Wilsons Sandbox

----- Original Message ----- From: jokerloco9@... To: digger2@... ; DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, December 24, 2007 8:38 PM Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] bike values Start at $3000, max 3500. Jeff A20 In a message dated 12/24/2007 5:32:24 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, digger2@... writes: My dealer has an 05 on the floor with 500 miles. I am trying to put a value on this but having some issues. A- Its now 2 years old B- No warranty C- A new one(07) is $4595.Otd It probably has not been run much. However, I cannot resist a deal so where to start and end ? **************************************See AOL's top rated recipes (http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

> [Original Message] > From: Harry Seifert > To: ocpianoman ; DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> > Date: 12/27/2007 6:58:22 AM > Subject: RE: [DSN_KLR650] Re: It lives! > > For a 90/10 or a 95/5 street oriented tire, I've used both the Michelin > Sirac and the Pirelli Scorpion S/T. They're available in the 17" and 21" > stock sizes, stick very well on dry asphalt and seem to last for 5,000+ > miles. Fred's got 'em as well as SouthwestMotoTires in AZ. > > I'm currently running very street oriented Michelin Activs in 120/70 18

> 140/80 17 on my street KLR. Others in my small circle of friends run > Bridgestone BattleAx BT's in the same sizes on their street oriented

> For my limited dirtly skills, the stock Dunlops are good enough for my > limited fire road and hard pack desert forays. When the stock Dunlops go > away, I'll fit a different, knobbier set of Dunlops or Pirellis on the > stock wheels. > > Buddy > bseifert71@... > > > > [Original Message] > > From: ocpianoman > > To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> > > Date: 12/25/2007 4:39:36 PM > > Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: It lives! > > > > Just returned from a 100 mile KLR ride. Diamond Bar (91765) to Mt. > > Baldy Village, west to Azusa Canyon and home again, more or less. > > Gassed up and got 150 miles from 2.8 gallons, or 53.57 mpg. That makes > > me happy! Azusa Canyon is a twisty, reasonably fast road that I can > > sanely ride at 50mph most of the way. Sportbike guys can haul butt up > > there but it's not wise! I was not at all confident pushing the KLR up > > to 50mph corner speeds on the Kenda tires. The bike seems more stable > > and grippy turning right than left for some reason. When I first got > > back into canyon carving I was better at turning left than right for > > quite a while as evidenced by the Avon AM20 on the front of the GS450 > > that wore out the left shoulder before the right or the center. After > > seeing that I worked on taking right handers a little faster, but only > > when I could see around them! I think I'm wearing my tires a little > > more evenly these days. So, what it is about the KLR? The twisted > > forks? the tires? I'm getting to where I'm not overdoing the inputs on > > the bars and find that less lean and less body english is required > > with this bike than the 520lb. VX800. At around 400lbs. the KLR weighs > > about the same and has about the same power as the GS450, but it is > > lots taller and the high CofG has to be taken into account. Yet, it > > seems just as flickable as the GS450 but I just don't get the > > confidence from the Kenda tires just yet, it feels like the front is > > lots closer to letting go suddenly than what makes me comfortable. I'm > > curious to try some street tires on the KLR. Anybody done that and > > care to share? What tires? pressures? I'm interested in 21in. front > > tires, not SM 17-inchers... > > > > > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "ocpianoman" wrote: > > > > > > My A14 has been languishing in the garage since late April, waiting > > > for me to stop procrastinating and get it back on the road. Finally > > > did just that, using a used head from an '05, EagleMike's doo, shorter > > > contraction spring, etc. The original doo was still held down by the > > > bolt, but was in two pieces. The spring had no tension left but was > > > still in place, intact. Left the cylinder, piston and rings > > > undisturbed as there were no marks on the cylinder walls with 23.9k > > > miles showing on the odo. Took the time to remove the clutch cover and > > > found the screen amazingly clean. Left it off in case I dropped stuff > > > down the abyss, which I didn't, but that pesky washer/spacer behind > > > the doo sprocket found it's way through that big hole twice! Since I > > > had the subframe off to get the backbone tube welded, I installed the > > > carb first, then the subframe. Easy that way! Getting the cylinder > > > head on was a struggle until I dropped the radiator out of the way, > > > then it was a piece of cake. It kept knocking the carrot and rubber > > > spacer out of place until I dropped the radiator. My original head > > > with the seriously-burned, leaky and ovoid LH exhaust valve will go to > > > Cary in Decatur for a pre-stage valve job and be kept as a spare. > > > > > > Rode about 140 miles yesterday. Initial impressions are that it's a > > > better freeway bike than my GS450 as far as stability goes, even on > > > Kenda 50/50 tires. The motor seems like it will rumble along at 5k rpm > > > and 72mph or so, for forever without breaking a sweat. Of course it's > > > got lots of cold air cooling it at the moment. The tires seem to grip > > > well on dry cold asphalt but I was overdoing the inputs on the bars > > > big time in the twisties and do not have the same confidence yet as > > > with my other bikes. I have favorite routes that I ride to test bikes > > > so I know the roads well and can get an idea how different bikes > > > behave. Someone is selling a set of BT45's practically new, in sizes > > > 90/90-21 and 110/90-18, take-offs from a recently purchase dual-sport. > > > 110 might be too narrow for the rear of the KLR. I have a BT45 on the > > > front of the GS450 and it works great in that application. > > > > > > The KLR suspension front and rear needs attention. The bike soaks up > > > the bumps extremely well as would be expected from long travel > > > suspension on the street. But, the forks twist under braking, and the > > > fork seals are shot, as are the steering bearings. Tightened up the > > > triple trees which helped only a bit. The bike will not track straight > > > when riding no-hands, wants to fall to the left, probably due to the > > > twisting under braking. A fork brace is on the wishlist, as are some > > > aftermarket springs. Any suggestions? I already know about > > > Progressives, got 'em on two other bikes. Any better choices? The rear > > > needs to be disassembled and lubed, but that all can wait till I get a > > > few miles logged. The beast quit after only 100 miles shortly after > > > purchase in April, so I've got some catching up to do! It'll give my > > > VX800 some much needed rest. It's had 20k miles piled on since March > > > '06, up to 60k now, and it's a much rarer bike, harder to find parts > > > for. The GS450 has had it easy since the VX showed up and gets ridden > > > just enough to keep its juices flowing. This KLR is not going to win > > > any beauty contests! It will be my beater bike and daily driver as > > > long as it will hold up. I think for this cold weather the Thermo-Bob > > > is almost a prerequisite. Lots of temp variation without it. I wonder > > > if the trucker trick of blocking off part of the airflow to the > > > radiator will help in the absence of the Thermo-Bob? Used Engine Ice > > > for coolant. I like that it's ethylene glycol free, non-toxic and > > > biodegradable. Looks like grape Kool-aid. > > > > > > Anyway, enough typing for now. Xmas with the family will be tomorrow, > > > so for now it's time to go out and enjoy my present to myself. > > > > > > Hope everyone is having a Joyous day with their families! - ian > > > > > > > > > > > > > List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com > > List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html > > Member Map at: http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650 > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > > > List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com > List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html > Member Map at: http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650 > Yahoo! Groups Links > > >