loading bikes into pickups. was: re:got ne a new used truck

[Gary]

Is it just me or do other people have problems with the fitment of HT products? I just put a second set of OSR side racks on a second KLR and this set almost scrubs the exhaust side side plate also.WTF!! I bought them from Fred but he does not have the spacers and extra long bolts that Happy Trails has to fix the problem.So I called Happy Trails and ordered them. That is not all. When I installed the PD Nerfs bars...I had to take the metal Y cover that covers the wiring harness off and grind a chunk out of the bottom so the Nerf bars would mount up.

[traderpro2003]

Yes indeed I had a fun time with the PD Nerfs although I'm using the IMS plastic tank. It fits real tight in the "rib cage" but what a bugger to get the bolts in their holes. Tired of the b/s squeezing and contorting, I re-fabbed the thing. I ended up drilling a hole straight across the frame and using one long bolt and welded bigger flanges/ears that actually do something in conjunction with the frame. Unfortunately, the top PDN bar always covers the rad cap, so forget checking it quickly without minor surgery. My SU rack installed just fine but had to fab it a touch to work with the Ventura bag system. I lost use of my helmet lock somewhere in this mess, too and haven't taken the time to re-install/weld it somewhere. My brother had problems with a set of highway bars working with a skid plate as well...a snip, a nip and tuck as usual and all good. You just have to massage these things b/c tolerances aren't so accurate bike and after- market farkle...

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Gary" wrote: > > Is it just me or do other people have problems with the fitment of HT > products? > I just put a second set of OSR side racks on a second KLR and this set > almost scrubs the exhaust side side plate also.WTF!! > I bought them from Fred but he does not have the spacers and extra > long bolts that Happy Trails has to fix the problem.So I called Happy > Trails and ordered them. > That is not all. When I installed the PD Nerfs bars...I had to take > the metal Y cover that covers the wiring harness off and grind a chunk > out of the bottom so the Nerf bars would mount up. >

[E.L. Green]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "traderpro2003" wrote

> --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Gary" wrote: > > > > Is it just me or do other people have problems with the fitment of HT > > products? > well...a snip, a nip and tuck as usual and all good. You just have to > massage these things b/c tolerances aren't so accurate bike and after- > market farkle...

Someone who once had problems fitting the PD Nerfs rode his KLR up to Happy Trails . He showed the guy at Happy Trails how his PD Nerfs wouldn't line up with the holes on the frame. The guy at Happy Trails (Tim?) then took the PD Nerfs and tried them on his own KLR. They fit perfectly. So methinks we're looking at the wrong culprit when we talk about HT having a fitment problem. The real problem is that our KLR's are put together by preschoolers in the middle of a jungle and welded together by the same guys who drank several kegs of beer the previous night and who are seeing pink elephants as their hands shake while they weld. The move of production to Thailand also changed things because the jigs to weld up the frames were dismantled, hauled to Thailand, and put back together again but not exactly the same way. My understanding is that Tim's pre-'08 KLR is a Japanese-built one and everything fits perfectly on his. Other KLR's may need a bit of extra, err, "persuasion" or minor trimming or drilling. Not much to be done about it, we can't retroactively go back and flog Kawasaki's drunken assembly line workers to make them weld together KLR frames in a consistent fashion, sigh... (And looking at some of the welds on my frame, if the workers who did that were not drunk, I'm a penguin). BTW, I had no problem with my HT engine guard interfering with my Moose/Utah Sports skid plate. There's about a quarter inch gap between the two on my bike.

[Michael Nelson]

PO of my A17 put the Chinese copy nerfs and highway pegs from klr650.com on. Strangely, they fit perfectly. I have inspected the welds and they look good too. They don't interfere with my Utah skidplate either. Although I don't like the idea of stealing designs and sending them to China to get them made more cheaply, *sometimes* the Chinese do a good job. Michael -- "It's not what I don't understand about religion that bothers me, it's what I do understand." -- Mark Twain San Francisco, CA

[Ed Dobson]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "E.L. Green" wrote:

> > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "traderpro2003"

wrote

> > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Gary" wrote: > > > > > > Is it just me or do other people have problems with the fitment

of HT

> > > products? > > well...a snip, a nip and tuck as usual and all good. You just

have to

> > massage these things b/c tolerances aren't so accurate bike and after- > > market farkle... > > Someone who once had problems fitting the PD Nerfs rode his KLR up

to Happy Trails . He

> showed the guy at Happy Trails how his PD Nerfs wouldn't line up

with the holes on the

> frame. The guy at Happy Trails (Tim?) then took the PD Nerfs and

tried them on his own

> KLR. They fit perfectly. > > So methinks we're looking at the wrong culprit when we talk about HT

having a fitment

> problem. The real problem is that our KLR's are put together by

preschoolers in the middle

> of a jungle and welded together by the same guys who drank several

kegs of beer the

> previous night and who are seeing pink elephants as their hands

shake while they weld.

> The move of production to Thailand also changed things because the

jigs to weld up the

> frames were dismantled, hauled to Thailand, and put back together

again but not exactly

> the same way. My understanding is that Tim's pre-'08 KLR is a

Japanese-built one and

> everything fits perfectly on his. Other KLR's may need a bit of

extra, err, "persuasion" or

> minor trimming or drilling. Not much to be done about it, we can't

retroactively go back

> and flog Kawasaki's drunken assembly line workers to make them weld

together KLR

> frames in a consistent fashion, sigh... (And looking at some of the

welds on my frame, if

> the workers who did that were not drunk, I'm a penguin). > > BTW, I had no problem with my HT engine guard interfering with my

Moose/Utah Sports

> skid plate. There's about a quarter inch gap between the two on my bike. >

Aftermarket stuff should fit without tweaking. If aftermarket manufacturer's don't design for tolerances and accurately manufacture their product, do they deserve our business? ED

[Rick]

I spend my hard earned money with Happy Trail. I have an 05 and my wife has a 04. I have all the gladiator gear HT sells for both bikes. I've had the OSR racks on both bikes. I currently have the SU racks and the aluminum panniers. I've had to spend a bit of time to get everything to fit but it is a tight fit. Giving tolerances away to fit every mis-made KLR sounds like I would have a rattle trap if that were the case. Kudos to Happy Trail for making a nice tight fit.

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Ed Dobson" wrote: > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "E.L. Green" wrote: > > > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "traderpro2003" > wrote > > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Gary" wrote: > > > > > > > > Is it just me or do other people have problems with the fitment > of HT > > > > products? > > > well...a snip, a nip and tuck as usual and all good. You just > have to > > > massage these things b/c tolerances aren't so accurate bike and after- > > > market farkle... > > > > Someone who once had problems fitting the PD Nerfs rode his KLR up > to Happy Trails . He > > showed the guy at Happy Trails how his PD Nerfs wouldn't line up > with the holes on the > > frame. The guy at Happy Trails (Tim?) then took the PD Nerfs and > tried them on his own > > KLR. They fit perfectly. > > > > So methinks we're looking at the wrong culprit when we talk about HT > having a fitment > > problem. The real problem is that our KLR's are put together by > preschoolers in the middle > > of a jungle and welded together by the same guys who drank several > kegs of beer the > > previous night and who are seeing pink elephants as their hands > shake while they weld. > > The move of production to Thailand also changed things because the > jigs to weld up the > > frames were dismantled, hauled to Thailand, and put back together > again but not exactly > > the same way. My understanding is that Tim's pre-'08 KLR is a > Japanese-built one and > > everything fits perfectly on his. Other KLR's may need a bit of > extra, err, "persuasion" or > > minor trimming or drilling. Not much to be done about it, we can't > retroactively go back > > and flog Kawasaki's drunken assembly line workers to make them weld > together KLR > > frames in a consistent fashion, sigh... (And looking at some of the > welds on my frame, if > > the workers who did that were not drunk, I'm a penguin). > > > > BTW, I had no problem with my HT engine guard interfering with my > Moose/Utah Sports > > skid plate. There's about a quarter inch gap between the two on my bike. > > > > > Aftermarket stuff should fit without tweaking. > > If aftermarket manufacturer's don't design for tolerances and > accurately manufacture their product, do they deserve our business? > > ED >

[Ed Dobson]

We can all be happy for the fantastic selection of quality aftermarket accessories for our POS KLR650??? Seems like, what-you-get-is-what-you-get, and they're not trying too hard. Lets say for the money they charge, it could fit better. ED

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "rick" wrote: > > I spend my hard earned money with Happy Trail. I have an 05 and my > wife has a 04. I have all the gladiator gear HT sells for both bikes. > I've had the OSR racks on both bikes. I currently have the SU racks > and the aluminum panniers. I've had to spend a bit of time to get > everything to fit but it is a tight fit. Giving tolerances away to fit > every mis-made KLR sounds like I would have a rattle trap if that were > the case. Kudos to Happy Trail for making a nice tight fit. > > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Ed Dobson" wrote: > > > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "E.L. Green" wrote: > > > > > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "traderpro2003" > > wrote > > > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Gary" wrote: > > > > > > > > > > Is it just me or do other people have problems with the fitment > > of HT > > > > > products? > > > > well...a snip, a nip and tuck as usual and all good. You just > > have to > > > > massage these things b/c tolerances aren't so accurate bike and > after- > > > > market farkle... > > > > > > Someone who once had problems fitting the PD Nerfs rode his KLR up > > to Happy Trails . He > > > showed the guy at Happy Trails how his PD Nerfs wouldn't line up > > with the holes on the > > > frame. The guy at Happy Trails (Tim?) then took the PD Nerfs and > > tried them on his own > > > KLR. They fit perfectly. > > > > > > So methinks we're looking at the wrong culprit when we talk about HT > > having a fitment > > > problem. The real problem is that our KLR's are put together by > > preschoolers in the middle > > > of a jungle and welded together by the same guys who drank several > > kegs of beer the > > > previous night and who are seeing pink elephants as their hands > > shake while they weld. > > > The move of production to Thailand also changed things because the > > jigs to weld up the > > > frames were dismantled, hauled to Thailand, and put back together > > again but not exactly > > > the same way. My understanding is that Tim's pre-'08 KLR is a > > Japanese-built one and > > > everything fits perfectly on his. Other KLR's may need a bit of > > extra, err, "persuasion" or > > > minor trimming or drilling. Not much to be done about it, we can't > > retroactively go back > > > and flog Kawasaki's drunken assembly line workers to make them weld > > together KLR > > > frames in a consistent fashion, sigh... (And looking at some of the > > welds on my frame, if > > > the workers who did that were not drunk, I'm a penguin). > > > > > > BTW, I had no problem with my HT engine guard interfering with my > > Moose/Utah Sports > > > skid plate. There's about a quarter inch gap between the two on my > bike. > > > > > > > > > Aftermarket stuff should fit without tweaking. > > > > If aftermarket manufacturer's don't design for tolerances and > > accurately manufacture their product, do they deserve our business? > > > > ED > > >

[Jeff Layton]

DualSportNews' KLR650 Discussion List Revmaatin had some good suggestions: I like the 5 gallon pail approach. I use a canvas tool bag under the back seat of my truck so they're always there, but that means I have to coil them up very carefully at the end of each use. To keep them coiled, I use these double-sided velcro things from Home Depot that are meant to keep extension cords & the like neat. Hook on one side, loop on the other. Just wrap them around themselves & the tie downs. When the loose ends can flap in the breeze, I also use these velcro things. (They gotta go somewhere now that they're not holding a strap in a coil in a bag) Checking the bike & straps regularly is important. I thump the straps like a guitar string & see how taught it is. It's amazing how a little driving down the road can loosen up a strap. My goal, is should I get in an accident, the KLR moves no more than my body in seatbelts would. I thought once I heard of a rollover or something like that & the guy's bike never moved! Did I dream that up? Jeff Layton Austin, TX [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]