motorcycle crashes in china - nklr

[mechanizeinc]

First, imagine you're broke. Now imagine you need a vehicle and you decided to replace your wrecked out KLR by building one from the ground up. You've begged, borrowed, bargained and bought enough parts to build a Frankenbike. "Que the theme for Sanford & Son." In an effort to eliminate one of the biggest shortfalls of the KLR as designed, the suspension, you've come up with an upside down fork set... the complete front end offa KX450F for a dang good price as opposed to buying the stock stuff and required improvements. (FYI, you still have to buy improvements for the KX450F front end if grafting to a KLR.) Crap Emig makes a conversion stem. They also make upper and lower clamps. Their version of the triples as opposed to the KX, include steering stops on the bottom and bosses for the original KLR gauge cluster and ignition on the top. I don't know how much they charge for the set yet, gonna call Gary today. So the question is... how much risk is it worth to save some cash by cutting off the front sliver of the gauge and ignition bosses in two sections and welding them onto the front side (farthest away from stem of camps)of the KX upper and weld two steering stops to the bottom clamp? My immediate plan it to run without gauges and use an ignition from a 70's Honda CB750 that has round tube mounts build in and clamp it onto the bars or frame (realizing and accepting the loss of steering lock.) Gotta have the steering stops, though. Thanks for your consideration, Mech

[Jeff Saline]

On Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:07:16 -0000 "mechanizeinc" writes:

> First, imagine you're broke. > Now imagine you need a vehicle and you decided to replace your > wrecked out KLR by building one from the ground up. > You've begged, borrowed, bargained and bought enough parts to build > a Frankenbike. "Que the theme for Sanford & Son." > > In an effort to eliminate one of the biggest shortfalls of the KLR > as designed, the suspension, you've come up with an upside down fork > set... the complete front end offa KX450F for a dang good price as > opposed to buying the stock stuff and required improvements. (FYI, > you still have to buy improvements for the KX450F front end if > grafting to a KLR.) Crap > > Emig makes a conversion stem. They also make upper and lower clamps. > Their version of the triples as opposed to the KX, include steering > stops on the bottom and bosses for the original KLR gauge cluster > and ignition on the top. I don't know how much they charge for the > set yet, gonna call Gary today. > > So the question is... how much risk is it worth to save some cash by > cutting off the front sliver of the gauge and ignition bosses in two > sections and welding them onto the front side (farthest away from > stem of camps)of the KX upper and weld two steering stops to the > bottom clamp? > > My immediate plan it to run without gauges and use an ignition from > a 70's Honda CB750 that has round tube mounts build in and clamp it > onto the bars or frame (realizing and accepting the loss of steering > lock.) Gotta have the steering stops, though. > > Thanks for your consideration, > Mech

<><><><><><> <><><><><><> Mech, If I'm broke the last thing I'll need is a motorcycle. They aren't cost effective for transportation. : ) But, if I decided to put one together and install upside down forks... I don't think the ignition and gauge cluster mounting would be a big deal. They only are needed for a minor amount of weight and aren't structural to the steering/suspension. If the welder knows what he's doing I think it could work well. As for the steering stops... That could be kind of iffy but still probably very doable with the right welder. One issue I see needing to be addressed is the material of the triple trees and also of the mounting parts and steering stops. If the materials aren't compatible the welding won't go very well. A detailed discussion of your expectations and the welders experience/skills and abilities will helpful in having a satisfactory outcome for the project. May I suggest the following for the welding part of the project. Good, Fast, Cheap. Pick two. Good luck with your bike project. Best, 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 . ____________________________________________________________ Get Free Email with Video Mail & Video Chat! http://www.juno.com/freeemail?refcd=JUTAGOUT1FREM0210

[RobertWichert]

Just a bit of advice on welding... Use a professional.  A certified shop is a professional.  A guy with tanks is not. Second bit of advice... For a weld to be as strong as the part, it needs to be as DEEP as the part, that is, if you are wanting the weld to be as strong as a 1/4" piece of steel, the weld MUST go 1/4" into the base metal.  If there isn't 1/4" of base metal, or that causes the base metal to warp, you could be screwed.  Example: If you are welding a 1/4" x 1/4" steering stop to a steering bearing housing that is only 1/4" thick at the point of the weld, the inside MUST get hot enough to melt or the weld will not be as strong as the stop.  If the inside of the steering housing gets that hot, this will make the inside warp or worse. This is a little simplistic, and if there are any welding engineers out there, please feel free to set us all right, but this is general guidance and might be conservative, but LOTS of welding jobs have resulted in useless parts or weak welds for this reason. Sometimes drilled and tapped is actually better. When a weld breaks off it's always "Wow, there wasn't much holding that, was there?!" Robert P. Wichert P.Eng +1 916 966 9060 FAX +1 916 966 9068 ========================================================

On 8/27/2010 7:36 PM, Jeff Saline wrote:   On Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:07:16 -0000 "mechanizeinc" writes: > First, imagine you're broke. > Now imagine you need a vehicle and you decided to replace your > wrecked out KLR by building one from the ground up. > You've begged, borrowed, bargained and bought enough parts to build > a Frankenbike. "Que the theme for Sanford & Son." > > In an effort to eliminate one of the biggest shortfalls of the KLR > as designed, the suspension, you've come up with an upside down fork > set... the complete front end offa KX450F for a dang good price as > opposed to buying the stock stuff and required improvements. (FYI, > you still have to buy improvements for the KX450F front end if > grafting to a KLR.) Crap > > Emig makes a conversion stem. They also make upper and lower clamps. > Their version of the triples as opposed to the KX, include steering > stops on the bottom and bosses for the original KLR gauge cluster > and ignition on the top. I don't know how much they charge for the > set yet, gonna call Gary today. > > So the question is... how much risk is it worth to save some cash by > cutting off the front sliver of the gauge and ignition bosses in two > sections and welding them onto the front side (farthest away from > stem of camps)of the KX upper and weld two steering stops to the > bottom clamp? > > My immediate plan it to run without gauges and use an ignition from > a 70's Honda CB750 that has round tube mounts build in and clamp it > onto the bars or frame (realizing and accepting the loss of steering > lock.) Gotta have the steering stops, though. > > Thanks for your consideration, > Mech <><><><><><> <><><><><><> Mech, If I'm broke the last thing I'll need is a motorcycle. They aren't cost effective for transportation. : ) But, if I decided to put one together and install upside down forks... I don't think the ignition and gauge cluster mounting would be a big deal. They only are needed for a minor amount of weight and aren't structural to the steering/suspension. If the welder knows what he's doing I think it could work well. As for the steering stops... That could be kind of iffy but still probably very doable with the right welder. One issue I see needing to be addressed is the material of the triple trees and also of the mounting parts and steering stops. If the materials aren't compatible the welding won't go very well. A detailed discussion of your expectations and the welders experience/skills and abilities will helpful in having a satisfactory outcome for the project. May I suggest the following for the welding part of the project. Good, Fast, Cheap. Pick two. Good luck with your bike project. Best, 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 . __________________________________________________________ Get Free Email with Video Mail & Video Chat! http://www.juno.com/freeemail?refcd=JUTAGOUT1FREM0210

[guymanbro]

Mech, You should be able to fabricate some guage mounts from angle iron. that's what I did when I put the KLX front end on the KLR. For the steering stops, you could tap holes and use bolts with a secondary lock nut to set the depth... da Vermonster

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Jeff Saline wrote: > > On Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:07:16 -0000 "mechanizeinc" > writes: > > First, imagine you're broke. > > Now imagine you need a vehicle and you decided to replace your > > wrecked out KLR by building one from the ground up. > > You've begged, borrowed, bargained and bought enough parts to build > > a Frankenbike. "Que the theme for Sanford & Son." > > > > In an effort to eliminate one of the biggest shortfalls of the KLR > > as designed, the suspension, you've come up with an upside down fork > > set... the complete front end offa KX450F for a dang good price as > > opposed to buying the stock stuff and required improvements. (FYI, > > you still have to buy improvements for the KX450F front end if > > grafting to a KLR.) Crap > > > > Emig makes a conversion stem. They also make upper and lower clamps. > > Their version of the triples as opposed to the KX, include steering > > stops on the bottom and bosses for the original KLR gauge cluster > > and ignition on the top. I don't know how much they charge for the > > set yet, gonna call Gary today. > > > > So the question is... how much risk is it worth to save some cash by > > cutting off the front sliver of the gauge and ignition bosses in two > > sections and welding them onto the front side (farthest away from > > stem of camps)of the KX upper and weld two steering stops to the > > bottom clamp? > > > > My immediate plan it to run without gauges and use an ignition from > > a 70's Honda CB750 that has round tube mounts build in and clamp it > > onto the bars or frame (realizing and accepting the loss of steering > > lock.) Gotta have the steering stops, though. > > > > Thanks for your consideration, > > Mech

[klroost]

Just some info from a "guy with tanks".. who also happens to have been certified by the ASME, API, DOT and the NRC many times over on many different alloys. To say a "guy with tanks" is not a professional is an insult. The shop has little to do with it. It is the individuals within the shop that are certified. The shop is merely qualified, NOT certified, ie; the shop only has to prove it is capable of the procedure. It is still the "guy with tanks" who has to certify their ability with the procedure. And to say a weld must be 100% to be as strong as the base is incorrect. You generally never weld with a filler at or below the base metal tensile strength. There are some "superalloy" fillers made that I have repaired HBM transmission gear teeth with that were the only teeth left after the operator blew it up..again. These alloys have around 120k psi tensile..twice what the steel in the KLR frame is made of(60k psi). Joint design plays a large factor in the ultimate strength of the assembly. Find a good operator and they will know what to do. K

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, RobertWichert wrote: > > Just a bit of advice on welding... > > Use a professional. A certified shop is a professional. A guy with > tanks is not. > > Second bit of advice... > > For a weld to be as strong as the part, it needs to be as DEEP as the > part, that is, if you are wanting the weld to be as strong as a 1/4" > piece of steel, the weld MUST go 1/4" into the base metal. If there > isn't 1/4" of base metal, or that causes the base metal to warp, you > could be screwed. Example: If you are welding a 1/4" x 1/4" steering > stop to a steering bearing housing that is only 1/4" thick at the point > of the weld, the inside MUST get hot enough to melt or the weld will not > be as strong as the stop. If the inside of the steering housing gets > that hot, this will make the inside warp or worse. > > This is a little simplistic, and if there are any welding engineers out > there, please feel free to set us all right, but this is general > guidance and might be conservative, but LOTS of welding jobs have > resulted in useless parts or weak welds for this reason. > > Sometimes drilled and tapped is actually better. > > When a weld breaks off it's always "Wow, there wasn't much holding that, > was there?!" > > > Robert P. Wichert P.Eng > +1 916 966 9060 > FAX +1 916 966 9068 > > > > > > > > > > ======================================================== > > > On 8/27/2010 7:36 PM, Jeff Saline wrote: > > > > On Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:07:16 -0000 "mechanizeinc" > > > writes: > > > First, imagine you're broke. > > > Now imagine you need a vehicle and you decided to replace your > > > wrecked out KLR by building one from the ground up. > > > You've begged, borrowed, bargained and bought enough parts to build > > > a Frankenbike. "Que the theme for Sanford & Son." > > > > > > In an effort to eliminate one of the biggest shortfalls of the KLR > > > as designed, the suspension, you've come up with an upside down fork > > > set... the complete front end offa KX450F for a dang good price as > > > opposed to buying the stock stuff and required improvements. (FYI, > > > you still have to buy improvements for the KX450F front end if > > > grafting to a KLR.) Crap > > > > > > Emig makes a conversion stem. They also make upper and lower clamps. > > > Their version of the triples as opposed to the KX, include steering > > > stops on the bottom and bosses for the original KLR gauge cluster > > > and ignition on the top. I don't know how much they charge for the > > > set yet, gonna call Gary today. > > > > > > So the question is... how much risk is it worth to save some cash by > > > cutting off the front sliver of the gauge and ignition bosses in two > > > sections and welding them onto the front side (farthest away from > > > stem of camps)of the KX upper and weld two steering stops to the > > > bottom clamp? > > > > > > My immediate plan it to run without gauges and use an ignition from > > > a 70's Honda CB750 that has round tube mounts build in and clamp it > > > onto the bars or frame (realizing and accepting the loss of steering > > > lock.) Gotta have the steering stops, though. > > > > > > Thanks for your consideration, > > > Mech > > <><><><><><> > > <><><><><><> > > > > Mech, > > > > If I'm broke the last thing I'll need is a motorcycle. They aren't cost > > effective for transportation. : ) > > > > But, if I decided to put one together and install upside down forks... I > > don't think the ignition and gauge cluster mounting would be a big deal. > > They only are needed for a minor amount of weight and aren't structural > > to the steering/suspension. If the welder knows what he's doing I think > > it could work well. > > > > As for the steering stops... That could be kind of iffy but still > > probably very doable with the right welder. > > > > One issue I see needing to be addressed is the material of the triple > > trees and also of the mounting parts and steering stops. If the > > materials aren't compatible the welding won't go very well. A detailed > > discussion of your expectations and the welders experience/skills and > > abilities will helpful in having a satisfactory outcome for the project. > > > > May I suggest the following for the welding part of the project. Good, > > Fast, Cheap. Pick two. > > > > Good luck with your bike project. > > > > Best, > > > > 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 > > > > . > > > > __________________________________________________________ > > Get Free Email with Video Mail & Video Chat! > > http://www.juno.com/freeemail?refcd=JUTAGOUT1FREM0210 > > > > >

[Lourd Baltimore]

Looks like China's becoming more western-ized every year! [b]From:[/b] Darren Clark [b]To:[/b] DSN _KLR650 DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> [b]Sent:[/b] Fri, December 3, 2010 2:50:07 AM [b]Subject:[/b] [DSN_KLR650] Motorcycle crashes in China - NKLR   This is kinda painful to watch, about 50 car/motorcycle, motorcycle/bicycle, car/bicycle, and pedestrian crashes. http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=QESfEd180rQ -- Darren Clark http://www.flickr.com/photos/84373829@N00/ 2004 KLR-650 Fowlerville, MI