street only tires

[Michael]

Hi, Just saw a couple pics of the 09, and as an owner of the 08 I am glad I bought it. The 09 is seems, I don't know, ugly? is it just the colors they changed or did the change the entire front faring? Michael

[Ed Dobson]

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

> > Hi, > > Just saw a couple pics of the 09, and as an owner of the 08 I am glad > I bought it. The 09 is seems, I don't know, ugly? is it just the > colors they changed or did the change the entire front faring? > > Michael >

At the US site, under engine detail & features: "- New piston ring design helps prevent oil consumption" ED

[D Critchley]

I noticed that Green is no longer an option. Rumour has it that green was the one that got all the speeding tickets while travelling from one swooning maiden to the next. Too bad. In fact three dealers in places 1000 miles apart,(St Johns, Nfld, Brandon, Manitoba, and Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta), all told me that the green ones just did not stay on the floor and that they could not get enough of them. DC Ed Dobson wrote:

> > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com > , "Michael" wrote: > > > > Hi, > > > > Just saw a couple pics of the 09, and as an owner of the 08 I am glad > > I bought it. The 09 is seems, I don't know, ugly? is it just the > > colors they changed or did the change the entire front faring? > > > > Michael > > > > At the US site, under engine detail & features: > > "- New piston ring design helps prevent oil consumption" > > ED > >

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

[boulder_adv_rider]

"helps prevent oil consumption"??? how about eliminates? seems Kaw is slipping here. i have 10 and 15 year old engines that don't consume oil. I have a 1990 Suzuki race bike that doesn't burn a drop and that runs 165 mph and bounces off of 12,000 rpm! somehow when my dealer rebuilt my top end I think I got one of these shit ring setups. mine 2005 never burned anything and now it does. until the smoke clears and dust settles, I'm not touching a new KLR. i've heard enough stories from people with the problem (we'll save the blown oil-less engine stories) to keep my money in my pocket. most of the new 2008 riders are beating the hell out of their KLRs so I'm not sure what I might do to one of them. looking at the 2009, it looks nice but moving more toward a toy than the workhorse we've come to love...and hate. still i look at all the shiny plastic and sparkling tank and it has scratch and snap me written all over it. not that i'm opposed to breaking things, but the ABS sure keeps you out of the body work business and spending a fortune. the race bike farings are over $1,000 each. i can see Kaw is slowly introducing a new profit (rip-off) model.

[smthng else]

On Sat, Sep 20, 2008 at 5:13 PM, boulder_adv_rider wrote: >i've heard enough stories

> from people with the problem (we'll save the blown oil-less engine > stories) to keep my money in my pocket. most of the new 2008 riders > are beating the hell out of their KLRs so I'm not sure what I might do > to one of them. > look at all the shiny plastic and sparkling tank and it has scratch and > snap me written all over it.

I'm one of the new '08 riders, and I pretty much beat the snot out of mine. It hasn't burned a lick of oil since the day I got it and it's been happily chuffing along for 5000 so far. It's been off-road a couple of times... one particular trail was WAY more than I could handle and I ended up dropping the thing in rocks about 7 times... both sides. The Happy Trail nerf bars and the bash plate are the only protection it has, and apparently almost all that it needs. My scratches are all on the rear dirt-bike plastic... none on tank or new fairings. I should have gotten some rear guards or smthng, but I really didn't expect to be tossing it down a boulder strewn mountain trail when I got it. Ah well, live and learn. Anyway, point is, the newer KLR's aren't horrible. They are what they are. Treat them well, use some common sense and there's no reason it shouldn't hold up just as well as the previous ones (funny part is that my friend's '07 has the same amount of miles and it burns about a quart every 1000 miles or so). --Jonathan "smthng" Kalmes Springfield, VA 2005 Yamaha FJR1300ABS - "Blue Bayou" 2006 Jeep Unlimited Rubicon - "Teflon" 2008 Kawasaki KLR 650 - It's here, but it hasn't earned a name yet. http://smthng.info "Shake well... some settling is natural."

[Ed Dobson]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "smthng else" wrote:

> > On Sat, Sep 20, 2008 at 5:13 PM, boulder_adv_rider > wrote: > >i've heard enough stories > > from people with the problem (we'll save the blown oil-less engine > > stories) to keep my money in my pocket. most of the new 2008 riders > > are beating the hell out of their KLRs so I'm not sure what I might do > > to one of them. > > look at all the shiny plastic and sparkling tank and it has

scratch and

> > snap me written all over it. > > I'm one of the new '08 riders, and I pretty much beat the snot out of > mine. It hasn't burned a lick of oil since the day I got it and > it's been happily chuffing along for 5000 so far. > > It's been off-road a couple of times... one particular trail was WAY > more than I could handle and I ended up dropping the thing in rocks > about 7 times... both sides. The Happy Trail nerf bars and the bash > plate are the only protection it has, and apparently almost all that > it needs. My scratches are all on the rear dirt-bike plastic... none > on tank or new fairings. I should have gotten some rear guards or > smthng, but I really didn't expect to be tossing it down a boulder > strewn mountain trail when I got it. Ah well, live and learn. > > Anyway, point is, the newer KLR's aren't horrible. They are what they > are. Treat them well, use some common sense and there's no reason it > shouldn't hold up just as well as the previous ones (funny part is > that my friend's '07 has the same amount of miles and it burns about a > quart every 1000 miles or so). > > --Jonathan "smthng" Kalmes > Springfield, VA > 2005 Yamaha FJR1300ABS - "Blue Bayou" > 2006 Jeep Unlimited Rubicon - "Teflon" > 2008 Kawasaki KLR 650 - It's here, but it hasn't earned a name yet. > http://smthng.info > > "Shake well... some settling is natural."

The original 2008 STD piston ring set (13008-0029) was superseded by a new STD piston ring set (13008-0033) sometime during the model year; the Kawasaki parts list doesn't show the date. However, I bet Kawasaki has issued some sort of "technical service bulletin (TSB)" on the oil usage problem and new ring set. It's possible that the new ring set may have been implemented in production during the model year, which may be the reason some 2008's exhibit reduced oil consumption. If that was the case, the "TSB" may list the production Frame and, or Engine Serial Number's for reference; the trick would be to try to obtain that document and get it up on the web for the benefit of current and future owner's of 2008's. Although the parts list isn't up yet for the 2009 KLR650, the "where used" information for the new ring set in 2008 parts catalog says its used for the 2009 model also. Supplier Information [ Close ] [Help] Part Number 13008-0033 [Where used?] [View Supersession] Description: RING-SET-PISTON Package Quantity: 1 Item Status Code: Active Where Used Model (2): KL650E8F (KLR650) (2008) KL650E9F (KLR650) (2009) ED

[Jim Douglas]

Ed Dobson wrote:

> > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com > , "smthng else" wrote: > > > > On Sat, Sep 20, 2008 at 5:13 PM, boulder_adv_rider > > wrote: > > >i've heard enough stories > > > from people with the problem (we'll save the blown oil-less engine > > > stories) to keep my money in my pocket. most of the new 2008 riders > > > are beating the hell out of their KLRs so I'm not sure what I might do > > > to one of them. > > > look at all the shiny plastic and sparkling tank and it has > scratch and > > > snap me written all over it. > > > > I'm one of the new '08 riders, and I pretty much beat the snot out of > > mine. It hasn't burned a lick of oil since the day I got it and > > it's been happily chuffing along for 5000 so far. > > > > It's been off-road a couple of times... one particular trail was WAY > > more than I could handle and I ended up dropping the thing in rocks > > about 7 times... both sides. The Happy Trail nerf bars and the bash > > plate are the only protection it has, and apparently almost all that > > it needs. My scratches are all on the rear dirt-bike plastic... none > > on tank or new fairings. I should have gotten some rear guards or > > smthng, but I really didn't expect to be tossing it down a boulder > > strewn mountain trail when I got it. Ah well, live and learn. > > > > Anyway, point is, the newer KLR's aren't horrible. They are what they > > are. Treat them well, use some common sense and there's no reason it > > shouldn't hold up just as well as the previous ones (funny part is > > that my friend's '07 has the same amount of miles and it burns about a > > quart every 1000 miles or so). > > > > --Jonathan "smthng" Kalmes > > Springfield, VA > > 2005 Yamaha FJR1300ABS - "Blue Bayou" > > 2006 Jeep Unlimited Rubicon - "Teflon" > > 2008 Kawasaki KLR 650 - It's here, but it hasn't earned a name yet. > > http://smthng.info http://smthng.info> > > > > "Shake well... some settling is natural." > > The original 2008 STD piston ring set (13008-0029) was superseded by a > new STD piston ring set (13008-0033) sometime during the model year; > the Kawasaki parts list doesn't show the date. However, I bet Kawasaki > has issued some sort of "technical service bulletin (TSB)" on the oil > usage problem and new ring set. It's possible that the new ring set > may have been implemented in production during the model year, which > may be the reason some 2008's exhibit reduced oil consumption. If that > was the case, the "TSB" may list the production Frame and, or Engine > Serial Number's for reference; the trick would be to try to obtain > that document and get it up on the web for the benefit of current and > future owner's of 2008's. Although the parts list isn't up yet for the > 2009 KLR650, the "where used" information for the new ring set in 2008 > parts catalog says its used for the 2009 model also. > > Supplier Information [ Close ] [Help] > Part Number 13008-0033 [Where used?] [View Supersession] > Description: RING-SET-PISTON > Package Quantity: 1 > Item Status Code: Active > > Where Used > Model (2): > KL650E8F (KLR650) (2008) > KL650E9F (KLR650) (2009) > > ED > >

Could be, but in theory, I have one of the first 08 KLR delievered, at least in TX, and it does ot burn oil, maybe something changed later in production. Or it has something to do with the break-on? Who knows? Just glad that mine does not suck oil as bad as some of them!

[Ed Dobson]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Jim Douglas wrote:

> > Ed Dobson wrote: > > > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com > > , "smthng else" wrote: > > > > > > On Sat, Sep 20, 2008 at 5:13 PM, boulder_adv_rider > > > wrote: > > > >i've heard enough stories > > > > from people with the problem (we'll save the blown oil-less engine > > > > stories) to keep my money in my pocket. most of the new 2008

riders

> > > > are beating the hell out of their KLRs so I'm not sure what I

might do

> > > > to one of them. > > > > look at all the shiny plastic and sparkling tank and it has > > scratch and > > > > snap me written all over it. > > > > > > I'm one of the new '08 riders, and I pretty much beat the snot

out of

> > > mine. It hasn't burned a lick of oil since the day I got it and > > > it's been happily chuffing along for 5000 so far. > > > > > > It's been off-road a couple of times... one particular trail was WAY > > > more than I could handle and I ended up dropping the thing in rocks > > > about 7 times... both sides. The Happy Trail nerf bars and the bash > > > plate are the only protection it has, and apparently almost all that > > > it needs. My scratches are all on the rear dirt-bike plastic... none > > > on tank or new fairings. I should have gotten some rear guards or > > > smthng, but I really didn't expect to be tossing it down a boulder > > > strewn mountain trail when I got it. Ah well, live and learn. > > > > > > Anyway, point is, the newer KLR's aren't horrible. They are what

they

> > > are. Treat them well, use some common sense and there's no reason it > > > shouldn't hold up just as well as the previous ones (funny part is > > > that my friend's '07 has the same amount of miles and it burns

about a

> > > quart every 1000 miles or so). > > > > > > --Jonathan "smthng" Kalmes > > > Springfield, VA > > > 2005 Yamaha FJR1300ABS - "Blue Bayou" > > > 2006 Jeep Unlimited Rubicon - "Teflon" > > > 2008 Kawasaki KLR 650 - It's here, but it hasn't earned a name

yet.

> > > http://smthng.info http://smthng.info> > > > > > > "Shake well... some settling is natural." > > > > The original 2008 STD piston ring set (13008-0029) was superseded by a > > new STD piston ring set (13008-0033) sometime during the model year; > > the Kawasaki parts list doesn't show the date. However, I bet Kawasaki > > has issued some sort of "technical service bulletin (TSB)" on the oil > > usage problem and new ring set. It's possible that the new ring set > > may have been implemented in production during the model year, which > > may be the reason some 2008's exhibit reduced oil consumption. If that > > was the case, the "TSB" may list the production Frame and, or Engine > > Serial Number's for reference; the trick would be to try to obtain > > that document and get it up on the web for the benefit of current and > > future owner's of 2008's. Although the parts list isn't up yet for the > > 2009 KLR650, the "where used" information for the new ring set in 2008 > > parts catalog says its used for the 2009 model also. > > > > Supplier Information [ Close ] [Help] > > Part Number 13008-0033 [Where used?] [View Supersession] > > Description: RING-SET-PISTON > > Package Quantity: 1 > > Item Status Code: Active > > > > Where Used > > Model (2): > > KL650E8F (KLR650) (2008) > > KL650E9F (KLR650) (2009) > > > > ED > > > > > Could be, but in theory, I have one of the first 08 KLR delievered,

at least

> in TX, and it does ot burn oil, maybe something changed later in

production.

> Or it has something to do with the break-on? Who knows? Just glad that > mine does not suck oil as bad as some of them!

Maybe its a combination of things related to the rings, piston, cylinder, break-in, etc. I guess only Kawasaki really knows the whole story. Glad to hear your engine doesn't need surgery. ED

[John D. Holmes]

You know, for all the chatter about oil consumption, I've not heard much about methods of breaking in an engine. Seems that could play a role in the discussion. Just an observation. Ride on! JDH Red 08 with no problems. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Reverend]

The MotoTune way is the accepted version on most lists I've been on. http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

> -----Original Message----- > Behalf Of John D. Holmes > > You know, for all the chatter about oil consumption, I've not heard > much about methods of breaking in an engine. Seems that could play a role

in

> the discussion. Just an observation.