jet kit for a klr? what is it?

[livingarttattoo@yahoo.com]

Hello. I am seriously considering buying a Kawa KLR650. It will be primarily for the street with maybe a little light off-road thrown in as well. Aside from their great looks I'm interested in them because I'm 6'4 and am too tall for most motorcycles. My questions are this: How does it do at regular road use? Can it carry my wife on the back with me for short trips if need be? Rate it's overall reliability too. Thank you very much. Please direct answers to james_cabel@... I would really appreciate any and all advice any of you can give me.

[William Valerio]

The modified KLR is great on the road. On the stock bike you'll most likely have problems with the suspension. You'll need to purchase progressively wound springs for the front forks and the rear shock. After the springs are installed, you'll have no problems riding 2 up. The stock springs leave a lot to be desired. Plan on spending another $180.00 or so on springs. I recently rode 3000 miles averaging 70-75 mph without any problems. Now, it's not the smoothest machine in the world but it will get you where you're going and it's a blast off the pavement. I rode a friend's pre 2000 Harley Fatboy and was amazed to find the KLR was a smoother ride. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Ralph E. Hanson]

James writes:

>Aside from their great looks I'm interested in them because I'm 6'4 >and am too tall for most motorcycles. My questions are this:

That was the main reason I started looking at the KLR. Most light and middle weight bikes are just too cramped for me. The bikes that fit me decently other than DP bikes are big rigs like the Concours or Trophy. Since then, I've really come to love the bike for its long travel suspension and light weight (for a street bike).

> >How does it do at regular road use?

I only use it on the road. I've been delighted with it. It's a little down on power riding through the mountains here (Northern West Virginia), but it will keep up decently on the freeway. It can be a bit much in cross winds, but thats in the nature of the bike. I've added Progressive springs in front, the tall Kawasaki windshield, and steel braided lines, and I've replaced the stock tires with Metzeler Tourances, and I'm very happy with it as a street bike. I'll be headed off to watch the superbike races at Mid-Ohio this weekend, and I'll be able to travel comfortably on the KLR.

>Can it carry my wife on the back with me for short trips if need be?

I find that I ride fairly far back on the saddle (the flat saddle was a big reason the bike works for me) so I don't know that I would care to take a passenger along.

>Rate it's overall reliability too. >

If you put an in-line fuel filter on it to keep the #$%^ crap out of the carb, it's very reliable. Ralph Ralph Hanson 1999 KLR 650 rhanson40@... http://www.wvu.edu/~journal2/west

[wingrj@aol.com]

In a message dated 7/15/01 18:28:44, livingarttattoo@... writes: << How does it do at regular road use? Can it carry my wife on the back with me for short trips if need be? Rate it's overall reliability too. >> Let me respond to this point. I'm on my second KLR650, my first (1990) went for 65,000 miles befor my friends said I was showing smoke out the exauhst while deacererating. My second (1995) is currently at 34,000 and going strong. Two up? Ond of the local clubs here hosts a dualsport day run consisting of approximatly 250 miles, about 25% street, and the rest on 4-wheel drive dirt roads. For the last several events, my wife and I ride two up. Yes the KLR650 can carry you and your wife, and for longer that short trips. Road Use? Well I must admit, the only road I use to get from trail to trail. Viewed best in the text font 'Courier' ___ /___\ (!* *!) __\^-^/__ / ___ \ _/ |___| \_ (__\=/ \=/__) O=|_[ ]_|=O \.---./ | = = | | =.-.= | !_|| ||_! =|| ||= <| |> | | | | _____`-'_____ Wish I could go through life like I go through traffic

[Charlie Thompson]

James, I am sure the KLR is an excellent ride. I too am a bit tall for many bikes. I am 6'4" and ride a Aprilia Pegaso 650. I find it very comfortable (other than the seat!). I am sure it is not as good off road as the KLR, but for my riding. 95% street with occasional gravel road and easy trail exploration it is perfect. On a twisty road I can easily keep pace with sport bikes. I think a KLR can do the same. My wife even finds the passenger accommodations, well accommodating. So far it has been reliable. Rotax has an excellent reputation for engine durability. Negatives? Expensive like a BMW, limited aftermarket, and limited number of dealers. One other thing, often wherever you park somebody will come up to you and says "What's an Aprilia?" or "Who makes Aprilia?" But I think of this as a positive. Good Luck Charlie T. 00 Peg

> > Hello. > > I am seriously considering buying a Kawa KLR650. It will be primarily > > for the street with maybe a little light off-road thrown in as well. > > Aside from their great looks I'm interested in them because I'm 6'4 > > and am too tall for most motorcycles. My questions are this: > > > > How does it do at regular road use? > > Can it carry my wife on the back with me for short trips if need be? > > Rate it's overall reliability too. > > > > Thank you very much. Please direct answers to > > james_cabel@... > > > > I would really appreciate any and all advice any of you can give me. > > > >

[TLrydr@aol.com]

QUESTION Do you lose the fork covers with the fork brace installed, ? I do not want to lose my new fork covers. Mike

[Devon Jarvis]

I have the K9 fork brace from Happy trails, it has collars machined on so you fit the boots to the top of the brace, no problems. Don't know about the other KLR650 braces, but every fork brace on every other bike I've had one on, was designed to do the same thing. Devon A15 TLrydr@... wrote:

> > QUESTION > Do you lose the fork covers with the fork brace installed, ? I do not want to > lose my new fork covers. > > Mike > > Checkout Dual Sport News at > http://www.dualsportnews.com > Be part of the Adventure! > > Visit the KLR650 archives at > http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=klr650 > > Post message: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com > Subscribe: DSN_klr650-subscribe@yahoogroups.com > Unsubscribe: DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > List owner: DSN_klr650-owner@yahoogroups.com > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

[guymanbro@excite.com]

> TLrydr@a... wrote: > > > > QUESTION > > Do you lose the fork covers with the fork brace installed, ? > > > > Mike

Not if you're careful during installation. ;'/ dat brooklyn bum

[Laurent Apffel]

I would like to know if you can give me a few tips on changing the shift pedal on a klr 650. mine just broke.... i ordered the part but i was wondering if there was anything i should know before i stat fixing it myself. In other words... is it hard to fix? _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp

[Guest]

> I would like to know if you can give me a few tips on changing the shift > pedal on a klr 650. mine just broke.... i ordered the part but i was > wondering if there was anything i should know before i stat fixing it > myself. In other words... is it hard to fix?

It's a very easy fix. Hopefully, you didn't just order another stock shift lever, because to be honest, it's going to break again. Fred Hink at www.arrowheadmotorsports.com (fred@...) sells quality replacement shift levers that work as they should - if you crash, they bend, not break. Then you can just bend them back into position. On the new shift lever, I would put it in place and fool with the position of the lever on the splines until you get that "just right" setting. My stock lever came so that if I was sitting more forward than normal because my wife was with me, I had to lift my entire foot/leg up to upshift. Once you find the best position for the new lever, use at least blue Locktite, if not the red. It WILL come loose without it eventually. In fact, go through the all the fasteners and Locktite them. For example, the exhaust heat shield bolts came loose and the shield fell off as I was travelling along. Metric stainless steel replacement bolts & nuts can be found at most hardware stores, and should be considered as a "must-do." The brake reservoir cover screws WILL strip out on you, as will a number of other regular maintenance bolts. Look for the Allen head ones. Dave "Jake" Jakeman sells SS bolt kits with all the ones you'll need in labeled baggies, which is a much quicker and easier way: jake_sagebrush@... I hope that helps. Wise men still seek Him... Mark St.Hilaire, Sr A15 HomePage: http://home.adelphia.net/~msaint/index.html KLR650 Pages: http://klr6500.tripod.com/ Valve Check & Adjustment Guide: http://klr6500.tripod.com/valves.html Wise men still seek Him... Mark St.Hilaire, Sr A15 HomePage: http://home.adelphia.net/~msaint/index.html KLR650 Pages: http://klr6500.tripod.com/ Valve Check & Adjustment Guide: http://klr6500.tripod.com/valves.html