tires again

[Terry Taylor]

I am a very happy owner of an '03 klr 650. My buddy decided to take the plunge into dual sporting & recently purchased an '08 KLR 650. My initail thoughts were... wow! It is so refined.Definately smoother,very comfortable,great brakes. The sad truth ,however,is that it now sports a streetbike fairing.A streetbike fairing that is not able to withstand MINOR tipovers without getting knocked out of whack. The radiator is as big of a weakness as before.Why don't these bikes come with at least a remnant of protection from the factory?? In my opinion the old style KLR's were a pretty fair balance of 50/50 on/off road that can be tilted either way through aftermarket to suit the riders personal preferance. I don't see it in the '08's. They are more like 70/30 on /off road at best with really no way to tilt towards the off road,especially with a big,gaudy street fairing on it that breaks & bends.Not to mention the excessive use of motor oil.This bike was broken exactly to the mfg. reccommendations and I can testify that the the '08's have a problem with using oil. Rider magazine mentions this as well in their last issue about how it used more than a quart on a weekend trip. This appears to be the norm.I can't argue with the fact that the KLR was due for a makeover after 20 years of basically the same bike but why lose basically ALL of the dirt worthiness?? I keep hearing the saying "if it aint broke don't fix it".The good news for the people that own the "old" style is that the demand for these bikes will probably go up as more & more 08's hit the streets. --------------------------------- Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Jim Douglas]

Terry Taylor wrote:

> > I am a very happy owner of an '03 klr 650. My buddy decided to take > the plunge into dual sporting & recently purchased an '08 KLR 650. My > initail thoughts were... wow! It is so refined.Definately > smoother,very comfortable,great brakes. The sad truth ,however,is that > it now sports a streetbike fairing.A streetbike fairing that is not > able to withstand MINOR tipovers without getting knocked out of whack. > The radiator is as big of a weakness as before.Why don't these bikes > come with at least a remnant of protection from the factory?? In my > opinion the old style KLR's were a pretty fair balance of 50/50 on/off > road that can be tilted either way through aftermarket to suit the > riders personal preferance. I don't see it in the '08's. They are more > like 70/30 on /off road at best with really no way to tilt towards the > off road,especially with a big,gaudy street fairing on it that breaks > & bends.Not to mention the excessive use of motor oil.This bike was > broken exactly to the mfg. > reccommendations and I can testify that the the '08's have a problem > with using oil. Rider magazine mentions this as well in their last > issue about how it used more than a quart on a weekend trip. This > appears to be the norm.I can't argue with the fact that the KLR was > due for a makeover after 20 years of basically the same bike but why > lose basically ALL of the dirt worthiness?? I keep hearing the saying > "if it aint broke don't fix it".The good news for the people that own > the "old" style is that the demand for these bikes will probably go up > as more & more 08's hit the streets. > > --------------------------------- > Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > >

Not a problem with my 08 with oil, yet! If the 08 is so bad sell it and get an older model, but after have two other ones the 08 seems to be the best for me, and I am 70/30 type

[Russell Scott]

Everything gets exaggerated and blown out of proportion on the internet, good or bad, but mainly bad. R -----Original Message----- From: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com [mailto:DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of Jim Douglas Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 5:23 PM To: Terry Taylor Cc: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] '08 klr 650......Has Kawasaki gone the wrong direction??? Terry Taylor wrote:

> > I am a very happy owner of an '03 klr 650. My buddy decided to take > the plunge into dual sporting & recently purchased an '08 KLR 650. My > initail thoughts were... wow! It is so refined.Definately > smoother,very comfortable,great brakes. The sad truth ,however,is that > it now sports a streetbike fairing.A streetbike fairing that is not > able to withstand MINOR tipovers without getting knocked out of whack. > The radiator is as big of a weakness as before.Why don't these bikes > come with at least a remnant of protection from the factory?? In my > opinion the old style KLR's were a pretty fair balance of 50/50 on/off > road that can be tilted either way through aftermarket to suit the > riders personal preferance. I don't see it in the '08's. They are more > like 70/30 on /off road at best with really no way to tilt towards the > off road,especially with a big,gaudy street fairing on it that breaks > & bends.Not to mention the excessive use of motor oil.This bike was > broken exactly to the mfg. > reccommendations and I can testify that the the '08's have a problem > with using oil. Rider magazine mentions this as well in their last > issue about how it used more than a quart on a weekend trip. This > appears to be the norm.I can't argue with the fact that the KLR was > due for a makeover after 20 years of basically the same bike but why > lose basically ALL of the dirt worthiness?? I keep hearing the saying > "if it aint broke don't fix it".The good news for the people that own > the "old" style is that the demand for these bikes will probably go up > as more & more 08's hit the streets. > > --------------------------------- > Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo!

Search.

> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > >

Not a problem with my 08 with oil, yet! If the 08 is so bad sell it and get an older model, but after have two other ones the 08 seems to be the best for me, and I am 70/30 type [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Andrus Chesley]

-

> Not a problem with my 08 with oil, yet! If the 08 is so bad sell it and > get an older > model, but after have two other ones the 08 seems to be the best for

me,

> and I am > 70/30 type

Just to share what BMW mechanics told me when I bought my first Beemer in '95. Load it up but keep the rpm in check. Need the pressure of good acceleration to get the rings to seat. Seems if you broke in the R11s by BMWs write up, they would use oil. If you run them kinda sporty in the break in then they didn't. This is on the overall average and doesn't count for that 10%. My 3 Beemers never used oil on the highway. But always did when engine braking in the mountains for a good while. Not a lot, maybe a cup in 3000 miles. Just something to ponder. Andy Chesley > Offshore Louisiana > Hopefully back on the beach today.

[kent nelson]

no oil problem w my 08 do dirt get a dirt bike dont drop a bike u cant handle? Terry Taylor wrote: I am a very happy owner of an '03 klr 650. My buddy decided to take the plunge into dual sporting & recently purchased an '08 KLR 650. My initail thoughts were... wow! It is so refined.Definately smoother,very comfortable,great brakes. The sad truth ,however,is that it now sports a streetbike fairing.A streetbike fairing that is not able to withstand MINOR tipovers without getting knocked out of whack. The radiator is as big of a weakness as before.Why don't these bikes come with at least a remnant of protection from the factory?? In my opinion the old style KLR's were a pretty fair balance of 50/50 on/off road that can be tilted either way through aftermarket to suit the riders personal preferance. I don't see it in the '08's. They are more like 70/30 on /off road at best with really no way to tilt towards the off road,especially with a big,gaudy street fairing on it that breaks & bends.Not to mention the excessive use of motor oil.This bike was broken exactly to the mfg. reccommendations and I can testify that the the '08's have a problem with using oil. Rider magazine mentions this as well in their last issue about how it used more than a quart on a weekend trip. This appears to be the norm.I can't argue with the fact that the KLR was due for a makeover after 20 years of basically the same bike but why lose basically ALL of the dirt worthiness?? I keep hearing the saying "if it aint broke don't fix it".The good news for the people that own the "old" style is that the demand for these bikes will probably go up as more & more 08's hit the streets. --------------------------------- Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] --------------------------------- Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Horton Oliphant]

no oil problem w my 08---- I'm glad you aren't having any problems, others are. do dirt get a dirt bike---- The KLR is advertised as a dual sport, dirt and road. dont drop a bike u cant handle?---- Handling a bike doesn't factor in many times. Flat tire, other riders, ice and many other things. Alan Henderson A13 Iowa who has knocked his bike over in the driveway. kent nelson wrote:

> no oil problem w my 08 do dirt get a dirt bike dont drop a bike u > cant handle? >

[Michael Nelson]

On Mon, Mar 03, 2008 at 09:42:22PM -0600, Horton Oliphant wrote:

> dont drop a bike u cant handle?---- Handling a bike doesn't factor in > many times. Flat tire, other riders, ice and many other things. > > Alan Henderson A13 Iowa who has knocked his bike over in the > driveway.

Getting sideways on a steep dirt hill and not being able to get the downhill foot down did it for me. Michael -- "It ain't those parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand." -- Mark Twain San Francisco, CA

[When you are worthy]

what size is that back tire? is it a 130/80/17?