initial fork spring spacer

[bpejfam@aol.com]

Testimonial and 3 Questions I m new to the list, and am very grateful for the format. I ve had my 2001 KLR for nearly a year and have logged 3000 miles, mostly on a trip around Lake Superior. I owned Hodakas and a Bultaco 250 in my teen years, and remember well the thrill of tossing these lightweight machines around. In my twenties I bought a 1977 BMW R 100/7. I rode that black beauty 100Kmiles all over the north and midwest, and still own it. It is great on the road and easy to service, but it never gave me a sense of confidence on any surface more daring than compacted gravel. The first time I rode a KLR 650 last year, I was hooked...it handles on the road better than my BMW (that was a total shock!!) and feels like a John Deere tractor crossed with a mule on off road conditions. Its no Bultaco 250 (my old reference point for a light fast dirt bike, yes I m dating myself), and the KLR s weight must be handled with respect, but it seems unstoppable! It is simply the best combination of bike for any type of riding I can imagine running up against. Questions: The petcock drips fuel, mostly happens exactly when the engine is turned off...the dealer fixed it last month, but now its coming back intermittently. Any obvious cures? Is a three year extended warranty worthwhile? Any dealers in Chicago area that seem more attuned to KLR s?, the dealer I bought it from in the north suburbs said they wouldn t do the 500mile valve service till 10K !? I went to a different dealer for the 500 mile service, but now that dealer has been sold . I promise future postings will be less long winded. Thankyou all! Bob Cole, Libertyville, IL A15 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[TexasThumpin@aol.com]

In a message dated 1/27/02 8:54:12 AM Central Standard Time, DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com writes:

> ? I > > see that a 4" spacer is common but I'm wondering if > > maybe I should leave a > > little extra to compensate for age.

IMHO, the first thing I would do is throw away the stock spacer. Steel rusts, develops sharp edges over time, etc. I used PVC tubing for my spacers. Also, you should set them up with the proper sag in the bike. It should be a certain dimension when unloaded and sitting upright on the floor, then you sit on it and have a friend measure again for you. I'm not sure if I got the actual numbers from the manuals or from Progressive themselves. Think of your forks as if they were dirt bike forks, except you have more weight riding on the front suspension. It is a pain in the posterior, but once you have it right, you will like it. Jim Texas Thumpin [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]