clutch question

[Michael Silverstein]

I'm about your height and test drove an SV650 a few weeks ago and agree that it is too cramped for anything but riding around town. If you like the engine as much as I did you might consider the DL650, although may want the taller seat from the DL1000. When I mentioned this to the dealer he offered to swap out the seat from the DL1000 as part of the deal. Mika A18

> -----Original Message----- > From: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com > [mailto:DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of symme7ry > (I'm also looking at the Suzuki > sv650, but it seems a tad small for me at 6'3, 200lbs).

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[stevedyer@cox.net]

Those naked SV650s sure look like a ton of fun. Throw on a set of semi-knobbies and you're in Scrambler Heaven. Steve I'm about your height and test drove an SV650 a few weeks ago and agree that it is too cramped for anything but riding around town. If you like the engine as much as I did you might consider the DL650, although may want the taller seat from the DL1000. When I mentioned this to the dealer he offered to swap out the seat from the DL1000 as part of the deal. Mika A18

[ron criswell]

If you want the sport bike approach and budget and too much power are a concern, maybe try the Ninja 250. Cheap 3 grand brand new, good handling, enough power to still reach 100 mph and 78 miles to the gallon. Or the Nija 500 with more power. But you will still be paying sport bike insurance rates with these two I think. Criswell Arden Kysely wrote: First, sorry for the blank reply. I'm on the wrong coast and the brains isn't entirely in gear at this time of day. My first bike advice is to start slow and move up when you're a better rider. And buy a bike that will take a drop or two without crushing a lot of expensive plastic. Not to say that you will go out and crash it, but just a brain fart like forgetting to put the stand down or parking on a hill and having it roll off can be expensive for a plastic clad machine. Personally, I'd start with the KLR, but if you want something sportier, buy something used with a couple of scratches on it so you won't feel so bad when you add your own. __Arden

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "symme7ry" wrote: > > > I'm trying to decide whether to get an FZ6 or KLR650 as my first bike > (I just finished the MSF training). (I'm also looking at the Suzuki > sv650, but it seems a tad small for me at 6'3, 200lbs). > > I probably will be on the street 99.9% of the time (or 100% if I get > the FZ6). > > I plan to test ride both of these bikes this weekend, but since I am > unskilled I won't be riding them very hard or fast, and thus won't be > able to give them a proper evaluation. > > The two things that concern me about the KLR650 are: > > (1) that I would prefer to have a good "sense of speed" when I ride. > Basically, I would like to pretend that I am "ghostrider" from those > popular motorcycle videos when I ride (or if you haven't seen those, > just immagine a professional MotoGP racer) (don't worry, I will be > going slow until I get the hang of it, and still not terribly fast > after that), and don't want to be riding down the highway feeling > slow and underpowered (I know the KLR should be able to do at least > 80mph with someone of my weight, but I've heard that the high center > of gravity makes it sort of strain and weave at such speeds). > Conversely I envision that the ride at 70 mpg on an FZ6 will be > pretty smooth and effortless. > > (2) Related to the sense of speed, is that I would like responsive > handling that makes me feel like I am some sort of MotoGP event > rather than feel like I am riding a bicycle with really saggy shock > aborbers w/ lots of range shock and an engine (this is how I envision > the KLR650 feeling, without having ridden it... one newsgroup poster > described it as being similar to riding along on a pogo-stick). > > Basically I don't necessarily want to go fast, but I do want that > fast, free, "one with the road" feeling that motorcycle riders are > always talking about. Can people comment on the difference in how it > feels to ride something like a klr650 vs. a yamaha fz6? > > Thanks much, > Elliot > 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 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[J Fortner]

FZ6 and KLR are both fine bikes. I would love to have an FZ6 for tight twisty work, although the KLR is no slouch in the twisties, even better with aftermarket suspension set up. I would have to give the nod to the KLR for a first bike. With a first bike you are going to drop it. Nod to a KLR with barkbusters for durability, ease and cost of repair if any. The KLR is more versatile as in more fuel/range, off-road, on-road. The KLR is also cheaper to purchase, maintain and repair. The KLR has greater aftermarket support and FAQ support... JF [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[leedodge@charter.net]

There is a bit-o-wisdom that reads like this; An apprentice was asking his mentor how he is able to avoid mistakes? The mentor repied 'You need to aquire experience. To which the apprentice asked,"How do you get experience? The Mentor replied, " By making mistakes" Advice from 55 years of riding and making mistakes. What First Bike to buy? This is a common dilema for a new or novice rider. Consider the statistics compiled by the insurance companies: Tha highest accident rates for /to motorcyclists is in the first year of riding. Getting through that first year with significant riding experience and that icludes traffic is your biggest hurdle. When the accidents of the new 1st year riders are removed from the accident statistics the M/C rate approaches that of automobiles. You will have to learn how to read traffic, become aware of all the things others may do that can put you down, imbed in your brain that "you are invisible" and make your next- move assumptions based upon that fact. And last you will in addition to all the rest you must learn to read the road surface to assess the amout of FRICTION available. That determination tells you how guick you can scrub off speed, stop, what degree of avoidance move you can make. Learning this sense used to occur in the dirt when those of us of a certain age and opportunity to ride off road, learned. There were many cases of dirt rash, bent aluminum fenders, broken levers, tweaked bars and bent forks - but seldom any peaalty approaching learning these lessons on the street. Here is where the KLR rises way above the pure street bikes. With the KLR (or any dual sport) you can learn that sense off-road, on dirt surfaces, at far lower speeds with less damaging consequences to you and the machinery. You can also get the traffic experience on the KLR. You're 6'3" and 200 lbs right? the ergos of the KLR compared to the sport bikes is one hell of an advantage. Buy a good used KLR and have a scooter that will do everything. Learn then specialize (as in my case, buy more bikes for the "specialty riding") Lee Dodge ST 1000, KLR650 , AJS 18S, Beta trials, Bultaco Sherpa T(2),OSSA MAR, Greeves TFS ---- symme7ry wrote:

> > I'm trying to decide whether to get an FZ6 or KLR650 as my first bike > (I just finished the MSF training). (I'm also looking at the Suzuki > sv650, but it seems a tad small for me at 6'3, 200lbs). > > I probably will be on the street 99.9% of the time (or 100% if I get > the FZ6). > > I plan to test ride both of these bikes this weekend, but since I am > unskilled I won't be riding them very hard or fast, and thus won't be > able to give them a proper evaluation. > > The two things that concern me about the KLR650 are: > > (1) that I would prefer to have a good "sense of speed" when I ride. > Basically, I would like to pretend that I am "ghostrider" from those > popular motorcycle videos when I ride (or if you haven't seen those, > just immagine a professional MotoGP racer) (don't worry, I will be > going slow until I get the hang of it, and still not terribly fast > after that), and don't want to be riding down the highway feeling > slow and underpowered (I know the KLR should be able to do at least > 80mph with someone of my weight, but I've heard that the high center > of gravity makes it sort of strain and weave at such speeds). > Conversely I envision that the ride at 70 mpg on an FZ6 will be > pretty smooth and effortless. > > (2) Related to the sense of speed, is that I would like responsive > handling that makes me feel like I am some sort of MotoGP event > rather than feel like I am riding a bicycle with really saggy shock > aborbers w/ lots of range shock and an engine (this is how I envision > the KLR650 feeling, without having ridden it... one newsgroup poster > described it as being similar to riding along on a pogo-stick). > > Basically I don't necessarily want to go fast, but I do want that > fast, free, "one with the road" feeling that motorcycle riders are > always talking about. Can people comment on the difference in how it > feels to ride something like a klr650 vs. a yamaha fz6? > > Thanks much, > Elliot > > > > > > 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 > > > > >

[Tony JONES]

I think a 6'3" person would have issues with a Ninja250. Also, it _will_ drive you nuts on longer rides. Trust me, I've ridden one. I also suggested the Ninja500, except it used to be called the EX500. Excellent bike for a beginner. As for the sportbike rates, depends on who you are insured with. If StateFarm is still purely displacement based, it won't save you much over say a GSXR600. But most insurers classify an EX way differently than a repliracer.

> If you want the sport bike approach and budget and too much power

are a concern, maybe try the Ninja 250. Cheap 3 grand brand new, good handling, enough power to still reach 100 mph and 78 miles to the gallon. Or the Nija 500 with more power. But you will still be paying sport bike insurance rates with these two I think.

> > Criswell

[Gavin Macfarlane]

Mike, That's how I bought my DL650, with the seat from the DL1000, much betterer for me I'm 6 foot. as for Jim Links 110MPH, I've not had my KLR up to that speed and I suspect I might be going over the side of a cliff at the time if I did. -- Gavin Broadford Victoria Australia KLR650A18 DL650K6 Home of the DSN-KLR650 searchable archive at:- http://dsnklr650.gavinmac.com Michael Silverstein wrote:

> I'm about your height and test drove an SV650 a few weeks ago and agree > that it is too cramped for anything but riding around town. If you like > the engine as much as I did you might consider the DL650, although may > want the taller seat from the DL1000. When I mentioned this to the > dealer he offered to swap out the seat from the DL1000 as part of the > deal. > > Mika A18 > > >> -----Original Message----- >> From: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com >> [mailto:DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of symme7ry >> > > >> (I'm also looking at the Suzuki >> sv650, but it seems a tad small for me at 6'3, 200lbs). >> > >

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[Norm Keller]

This is normal due to the effort needed to turn the transmission and viscous friction in the clutch. My 93 KLR with 40,000 miles on it has developed a bit of an oddity. When pushing the bike around the shop while the bike is not running and the clutch is pulled in it seems harder to move around. When it is in neutral it rolls around smoothly. It seems like this has developed in the last couple of weeks. Bike rides and runs fine. Is this indicative of clutch problems __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com