MMMASTERS28@... wrote:
>\Dual sport bikes that are more dirt bike oriented seem to be taller
>and have more travel than the KLR. I realize the KLR is better
>multipurpose bike than some, but it would be nice to have a little
>more ground up clearance for logs and ledges. HMM, I weigh about
>185 and and run the preload at two clicks and the dampener at two
>clicks.
>
If you're talking about the stock shock, that was rebound damping you
adjusted and not compression. Won't have any direct effect on bottoming.
The stock spring is 10" long and 300lb/in. Changing to a 9"
500-560lb/in spring works for big riders or people who ride agressively
offroad. Even at 4 the stock shock doesn't have enough rebound damping
for the heavy spring, so the rear end kicks around a lot but it's still
a huge improvement for $89. Better might be a 400lb/in spring, and have
a shop change out the shock fluid for 10w instead of 5w. I'm using a
Progressive 420 shock with a 350-450lb/in progressive spring. It's a
modest improvement, but I think you could get 90% of the improvement
with an $89 spring and a $40 shock service. Also, have the shop charge
the shock to 175psi instead of 150, it will help a bit with fade
especially with the thicker oil.
> Having not ridden a better suspended bike it is hard for
>met to say the suspension is bad, but did notice that I seemed to
>bottom out more. Probably won't mess with it to much, maybe just a
>nice aftermarket shock like the WP. Your thoughts and comments
>are always appreciated.
>
>Ordered the doohickey parts today from Fred and a new aluminum fan
>blade. Looking forward to getting the KLR back on the road. Have
>to get the Cobra bracket welded back on and am having a hard time
>finding someone who will even weld aluminum. A strap would work in
>a pinch, and did, but the vibration is bad and surely it would not
>hold up longterm. I think I will repack the Cobra as well, the
>bubbles are starting to form and I can only hope this would make the
>pipe last longer.
>
>
Keep hoping, but look for another pipe at the same time. Repacking may
quiet it a little bit, but I've seen Cobras do the bubble-gum thing and
it's toast.
I bought one of the old-style Jardine pipes off ebay along with a Cobra
spark arrestor. With stock gearing, and a stock or other road-biased
tire, it should fit fine, be a bit loud, and take 9lbs off the bike
while adding a little bit of snap off idle. With the "sparky" the pipe
is 9" longer than stock. With a Kenda K760 and 15-45 gearing, I had to
oval the pipe enough for tire clearance that it's melted a hole in the
airbox.
The supertrapp IDS2 fit up well, but was too loud.
--
Devon
Brooklyn, NY
A15-Z '01 KLR650
'81 SR500 cafe racer
"The truth's not too popular these days....."
Arnold Schwarzenneger, in The Running Man
Dooden
A15 Green Ape