the better machine without a doubt.

Villagers near the Salween River liked the Dtac.

[skybluestu]

Hello Jubby, great minds think alike, isn't that what they say? I also plan to get a D-Tracker soon, actually had a deposit on one when they were first released 2yrs ago but cancelled the order as I built a house and bought a car but the roads up here are just too good to not have a decent bike to enjoy them on, not quite the same on my little Nouvo! I've ridden both and will go for the D-Tracker as I would do very little, if any, off-road and for the ocassional bad road the D-Tracker copes just fine. If you did plan to do some off-road then maybe get some Pirelli MT60's for it (see link below which has pics) which are classed as 60% on road and 40% off road.

The gearing of the D-Tracker is also better suited for road use and you could easily keep up with VF on the twisty mountain roads despite his cc advantage!

http://www.dtrackerthailand.com/board/index.php?topic=6193.0

[cm das]

There are lots of other brands that will fit, just make sure the sizes are the same as stock and you're good to go.

The DTX runs 110/70-17 and 130/70-17.

I've seen people run up to 120 widths up front and 150 in the rear, but try to stick to stock if you can so you have less rotational mass.

There's the rub. I tried to find on/offroad tires for my D-Tracker in the stock sizes & eventually gave up. As far as I could tell there is no alternative for the front tire at that size. The Pirelli will come closest, but changing to a 110/90 will affect the handling of the bike. I ended up going back to my stock tires which, as others have said, are fine for light offroad use, so long as you're not in mud. And on paved roads, whether in town or in the mountains, the D-Tracker is a blast.

[LivinLOS]

I would like a d-tracker / KLX, especially now the guys on thumper talk have got the EFI working with 331 (and 351 ??) big bore kits.. That would give it a bit more go which it badly needs.

But if I had either, I would get a set of the second wheels.. Quick swap and your ready for dirt, or another swap for track / road.. Best of all worlds.

[thaicbr]

I would like a d-tracker / KLX, especially now the guys on thumper talk have got the EFI working with 331 (and 351 ??) big bore kits.. That would give it a bit more go which it badly needs.

But if I had either, I would get a set of the second wheels.. Quick swap and your ready for dirt, or another swap for track / road.. Best of all worlds.

Livin... have you got a link to that. Thanks Allan

Dont worry found it here http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-785827.html

Edited July 23, 2010 by thaicbr

[jubby]

Hi Skyb. Yes indeed, great minds think a like.

I've got an awful lot of sh*t to get rid of before I get one though. be nice to get one for the winter driving season.

there's 4 bikes and a Quad on the driveway as I speak, saying I want a new bike isn't going to go down well with er' indoors. I also have Kids to feed. Lots of e'm

Those Pirelli tyres do look the business. probably be awesome on snow too if it ever happened

Just had a thought, I never took note of the stock KLX tires. would be interesting to know what the percentages are road/offroad. Sorry , I had a bit of a tire fetish in a previous life.

[LivinLOS]

I would like a d-tracker / KLX, especially now the guys on thumper talk have got the EFI working with 331 (and 351 ??) big bore kits.. That would give it a bit more go which it badly needs.

But if I had either, I would get a set of the second wheels.. Quick swap and your ready for dirt, or another swap for track / road.. Best of all worlds.

Livin... have you got a link to that. Thanks Allan

Dont worry found it here http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-785827.html

Yeah that peaked my interest...

Basically most of the power of a XR400, with all of the Thai Kwaker parts supply chain cheapness..