Wilsons Sandbox

I have to disagree with many points here. Some are right on. taffrail wrote:

> > Ok, I've been watching (and talking) for a while now. The main purpose > being to get a drift as to what the KLR650 is about. I think I've pretty > well got it but if you don't mind please look over this list and see if it > fairly correct. > > 1. Adjusting balancer chains can be a bit tricky but not to worry because > if anything goes wrong, the whole mess will disintegrate and you'll know it > right away.

The balancer mechanism is the weak point of the motor, but is not all that weak. Every other time you adjust it, you should remove the outer magneto cover to make sure all the bits are in place and working. It will hang together for quite a while after something breaks, so the inspections should spot what is actually a very rare failure.

> 2. With less than a thousand miles on the machine, you should rip it apart > and go through the voodoo sounding exercise of adjusting the valves.

This is necessary for any new motor. The KLR is no more difficult to work on than any other DOHC engine, and adjusting shim'n'bucket valves is not tricky. It's a very simple, reliable mechanism but anytime you have steel bolts going into aluminum threads you have to be careful about overtorqueing.

> 3. The rear view mirrors are great..........if your eyes buzz at the same > frequency.

right

> 4. No need to replace the front forks on this machine so long as you don't > ride it in the dirt..

The front forks work just fine nearly everywhere. Not excellent, but just fine. Many of us use the KLR in terrain that the designers likely didn't anticipate, at speeds they didn't anticipate. The bike really takes a beating.

> 5. The brakes work......but keep you guessing.

stainless braided front hose, galfer green front pads, change the fluid once a year.

> 6. A pack of cigarettes gets about the same amount of protection from it's > wrap as the engine does from it's.

stock engine guard? right. Everybody who goes offroad gets a HD bash plate.

> 7. No real good idea of what oil works best but everyone agrees you better > use some ...AND......you better refill it often. However, don't trust the > sight glass as it is not calibrated.

Change oil often, put in enough but not too much. The entire sight-glass debate exists well within these two extremes so ignore it. I put in 2.5l like it says in the manual and on the crankcase, and by the time I change again the level is down to the top mark on the sight glass.

> 8. Same goes for lubing the chain.

Any chain needs oil.

> 9. This thing is really tall so you can look 18 wheeler drivers in the > face and shake your finger at them BEFORE they spit that chaw of Redman.

YES! you can also see over the roof of the car in front of you, and get a better (and safer) view of the road ahead.

> 10. It also holds a LOT of gas and should you decide to take advantage of > that capacity you now have even more weight way up there.

I ride 75-100mi to get to the trails I ride, by the time I get there the bike is 15lb lighter. Big tank is great on the highway, if you're off-roading, only fill up halfway.

> 11. Most people will be on tiptoe at a stop light but if you are 6'1" or > taller you can really stretch out. Put both heels down.

I'm on tip-toes at 5'7"

> 12. When you twist the grip you are not actually opening the throttle but > removing some pressure so it MAY open if it so desires.

If you're used to sportbikes, it's slow. But, the thing will still do just over 100mph, and it's a LOT faster than any sportbike in sand. The CV carb isn't very responsive, but it is smooth and in stock trim gets excellent mileage. Makes it a much more forgiving machine to ride.

> 13. Should you drop it, there is a good chance you will hole the case with > the gear shift, but it is ok, just carry JB weld.

I've dropped mine dozens of times offroad, perhaps crashing or "digging a hole" is more accurate. If you are moving forward at all, the gearshift tip will fold back and you won't punch the case. I have yet to break anything in a fall, I suggest metal-reinforced handguards if you get a KLR.

> 14. The early colors were not bad but then the bike was updated. Because > Surplus Stores were doing such a good business, Olive Drab must be a > favorite color of the crazy westerners so........here you go. (Actually I > like the color.) > > 15. The seat is a wonderful appliance. Just don't spend more than 60 > minutes with it at any one time.

I've spent two or three hours on the highway, and been just fine with the seat. Once you're in dirt, or a twisty road the seat is almost irrelevant because you move around the bike too much to get "monkey butt". I weigh 155, which puts me in the minority.

> These are just a few of the things I've picked up from this list. I have > never owned a KLR650 nor have I ridden one. I have sat on one if that counts. > taf > > 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/

At 10:15 AM -0600 1/10/02, taffrail wrote:

>please look over this list and see if it >fairly correct. > >1. Adjusting balancer chains can be a bit tricky but not to worry because >if anything goes wrong, the whole mess will disintegrate and you'll know it >right away.

The lever and spring were definitely under-engineered

>2. With less than a thousand miles on the machine, you should rip it apart >and go through the voodoo sounding exercise of adjusting the valves.

It's no big deal and can be done comfortably in 45 minutes.

>3. The rear view mirrors are great..........if your eyes buzz at the same >frequency.

Ya, like most other dualsports/thumpers. Anyway,what's behind me is not my concern. I only need to see red & blue flashing lights, and these are visible blurry or not.

>4. No need to replace the front forks on this machine so long as you don't >ride it in the dirt..

Give me a break.

>5. The brakes work......but keep you guessing.

Stainless line is all you need. Forget about the over-priced MAP or Braking rotor kits.

>6. A pack of cigarettes gets about the same amount of protection from it's >wrap as the engine does from it's.

Hey, if you're not taking it off-road anyway, who cares?

>7. No real good idea of what oil works best but everyone agrees you better >use some ...AND......you better refill it often. However, don't trust the >sight glass as it is not calibrated.

Bike runs fine with the oil in the center of the glass, but yes, the top of the glass is the real spot. Big deal.

>8. Same goes for lubing the chain.

Just lube it once in awhile with whatever, just like any other bike.

>9. This thing is really tall so you can look 18 wheeler drivers in the >face and shake your finger at them BEFORE they spit that chaw of Redman.

LOL

>10. It also holds a LOT of gas and should you decide to take advantage of >that capacity you now have even more weight way up there.

Ya, so?

>11. Most people will be on tiptoe at a stop light but if you are 6'1" or >taller you can really stretch out. Put both heels down.

Uh, yeah... it is a dualsport. I'm 5' 11" and have no trouble.

>12. When you twist the grip you are not actually opening the throttle but >removing some pressure so it MAY open if it so desires.

Ya, so?

>13. Should you drop it, there is a good chance you will hole the case with >the gear shift, but it is ok, just carry JB weld.

Ya, like any other bike.

>14. The early colors were not bad but then the bike was updated. Because >Surplus Stores were doing such a good business, Olive Drab must be a >favorite color of the crazy westerners so........here you go. (Actually I >like the color.)

I like all the color schemes... even the Malibu Ken.

>15. The seat is a wonderful appliance. Just don't spend more than 60 >minutes with it at any one time.

More like 4 hrs. Oh by the way, did we mention that it's a dualsport? The KLR has the best stock seat on any dualsport.

>These are just a few of the things I've picked up from this list. I have >never owned a KLR650 nor have I ridden one. I have sat on one if that counts.

Nope. Mark B2 A2 A3

snip

> 1. Adjusting balancer chains can be a bit tricky but not to worry

because if anything goes wrong, the whole mess will disintegrate and you'll know it right away.

>

As opposed to any other mechanical work ?

> 2. With less than a thousand miles on the machine, you should rip

it apart and go through the voodoo sounding exercise of adjusting the valves.

>

Checking the clearance after break-in is a very good idea, not like sticking a feeler guage in is rocket science.

> 3. The rear view mirrors are great..........if your eyes buzz at

the same frequency.

>

Actually you got that right, they buzz like hell, but there are $5.00 shock reducing adapters at JC Whitney, that should remove most buzz, or maybe a $20 Snake bar to help tame the "Thumper", one big piston jumping up and down all by itself tends to create that vibration, tell me your chain saw or weed eater dont buzz, then look how dinky that piston is. It goes with the nature of a big single.

> 4. No need to replace the front forks on this machine so long as

you don't ride it in the dirt..

>

If your going to ride it like a Motocross bike, sure larger folks is a good idea, this is a heavy bike, the forks do a fine job for the "jack-of-all-trades" rider.

> 5. The brakes work......but keep you guessing. >

Mine work just fine, dont understand why some think its weak, but they should get on a old drum braked bike and come back and tell me that that Front Disc is weak. Maybe a SS line will make it feel tighter, I dont know, mine seems fine to me.

> 6. A pack of cigarettes gets about the same amount of protection

from it's> wrap as the engine does from it's.

>

That Plastic will take alot of punishment from kickup off the front tire, im sure it will stop any rock within reason, if your bouncing it off logs and rocks, well add the $75 metal plate and feel safe.

> 7. No real good idea of what oil works best but everyone agrees

you better use some ...AND......you better refill it often. However, don't trust the sight glass as it is not calibrated.

>

Read the manual, do what it says, fill it with whatever the manual says and im sure it will thump along happily for a long time.

> 8. Same goes for lubing the chain. >

Your point ? Ever see how much oil a auto-oiler adds to a chainsaw when using it ? Heck if you like buying chains, run it dry if you wish, its your money.

> 9. This thing is really tall so you can look 18 wheeler drivers in

the face and shake your finger at them BEFORE they spit that chaw of Redman.

>

I like the height, if you dont like truckers spitting at you, dont blow them kisses going down the road, or whatever you did to provoke that.

> 10. It also holds a LOT of gas and should you decide to take

advantage of that capacity you now have even more weight way up there. Main reason I bought it, range on a tank. Admit adds to top heavies, but can deal with it.

> > 11. Most people will be on tiptoe at a stop light but if you are

6'1" or taller you can really stretch out. Put both heels down. Add a full tank, load up the rack, saddle bags and rider on the back, the suspension will shorten that distance to the pavement for ya.

> > 12. When you twist the grip you are not actually opening the

throttle but removing some pressure so it MAY open if it so desires.

>

Why does my throttle have 2 cables then ? Maybe I am missing something here.

> 13. Should you drop it, there is a good chance you will hole the

case with the gear shift, but it is ok, just carry JB weld. JB Weld is a patch, to keep ya from pushing a 400 pound bike 10 miles outta the woods. Wipe out on a street bike to cause that type of damage, and chances are you wont care how your bike gets home, since you will be on a nice stretcher in a Ambulance or worse.

> > 14. The early colors were not bad but then the bike was updated.

Because Surplus Stores were doing such a good business, Olive Drab must be a favorite color of the crazy westerners so........here you go. (Actually I like the color.)

>

I like my Olive Drab / Silver 2001 colors

> 15. The seat is a wonderful appliance. Just don't spend more than

60 minutes with it at any one time.

>

Then buy a Lazy-Boy and Gamecube and sit there pretending to ride a bike, dont know what to tell you, this is a production machine, if they were to hand make all parts and custom build, the base price would prohibit 98.43%(guess) of the current riders from owning one.

> These are just a few of the things I've picked up from this list.

I have never owned a KLR650 nor have I ridden one. I have sat on one if that counts.

> taf

Again just my $.02 worth added. Duden A15 Pilot (Frozen in)

> Honda..............Civic >>