klr on wikipedia

[Ross Lindberg]

Well guys, this is the first part of my ride report. I lifted it right out of my personal ride diary, which I normally don't share but I think it will make a good story. It's a bit long, but I hope you will enjoy it. Mom stopped by for a visit, so I'll have to finish my report tomorrow. Ross September 27th, 2008 61 for 61 Ride Report I got invited to participate in the annual 61 for 61 Fundraiser for the Roger Maris Cancer Center in Fargo. Surprisingly I had never heard of it even living in the area most of my life. Always too busy with harvest I guess. The plan was to meet my friend Vicki in Ada, then head to Moorhead and meet some other friends at the starting point of the ride. As I rolled my KLR out of the garage I discovered that is was 43 degrees outside, so warm clothing was in order. With two sweaters, long underwear, a balaclava, winter gloves and a neck warmer on I had a comfortable ride to Ada to meet Vicki. As usual she was running a bit late, so I kept her company as she got all her gear on, then helped her mover her Harley out of the garage. I let her lead today and she showed me a fun way to get to Moorhead via back roads that was a fun and scenic drive. I was excited to participate in the ride because my father is a 4-time cancer survivor thanks to the dedicated staff at the Roger Maris Cancer Center. It was my humble way of saying thanks to those wonderful people for adding many years to my father's life. Once Vicki and I arrived at the start point, my enthusiasm was immediately dampened as I saw the group of riders assembled. The vast majority of these folks I will refer to as the future as the SPB. The Small Penis Brigade. There is a T-shirt in the Aerostich catalog that says "Small Dick, Big Bike". This pretty much gives an accurate picture of the yokels running and riding in the event and will become more evident later in this post. The event is being organized by the FM Crusaders Motorcycle Club. From what I can see they are Fargo's equivalent to the Hells Angels. There is a glimmer of hope though. Along one side of the parking lot is a lone red KLR! I swing around the parking lot and pull in next to him. If nothing else I'll let him know that he is not alone in the crowd of hooligans. The rider is nowhere to be seen at first, but I figure we will meet up eventually. I spot the friends we were supposed to meet and direct Vicki over to them. As I'm stowing some of my gear, I hear a friendly voice say "Are you from Fertile? Is your name Ross?" The rider of the red KLR showed up and turned out to be Rick Johnson from the DSN KLR List. He is a very nice fellow and we became instant friends. We spend some time looking over each others bikes and discussing mods, maintenance and tires. We probably would have stood there all morning until Vicki returned and reminded me that we had to register. AS we went in to register, I notice an old Yamaha XS650 twin on a trailer with a battered Kawasaki tank strapped to it. My first thought is that they are going to have a Bike-Blow-Up contest, but the truth is even uglier. The hapless XS is there for the true Harley-Davidson SPB Brethren to smash with a sledgehammer to express their discontent with Japanese motorcycles with the weak excuse of raising more money. These folks are definitely sliding down my opinion scale in a hurry. Going inside to register I get to meet members of the club. Definitely no improvement here either. I try not to be too judgmental, but it is rather difficult. In my mind there are two types of Harley owners; people who happen to own a Harley and Harley riders. I have no problem with the people who happen to own a Harley. The vast majority of these folks are very nice people who enjoy motorcycling and take the responsibility that comes with riding a bike seriously. They are riders concerned with safety on the road, and do not mind what other bikes their fellow riders are on. Some of my best friends and riding partners have Harleys, and they are very nice people who are a joy to be around. It's the other group of Harley owners that I have a problem with. Portraying the image of the bad-ass biker, the use of alcohol and drug and the lack of safety equipment as well as the caustic attitude that accompanies these people gives motorcyclists in general a bad image. Sadly, as the day progresses, this will become even more evident. Heading back outside, I run into Rick again and we pass the time discussing our bikes. At one point I turn to him and say "You do realize that we are the only two people here riding real motorcycles." He smiles and tells me to keep that between us as we are vastly outnumbered buy rather large people who are unlikely to share our opinion. Our discussion turns to the mods we have each done to our bikes. He is running a fork brace which he thinks was worth every penny for the increase in handling and stability. I recommend the stainless steel brake lines that I installed on my bike. The start time for the ride is approaching, so we decide to ride together and head for our bikes. Parked next to us is a beautiful V65 Honda Magna. I have a soft spot for these bikes as I had a 700 Magna years ago and just loved that bike. As the ride starts, the rider mentions that his bike won't start. I misunderstand due to all the noise of unmuffled V-Twins and think that he is joking. A few minutes later I see him come with a giant pair of jumper cables which he hooks to a van in an attempt to start his bike. I pass on a bit of wisdom gleaned for the DSN group and caution his friend to make sure that the van isn't running so he won't damage his electrical system. The Cables are too bulky to fit into the confined battery box on the Magna, so they resort to push starting it. The racket from all the V-Twins is so loud that he can't hear his bike running, and conversation between Rick and I is impossible. I yell at the Magna rider to look me up if he had any further problems because I am carrying tools and jumper cables. It is so loud though, that he doesn't hear me. Rick and I wait until the majority of bikes are out on the highway before our turn comes up. Rick takes the lead directly in front of me and we are both in the left-hand half of the lane. Our bikes are pretty well evenly matched as far as a load, although mine probably weighs a bit more due to all the tools and supplies I always carry, and because I outweigh Rick by at least 75 pounds. We travel north on Hwy 75 about 5 miles before I see a very quick warning wave from Rick, then he's hard on the brakes. I can see the forks dive, and see Rick change his riding position to try and get the most out of his brakes, but it looks like a losing battle. His KLR doesn't seem to want to scrub off speed and he aims for the center of the lane to give himself some extra braking room as there is oncoming traffic in the opposing lane, and he is gaining on the bike ahead of him. It is spooky watching this unfold directly in front of me, but Rick is a good rider and handles the panic stop very well. I am just as surprised as he is by the sudden stop, but there is less drama aboard my bike. With the combination of stainless steel brake lines and Powerpegz swiveling foot pegs, I get more braking force from both the front and rear brakes. I'm able to come to a safe stop with two fingers on the front brake and moderate pressure on the rear brake, while at the same time using my left hand to signal the riders behind me. In talking to Rick later he told me that it felt like his bike was losing braking power the harder he tried to stop. I had the same issue with the stock brake lines, hence my change to Stainless lines. Thank you very much Fred! You saved my day again. After a turn to the west which was the cause of all the commotion, it occurs to me that none of the riders before us gave any signal or warning of the slow-down ahead of us. I initially put it off as riders getting settled in, but I was a bit nervous and cranked up my attention level. After another few miles I notice a bike ahead of me in the right column apparently losing power and pulling off on the shoulder. I look for fellow riders pulling off to assist him, but there are none. The other bikes pull around and pass him without even a glance. I look at Rick's bike and make a snap decision. His attention is fixed on the other bikes swerving around the coasting rider. If others won't help him, I will and will hopefully find Rick again. The stricken bike turns out to be the Honda Magna that was parked next to me. The rider is a nice fellow and is really bummed that his ride is over before it got a chance to even start. He knows he has a charging system problem and figures that he will have to find a friend to haul him home. I offer to help him fix it thinking that it is probably just a short somewhere. He says "How are we going to do that? I haven't got any tools!" I tell him not to worry; I have the tool situation covered. I formulate a plan that we will pull out his battery and let it charge off of my bike while we look for a hopefully obvious problem. I pull out one of my tool rolls and his jaw drops in surprise. He proves to have some mechanical know-how and tears into pulling the battery from his stricken bike. The battery was pretty well buried behind hoses, wiring and other crap. As he pulled apart a snap-together connection he announces that he thinks he found the problem. A corroded connection has overheated and melted the connection block so that two wired were touching causing a dead short. He hangs his head and says "Now I am screwed. Where will I find a connector like this?" I tell him "No problem. We'll build one!" "Yeah, but that will require electrical connectors. Where do we get them at?" I just smile and hand him a container full of all types of connectors from a spares bag in my pannier. I then produce another tool roll and pull out a wiring pliers and a side cutter. I instruct him to cut back the electrical tape holding the wires together then cut off the offending connector block. The light bulb comes on in his eyes and he smiles and sets to work. About this time his two buddies come back after noticing that he had disappeared. He explains what we are up to as they are staring with amazement at the amount of tools and supplies spread out around his bike. They replace the connector and debate how to start the bike. His friends suggest bump starting it again, but the battery is completely dead. I tell them that we can jump start it and pull out some jumper cables. Astonished stare greet me, then finally one of the guys asks "What else do you have in that box?" I tell him there is an air compressor, tire tools and patches, extra tubes and other goodies. These guys can't believe that I can fit all this stuff on my bike, but they are glad that I do. I explain that I ride alone much of the time, and it's easier to fix things in the boonies rather than walk home. They see my point and make some plans to carry a few tools in the future. It is amazing that the vast majority of people I meet on these rides have never given a thought to what would happen if they broke down. Their idea of a toolkit is a credit card. The rider tries his bike and it fires right up. The charging problem is fixed and he and his buddies are thrilled. The ride is back on! As we mounted up, the Magna rider pointed at me and yelled "YOU! You're my partner for the rest of the day!" We all had a good laugh and rode to Mapleton together which was the first stop of the ride. The sun was out and the temperature had warmed to a comfortable level and the four of us were all in a good mood. Two Harleys, a Honda and a Kawasaki riding together and enjoying a beautiful day. One of the fellows pulled alongside me and gave me a smile and a nod. I was one of their buddies now and it was a good feeling. Normally I don't ride side by side because it's always best to have plenty of maneuvering room in the event of an unpleasant surprise, but in this case I let him ride alongside me for a few miles. These were good guys and they were looking out for the mechanic on the dirt bike. I was in good hands. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Jeff Saline]

On Mon, 29 Sep 2008 20:18:12 -0500 "Ross Lindberg" writes:

> Well guys, this is the first part of my ride report.

<><><><><><><><><> <><><><><><><><><> Ross, Great report! I can hardly wait for the next installment. Sadly, you're comments about the other bikers rings true for me much of the time too. I find I no longer will ride on group activities as I don't care for the loud bikes first, the lack of riding skill/courtesy second and the negative comments about what people are riding third. Your fixing the bike on the side of the road reminded me of a time in Illinois back in fall of 1980. I was on temporary duty in the Air Force going to automatic transmission school for a few weeks. It was a weekend and somehow I found myself at a bar surrounded by cornfields. My buddy and I alternated on getting us places and going home was my responsibility. Being kind of cheap at closing time I yelled pretty loudly asking if anyone would give a ride towards base. A guy says yeah and we get out to his rolling rag-top dumpster. As we're heading down the highway we approach about a dozen bikes on the side of the road. The driver comments on how he thinks he knows some of those guys. Next thing we know we're pulled over and walking back to see what's up. There were three guys huddled around one bike and as I recall there was some cussing going on too. I ask what's up and it turns out the bike was just bought that day and the electrics just quit. No lights. No ignition. No nothing. I kind of looked at it and saw a nightmare of wires hanging around and could tell it wasn't getting fixed that night on the roadside. I'd never worked on a Harley before but ignition is ignition and I know how that works. I asked if I could take a closer look and a couple of large, rough looking guys say go ahead. Next thing I know I've got them holding a light for me and asking if I can fix it. After a minute or two I tell them I think I can make it run but without lights. Then the guy that just bought it is giving me a knife so I can cut a hunk of wire out of the tangled mess and hot wire the ignition system. I explain that the key won't work and to just pull the wire off the battery when they want to shut if off. Then the kind of drunk owner tries to kick it over. After about two minutes of barely getting it to turn over I'm just about to tell him to move over and let me try. Now I'm pretty lucky in this life and I'm a rather small guy. I don't know if I could have kicked it over or not but about that time he gets it to hit and my back is getting slapped, in appreciation. We load back in the rolling rag-top dumpster and follow these bikers to their hang out. After a few more, your welcomes, we head off to base. I never did see any of those guys again. I'm not sure that isn't a good thing. : ) 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 ____________________________________________________________ Physical Therapy Certification Training - Save online. Click now. http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/fc/Ioyw6i3oLu9sQrOS0p3D6sHI5w6UNsRgQ5QTjyB4MtccUltn6xPp1S/

[nakedwaterskier]

Cool story...As far as jump starting: I had some leftover monster cable and I ran wires from the hot terminals of my motorcycle batteries. About a foot of decent gauge wire is all you need. They have ring crimp terminals on the positive battery post and female bullet crimp connectors on the other end and some heat shrink tubing so no stray strands. I didn't add any wiring to the negative battery terminal cuz you can find several grounds easily on motorcycles. But, anytime I need to jump or charge or float charge my motorcycles or someone elses motorcycle, I don't have to take off my side panels and seat. Not to mention what a pain it can be to push start a KLR! My friend claims on his fuel injected BMW motorcycle, he has to take off the tank to add water or charge his battery. I found that if we took off his starter cover, we could jump or charge there. A little preparation and/or knowledge can save hours of labor. And having a jump starting or charging port can make life much easier.

[nakedwaterskier]

Kawasaki KLR650 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Kawasaki KLR650 Manufacturer Kawasaki Production 1987-current Engine Single Cylinder, Water Cooled, Four-Stroke, DOHC, 4 valves Top speed approx. 108mph, 175km/h (indicated) Power 33 kW Suspension Telescoping fork, Uni-Trak swingarm Dimensions L 2165mm W ? H ? Fuel capacity 6.1 U.S. gallons (23 L) The Kawasaki KLR650 is a dual-purpose motorcycle intended for use on both paved and unpaved roads. It has been a long-standing model in Kawasaki's lineup, having been introduced in 1987 and remaining almost unchanged through the 2007 model. Kawasaki, in releasing the much-anticipated 2008 model, introduced the first significant redesign of the KLR650 since its inception. The KLR650 is heavier than specialized off-road dirt bikes, but it can handle most conditions when ridden carefully by a skilled rider. Its 4-stroke DOHC dual-counter balanced, single-cylinder, water- cooled engine develops a claimed 44hp at the crank; typical measurements at the rear wheel are 35 horsepower. Typical fuel economy is 45 to 60 miles per U.S. gallon (3.9 to 4.7 L/100 km). It has a claimed 6.1 gallon (23 litre) fuel tank and a top speed of approximately 105 mph (160 km/h). The KLR is widely used as an inexpensive adventure/touring bike. The addition of luggage and personalized modifications (GPS, heated handgrips, larger windscreens) make it more functional on long trips. KLRs have been ridden to the Arctic, across North and South America, and throughout Europe, Africa, and Asia, as well as on full global circumnavigation rides (e.g., Dr. Gregory Frazier in 2001-2002[1]). Nicknames include "Swamp Thing" "The Mule" and "The Tractor."[citation needed] Note: While advertised capacity is 6.1 gallons, usable gas tank capacity is approximately 5.6 gallons including reserve, because approximately one half gallon of fuel sits below the top of the petcock intake tube within the tank, or on the other side of the main frame member, which divides the lowest portion of the tank into two lobes (the petcock draws only from one of these two lobes). In an emergency, this extra fuel can be utilized by tipping the bike on its side (nearly horizontal) allowing the fuel to slosh from one side of the tank to the other. This yields a maximum range of approximately 250-300 miles between fill-ups, depending on riding conditions. Contents 1 2008 redesign 2 Models 3 Specifications (1987-2007 KLR650-A) 4 Sponsored organizations 5 Changes over the years 6 References 7 External links [edit] 2008 redesign In 2008 the klr 650 was radically redesigned with improved aesthetics, modern dual headlights and a more powerful engine. But, the new piston rings on the early 2008 models often caused oil consumption problems. The new 651cc single cylinder engine puts out 37 bhp at 6200 rpm and 33.4 lb ft of torque at 4950 rpm. Other improvements include: New fairing design, new instrument panel, redesigned handlebar control switches, new bar-end weights, revised powerband, revised suspension has reduced travel but with less static sag, new rear swingarm, new turn signals, larger petal-style vented brake rotors, new twin-piston rear brake caliper, increased radiator capacity, fork diameter increased from 38mm to 41mm, new headlight similar to that used on the Kawasaki Ninja 650R, larger luggage rack, firmer seat, larger-diameter wheel spokes. Stator "alternator" upgraded to 17amp output, providing an additional 36watts capacity. Kawasaki finally addressed the "doohickey" issue on the 2008. The doohickey is the balancer chain tensioning mechanism. Kawasaki finally made the doohickey stronger but it didn't do anything about the spring tensioner that pulls on the doohickey. The KLR650 has always been considered extremely reliable except for the doohickey on all years and the oil consumption issue on the 2008. Robust aftermarket doohickey systems are available. There are even doohickey parties at tech days! At tech days regional KLRistas meet and share expertise, parts and tools. Models KLR650-A: The "A" model was introduced in 1987, based on its KLR600 predecessor (1984-1986). The "A" model remained nearly unchanged until the introduction of the 2008 model in USA, Canada and Europe KLR650-B or Tengai: was sold in the USA starting 1990 and in other countries for several years afterward KLR650-C: The "C" model is a more dirt-oriented motorcycle fitted with stiffer 41mm front forks, improved brakes, tubular engine guard, smaller 14 liter fuel tank, and steel wheel rims. Lacking a temperature gauge, it has an over-heat lamp. KLR650-E: 2008 was the first major redesign of the KLR650. The primary changes include upgraded 41mm forks, a new D-section swingarm, dual beam headlight, dual-piston rear brake caliper, upgraded cooling system, 4mm spokes, cowling and fairing redesign as well as various redesigned parts. (error corrected specifications) The U.S. Military has KLR650s modified by Hayes Diversified Technologies to burn military-spec fuels including diesel. (M1030M1 [1]) All-new engines were designed to replace the 4-stroke gasoline engines. See HDT KLR650s KLR History Timeline Specifications (1987-2007 KLR650-A) 1998 KLR650 in its environment (the luggage is not standard) 1995 KLR650Specifications for 1987-2007 U.S. Model Engine Type Single Cylinder, Water Cooled, Four-Stroke, DOHC, 4 valves Carburetion Keihin CVK-40 constant velocity carburetor Displacement 651 cc Bore Stroke 100 mm 83 mm Peak Power 44 bhp (33 kW) @ 6,000 rpm Peak Torque 34 lbf ft (46 N m) @ 5,000 rpm Compression Ratio 9.5 : 1 Fuel Capacity 6.1 U.S. gallons (23 L) (5.6 gal usable) Oil Capacity 2.64 U.S. quarts (2.5 L) Charging System Output 238 W @ 14 V Seat Height 35.0 in. (88.9 cm) Dry Weight 337 lb (176 kg) claimed, 402 lbs wet weight actual GVWR 738 lb (330 kg) Tires Front: 90/90-21 in. Rear: 130/90-17 in. Brakes Front: 1 disc, dual piston caliper; Rear: 1 disc, single piston caliper. Final drive 520 106 links O-Ring Chain Sponsored organizations Although rare, Kawasaki has chosen to offer KLR650 motorcycles to a few select organizations that would put their bike to the test. These individuals have taken the bikes to some of the most remote locations in the world and have documented the journey on their websites. They include the following: Moon Riders: 1997 trip to Latin America. Team Green provided support, parts, and service throughout Central and South America. Bikers Without Borders: 2003 trip through 13 Latin America countries volunteering at hospitals, orphanages, Christian Missions and dental clinics. Kawasaki provided 2 brand new KLR 650's for this organization. Changes over the years Aside from the paint job, not much changed between the 1987 introduction and the 2008 revisions. The key differences are: 1987: Crankshaft is unique to this year. 1988: Beefed up the engine cases with extra bolts between the crank and countershaft; crank has a different part number, and may be lighter. 1990: Countershaft improved with longer splines for increased engagement with sprocket. 1992: Changes to front brake master cylinder. Mid-1996: Changed valve cover, added bracket to hold cam chain bumper; changed crank to heavier unit; improved clutch basket with more clutch plates; changed countershaft sprocket retainer from slotted plate to large nut; changed 2nd and 3rd gear ratios. Kickstarter no longer fits with new clutch basket. New left balancer weight/sprocket begins with engine #KLE650AE032206. (?) Service manual indicates higher charging system output; only part number change is the rotor. The new power rating is 17A/14V (238 W) @ 7000 rpm; the earlier one was 14A/14V (196 W) @ 8000 rpm (yes, above redline). 2001(?) Final assembly shifts from Japan to Thailand. All major parts still made in Japan. 2007: New shift lever 2008: New fairing design, new instrument panel, redesigned handlebar control switches, new bar-end weights, revised powerband, revised suspension has reduced travel but with less static sag, new rear swingarm, new turn signals, larger petal-style vented brake rotors, new twin-piston rear brake caliper, increased radiator capacity, fork diameter increased from 38mm to 41mm, new headlight similar to that used on the Kawasaki Ninja 650R, larger luggage rack, firmer seat, larger-diameter wheel spokes. Stator "alternator" upgraded to 17amp output, providing an additional 36watts capacity. ^ August 30, 2002: USA American Roadkill, Shipping Bikes and BIG DOGS, http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/gregfrazier/news/2002-08- 30.shtml>. Retrieved on 27 January 2008 Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Kawasaki KLR 650KLR650 on Kawasaki's website First review of the 2008 model KLR650E 2008 KLR650 Review RIDER Magazine 2008 KLR650 Review Motorcycle Daily reviews the 2008 KLR650 2002 KLR650 Review in Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kawasaki_KLR650" Categories: Kawasaki motorcycles Hidden categories: All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements since February 2007