** where can i find a good klr mechanic in the bay area? **

[Russell D. Stephan]

KRL250s do *not* float. In the interest of providing motorcycling information that everyone can use, I decided to throw the baby Kaw into a mud hole on Sunday to answer that age old question, "Do bikes float?" Rode the bike the required 70 miles to Wayne National Forest and had fun up until I encountered a relatively large mud hole created from repeated ATV digging. Rather than go through the thing I tried to skirt the edge of the hole. However, a sapling made me take a line closer to the rim of the hole than I really wanted to go. I start to tip to the right and attempted to put a foot down in the water. Hey, it's gotta be only about six inches deep, right? My foot found bottom three feet after breaking the brown surface. Of course, by this time I was swimming in the muck and the KLR was submerged. Getting the bike unsubmerged proved to be quite a challenge. Getting the bike started after the float test proved *more* of a challenge. Getting the bike home before dawn required a substantial withdraw of my biker karma account. So, how does one remove a bike from a three foot hole in the ground? You basically lean the bike against the edge of the hole and lift the lower frame pushing the bike out of the depression sliding it on its side. Not pretty but it works on a late Sunday evening when the other weekend trail riders and possible helpers have all but packed up and headed home. The bike is now out of said mud hole. Will she start? Kick starting proved to be an effort in exhaustion. Thankfully there was a relatively level section of ground around to work up a run for bump starting. I tried running bump starts for three or four times before coming to the conclusion that running with all my wet and mud caked gear was more work than it needed to be. I stripped down to just my skivvies before continuing with the bump start attempts. Run, run, run, hop on, dump clutch, put it in neutral, push the bike back up the narrow trail for another attempt. I did this about fifteen times. Finally, she coughed and sputtered to life. Thank goodness! As I quickly donned my wet and slimy gear, I let the bike run in order to try and dry out what water managed to get where it shouldn't. She ran rough in spots as I worked my way off the trails and on to the Forest Service roads that access the trails. Once on SR-33 I thought I was good for home. The bike had other ideas... She'd run for about three minutes at freeway speeds before dying like someone hit the kill switch. Then, five to ten minutes later, she'd run some more for a few minutes, then die again. Needless to say, I was getting worried I wouldn't get the thing the necessary 70 miles home. I did pull off and fill up the gas tank with fresh fuel thinking that would help. But, she still died after a few minutes of running. During one of my many roadside stops waiting the required few minutes before she run again, a pickup truck pulled over to investigate my problems. There were two dirt bikes in the bed of the truck and the occupants admitted to watching me cross a trail head in Wayne. I explained the problem and although they didn't have any extra hauling capability, they volunteered their buddy's assistance. The buddy was ten to fifteen minutes behind them. So we just waited at the side of the road until he sped by. Sometimes you fall in a slop pit and come out smelling like a rose. The gentleman with the extra trailer space just so happened to live within three miles of my house! How's that for serious luck? We loaded up the protesting KLR and I graced the interior of his Toyota truck with my wet and muddy body. I did offer to ride in the truck's bed but it was stuffed full of gear. Once back in the neighborhood I convinced the reluctant driver to pit for gas on my dime as a small token of my appreciation. Dead bike delivery right to one's door by strangers. You gotta love fellow riders. Looks like all my stopping and helping other stranded riders over the years finally paid off. Russell D. Stephan Technology Management Consulting, Inc. 6479 Reflections Drive, Suite 150. Dublin, Ohio 43017 Voice: (614) 760-3065 Fax: (614) 760-3360

[captaininsane357]

--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "Russell D. Stephan" wrote:

> KRL250s do *not* float. >

That story brings back a very tragic memory for me. About 8 years ago, I was riding my XT550 over a board other riders had placed over a deep pool in a creek. Guess the XT was a bit heavier than the usual dirt bike down there, and the board broke submerging me and the bike. I managed to get it started, and got home, but that was the last time the bike ever ran. Hope you have better luck with yours...

[Devon Jarvis]

What did you do with the bike when you got home? Just curious, I've helped sort out a DRZ that went submarining, and I've owned SR500s for the last five years. Devon A15-Z SR500 captaininsane357 wrote:

> > > That story brings back a very tragic memory for me. > > About 8 years ago, I was riding my XT550 over a board > other riders had placed over a deep pool in a creek. > > Guess the XT was a bit heavier than the usual dirt bike > down there, and the board broke submerging me and the bike. > > I managed to get it started, and got home, but that was > the last time the bike ever ran. >

-- "It's a troublesome world, all the people who are in it, are troubled with troubles almost every minute" Dr. Seuss

[mugga112001]

Count me in! I'm busy the first week of August (camping at Lake Pillsbury for a week) but after that, I'm free. And definately let us know a couple of weeks in advance so I too can order my doohickey! --- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "Werner Schink" wrote:

> Definitely me too! Sounds like having it at MrMoose's would be

good. I'm

> booked the weekends of Aug 2 and Aug 16, else open. > > Also, I've got the doohickey & tools from Jake. Also ordered short

springs

> from Mike. Don't have new gaskets & don't know whether to get them. > > Werner in Sac A11 > > -----Original Message----- > From: Paul Dent [mailto:phdarch@c...] > Sent: Sunday, July 20, 2003 10:20 AM > To: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com > Subject: [DSN_klr650] Re: ** Where can I find a good KLR mechanic

in the bay

> area? ** > > I'm definitely in for a doohickey replacement session and maybe

valve

> adjust training, if Moose and Rob have the time and patience. I > already have upgraded front springs and an oversized front rotor > (both came with the bike). Let's arrange a couple of weeks in > advance so we can all get our doohickeys. Doesn't matter to me > between Sunnyvale and Santa Rosa--Sunnyvale is closer but S.R. is > more fun to get to--I can make the KLR do its sportbike imitation on > the twisties. > > This is a great idea, both to learn about the bikes and to get a > riding group together. > > Paul > A16 3.6k, just changed the oil and tensioned the doohickey yesterday > 01 M750 > 98 Forester > SF, CA > > > 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 . > > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to

http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

[captaininsane357]

I was wiped out when I got it home, but started cleaning it up and tring to get it running the next morning. Spent a bunch of time and money replacing parts and trying to get it running, but cant remember exactly what all we did. It has been a while. Even replaced the whole wire harness, but still no spark. I gave up after that and gave the bike to a buddy. It is still sitting dead in his garage.... Going to try and keep my new sherpa away from deep water.

--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, Devon Jarvis wrote: > What did you do with the bike when you got home? Just > curious, I've helped sort out a DRZ that went submarining, > and I've owned SR500s for the last five years. > > Devon > A15-Z > SR500 > > captaininsane357 wrote: > > > > > > That story brings back a very tragic memory for me. > > > > About 8 years ago, I was riding my XT550 over a board > > other riders had placed over a deep pool in a creek. > > > > Guess the XT was a bit heavier than the usual dirt bike > > down there, and the board broke submerging me and the bike. > > > > I managed to get it started, and got home, but that was > > the last time the bike ever ran. > > > > -- > "It's a troublesome world, > all the people who are in it, > are troubled with troubles > almost every minute" > > Dr. Seuss