[dsn_klr650] welding on side stand

[Greg Jorgensen]

I wanted a tool tube for longer trips, and after reading some postings online I made my own from a 12" length of 4" diameter PVC and a couple of screw-in caps. I mounted it on the bash plate with hose clamps. It fit OK and even looked good. I was not able to make the front tire hit the tube during my informal garage testing. I also had new tires put on. Then I went on a long ride from Portland to Monterey, CA, down Hwy 101 and CA 1. A few hundred miles in on a twisty section of Hwy 1 I had to brake moderately hard in a turn to back off a truck, and my front end felt like it had locked up for a second. I could smell burning rubber and I thought it was just the new tires biting harder than my old ones. Later I was getting something out of the tool tube and noticed the tire had rubbed a gouge in the tube. It didn't rub all the way through but the tube was clearly in the way of the tire under hard braking. I took the PVC tube off for safety. Maybe 4" is too big but at least one person posted that he was using that size PVC. I'm not sure 3" pipe would be much better, and 2" and smaller is close to useless for storage, though I could get tire irons and a pump in a smaller pipe. Just a caution to anyone putting a big 4" tool tube on -- I was surprised to have the front end partially lock up like that and it could have been worse if I had compressed the forks enough to completely wedge the front tire onto that tube. Greg Jorgensen '08 KLR650 (red) Portland, Oregon

[roncriswell@sbcglobal.net]

I have a skid mark on my 3 inch tube and I wonder if that might have helped me fall on the White Rim last year when I hit one of those steep 4 ft. rises at speed. I have since taken it off the front. criswell

On Jun 2, 2008, at 1:00 PM, Greg Jorgensen wrote: > I wanted a tool tube for longer trips, and after reading some postings > online I made my own from a 12" length of 4" diameter PVC and a couple > of screw-in caps. I mounted it on the bash plate with hose clamps. It > fit OK and even looked good. I was not able to make the front tire hit > the tube during my informal garage testing. I also had new tires put > on. Then I went on a long ride from Portland to Monterey, CA, down Hwy > 101 and CA 1. > > A few hundred miles in on a twisty section of Hwy 1 I had to brake > moderately hard in a turn to back off a truck, and my front end felt > like it had locked up for a second. I could smell burning rubber and I > thought it was just the new tires biting harder than my old ones. > Later I was getting something out of the tool tube and noticed the > tire had rubbed a gouge in the tube. It didn't rub all the way through > but the tube was clearly in the way of the tire under hard braking. I > took the PVC tube off for safety. > > Maybe 4" is too big but at least one person posted that he was using > that size PVC. I'm not sure 3" pipe would be much better, and 2" and > smaller is close to useless for storage, though I could get tire irons > and a pump in a smaller pipe. > > Just a caution to anyone putting a big 4" tool tube on -- I was > surprised to have the front end partially lock up like that and it > could have been worse if I had compressed the forks enough to > completely wedge the front tire onto that tube. > > Greg Jorgensen > '08 KLR650 (red) > Portland, Oregon > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[oldrider25]

http://s252.photobucket.com/albums/hh18/John2453/KLR%20Tool%20Tube/ I use 13.5"x4" ABS and it's very durable. The end caps are chemically welded and can be opened with any number of tools in the OEM tool kit or that I carry my person when riding. I've not had any interference with the wheel and the tube. John

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "roncriswell@..." wrote: > > I have a skid mark on my 3 inch tube and I wonder if that might have > helped me fall on the White Rim last year when I hit one of those > steep 4 ft. rises at speed. I have since taken it off the front. > > criswell > On Jun 2, 2008, at 1:00 PM, Greg Jorgensen wrote: > > > I wanted a tool tube for longer trips, and after reading some postings > > online I made my own from a 12" length of 4" diameter PVC and a couple > > of screw-in caps. I mounted it on the bash plate with hose clamps. It > > fit OK and even looked good. I was not able to make the front tire hit > > the tube during my informal garage testing. I also had new tires put > > on. Then I went on a long ride from Portland to Monterey, CA, down Hwy > > 101 and CA 1. > > > > A few hundred miles in on a twisty section of Hwy 1 I had to brake > > moderately hard in a turn to back off a truck, and my front end felt > > like it had locked up for a second. I could smell burning rubber and I > > thought it was just the new tires biting harder than my old ones. > > Later I was getting something out of the tool tube and noticed the > > tire had rubbed a gouge in the tube. It didn't rub all the way through > > but the tube was clearly in the way of the tire under hard braking. I > > took the PVC tube off for safety. > > > > Maybe 4" is too big but at least one person posted that he was using > > that size PVC. I'm not sure 3" pipe would be much better, and 2" and > > smaller is close to useless for storage, though I could get tire irons > > and a pump in a smaller pipe. > > > > Just a caution to anyone putting a big 4" tool tube on -- I was > > surprised to have the front end partially lock up like that and it > > could have been worse if I had compressed the forks enough to > > completely wedge the front tire onto that tube. > > > > Greg Jorgensen > > '08 KLR650 (red) > > Portland, Oregon > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >

[Chris Norloff]

Personally, I find that tool tube a little scary-big. I strapped the front end down on my KLR on a trailer -- front suspension almost fully compressed. It looked like I couldn't safely fit anything bigger than a 2.5 in. welding rod tube, and mounted low, too. In the photo from the side of your bike, if I mentally draw a line parallel to the front forks, from the rear of the tire up, it seems like it gets close to the tube. best, Chris -----Original Message----- From: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com [mailto:DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of oldrider25 Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2008 1:08 AM To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: Tool tube on '08 http://s252.photobucket.com/albums/hh18/John2453/KLR%20Tool%20Tube/ I use 13.5"x4" ABS and it's very durable. The end caps are chemically welded and can be opened with any number of tools in the OEM tool kit or that I carry my person when riding. I've not had any interference with the wheel and the tube. John --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "roncriswell@..." wrote:

> > I have a skid mark on my 3 inch tube and I wonder if that might have > helped me fall on the White Rim last year when I hit one of those > steep 4 ft. rises at speed. I have since taken it off the front. > > criswell > On Jun 2, 2008, at 1:00 PM, Greg Jorgensen wrote: > > > I wanted a tool tube for longer trips, and after reading some > > postings online I made my own from a 12" length of 4" diameter PVC > > and a couple of screw-in caps. I mounted it on the bash plate with > > hose clamps. It fit OK and even looked good. I was not able to make > > the front tire hit the tube during my informal garage testing. I > > also had new tires put on. Then I went on a long ride from Portland > > to Monterey, CA, down Hwy > > 101 and CA 1. > > > > A few hundred miles in on a twisty section of Hwy 1 I had to brake > > moderately hard in a turn to back off a truck, and my front end felt > > like it had locked up for a second. I could smell burning rubber and > > I thought it was just the new tires biting harder than my old ones. > > Later I was getting something out of the tool tube and noticed the > > tire had rubbed a gouge in the tube. It didn't rub all the way > > through but the tube was clearly in the way of the tire under hard > > braking. I took the PVC tube off for safety. > > > > Maybe 4" is too big but at least one person posted that he was using > > that size PVC. I'm not sure 3" pipe would be much better, and 2" and > > smaller is close to useless for storage, though I could get tire > > irons and a pump in a smaller pipe. > > > > Just a caution to anyone putting a big 4" tool tube on -- I was > > surprised to have the front end partially lock up like that and it > > could have been worse if I had compressed the forks enough to > > completely wedge the front tire onto that tube. > > > > Greg Jorgensen > > '08 KLR650 (red) > > Portland, Oregon > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >

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[fasteddiecopeman]

Chris, DON"T ever strap your KLR down that tight - get a piece of 2x4 about 6 or so" long and put it between the tire and front fender vertically (put a piece of 'lath' across it first, to stop against your gaiters), THEN strap it down. That way you won't wreck your fork springs by over- compressing. Cheers, Ed

[Chris Norloff]

Thanks. This was only for checking tool tube clearance, not for trailering. And yes, a 'stop' like you speak of is just the ticket for trailering. best, Chris -----Original Message----- From: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com [mailto:DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of fasteddiecopeman Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2008 4:16 PM To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: Tool tube on '08 Chris, DON"T ever strap your KLR down that tight - get a piece of 2x4 about 6 or so" long and put it between the tire and front fender vertically (put a piece of 'lath' across it first, to stop against your gaiters), THEN strap it down. That way you won't wreck your fork springs by over- compressing. Cheers, Ed ------------------------------------ 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/dsnklr650Yahoo! Groups Links

[Steve Weinstock]

Wow. I EXACTLY the same thing on my 05 - just this past weekend !! I'll go check the clearance more carefully - thanks for the advice !! BTW - any folks with pre-08s that can comment on a 4" tool tube ?? Thanks, SW [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[oldrider25]

I ran some tests last night on the way home. There's plenty of clearance between the 4" tube and the front wheel when the fork is compressed. What I don't know is what happens when the fork is dynamically compressed. I.e., when the bike hits a bump and the fork/frame flex. If the fork/frame flex several inches, there may be an issue. I've not had any interference thus far but have only gone over curbs and speed bumps along with a number of controlled "panic" stops. I'll field test the set up in a couple of weeks and will let y'all know what I find out. John --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Steve Weinstock" wrote:

> > Wow. I EXACTLY the same thing on my 05 - just this past weekend !!

I'll

> go check the clearance more carefully - thanks for the advice !! > > > > BTW - any folks with pre-08s that can comment on a 4" tool tube ?? > > > > Thanks, > > SW > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >

[Terry Taylor]

I carry a 15" long, 2" tube on the front of my bike mounted to highway bars.I have yet to have any conflict with the front tire.Inside I have 2 full size tire irons, a prop stand & a collapsible fishing pole.The reel is kept in a seperate small bag at a different location on the bike. The bike is an '03. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Horton Oliphant]

Did you take off the fork caps and take the front end to full compression without the springs resisting you? Al A13 Ia oldrider25 wrote:

> I ran some tests last night on the way home. There's plenty of > clearance between the 4" tube and the front wheel when the fork is