[dsn_klr650] headlight upgrade (walmart brand?)

[Mark]

At 12:02 AM -0500 4/08/2000, Dustin McCarty wrote:

>SO, tell me, why should I have chosen the KLR? Why do you ride one when you >have such fine things to say about the other bikes? Convince me I made the >right choice. That KTM sure does look like a fine bike.

Because with the KLR: 1) you can invest the money you saved into other things like luggage, or your Roth IRA 2) you can ride for 300 miles straight without needing tailbone surgery 3) one minute your doing 90 mph on an interstate, the next you're on old jeep trail headed to the top of a mountain 4) you never worry about running out of gas 5) it might be old-tech, but it sure is reliable 6) if you beat the hell out of it, you can make it look like new for $500 or less from DualStar 7) the Dakar look is still in Mark B2 A2

[ron criswell]

Verle, I'm impressed you did all that with the gripsters. I ride mostly street but I don't like the gripsters in the sand or deep gravel. Maybe I'm just not used to a heavy a bike as this. All my dirt bikes in the past were at least 100 lbs. lighter. I wish someone would make a small light tank for the KLR (but the you loose the range). When I take my tank off for servicing, I think to myself , "Man I wish the KLR were this light and narrow". Everything is a compromise with dual sports. I thought about going with I believe the IRC tires Fred sells because they are a 50/50 tire. do you know anything on them? Ron Criswell Verle Nelson wrote:

> > From: "Dustin McCarty" > > > Just purchased my KLR650 about a month ago. Now I have read your > > reviews on the dualsport.org website. Possibly made a bad choice for > > the dual sport of my dreams???? Maybe the KTM? > > In my opinion, whether or not you made the right choice probably rests > entirely on what you intend to do with your KLR. I have a '99 KLR650. I > spent last weekend riding with two hard-charging vintage motocross riders, > mounted for this trip on a late model KTM 640 LC4 and a twelve year old > Yamaha XT600. We covered about 250 miles or more of primitive roads and 4WD > trails is southeastern Utah, including Canyonlands well-known White Rim > Trail, and about an equal number of paved miles. We did deep sand in the San > Rafael desert. We rode hard on the rough stuff and really fast on the better > roads and pavement. Fast enough on the pavement that the Yamaha burned a > full tank of fuel in 77 miles. The KLR worked well for me in this demanding > situation. I bashed the bash-plate pitifully and ripped off the license > plate (relocated but obviously not far enough) but otherwise did no damage. > Both other riders were impressed with the KLR, especially considering it had > Avon Gripsters and they had knobbies. > > Was the KLR as good as the other bikes? Well, maybe as good as the Yamaha > but even that is hard to say. I didn't ride the Yamaha. I did ride the KTM > for several miles on the White Rim. I thought it was the best handling dirt > bike I had ever ridden. I immediately went fast and felt like I had been > riding it for years. However: if the owner were to suddenly offer to trade > me even up, I would have to consider carefully. I need the big tank (he > bought a bigger factory-made tank from the KTM distributor for this ride and > it cost $475) yet still holds only 4 1/2 gallons. The seat would undoubtedly > be miserable after a few hours (the owner says it is). As for engine > performance, they seemed more evenly matched than they should have been. On > the pavement, I could accelerate with the KTM and match it's top speed. We > were both running 14 tooth countershaft sprockets. The KTM owner knows how > to maintain such a bike -- he used to be a Penton dealer and still races a > 400 Penton in vintage motocross. > > Given the range of my riding and the amount of pavement I ride getting to > trails, the KLR is probably the better choice. The KTM owner thinks so also. > Of course, that doesn't mean that he wants a KLR or that I won't buy a KTM. > I'm just saying the KLR held it's own in this company and earned the other > rider's respect. > > We are doing another couple hundred off-pavement miles in the same general > area but south of the Colorado River next weekend. These roads have three or > four really nasty spots. If I change my mind about the KLR's capabilities, > I'll post again. > > Verle Nelson (whimsy@...) > '97 R1100R > '99 KLR650 > Cedaredge, CO USA > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Special Offer-Earn 300 Points from MyPoints.com for trying @Backup > Get automatic protection and access to your important computer files. > Install today: > http://click.egroups.com/1/2344/3/_/_/_/955201950/ > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Visit the KLR650 archives at > http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=klr650 > Support Dual Sport News... dsneditor@... > Let's keep this list SPAM free! > > Visit our site at http://www.egroups.com/group/DSN_klr650 > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@egroups.com

[Bogdan Swider]

jkjkij c

> Verle, > > I'm impressed you did all that with the gripsters. >

I don't have Verle's off road expertise of experience but I make a point of doing all my riding with the gripsters. The reason I own a klr is to be able to instantly change from high speed touring to exploring an arroyo bed. Sometimes circumstance forces the change; other times it's my own fickle nature. I don't want to be spoiled by more dirt worthy tires. I do want to be prepared for what the Gripsters can and can't do. Bogdan

[Bogdan Swider]

> Just purchased my KLR650 about a month ago. Now I have read your reviews > on > the dualsport.org website. Possibly made a bad choice for the dual sport > of > my dreams???? >

I agree with all the previous answers to your question. No other bike, period, has the klr's combination of qualities even before you start modifying. Range, essential for Mexico, the Southwest and long stretches of non-paved roads. Fallability, whether in a parking lot or a rocky trail, you pick it up and don't worry about it. Long distance, high speed road handling and comfort. I've done many 500+mile days at 85-90 mph. I could go on but the other guys have stated it better. The only way I could get a better bike would be to design and build my own, like Verle did years ago. Bogdan

[Bogdan Swider]

> I just don't > feel a need for special tires for non-competitive riding. And I love > graveled roads. > > Verle Nelson (whimsy@...) > '97 R1100R > '99 KLR650 > Cedaredge, CO USA >

I'm jealous. I'm slowly getting over it but I still have gravel-phobia. I developed this condition by repeatedly putting myself and my loaded BMW R65 on precarious roads and non roads in Mexico, Central America and here in North America. Once on a rocky excuse for a road in Guatemala I managed to break both bolts that held on the front axle. I didn't discover this till I was back on pavement going 80mph in the rain. I thought my front brake was failing; actually the wheel was coming loose. Bogdan

[Tumu Rock]

On Sat, 8 Apr 2000 07:51:31 -0600, DSN_klr650@egroups.com wrote:

> > In my opinion, whether or not you made the right choice probably rests > entirely on what you intend to do with your KLR. I have a '99 KLR650.

> I'm just saying the KLR held it's own in this company and earned the

other rider's respect.

> > > Verle Nelson (whimsy@...) > '97 R1100R > '99 KLR650 > Cedaredge, CO USA >

I hereby nominate Verle as the SpeaKLR of the House and Gino as the Minority Whip (his proclivity for camels prevents him from going any further politically ;^) dat brooklyn bum _______________________________________________________ Get 100% FREE Internet Access powered by Excite Visit http://freelane.excite.com/freeisp

[Jim Jackson]

... Oops... just sent without finishing... I'm gonna hear about that one... Please don't ask me what I do for a living... heh heh heh Anyway, ... KLR Rules: - Range (gave Mark a gallon of gas and still had plenty) - Smoothness (surprised at how violent the XR ride was) - Speed (he was in third when I was getting out of first) - Highway (at the end of the day I went back to the Jeep for more water and brought him some cause it was so far back...) (I went from 15 to 75 in 4 seconds) - Power (every bit as strong as any other bike out there where it counts) - Price (looked at the Beemer.. ouch) - Adventure Touring (can't wait to get up on the Parkway for an extended weekend) - Quick removal of windshield (I've got a tall and a short and I take both off for serious riding. Feels more like a dirt bike that way) In the end my opinion is that if you have the stones to ride the KLR in the rough stuff it can take it. Then you can ride it all the way home. Unbeatable. KLR Wins. Game Over. Just bring a buddy to help you pick the monster up or practice dead lifting 350+ pounds on a 60 degree incline. Drive safe. Wear your helmet. Keep your wits about you. Come home fully assembled. Jim Jackson II A13 South Carolina ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

[Jim Jackson]

Ok folks, my e-mail server just crashed so you only got the second message. Wasn't my fault after all. Woo Hoo So here goes again... In the northern part of SC we have access to the Blue Ridge parkway, loads of powerline trails if you can find them unmarked and great 'mountain' roads. I've had my A13 for a few months and also have an 83 XR 350 purchased to let my friends without bikes ride with me on the trails. Yesterday we rode about 15 miles out into nowhere SC along a power line. We stopped when both of our skill levels were overmatched by a 1/4 mile downhill of about 75 degrees with two ruts mid way down. I don't mind laying my bikes down but I hate being upside down. After we got back to the road we realized we left a bit of trash a little ways in so I took the XR back to get it just to have some fun with a 'real' dirt bike. If my XR is anything like the newer XR's I now have an opinion about my KLR v/s the XR. Some of the good overlaps the bad but this is life... KLR Sucks: - Front brakes (no surprise) - Front springs (anyone care to go diving?) - Width (feels huge when you have to maneuver over big rocks etc.) - Weight (I had to have help picking it up after a small fall on a BIG hill) - Gearing (need a taller sprocket for the street and a shorter one for the woods. Still want two sets of wheels) - Brush guards (first trip with the new Acerbis guards. Love 'em) All minor stuff in my opinion and stuff that can be fixed by aftermarket goodies and lots more experience. KLR Rules: - Range (gave Mark a gallon of gas and still had plenty) - Smoothness (surprised at how violent the XR ride was) - Speed (he was in third when I was getting out of first) - Highway (at the end of the day I went back to the Jeep for more water and brought him some cause it was so far back...) (I went from 15 to 75 in 4 seconds) - Power (every bit as strong as any other bike out there where it counts) - Price (looked at the Beemer.. ouch) - Adventure Touring (can't wait to get up on the Parkway for an extended weekend) - Quick removal of windshield (I've got a tall and a short Kawi models and I take both off for serious riding. Feels more like a dirt bike that way) In the end my opinion is that if you have the stones to ride the KLR in the rough stuff it can take it. Then you can ride it all the way home. Unbeatable. KLR Wins. Game Over. Just bring a buddy to help you pick the monster up or practice dead lifting 350+ pounds on a 60 degree incline. Drive safe. Wear your helmet. Keep your wits about you. Come home fully assembled. Jim Jackson II A13 South Carolina ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

[Bogdan Swider]

> NEWS FLASH! I have just learned that the Branding Iron (hosting our > Karoake night during the Get-Together) will not allow camels or seals on > the premises. You'll have to leave them a Fred's place. > > Gino >

If I was romantically involved with a camel or seal, I wouldn't leave it with Fred. He was brought up on a farm, you know. Bogdan

[CrazyDave]

On Mon, 17 Apr 2000 23:42:45 -0400, Tom Simpson wrote:

> > > Dust wrote: > > > I remember reading about someone buying a headlight with higher > > output from Walmart or a similar store on the list, but am too lazy > > (and ignorant about the list) to search the archives. > > > > Part number maybe?? > > Not higher output, but I did outfit my bike with a pair of 37.5 W > driving lights for additional lighting. Worked fine, but proved to be > surperfluous to my needs. > >

-Tom

> '96 KLR 650

I installed a Sylvania Xenon lamp in mine, its 100 times better and DOT legal. The part # is 9003CB. You can actually see at night with it!! crazydave _______________________________________________________ Get 100% FREE Internet Access powered by Excite Visit http://freelane.excite.com/freeisp