Wilsons Sandbox

On Thu, 23 Jun 2005, jkhoei wrote:

> The living costs here in the Bay Area so high that bike mechanics want > to draw blood for a routine 12K mile tune-up. I am getting quotes > north of the $400 mark. I thought this was a kawi and not a bloody > ducati ... sheesh! > > Any idea on what I should expect to pay to limit the lube-job to the > motorcycle only?

Yes, $400 -- once. With $400, you can get every tool needed to do every reasonable maintenance to a KLR, and do it *right*. The most expensive tools will be the torque wrenches -- the 3/8" in-lbs one and the 1/2' ft-lbs one will set you back $60 apiece for the click-type ones from Sears (I do not recommend getting cheaper ones). For the rest -- the KLR toolkit already comes with all the open-end wrenches and screwdrivers you need, so you just need a socket set. I bought a 3/8" socket set for $20 from Sears (it was on sale, it also included a nut driver set) to replace the one that I'd bought at Wal-Mart 15 years earlier (where I'd exploded a couple of the el-cheapo sockets). $20 at Wal-mart got me a Stanley 1/2" set to replace the cranky old stuff I'd inherited from my father many years ago (e.g. the old socket wrench had to have its selector tapped by a hammer to switch it between forward and reverse, and had been like that since the days when my father was alive and using it). $5 at Lowe's got me a 3' 1" steel pipe that works great as a cheater bar. Then there is the feeler gauge and the hex key set, but neither of those are expensive. There's other stuff you can buy after this -- vice grips, channel loks, a variety of pliers with different bents and etc. -- but those are all luxuries and can be picked up on an as-needed basis. Tonight I lovingly removed my footpegs, cleaned off all the old crusted grease, and re-greased them, as part of my objective of getting around to all the services that are supposed to be done in a given 3,000 mile interval within the next 1,000 miles or so. What shop is going to do this? Answer: None. They'll just shoot more grease into them, and let it go at that. Having the right tools lets you do things on *your* schedule, at *your* pace, with a level of detail that no shop can afford, which will generally result in better care for your bike. -E

Be doubly thankful that you don't have a Ducati, I guess a Duc would be more than twice the cost of tuning a KLR650. Motorcycles are cheaper than car in several areas but not maintenance. Motorcycle tune ups, oil changes, are more frequent, tires don't last as long, chain & sprockets wear out, etc., etc. However simplicity of a thumper such as the KLR makes it a lot easier for the home mechanic to do his own maintenance & other work. Knock on wood; my A14 at 27K miles hasn't been back to a dealer since its initial 700 mile check up. If you can, consider doing your own maintenance. You can get plenty of on-line help from web sites like this & you know for sure what's done or not.

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "jkhoei" wrote: > Hi all, > The living costs here in the Bay Area so high that bike mechanics want > to draw blood for a routine 12K mile tune-up. I am getting quotes > north of the $400 mark. I thought this was a kawi and not a bloody > ducati ... sheesh! > > Any idea on what I should expect to pay to limit the lube-job to the > motorcycle only? > > Your input will be helpful. Thanks. > > Joe (A14) > Swamp thing > 12,800 miles

On Jun 22, 2005, at 11:31 PM, Eric L. Green wrote:

> Yes, $400 -- once. With $400, you can get every tool needed to do every > reasonable maintenance to a KLR, and do it *right*.

I wholeheartedly agree, but not everyone has the luxury of having a good place at home to work on their bike. (Been there, done that.) And, a lot of people--even motorcycle riders--are intimidated at the thought of tearing into their ride without some expert, in-person guidance. (Been there, done that, too!) So, towards Joe's original question, $400 doesn't seem too out of line for the Bay Area. I used to pay around $1,200 every 12K miles to have the dealer do a full service on my Triumph Sprint ST (including tires, all fluids, valves, etc.). Ducatis are a little more expensive than that, and their valve adjustment intervals are a measly 4K on many models. Joe, if you can find a decent place to work on your bike, Eric's advice is spot-on and I'm sure you could bribe someone in the Bay Area with a few beers to supervise your work. (Heck, I might even be that corruptible!) -- Blake Sobiloff San Jose, CA (USA)

It has got to be tough to have a KLR but not be able to work on it for whatever reason. To me part of the fun is tinkering on my A14. However, if you can't do it yourself, a KLR should be one of the least costly motorcycles to be professionally serviced. It gives me nightmares to read the valve adjustment procedure for a Ducati or the tricky Honda VFR variable valve system. --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Blake Sobiloff wrote:

> On Jun 22, 2005, at 11:31 PM, Eric L. Green wrote: > > Yes, $400 -- once. With $400, you can get every tool needed to do

every

> > reasonable maintenance to a KLR, and do it *right*. > > I wholeheartedly agree, but not everyone has the luxury of having a > good place at home to work on their bike. (Been there, done

that.)

> And, a lot of people--even motorcycle riders--are intimidated at

the

> thought of tearing into their ride without some expert, in-person > guidance. (Been there, done that, too!) > > So, towards Joe's original question, $400 doesn't seem too out of

line

> for the Bay Area. I used to pay around $1,200 every 12K miles to

have

> the dealer do a full service on my Triumph Sprint ST (including

tires,

> all fluids, valves, etc.). Ducatis are a little more expensive

than

> that, and their valve adjustment intervals are a measly 4K on many > models. > > Joe, if you can find a decent place to work on your bike, Eric's

advice

> is spot-on and I'm sure you could bribe someone in the Bay Area

with a

> few beers to supervise your work. (Heck, I might even be that > corruptible!) > -- > Blake Sobiloff > San Jose, CA (USA)

Let them draw blood if you're loaded! My KLR didn't need squat at 12000 miles except oil changes. Good luck, Rod,,,knowin if I had all my vehicles worked on by the dealers, I'd never have money to ride.

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "jkhoei" wrote: > Hi all, > The living costs here in the Bay Area so high that bike mechanics want > to draw blood for a routine 12K mile tune-up. I am getting quotes > north of the $400 mark. I thought this was a kawi and not a bloody > ducati ... sheesh! > > Any idea on what I should expect to pay to limit the lube-job to the > motorcycle only? > > Your input will be helpful. Thanks. > > Joe (A14) > Swamp thing > 12,800 miles

Your money would be much better spent on a book, some tools and a lift. The KLR is about as easy to work on as they come and it will usually let you know when things need attention. I really enjoy working on the KLR. Many people have local groups of KLRistas that get together for beverages and wrenching periodically. I wouldn't let most dealers touch my weekwacker let alone my KLR. I will let anyone I know ride my KLR. My shop experiences in Dallas are dealers will charge as much as they can get for a job and may or may not complete the job while denting or chipping your tank all at $65+/hr and exorbanent parts prices. I usually put my KLR on the lift and go through it after long trips. Usually takes a few hours maybe an afternoon.

On 6/23/05, jkhoei wrote: > Hi all, > The living costs here in the Bay Area so high that bike mechanics want > to draw blood for a routine 12K mile tune-up. I am getting quotes > north of the $400 mark. I thought this was a kawi and not a bloody > ducati ... sheesh! > > Any idea on what I should expect to pay to limit the lube-job to the > motorcycle only? > > Your input will be helpful. Thanks.

I hear you Rod. I'd rather take out the .357 and shoot the thing dead before I drop that kind of $$ at the dealer, on ANY bike. Anyway, I think I have to buck-up and get into it myself with some help from our local KLRers ... However, this time around I scored because Tom over at Moore & Sons (KTM guru in Santa Cruz) recognized my voice (from the work he did on my old 02 KTM Duke II) and said he would hook me up for a couple of bills (200). Since I have already done the oil and filter, that price might come down even more. Then, I will have some time (~ 5K miles) to get ready for the next tune-up (since It will have turned 13K by this Saturday). Bribe with beers you say? Pour the Mezcal with beer backs I reply ... Thanks all. Joe (14) Swamp thing

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Rodney Copeland" wrote: > Let them draw blood if you're loaded! > My KLR didn't need squat at 12000 miles except oil changes. > Good luck, > Rod,,,knowin if I had all my vehicles worked on by the dealers, I'd > never have money to ride.

I'm still wonderin what a tuneup means at 12000 miles! I changed my spark plug at 20,000 just to try an iridium, but the stocker was fine. Wonder what they will do to your bike to tune it up. (maybe cause ya trouble?) Think they will pull the plug outta your carb and turn the screw out 2.5 turns. I really can't think of anything else it may need cept valve adjust. Course, then again, mine is still in spec after nearly 30,000 miles. (originally checked them at 1500 miles but couldn't stop ridin) Good luck Bro, we'll be here if ya need us for sure! Cheers, Rod

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "jkhoei" wrote: > I hear you Rod. I'd rather take out the .357 and shoot the thing dead > before I drop that kind of $$ at the dealer, on ANY bike. > > Anyway, I think I have to buck-up and get into it myself with some > help from our local KLRers ... However, this time around I scored > because Tom over at Moore & Sons (KTM guru in Santa Cruz) recognized > my voice (from the work he did on my old 02 KTM Duke II) and said he > would hook me up for a couple of bills (200). Since I have already > done the oil and filter, that price might come down even more. > > Then, I will have some time (~ 5K miles) to get ready for the next > tune-up (since It will have turned 13K by this Saturday). > > Bribe with beers you say? Pour the Mezcal with beer backs I reply ... > > Thanks all. > Joe (14) > Swamp thing > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Rodney Copeland" wrote: > > Let them draw blood if you're loaded! > > My KLR didn't need squat at 12000 miles except oil changes. > > Good luck, > > Rod,,,knowin if I had all my vehicles worked on by the dealers, I'd > > never have money to ride.

On Jun 22, 2005, at 1:14 AM, Dave W wrote:

> I think they get 55 on the back of a truck - they couldn't be riding > them > surely!

In the short time I've owned my bike (purchased 3/19 of this year) I've averaged 47 MPG over the 2,000 miles I've been keeping records for, with a high 53 MPG and a low of 45 MPG. The mileage hasn't varied a whole lot, even when I've loaded it up and taken a 700 mile highway/logging road trip (as opposed to my regular highway commuting). I'm about 175 pounds, plus gear; I have the stock gearing on my A13 and a Givi top box, and run street tires (Michelin Anakees) at street pressures (32 PSI all around). On the highway, I tend to run at an indicated 80 MPH (~5,500 RPM). As all of this has happened on California's weak fuel, I can't really complain. -- Blake Sobiloff San Jose, CA (USA)