Wilsons Sandbox

Posted: **Thu Dec 06, 2001 6:20 pm**

I know a lot of guys on this list have several bikes. I don't care what kind they are, I know you have a KLR 650. My question is do you guys normally buy your bikes new or used? If used, from a dealer or private individual? Thanks CA Stu

Posted: **Thu Dec 06, 2001 6:50 pm**

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "s2mumford" wrote:

> I know a lot of guys on this list have several bikes. > I don't care what kind they are, I know you have a KLR 650. > > My question is do you guys normally buy your bikes new or used? > > If used, from a dealer or private individual?

Stu, out of my current fleet, I bought them as follows: KLR - from dealer, 225 miles, $4200 97 R1100RS - through a dealer, but from a friend of mine. He bought it new on my advice, the "bike I would buy if I had the money", then the R1100S came out and he had to have it, so I got the RS at a nice discount. The dealer handled the loan for me and made sure the warranty information was transferred, paying off the KLR in the process. Bandit 12 - my first brand new bike ever, out of more than thirty over the years. From dealer.

Posted: **Thu Dec 06, 2001 9:23 pm**

I haven't bought a new bike in decades. Right now my garage has a KLR650, bought with 800 miles on it & about $1200 less than new retail - private, a KLR250, bought with about 500 miles on it about $1400 less - dealer, a CBR1100XX bought imaculate with 10,000 mile and nearly $4000 less - private,a KDX, a 2000 model at $1000 less than new - private. The CB400F doesn't count. My daughter bought, under my direction, a 97 GS500E for $1800 nearly $3000 thousand under - private. Sometime private owners think their bikes are worth a whole lot more than th really are. Sometimes dealers just like to move stock through quickly. I found 2 of 3 of the above on the internet and bought the KLR off Ebay. Now who wants to but my Honda Blackbird ? --- s2mumford wrote:

> I know a lot of guys on this list have several > bikes. > I don't care what kind they are, I know you have a > KLR 650. > > My question is do you guys normally buy your bikes > new or used? > > If used, from a dealer or private individual? > > Thanks > CA Stu > > > Checkout Dual Sport News at > http://www.dualsportnews.com > Be part of the Adventure! > > Visit the KLR650 archives at > http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=klr650 > > Post message: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com > Subscribe: DSN_klr650-subscribe@yahoogroups.com > Unsubscribe: DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > > List owner: DSN_klr650-owner@yahoogroups.com > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > >

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Posted: **Thu Dec 06, 2001 11:47 pm**

I have seven, six bought used. Five from individuals and one from a dealer I know well. Ed Windsor

----- Original Message ----- From: "s2mumford" To: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2001 7:19 PM Subject: [DSN_klr650] Question for multiple bike owners > I know a lot of guys on this list have several bikes. > I don't care what kind they are, I know you have a KLR 650. > > My question is do you guys normally buy your bikes new or used? > > If used, from a dealer or private individual? > > Thanks > CA Stu > > > Checkout Dual Sport News at > http://www.dualsportnews.com > Be part of the Adventure! > > Visit the KLR650 archives at > http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=klr650 > > Post message: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com > Subscribe: DSN_klr650-subscribe@yahoogroups.com > Unsubscribe: DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > List owner: DSN_klr650-owner@yahoogroups.com > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > >

Posted: **Fri Dec 07, 2001 5:08 am**

> My question is do you guys normally buy your bikes new or used? > If used, from a dealer or private individual?

Stu, this is an interesting question for me. I've always bought new bikes, because I had no wrenching experience and didn't want to start with the possibility of trouble since all the work was being done at the (expensive) dealership. I bought the KLR new, and signed up for this list because the salesman mentioned it. One thing lead to another, I read all the posts and asked my share of questions, and - incredibly - there I was doing my own valve adjustment. I've done a fair amount of stuff to the bike and it's still a virgin, touched only by MY hands. I will admit that I'm thinking about chickening out on changing the tires, which will have to be done before Spring... There WAS a point to all this rambling, are you ready for it yet?! The NEXT bike I buy has every chance of being a used one, since I've overcome my wrench phobia. Thank you, List, for all you've taught me and for all your support during my trying early years... Wise men still seek Him... Mark St.Hilaire, Sr A15 HomePage: http://home.adelphia.net/~msaint/index.html KLR650 Pages: http://klr6500.tripod.com/ Valve Check & Adjustment Guide: http://klr6500.tripod.com/valves.html

Posted: **Fri Dec 07, 2001 8:35 am**

And this leads to another question(s). Do all motorcycles require the same level of TLC that a KLR does or is the fact that it is a big single mean it needs more attention than say an '86 Vmax (which my brother is trying to talk me into buying from him so he can buy a 2002 VTX1800). By the way, has anyone on the list ever owned a Vmax? My bro's '86 runs like a neuclear powered locamotive. Unbelievable power and not a rattle to be heard!!! Brad J. Morris A16 > The NEXT bike I buy has every chance of being a used one, since I've overcome > my wrench phobia. Thank you, List, for all you've taught me and for all > your support during my trying early years... > > > Wise men still seek Him... > > Mark St.Hilaire, Sr

Posted: **Fri Dec 07, 2001 8:49 am**

1990 ZX 1100 New 1996 TL 1000s New 1998 GL 1500 Se new 1883 VT 750 Used 1985 VT 700 used 1983 FT 500 used 2000 KLR 650 new Mike

Posted: **Fri Dec 07, 2001 8:58 am**

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "mighty_oak1" wrote:

> And this leads to another question(s). Do all motorcycles require

the same level of TLC that a KLR does or is the fact that it is a big

> single mean it needs more attention than say an '86 Vmax (which my

brother is trying to talk me into buying from him so he can

> buy a 2002 VTX1800). By the way, has anyone on the list ever owned a

Vmax? My bro's '86 runs like a neuclear powered

> locamotive. Unbelievable power and not a rattle to be heard!!! > > Brad J. Morris > A16 Illinois

Great question! One of my favorite topics. A lot of it depends on the design of the bike. The VTX for instance will require about the same amount of maintenance as your washing machine. It has hydraulic valve lash, so no valve adjustments; a shaft drive means no chain lubing or adjustment, it is smooth so you won't have to check for bolts vibrating loose and it has a spin on oil filter so you can change oil in your tuxedo. It's basically a characterless bike like most Honda's. The KLR demands a little more involvement. You need to check/adjust your valves every 10K miles, lube the chain once in a while, check spokes, check bolts because of vibration, adjust the balancer chain, adjust the drive chain and oil changes require you to get your hands dirty. As a rule, I have found that motorcycles do not demand nearly as much attention as their riders bestow on them. For many, tinkering on a bike and doing extra stuff to it does little for the bike itself, but does much, much more for the mental well being of the rider. Gino

Posted: **Fri Dec 07, 2001 9:09 am**

Brad- Um, well that depends. Does your brother ride his V-Max through the woods at 35mph then dump it on its side, letting it slide down a gravel slope into a muddy stream at the bottom? How many times have you dropped your street bike at speed? What was the damage? How many miles have you ridden a street bike in conditions that it was not designed for? What were the maintenance costs? The reason you hear about a lot of maintenance on this list is that there are some of us who push these bikes (and their 16 year old design) beyond the limits for which they were designed. Your brother on the other hand, NEVER even goes near those limits on his V-Max. How many miles on it since 86? 20K I bet? Talk to Dale in SoCal, he's put something like 20K on his KLR THIS YEAR alone. I have no problem with bike maintenance and repairs on my KLR when I look at where I've ridden it and how much I have abused it... And it has always come back for more with nary a hesitation. I can show you a V-Max that requires more maintenance than a KLR, I can also show you a V-Max that requires the same amount of maintenance. Big deal, all bikes are individuals and have their individual needs, just as all bike riders are different in their own way and treat their bikes differently. Like I said before, I recognize that I abuse my bike and I am happy to perform whatever maintenance it needs to keep performing as flawlessly as it has. If I didn't want to do this then I'd buy a Honda Civic, and if you don't then take it to a dealer, that's why they are there. Z

On Fri, 2001-12-07 at 09:35, mighty_oak1 wrote: > And this leads to another question(s). Do all motorcycles require the same level of TLC that a KLR does or is the fact that it is a big > single mean it needs more attention than say an '86 Vmax (which my brother is trying to talk me into buying from him so he can > buy a 2002 VTX1800). By the way, has anyone on the list ever owned a Vmax? My bro's '86 runs like a neuclear powered > locamotive. Unbelievable power and not a rattle to be heard!!! > > Brad J. Morris > A16 Illinois > > > > The NEXT bike I buy has every chance of being a used one, since I've overcome > > my wrench phobia. Thank you, List, for all you've taught me and for all > > your support during my trying early years... > > > > > > Wise men still seek Him... > > > > Mark St.Hilaire, Sr

Posted: **Fri Dec 07, 2001 9:33 am**

I'll second this, with one caveat: If you do a lot of tinkering and modifications, especially when you are bolting one third-party part onto another third-party part, you will get things that don't quite match up. They loosen, corrode in strange ways, or you get two parts, each assuming it's bolted to something with the stock vibration isolation scheme, and one promptly shakes apart. I made a lot of parts for my SR500, learning about metal fatigue, vibration isolation, and tolerancing with aftermarket parts. Keep your bike as close to stock as possible, making only the mods that are truly necessary for the riding you do. I have never been able to put this wisdom into practice myself, and it's cost me a lot of time and money. Not that I'm complaining, a bad day riding or wrenching beats a good day at work. Devon gpokluda wrote:

>

snip

> As a rule, I have found that motorcycles do not demand nearly as much > attention as their riders bestow on them. For many, tinkering on a > bike and doing extra stuff to it does little for the bike itself, but > does much, much more for the mental well being of the rider. > > Gino >

Wilsons Sandbox

gerret...

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