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Mark Mitchell
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2008 Kawasaki KLR 650:  Primed for Adventure
Written by: Mark Mitchell   
06/24/2008 - 02:25 PM
Charlotte, NC
 
Breathtaking overlooks are the stock in trade of the Blue Ridge Parkway, there are literally hundreds of them along the route. (Photo: Mark Mitchell) ยป More Photos

I rolled out of the garage at 6 am and spent the first 90 miles or so headed up I-77 North out of Charlotte, cruising along comfortably on the 2008 Kawasaki KLR 650 at 80 mph it took just over an hour. Then, after a short run up NC-21 the real fun began. But before I get to that let me explain the purpose of my trip.

After a 21 year run as one of the most popular dual-sport mounts available the Kawasaki KLR650 has been upgraded for 2008 in several key areas to make it an even more attractive alternative for both on and off-road touring fun. The newly redesigned KLR650 is primed for adventure and the well thought out mods to the new model make multi-surface long distance touring a very comfortable and attractive option.
With a long-term loan on this unit I am planning a series of adventure rides this summer and fall to seek out deserted highways, byways and trails and see how it measures up. In between I will put the KLR to the test in the challenging terrain of today’s urban landscape while I use it as my daily commuter. My goal: to see if one bike can satisfy my needs as both a daily driver and a weekend tourer, both on and off-road. After two months and some 1500 miles I have already found out a lot about what this machine is capable of and look forward to pushing it to it’s limits in the months to come. First up: the Blue Ridge Parkway and the North Carolina mountains, a motorcycle playground of world class proportions.
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