Wilsons Sandbox

> I have scanned the list for messages from people who routinely (or > even occasionally ride 2-up). > > Is the motor/frame strong enough? Is the bike "comfortable"? Any > mods suggested (brake lines, etc.) Thinking of covering mostly > pavenment, and some fire roads. Comments?

The KLR is the only bike that I have right now, so if my wife and I ride, that's how we do it. We get out for at least a couple hundred miles on a decent weekend day. I have the Corbin no-dip saddle, and that made a huge difference for me alone, and certainly for the times when my wife is with me. A JC Whitney trunk on the back carries the stuff that I want with me, and gives my wife an added sense of security because she has that solid backrest. The bike could use a little more power on long, steep hills when hauling two people, but other than that - and that isn't really a major thing - I'm happy with the way it works for us. I have braided stainless brake lines, (I think the braided REAR line may have been a waste of money), and the braking is all that I would want it to be. The KLR isn't a Goldwing, but it's a capable, all-around bike. Mark --------------------------------------- KLR650 Motorcycle Website: http://klr6500.tripod.com/

Punky, Lew and Achi Dog, Man and Wife from South America back to the states. http://www.angelfire.com/mo/motormark/Punky_n_Lew/index.html Might consider either upgrading the subframe bolts or just making sure they are really torqued to spec and have red locktight on them. The few dollars I spent on the upgrade bolts was worth it to me, just to know the fasteners are not made of compressed oatmeal like many on the machine. Dooden A15 Green Ape --- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "gomoku_2000" wrote:

> I have scanned the list for messages from people who routinely (or > even occasionally ride 2-up). > > Is the motor/frame strong enough? Is the bike "comfortable"? Any > mods suggested (brake lines, etc.) Thinking of covering mostly > pavenment, and some fire roads. Comments? > > Thanks in advance. > > - Dario

The only things that I don't like is the soft front suspension and the weak front brake. Other than that, I like tooling aroung two-up on a KLR. --John Kokola etammekds wrote:

> My question is how well does the KLR650 do two up riding? I know >its around 40HP. Two up wouldnt be my primary mode of riding it, but >myself 185lbs and my gf 140lbs occasionaly go on motorcycle camping >trips. I wanted to hear from some folks who might have some two up >exp. on the KLR. > >

etammekds wrote:

> My question is how well does the KLR650 do two up riding? I know > its around 40HP. Two up wouldnt be my primary mode of riding it, but > myself 185lbs and my gf 140lbs occasionaly go on motorcycle camping > trips. I wanted to hear from some folks who might have some two up > exp. on the KLR.

I weigh 50 lbs more than you and your girlfriend together and I don't have any trouble. Last trip I had tank bag, tank panniers, top case, dry bags and my tent and sleeping pad. Alan Henderson A13 Iowa

etammekds wrote:

> My question is how well does the KLR650 do two up riding? I know > its around 40HP. Two up wouldnt be my primary mode of riding it, but > myself 185lbs and my gf 140lbs occasionaly go on motorcycle camping > trips. I wanted to hear from some folks who might have some two up > exp. on the KLR.

I weigh 50 lbs more than you and your girlfriend together and I don't have any trouble. Last trip I had tank bag, tank panniers, top case, dry bags and my tent and sleeping pad. Alan Henderson A13 Iowa Oh ya. I have upgraded the springs front and rear.

I had a '92 K75S that I just sold before Xmas. Loved the bike, but could never get the ergonomics to fit me. Ended up with killer neck pain every time I rode it over 150 miles. Anyway, the KLR is going to feel pretty cramped after the K75. I've ridden as much as 250 miles in a day with my wife and saddlebags, but I wasn't real comfortable that way. We're both about 5'9" and weigh about 300# together. You might consider an older GS instead of the KLR if you're going to do a lot of 2-up camping. The biggest advantage of the KLR over the Beemers, in my book anyway, is weight (able to take on more challenging 4WD roads and single-track than the GS bikes, even the F650), and price (you don't cry too much if you scratch/ding it up). The first of those is mostly negated in 2-up camping, as you're going to be too cramped and heavy to get serious in the dirt. Just my .02. Dan

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "etammekds" wrote: > > Hi everyone, I've got a 87 BMW K75 currently and have been ooglying > the KLR650 for some time now. I havent been able to test ride one yet > but certainly will before i make a purchase. > > My question is how well does the KLR650 do two up riding? I know > its around 40HP. Two up wouldnt be my primary mode of riding it, but > myself 185lbs and my gf 140lbs occasionaly go on motorcycle camping > trips. I wanted to hear from some folks who might have some two up > exp. on the KLR. > > Thanks, > -Eric >

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Jeff Saline wrote:

> > > On Tue, 07 Mar 2006 20:44:39 -0000 "revmaaatin" > writes: > > SNIP > > > Remember, dropping the bike to the inside is not just a parking

lot

> > > > trick. It can happen in the rocks, the woods, and especially on

a

> > rutted trail (by yourself). If you are with friends when this > > happens, and you happen to still be UNDER the M/C, make sure they > > are > > all helping in the same direction. If it takes three guys to get > > the > > motorcycle off of you, discreetly notice if one of them is

*sitting*

> > > > on the bike while the other two are *grunting* to save your leg

from

> > > > the battery acid... > > > > Don't ask me how I know. Friends such as this, what would you > > possibly do without them? > > SNIP > >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> > Martin, > > I take offense at that! : ) I wasn't sitting on the bike. I was > pulling with negative force. : ) > > Jeff > > Jeff Saline > ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal > Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org > The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota > 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT >

Hi Jeff, Hmmm. Pulling with negative force. Hmmmm. Sounds a lot like sitting on the bike with a VBG to me. But I could be wrong. At the time I was pretty scared, remote place with a lot of pressure on one knee, and grateful for three guys whom would/could pick the bike up off of me. Of course, being under the bike is never ideal, (Lava Mountain, South of Helena on the GDR) but it happened so fast: lurch, stall, slope, fall, immediate pain, that there was no place to roll away. Did I mention that not only under the bike but pinned against a tree!!! What a mess. Makes for a good case of riding with at least one friend. I doubt if I could have extracted myself without some serious help. I believe we were the only ones on that stretch of the mountain all day. And you would not even consider it "remote." revmaaatin.