stupid spark plug question

[Jak Lauren]

Cool! Nuff' said! Fred Hink wrote:This just in from the owner of the "Mystery Cycle" that I posted last week. I sold him a Happy Trails K-9 Fork Brace and this is his report. Fred: My Happy Trails fork brace came this morning. I installed it after lunch and rode to Montrose and back by way of a twisty road. I told you I didn't really expect to notice a difference after already improving the front end feel considerably by installing a wider 19" wheel and tire. I was wrong. Both the wider tire and fork brace made equally noticeable differences. Together, they have transformed the motorcycle -- made it feel like a more expensive machine. I've always wanted to try a 19" wheel and a fork brace on a KLR. Experimenting is expensive, though, and I was afraid I might be wrong about the results. But I wasn't wrong. I'm very pleased with the results for the way I ride. A serious rough off-pavement rider might not like it but a KLR isn't intended for serious rough off-pavement riding anyway. I was already cornering fairly fast on the KLR on pavement. Even if I'm not faster now, I'll be cornering with a lot more precision and feel. Now I'm certain I can benefit from a bigger rotor and 2-piston caliper upgrade. Please let me know when they are available. Thanks,

----- Original Message ----- From: "Jak Lauren" To: "mike chartier" ; Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2004 5:28 PM Subject: Re: [DSN_klr650] fork brace > And do they really make a difference? > > Jak List sponsored by Dual Sport News at www.dualsportnews.com. List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html Unsubscribe by sending a blank message to: DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com . Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DSN_klr650/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Hotjobs: Enter the "Signing Bonus" Sweepstakes [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Mike T]

Street is better - dirt? Jury is out. Several very well respected people do not use them at all. They get the wheels aligned, torque the front wheel first and then the 8 triple clamp fork retaining bolts, again and again, until everything is torqued correctly. We have small 38mm front forks that do not respond well to hard impacts. SOOOO, look at cartridge emulators instead. The cost is $149.00, not much more than good quality fork braces. I have a Superbrace brand front fork brace. When I purchased my KLR650 it had almost every option available, including the brace. I can state that when I took it off as a test, I preferred it being on. If I was to spend over a hundred on the front end, I would pick cartridge emulators (from Race Tech), [FEGV 3801 Emulator] instead. You can get them from Fred at Arrowhead Motorsports. 'Damping rod forks are notorious for being both too harsh and too easy to bottom. This is the nature of damping rod fixed orifice forks. Until now, all you could do is change spring rate, oil viscosity and damping hole size. The best available was a serious compromise. The Gold Valve Cartridge Emulator is another one of the outstanding inventions from Race Tech's Paul Thede. Simply put; Emulators make damping rod forks perform like well-tuned cartridge forks. Emulators are tunable valves that sit on top of the damping rods and are held in place with the main springs. This makes them both simple to install and completely tunable for all conditions and rider preferences'. I would also consider pay the extra $$$ for Progressive front springs. The brace would be last. I now have all three, plus new fork bushings and leak-proof moly seals. It's your money, so please research emulators. Mike T. A16 Las Vegas -----Original Message----- From: Jak Lauren [mailto:jaklauren2000@...] Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2004 4:29 PM To: mike chartier; DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [DSN_klr650] fork brace And do they really make a difference? Jak mike chartier wrote: i saw a fork brace on ebay with a rounded top. does anyone know who makes it? List sponsored by Dual Sport News at www.dualsportnews.com. List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html Unsubscribe by sending a blank message to: DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com . Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DSN_klr650/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Hotjobs: Enter the "Signing Bonus" Sweepstakes [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] List sponsored by Dual Sport News at www.dualsportnews.com. List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html Unsubscribe by sending a blank message to: DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com . Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DSN_klr650/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

[Mike T]

AOK! My bike came w/ progressive springs and the Superbrace fork brace, as you know. When I aired up my Avon Distanzias to mid 30psi, I found the bike to be so precise that I almost lost it the next time I rode a street racer 600cc Yamaha, as the Yamaha was to heavy and ponderous by comparison. No wonder on really tight turns I almost run into sport bikes. They then blow me away with HP, I then reel them in on the next tight turn, etc By the way, The KLR has been a bag of happy tabs. When I took off the fork brace for the test I did on the street, It was NOT the same precision line holder it was with it on. This even after I did the torque project on the wheel and triple clamp bolts. The brace and the springs are A1. My purchase of cartridge emulators was made in part for better control of something that pissed me off brake dive and po-go responses on speed bumps and such. Dirt riding issues not withstanding, and my HEAVY Bridgestone tube issue, I like my dual-sport package up front ( until I bend a fork tube, or two ----) Enough history - As to your question: Get the springs from the cheap supplier IF his shipping charges and tax, if any, are as low as the other, or better. Having raw spacer stock is good thing to work with. Make sure that both springs are the same height, and the tube stock is the same Outside Diameter as the factory items. Now, if your going to get cartridge emulators in the future, don t fret over the tube length you are going to cut when you do this little project The emulator is like a + spacer due to it s own thickness. The point is you can always cut the spacer you make shorter. Now, as to the initial spacer length you will make w/ a fine tooth hacksaw and sanding paper ( to clean up the cut, assuming you do not have fancy tools). Cut long ones first, and then cut them down as needed for your weight and riding environment. In this manner you will not have to start over with declining material availability. I weigh 250 pounds with my riding gear and ride rough off-road, so I use 2.5+ of spacer. The ideal for overall riding is to have 2.5 -3 of front fork compression from it s fully extended position when you sit on it. Many articles exist on the web regarding this loaded compression, both front and rear. Suspension sag http://cgi.motorcycle.com/mo/mcmail/interviews/rathwell.html : http://www.gostar-racing.com/information/motorcycle_suspension_set-up.htm : http://www.factorypro.com/tech/Suspension_Setting.html and MANY more. SO you see, If you can cut thin wall tubing w/ a FINE tooth hacksaw, and clean up the tube ends, you can use the provided tube stock and create your own spring spacer. BTW, if you are not going to rebuild the forks, flush them a few times w/o the springs installed. Add very light weight oil, pump the fork legs up and down drain, do it again just get the old stuff out and use a high-powered light basically, clean fresh oil in clean forks. Considering your declared mechanical abilities, it should suffice when the oil drains out w/o dark fluid strains I would prefer you to take the forks apart, but your mechanic can do that later when you get emulators (assuming that you are still uncomfortable with general motorcycle wrenching). Mike T. A16 Las Vegas PS -I am CCing this rely to the group MANY smart guys are going to help you as well And I expect a few different opinions will be provided as well -----Original Message----- From: Jak Lauren [mailto:jaklauren2000@...] Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2004 6:43 PM To: Mike T Subject: RE: [DSN_klr650] fork brace I just so happen to have the money this month for the progressive fork springs! So now I'll look into the emulators. Now, Dual Star has them(progressive springs) with pre-cut spacers, Sport Tour has them with out spacers, and their springs are $15 cheaper, and they told me that they dont include pre-cut ones because each rider is different, and he had some extra pipe in his shop he'd throw in to for me to cut to my needs! Now, keep in mind, I ain't very mechanical!! I can bolt on stuff, but other than that, I may be in trouble! LOL! My mechanic has a KLR, but I'd have to pay him labor to do it. Any thoughts? Jak [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[kdxkawboy@aol.com]

In a message dated 2004-01-15 5:26:04 PM Pacific Standard Time, moabmc@... writes:

> > Fred: My Happy Trails fork brace came this morning. I installed it after > lunch and rode to Montrose and back by way of a twisty road. I told you I > didn't really expect to notice a difference after already improving the > front end feel considerably by installing a wider 19" wheel and tire. I was > wrong. Both the wider tire and fork brace made equally noticeable > differences. Together, they have transformed the motorcycle -- made it feel > like a more expensive machine. I've always wanted to try a 19" wheel and a > fork brace on a KLR. Experimenting is expensive, though, and I was afraid I > might be wrong about the results. But I wasn't wrong. I'm very pleased with > the results for the way I ride. A serious rough off-pavement rider might not > like it but a KLR isn't intended for serious rough off-pavement riding > anyway. I was already cornering fairly fast on the KLR on pavement. Even if > I'm not faster now, I'll be cornering with a lot more precision and feel. > > Now I'm certain I can benefit from a bigger rotor and 2-piston caliper > upgrade. Please let me know when they are available. > >

I have the Summers Racing brace and I was extremely pleased to discover my front wheel could hold a straight line in the rough stuff. For real off road work the KLR forks are spindly little things that can use all the help they can get. Pat G'ville, Nv [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[bigfatgreenbike]

moabmc@... wrote:

>This just in from the owner of the "Mystery Cycle" that I posted last week. >I sold him a Happy Trails K-9 Fork Brace and this is his report. > >Fred: My Happy Trails fork brace came this morning. I installed it after >lunch and rode to Montrose and back by way of a twisty road. I told you I >didn't really expect to notice a difference after already improving the >front end feel considerably by installing a wider 19" wheel and tire. I was >wrong. Both the wider tire and fork brace made equally noticeable >differences. Together, they have transformed the motorcycle -- made it feel >like a more expensive machine. I've always wanted to try a 19" wheel and a >fork brace on a KLR. Experimenting is expensive, though, and I was afraid I >might be wrong about the results. But I wasn't wrong. I'm very pleased with >the results for the way I ride. A serious rough off-pavement rider might not >like it but a KLR isn't intended for serious rough off-pavement riding >anyway. >

Well, to each his own but you're missing out on a lot of fun. Before I did the front end swap, I got the K-9 fork brace and was VERY happy with it (this was before Tim dropped the price, and I still think I got my money's worth). Depending on how decently your particular set of forks were machined, a good fork brace will either be a moderate improvement or a near-miracle. Every set is a little different, so take other people's advice about fork braces with a grain of salt. Especially people telling you the KLR doesn't need one (but they're using Tengai forks). On my stock front end the fork brace was excellent offroad. -- Devon Brooklyn, NY A15-Z '01 KLR650 '81 SR500 cafe racer "The truth's not too popular these days....." Arnold Schwarzenneger, in The Running Man

[dumbazz650]

--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, Jak Lauren wrote:

> And do they really make a difference? > > Jak > > mike chartier wrote: > i saw a fork brace on ebay with a rounded top. > does anyone know who makes it? > >

RE: HT Forkbrace They make a big difference on the street. The front forks are pretty long and spindly. The fork brace firms them up roughly midway between the axle and the lower triple clamp. I really noticed it, especially when leaned over hard on cracked/uneven asphalt. Before, the bike felt loose and imprecise due to the flex in the long forks. After installing the forkbrace, the bike never wiggled or wallowed -whether the surface was smooth or rough. The bike felt much more stable and would hold the line I chose. And despite peg dragging angles, I could begin the drive out of the corner much sooner and much harder. Less benefit if you ride mostly dirt. But I cosider it an excellent investment on both my KLRs. Never mind what Eldon says. MarkB

[don_detloff]

I think Elden Carl makes that one --- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "mike chartier" wrote:

> i saw a fork brace on ebay with a rounded top. > does anyone know who makes it?

[cav_wolverine]

OK, very funny suggestions for the the pilot screw, but now that is all taken care of, do people prefer the happy trails or dual star fork brace? any used parts out there? thanks

[James Morrow Sr]

I got one off of ebay for $70. They still have them. I like it allot for function, however they didn't make the rise high enough IMO. You have to adjust less than 1/4" above tire to get even 1/4" surface for your existing boots to fit. I tie wrapped the botton of the boot to the bottom fork (1/4" left) and it seems to work. Just would have been allot better to have higher rise and more bottom fork surface to slip existing boots on. The Dual Star is over $200 if you get the boot adapter. Thats too much, I like mine fine for the price.

On 12/27/05, cav_wolverine wrote: > > OK, very funny suggestions for the the pilot screw, but now that is > all taken care of, do people prefer the happy trails or dual star fork > brace? any used parts out there? thanks > > > > > > Archive Quicksearch at: > http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/klr650_data_search.html > List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com > List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html > Member Map at: http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650 > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > -- James Morrow Sr Union, MO '00' RT + dual plug + Bunkhouse '00' BUSA + 15hp '05' KLR650 + big fun factor [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[rodbon95]

Why do you think you need a fork brace. Proper steering bearing adjustment will fix any steering problems you may have. The only time a fork brace might be of benefit is if you had an oversize disc and rode extremely aggressive on the street. I have thousands of hard off-road miles without the need of a fork brace. The only trouble I ever had was when the bearing adjustment was too loose. Being pushed around in the wind isn't a problem either with proper adjustment. We adjusted a friends bearings and went on a very windy ride and when we got back, he said that he couldn't have done it prior to the adjustment because he got blown all over (sloppy bearing adjustment). Try it before a fork brace, then decide. Rod