klr650: headlight aim

[rockiedog2]

What brake pads for a 12,000 mile road trip? I'm not so interested in the absolute best stopping power as long life but of course would be nice if there was a type that did both. Tried to do a search on the list but the retarded search thing was busy every time... Also does anybody know about the sprockets sold by klr650.com? Are they as long life as others? Thanks Joe

[West Hovland]

After trying many varieties, my next set will be stock Kawasaki pads. Decent stopping power, easy on the rotor and will last 10-15k. West [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Jeff Saline]

On Mon, 21 Jan 2008 01:53:56 -0000 "rockiedog2" writes:

> What brake pads for a 12,000 mile road trip? I'm not so interested in > > the absolute best stopping power as long life but of course would be > > nice if there was a type that did both. Tried to do a search on the > > list but the retarded search thing was busy every time... > Also does anybody know about the sprockets sold by klr650.com? Are > they > as long life as others? > Thanks Joe

<><><><><><><> <><><><><><><> Joe, I don't know about the sprockets sold by klr650.com but I know I only put JT Sprockets on my KLR except for the 14 tooth which is by sun something I think. The JT Sprockets are well made, last a long time with minimal care and cost a reasonable amount. I'm pretty sure Fred at www.arrowheadmotorsports.com sells them. I like the 45 or 46 tooth rear with a 14 tooth front for dirt work. For long pavement trips I'll change the front to a 16 tooth with brings the ratio very close to the stock gearing. I'm with West about the brake pads. I've heard guys on the list talking about wearing out a set of pads in 5,000 miles. I don't know how they ride but I've got over 23,000 miles on my stock pads with probably another 20,000 to go before I need to replace them. I don't run the straights fast and then grab a handful of brake for the curves. Maybe that's the difference in riding styles and pad life. My brakes are used on pavement and dirt, full touring loads and running darn near empty. I've chirped the front tire with only two fingers, on pavement, with a full touring load. Smooth is fast. I'd rather ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow. Best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT

[Blake Sobiloff]

On Jan 20, 2008, at 5:53 PM, rockiedog2 wrote:

> What brake pads for a 12,000 mile road trip?

I don't know the details of your road trip, but I'm guessing that a lot of those miles will be covered on the highway. If so, you'll get much more life out of your brake pads than the "normal" riding you do on the streets or in heavy commuting traffic. Just a thought... Oh, and I've always used JT sprockets on all my bikes. They seem to be made quite well and they last a long time, too. -- Blake Sobiloff http://www.sobiloff.com/> San Jose, CA (USA)

[E.L. Green]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "rockiedog2" wrote:

> What brake pads for a 12,000 mile road trip? I'm not so interested in > the absolute best stopping power as long life but of course would be

EBC sintered metallic are the thickest and likely the longest-lived. They don't stop quite as well as some of the HH-type pads but that isn't what you were asking for.

> Also does anybody know about the sprockets sold by klr650.com?

Nope. Get JT sprockets from Arrowhead. They're made of high-grade steel, unlike whatever Chinese crud you may buy from the bottom feeders, which is made out of the softest steel known to man (note, not saying klr650.com is a bottom feeder, I don't know them so cannot say that -- or not).

[Luke in Brooklyn]

The EBC sintered pads last forever. Take into consideration what your rotors are already like when people tell you their mileages--my rotors look like crap, whether from riding in sandy mud all the time or having used sintered pads, I can't say. A bit of chicken and egg. But I get less than 2k out of a set of Galfer greens that other people seem to get 5k+ out of. I ran a set of EBC's fully loaded in Mexico for 11k and they're still on the bike with tons of life. For a while they developed this HORRID squealing that no amount of sanding or remounting would solve, but then it went away a few thousand later. I'd also suggest getting TWO sets of whatever pads you choose and ziptying the extras somewhere on the bike, just in case. You're unlikely to notice the weight, and if you don't use them now, you'll use them later. Luke rockiedog2 wrote: What brake pads for a 12,000 mile road trip? I'm not so interested in the absolute best stopping power as long life but of course would be nice if there was a type that did both. Tried to do a search on the list but the retarded search thing was busy every time... Also does anybody know about the sprockets sold by klr650.com? Are they as long life as others? Thanks Joe List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html Member Map at: http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650 Yahoo! Groups Links Brooklyn NY 92 CB750 nighthawk--naked simpleton 03 KLR650--fat girl with a dirty mind --------------------------------- Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[rockiedog2]

Folks Thanks for the replies on pads and sprockets. Now for the next question. My stock chain and sprockets have 8000 mostly paved road miles on them. They have been lubed with anything from wd40 to bar and chain oil to nothing at all for hundreds of miles...should I start out on a 12000 mile mostly paved road trip with the current setup or go to new ones before leaving? plan to go thru Moab about 10000 miles into the trip and could change out there at Fred's if necessary. Thanks in advance Joe

[Jeff Saline]

On Thu, 24 Jan 2008 02:34:46 -0000 "rockiedog2" writes:

> Folks > Thanks for the replies on pads and sprockets. Now for the next > question. My stock chain and sprockets have 8000 mostly paved road > miles on them. They have been lubed with anything from wd40 to bar > and > chain oil to nothing at all for hundreds of miles...should I start > out > on a 12000 mile mostly paved road trip with the current setup or go > to > new ones before leaving? plan to go thru Moab about 10000 miles into > > the trip and could change out there at Fred's if necessary. > Thanks in advance > > Joe

<><><><><><><> <><><><><><><> Joe, My suggestion is you change out ahead of time and save the chain and sprockets you have to reinstall when you need them and don't have such a long trip in the works. My reasoning is this... - I think putting 10,000 more miles, for a total of 18,000 miles, on a stock chain might be pushing the limit. It would be more than I'm comfortable with if I was spending the time and energy to complete a 12,000 mile trip. - To remove the stock chain you either cut it or pull the swing arm. This is easier to do at home with shop tools and no time constraints versus on the road with few tools or potential good places to work. - If you install a chain with a riveted link you'll have to pull the swing arm to install it or know how to rivet the link and also have the tools available. Again easier to do in the shop than on the road. - While you have the swing arm removed for the chain swap you could lube the rear suspension bearings improving performance and component life. You'll also be familiar with how the rear suspension is set up in case you need to get into it while on the road. - Doing the work before hand will familiarize you with the tools and supplies needed for this type of maintenance/repair and you can decided what tools you'll want to include on the trip. On a ride like you're planning I'd also consider it a good choice putting new tires and tubes on before I departed. That way I'd know I probably wouldn't have to mess with tires except once on the trip unless I had a flat, etc. If you install the tires yourself using just the tools you'll be carrying you'll quickly find out if you have enough/correct tools to get the job done. Don't forget an air pump of some sort. : ) It's good you're thinking ahead on this. I'll be looking forward to reading some kind of trip report. Best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT

[Luke in Brooklyn]

Joe, Replace everything "expendable" on the bike that you possibly can afford to, and put the take-offs in a box in the garage. It's not a waste of money, it's just postponing when that money gets spent. You put on a new chain and sprockets now, run it the length of the trip and then to death, then you can swap on the chain and sprockets you took off and finish their life. Same for brakes. Additionally, most (not all) of us have found the stock chain/sprockets to be crap. Mine were toast at 8k, though I was the second owner so I can't vouch for how they lived prior to me. My bike lives its life alternating between sandy mud and freeway with no cleaning in between. I think it's a rough life, and I have had good luck with the RK chains o-ring models. Some folks use the cheapo chains, and some folks I believe even buy non-moto chains from some industrial place? I also recommend riveting, but the whole rivet/clip thing is second only to the oil and chain lube discussion, so do your searching and follow your own bliss. Luke rockiedog2 wrote: Folks Thanks for the replies on pads and sprockets. Now for the next question. My stock chain and sprockets have 8000 mostly paved road miles on them. They have been lubed with anything from wd40 to bar and chain oil to nothing at all for hundreds of miles...should I start out on a 12000 mile mostly paved road trip with the current setup or go to new ones before leaving? plan to go thru Moab about 10000 miles into the trip and could change out there at Fred's if necessary. Thanks in advance Joe List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html Member Map at: http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650 Yahoo! Groups Links Brooklyn NY 92 CB750 nighthawk--naked simpleton 03 KLR650--fat girl with a dirty mind --------------------------------- Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[fasteddiecopeman]

Joe, My ORIGINAL '04 chain has 41,700 kms (26,000 miles) on it. It's been adjusted 2 or 3 times, kept well-lubed but ONLY with WD-40 during the last 20,000 kms, and I replaced the front "drive" sprocket about 10,000 kms ago. As long as you use WD-40 EVERY evening on your ride, AND your chain has NO tight or kinked spots, IMHO you should be OK. Ed