klr photo history link

[Jeff Gronert]

I think I should give a word of caution about KLR's with road tyres. You can generate a lot more cornering force with road tyres, more than the chassis was designed to handle, there's quite a bit of flex/spring in the chassis and energy can be stored up. When that energy is high if the front tyre breaks traction that energy can be released all at once and the tyre will move out like it was spring loaded and not hook up again. The riders perception is that everything is fine through the turn and then suddenly the bike spits out from under him. This is why modern sportbikes have a more rigid chassis and are more forgiving. http://www.rdrop.com/users/deanw/KLR_down1.jpg http://www.rdrop.com/users/deanw/KLR_down2.jpg http://www.rdrop.com/users/deanw/KLR_down.mpg Be safe out there guys, \\|// |O-O| +-----------oOO-(_)-OOo-------------+ ~CaffeineRacer, VTR/KLR, When life throws curves...lean into them!

[thesquasher@hotmail.com]

I have the Dunlop 604 tires. I can get good traction around corners with them. The problem I run into is those raised bumps/dots in the center of the road. If I drift over the center while cornering and the front tire hits one it will slide out and scare the S#!T out of me. came close to dumping it a few times.

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "Jeff Gronert" wrote: > I think I should give a word of caution about KLR's with road tyres. You can > generate a lot more cornering force with road tyres, more than the chassis > was designed to handle, there's quite a bit of flex/spring in the chassis > and energy can be stored up. When that energy is high if the front tyre > breaks traction that energy can be released all at once and the tyre will > move out like it was spring loaded and not hook up again. The riders > perception is that everything is fine through the turn and then suddenly the > bike spits out from under him. This is why modern sportbikes have a more > rigid chassis and are more forgiving. > >

[richardm@gowinnt.com]

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "Jeff Gronert" wrote:

> You can > generate a lot more cornering force with road tyres, more than the

chassis

> was designed to handle, there's quite a bit of flex/spring in the

chassis

> and energy can be stored up. When that energy is high if the front

tyre

> breaks traction that energy can be released all at once and the

tyre will

> move out like it was spring loaded and not hook up again. The riders > perception is that everything is fine through the turn and then

suddenly the

> bike spits out from under him.

I wonder how much of this stored energy is due to the fork tubes not compressing equally. Perhaps a fork-brace would help a little? RM

[Jeff Gronert]

From: richardm@... I wonder how much of this stored energy is due to the fork tubes not compressing equally. Perhaps a fork-brace would help a little? RM I bet it would help a lot, probably even more in this application than offroad,my bike doesn't have a fork-brace. ~CaffeineRacer ~ VTR996 / KLR651~

[gyb@sprynet.com]

From: thesquasher@...

>I have the Dunlop 604 tires. I can get good traction around corners >with them. The problem I run into is those raised bumps/dots in the >center of the road. If I drift over the center while cornering and >the front tire hits one it will slide out and scare the S#!T out of >me. came close to dumping it a few times.

If you have to go over the center line (i.e can't keep it in your lane) while cornering on the street you are going faster than you should. I'd say you should either slow down or improve your cornering technique. Otherwise, one day you'll become the squashee rather than the squasher... YCorneringTechniqueMV, Gustavo

[brettonwolfgang@hotmail.com]

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., gyb@s... wrote:

> From: thesquasher@h... > >I have the Dunlop 604 tires. I can get good traction around

corners

> >with them. The problem I run into is those raised bumps/dots in

the

> >center of the road. If I drift over the center while cornering and > >the front tire hits one it will slide out and scare the S#!T out

of

> >me. came close to dumping it a few times. > > If you have to go over the center line (i.e can't keep it in your > lane) while cornering on the street you are going faster than > you should. I'd say you should either slow down or improve > your cornering technique. Otherwise, one day you'll become > the squashee rather than the squasher... > > YCorneringTechniqueMV, > > Gustavo

Cafeine sent me his video of him doing a knee dragging super bike turn. Trust me, he knows what he is doing. Crazy?-probably. Knows what he is doing?-hell yes.

[geoffluttrell@yahoo.com]

Hello All, Not to be preachy, but I have to agree with Gustavo. If you are on the dots, you are either too wide in a right hander, or leaning into opposing traffic in a lefty. This puts you in the path of opposing traffic either way. This is not only unsafe for the rider, but for others on the road as well. I am no knee dragger, but I had a class at Sears Point last week on my Nighthawk S and had a blast. It was great to be able to push on the track, eliminating most of the hazards of riding fast on the street. I saw squashers video, and it is damn impressive. I just am not sure the street is the place. But there is no denyin', riding fast is fun, so who am I to say. Ride safe, Geoff

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., brettonwolfgang@h... wrote: > --- In DSN_klr650@y..., gyb@s... wrote: > > From: thesquasher@h... > > >I have the Dunlop 604 tires. I can get good traction around > corners > > >with them. The problem I run into is those raised bumps/dots in > the > > >center of the road. If I drift over the center while cornering and > > >the front tire hits one it will slide out and scare the S#!T out > of > > >me. came close to dumping it a few times. > > > > If you have to go over the center line (i.e can't keep it in your > > lane) while cornering on the street you are going faster than > > you should. I'd say you should either slow down or improve > > your cornering technique. Otherwise, one day you'll become > > the squashee rather than the squasher... > > > > YCorneringTechniqueMV, > > > > Gustavo > > Cafeine sent me his video of him doing a knee dragging super bike > turn. Trust me, he knows what he is doing. Crazy?-probably. Knows > what he is doing?-hell yes.

[gyb@sprynet.com]

> If you have to go over the center line (i.e can't keep it in your > lane) while cornering on the street you are going faster than > you should.

Bretton:

> Cafeine sent me his video of him doing a knee dragging super bike > turn. Trust me, he knows what he is doing. Crazy?-probably. Knows > what he is doing?-hell yes.

I think you are mistaking two differnet (fictitious, as usual on this list... charachters who have posted on this issue. But, nonetheless, even if the rider shown in the video often goes over the center line, I'd say he is riding over his limits, and that is very unsafe for him, his riding buddies and the poor schmuck who is going to turn him into a hood ornament... I'm not against riding fast, au contrair, as some of our friends here would say, but I don't like riding with people who ride out of control. It makes for some really lousy ending rides. YRiskTakingMV, Gustavo

[Don Detloff]

Pat, That will be a handy reference. Don Detloff Fair Haven, MI A14

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., IronJungle@H... wrote: > I put this together (quickly). If you are a KLR freak, it may be > interesting: > http://home.austin.rr.com/ironjungle/klrhistory.html > > If you have a comment/correction, please email it. > > Pat > Austin TX