KAWASAKI KLR 650 USA Model (2000-2002) Specs, Performance & Photos

The Kawasaki KLR 650 was a dual-sports machine that debuted in 1987, intended to handle both paved and unpaved roads. The bike was manufactured over three generations, from 1987 to 2007, 2008 to 2018, and 2022 until the present (2023).

The bike replaced the 564cc Kawasaki KLR600 manufactured from 1984 to 1986 and remained almost unchanged until it featured the first rear revision in 2008. The second major revision occurred in 2022, with a fuel injection system and ABS.

In 2000, the Japanese motorcycle manufacturer launched the Kawasaki KLR 650 USA Model, a dual-sports motorcycle that packed the same performance, technical, and visual features as previous models without any modification whatsoever.

The motorcycle was built around a semi-double cradle high tensile steel frame with a 38 mm air-adjustable telescopic fork on the front and a bottom-link uni-trak five-position preload and four-way rebound-adjustable shock absorber, delivering optimum suspension performance on various road conditions.

In the braking department, the bike packed a 252 mm disc coupled to a dual-piston caliper on the front wheel and a 203 mm disc tied to a single-piston caliper on the rear, offering optimum stopping power.

The 2000 Kawasaki KLR 650 USA Model had installed a 651cc four-stroke single-cylinder liquid-cooled engine that delivered an output power of 43 hp at 7,000 rpm and 47 Nm (35 lb-ft) torque at 5,000 rpm.