Wilsons Sandbox

All I've ever done is: 1. Get the KLR on a suitable stand; 2. Loosen "one" pinch bolt, than take off "one" top cap; 3. Undo drain screw at bottom of "one" fork and drain into suitable container. Take KLR off stand and pump forks a few times to get as much out as possible. It's less messy if you tie a plastic sandwich bag around the fork leg/drain hole; 4. Re-install drain screw. 5. Add a bit of fresh oil up top and re-install top cap. 6. Pump a few more times and repeat steps 3,4, and 5 if necessary. 7. Fill with the recommended amout of oil. I believe it's 325cc's. Measure depth with fully compressed fork if you like but I've always found this spot on. 8. Repeat on other fork. 9. Torque all triple clamp bolts. Going from memory I think that's it. Just use common sense. I figure if I change the fuid frequently I shouldn't need to do the full blown procedure. But what do I know ;>} Matt

--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "mtnrx13" wrote: > > I am getting prepped to install the progressive fork springs on the > KLR. Is it necessary to remove the forks? Front wheel? Front brake > caliper? Or, can I just remove fork oil, remove cap, remove forks > and install new? > > I am using the "fork oil change" instructions from Mark's KLR 650 > Website, which are very comprehensive, but perhaps there is a less > prolonged method that I am missing. > > Please guide me, Oh wise ones... > > db > Alpha One Eight

The KLR is the anti-type of a Harley. Its a beautiful soul with an ugly face. A couple of Mammoth trip notes. Big clash of cultures again this year as they had a Harley street bike fair the same weekend as the MX races. Saw a few KLR's tooling around the area as well. Meet a guy at the June Lake/395 gas station (forgot his name) from the Santa Barbara area, who bought a new KLR a couple of years ago. Took it in for the 500 mile service, and shortly thereafter starting heard strange rattling sounds. Within a few hundred miles the motor seized. When he opened it up he found that the mechanic had over tightened the adjuster bolt, and broke the doohickey. $1900 to rebuild the motor with no warranty. Never got the name of the dealer, but I assume it was in the Santa Barbara area. Watched McGrath race a few days. That man is a genius at choosing lines, and getting around an MX track. He controls a dirt bike like Jimmy Page writes and plays guitar music, poetry and precise motion. Also put about 350 miles on the mighty XR, on the huge trail system they got up there. The MX bikes were having a hard time staying close to me on those 4th-5th gear fire and jeep roads/trails. What an awesome place! Russell -----Original Message----- From: Chris [mailto:kingsqueak@...] Sent: Monday, June 28, 2004 9:02 PM To: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [DSN_klr650] ugliest bike NKLR If you mean an ugly soul, the pure character of the bike, my bike may be a candidate. It is certainly not one of the polished jewels of the bed and breakfast circuit that some listers have. No, my bike does not get the Harley toothbrush cleaning treatment. It is certainly not one of the battle scarred veterans of the single-track wars. My bike has the unfortunate luck of having an owner who isn't yet up to that treatment. It will have to wait for me. Rather, my bike sits, mostly stock, a bunch of band-aid add-ons to make it practical. Not cleaned, sun bleached with warped plastic. Rarely washed unless I have to work on it extensively and only then to spare ME from the dirt. Torn fork boots, stock tires, a bash plate without a single nick on it. The killer, it is a '97 and only has about 9k miles on it with barely over a thousand since last August. My bike has a tortured soul. I think the only worse insult I could give this poor machine would be to stick a GPS on it, taunting it, with the thought that it might someday go somewhere.