http:// new bike advice - wash out on sandy roads

[Dan Oaks]

My advice would be to buy the 250 new for your first bike. Unless you're a moose, the KLR650 will overwhelm you if you are at all serious about learning to ride in the dirt. Smaller bikes are a blast, and much more capable in the dirt. They also feel better when they land on top of you. And if you ride in the dirt, your bike will be on top of you at times. Any one that says different is really not riding. But that's just my opinion. I may be wrong. bierdo KLR650 '01 DR650 '99 Message: 25 Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2000 00:20:57 -0000 From: bsabobb@... Subject: 1st Bike I am currently contemplating purchasing a motorcycle sometime next year. Of all of the possible choices available I am continually drawn back to either the KLR250 or KLR650 as potential first rides. I like the combination of looks, all around versatility, price, and reduced power levels as compared against most other bikes. I certainly don't want to be overwhelmed with my first bike. What are everyone's thoughts on this? Additionally what is the concensus on purchasing a new versus used bike? Thanks, Brian

[Kurt Simpson (Editor Dual Sport News)]

My advice would be to buy the 250 new for your first bike. Unless you're a moose, the KLR650 will overwhelm you if you are at all serious about learning to ride in the dirt. Smaller bikes are a blast, and much more capable in the dirt. They also feel better when they land on top of you. And if you ride in the dirt, your bike will be on top of you at times. Any one that says different is really not riding. But that's just my opinion. I may be wrong. bierdo KLR650 '01 DR650 '99 ________________ I agree with Dan, in time the KLR650 will be manageable, but I have always thought it was unforgiving in just the kind of situations a beginner will find themselves in. What kind of situations? On-road...parking...turning sharply...use the front brake...bam, Artie Johnson. On or off-road...off-camber, slow speed, initiate the turn panic reach for the ground with toe no can do...bam, Artie Johnson. The KLR250 or DR350SE would be excellent alternatives. Many of us keep these bikes in the garage because they are so much better off-road. But, if you do decide that you're ready for something bigger...dual sports hold their value superbly. If you buy right you could ride the bike for two years and sell it for nearly the same amount. Good luck, Kurt Simpson

[demaree@home.com]

Yo all, Finally got a KLR 250, 600 miles, 1999. Dip who owned it before let the chain grow rusty and loose, knocked out a mirror, somehow routed the fuel overflow tube so it hangs down to nearly the ground, and lost the manual. However, I shouldn't complain because I got it for only $2000 US, and has motocross boots and helmet (Both Thor) which are mostly unused. Guy just didn't take care of it. First off, I need a manual, I'm going to retension the chain, and need to know what the proper settings are. Anyone know where to get a preferably free klr 250 manual, pdf or html or something, so I don't have to go buy one? Also, when I ran the bike for about 10-15 minutes, smoke/steam started coming off of it from the area around the radiators. The guy had just washed the bike, so maybe it's just the water, but is steam from the radiator normal? Gotta check for leaks. Didn't smell any antifreeze that I could detect, but saw some on the bottom edge of the radiator (I think), should I worry? Thanx DXK

[jirvine@nmsu.edu]

From the 250 owners manual, the chain should be adjusted so that the space between the chain and the bottom of the swingarm is between 0 & 5 mm. I have the owners manual but need the factory service manual. My 650 had a loose collant tank tank when I got it. At 10:50 PM 1/13/01 -0600, demaree@... wrote:

>Yo all, > >Finally got a KLR 250, 600 miles, 1999. Dip who owned it before let the >chain grow rusty and loose, knocked out a mirror, somehow routed the fuel >overflow tube so it hangs down to nearly the ground, and lost the manual. >However, I shouldn't complain because I got it for only $2000 US, and has >motocross boots and helmet (Both Thor) which are mostly unused. Guy just >didn't take care of it. > >First off, I need a manual, I'm going to retension the chain, and need to >know what the proper settings are. Anyone know where to get a preferably >free klr 250 manual, pdf or html or something, so I don't have to go buy one? > >Also, when I ran the bike for about 10-15 minutes, smoke/steam started >coming off of it from the area around the radiators. The guy had just >washed the bike, so maybe it's just the water, but is steam from the >radiator normal? Gotta check for leaks. Didn't smell any antifreeze that I >could detect, but saw some on the bottom edge of the radiator (I think), >should I worry? > >Thanx >DXK > > > >Visit the KLR650 archives at >http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=klr650 >Support Dual Sport News... dsneditor@... >Let's keep this list SPAM free! > >Visit our site at http://www.egroups.com/group/DSN_klr650 >To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: >DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@egroups.com

[Dave Morrow]

Thanks to all who responded to my search for a KLR. On saturday I picked up a y2k A14 from fellow lister Pete Denzer. It was a bit more than my budget and a bit farther than my 300 mile radius but Pete had some extras that made the trip very worthwhile. Having known him to be a respectable, conscientious rider from other moto lists over the last couple years helped as well. I am very happy to finally have my very own KLR. Mother nature just shat a half foot of snow upon us last night about which I am less than happy. Oh well. Dave Morrow Vermilion, Ohio '00 KLR650 '96VN1500D

[Peter Alonso]

I've found a couple of good candidates for my purchase, one a 98 with 300 miles!! but unfortunately they are in the the NE and I'm in the SE. Two questions for the group, would it be ourageous to have someone in this group that happens to live nearby, to go check the bike out for me and determine if the bike is trully in good condition? And if I were to buy a bike far way, is there a way to ship it? can it be crate it by a dealer and shipped? Thanks [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[G. Meyer]

Rationally speaking one should not knock oneself out to find a good used KLR, . . . however speaking from experience I drove 600 miles to buy a 99 with 251 miles. I paid $3900 for it and it is in great shape. Some might say that's too much to pay [maybe in winter], however considering that I was spending 3+ hours a day looking for a very good to excellent KLR and as compulsive as I was about getting a KLR I was literally driving myself, wife, dogs etc. nuts. If you don't have a open bed pickup or trailer borrow one and check a few bikes out on the trip. Once in a while you can find a bike worth $3800 to $4200 going for $2500 to $3000. It didn't happen for me, but I still look for one. Actually I'm looking for a KLX dual-sport in great shape for $2000. Hey- It could happen! If you can't wait anymore "Just Do It". Now my wife makes me go for rides so I can get my fix. She's a very smart women. Glen, A13 Drove 1200 miles round trip

----- Original Message ----- From: Peter Alonso To: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Friday, April 06, 2001 9:03 PM Subject: [DSN_klr650] New bike > I've found a couple of good candidates for my purchase, one a 98 with 300 miles!! but unfortunately they are in the the NE and I'm in the SE. > > Two questions for the group, would it be ourageous to have someone in this group that happens to live nearby, to go check the bike out for me and determine if the bike is trully in good condition? And if I were to buy a bike far way, is there a way to ship it? can it be crate it by a dealer and shipped? > > Thanks > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > Visit the KLR650 archives at > http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=klr650 > Support Dual Sport News... dsneditor@... > Let's keep this list SPAM free! > > Visit our site at http://www.egroups.com/group/DSN_klr650 > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@egroups.com > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @... address at http://mail.yahoo.com

[Greg Paul]

Hi Peter, Can't answer "check out" part but I'm sure if someone is close enough they would do it for you. You can have the bike shipped by truck and it will run somewhere between $500-600 dollars. I thought about doing that and that is what it would cost to ship from the Los Angeles area to me here in Dallas. Another possibily is to fly up and ride back! ) If the bike only has 300 miles on it it's nearly new unless he left it laying around or seized it or it got away from them somewhere near cliffs in the mountains.... Anyway good luck and you're gonna have a great time this summer!!! Greg in Dallas

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "Peter Alonso" wrote: > I've found a couple of good candidates for my purchase, one a 98 with 300 miles!! but unfortunately they are in the the NE and I'm in the SE. > > Two questions for the group, would it be ourageous to have someone in this group that happens to live nearby, to go check the bike out for me and determine if the bike is trully in good condition? And if I were to buy a bike far way, is there a way to ship it? can it be crate it by a dealer and shipped? > > Thanks > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Peter Alonso]

Just like you Glen, I'm pretty compulsive when it comes to shopping for a bike, I just gotta have one. Before I sold my R1100GS yesterday i was thinking i would take a few months to shop for a bike but just 30 minutes after the guy took delivery I was already looking around I've found a couple 00 models and I am not crazy about that green color. If I were to buy a green one and if the color does not grow on me, is it possible to replace the parts with older model parts? say...98,99 are they identical? or is painting a possibility.

----- Original Message ----- From: "G. Meyer" To: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com>; "Peter Alonso" Sent: Saturday, April 07, 2001 1:23 AM Subject: Re: [DSN_klr650] New bike > Rationally speaking one should not knock oneself out to find a good used > KLR, . . . however speaking from experience I drove 600 miles to buy a 99 > with 251 miles. I paid $3900 for it and it is in great shape. Some might > say that's too much to pay [maybe in winter], however considering that I was > spending 3+ hours a day looking for a very good to excellent KLR and as > compulsive as I was about getting a KLR I was literally driving myself, > wife, dogs etc. nuts. If you don't have a open bed pickup or trailer borrow > one and check a few bikes out on the trip. > > Once in a while you can find a bike worth $3800 to $4200 going for $2500 to > $3000. It didn't happen for me, but I still look for one. Actually I'm > looking for a KLX dual-sport in great shape for $2000. Hey- It could > happen! > > If you can't wait anymore "Just Do It". Now my wife makes me go for rides > so I can get my fix. She's a very smart women. > > Glen, > A13 > Drove 1200 miles round trip > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Peter Alonso > To: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com> > Sent: Friday, April 06, 2001 9:03 PM > Subject: [DSN_klr650] New bike > > > > I've found a couple of good candidates for my purchase, one a 98 with 300 > miles!! but unfortunately they are in the the NE and I'm in the SE. > > > > Two questions for the group, would it be ourageous to have someone in this > group that happens to live nearby, to go check the bike out for me and > determine if the bike is trully in good condition? And if I were to buy a > bike far way, is there a way to ship it? can it be crate it by a dealer and > shipped? > > > > Thanks > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > Visit the KLR650 archives at > > http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=klr650 > > Support Dual Sport News... dsneditor@... > > Let's keep this list SPAM free! > > > > Visit our site at http://www.egroups.com/group/DSN_klr650 > > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > > DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@egroups.com > > > > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > > > > > _________________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Get your free @... address at http://mail.yahoo.com > > > Visit the KLR650 archives at > http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=klr650 > Support Dual Sport News... dsneditor@... > Let's keep this list SPAM free! > > Visit our site at http://www.egroups.com/group/DSN_klr650 > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@egroups.com > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > >

[david.smith@semflex.com]

I just purchased a new to me Y2k klr650. I have a few questions for the collective knowledge here. 1. Is there a online place to purchase a sevice manuel for this bike. 2. What is a good helmet out there for on and offroad riding. Its been twelve years since I have owned or ridden a bike and my old helmet doesn't seem to fit very well any more. Thats all I can think of for know. Thank you for the help.