Wilsons Sandbox

New listmember here. I'm not a KLR owner YET. I WILL be though. I'll probably wait till the end of the season to buy. This'll give me plenty of time to save some more money, find a good bike near my location and hopefully prices will be down a bit more, though I wonder if this theory really holds true. I'll be going for a 98 or 99 model to avoid some of the depreciation, plus I think I like the old Bluish-Green a little more than the olive (oh Vanity!). So, here are my questions and I hope they're not repeats (I have been scouring the archives though): I'm assuming the A designations are particular to each year and go up one as each new year comes out . i.e. 1999 is A13- 2000 is A14. If this is wrong correct me. But, the real question is: What does the California version, designated L I believe,have that the regular models don't. Is this undesireable? Is it a performance robber? Or is there really not much of a difference? I ask because I've heard that the L models still wind up at dealers in other parts of the country. Secondly, other than the usual things to look for and be wary of when buying a used bike, are there quirks particular to the KLR that should be checked before I buy. Or are the things just bulletproof, and I should settle for low milage, shut-up, and buy?! Any input is appreciated, or refer me to the archive if you know it's there, and I'll look harder. Thanks, Kevin B. in FL