Kawasaki have announced updates to the KLR650 for 2021, adding EFI, ABS, revising ergonomics and offering an LCD dash and a restyle. As a result the bike’s looking better than ever, but power had dropped by going Euro4 compliant, even if torque is up 10 per cent to balance that out.
While some may be disappointed that Kawasaki aren’t offering an answer to the Tenere 700 with the update, it’s clear that the KLR650 is designed to remain a no frills, low cost, high value adventure machine.
The updates would have probably made the KLR650 pretty current in 2015, however now in 2021 expectations for many have moved on. Is it really fair to lay expectations of big power gains, TFT displays and super brake or suspension packages on something like the KLR? I don’t think so.