digest number 621 nklr

[Dave Svoboda]

Hi, I bought an old KL600KLR a couple of years ago, just to give me a taste of dual-sport-touring. (It was a cheap experiment.) I very much like dual-sport-touring, like most of the people here, I suspect. I had a talk with TDW (The Dear Wife) last night, who gave me her tacit approval to buy a new motorcycle. I want to get a KLR650. What year is the best value, all other things being equal? That's a funny question, but I also ride a Concours and know that it changed over the years changes are very important, while others are small and not worth more money. What changes have happened to the KLR over the years, and which changes made a big difference? I can buy new if the 2001 is greatly changed for the better, but otherwise I'll try to economize by finding the oldest low-miles used one with the important feature improvements. (BTW, my KL600 has a huge plastic fuel tank and Scott Oiler that I'll be transferring to the new bike.) Thanks.

[Kurt Simpson]

> I want to get a KLR650. What year is the best value, all other things > being equal? That's a funny question, but I also ride a Concours and > know that it changed over the years changes are very important, while > others are small and not worth more money. What changes have > happened to the KLR over the years, and which changes made a big > difference?

Hi Dave, the only significant changes occured on most (but not all '96's...A10's) you can tell by looking into the countershaft cover (slotted) and seeing if there is a large (27mm) nut...if it is there it has the updated engine, clutch basket, and balancer chain adjuster mechanism. Most of us think the large countershaft nut is a step backwards but the clutch basket and balancer chain adjuster are critical. Yes, the earlier models can be retrofitted and some on this list will argue there is no need too, but there are others who have begun to document near catastrophic failures. To be safe '96 or later... Kurt Simpson

[k650dsn@aol.com]

Kurt! Youd didn't mention the DR650 Gino

--- In DSN_klr650@egroups.com, "Kurt Simpson" wrote: > > Hi Dave, the only significant changes occured on most (but not all > '96's...A10's) you can tell by looking into the countershaft cover (slotted) > and seeing if there is a large (27mm) nut...if it is there it has the > updated engine, clutch basket, and balancer chain adjuster mechanism. Most > of us think the large countershaft nut is a step backwards but the clutch > basket and balancer chain adjuster are critical. Yes, the earlier models can > be retrofitted and some on this list will argue there is no need too, but > there are others who have begun to document near catastrophic failures. To > be safe '96 or later... > > Kurt Simpson

[Kurt Simpson]

> Kurt! Youd didn't mention the DR650 > > Gino

I'm trying to be a good boy....great bike though (g) now I feel better...thanks... Kurt '96 DR650 (the best adventure tourer?)

[Jonathon Cassell]

> > From: "Kurt Simpson" > Hi Dave, the only significant changes occured on most (but not all > '96's...A10's) you can tell by looking into the countershaft cover

(slotted)

> and seeing if there is a large (27mm) nut...if it is there it has the > updated engine, clutch basket, and balancer chain adjuster mechanism. > ... > Kurt Simpson

...Or, you could end up with one like mine, that has the old 2-nut sprocket mounting of the pre-A10, but the extra clutch plate of the A10+. Don't know yet what balancer adjuster I have: time to go look, I guess. And as for updated engine: somehow that bit of info slipped by these eagle eyes. What engine updates were there? -Spike

[Kurt Simpson]

> ...Or, you could end up with one like mine, that has the old > 2-nut sprocket mounting of the pre-A10, but the extra clutch plate of the

A10+.

> Don't know yet what balancer adjuster I have: time to go look, I guess.

And as for

> updated engine: somehow that bit of info slipped by these eagle > eyes. What engine updates were there? > > -Spike

According to Elden Carl: 1987.....has a crankshaft all to itself 1988.....beefed up engine cases with extra bolts between crank and countershaft, possibly lighter crank, different part number 1990.....improved the countershaft with longer splines for increased engagement with sprocket. 1996 midyear.....changed valve cover and installed a bracket to hold the "slipper" between the cam sprockets, changed crank shaft to heavier unit, improved the clutch with a great basket, added additional plates to clutch, improved the balancer adjustment mechanism including idler shaft and bearing, improved transmission which has a counter sprocket held on by a nut and 72 lbs. of torque. Kurt

[Jonathon Cassell]

Thanks, Kurt. Do you recall Mr. Carl mentioning partial changes during '96, and if so exactly what combinations of those features showed up? For example, I assume that the additional clutch plate requires the improved basket. But does the old-style counter sprocket mount mean that the balancer and transmission are also pre-A10? Or, does the new clutch basket imply the presence of the heavier crank?? -Puzzled in Columbus A10 P-45 R/60 PS. I've been meaning to ask for over a year: I believe there was a gun writer named Elden Carl, in the era of Elmer Keith. Is our resident klrmeister the same?

> According to Elden Carl: > ... > 1996 midyear.....changed valve cover and installed a bracket to hold the > "slipper" between the cam sprockets, changed crank shaft to heavier unit, > improved the clutch with a great basket, > added additional plates to clutch, > improved the balancer adjustment mechanism including idler shaft and > bearing, improved transmission which has a counter sprocket held > on by a nut and 72 lbs. of torque. > > Kurt

[Russell Scott]

Ed, that horse has been beat to death. If you ever set up that monarchy, give me a call. King Russel'r DSN_klr650@egroups.com Subject: Re: [DSN_klr650] Digest Number 621 NKLR Russell If it makes you feel good to think you are my intellectual superior go ahead and enjoy the feeling, it certainly does me no harm. But to compare the human tragedy of Pearl Harbor with the fact you won't be able to ride on a certain piece of land for a while is,as I said, absurd. Also since you don't really know me I would not take anything you say personally, As far as politics in general I think a monarchy would probably be a good idea, we might actually get a leader who would do what they believed in rather than what the oil companies, insurance companies, banks, etc paid them to do. I really am bowing out now. My attention span is short at the best of times and this is getting boring. Ed Windsor Ohio Visit the KLR650 archives at http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=klr650 Support Dual Sport News... dsneditor@... Let's keep this list SPAM free! Visit our site at http://www.egroups.com/group/DSN_klr650 To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@egroups.com