low front fender/fork brace

[revmaaatin]

I started a post on Monday that started like this: I am not the "Worlds Fastest Indian" but I may be the worlds fastest rev on a KLR! Sunday, [which is day 13 of the Tattered Flag Tour] at approximately, 1430 MDST, level ground, I hit 115mph indicated, -- and that is into approximately a 20 mph crosswind. How about that! cough. END OF ORIGINAL POST THE REST of the STORY: Most likely a dirty speedo head, as the speed increased from 65-115 and the RPM's never changed. I still got bragging rights: 115 indicated! What a way to end a 13 day saga (at least a saga in my mind.) How did I get to that point? Glad you asked! I guess you would say, "What started as an addiction", and an ad at http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/MADS_KLR650/ led to another acquisition-tale, starting in Central SD to Dallas, TX via the bus to Central SD, out to the Back Hills and then finally home via the KLR." Why go so far for a KLR? Other than that is what cult followers do? Cough. Here is why: 1998 Kawasaki KLR650 A12 with 20,378 miles Automatic chain oiler (removed) New fork seals BMW style 12V outlet Cigarette style 12V outlet New drive chain and sprockets (still in the box; these are spare parts) Stainless steel socket head cap screws on all engine covers K & N air cleaner LED tail/brake light bulb New upgraded Galfer brake pads (front & rear) Speed bleeders Stainless steel braided brake lines (front & rear) New right side radiator shroud and decal (extra parts; not installed) New Renthal handlebars New Moose hand guards Upgraded sub-frame bolts Engine guard Rear brake master cylinder guard Center stand Swing-arm & suspension links recently disassembled, cleaned and greased New Progressive rear shock (includes stock rear shock that is in good condition) FMF exhaust pipe (includes stock pipe that is in good condition) Race Tech Emulators in front forks Dunlop 606 tires (very good condition) Battery tender plug (wired) EZ adjust air screw (new; not installed) Magnetic drain plug New fork boots IMS Pro series foot pegs Mobil1 synthetic oil 10w40 Fork brace Upgraded Counter balancer adjuster lever & spring (do-hickey) Kawasaki expandable tank bag Givi top case and mounting rack Side racks with soft bags Stock and tall windshield New Corbin dished seat (also stock seat in good condition) Radiator guard Repair manuals I made the purchase in Mid- March and then watched the wx. 1 May seemed to be the right time. The Saga was 25+ hours/~1250 miles of "Greyhound" window-time to pick up a nicely farkled, new-to-me 98KLR650 13 days-2 phases; 1) the ride home after acquisition, and then 2) the SD Black Hills phase ~2322 KLR smiles; Rode in 6 states: TX, OK, AR, MO, IA, SD 4 days of 40+mph wind Gust to 50--I felt like a tattered old flag! 5 of those 13 days I never rode the KLR at all; and only 55 miles one day, and 156 miles another! 4+ near misses with deer (it was usually more than one each occurrence) 1 wheel contact with a snake 1 near wheel contact with a HUGE snake on a dirt road Numerous near-contacts with opossum and possum on the half shell in OK, AR and MO It was miles of smiles on roads marked CAUTION: Steep and Curvy roads Next XX miles. The KLR just ate it up It started with: Day 1: 29 April 08 25 hours (scheduled) on 'Greyhound' starting at 1100 on the 29 April through 6 states; route: by bus, through SD, IA MO OK to the destination of TX(new to me 98KLR650) Day 2: 30 April 08 arrive Dallas TX at 1245 (45 minutes late). Picked up at bus station by KLR owner--dump gear, load the bike. then depart by KLR from Dallas TX @ 1630 on 30 April for my first real KLR solo cross-country that will take me through OK AR MO IA SD Sidebar note: Is it adventure or is it adversity? Try going to get a new to me bike; wearing new-to-me, untested 'waterproof' clothing. (It works correctly) after said, 25 hour bus ride. Did I mention all the interesting people on a 1250 mile bus trip? They will even sell a ticket to a rev.... Arrive in a OK state campground that has recently seen a flood...sigh. Find one with the least amount of flotsam and assorted 'dead-things'. Set up camp (first time solo for this as well), sponge bath. Off load everything packed earlier--with the aid of a head mounted LED flash light--and repack what I think is a logical order. and off to sleep quickly. ~2am, the wind starts, and I begin to think, "Wizard of OZ" and I am Dorothy about to go for a ride! I am so tired, to tired to even think escape--and drift back to sleep. Day 3 1 May 08 Awake at ~0715; the tent is shaking like a national geographic special adventure film. I get dressed, walk out of the tent, and discover, it is me that is keeping the tent in place as it now becomes a 'tumble weed' across the campground! Capture the tent, stuff it in the bag and load the bike. Did you know, " You should never open a map in a 40 mph wind?" Maybe a little to much adventure. smile. Unpack everything, repack it again. Got it right this time. It usually takes 3 attempts to figure it out at least for me. Hit the starter at 0835, hit the kill swith at 0205 after 300 miles in the dark must out run (no kidding) killer storms in SW Missouri It is the beginning of constant 40mph winds for 4 straight days. Headwinds or crosswinds of course! DAY 4: 2 May 24 hour layover in MO for more storms. Did I mention, the wind? I have arrived some 60-90 minutes ahead of the big storms. Day 5: Then, start for home at 0700 more 40mph winds will it ever let up! My 73 y/0 dad who is absolutely fearless, suggests that I should stay another day . Is it ground hog day? I have to learn one lesson, again. Did you know, " You should never open a map in a 40 mph wind?" Someplace called Pattonville, I shreg a map in the wind. sigh. I press Northward. It is 2030, and its 5 more hours home. I surrender. RON in Sioux City Iowa with a cousin who has been home from Afganistan for only 3 days after 1 year in country. Day 6: 4 May 08 Up at 0630 and visit with my family. Push off the next morning by 1000 into another day of headwinds. The loose items on my textile jacket is about to beat me to death. While traveling, I t ry to visit other Methodist churches. So, at 1100, I am near Vermillion, and so I stop. I suppose I was the most oddly dressed person in church in Vermillion, SD at least I was armored and at the end, there was a taco lunch fund raiser for a family whose home was destroyed. The Methodist love to gather around food and generally, help others in distress. Deaprting Vermillion, I follow the bluff roads that parallel the LEWIS and CLARK trails-- and home, finally, by 1705. It really is the `tattered flag ride'. Most of the ride has been in 100+ relative wind, sometimes as much as 120mph. 75 forward speed, plus the headwinds. My arms and back ache from hanging on. Smile. It is a good kind of ache. The kind that only sweet dreams and ALIEVE will cure. Day 7: I make a hospital parish call and ride 55 miles. Something is tapping me on the leg/foot. Has been for several miles. Hmmm. I look for a strap is the D606 throwing stones at me? Need to think about this some more. Day 8: Prep for the Black Hills phase: It is time to pack for the 2- day 'teck' day thrown in at Jeff Saline's, sort parts and pieces and look at the chain. OMG. Look at the chain. In the last few miles, it has shredded the rollers. Easily 60-70% are completely missing. Sigh. I start the chainectomy, grateful I have the need parts on hand. AJ arrives around 8pm and we have supper. Again, it started with 25+ hours/~1250 miles of "Greyhound" window-time to pick up a nicely farkled, new-to-me 98KLR650 13 days-2 phases; 1) the ride home after acquisition was 1543 smiles and now to `finish' the ride 2) with the the SD Black Hills phase It will be some ~2322 KLR smiles when it is over. The Black Hills Phase hosted at Jeff Saline's house. This portion had been in the planning for a couple of months and as our dear friend `Watson' rightly suggested May is the wettest month of the year for the Black Hills. Shrug. Sometimes you have to go when you can. After getting back to SD from TX ending the phase one, "tattered flag ride"---I began the Black Hills "raining phase" by acquiring/joining up with riding partner AJ Clifford aka REAPS on Tuesday evening, 6 May. He had left Aberdeen, SD ~6pm and headed to my house in central SD. He got wet enroute. Shrug. It was dry in my garage as I discovered I was going to have to do a chain/sprocket-ectomy before I went anywhere. My chain had lost significant numbers of rollers. Thankfully, I had all the parts I needed to keep going. Day 9: Wednesday, we were up early, on the road by 0655 w/ sub 40F temps to have breakfast with the cowboys some 30 miles away. They offered in total agreement that we were nutz. They bought the breakfast, so they were allowed an opinion. Leaving breakfast, the temp warmed up, and headed Westerly Southerly for the Pine Ridge Reservation to see his grandfather. I shed my electric vest as we headed West to Pierre, SD, crossed the Missouri under bright clear skies as we turned south to the Bad River Road that takes you deep into the heart of the Ted Turner ranches. The breakfast cowboys correctly suggested that the roads I had ultimately selected--shown as `non-maintained' might be a little dicey. They were. Especially on heavily burdened `pigs'. Smile. I love my pig don't you! If we had attempted the day before, they would have been impassible. As it was, it was only 10% impassible or a great location to take a dirt nap as Reaps later discovered. I also attempted a dirt nap but was successful at failing to reach the horizontal position at least for the moment. So began the Black Hills phase as we experienced some stuff together--better than the last time we rode together two years ago when he 'left' me in the hospital for 14 days and 14 weeks out of work-- A short summary: This time we both took: 1 dirt nap; one for me and one for REAPS. He liked the 'secret' muddy place so well; he dropped the bike a 2d time for practice. Shrug. Me, I let a U-turn on the gravel road BA#2 South of Hermossa, SD spit me out on the inside of the turn. No foul, just a funny dismount with raised arms in victory afterward. 1 really wrong turn--caught in

[Jeff Saline]

On Thu, 15 May 2008 17:30:37 -0000 "revmaaatin" writes:

> I started a post on Monday that

SNIP

> > THE REST of the STORY:

SNIP

> All is good. > > Thanks for letting me share my ride report. > > revmaaatin. > (1998 KLR w/ 22,7xx miles)

<><><><><><><><><><><><><> <><><><><><><><><><><><><> Martin, But wait! There's more! You forgot you added a kicker foot to your centerstand. : ) Oh, and large washers on the bottom of both side stands. : ) And what about trying to replace the K&N filter with the No Toil filter. Don't forget to order the basket. Nice report. Thanks for sharing it. It was great having you and AJ out here. Now go enjoy a dozen days in Hawaii. Best, Jeff

[fasteddiecopeman]

BEFORE you mount a new lower fender, check your steering head bearings for TOO LOOSE. Ed

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "prackley" wrote: > > I have an '05 that I've been using on the highway quite a bit and the > cross winds kill me so I'm thinking of trying a lower mounting front > fender or a fork brace or both. What's then general opinion on what > would work best ofr more control on the highway during windy days? > Peter > A19 >