helmets?

[Tengai Mark Van Horn]

At 6:19 PM +0000 8/15/07, notanymoore wrote:

>6'1" and 275? KLR 650 is too small for you.

Uh..... no. I'm a svelt 280Lbs and I haul another 150-175lbs of gear on big trips with no problem, and I'm not the only one doing that.

>The bike is underpowered >and undergeared. I'm 6'0" 220 and mine (2006) ain't quick off the >line. With my wife on back (125 Lbs) you have to overrev and slip >the clutch to get moving. And 1-up at 75 MPH, it runs out of breath.

Then you're bike is either way out of tune or your clutch technique needs work. My KLRs will cruise all day at 80mph (GPS speed), on my Tengai, I have done 95-100mph often for dozens of miles at a time and once over an entire 90-mile stretch.

>Kawasaki really needs to add >electronic fuel injection

FI sux if fuel system problems arise in the middle of nowhere. I like the simplicity of a carb on a thumper.

> 6 gear tranny with lower first

That would be nice.

> taller last gear;

What would your KLR do with it if it's already wheezing at 75mph in 5th?

> if not 10 more HP.

That would be nice.

>I needed a single do-all bike. I thought I'd do more off-road, but >there ain't much of that around Chicago. If I had to do it again, I'd >get the VStrom.

Sell it before summer runs out and get the 'Strom. Mark

[Norm Keller]

Let's look at this question with an attempt to be practical. Now there's a relativistic position..... 1) Rider returning after 20 years. If he hasn't been riding for 20 years, he really has no firm idea of whether he will enjoy taking up riding again. The only way to find out is to give it a shot. 2) New rider or returning rider is really the same for most purposes. The advice to buy cheap and check out how the bike works out is right on the mark. If he doesn't ride enough, decides not to continue, or, more likely, finds that the bike chosen isn't conducive to the riding he wants, selling or trading up will be less of a burden. 3) A new rider will likely drop the bike a few times and the KLR is a cheap drop. Try dropping a 'Strom..... Very nice bike but, uh, uh for dropping. Ditto most bikes. 4) A big part of the riding experience is riding with others. The bike chosen needs to be compatible. If there is no riding circle in the offing, a dual sport will give a taste of most riding and the portions not enjoyed will point the direction of the next acquisition. 5) I think riders over 6' 3" look silly on any motorcycle but at 5' 8", I'm not going to mention it. (VBG) Seriously, I would suggest caution for a new rider if the newbie were short in the leg department but the KLR isn't reported to be an issue for taller people. (Like I'd know...) Lowering links are an easy and inexpensive means to lower seat height which usually isn't a bad idea for any newer rider. 6) It is hard to find a support network to match the KLR one. 7) Image can be an issue. Stop a dual sport at the side of the street or gas station and people stop by to talk. An older English lady stopped to ask "Is that an old bike?" She though it looked like a Greaves or AJS. Talked with her a bit and parted, smiles all around. Do that with a crotch rocket and people tend to stay away. Middle class people tend to see a "crotch" as an indicator of irresponsible riding. At least that's what they say to me. Harleys, people tend to avoid the area completely. One cannot have the "outlaw", "bad boy" image without the outlaw, bad boy reputation....... As many wise posts have stated, buy good safety gear and WATGATT. If that means a used bike then a used bike is the best decision. A very good looking young lady who is a customer of mine rode by on her Ninja yesterday. Short sleeves, shorts, low shoes, no gloves. Would I be out of line to suggest that it would be less of a risk if she were ugly? Would it be politically incorrect? If a pig tells the truth, is it still wrong? Lots of questions....... Norm [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Kimosabe]

Well said! I would add to your 3) that a motorcyclist should ride a bike they can control. And I feel that you should be able to pick up your bike alone without incurring a follow-up visit to a physician or physical therapist. It's probably one of my most critical observations about the latest generation of boys with their overly big toys - when the riding goes bad, too many people are atop more mass than their skills and muscles can control. JMHO Steve in Niceville

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Norm Keller" wrote: > > Let's look at this question with an attempt to be practical. Now there's a relativistic position..... > > 1) Rider returning after 20 years. If he hasn't been riding for 20 years, he really has no firm idea of whether he will enjoy taking up riding again. The only way to find out is to give it a shot. > > 2) New rider or returning rider is really the same for most purposes. The advice to buy cheap and check out how the bike works out is right on the mark. If he doesn't ride enough, decides not to continue, or, more likely, finds that the bike chosen isn't conducive to the riding he wants, selling or trading up will be less of a burden. > > 3) A new rider will likely drop the bike a few times and the KLR is a cheap drop. Try dropping a 'Strom..... Very nice bike but, uh, uh for dropping. Ditto most bikes. > > 4) A big part of the riding experience is riding with others. The bike chosen needs to be compatible. If there is no riding circle in the offing, a dual sport will give a taste of most riding and the portions not enjoyed will point the direction of the next acquisition. > > 5) I think riders over 6' 3" look silly on any motorcycle but at 5' 8", I'm not going to mention it. (VBG) > > Seriously, I would suggest caution for a new rider if the newbie were short in the leg department but the KLR isn't reported to be an issue for taller people. (Like I'd know...) > > Lowering links are an easy and inexpensive means to lower seat height which usually isn't a bad idea for any newer rider. > > 6) It is hard to find a support network to match the KLR one. > > 7) Image can be an issue. Stop a dual sport at the side of the street or gas station and people stop by to talk. > An older English lady stopped to ask "Is that an old bike?" She though it looked like a Greaves or AJS. Talked with her a bit and parted, smiles all around. > > Do that with a crotch rocket and people tend to stay away. Middle class people tend to see a "crotch" as an indicator of irresponsible riding. At least that's what they say to me. > > Harleys, people tend to avoid the area completely. One cannot have the "outlaw", "bad boy" image without the outlaw, bad boy reputation....... > > As many wise posts have stated, buy good safety gear and WATGATT. If that means a used bike then a used bike is the best decision. > > A very good looking young lady who is a customer of mine rode by on her Ninja yesterday. Short sleeves, shorts, low shoes, no gloves. > > Would I be out of line to suggest that it would be less of a risk if she were ugly? > > Would it be politically incorrect? > > If a pig tells the truth, is it still wrong? > > Lots of questions....... > Norm > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >

[Terry Hamrick]

Norm, If a pig tells the truth, it IS still a pig.... I am happy to know I've looked silly all around the world riding whatever I could get my hands on.... your # 5. Niceville Steve, I agree with you, and that is 1 reason I no longer ride the Old Milwaukee (or drink it for that matter) Iron. One day not long ago I did my yearly test. Laid my very heavy bike down and while I could still dead lift it back upright , it was difficult and my back hurt. The solution was easy, get a lighter bike. Problem solved weight cut by half. Cheap advice to anyone returning... Buy used, get the feel again, and when you are ready and know the riding you want to do, buy the bike you want. albatross 6'3" 220

On 8/16/07, Kimosabe wrote: > > Well said! > > I would add to your 3) that a motorcyclist should ride a bike they > can control. And I feel that you should be able to pick up your bike > alone without incurring a follow-up visit to a physician or physical > therapist. > > It's probably one of my most critical observations about the latest > generation of boys with their overly big toys - when the riding goes > bad, too many people are atop more mass than their skills and muscles > can control. > > JMHO > > Steve in Niceville > > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com , "Norm > Keller" wrote: > > > > Let's look at this question with an attempt to be practical. Now > there's a relativistic position..... > > > > 1) Rider returning after 20 years. If he hasn't been riding for 20 > years, he really has no firm idea of whether he will enjoy taking up > riding again. The only way to find out is to give it a shot. > > > > 2) New rider or returning rider is really the same for most > purposes. The advice to buy cheap and check out how the bike works > out is right on the mark. If he doesn't ride enough, decides not to > continue, or, more likely, finds that the bike chosen isn't conducive > to the riding he wants, selling or trading up will be less of a > burden. > > > > 3) A new rider will likely drop the bike a few times and the KLR is > a cheap drop. Try dropping a 'Strom..... Very nice bike but, uh, uh > for dropping. Ditto most bikes. > > > > 4) A big part of the riding experience is riding with others. The > bike chosen needs to be compatible. If there is no riding circle in > the offing, a dual sport will give a taste of most riding and the > portions not enjoyed will point the direction of the next acquisition. > > > > 5) I think riders over 6' 3" look silly on any motorcycle but at 5' > 8", I'm not going to mention it. (VBG) > > > > Seriously, I would suggest caution for a new rider if the newbie > were short in the leg department but the KLR isn't reported to be an > issue for taller people. (Like I'd know...) > > > > Lowering links are an easy and inexpensive means to lower seat > height which usually isn't a bad idea for any newer rider. > > > > 6) It is hard to find a support network to match the KLR one. > > > > 7) Image can be an issue. Stop a dual sport at the side of the > street or gas station and people stop by to talk. > > An older English lady stopped to ask "Is that an old bike?" She > though it looked like a Greaves or AJS. Talked with her a bit and > parted, smiles all around. > > > > Do that with a crotch rocket and people tend to stay away. Middle > class people tend to see a "crotch" as an indicator of irresponsible > riding. At least that's what they say to me. > > > > Harleys, people tend to avoid the area completely. One cannot have > the "outlaw", "bad boy" image without the outlaw, bad boy > reputation....... > > > > As many wise posts have stated, buy good safety gear and WATGATT. > If that means a used bike then a used bike is the best decision. > > > > A very good looking young lady who is a customer of mine rode by on > her Ninja yesterday. Short sleeves, shorts, low shoes, no gloves. > > > > Would I be out of line to suggest that it would be less of a risk > if she were ugly? > > > > Would it be politically incorrect? > > > > If a pig tells the truth, is it still wrong? > > > > Lots of questions....... > > Norm > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Norm Keller]

Absolutely the best kind of contest. This is the only type of contest for which a winner can be fairly determined. (VBG) Norm

>We having a Rube-Goldberg cooling system >contest? >albatross >who keeps cool in a mesh jacket

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]