08 klr, oil usage/ kawasaki response

[dan.hinsch]

I will always keep my KLR but I am thinking about adding a bike, probably a Wee-Strom. I am 6"4 and 300lbs and I have a 2001 KLR 650 that I am completely satisfied with, but with around 50K miles on it it is getting a bit worn. For the most part I am never going off road with it anymore and I have been putting on a lot of interstate and highway miles on it. It is occasional long distance bike as well as my daily commuter. I have Touratech panniers which I use all the time, carrying a few spare parts, spare clothes, and a briefcase/laptop bag, also groceries and such on the way home, and I run a 3 gallon Aux fuel tank for some extended range. The few things I would like to have on the KLR are, 1. Just a hair more power/better highway speed mileage, 2.Tubeless tires, 3.Enough electricity to run my jacket liner and aux lights. The Wee looks like it will handle all that perfectly but I am afraid of the seat. My butt is completely comfortable on the Corbin bench seat on the KLR. My only concern with the Wee is the seating position, I want to be able to sit on the bike for 12 to 24 hours which I can do now on the KLR with my flat seat because I can shift all around. I have found a number of seat solutions but I haven't seen a flat bench seat. My wife has a Honda Shadow that I don't ride because of the seat position, and I also have a Harley Springer that I use for two up with my daughter but I really am not completely comfortable on that either because of the one position dished out seat. I also would like ABS which the bike at the dealer doesn't have, but that isn't a deal breaker because I won't know what I am missing. Finally the Orange Wee is $6399 + $400 freight + $400 prep + $60 paperwork, the salesman said they may negotiate on the prep fee. BMW GS800 is out because of price/no dealers by me. KTM is out because of price/I don't need the off road capability. KLR is in because of price and accessory availability and I know what the bike is. Wee-Strom on the fence, only because of the long distance seat comfort concerns. Somebody please give me a push. Dan

[Mike Hilton]

Sean, you might give the service rep a call, can't hurt. The bike came with 3 yrs 36K... Well within the 3 yrs and only slightly out of the mileage. Mike H.

----- Original Message ----- From: matteeanne@... To: Mike Hilton ; DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Sent: Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:41 PM Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] 08 KLR, OIL USAGE/ KAWASAKI RESPONSE My POS 08 uses a quart per tank of gas with 44,000 on the clock. Fook! Sean Brown Looking for the perfect gift for the wife/Mom/or "the person who has everything?" www.brownsbirdestates.com To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Sent: Thursday, July 23, 2009 7:25:03 AM Subject: [DSN_KLR650] 08 KLR, OIL USAGE/ KAWASAKI RESPONSE I've had my 08 KLR for 13 months and have 11,600 miles on the bike when I decided I needed to do a documented the oil usage. I checked it ever 500 miles and added oil at 1010 miles and then again at 950 more miles. I used a total of 1000 MM of oil, a little over a quart, in less than 2000 miles. The customer service rep at the dealership where I purchased my bike contacted Kawasaki. The Kaw Rep gave authority to tear the bike down and replace the rings with the newer version rings. The mechanic determined that the cylinder was out of round and worn excessively. I then had the choice of having Kaw replace the cylinder and rings, using my piston or having the cylinder oversized with a new oversized piston and oversized rings. I opted to go with the boring; 1st size over and the new piston and ring. I should get the bike back next week, will give updates on how well it worked. Was I disappointed that a bike with less than 12,000 miles needed to be repaired to cure excessive oil usage, Yes!. Have I been pleased with Kawasaki's response, Yes!. I do have the extended 4 year warranty and won't hesitate to use it.. Mike Hilton Louisiana PS: I had a friend in MS, John Lyles, that owned a 1999 and a 2002 KLR650 that he put more than 84,000 on the 99 and 82,000 on the 2002. At 4,000 miles the 2002 had to have the cylinder and piston replaced under warranty. The cylinder was out of round from the factory. This is not a completely new problem, it just seems to be reported on the "new style" 08/ 09 year model. Mike H. Work URL, Ruston City Marshal http://www.bayou com/rustonmarsha l/ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[roncriswell@sbcglobal.net]

You might also check out the Versey 650. Criswell

On Jul 23, 2009, at 3:12 PM, dan.hinsch wrote: > I will always keep my KLR but I am thinking about adding a bike, > probably a Wee-Strom. > > I am 6"4 and 300lbs and I have a 2001 KLR 650 that I am completely > satisfied with, but with around 50K miles on it it is getting a bit > worn. For the most part I am never going off road with it anymore > and I have been putting on a lot of interstate and highway miles on > it. It is occasional long distance bike as well as my daily > commuter. I have Touratech panniers which I use all the time, > carrying a few spare parts, spare clothes, and a briefcase/laptop > bag, also groceries and such on the way home, and I run a 3 gallon > Aux fuel tank for some extended range. > > The few things I would like to have on the KLR are, 1. Just a hair > more power/better highway speed mileage, 2.Tubeless tires, 3.Enough > electricity to run my jacket liner and aux lights. > > The Wee looks like it will handle all that perfectly but I am > afraid of the seat. My butt is completely comfortable on the Corbin > bench seat on the KLR. My only concern with the Wee is the seating > position, I want to be able to sit on the bike for 12 to 24 hours > which I can do now on the KLR with my flat seat because I can shift > all around. I have found a number of seat solutions but I haven't > seen a flat bench seat. My wife has a Honda Shadow that I don't > ride because of the seat position, and I also have a Harley > Springer that I use for two up with my daughter but I really am not > completely comfortable on that either because of the one position > dished out seat. > > I also would like ABS which the bike at the dealer doesn't have, > but that isn't a deal breaker because I won't know what I am missing. > > Finally the Orange Wee is $6399 + $400 freight + $400 prep + $60 > paperwork, the salesman said they may negotiate on the prep fee. > > BMW GS800 is out because of price/no dealers by me. > KTM is out because of price/I don't need the off road capability. > KLR is in because of price and accessory availability and I know > what the bike is. > > Wee-Strom on the fence, only because of the long distance seat > comfort concerns. > > Somebody please give me a push. > > Dan > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]