carb float needle stuck

[Jeff Jones]

Howdy listers, I just got back from my family vacation near the Idaho/Montana border just southwest of West Yellowstone, MT. I hauled the KLR in the back of my pickup so the family had transportation while I was out exploring. The forest service roads in the area are perfect for exploring on the KLR and it's like riding into a Rocky Mountain postcard. Three national forests are in the area - Beaverhead, Caribou-Targhee, and Gallatin. I recommend the forest service maps for scoping out potential routes. The maps I picked up last year were free and have lots of useful information. A .pdf map of the Caribou-Targhee area showing most of the below described rides is available online at http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/caribou-targhee/maps/index.html Forest service employees have widely varing degrees of knowledge about their home forest but lack of such knowledge doesn't keep them from anwering questions. When looking for route information, I usually ask a question or two that I know the answers to to gauge the reliability of the answers I'm going to get. I also like to find out whether or not the person is biased against motorcycles because that bias can sometimes influence the amount of information they will provide. Most of the forest service people I've talked with in the area are either pro or neutral about motorcycles in the national forests which is a nice. So here are a few rides in the area I recommend: 1) Sawtell Peak road - It starts from US 20 just north of Mack's Inn, ID and runs generally west to the top of a 9900+' peak. Great views of the surrounding area to orient yourself and also of the Tetons to the east. The FCC maintains one of those giant golf ball things on the top and also maintains the road. It's well graded gravel which allows the modest KLR horsepower to induce powerslides should you be so inclined - big fun!!! 2) A couple of miles north of the Sawtell Peak turnoff is another road which runs west along the south edge of Henry's Lake. I don't know the exact name but there's a sign to an RV park. It's now paved 8^( all the way to Red Rock Road which is dirt 8^). Turn west and ride up to Red Rock Pass. At the pass, there's a 4wd road going north and is shown on the forest service map. I spent the afternoon exploring the roads in the area. The beauty is non stop - I had cheek cramps most of the day from the sh*t eating grin stuck on my face. Even a small get-off in a rut didn't ruin the day though the radiator got pushed into the plastic fan (which melted). Even with the Dual Star radiator guard - don't ride without one. Continue on whichever road you chose to Antelope Basin Road (dirt) and then to the highway. Lots more possibilities in the area. A phone call to Fred at Arrowhead Motorsports saved the rest of the trip by getting one of the aluminum fans express mailed to me. Thanks for the great service, Fred. 3) The rails-to-trails ride from Big Springs, ID to West Yellowstone, MT. Beautiful river side and forest riding all the way. 4) Forest service road 082 all the way from Warm River, ID up to Big Springs, ID. For those that don't have forest service maps, it runs east of the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway pretty much the same way. Mesa Falls Scenic Byway is a fun bit of twisty pavement that makes a nice loop. Anyone have other recommendations for that area for future trips? Jeff Jones

[Jeff Saline]

Hubbard738, Sounds like the float needle is stuck. I had a carb from a BMW like this a few months ago. For that carb I had to use a pliers to remove the needle and that was after soaking it in good carb cleaner for almost an hour. You may have luck squirting some carb cleaner down the fuel inlet. Don't forget eye protection as it may squirt back at you. : ) If that doesn't work you'll probably have to resort to harsher methods like the pliers. Best and good luck, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT