tire choices...

[glenn (august)]

Hey Folks, I sent a mesage a few days ago and it never made it to the list so here go's...if it shows up twice I apologize. I was on the list a while back when I was contemplating a 2K model. Well over the holiday weekend I picked up a super clean 95 with 20K street miles on it. Bike is all stock, save for a Supertrapp and I have a few questions. 1. Bike belchs a little black smoke when reved high in neutral and backfires a little when going down a hill in gear. Jetting?? 2. After a short foray into the dirt I had a slight spill which messed up the kickstand switch...it wouldnt go after I put it in gear so I pulled loose what was left of the wire to the switch and it goes, can I just tape the wire off and leave it be? 3. What should I be going over on the bike and checking as a new owner /used bike. Thing is a lot of fun to ride...wish the brakes were better and the color sux...but hey.. Also any listers in hawaii?? --g _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com

[David_Mat_King@email.msn.com]

Hiya listers, After four years of waiting, I finally woke up this morning and said. "You know if I don't just go buy a KLR, I never will." So that's exactly what I did. I went in around 1:00pm, struck a good deal and road out of the dealership a few hours later with a 2002 KLR 650. I had a 35 mile trip home and everything went well. This is my first bike and I think I'm going to have fun with it. I was assured by several people on this list that the KLR would do fine in Dallas/Fort Worth traffic and I think they were right. I know from reading in the past that the dealerships don't always do a great job of putting the bikes together and sure enough when I got home, I found a couple of things. First, the right mirror was loose. Second, the radiator shroud plastics are not on very well. They look like the thick plastic pins in the lower rear are not fitted into the rubber grommets. The one on the right side is about 1/4" too low to even go into the hole. Should these fit better than that? If there are any other things I should check right away, can someone list them or point me to a FAQ with the information? Thanks, David King

[Ted Palmer]

David_Mat_King@... wrote: [...]

> If there are any other things I should check right away, can someone > list them or point me to a FAQ with the information?

Make sure the tops of the fork tubes are level with the top of the upper triple clamp. If they are not, there is a fair chance that the clamp bolts are not up to spec torque. The bikes are crated with the forks pushed up the triple clamps to save space and dealers often miss this in predelivery. This happened to me in 1986 and it still happens out there. Mister_T Melbourne Australia

[Multifunction-ES@Bigfoot.com]

> If there are any other things I should check right away, can > someone list them or point me to a FAQ with the information?

One thing that happened to me, lots of loose nuts and screws. They don't put loctite on anything, so the windshield screws came loose and some other screws cam loose after a few days of riding. Loctite'em! or re-torque them. Ed Snow 2001 KLR650 "Zoom Zoom"

[Devon Jarvis]

I second that, LOCTITE! Including your subframe bolts, which aren't an obvious choice, but one of mine disappeared. Also, especially with the lowering links, if you plan on taking the bike off road at all get the heavy-duty alloy bashplate. I have dents in mine in a couple of spots, that would have been the engine case with the plastic stock unit. Devon A15 Multifunction-ES@... wrote:

> > > If there are any other things I should check right away, can > > someone list them or point me to a FAQ with the information? > > One thing that happened to me, lots of loose nuts and screws. They > don't put loctite on anything, so the windshield screws came loose > and some other screws cam loose after a few days of riding. > > Loctite'em! or re-torque them. > > Ed Snow > 2001 KLR650 > "Zoom Zoom" > > Checkout Dual Sport News at > http://www.dualsportnews.com > Be part of the Adventure! > > Visit the KLR650 archives at > http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=klr650 > > Post message: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com > Subscribe: DSN_klr650-subscribe@yahoogroups.com > Unsubscribe: DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > List owner: DSN_klr650-owner@yahoogroups.com > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

[jim7j7@yahoo.com]

Thanks to everyone that answer my post "KLR for Desert Riding". I got lots of tips and advice and guess what? I got my '02 KLR today. I think I got a good price, I was out the door for $4999. I have 125 miles tword my break in already. I'm keeping it under 4000rpm. Any advice for break-in. Thanks, Jim

[Don Sprinkle]

After admiring these bikes for several years, I finally bought one yesterday, a '98 KLR 650 with just under 7K on the odo. I rode a '93 BMW GS for years and loved it but the KLRs were much faster off the pavement and in tight, twisty North Georgia mountains, the KLR didn't give up an inch to the BMW. The last straw came when I went down to my friendly BMW dealer to trade the GS in for a new '02 model. They must really like their bikes cause they wanted my bike PLUS $12,000 for the new one! Yikes! So, I sold the "Bumblebee", paid off the heat pump loan, and had enough money left to get this KLR. I've been lurking on this list a while and I really appreciate how you guys help each other with all the 'issues', KLR and otherwise, that come up. Wanted To Buy: stock handlebar in good shape (or recomendation for a good alternative); stock bash plate, if you've replaced your with a 'good' one; taller windscreen; Thanks. Don Sprinkle Charlotte, NC '98 KLR 650 '98 Honda XR 400

[Devon Jarvis]

Don, Welcome aboard. A good replacement for the stock handlebar is the Renthal CR-high bend, among others. Maybe it's all in my head, but I think that aluminum bars absorb a little more vibration. If you ever take your KLR off road, forget about the stock bash plate and get a metal one. Saving the $60 isn't worth the risk of knocking out the oil drain plug. No oil light, so you'll know it happened when the engine stops. Devon Don Sprinkle wrote:

> > > Wanted To Buy: stock handlebar in good shape (or recomendation for a > good alternative); > > stock bash plate, if you've replaced your with a 'good' one; > > taller windscreen; > > Thanks. > > Don Sprinkle > Charlotte, NC > '98 KLR 650 > '98 Honda XR 400

[InWoods13@aol.com]

Welcome Don! The list really is something special, and an outstanding resource for all things KLR. Bet the new KLR's going to feel like a 250cc two stoke to you for off road stuff, compared to the GS. Be sure to check out the faq page, & our archives (at yahoogroups.com) if you've not yet already. All best. -Scott A14 "thunderdog" Sorrento, FL In a message dated 11/8/02 9:20:40 AM Eastern Standard Time, beemerdon@... writes:

> After admiring these bikes for several years, I finally bought one > yesterday, a '98 KLR 650 with just under 7K on the odo. I rode a '93 > BMW GS for years and loved it but the KLRs were much faster off the > pavement and in tight, twisty North Georgia mountains, the KLR didn't > give up an inch to the BMW. The last straw came when I went down to > my friendly BMW dealer to trade the GS in for a new '02 model. They > must really like their bikes cause they wanted my bike PLUS $12,000 > for the new one! Yikes! So, I sold the "Bumblebee", paid off the heat > pump loan, and had enough money left to get this KLR. I've been > lurking on this list a while and I really appreciate how you guys > help each other with all the 'issues', KLR and otherwise, that come > up. > > > Wanted To Buy: stock handlebar in good shape (or recomendation for a > good alternative); > > stock bash plate, if you've replaced your with a 'good' one; > > taller windscreen; > > > Thanks. > > Don Sprinkle > Charlotte, NC > '98 KLR 650 > '98 Honda XR 400 >

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[Kelly Walsh]

Hi kids, I recently purchased a 2003 KLR and have found this message board to be invaluable (and rather fun) in anticipating/fixing/troubleshooting my new bike. Though I haven't experienced any of the various inate KLR-isms that seem to be prevalent, I appreciate the wealth of info from the "elders" and look forward to posting insights and tips as I come to discover them. Again, thanks to all... Kelly Walsh Santa Fe, NM A-17 1981 gPZ 550