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love my klr in the woods
Posted: Sat May 04, 2002 6:28 pm
by ridecaptan
I worked all day and got home at 7pm. Since it was still nice here
in NY, I went for a blast in the woods. There were a lot wet areas
due to all the rain we've been having here, so I got the bike good
and muddy. What a blast this thing is with all it's torque. And what
feeling it is hitting 40 on the trails. I have progressive springs
in the forks, and I am thinking of putting on a progressive shock
spring as well. Will this make a big difference? Just turned 800 on
the clock, so pretty soon I'll rev the hell out of it.
Ed
A15
love my klr in the woods
Posted: Sat May 04, 2002 8:24 pm
by Devon Jarvis
It makes a huge difference. If you thought the front springs were a lot of
improvement for $90, the rear spring is even better.
Unfortunately, it will inspire you to ride faster and harder and magnify the
shortcomings in the fork. I am trying to sort out the next thing to do to
get better bottoming resistance up front, without getting a harsh suspension
on small road bumps. There are no stronger fork springs available than the
25-40lb/in Progressive LR for the KLR (no bikes that heavy with that small a
fork, used offroad).
One offroad suspension guru said air assist, as a last resort.
One guy suggested higher oil level in forks, but I'm at the maximum safe
height (150mm, if anybody knows higher is OK please let me know)
I am starting to consider things like cutting out the top 6" of the
progressive springs, and replacing it (and the preload spacers) with stacked
valve springs from some large diesel or V8. Between production and race
valve springs I think I might find from 60lb/in to 100lb/in.
Devon
A15
ridecaptan wrote:
> I worked all day and got home at 7pm. Since it was still nice here
> in NY, I went for a blast in the woods. There were a lot wet areas
> due to all the rain we've been having here, so I got the bike good
> and muddy. What a blast this thing is with all it's torque. And what
> feeling it is hitting 40 on the trails. I have progressive springs
> in the forks, and I am thinking of putting on a progressive shock
> spring as well. Will this make a big difference? Just turned 800 on
> the clock, so pretty soon I'll rev the hell out of it.
>
> Ed
> A15
love my klr in the woods
Posted: Sat May 04, 2002 8:59 pm
by ridecaptan
--- In DSN_klr650@y..., Devon Jarvis wrote:
> It makes a huge difference. If you thought the front springs were
a lot of
> improvement for $90, the rear spring is even better.
>
> Unfortunately, it will inspire you to ride faster and harder and
magnify the
> shortcomings in the fork. I am trying to sort out the next thing
to do to
> get better bottoming resistance up front, without getting a harsh
suspension
> on small road bumps. There are no stronger fork springs available
than the
> 25-40lb/in Progressive LR for the KLR (no bikes that heavy with
that small a
> fork, used offroad).
>
> One offroad suspension guru said air assist, as a last resort.
>
> One guy suggested higher oil level in forks, but I'm at the
maximum safe
> height (150mm, if anybody knows higher is OK please let me know)
>
> I am starting to consider things like cutting out the top 6" of the
> progressive springs, and replacing it (and the preload spacers)
with stacked
> valve springs from some large diesel or V8. Between production and
race
> valve springs I think I might find from 60lb/in to 100lb/in.
>
> Devon
> A15
>
Devon, i don't profess to be a suspension expert, but the fork
cartridge emulators will not help out at all?
Ed
A15
> ridecaptan wrote:
>
> > I worked all day and got home at 7pm. Since it was still nice
here
> > in NY, I went for a blast in the woods. There were a lot wet
areas
> > due to all the rain we've been having here, so I got the bike
good
> > and muddy. What a blast this thing is with all it's torque. And
what
> > feeling it is hitting 40 on the trails. I have progressive
springs
> > in the forks, and I am thinking of putting on a progressive shock
> > spring as well. Will this make a big difference? Just turned 800
on
> > the clock, so pretty soon I'll rev the hell out of it.
> >
> > Ed
> > A15
love my klr in the woods
Posted: Sat May 04, 2002 9:23 pm
by Devon Jarvis
I am not an expert either. But my understanding so far is that emulators
solve bottoming problems by allowing you to use a much stronger spring and
enough rebound damping to control it, without having harsh compression
damping.
So without a stronger spring emulators won't affect bottoming at all, I
think. And I don't want to irrevocably drill out my damper rods until I know
for sure. Racetech doesn't make the spring they have on their chart, and
don't know where I could find one. I don't think they have any direct
experience riding a KLR in similar conditions.
It's hard to get people to believe you when you say "really rough offroad
riding" and KLR650 in the same sentence. You should have seen the looks Zack
and I got on the Fort Valley VA trail ride, usually as we were passing
people on XR400s on the steep hills.
Devon
ridecaptan wrote:
>
> Devon, i don't profess to be a suspension expert, but the fork
> cartridge emulators will not help out at all?
>
> Ed
> A15
love my klr in the woods
Posted: Sat May 04, 2002 10:35 pm
by RM
On Sat, 4 May 2002, ridecaptan wrote:
>feeling it is hitting 40 on the trails. I have progressive springs in
>the forks, and I am thinking of putting on a progressive shock spring as
>well. Will this make a big difference?
Ride twisties? I just got done trying to screw up the courage to get a
toe down on The Crest (I failed) and I came away reminded that the rear of
the KLR is undersprung. You don't notice it as much until you get better
springs up front. Then you can feel the rear compressing when you git
your lean action on.
RM
love my klr in the woods
Posted: Sun May 05, 2002 12:48 am
by s2mumford
--- In DSN_klr650@y..., RM wrote:
>
> On Sat, 4 May 2002, ridecaptan wrote:
>
> >feeling it is hitting 40 on the trails. I have progressive springs
in
> >the forks, and I am thinking of putting on a progressive shock
spring as
> >well. Will this make a big difference?
>
> Ride twisties? I just got done trying to screw up the courage to
get a
> toe down on The Crest (I failed) and I came away reminded that the
rear of
> the KLR is undersprung. You don't notice it as much until you get
better
> springs up front. Then you can feel the rear compressing when you
git
> your lean action on.
>
> RM
If you preload the Progressive rear shock too much, the bike rides
with it's ass in the air and the front end gets real twitchy. Handle
like crap, and the front end wants to wash out.
This is one thing you never have to address with the stock rear
shock, but the Progressive gives you preload options that you could
put a fully loaded BMW GS on the rear rack with.
How long is it to Moab now? I think someone should organize a KLR
rodeo. I mean the Harley gang do it, why can't we? Obstacle course,
slow race, drag race, trials course, Supercross track (race ends at
landing pont of first double).
CA Stu
love my klr in the woods
Posted: Sun May 05, 2002 1:31 am
by RM
On Sun, 5 May 2002, s2mumford wrote:
>If you preload the Progressive rear shock too much, the bike rides with
>it's ass in the air and the front end gets real twitchy. Handle like
>crap, and the front end wants to wash out. This is one thing you never
>have to address with the stock rear shock, but the Progressive gives you
>preload options that you could put a fully loaded BMW GS on the rear
>rack with.
Uh, if, uh, you don't uh, weigh like 250 pounds, you can overcrank the
preload on the OEM shock as well. I weigh 185 and I can't use position 4
or 5. 3 handles well but it's still a little too twitchy in my opinion.
Of course, I still have this 130/90 rear tire jacking the back end up. I
currently use 2 and I like it there.
What would be nice is having the stiffness of 3 or 4 while still
maintaining the proper amount of sag. Sounds like I need that Progressive
spring!
RM
love my klr in the woods
Posted: Sun May 05, 2002 7:21 am
by bradmorris64
You forgot the all time harley classic. The live chicken grab. 25 KLRs,
a grassy field, and 1 chicken.
Brad J. Morris > Obstacle course, slow race, drag race,
> trials course, Supercross track (race ends at
> landing pont of first double).
>
> CA Stu Bubba Stu, my distant cousin.
love my klr in the woods
Posted: Sun May 05, 2002 9:52 am
by ridecaptan
--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "s2mumford" wrote:
> --- In DSN_klr650@y..., RM wrote:
> >
> > On Sat, 4 May 2002, ridecaptan wrote:
> >
> > >feeling it is hitting 40 on the trails. I have progressive
springs
> in
> > >the forks, and I am thinking of putting on a progressive shock
> spring as
> > >well. Will this make a big difference?
> >
> > Ride twisties? I just got done trying to screw up the courage to
> get a
> > toe down on The Crest (I failed) and I came away reminded that
the
> rear of
> > the KLR is undersprung. You don't notice it as much until you
get
> better
> > springs up front. Then you can feel the rear compressing when
you
> git
> > your lean action on.
> >
> > RM
> If you preload the Progressive rear shock too much, the bike rides
> with it's ass in the air and the front end gets real twitchy.
Handle
> like crap, and the front end wants to wash out.
> This is one thing you never have to address with the stock rear
> shock, but the Progressive gives you preload options that you could
> put a fully loaded BMW GS on the rear rack with.
Maybe I'll leave the stock shock spring alone then, as my front end
does not feel twitchy at all. Maybe my riding doesn't warrant the
progressive shock, because it soes not feel bad to me.
Ed
A15
> How long is it to Moab now? I think someone should organize a KLR
> rodeo. I mean the Harley gang do it, why can't we? Obstacle course,
> slow race, drag race, trials course, Supercross track (race ends at
> landing pont of first double).
>
> CA Stu
him
> Bubba Stu, my distant cousin.
love my klr in the woods
Posted: Sun May 05, 2002 8:50 pm
by adamavis
Have you heard anything about the Ohlins springs? They also make a
rear shock for the KLR... Can you say "bring on the twisties?"
--- In DSN_klr650@y..., Devon Jarvis wrote:
> I am not an expert either. But my understanding so far is that
emulators
> solve bottoming problems by allowing you to use a much stronger
spring and
> enough rebound damping to control it, without having harsh
compression
> damping.
>
> So without a stronger spring emulators won't affect bottoming at
all, I
> think. And I don't want to irrevocably drill out my damper rods
until I know
> for sure. Racetech doesn't make the spring they have on their
chart, and
> don't know where I could find one. I don't think they have any
direct
> experience riding a KLR in similar conditions.
>
> It's hard to get people to believe you when you say "really rough
offroad
> riding" and KLR650 in the same sentence. You should have seen the
looks Zack
> and I got on the Fort Valley VA trail ride, usually as we were
passing
> people on XR400s on the steep hills.
>
> Devon
>
> ridecaptan wrote:
>
> >
> > Devon, i don't profess to be a suspension expert, but the fork
> > cartridge emulators will not help out at all?
> >
> > Ed
> > A15