Well, on the comfort thing... You guys who say a 650 is too small for touring are a bunch of wusses. :lol:
Don't tell me a 650 twin can't cruise comfortably at 70mph. It has to be LOADS more comfortable than a 250 single. Compared to what I'm used to, a 650 would have more power than I would know what to do with.
Let's do a bit of math (not my strong suit, so bear with me...):
My top speed is an indicated 88 (if I REALLY push it and have patience). On long trips, I generally cruise between 55 and 65mph. (I start at 55 to be kind to the engine, but grow impatient after several hours and start going faster LOL).
65 is just under 8k RPM. Redline is 10.5K.
65 out of 88 means I'm running at about 74% capacity. Or, 3/4ths. That's kinda intense. I only have 25% left.
When I had the Ninja 250, my ideal touring/distance pace on the highway was an indicated 75-80. The highest I ever had that bike (indicated) was 103mph (the extra cylinder is a big help on the highway).
80 out of 103 means I was running at about 78% capacity. Again, right around 3/4ths. (That Ninja took that sort of abuse a lot better than the KLX, by the way. The KLX's top end gets noisy. Stupid cam chain weak spot...)
I have done 500 mile days on both bikes. It took 8-9 hours on the Ninja and 12-13 hours on the KLX. The Ninja was slightly more comfortable on my butt and offered better wind protection, but left me feeling SOOO cramped up. It's like riding a little toy. The KLX, on the other hand, has excellent seating position. I never feel cramped up or scrunched on it at all. However, I am basically sitting on a 2x4 and have zero wind protection. I dance in the seat and stand up a lot. Investing in an Air Hawk would solve this butt issue.
So, that's traveling by 250 in a nutshell. The bonus is the gas mileage. It is definitely cheaper to run a 250. Even running my little KLX at three-quarters capacity, I was getting a consistent 61mpg (I get better mileage in town, when the bike's not running so ragged). I made it all the way from Grandview, MO to Mount Ayr, IA on less than 2.5 gallons of gas.
On the other hand... I still want a 650. I am not ready for a liter bike. A 650 will have loads more power than I'm used to and will allow me to make better time.
The top speed on most 650 twins is (supposedly) around 140. I think that's owners being generous, but let's say 130. And I know my preferred touring speed to be about 75 (according to what I liked on the Ninja, in every car I've owned, and what I wish was comfortable on my KLX).
75 out of 130 is about 58%. More than half, but less than 2/3rds. That's a massive improvement from what I'm used to. It will still be torquey and fun in town and not too much power to be comfortable and practical around town. It's a perfect compromise. Plus, you'll still probably be getting about 45-50mpg.
For someone my sized, a liter bike or bigger just doesn't make as much sense. A 650 would pull plenty with me on it, while not being so big and heavy that it's a bear to maneuver in city limits. Well, any 650 but the Versys... That thing is ridiculously top heavy.
Any bike can be a touring bike. It definitely is about how "adventurous" one is willing to be. Budget does come into play, though. I have a 250, because that's what I can afford. I'm not a fan of bike payments in an economy when no job is certain.
If money was no object, though, I'd have a second bike for long hauls. I am about to leave in a few hours for the trip back home (from Minneapolis to Kansas City) and my butt hates me already just thinking about it. I think an Air Hawk will be added to my list of things to buy... Big Bore, new carb, and new header first... but I will need to change the chain and sprockets when I do that... bah.
