fork oil?

[Lou]

Sorry to waste bandwidth on something I'm sure is obvious to any experienced KLR person -- but I'm a newbie with an '08 KLR with a mere 3500 miles, so I gotta ask. My KLR has "tubeless" OEM tires. Am I supposed to be putting tubes inside of them (is that possible?), or replacing them with an approved "tube type" tire, or what? If I want to carry spare gear, do I carry a tube or a whole tire? Gosh, it's a drag to be so ignorant. I have searched the FAQ in vain. I am not very smart but very grateful for advice. Please help. Lou (Southern Maine, east slope of Mt Agamenticus)

[Ross Lindberg]

Don't feel bad Lou. I've been told that the only dumb question is the one you don't ask. While the tire may well say "Tubeless" on it, I'm sure that there is a tube inside of it because air would otherwise leak out where the spokes pass through the rim. Go ahead and ride the knobs off of the tires. You are safe to go riding. When you wear out a tire, I would purchase a new tube and install in the new tire, while carrying the old tube along as a spare. I carry a patch kit, glue and tire irons, but I carry the extra tubes just in case a tube gets really mangled and the patch kit won't fix it. I also carry a 12 volt air compressor that I bought on sale at Radio Shack for $10 on a recommendation from Jeff Saline. I use it each time I change tires or due routine inflation duties to make sure it is still working properly. I would also suggest that you mount the new tire yourself when the time comes. It is a bit of a job the first time, but you will improve with practice and the excersize will also boost your confidence level as you will now know how to deal with a flat. The best piece of advice I got off of this list is to do all your maintenance with the tools you carry on the bike. Obviously the factory tools are junk, so make up your own set. At first you will be buying quite a few tools and may be worrying about the cost, but if you are ever stuck in the boonies by yourself you'll be happy you have decent tools. I've have gotten into the habit of using only the tools that I carry on my bike. If I get stuck and wish I had a certain tool, I try to figure out how can I do this with what I have, just like if I was out in the boonies. If it can't be done, I add the tool to my collection. It's another confidence builder. Above all, just have fun. That's what KLR's are all about. Ross Lindberg Fertile, MN

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Lou wrote: > > > Sorry to waste bandwidth on something I'm sure is obvious to any > experienced KLR person -- but I'm a newbie with an '08 KLR with a > mere 3500 miles, so I gotta ask. > > My KLR has "tubeless" OEM tires. Am I supposed to be putting tubes > inside of them (is that possible?), or replacing them with an > approved "tube type" tire, or what? If I want to carry spare gear, > do I carry a tube or a whole tire? > > Gosh, it's a drag to be so ignorant. I have searched the FAQ in > vain. I am not very smart but very grateful for advice. Please help. > > Lou > (Southern Maine, east slope of Mt Agamenticus) >

[revmaaatin]

Lou, various answers to embellish Ross, and to answer you as well-- --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Ross Lindberg" wrote: SNIP Go ahead and ride the knobs off of the tires. LOU--how much tread you got remaining on those tires. Very few people get much more than 3500 miles out of a rear tire. Maybe a little more out of a front tire. REMEMBER: a motorcycle has very little tire on the road--make sure that tire has some tread on it! SNIP

> When you wear out a tire, I would purchase a new tube and install

in

> the new tire, while carrying the old tube along as a spare.

Ross has an excellent suggestion; make it a HD tube. What has not been said here, is 'air-pressure'. The OEM book suggest something like 21F/24R--which is scary low if you are very agressive on the OEM tires. THe lower pressure is 'average'--when was the last time you were an average rider. smile. 21/24: Can you say, 'slide the tires'--it will scare the crap out of you when the tires slide and you are not expecting it. Pressures closer to 30F/32R or +/- a few lbs. I run 32/36 asphalt with a loaded bike or 24/28 for softer surfaces--going back up to higher pressures if there are a lot of rocks to preclude pinch flats. All this with HD or ultra HD tubes. I carry a

> patch kit, glue and tire irons, but I carry the extra tubes just in > case a tube gets really mangled and the patch kit won't fix it. I

also

> carry a 12 volt air compressor that I bought on sale at Radio Shack

for

> $10 on a recommendation from Jeff Saline. I use it each time I

change

> tires or due routine inflation duties to make sure it is still

working

> properly. > > I would also suggest that you mount the new tire yourself when the

time

> comes. It is a bit of a job the first time, but you will improve

with

> practice and the excersize will also boost your confidence level as

you

> will now know how to deal with a flat. > > The best piece of advice I got off of this list is to do all your > maintenance with the tools you carry on the bike. Obviously the > factory tools are junk, so make up your own set. At first you will

be

> buying quite a few tools and may be worrying about the cost, but if

you

> are ever stuck in the boonies by yourself you'll be happy you have > decent tools.

Ross and Lou, My local welding shop had a killer deal on 'Cresant' brand tool kit in a fold up kit--consisting of SAE and metric stuff. I robbed all the sockets, and small wrenches, ratchets, etc screwdrivers, etc and built a 80% KLR tool kit. I then went to harbor freight and bought their 'black' metric wrench set for the axle wrenches--(Yeah, I know, I could have (an do own) a Fredette wrench). It is all in tool sleeve with individual pockets for each wrench/tool. It invetories the tools when it is laying on the ground--something for every pocket, etc. I've have gotten into the habit of using only the tools

> that I carry on my bike. If I get stuck and wish I had a certain

tool,

> I try to figure out how can I do this with what I have, just like

if I

> was out in the boonies. If it can't be done, I add the tool to my > collection. It's another confidence builder.

Nothing much worse than trying to fix something with a 'sorry-tool'-- it will leave you stranded.

> > Above all, just have fun. That's what KLR's are all about.

SNIP TRANSLATION: He means, go change the gas. Often.

> Ross Lindberg > Fertile, MN

revmaaatin

[Lou]

Thanks for the great advice! Owner's manual, p. 129, says "Standard Tire (Tubeless)" -- and makes no mention of tubes. Today I got a look at a service manual, which clearly shows the tube (d'oh! Well, I did say it was an ignorant question) and doesn't mention the word "tubeless" anywhere as far as I can see, although both manuals list the same Dunlop K750 tires. I bet this will be a source of confusion to other newbie '08 owners who accept the owner's manual uncritically. And as to other questions -- At 09:31 PM 10/1/2008, revmaaatin wrote:

>LOU--how much tread you got remaining on those tires. Very few >people get much more than 3500 miles out of a rear tire. Maybe a >little more out of a front tire. REMEMBER: a motorcycle has very >little tire on the road--make sure that tire has some tread on it!

Now that you asked ... tread depth on rear is 2mm (service limit according to owner's manual), so I guess it's time to replace. I figured it was good for 4500 or 5K so I'm grateful that you reminded me to go and look ... the tread depth on front tire is still about 6mm so I guess I have some life left in that one.

>What has not >been said here, is 'air-pressure'. The OEM book suggest something >like 21F/24R--which is scary low if you are very agressive on the OEM >tires.

I've run with the new-from-dealer air pressure (21/24) ever since I got the bike. I haven't been aggressive (I'm not yet competent to ride aggressively) but I found out that I really don't like how it squirrels around on the street at stock air pressure with a full payload. After reading the recent posts on pressure, I went up to about 28/32 and it sure makes a huge difference in precision on pavement (and it entices me to ride more aggressively).

>I run 32/36 asphalt with a loaded bike or 24/28 for softer >surfaces--going back up to higher pressures if there are a lot of >rocks to preclude pinch flats. All this with HD or ultra HD tubes.

Glad to know that 32/36 is reasonable for loaded bike. I spend maybe 15% of my time on gravel roads, at maybe 50% of maximum (rated) payload most of the time. With that in mind, and my inexperience, I'm hoping 28/32 is a reasonable compromise, because it sure do feel nice on pavement. Thanks again for the assistance! Lou

[Bill Watson]

Lou wrote: I'm a newbie with an '08 KLR with a mere 3500 miles, so I gotta ask. My KLR has "tubeless" OEM tires. Am I supposed to be putting tubes inside of them (is that possible?) -------------------- Lou, welcome to the group. And welcome to the world of occasionally bad information! I've pasted in a few things below that are wrong in the service manual (s/m) and owner's manual (o/m), including the one you just pointed out. We can thank Eagle Mike for assembling this list from other KLRistas' input. ---------------------- The drive chain is indeed a 520. The s/m says 525, page 11-4. The Service Manual says the chain is EK525SR-O2 on page 2-31, too. On page 1-6, the s/m instructions on engine rotation are wrong. On the output side, or left side of the engine, proper rotation is counterclockwise, CCW. The periodic maintenance chart is in error for the oil change interval. How much in error has been long and hotly debated. The s/m and o/m say oil changes at 600, 7500, 15000, 24000, and 30000 miles. Use caution! The 15K to 24K is obviously a very bad thing for this engine. Many experienced riders will only 2K miles between changes. YMMV. 2008 Service Manual Torque Table on pages 2-7 through 2-12: Air Cleaner Housing Bolt says 7.8 in-lb -- should be 78 in-lb Frame - Front Footpeg Bracket Bolts says 4.5 kgf-m and 33 ft-lb -- should be 2.5 kgf-m and 18 ft-lb Electrical System - Water Temperature Sensor (the very last table entry) says 11 in-lbs -- should be 11 ft-lbs Page 129, owner's manual: It refers to the tires as tubeless - NOT! Page 50 and 52 are where the references to a 6-speed gearbox are located. It's a 5-speed - DUH! My o/m says to shift from 5th to 6th at 34mph. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Ross Lindberg]

David, I'm close to the same weight you are. I also have the Progressive springs. I initially used 15 wt. oil and found it to be much too stiff. The front suspension just hammered. Paul Streeter recommended 7 wt oil. I was a bit skeptical, but it rode like a Caddy. I was having a dicussion about cartridge enulators with a friend who had put them in his new V-Strom. He was ecstatic about the difference in the ride they made for him. We switched bikes for about 10 miles. After the ride he was amazed at how plush my KLR rode. It beat the V-Strom with emulators all to heck as far a ride was concerned. Now he is wishing he would have bought a KLR instead. As an experiment after our conversation, I switched to Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF. It now rides a tiny bit stiffer, but the fork action has become so much smoother. The suspension just glides through it's range of travel with much less stiction. Just my experiences. Ross Lindberg Fertile, MN --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "boulder_adv_rider" wrote:

> > 10W (Bel-Ray or equiv) should work fine with the new Progs to give > you a plush ride. however 15W is probably a better match for your > weight--especially if more aggressive/off-road. seeing you just > changed to Progs, i'd stick with one change at a time in order > to 'understand' each change. > > Brian > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, David Bell wrote: > > > > Sorry for the elementery question. I just put progressive

springs

> in my 2002 KLR. I weigh 275# and am going touring soon. I also > commute 30 miles each way. > > > > What fork oil would you recommend? > > > > Thanks. > > > > db > > >