seeing clearly

[aaron382]

I bought a 99 KLR several months ago with only 500 miles on it. It's a great bike with one exception, at times I have to really fight it to shift. Eventually it will go but not without performing some real power foot gymnastics. It's kind of scary as I'm trying to get up to speed merging on the interstate and have some 18 wheeler bearing down on you at 75 MPH. Has anybody else experienced this and fixed it?

[Mark]

Aaron, Your mtotrcycle will need a few things before shifting smooth, as in "smooth as butter." (tm) 1. Check and set correct clutch play (as directed in the manual). 2. Roll up more miles (work it through traffic or the twisties). 3. After about 2500, switch to synthetic, like Mobil-1. 4. Always use firm postitive throws on the shift lever. I have put a few miles several KLR650s, a 1999 w/ 10-12Kmiles, a 1997 rode from 14-20Kmi, and another 97 from 2700-4000miles. If you're gentle and just easy tap the shifter, you can find false nuetral coming from 3rd down to 2nd. Sometimes, the green dash light says nuetral, but it's still in the edge of second, that'll squeek the rear tire for you, before she slips fully into nuetral. Check the cluth play, and then ride her. Mark. A11

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "aaron382" wrote: > I bought a 99 KLR several months ago with only 500 miles on it. It's a great bike with one exception, at times I have to really fight it to shift. Eventually it will go but not without performing some real power foot gymnastics. It's kind of scary as I'm trying to get up to speed merging on the interstate and have some 18 wheeler bearing down on you at 75 MPH. Has anybody else experienced this and fixed it?

[dooden]

Change the oil and filter.... I think all KLR's shift hard until broken in, mine did and have read others did too. It seemed to me changing the oil helped smooth it out alot. Speaking of that.. mines due a change. Dooden

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "aaron382" wrote: > I bought a 99 KLR several months ago with only 500 miles on it. It's a great bike with one exception, at times I have to really fight it to shift. Eventually it will go but not without performing some real power foot gymnastics. It's kind of scary as I'm trying to get up to speed merging on the interstate and have some 18 wheeler bearing down on you at 75 MPH. Has anybody else experienced this and fixed it?

[Zachariah Mully]

On Sun, 2002-11-24 at 23:23, aaron382 wrote:

> I bought a 99 KLR several months ago with only 500 miles on it. It's > a great bike with one exception, at times I have to really fight it to > shift. Eventually it will go but not without performing some real > power foot gymnastics. It's kind of scary as I'm trying to get up to > speed merging on the interstate and have some 18 wheeler bearing down > on you at 75 MPH. Has anybody else experienced this and fixed it? >

Do you have an aluminum bash plate? Have you checked to make sure that the lever isn't bent, fouling on the frame or installed incorrectly? Have you checked the oil level? Have you changed the oil? All of these things can give you shifting troubles. Is it both downshifting and upshifting, or just one? Z DC

[Bogdan Swider]

> Do you have an aluminum bash plate? Have you checked to make sure that > the lever isn't bent, fouling on the frame or installed incorrectly? > and upshifting, or just one? > > Z > DC

Good points. I thought something might be wrong in the tranny; couldn't get into first. The reason...my lever was loose. Bogdan

[Arden Kysely]

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "dooden" wrote:

> Change the oil and filter.... > > I think all KLR's shift hard until broken in, mine did and have

read

> others did too. > > It seemed to me changing the oil helped smooth it out alot.

Speaking

> of that.. mines due a change. > > Dooden

Changing the oil, or at least topping it up, definitely helps KLR shifting. Gotta keep the dogs and gears happy. __Arden

[cosmoboj]

The weld on the stock KLR shifter is a notorious weak spot, keep an eye on it, especially if you've been performing real power foot gymnastics.....cosmo

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "aaron382" wrote: > I bought a 99 KLR several months ago with only 500 miles on it. It's a great bike with one exception, at times I have to really fight it to shift. Eventually it will go but not without performing some real power foot gymnastics. It's kind of scary as I'm trying to get up to speed merging on the interstate and have some 18 wheeler bearing down on you at 75 MPH. Has anybody else experienced this and fixed it?

[Arden Kysely]

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "Dan Barney" wrote:

> The stuff that always worked for me is called "Cat Crap" cleaner &

antifog.

> Worked at 60 below in the Arctic. > > http://www.mahonkin.com/~milktree/hawk/cat-crap.html > > > DNBV (always has clear vision - usually of my butt freezing off...)

You can also find it here: www.sportrx.com - $3.99 __Arden