gvwr really 740 lb?

DSN_KLR650
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transalp 1
Posts: 203
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 12:07 am

$5 peace of mind

Post by transalp 1 » Fri Jul 30, 2010 4:52 pm

This is going to seem was simple to some. But, even those that regularly tinker with our bikes can overlook small things that can make a huge difference in a motorcycle's performance & safety. What I'm referring to is brake fluid. Clear, fresh brake fluid is a $5 ounce of prevention we can all live with. Literally.
My 09's original fluid wasn't dark yet. But, it was following a rule of thumb about water absorbtion and brake fluid condition I tell folks that come in the shop. If the color is ginger ale light, ride the bike. Look like iced tea? Mmmmmm... okay for now. The color of a nice dark ale or even root beer? It's time to change it.
Mine was a like good strong cup of tea headed to rootbeer.
A trip across the street to the auto parts store for a bottle of DOT4 fluid and I was set.
25 minutes later and the job was complete. I used a empty 20oz. water bottle and some $1 store aquarium air line*  to catch the old fluid and it was much darker than the new stuff - which oddly was clearer than I ever recall my bike's being , even when new. Nice.
$5. That sure beats every alternative I can think of.  =)
 
eddie
 
* I drilled a hole in the bottle cap just big enough to press the line into the bottle until it touched the bottom. Then I took a tiny drill bit and made a vent hole in the lid. With a splash of new fluid in the bottle, it acted as an airtrap so air could not return up the line as I bled out the brakes. I attached the line to the bleeder valve, opened valve and started pumping the brake lever while adding fresh fluid. I'd sponged out all the old fluid with paper towels first. So, as the fluid going into the bottle cleared up, I knew I was done. Once both brakes had been bled, I removed the air line from the bottle, rinsed the hose with brake cleaner for next time and tossed the bottle in the trash after I resealed the cap with a piece of plastic  wrap over the open end.


revmaaatin
Posts: 1727
Joined: Wed Nov 26, 2003 3:07 pm

$5 peace of mind

Post by revmaaatin » Fri Jul 30, 2010 8:27 pm

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "transalp 1" wrote:
> > This is going to seem was simple to some. But, even those that regularly tinker with our bikes can overlook small things that can make a huge difference in a motorcycle's performance & safety. What I'm referring to is brake fluid.
SNIP I used a empty 20oz. water bottle and some $1 store aquarium air line* to catch the old fluid SNIP
> eddie
During the past two weeks, I also have changed some brake fluids on four disc-brake bikes. I used a medical nose/ear syringe =rubber bulb used for baby/surgery, to deplete the fluid reservoir first, then added fresh fluid to dilute the part that would not suck out, and removed the remainder with a syringe again. I initially used a piece of paper towel to dab out the rest--which left fine shreds of paper behind. After discovering that, I decided THAT was not a good procedure to introduce paper to the brake fluid reservoir. For hose to catch the overflow/bleed, I use discarded medical oxygen hose. Each length of hose has a 'fat' coupler to string lengths of hose together that fits over the nipple perfectly, or with only slight modification by shortening with a sharp knife. Trim off about 3 feet (or less) and go to bleeding brakes. The water bottle was a good idea--for my purposes, I use a coffee can as it is more stable while sitting on the ground. I got the hose from a friend that uses medical O-2 and replaces the hose occasionally. I would add one suggestion to eddie's suggestion: I clean the brake disc with brake cleaner afterward--even if it looks perfectly 'clean'--which it was NOT. Perhaps thats overkill; shrug. ymmmv. etc. revmaaatin.

transalp 1
Posts: 203
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 12:07 am

$5 peace of mind

Post by transalp 1 » Sat Jul 31, 2010 9:36 am

Rev's right. Cleaning the rotors is a must. I excluded that from my story along with another detail I like to follow. I take a piece of paper towel and twist it into a small "thread" which I use to remove the fluid left in the brake bleeder holes. Then I spray out the hole with brake cleaner and towel it dry: One less "seed" for corrosion before I put the rubber cap back on. Now for Paul Harvey's "rest of the story". Yesterday's project started when I reached into a drawer at the shop and nicked my hand on something. It was what was left of a brake caliper piston ruined by a careless customer. He came in saying he had no rear brakes on his Yamaha cruiser. That was an understatement. The pads wore out and the backing plates were grinding against the rotor. He ignored the lack of brake feel and couldn't hear the noise for his crazy loud exhaust pipes. After the backing plates wore down, the piston had "cookie cuttered" a hole clear through and began to wear directly on the rotor. It pushed out far enough eventually to pop out of the caliper and dump fluid on the rear wheel. And THAT'S when he noticed something was wrong. I cleaned the cut on my hand and went straight home & changed the KLR's fluid. =) eddie
> [Original Message] > From: revmaaatin
(snip)
> I would add one suggestion to eddie's suggestion: I clean the brake disc
with brake cleaner afterward--even if it looks perfectly 'clean'--which it was NOT. Perhaps thats overkill; shrug.
> > ymmmv. etc. > > revmaaatin. > >

revmaaatin
Posts: 1727
Joined: Wed Nov 26, 2003 3:07 pm

$5 peace of mind

Post by revmaaatin » Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:46 am

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "transalp 1" wrote:
> > Rev's right. Cleaning the rotors is a must. I excluded that from my story > along with another detail I like to follow. I take a piece of paper towel > and twist it into a small "thread" which I use to remove the fluid left in > the brake bleeder holes. Then I spray out the hole with brake cleaner and > towel it dry: One less "seed" for corrosion before I put the rubber cap > back on.
eddie- There is something I did not think about.... I think the bulb syringe would do that task for you as well to remove that final drop of fluid. I must admit, cough, that if the rubber cap is missing when I started, it is still missing when I finish.... so.... I suppose that cap is readily available at a auto parts store? and you strongly suggest it be replaced if missing? revmaaatin.

revmaaatin
Posts: 1727
Joined: Wed Nov 26, 2003 3:07 pm

$5 peace of mind

Post by revmaaatin » Sat Jul 31, 2010 12:00 pm

more brake maintenance discussion-- Along the lines of eddie's suggestion of brake fluid replacement--how do you remove the stains from the brake fluid reservoir sight window. I have a bike (non-KLR) that has a stained brake fluid reservoir. (Thank you PO, sigh.) I 'brushed' it with clean brake fluid and an acid brush (3X)--but it has a peace-symbol shaped grid between the main reservoir and the sight window that hinders complete access to the window. It was somewhat helpful, but the end results were less than fully satisfactory. Is it safe to spray brake cleaner in there on the window? I'm thinking--NOT. so I didn't.... There is a rubber gasket that keeps the window in place:I don't think the brake cleaner would be 'nice' for that gasket. Is that window easily replaceable? I'm thinking--NOT. Is a stained window painful? I'm thinking--yes. sigh. The trials of PO maintenance...rather, the lack of PO maintenance. revmaaatin. who is sometimes no smarter/diligent than the 'previous owner'--but not this time.

Chris
Posts: 1250
Joined: Wed Jul 31, 2013 11:57 am

gvwr really 740 lb?

Post by Chris » Sat Jul 31, 2010 12:57 pm

Is the KLR Gross Vehicle Weight Rating really 740 pounds? That makes the payload about 340 lb, right?  I thought I was way under the weight max. but I may be over with luggage and camping gear. Anybody else pushing the limits? How heavy have you ridden the KLR? Thanks,Chris    
On Jul 31, 2010, at 1:31 PM, Luc Legrain wrote:
  hey y'all ,  First, I am proud to announce that I crossed the 30k barrier on my A19 about a week ago with absolutely no major problems prior to this "crossing" . I still have the original stock chain and rear sprocket, which I will replace shortly , there a "kink" on the chain and the rear sprocket is kind of wore out .. to say the least ... ( I am cheap and easy..) Now, the issue I have is that when switching gears (upward) my throttle response is not the same as it used to be ,kind of hard to describe, but let's say, I am in 2nd going to 3rd ,clutch in, throttle back, kick 3rd in , clutch out, throttle back up I feel there is a " Dead Zone " of course I never expected a 4G acceleration but there is something that ain't kosher , bike has been rejetted, slide drilled ,Hi-Flow air filter, air box mod,drilled out exhaut , use only regular gas with NO ETHANOL ,SeaFoam once in a while . Now I am thinking valves ?? which I have not touched since the 5k barrier ?  What do y'all think ??     

Jeff Khoury
Posts: 684
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2009 11:08 am

$5 peace of mind

Post by Jeff Khoury » Sat Jul 31, 2010 1:36 pm

#ygrps-yiv-373964227 p {margin:0;}I'd try plugging / covering the inlet in the bottom, then use simple green sprayed on a rag.  Let it sit.  Time and Simple Green are the best thing you can use, IMHO. -Jeff Khoury
----- Original Message ----- From: "revmaaatin" To: "DSN KLR650" DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Saturday, July 31, 2010 9:58:47 AM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: $5 peace of mind   more brake maintenance discussion-- Along the lines of eddie's suggestion of brake fluid replacement--how do you remove the stains from the brake fluid reservoir sight window. I have a bike (non-KLR) that has a stained brake fluid reservoir. (Thank you PO, sigh.) I 'brushed' it with clean brake fluid and an acid brush (3X)--but it has a peace-symbol shaped grid between the main reservoir and the sight window that hinders complete access to the window. It was somewhat helpful, but the end results were less than fully satisfactory. Is it safe to spray brake cleaner in there on the window? I'm thinking--NOT. so I didn't.... There is a rubber gasket that keeps the window in place:I don't think the brake cleaner would be 'nice' for that gasket. Is that window easily replaceable? I'm thinking--NOT. Is a stained window painful? I'm thinking--yes. sigh. The trials of PO maintenance...rather, the lack of PO maintenance. revmaaatin. who is sometimes no smarter/diligent than the 'previous owner'--but not this time.

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