klr 600 1984 7000 miles

[Jud Jones]

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

> > Proud owner of a green KLR600 from 1984 with only 7000miles!! Pics available upon request lol. > > anyways im not sure if youguys would frown upon such a mod or what but i really wanna change my rear wheel to a disk brake and perhaps even changing the wheels to a wider rear or even using road wheels. could do with some help on wheel mods and also any other mods you think are worth doing considering this bike is completely standard and in pristine condition... >

Not frown on it so much as wonder why you would bother. The rear brake is a relatively minor player. There is no reason to think the stock drum is not up to what little is expected of it. If there were a good reason to do this mod, someone would likely have done it sometime in the last 25 years. To my knowledge, you would be the first. If you do the side-by-side comparison the rev suggests, you will find that nothing swaps over. I would venture that the number of parts shared by the 600 and the 650 in the rear swingarm/rear wheel area of the bike is close to zero. Moreover, you stand to lose some of what makes the 600 distinctive. A lot of the chassis details, especially in this area of the bike, are much nicer than the corresponding parts on the 650. For example, the 600's swingarm casting is much nicer, as is the eccentric chain adjuster which was replaced by the relatively cheesy pull-bolt adjusters on the 650. If you have a machine shop and are a skilled fabricator, you could go to a lot of trouble just to be able to say you had done it, a rather small payoff for a lot of effort, IMO. The KLR is too much of a slug to make a really good supermoto. It is possible with a lot of time and money to turn a 650 into a pretty nice-looking cafe racer, and the same could no doubt be done with the 600. But why?

[Mike Hansen]

Leave it the way it is !!! a 25yr old bike is sweet enough. ride it and enjoy it !!!!!! ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: revmaaatin To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Sent: Thursday, March 26, 2009 8:15:41 PM Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: KLR 600 1984 7000 Miles

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogro ups.com, "benji_sounds" wrote: > > Proud owner of a green KLR600 from 1984 with only 7000miles!! Pics available upon request lol. > > anyways im not sure if youguys would frown upon such a mod or what but i really wanna change my rear wheel to a disk brake and perhaps even changing the wheels to a wider rear or even using road wheels. could do with some help on wheel mods and also any other mods you think are worth doing considering this bike is completely standard and in pristine condition... > > > Thanks in advance > Ben > Hi Ben, Of course it is doable. for example, With enough thrust, you can make a brick fly--think F-4 Phantom. The first thing I would do is set your KLR600 next to the KLR650 and see what is different. Not a lot, but enough. First, I would very accurately measure the distance on the swing arm mounts, as if it is exactly the same--which I have no idea if it is the same--good chance that it is--you will need a KLR650 swing arm to make this an easy(er) swap. and a brake pedal--it will need a place for the reservoir/lint to attach brake billet (I think--maybe not) brake reservoir brake line master cylinder brake switch (might the old work as well?) brake caliper/hardware and a rear wheel with brake disc and a 'nub' to attach the switch and a nub to attach the reservoir and some other various brake-hanger parts, etc. On the other hand, ride it for what it is. A pristine KLR600. It will do everything that it was ever intended to do; M-miles of smiles and will carry you to remote places and fall down just fine with a rear drum brake. and it won't cost you a dime more. IMO. smile. revmaaatin. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]