Wilsons Sandbox

Yes, that's what I found. They just don't make what I'm looking for any more. I may have to give up on my under 10 year old limit and go back in time. I'm considering a 1982 GL500 Silverwing. I just returned from looking at one a guy has stored in his barn. Before I make an offer, Does anyone on the list have experience with this bike? Will a bike this old with 17,000 miles on it be a lot less dependable than a 17,000 mile 2002 bike? Craig

--- On Tue, 2/8/11, notanymoore wrote: From: notanymoore Subject: Re: NKLR Interstate cruiser (IMHO) To: "Craig Kahler" Date: Tuesday, February 8, 2011, 1:37 PM All day cruising under 750CC and 500Lbs? Given the upsizing of engines and frames the past decade, that's a tall order. Plus you didn't identify what "expensive" is. But I assume all day highway eliminates the crotch rockets. Few if any bikes under a liter - cruiser or crotch rocket - have been really developed in the past decade. And most cruisers tend to be in the 800-900cc range coming in around 600Lbs wet. Which makes them sluggish relative to other bikes. There aren't a lot of "standard" bikes in the current models. The Suzuki Vstrom DL650 (not the SV650) is a good choice for standard bike highway cruising - it has decent power, good gas mileage and a large gas tank. Mild off-road capability is a plus. There's a lot of 3rd party add-ons to trick it up and a relatively healthy used market. Older Honda Magna's or Shadows are also a possibility. Lot's of those on the used market too some even less than a decade old. Most Yamahas and Kaw's are more than 10 years old. --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Craig Kahler wrote: > > I am considering getting another bike for strictly highway use, All day interstate cruising. > But, I don't want a big expensive Goldwing kind of bike. > I would like to stay on the small side, but still be comfortable. > I'm thinking under 750cc, under 500lb, less than 10 years old. > How is a Vulcan 500 or 600 shadow on the highway? Any other suggestions? > > Craig > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I've had four of them. They are amazing, bulletproof bikes; lots of them have 150K or even 200K miles without any major work. They were frequently used in Europe for messenger bikes. They will run at 7K RPM all day long. They were designed to run with the Goldwing and they can do it without strain. But they have two issues. One is that the stators fail. The stator isn't that expensive but the labor to replace it is substantial since you have to remove the engine and transmission, and separate the engine from the transmission before the stator can be replaced. So you want to ensure that the stator is putting out voltage. Check for 13.5 or so volts at the battery when the bike is running. The second issue that these bikes have is that they have a ceramic "mechanical seal" that separates the coolant from the engine oil. If this seal fails the replacement part is only about $30 but the labor again is expensive (or extensive if you do the work) and for the same reason: you have to remove the engine and transmission to replace the seal. You can test for the failed seal by looking for oil in the coolant or coolant in the oil. You can (sometimes) see coolant peeing out from a weep hole since the engine compression pressurizes the radiator to the point that the coolant blasts out of the weep hole. I have a factory service manual if you want to borrow one. From: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com [mailto:DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Craig Kahler Sent: Tuesday, February 08, 2011 6:15 PM To: dsn_klr650@yahoogroups.com Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: NKLR Interstate cruiser (IMHO) Yes, that's what I found. They just don't make what I'm looking for any more. I may have to give up on my under 10 year old limit and go back in time. I'm considering a 1982 GL500 Silverwing. I just returned from looking at one a guy has stored in his barn. Before I make an offer, Does anyone on the list have experience with this bike? Will a bike this old with 17,000 miles on it be a lot less dependable than a 17,000 mile 2002 bike? Craig --- On Tue, 2/8/11, notanymoore > wrote: From: notanymoore > Subject: Re: NKLR Interstate cruiser (IMHO) To: "Craig Kahler" > Date: Tuesday, February 8, 2011, 1:37 PM All day cruising under 750CC and 500Lbs? Given the upsizing of engines and frames the past decade, that's a tall order. Plus you didn't identify what "expensive" is. But I assume all day highway eliminates the crotch rockets. Few if any bikes under a liter - cruiser or crotch rocket - have been really developed in the past decade. And most cruisers tend to be in the 800-900cc range coming in around 600Lbs wet. Which makes them sluggish relative to other bikes. There aren't a lot of "standard" bikes in the current models. The Suzuki Vstrom DL650 (not the SV650) is a good choice for standard bike highway cruising - it has decent power, good gas mileage and a large gas tank. Mild off-road capability is a plus. There's a lot of 3rd party add-ons to trick it up and a relatively healthy used market. Older Honda Magna's or Shadows are also a possibility. Lot's of those on the used market too some even less than a decade old. Most Yamahas and Kaw's are more than 10 years old. --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com , Craig Kahler wrote:

> > I am considering getting another bike for strictly highway use, All day

interstate cruising.

> But, I don't want a big expensive Goldwing kind of bike. > I would like to stay on the small side, but still be comfortable. > I'm thinking under 750cc, under 500lb, less than 10 years old. > How is a Vulcan 500 or 600 shadow on the highway? Any other suggestions? > > Craig > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >

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

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "John Biccum" wrote:

> > I've had four of them. They are amazing, bulletproof bikes; lots of them > have 150K or even 200K miles without any major work. They were frequently > used in Europe for messenger bikes. They will run at 7K RPM all day long. > They were designed to run with the Goldwing and they can do it without > strain. But they have two issues. > > > > One is that the stators fail. The stator isn't that expensive but the labor > to replace it is substantial since you have to remove the engine and > transmission, and separate the engine from the transmission before the > stator can be replaced. So you want to ensure that the stator is putting out > voltage. Check for 13.5 or so volts at the battery when the bike is > running. > > > > The second issue that these bikes have is that they have a ceramic > "mechanical seal" that separates the coolant from the engine oil. If this > seal fails the replacement part is only about $30 but the labor again is > expensive (or extensive if you do the work) and for the same reason: you > have to remove the engine and transmission to replace the seal. You can > test for the failed seal by looking for oil in the coolant or coolant in the > oil. You can (sometimes) see coolant peeing out from a weep hole since the > engine compression pressurizes the radiator to the point that the coolant > blasts out of the weep hole. > > > > I have a factory service manual if you want to borrow one. > >

~~~I bought a CX-500 new in 79', like John Said, stators are a common iissue. I had the entire electrics crap out on mine in 85 (25 yearsago), the year we moved to Fla. At the time i was too busy to do the electrical work so I relied on a local dealer where we lived. I still remember paying them $500 (parts and labor), but everypart in the electrical system (including battery) was replaced That bike made it down to Fla. with us, to the lower FLa. Keys and I sold it not long after for the princely sum of, $500 If I was you Craig, since you are asking the questions you are about what it takes to get an old bike roadworthy, I'd stay away from the older ones. Unless you are prepared to replace all of the rubber bits (seals, electrical harneses, hoses on and on). Everyonce in a while I get a stubborn strak in me and I buy something old and forget it needs ubber attention, which I'm too laxy to give it I say stick with something newer Jake Reddick Fla. Being in therapy is great. I spend an hour just talking about myself. It's kinda like being the guy on a date. -- Caroline Rhea http://www.shakinjake.blogspot.com/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/26137108@N04/

> > > > From: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com [mailto:DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com] On > Behalf Of Craig Kahler > Sent: Tuesday, February 08, 2011 6:15 PM > To: dsn_klr650@yahoogroups.com > Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: NKLR Interstate cruiser (IMHO) > > > > > > Yes, that's what I found. They just don't make what I'm looking for any > more. > I may have to give up on my under 10 year old limit and go back in time. > I'm considering a 1982 GL500 Silverwing. > I just returned from looking at one a guy has stored in his barn. > Before I make an offer, Does anyone on the list have experience with this > bike? > Will a bike this old with 17,000 miles on it be a lot less dependable than a > 17,000 mile 2002 bike? > Craig > --- On Tue, 2/8/11, notanymoore > wrote: > > From: notanymoore > > Subject: Re: NKLR Interstate cruiser (IMHO) > To: "Craig Kahler" > > Date: Tuesday, February 8, 2011, 1:37 PM > > All day cruising under 750CC and 500Lbs? Given the upsizing of engines and > frames the past decade, that's a tall order. Plus you didn't identify what > "expensive" is. But I assume all day highway eliminates the crotch rockets. > > Few if any bikes under a liter - cruiser or crotch rocket - have been really > developed in the past decade. And most cruisers tend to be in the 800-900cc > range coming in around 600Lbs wet. Which makes them sluggish relative to > other bikes. > > There aren't a lot of "standard" bikes in the current models. The Suzuki > Vstrom DL650 (not the SV650) is a good choice for standard bike highway > cruising - it has decent power, good gas mileage and a large gas tank. Mild > off-road capability is a plus. There's a lot of 3rd party add-ons to trick > it up and a relatively healthy used market. > > Older Honda Magna's or Shadows are also a possibility. Lot's of those on > the used market too some even less than a decade old. Most Yamahas and > Kaw's are more than 10 years old. > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com , > Craig Kahler wrote: > > > > I am considering getting another bike for strictly highway use, All day > interstate cruising. > > But, I don't want a big expensive Goldwing kind of bike. > > I would like to stay on the small side, but still be comfortable. > > I'm thinking under 750cc, under 500lb, less than 10 years old. > > How is a Vulcan 500 or 600 shadow on the highway? Any other suggestions? > > > > Craig > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >

... or you could 'stay in the family' with a Versys. Got 2, and LOVE 'em!!! Would you believe 57 mpg (mix of 80 mph freeway/ 65 secondary hwys/ urban and dirt) since I installed Bill Watson's "Thermo-Bobs" on both. Cheers, Ed

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, RobertWichert wrote: > > Well, I can't afford a second bike and I am VERY happy with my KLR 650 > (too heavy, too few gears notwithstanding) but if I was buying a street > only bike, I'd buy a Z1000 or a Speed Triple. > > OK, I'm biased. > > > > Robert P. Wichert P.Eng LEED AP > +1 916 966 9060 > FAX +1 916 966 9068 > > > > > > > > > > > > =============================================== > > > On 2/6/2011 4:12 PM, stuart sullivan wrote: > > If people think the DL 1000 was to big for dirt roads wait till he climbs on that Super Tenere with "Super" being the operative word ,put the hard bags on and all the other gear you take on long rides it will be like riding a "TANK" offroad without the tracks. > > > > It depends on your skill level to i suppose,for myself i just don't get it when it comes to Tall, Big and heavy supposedly duel purpose bikes but that's just me,I've been riding best part of 50 years and i think i have a acquired a certain amount of skill and even after all that time riding i still find it hard enough manhandling the KLR off road which in comparison to the bikes mentioned is fairly lite, > > I just realized how old i am so that might have something to do with my thoughts on this,"Go figure". > > > > Stu. > > > > PS. The DL 650 is an excellent bike almost bought one last year and Suzuki have sold thousands. > > To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com > > From: spike55_bmw@... > > Date: Sun, 6 Feb 2011 20:39:58 +0000 > > Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: NKLR Interstate cruiser > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Craig: > > > > My one buddy has a 4 yr old DL650 (2005 bought new left over in 06) and he has 90,000+ miles on it (live in Pennsylvania so we can't ride everyday of the year). He's trading it in on the Yamaha Super Tenere he ordered that comes in this May / June. > > > > > > > > My point is that he was able to run the DL650 all over the place, Iron Butt, Colorado, etc and he's about 6'1" 190#. A DL650 seems pretty good. Other riders that had the DL1000 said that it was a little too big for gravel road riding. > > > > > > > > Don R100, A6F > > > > > > > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Craig Kahler wrote: > > > >> I am considering getting another bike for strictly highway use, All day interstate cruising. > >> But, I don't want a big expensive Goldwing kind of bike. > >> I would like to stay on the small side, but still be comfortable. > >> I'm thinking under 750cc, under 500lb, less than 10 years old. > >> How is a Vulcan 500 or 600 shadow on the highway? Any other suggestions? > >> > >> Craig > >> > >> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ > > > > List Sponsors - Dual Sport News: http://www.dualsportnews.com > > Arrowhead Motorsports: http://www.arrowheadmotorsports.com > > List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok: http://www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html > > Member Map: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DSN_KLR650/app/peoplemap/view/map > > Group Apps: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DSN_KLR650/grouplets/subscriptionsYahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > > > >