The big KLR defines the term “dual-sport”, it lives for dirt roads like this one outside Boone, NC but is equally at home on the interstate. (Photo: Mark Mitchell) » More Photos

The 2008 KLR650 features a host of updates aimed at making it a more competent and tour-ready dual-purpose bike and the Blue Ridge Parkway is a perfect setting to put those upgrades to the test. On the touring side my first impression is a big thumbs up. In addition to the aforementioned ability to cruise comfortably at 80 mph without breaking a sweat the rear luggage rack has been redesigned to provide some serious carrying capacity, the new unit is a full 3.5 in. longer and 5.1 in. wider than the old rack and provides a solid platform for carrying a variety of gear. For this trip I strapped on the custom designed Tail Trunk available from the Kawasaki Accessories division and loaded it with a few key items like a camera, a fleece vest just in case the temp dropped as I hit the 6000+ foot elevations later in the day and the requisite helmet hair covering baseball hat and still had plenty of room left over. The tail section has been completely redesigned to be narrower and make it easier to strap on a set of saddlebags (also available from Kawasaki Accessories) for those longer treks when more storage is needed. Watch for more on those next month when I head off for a long weekend of camping, history and adventure riding on the deserted beaches of the Outer Banks.

The Blue Ridge Parkwayis a 469 mile scenic highway that runs from Northern Virginia to Western North Carolina and contains some of the most scenic and enticing stretches of tarmac you can find anywhere (see sidebar for details). I hopped on a mile marker 228 and headed South. The sign said Asheville 158 miles and since it was just shy of 8am I figured that sounded like a worthy goal for lunch. Little did I know that the multiple charms of the Blue Ridge Parkway and the surrounding area roads would quickly conspire to make that impossible.