nklr aerostich tank panniers

[Don S]

Hi Richard. From what I've read posted by some of the more experienced members is that the cams/head relationship is critical. The head and cams are produced in such a manner that a factory engine will not accept any camshafts as readily as the original camshafts that it came with. Therefore, major head rebuilds are dubious at best. The question is, can an entire head/cam/valve assembly be purchased to completely replace a faulty head? Also, proper valve adjustment, regular frequent oil/filter changes and clean well oiled air filters will go a long way to ensure the life of the head components. I still say that a KLR can easily be a multi decade machine if properly maintained. Don RM wrote: On Sun, 15 Oct 2006 14:47:46 -0700 (PDT), "Don S" said:

> Excessive oil consumption does not necessarily mean the end of the > useful life of the machine. Like any other engine, a rebuild would > put it back in action. Providing the frame and major suspension > components hold up, the bike should run a very long time with proper > preventative maintenance. How long is any body's guess.

I agree totally. There are two problems with rebuilding a KLR engine, as far as I can see. The first is that the success rate is seems quite low. Probably three out of four come back onto the list complaining of excessive oil consumption after a top-end rebuild. I just don't know what so many rebuilders are doing wrong. Second, the cost of doing a proper rebuild is high. You can overhaul a Chevy small-block for less money. Many people are happy with their rebuilds, but after hearing of so many negative outcomes, I'm pessimistic enough to swear it off completely. When the time comes, I'll pick up a used KLR, put all the best components together, and part-out the remainder on eBay. A properly ridden KLR is going to be beat-up pretty good by the time the engine croaks. I'd rather start fresh and loot the farkle off the old bike. RM --------------------------------- Want to be your own boss? Learn how on Yahoo! Small Business. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]