Kawasaki's long-running KLR650 has a new trim for 2027. The KLR650 DF ABS is listed on Kawasaki's U.S. site as "New 2027," at $7,699 base MSRP plus a $685 destination charge, for $8,384 before options, taxes, title, license and dealer fees.
Mechanically it's the KLR you'd expect: the 652 cc single, a 21-inch front wheel and ABS. What sets the DF apart is the look. Kawasaki calls it "blacked-out utilitarian styling," in one color, Metallic Flat Raw Graystone, and its spec sheet lists a windscreen, hand guards, frame sliders and a rear carrier.
Key points:
- Model: 2027 KLR650 DF ABS, a new trim in Kawasaki's U.S. KLR line.
- Price: $7,699 base MSRP + $685 destination = $8,384 before other charges.
- Engine: 652 cc fuel-injected, liquid-cooled single, rated by Kawasaki at 40 hp and 39.1 lb-ft.
- Listed features: adjustable windscreen, hand guards, frame sliders, rear carrier and all-digital instruments.
- Still unknown: when it reaches U.S. dealers. Kawasaki's page isn't dated.
Where the DF fits in the 2027 KLR lineup
Kawasaki's U.S. site shows four 2027 KLR650 versions with ABS. The DF lands between the standard bike and the Adventure.
At $7,699, the DF costs $400 more than the 2027 KLR650 ABS or KLR650 S ABS ($7,299 each) and $500 less than the KLR650 Adventure ABS ($8,199). The standard and S models are also offered without ABS at $6,999. The DF page lists only the ABS version.
All of those are base prices. Kawasaki's fine print says they exclude destination and other charges, and that the dealer sets the actual retail price.
What the spec sheet lists as special features
The DF's "Special features" line on the U.S. spec sheet reads: all-digital multi-function instrumentation, adjustable windscreen, hand guards, frame sliders and a rear carrier.
Kawasaki's page doesn't break down which of those parts are new to the DF and which are shared with other KLRs, so compare the spec sheets of the models you're considering before you decide the $400 step is worth it. The windscreen is adjustable between two heights. Kawasaki lists the bike's overall height as 57.7 inches with the screen high and 56.3 inches with it low.
Engine and drivetrain
Kawasaki's U.S. specs for the DF:
- Engine: four-stroke, DOHC, liquid-cooled single
- Displacement: 652 cc, with a 100.0 x 83.0 mm bore and stroke and a 9.8:1 compression ratio
- Fuel system: Kawasaki DFI fuel injection with a 40 mm throttle body
- Output: 40 hp at 6,000 rpm and 39.1 lb-ft at 4,500 rpm
- Transmission: five-speed with a wet multi-disc clutch
- Final drive: sealed chain
Kawasaki notes that the horsepower figure was measured under ISO standard 4106, which it says can read higher than the SAE method used for many cars. Use it to compare Kawasakis with each other, not as a dyno number.
Chassis, brakes and fit
- Frame: tubular, semi-double cradle
- Front suspension: 41 mm telescopic fork with 7.9 inches of travel
- Rear suspension: Uni-Trak single shock with adjustable rebound damping and spring preload, 8.0 inches of travel
- Tires: 90/90-21 front and 130/80-17 rear
- Brakes: a single 300 mm (about 11.8-inch) front disc and a 240 mm (about 9.4-inch) rear disc, each with a two-piston caliper, and ABS front and rear
- Seat height: 34.3 inches
- Ground clearance: 8.3 inches
- Fuel capacity: 6.1 gallons
- Wheelbase: 60.6 inches, with 30 degrees of rake and 4.8 inches of trail
- Weight: 471.9 lb curb weight with a full tank, or an estimated 427.8 lb dry
Two of those numbers deserve a moment before you buy. The 34.3-inch seat is tall, so sit on one in your riding boots if you can. And close to 472 lb ready to ride is a lot of bike to pick up on a trail. The 6.1-gallon tank works in the other direction, since it means fewer fuel stops on long, remote rides.
Accessories Kawasaki lists for it
The DF page links to Kawasaki accessories with listed prices:
- LED auxiliary light set: $477.30
- 43-liter top case: $288.42, plus a $67.06 fitting kit
- DC power outlet: $114.51
Those are Kawasaki's online accessory prices, and installation costs extra if a dealer fits them.
What to ask a dealer
Kawasaki's site has quote and test-ride requests for the DF but no U.S. arrival date. A few things to check:
- When the first DF bikes are due, and whether the dealer is taking deposits
- The out-the-door price, including the $685 destination, setup and any dealer add-ons
- How the DF compares in person with the standard KLR650 ABS, so you can see exactly what the extra $400 buys
Insurance questions for a loaded dual-sport
If you plan to add the top case, lights and other gear, raise it with your insurer before you buy:
- Accessories: ask how much the policy covers for parts you add beyond factory equipment, and whether you need to list them.
- Off-road use: ask whether coverage applies when you're riding on dirt or forest roads.
- Valuation: ask how the company would value the bike after a total loss. The insurer sets that under the policy's terms, and it isn't automatically the out-the-door price you paid.
What we still don't know
- Arrival: when the KLR650 DF ABS reaches U.S. dealers
- Announcement date: Kawasaki's U.S. page isn't dated
- What's DF-specific: which listed features differ from the other 2027 KLR650 models
References
- Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.: 2027 KLR650 DF ABS model page and specs — 'New 2027 KLR650 DF ABS'; base MSRP $7,699, destination $685, sum $8,384; 652 cc DOHC liquid-cooled single, 100.0×83.0 mm, 9.8:1, DFI 40 mm; 40 hp @6,000 (ISO 4106 note), 39.1 lb-ft @4,500; 5-speed; sealed chain; ABS; 41 mm fork 7.9 in; Uni-Trak rebound/preload 8.0 in; 90/90-21, 130/80-17; 300 mm front / 240 mm rear discs, 2-piston calipers, ABS; semi-double cradle; 30.0 deg/4.8 in; length 89.8, width 38.2, height 57.7/56.3 in (windscreen hi/lo); clearance 8.3 in; seat 34.3 in; dry 427.8 lb; curb 471.9 lb; 6.1 gal; wheelbase 60.6 in; special features (digital instruments, adjustable windscreen, hand guards, frame sliders, rear carrier); Metallic Flat Raw Graystone; accessories (LED aux lights $477.30, 43 L top case $288.42, fitting kit $67.06, DC outlet $114.51); similar 2027 models (KLR650 and KLR650 S $6,999 non-ABS / $7,299 ABS, Adventure ABS $8,199).