Wilsons Sandbox

Jon ,I just did both tires at once, To support bike I got 4 really big closed eye hooks and inserted them in the rafters in garage ceiling. Then I used heavy duty ratchet tie downs to hold the bike in mid air. It worked. For the tire support maybe you can make a frame out of 2x4s on edge and lay the wheel on it Brad----- Original Message ----- From: Jon Neet To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2008 12:28 PM Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re:tire changes/bike support? I'm planning on giving it a go to replace my tires the old fashioned way-you know-with much swearing and blood-letting. I'm 54 years old and haven't replaced a tire in many years.Tires are coming and a couple of tire irons. I think I'll pick up a third tire iron just in case.I'm going to get some talcum powder and make sure I have some Windex too and a few latex gloves.I don't have any kind of tire stand, so I thought I'd just try using the new tire to set the wheel on, and then use the old tire when I install the new one. But I have no real means of supporting the motorcycle. I do have a floor jack (automotive), a bottle jack, and a couple of car jack stands. I read somwhere that someone suggested using the jack stands, each one under the footpegs (inwards of the folding part of the peg). Maybe I could use the floor jack to raise it up and lower the bike on these stands? Darn sure don't want the bike to fall over in the middle of this operation and damage. I'm on a budget here too.Is something like the Harbor Freight or Sears motorcycle jack needed? Thanks for any comments on this. I use my KLR as my transportation to work pretty much every day including winter here in western Wa. State-especially since we have now become a one car family and both myself and my wife work.Luckily the KLR isn't my only motorcycle and I have a 15 mile round trip commute (in case things go to hell and I can't get the job done). Jon --------------------------------- Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Jon-- A piece of 2x4 of the appropriate length can be stuck under the right side of the swingarm so that the bike is supported by the kickstand, front wheel, and 2x4. This is surprisingly stable unless you really start wailing on the thing. Certainly plenty for changing a tire so long as you loosen the axle nut before raising the bike. If the thing's on the kickstand, just stand on the right side by the back tire and lift it up by the back of the swingarm. It sort of rocks up on the kickstand. If you have a bashplate, you can do the same thing in the front, wedging the 2x4 under the bashplate on the right. I've been doing that for several years with no problems. Your new tire will make an excellent place to set the wheel while you work, and then your old tire can trade places with it. Remember, with tires, if it's hard you're doing it wrong. The key is to always make sure the tire is squeezed into that narrow depression in the rim opposite where you're working. Luke Jon Neet wrote: I'm planning on giving it a go to replace my tires the old fashioned way-you know-with much swearing and blood-letting. I'm 54 years old and haven't replaced a tire in many years.Tires are coming and a couple of tire irons. I think I'll pick up a third tire iron just in case.I'm going to get some talcum powder and make sure I have some Windex too and a few latex gloves.I don't have any kind of tire stand, so I thought I'd just try using the new tire to set the wheel on, and then use the old tire when I install the new one. But I have no real means of supporting the motorcycle. I do have a floor jack (automotive), a bottle jack, and a couple of car jack stands. I read somwhere that someone suggested using the jack stands, each one under the footpegs (inwards of the folding part of the peg). Maybe I could use the floor jack to raise it up and lower the bike on these stands? Darn sure don't want the bike to fall over in the middle of this operation and damage. I'm on a budget here too.Is something like the Harbor Freight or Sears motorcycle jack needed? Thanks for any comments on this. I use my KLR as my transportation to work pretty much every day including winter here in western Wa. State-especially since we have now become a one car family and both myself and my wife work.Luckily the KLR isn't my only motorcycle and I have a 15 mile round trip commute (in case things go to hell and I can't get the job done). Jon --------------------------------- Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] 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 Brooklyn NY 92 CB750 nighthawk--naked simpleton 03 KLR650--fat girl with a dirty mind --------------------------------- Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Jon Neet wrote:

> > I'm planning on giving it a go to replace my tires the old

fashioned way-you know-with much swearing and blood-letting. I don't have any kind of tire stand, so I thought I'd just try using the new tire to set the wheel on, and then use the old tire when I install the new one.

> But I have no real means of supporting the motorcycle. I do have

a floor jack (automotive), a bottle jack, and a couple of car jack stands. I read somwhere that someone suggested using the jack stands, each one under the footpegs (inwards of the folding part of the peg). My quick and dirty method is (2) 5-gallon buckets. One right side up with no lid for the tire changing stand and one upside down with or without the lid as a moto-style bike stand. You'll need 2 pieces of 2x4 (or one piece of 4x4) to place under the kick stand. Rock the bike up onto the kick stand on top of the 4" blocking and slide the bucket under the skid plate from the throttle side of the bike. I have an aftermarket skid plate... I don't recall the stock skid plate being flat enough to rest the bike on but maybe it is. This is doable on your own but easier with a friend. da Vermonster A third bucket can be used as a mechanic's seat too!

Jon, You have all the tools you need. I did all the rear swingarm maint with just the car jack stands. First pull off the skid plate. Pivot the bike to the left balancing on the front wheel and sidestand. Shove the jack stand under the right frame. Next lift the left side by balancing against the front wheel and right jack stand. Shove the jack stand under the left frrame. It is really that easy and stable. When I say lift I just mean with your body. You are really only pushing, not lifting. Here is a pic. http://picasaweb.google.com/gvarsava/Spring2007BikeMaintenance/photo?authkey=Cpo323m2P84#5050495027049698338 Glenn

On Sun, Mar 9, 2008 at 12:28 PM, Jon Neet wrote: > I'm planning on giving it a go to replace my tires the old fashioned > way-you know-with much swearing and blood-letting. I'm 54 years old and > haven't replaced a tire in many years.Tires are coming and a couple of > tire irons. I think I'll pick up a third tire iron just in case.I'm going > to get some talcum powder and make sure I have some Windex too and a few > latex gloves.I don't have any kind of tire stand, so I thought I'd just > try using the new tire to set the wheel on, and then use the old tire when I > install the new one. > But I have no real means of supporting the motorcycle. I do have a floor > jack (automotive), a bottle jack, and a couple of car jack stands. I read > somwhere that someone suggested using the jack stands, each one under the > footpegs (inwards of the folding part of the peg). Maybe I could use the > floor jack to raise it up and lower the bike on these stands? Darn sure > don't want the bike to fall over in the middle of this operation and damage. > I'm on a budget here too.Is something like the Harbor Freight or Sears > motorcycle jack needed? > Thanks for any comments on this. I use my KLR as my transportation to work > pretty much every day including winter here in western Wa. State-especially > since we have now become a one car family and both myself and my wife > work.Luckily the KLR isn't my only motorcycle and I have a 15 mile round > trip commute (in case things go to hell and I can't get the job done). > Jon > > --------------------------------- > Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it > now. > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Jon Neet wrote:

> > I'm planning on giving it a go to replace my tires the old

fashioned way-you know-with much swearing and blood-letting. I'm 54 years old and haven't replaced a tire in many years.Tires are coming and a couple of tire irons. I think I'll pick up a third tire iron just in case.I'm going to get some talcum powder and make sure I have some Windex too and a few latex gloves.I don't have any kind of tire stand, so I thought I'd just try using the new tire to set the wheel on, and then use the old tire when I install the new one.

> But I have no real means of supporting the motorcycle. I do

have a floor jack (automotive), a bottle jack, and a couple of car jack stands. I read somwhere that someone suggested using the jack stands, each one under the footpegs (inwards of the folding part of the peg). Maybe I could use the floor jack to raise it up and lower the bike on these stands? Darn sure don't want the bike to fall over in the middle of this operation and damage. I'm on a budget here too.Is something like the Harbor Freight or Sears motorcycle jack needed?

> Thanks for any comments on this. I use my KLR as my

transportation to work pretty much every day including winter here in western Wa. State-especially since we have now become a one car family and both myself and my wife work.Luckily the KLR isn't my only motorcycle and I have a 15 mile round trip commute (in case things go to hell and I can't get the job done).

> Jon > > > --------------------------------- > Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile.

Try it now.

> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >

Jon, check this link http://www.klr650.marknet.us/lift.html as well as several of mark's other items by going to the home page. I think you will find it useful. Initially, I had a stand like this, and have since gone to a center stand. Not the solution for everyone, but works, very, very well for my. You can use your jack stands, but I use them differently than you suggest. I place a 2x4 between the stands and perch the bike on the 2x4. shrug. Pay attention if you do this, it is miserable if you knock it off the stands. yeah, ask me how I know. It is worse if the back wheel is off when you do this. sigh. A safety feature is to use 4 tie down straps into the rafters, etc to steady the bike, similar to cross-tying a horse in a stall. At least if you knock it off the stands, it won't fall on you, cough, or the 'helper'. yeah, ask me how I know. smile. (He didn't squeal that loud...and I did not have to perform last rites.) revmaaatin.

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Luke in Brooklyn wrote:

> A piece of 2x4 of the appropriate length can be stuck under the

right side of the swingarm so that the bike is supported by the kickstand, front wheel, and 2x4. His jack stand might work there too, if it's a fairly short one. Just shove the bike over onto its sidestand and stick the jack stand under the swingarm near where it pivots. Should be more stable than the 2x4, since the jackstand has a forked basket on its top thus won't just pop out. For additional stability wrap a strap around the assemblage.

> If you have a bashplate, you can do the same thing in the front,

wedging the 2x4 under the bashplate on the right. I have more luck if I put a 25 pound weight on the tail first. Otherwise the KLR is rather nose-heavy and tends to want to swivel on its sidestand and fall over. All in all, it was such a PITA in the end that I ran out to my local Harbor Freight and bought a motorcycle/ATV lift. I did it once without the lift to prove to myself that it was possible to do on the trail, otherwise it was just too annoying.

> Remember, with tires, if it's hard you're doing it wrong. The key

is to always make sure the tire is squeezed into that narrow depression in the rim opposite where you're working. While somewhat true, this is also dependent on your tires. Tires with short street-oriented sidewalls tend to be very stiff and a PITA regardless. However, the PITA part is getting the bead broken to take the tire off, not putting it on, where once you get it down in the valley the rest pretty much just walks on. For softer tires like a Kenda 270 or Kings KT-966 I can break the bead with my boot heels. For stiffer tires like a Continental TKC-80... thus far I haven't figured any way to break the bead other than to haul along a giant heavy C-clamp .

> Jon Neet wrote: I'm planning on giving it a go to

replace my tires the old fashioned way-you know-with much swearing and blood-letting. I'm 54 years old and haven't replaced a tire in many years.Tires are coming and a couple of tire irons. I generally use two irons and a "bead buddy", a small device which screws onto the rim to prevent the tire from either a) popping out of the valley on the down side while I'm removing the tire, or b) keep the tire in the valley on the up side while I'm installing the tire. Works sorta like a third hand. Very small little device. Unfortunately the guy who made it apparently died and while Motion Pro is now selling a version as "T6 Trail Bead Buddy", theirs has a plastic screw which I can't think would work as well as the metal thumbscrew on mine. I suppose their plastic screw won't as readily scratch the rim, but it's a KLR, and I'd rather have the durability than the cosmetics.

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "E.L. Green" wrote:

> >... thus far I haven't figured > any way to break the bead other than to haul along a giant heavy > C-clamp . > >

Just ride it a little bit with no air in the tire. Works every time for me. da Vermonster

I used the 150 per dyno jet instructions Mike wrote: --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Wayne Blackburn wrote:

> > My question is, Does the mixture screw , Meter air/fuel thoughout

the rpm and throttle range or just low rpm and throttle. The reason I ask is ,My motor always runs to rich. I've opened the air box,k&M filter ,Big gun head pipe,supertrapp slip on,dyno jet, stage 3. you would think with all changes it would be more to the lean side. I just ordered the air/fuel adjustment with thumb adjuster.The bike runs great ,but I dont want to wash down the rings or contaminate the oil. I keep hearing about others saying there motors are cold natured. Mine will start in 20 degree weather without the choke. Thank Wayne 07 16000 smiles

>

Wayne, The key phrase is "dyno jet, stage 3." This will make your bike run rich. Which main jet did you put in? There is a LOT of overlap of the various circuits. I've seen the spreadsheet someone published for generic carb's showing some overlap. I've run a recording wideband sniffer. The main jet and needle affect the idle mixture. The idle mixture screw affects the mixture at all times - it does affect thing more at idle. I've worked on bikes that came with the idle mixture screw seated, yet the bike would still idle - although it did get hot quickly in traffic and surged badly under part throttle. Check the taper on the new mixture screw when you get it - it might not match the stock taper. HTH all the best, Mike 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 --------------------------------- Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]