chivvalry
Well-known member
That 30 hp number ever give you pause? When you compare with the wee especially...?
Best complement to a feej
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Never rode a Wee. Met a guy who presented a slide show of his trip around the world in 6 months on one though. I saw the bike too. It's a good machine, but seems more oriented towards graded roads. But I'll leave comparisons to those who have ridden both.
Either the Wee-Strom or KLR can be had relatively cheaply and are easy to sell if you don't like it. Make a decision and live with it for a while.
KLR give me pause? Yeah, trying to pick up the bugger after a 1 foot sapling caught my left peg and dumped me. Or when the washed out ruts and trail were beyond what I could do on a heavy bike and I had to turn the darn thing around -- facing down hill. Weight is the enemy of this bike on dirt, a friend on the road. She revs nicely and is nimble when moving. Standing on the pegs and riding through a forest with good dirt and gravel under you is a joy. Lots of bikes can give you that though.
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beemerdons
Certifiable Old Fart
Up in Utah last week ShinyPartsUp and I were discussing KLR's and Mexico's Copper Canyon over a few beers out on the patio of the San Juan Inn.
Unfortunately SPU missed last year's FJR Forum dual sport ride to Creel, Batopilas and Choix; but his Papa Chuy Viejo is going to lead him there soon.
I rode my KLR 650 all the way from Alaska to Central Mexico and the 30 hp number never gave me pause! You go down the highway at 80mph just fine.
The picture below is of my Mexican friend Martin Osete, who while now riding a BMW R1200GS, has also ridden every dirt road that Mexico possesses!
I'm not knocking the Wee-Strom at all, but all of my Southwest off road friends cut their teeth on the KLR and they either still have them or really miss them!
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chivvalry
Well-known member
Yep, needle still ends up coming back to the KLR over and over again... mostly because I want to get as far away from the FJR class as I can but still have a road worthy bike... but like I said earlier I have until late winter or early spring before I have the funds to buy one (since I don't buy toys on credit). It will be late winter if I can hold off on getting the new rifle I want (Spikes Tactical mid-length AR-15) and early spring if I can't.
So plenty of time to waffle!
So plenty of time to waffle!
Get the AR15. Haven't fired one but an AR15 in .308 is on my bucket list. If it is like the tacticool AK47 I ripped a few rounds through a couple weeks ago, it's a blast. Then take it into the local "wilderness" after you get a bike and have fun.
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chivvalry
Well-known member
LOL, I already have a Colt Sporter AR with 20" barrel and standard stock (along with an MAK-90 which is a Norinco AK47 clone) so this is more to get a carbine middy 16" 5.56 with telescoping stock and red dot in the gun safe as well vs. not having an AR15.
..and yes, an additional upper in either .308 or 6.5 grendel would be "tacticool" as well. 'Course the .308 would really be an AR10 and require a full rifle and not just an upper for an AR15 lower...
..and yes, an additional upper in either .308 or 6.5 grendel would be "tacticool" as well. 'Course the .308 would really be an AR10 and require a full rifle and not just an upper for an AR15 lower...
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FJRay
Well-known member
I sure like my Bushmaster AR clone. 16" barrel and telescoping stock. Now I need another KLR.
chivvalry
Well-known member
Heh, Bushmaster is a decent AR. I think the AR platform is perhaps the rifle "best complement" to a feej... for a KLR it would maybe be more like a AK. The AR is high performance and refined vs. the simple and effective of the AK. Ah what the hell... I'm just rambling now...
HotRodZilla
GOD BLESS AMERICA
Ok...Gonna go off topic for a sec, but you started it. I said before I liked my KLR but had my issues with it. Ride what you like.
However...DO NOT waste your money on a Spike Tactical Rifle. You might as well buy a High-point and spend the rest on beer. I recently taught a group of guys that all had one. All with EOTech sights on them. The first group of 6 or 8 had one rifle fail almost immediately. A large percentage of them have failed, and those that have not failed, just have not failed yet. Part of the problem is the ******, cheesy, teeny, tiny buffer spring they use. What bugs me is that the buffer spring is a part that you CAN see, and they skimped out on it. So, what did they do with the parts that can't be immediately seen?
Another huge issue was the fact that the iron sights and the EOTechs would not co-witness. That means that with the iron sights active, if the operator is using the EOTech and the sight fails, the operator has to change head position to acquire the iron sights. Ask any combat operator if they want a rifle where they have to change head position to change sight systems. Poor, poor set up.
They look cool with that stupid spider laser etched all over everything, but I would never buy or carry one.
FWIW, I carry a Colt A4 Carbine that I bought new in 1999 I think. Short (16") heavy barrel, collapasable stock, removable carry handle. That rifle is set up in the flat top configuration with an EOTech and GG&G rear flip up sights. That rifle has had THOUSANDS of rounds put through it and has never malfunctionted once. About a year ago, I finally put new gas rings in it and went through the upper to see what needed looked at. EVERYTHING was in spec, and it runs better today than it ran the day I bought it.
I would bet those Spike Tactical rifles have more than one component out of spec, and made with the cheapest junk that can be found. NONE of the rifle instructors carries one of those rifles. We have been offered them, and have turned them down. The units that finally got them probably won't need them much, which is a good thing.
IF you want a very good rifle, look here: FireBirdPrecision.com. Jim Lambert builds some of the best rifles in the country, and stands behind everything he does. PM me if you are going to call him. I'll give you my info and you can tell him I referred you. You will get an amazing rifle for a very good price. Way better than that $700 pos someone is trying to sell you.
If Jim's rifle is just too much, look for a good Rock River Arms rifle, maybe a DPMS. A Colt (used) if you can find one...Those are all good rifles with companies that will back them.
Ok...Back to your regularly scheduled forum...Sorry
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chivvalry
Well-known member
Huh.. interesting stuff. I've heard such good things about them from quite a few folks on arf.com and such sites as well as seeing them on the new M4 comparison spreadsheet:
M4 CHART
They actually use an H 4.6 oz buffer spring which is slightly heavier than their competitors. My alternate choice would be one from Bravo Company Manufacturing (yes, I've been waffling on this purchase as well...). Any thoughts on them?
That firebird site has a helluva nice LE model there... but for over $1500, ouch. My target budget was/is sub $1k.
M4 CHART
They actually use an H 4.6 oz buffer spring which is slightly heavier than their competitors. My alternate choice would be one from Bravo Company Manufacturing (yes, I've been waffling on this purchase as well...). Any thoughts on them?
That firebird site has a helluva nice LE model there... but for over $1500, ouch. My target budget was/is sub $1k.
HotRodZilla
GOD BLESS AMERICA
The reason I zoned in on Spike's buffer springs is because that's exactly what caused the first rifle to fail the first time. The rifle would feed one or two from a magazine and then malfunction. We looked for dirt, burrs, etc, until we changed the buffer. It was a chromed prissy thing that was noticibly thinner and less durable than the Bushmaster we used as the donor rifle. With the new buffer, the rifle ran just fine...Until it broke again at a later date.
After that first group of guys, I keep hearing issues with these guns. Are they all buffer spring related?? I donno, but if all the buffer springs are as weak as the ones we pulled out of that first group of rifles, then they are a contributing factor.
I donno anything about BCM...Never seen one of their rifles, but AR-15s are like anything else. If it is the cheapest brand available, there is a reason. I don't think some of the most expensive rifles really live up to the asked price, but I wouldn't go to some off brand rifle just to spend less than 1k. I would save longer...If they are selling rifles for $800+/-, they aren't putting any more than 4 or 5 hundred into them. They are saving money somehow...
Funerals average over $7k, so I think $1500 is not so bad. BUT...I depend on my rifle on a daily basis, so my needs may be very different than yours.
chivvalry
Well-known member
Heh, I hear you. Mebbe, I should just drop the cheddar for a colt 6940 or 6920. Love my current Colt... it's been good to me for almost 20 years now. I really want a middy though...
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HotRodZilla
GOD BLESS AMERICA
I like my carbine too. After all the time I have put behind it, I would never go to a 20". I really would call Jim. He builds those rifles from the ground up, so he can do things within reason to adjust the price.
If not, keep looking. Gunbroker.com has lots of deals, and I guarantee you your local cops know someone selling one. Like finding FJRs, you gotta look...
chivvalry
Well-known member
Yah, I don't want another 20"... I want a 16" with a mid length gas system instead of a carbine length gas system. Less recoil and it looks better with the barrel.
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