David S., winner of the GSMMotoRent Giveaway, enjoyed his day out and had the following to say. I thought you might want to hear his thoughts, and then give Dan Dickie over at GSMMotoRent a call if you want a similar experience!
“I used my winning GSM Moto Rental coupon today. I have been “bike-urious” about the Kawasaki KLR 650 for several years. GSM has one, so this was my chance to ride it – finally! Owner Dan Dickie is a gentleman, knowledgeable about his (ample) stable, and a sage of the Smokies’ best riding – both on and off road. He gave me a detailed tour of the bike and a suggested route which would give me a chance to test the KLR in a variety of environments – city, highway and gravel roads. On his office wall is a map showing a vast array of route options, even including a three-day excursion with a good dose of off-pavement riding.
The bike was in top running condition. I asked about fuel mileage. Dan said that you can go 200 miles on a tank. No worries! I wasn’t crossing the Gobi this trip. I was in 1st and 2nd gear for half of my trip and I can attest that the bike got a solid 60 mpg.
At 6′-0″ I was pleasantly surprised at the rangy comfort of the bike. It showed me plenty of power. The seat was comfy enough for a few hours. Of course, I was intentionally standing up part of the time, thus saving my glutes in the bargain. I understand that the 2014.5 model has an even more cushy seat. I have always thought that I might be KLR fan. This trip confirmed my suspicion.
My wife and I recently bought a home in Stecoah, NC, south across the Great Smoky Mountain National Park from Townsend, TN, the home of GSM Moto Rental. I have duties to upgrade our home during our visits there, so I didn’t have a lot of time to spend on the bike. Dan recommended that I enter Cade’s Cove, a famous valley within the Park, then exit via a mountainous gravel road over Rich Mountain. Along the way I saw four gangs of turkeys, two herds of white tail deer and a lone young black bear of about 150 pounds. Dan added a section of highways to the route. This combination gave me a well rounded overview of the KLR’s capabilities.
I give my strong recommendation to Dan Dickie and GSM Moto Rental. The entire engagement was quite pleasant. GSM is perfectly situated in the Appalachians. It’s pretty cool that you can leave GSM, go through Cade’s Cove and exit via Parson’s Branch Road onto the Dragon’s Tail! Then you can circle back via Foothills Parkway. Who’d a thunk it? One warning – you will not find Dan in Townsend, TN in the dead of winter. Rather, you may glimpse him roosting in the wilds of west Texas.”
Thanks to David S. for his report, and Dan Dickie for his donation of a motorcycle rental to be given away to a Bike-urious reader!