Wilsons Sandbox

I read somewhere that the '05 KLR is no longer made in Japan... if this is true, what has changed? Apparently some parts are no longer interchangable as well... has the dookickey been fixed? I got this from someone who claims this on www.vfrdiscussion.com on a dual-sport thread. Anyway, this concerns me because I just agreed to buy an '05 off someone. I used to own a 2001 GS500 I bought brand new.. since '03 they have started making them in Spain and the quality is so much cheaper with corners cut everywhere! Someone please confirm this... Barna

rrbarna wrote:

>I read somewhere that the '05 KLR is no longer made in Japan... >

Been made in Thailand since 2001, according to the FAQ. I have a 2002, and while it is clear that the build quality isn't up to that of a supersonic jet, I haven't seen anything egregious.

>is true, what has changed? Apparently some parts are no longer >interchangable as well... has the dookickey been fixed? > >

There have been no (zero, nada) changes to the KLR since, I think, 1997, other than paint and plastic colors. Nothing's been fixed. -E

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "rrbarna" wrote:

> I read somewhere that the '05 KLR is no longer made in Japan... if this > is true, what has changed? Apparently some parts are no longer > interchangable as well... has the dookickey been fixed? > > I got this from someone who claims this on www.vfrdiscussion.com on a > dual-sport thread. > > Anyway, this concerns me because I just agreed to buy an '05 off > someone. > > I used to own a 2001 GS500 I bought brand new.. since '03 they have > started making them in Spain and the quality is so much cheaper with > corners cut everywhere! > > Someone please confirm this... > > Barna

Sometime in 01 I think they moved to Thailand for assembly, my 01 says "Made in Japan" on the stem however. Dooden A15 Green Ape

Some of the new OEM parts I am getting from Kawasaki say they are made in Thailand. Can't tell any differences other than the plastic bags seem thicker. I don't know of any changes in the KLR except the BNG, once Kawasaki moved the assembly to Thailand. Fred www.arrowheadmotorsports.com

----- Original Message ----- From: "rrbarna" To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Monday, August 22, 2005 7:01 PM Subject: [DSN_KLR650] 2005 KLR650 Still Made in Japan? >I read somewhere that the '05 KLR is no longer made in Japan... if this > is true, what has changed? Apparently some parts are no longer > interchangable as well... has the dookickey been fixed?

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Fred Hink" wrote:

> Some of the new OEM parts I am getting from Kawasaki say they are

made in

> Thailand. Can't tell any differences other than the plastic bags

seem

> thicker.

--- I think modern times have made location of manufacture less important than it used to be. I'm talking about situations where a company builds a factory in a cheaper country and manages it themselves. In these cases the design and management are unchanged. And with the level of automation today, even the build quality is less affected than it used to be. I guess I'd still prefer a highly-paid Japanese worked assembled my bike, if the costs were equal: but they're not. I'll take the cost savings and the continued production of the KLR. And don't sell the S.E. Asian worker short, either. There's some fine work that comes out of Thailand, Vietnam, and some other countries in that area, and you're likely going to see a lot more of it.

I think your right Randy. The biggest threat to quality isn't so much who is doing the work, as what material is being put into those automated machines. It comes down to two words that are used in virtually every company today. "Cost Savings" Rick A17 Randy Shultz wrote: I think modern times have made location of manufacture less important than it used to be. I'm talking about situations where a company builds a factory in a cheaper country and manages it themselves. In these cases the design and management are unchanged. And with the level of automation today, even the build quality is less affected than it used to be. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Speaking of sprockets.....did you ever get the lock wash for yours? --Jim A-15

>Now, about the guy who is running the 12 tooth drive > sproket.... > > Bonsall Baron