led brake light?

[ronsbro2]

I'm also in the market for an '04 KLR. I've been lurking on this list for a couple of months, and a couple of the reasons I will have one are: relatively large following (everyone can't be wrong lots of aftermarket parts available relatively inexpensive for a new, very capable bike rugged and dependable looks really cool Here's a link to a pretty good writeup, IMHO. You may have to copy/paste the link. http://www.motorcycle.com/mo/mckaw/99klr650.html Gary Parker, CO

--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "Hammer" wrote: > I am thinking about purchasing a new KLR650. I currently ride a Zr- > 7S and have become board and/or tired with riding on the street. I > have found that I have explored all the streets, roads, highways, and > byways within 200 miles of home (and many more up to 700 miles > away). I have always loved the look of the KLR, especially the new > red, and wanted to get some personal opinions about the machine. How > is it for highway touring, passing, twisty roads, jeep roads, single > track etc. One of my biggest fears of the bike is it having a lack > of power. My buddy is buying a lc4 adventure, I have friends with > the bmw650 dakar, but they all have paid a lot for a bike that is > going to get banged around. the bmw is underpowered and 80 pounds > heavier. The KTM is fantastic, $7800, and hard as hell to find. KLR > owners are like a fanatic cult that seem to be totally in love with > the machine and all others don't seem to understand. I just need a > hint as to why this love affair...then maybe I'll buy one and know > first hand. Any help GREATLY appreciated.

[rm@richardmay.net]

Put Renthal bars and Distanzias on the ZR and go for the slippery stuff! http://a9.cpimg.com/image/09/19/16960009-42e6-02000180-.jpg

[Kim Berlin]

Interesting. Actually, the KTM Adventure weighs essentially the same as the KLR. It uses lighter materials, but most seem much more substantial. KTM tends to improve its models a little each year (a Teutonic habit, I think) and the potential "weak point" is not something I've heard of. That was either a somewhat unusual strike, or perhaps it was an earlier model that has been improved upon, or I just learned something to guard against. I'll ask about this as a potential weak point. I'm not a big fan of crashing, but for now I'm still more confident in the crash toughness of the KTM vs the KLR. I have added a good bashplate, aluminum handguards, better shifter, and one or two other bits to the KLR. They are improvements, but I did them after get-offs help find the weaknesses. Regards, Blake Berlin -----Original Message----- From: Devon [mailto:bigfatgreenbike@...] Sent: Friday, October 24, 2003 3:03 PM To: berlik@... Subject: Re: Thinking of buying 04 KLR berlik@... wrote:

>I don't know anything about the engine cases being fragile. The KLR >is reliable offroad if you address or protect it's weak points, but >the KTM is a tough sob right out of the box. > >

I had to tow Tumu out of the woods on his LC4 after what I would have considered a very minor rock strike bent the bash plate edge, and banged the case into the rotor, knocking a magnet loose. This knocked all the other magnets off the rotor, and shredded the windings on the stator as well. The remains of the magnets looked like coffee grounds when we opened up the case. We closed the case immediately and reached for the tow-rope. This was something that would have been a 15-minute fix with quicksteel on the KLR. The KTM didn't get that light through magic- there's just less metal, especially the motor. Devon

[Devon]

berlik@... wrote:

>Interesting. Actually, the KTM Adventure weighs essentially the same as >the KLR. It uses lighter materials, but most seem much more >substantial. KTM tends to improve its models a little each year (a >Teutonic habit, I think) and the potential "weak point" is not something >I've heard of. That was either a somewhat unusual strike, or perhaps it >was an earlier model that has been improved upon, or I just learned >something to guard against. >

I guess the adventure is the more comparable model based on road comfort and fuel range. I've only ridden the enduro version. The alternator cover was very thin, and the "bash plate" is also very thin. The 3/16" plate that everyone sells for the KLR would most likely have protected the KLR.

>I'll ask about this as a potential weak point. I'm not a big fan of >crashing, but for now I'm still more confident in the crash toughness of >the KTM vs the KLR. I have added a good bashplate, aluminum handguards, >better shifter, and one or two other bits to the KLR. They are >improvements, but I did them after get-offs help find the weaknesses. > >

Metal handguards and the bashplate seemed obvious to me the first time I looked at a KLR, but then I used to race BMX bikes and ride woods trails on bicycles when I was a kid. Hitting trees and landing on rocks never seemed like unusual behavior. GET A GOOD RADIATOR GUARD BAR!!!!!!! The happy-trails one is very lightweight, it will let the radiator bend back and crush the fan shroud against the cylinder head. But it seems to prevent leaks and/or total collapse of the radiator, so as long as you pull off the tank and bend back the fan shroud so the blades turn, you can ride home (I think it's fine for street use). The dual-star bar is intended for offroad use. Rig a brake saver. http://www.devonjarvisphoto.com/posted/KLR650/brake_bracket/ Zip-tie a flap of rubber (cut-up old inner tube is fine) to the end of the inner rear fender, so the rear tire doesn't throw roost on the shock. Don't over-torque the triple-clamp bolts. If the fork tubes twist in the clamps when you crash, they're less likely to bend. Go with the torque in the manual. Devon

[Chris]

I don't have a lot to compare it to, but I would say it is like a sporty car flat out. It's no rocket but if you have someone being a bastard, they could still obstruct you with a sporty car. My old Sabre 700 and my brother's Magna had a lot more pull up on the highway. In 'normal' traffic I feel it has adequate power up to 65 to navigate through cars, I get nervous above that as it runs fine, but I don't have any instant blast-off in reserve. What it really means is I ride more sensibly rather than push the groove more. On secondary roads and around town in traffic, I LOVE the thing, has more blast-off from the line and in town speeds that cars are no problem to walk away from. The torque of the single is infinitely more fun in the 'real world' than the four of my Sabre and it keeps me at lots more sensible speeds when I feel like flogging it. I have a pipe that is on the rattier side of sound levels and enjoy it because I get more 'feel' of the fun beating it through traffic at legal speeds. Where with the sanitary electric motor sound of something like a VFR you only get the rush when you are doing 100mph.

On Fri, Oct 24, 2003 at 05:15:54PM -0000, Hammer wrote: > Thanks Devon, How is the bike when you need to pass someone going > say 55mph? > > -- ___ ______ _____ __ ________ ___ / _ |< < / == / ___/__ / /_ /_ __/ / __ ____ _ ___ /__ \ / __ |/ // / ****/ (_ / _ \/ __/ / / / _ \/ // / ' \/ _ \ /__/ /_/ |_/_//_/ == \___/\___/\__/ /_/ /_//_/\_,_/_/_/_/ .__/ (_) 8600 miles*Russel Lines*Supertrapp Race* /_/ http://www.panix.com/~cesser/mybike/

[Allan Patton]

----- Original Message ----- From: "Hammer" > KLR owners are like a fanatic cult that seem to be totally in love with > the machine and all others don't seem to understand. I just need a > hint as to why this love affair...then maybe I'll buy one and know > first hand. Any help GREATLY appreciated. > In May this year, I rode with the Run For The Wall group from LA to DC. It was mostly Harley riders, my KLR was the only single cylinder bike and the smallest bike to make the run. Of course, I got lots of comments from the group. Many called me Iron Butt, and some called me crazy. One gentleman ask, "Why a KLR?" So with a straight face I responded, " If I have to explain, you wouldn't understand." You don't need to think about it, you already know you want one, so just go buy it. Allan A14 80,000 miles http://www.perardua.net/FSSNOC/PICS/Alaska/AK63.html B.S. No, I'm not in love with my KLR.

[Keith Saltzer]

> > I'm up for anything that helps me stay out from under a minivan,

SUV,

> > semi or from been impaled on a Toyota's antenna. > A properly positioned rearview mirror and somewhere to go in front

of

> you is the best plan for that. You could light yourself on fire

each

> stop, the drivers around here would still hit you, and the cops

would

> still accept "I didn't see him" when they arrived.

You bet. Most of the cagers are really "out there". Morons I believe is the right term. I have never put on flashing bulbs, more lights, or reflective tape. In fact, I use smaller, or no lights, and all black jacket, pants, gloves, and helmet. Morons can't see you, and don't care to see you. I look out for myself, and watch everything that they do around me, including when they come up behind me at a red light or stop sign. Just one more reason that I am loving the KLR. It takes me to backroads, and dirt roads, where I am much happier....... and away from MOST of the morons. MORON (mor'an',mor'-) n. [[arbitrary use (by H.H. Goddard, 1866-1957, U.S. psychologist) of Gr, neut. foolish, akin to Sans mura-, stupid]] 1 a retarded person mentally equal to a child between eight and twelve years old 2 a very foolish or stupid person-moronic MrMoose A8 (Barbie and Ken special)