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preparing 2004 klr 650 for a trip around labrador and newfoundl
Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2004 9:44 am
by Tengai Mark Van Horn
When are you going on your trip?
I'm shooting an motorcycle adventure travel video of Quebec, Labrador
and Newfoundland this spring, concentrating on Labrador.
I'd probably skip the center stand and save the cash.
Check Kytech (
www.kytechmachine.com) for a fork brace. They have the
best price and the workmanship looks good. I should be getting mine
in next week from them and will post comments.
Fred at
www.arrowheadmotorsports.com has the low front fenders.
For luggage, I'd go with hard bags if possible. I'm probably going
with a Givi E45 on top, with Pelican 1520s on the sides.
See my website below.
Mark
http://www.reelrider.com
At 3:18 PM +0000 2/18/04, bous02 wrote:
>I just bought a low milleage KLR and I'm looking into equipments to
>prepare it for the long ride. Here's a list of the equipments I want
>to add.
>
>-Dualstar: -radguard
> -pumpguard
> -rear brake cylinder guard
> -center stand
>
>-I'm still looking for:
> - good low front fender and fork brace
> - luggage system (still hesitating between hard and
>soft systems)
>
> I've been road riding for 20 years, but this is my first attempt
>at dual purpose travelling. So I'm looking for any advice or
>comments regarding these equipments or any other that you found
>better suited to the KLR on a long gravel road trip.
preparing 2004 klr 650 for a trip around labrador and newfoundl
Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2004 7:08 pm
by Steve
----- Original Message -----
From: "bous02"
Preparing 2004 KLR 650 for a trip around Labrador and Newfoundland
> So I'm looking for any advice or
> comments regarding these equipments or any other that you found
> better suited to the KLR on a long gravel road trip.
>
> Thanks in advance.
I'm from Labrador and I've done 7 trips over the Trans Labrador Highway in
the past three years, by KLR and Suzuki V-Strom.
Here's my 2 cents worth concerning the KLR:
1) Get rid of the stock seat. Spare no expense, the better seat you get
the happier you'll be on the long hauls. The stock seat is torture after any
more than an hour.
2) Dump the stock grips. Something like Pro-Grip Gels with bar end weights
will help eliminate fatigue. Chuck the stock shift lever while your at it.
Heated grips are a blessing if your coming up here in the Spring or Fall.
3) Why the low front fender? The fork brace is probably a good idea ( I
can't speak from experience - never used one) but the stock fender is better
on gravel, especially if it rains and things get mucky. Clinging mud can
create clearance problems with low fenders.
4) Center stand could help with maintenance tasks if you're alone, but why
all the Dualstar guards? They are expensive yuppy add ons unless you plan
to do some serious off roading......which may not be advisable on a fully
laden KLR!!
5) I like soft luggage. Labrador dust will get into EVERYTHING regardless
of what you spend on bags anyway! Soft luggare is easier to shift around on
the bike and is lighter than hard systems.
Good luck with your planning.
Cheers,
Steve
preparing 2004 klr 650 for a trip around labrador and newfoundl
Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2004 7:26 pm
by Chris
On Wed, Feb 18, 2004 at 09:08:07PM -0400, Steve wrote:
> 4) Center stand could help with maintenance tasks if you're alone, but why
> all the Dualstar guards? They are expensive yuppy add ons unless you plan
> to do some serious off roading......which may not be advisable on a fully
> laden KLR!!
Even a parking lot tipover, if you have handguards on, no broken
levers. If you have a radiator guard, no bent radiator. Those two
are quite reasonable to add. If you go on trails, a bashplate would
probably be the next thing to add with a low profile drain plug.
As soon as a KLR lays down on the left side, not even a hard impact,
the radiator gets hit. I'm missing the mesh insert on the left side
for a reason and it wasn't a hard drop and it was in very loose sand
on top of that. I'm not riding trails again until I have the three basic
guards installed. Cheaper than a new radiator in total.
--
___ ______ _____ __ ________ ___
/ _ |< < / == / ___/__ / /_ /_ __/ / __ ____ _ ___ /__ \
/ __ |/ // / ****/ (_ / _ \/ __/ / / / _ \/ // / ' \/ _ \ /__/
/_/ |_/_//_/ == \___/\___/\__/ /_/ /_//_/\_,_/_/_/_/ .__/ (_)
8600 miles*Russel Lines*Supertrapp Race* /_/
http://www.kingsqueak.org/klr650/
preparing 2004 klr 650 for a trip around labrador and newfoundl
Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2004 7:49 pm
by Steve
----- Original Message -----
From: "Chris"
Preparing 2004 KLR 650 for a trip around Labrador and Newfoundland
> Even a parking lot tipover, if you have handguards on, no broken
> levers. I'm not riding trails again until I have the three basic
> guards installed. Cheaper than a new radiator in total.
I understand the concept of handguards to protect your hands against
rocks, trees, brush etc. ......But Fred Hink sells levers for $9.45 and
hand guards for $22.95 up to $80. Call me a weirdo but I can't see spending
80 bucks ( or 23 ) to protect a 9 dollar part.
Sure, dress up your KLR with all the trick guards but are they necessary
if you're using the bike for touring? I guess it depends on how much money
you have!
Cheers,
Steve
preparing 2004 klr 650 for a trip around labrador and newfoundl
Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2004 8:22 pm
by Brad
--- In
DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "Steve" wrote:
> I understand the concept of handguards to protect your hands
against
> rocks, trees, brush etc. ......But Fred Hink sells levers for
$9.45 and
> hand guards for $22.95 up to $80. Call me a weirdo but I can't see
spending
> 80 bucks ( or 23 ) to protect a 9 dollar part.
>
> Sure, dress up your KLR with all the trick guards but are they
necessary
> if you're using the bike for touring? I guess it depends on how
much money
> you have!
> Cheers,
> Steve
Or how much imagination one has, if you are touring someplace even
close to civilization and the bike falls over in the fast food
restaurant and breaks a clutch lever, sure you can call Fred but what
address does he send it to, how long do you want to wait?. You want
to walk around "town" to get a replacement if it's in stock, if
theres a bike shop in "town". What if it happened in the rest area of
an interstate? How do you get to where your going? etc. etc. You want
to carry spares? Levers sure but a radiator?
I've prepared my bike to be able to "suffer the slings and arrows of
outrageous fortune" and get me home again. The money spent on guards
should be considered insurance against not getting home when you
planned on it. Like the Boy Scouts say: Be Prepared. It's only money,
you know where to get more of that but where do you get a brake
bracket in Orient, WA on a Sunday morning?
Brad A15 w/ the D-S catalog attached to it and most of Fred's too.
Centralia, WA
preparing 2004 klr 650 for a trip around labrador and newfoundl
Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2004 9:06 pm
by dumbazz650
--- In
DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "Steve" wrote:
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Chris"
> Preparing 2004 KLR 650 for a trip around Labrador and Newfoundland
>
>
> > Even a parking lot tipover, if you have handguards on, no broken
> > levers. I'm not riding trails again until I have the three
basic
> > guards installed. Cheaper than a new radiator in total.
>
> I understand the concept of handguards to protect your hands
against
> rocks, trees, brush etc. ......But Fred Hink sells levers for
$9.45 and
> hand guards for $22.95 up to $80. Call me a weirdo but I can't see
spending
> 80 bucks ( or 23 ) to protect a 9 dollar part.
>
> Sure, dress up your KLR with all the trick guards but are they
necessary
> if you're using the bike for touring? I guess it depends on how
much money
> you have!
> Cheers,
> Steve
Maybe after the 5th broken lever, or even the first broken lever,
when you're 60 miles down a forest/jeep roads.
Sometimes $80 to regain your front brake is chump-change.
MarkB
preparing 2004 klr 650 for a trip around labrador and newfoundl
Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2004 9:19 pm
by Mike Torst
> -----Original Message-----
> From: dumbazz650 [mailto:MBAKARICH@...]
> Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 7:06 PM
> To:
DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [DSN_klr650] Re: Preparing 2004 KLR 650 for a trip around
> Labrador and Newfoundland
>
> --- In
DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "Steve" wrote:
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Chris"
> > Preparing 2004 KLR 650 for a trip around Labrador and Newfoundland
> >
> >
> > > Even a parking lot tipover, if you have handguards on, no broken
> > > levers. I'm not riding trails again until I have the three
> basic
> > > guards installed. Cheaper than a new radiator in total.
> >
> > I understand the concept of handguards to protect your hands
> against
> > rocks, trees, brush etc. ......But Fred Hink sells levers for
> $9.45 and
> > hand guards for $22.95 up to $80. Call me a weirdo but I can't see
> spending
> > 80 bucks ( or 23 ) to protect a 9 dollar part.
> >
> > Sure, dress up your KLR with all the trick guards but are they
> necessary
> > if you're using the bike for touring? I guess it depends on how
> much money
> > you have!
> > Cheers,
> > Steve
>
> Maybe after the 5th broken lever, or even the first broken lever,
> when you're 60 miles down a forest/jeep roads.
>
> Sometimes $80 to regain your front brake is chump-change.
>
> MarkB
In a rare endorsement tonight {since MarkB has my leg in his jaws}, I will
state that it goes beyond lever saving - Low-siding is much better than
high-siding - You can still ride the slide, but you are ejected in a
high-side. The brake levers etal are of no interest to you (or me)when you
are doing a dis-mounted flip in the air because you had to release the bar
[on the ground] side because the guard was not installed.
Get the guards and low side your bike. You'll be better off.
Ok, a new war, - how to crash
High or Low!
I hate high-siding - so I vote to ride the slide.
Mike Torst
Las Vegas
preparing 2004 klr 650 for a trip around labrador and newfoundl
Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2004 9:29 pm
by runstrom2003
--- In
DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "bous02"
wrote:
> I just bought a low milleage KLR and I'm looking into equipments to
> prepare it for the long ride. Here's a list of the equipments I
want
> to add.
>
> -Dualstar: -radguard
> -pumpguard
> -rear brake cylinder guard
The one piece rad guard from Happy Trails is very strong and fits
quite nicely. In regards to luggage I think weather you use soft vs.
hard would depend on how much trail riding you plan on doing.
I may do this trip as well in late June or Early July not sure of
what type of weather to expect though. I attended a COG rally
several years back over Memorial Day weekend in Nova Scotia, PEI,
Cape Brenton and it was VERY cold!
Joe in IL
PS- I just ordered the maps from Labrador this past week!
preparing 2004 klr 650 for a trip around labrador and newfoundl
Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2004 10:46 pm
by dumbazz650
--- In
DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "Mike Torst" wrote:
>
> >
> > Maybe after the 5th broken lever, or even the first broken lever,
> > when you're 60 miles down a forest/jeep roads.
> >
> > Sometimes $80 to regain your front brake is chump-change.
> >
> > MarkB >
>
> In a rare endorsement tonight {since MarkB has my leg in his jaws},
I will
> state that it goes beyond lever saving - Low-siding is much better
than
> high-siding - You can still ride the slide, but you are ejected in a
> high-side. The brake levers etal are of no interest to you (or me)
when you
> are doing a dis-mounted flip in the air because you had to release
the bar
> [on the ground] side because the guard was not installed.
>
> Get the guards and low side your bike. You'll be better off.
>
> Ok, a new war, - how to crash
High or Low!
>
>
> I hate high-siding - so I vote to ride the slide.
>
>
> Mike Torst
> Las Vegas
You're not just saying that 'cause I broke my hip in high side?
Yeah, thanks,
MarkB
preparing 2004 klr 650 for a trip around labrador and newfoundl
Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2004 1:57 pm
by adamavis
I can ride without the front brake and clutch for a while so i don't
care.
It's really fun when your clutch cable snaps and you're in stop and
go traffic!!!!
--- In
DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "dumbazz650"
wrote:
> --- In
DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "Steve" wrote:
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Chris"
> > Preparing 2004 KLR 650 for a trip around Labrador and
Newfoundland
> >
> >
> > > Even a parking lot tipover, if you have handguards on, no
broken
> > > levers. I'm not riding trails again until I have the three
> basic
> > > guards installed. Cheaper than a new radiator in total.
> >
> > I understand the concept of handguards to protect your hands
> against
> > rocks, trees, brush etc. ......But Fred Hink sells levers for
> $9.45 and
> > hand guards for $22.95 up to $80. Call me a weirdo but I can't
see
> spending
> > 80 bucks ( or 23 ) to protect a 9 dollar part.
> >
> > Sure, dress up your KLR with all the trick guards but are they
> necessary
> > if you're using the bike for touring? I guess it depends on how
> much money
> > you have!
> > Cheers,
> > Steve
>
> Maybe after the 5th broken lever, or even the first broken lever,
> when you're 60 miles down a forest/jeep roads.
>
> Sometimes $80 to regain your front brake is chump-change.
>
> MarkB