Wilsons Sandbox

--- On [b]Sun, 2/7/10, roncriswell@... [i][/i][/b] wrote: From: roncriswell@... Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Toyota & KLR doohickey To: "Billy Brooks" , CurtisDrew@..., "Don & Jewel Gil" , "GARY PATTERSON" , "Fred Hink" , "KLR Group" DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com>, "Michael McSpadden" , "rocky heuer" Date: Sunday, February 7, 2010, 8:00 AM I was reading an article in the Wall Street Journal this morning about Toyota's big problem with it's accelerators and Prius brakes. It was interesting in the article that how the most successful car company in recent years both in quality and safety has let this happen. The article itself speculated that it may be a cultural issue with the Japanese in that it is considered a no no to question authority or admit mistakes. How this relates to our motorcycle is we have known and Kawasaki have known for years about the problem with doohickey breakage and spring breakage on an otherwise very reliable motorcycle. The doohickey on the new KLR is stronger but I have heard they still break. I still wonder where that 3/8 inch piece of my doohickey wound up on my '99 KLR. I don't really want that chunk to work itself free from where it might be and suddenly surprise me at 75 mph by locking up the engine. You would think Kawasaki would have made a stronger piece much earlier than it did. I have ridden Japanese bikes and cars since 1968 and they have been proven to be the most reliable and trouble free machines I have owned. But still.......I think the Wall Street Journal article does have merit. I still would like for the Japanese to own up to their war crimes with especially China,Korea and other places that they really have never really done. Instead they ask why did we drop the bomb? It ended the war.......quickly. My wife works for a company that runs numerous car dealerships. The number one dealer for them for years has been their Toyota dealership. It is dead in the water right now. Criswell 

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Stephen Grisanti wrote: > > Good luck on all those points, but the Toyota incident involves a brand that is one of the national symbols of Japan and a high-profile product that affects millions of customers in easily dramatized life and death situations (Unintended acceleration! No brakes!). The humble KLR, by comparison, merely destroys its engine due to a manufacturing flaw that has never been officially addressed by the factory and it only affects a relative few, insignificant members of the motoring public who don't even buy "real" vehicles. Broken toys, guys. Don't hold your breath. > > Stephen > > --- On Sun, 2/7/10, roncriswell@... wrote: > > From: roncriswell@... > Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Toyota & KLR doohickey > To: "Billy Brooks" , CurtisDrew@..., "Don & Jewel Gil" , "GARY PATTERSON" , "Fred Hink" , "KLR Group" DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com>, "Michael McSpadden" , "rocky heuer" > Date: Sunday, February 7, 2010, 8:00 AM > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I was reading an article in the Wall Street Journal this morning about Toyota's big problem with it's accelerators and Prius brakes. It was interesting in the article that how the most successful car company in recent years both in quality and safety has let this happen. The article itself speculated that it may be a cultural issue with the Japanese in that it is considered a no no to question authority or admit mistakes. How this relates to our motorcycle is we have known and Kawasaki have known for years about the problem with doohickey breakage and spring breakage on an otherwise very reliable motorcycle. The doohickey on the new KLR is stronger but I have heard they still break. I still wonder where that 3/8 inch piece of my doohickey wound up on my '99 KLR. I don't really want that chunk to work itself free from where it might be and suddenly surprise me at 75 mph by locking up the engine. You would think Kawasaki would have made a stronger piece > much earlier than it did. I have ridden Japanese bikes and cars since 1968 and they have been proven to be the most reliable and trouble free machines I have owned. But still.......I think the Wall Street Journal article does have merit. I still would like for the Japanese to own up to their war crimes with especially China,Korea and other places that they really have never really done. Instead they ask why did we drop the bomb? It ended the war.......quickly. > My wife works for a company that runs numerous car dealerships. The number one dealer for them for years has been their Toyota dealership. It is dead in the water right now. > Criswell >

----- Original Message ----- From: "fasteddiecopeman" To: "DSN KLR650" DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Sunday, February 7, 2010 10:19:22 AM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: Toyota & KLR doohickey   And, by the way, the latest issue of either "Automobile" or "Car and Driver" has an article wherein they tested several Toyotas, and were able to stop in very close to normal distances, with WIDE OPEN THROTTLES AGAINST FULL BRAKES! Ed --- In DSN_KLR650%40yahoogroups.com, Stephen Grisanti wrote: > > Good luck on all those points, but the Toyota incident involves a brand that is one of the national symbols of Japan and a high-profile product that affects millions of customers in easily dramatized life and death situations (Unintended acceleration! No brakes!).  The humble KLR, by comparison, merely destroys its engine due to a manufacturing flaw that has never been officially addressed by the factory and it only affects a relative few, insignificant members of the motoring public who don't even buy "real" vehicles.  Broken toys, guys.  Don't hold your breath. > > Stephen > > --- On Sun, 2/7/10, roncriswell@... wrote: > > From: roncriswell@... > Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Toyota & KLR doohickey > To: "Billy Brooks" , CurtisDrew@..., "Don & Jewel Gil" , "GARY PATTERSON" , "Fred Hink" , "KLR Group" , "Michael McSpadden" , "rocky heuer" > Date: Sunday, February 7, 2010, 8:00 AM > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I was reading an article in the Wall Street Journal this morning about Toyota's big problem with it's accelerators and Prius brakes. It was interesting in the article that how the most successful car company in recent years both in quality and safety has let this happen. The article itself speculated that it may be a cultural issue with the Japanese in that it is considered a no no to question authority or admit mistakes. How this relates to our motorcycle is we have known and Kawasaki have known for years about the problem with doohickey breakage and spring breakage on an otherwise very reliable motorcycle. The doohickey on the new KLR is stronger but I have heard they still break. I still wonder where that 3/8 inch piece of my doohickey wound up on my '99 KLR. I don't really want that chunk to work itself free from where it might be and suddenly surprise me at 75 mph by locking up the engine. You would think Kawasaki would have made a stronger piece > much earlier than it did. I have ridden Japanese bikes and cars since 1968 and they have been proven to be the most reliable and trouble free machines I have owned. But still.......I think the Wall Street Journal article does have merit. I still would like for the Japanese to own up to their war crimes with especially China,Korea and other places that they really have never really done. Instead they ask why did we drop the bomb? It ended the war.......quickly. > My wife works for a company that runs numerous car dealerships. The number one dealer for them for years has been their Toyota dealership. It is dead in the water right now. > Criswell  >

--- In DSN_KLR650%40yahoogroups.com, Stephen Grisanti wrote: > > Good luck on all those points, but the Toyota incident involves a brand that is one of the national symbols of Japan and a high-profile product that affects millions of customers in easily dramatized life and death situations (Unintended acceleration! No brakes!).  The humble KLR, by comparison, merely destroys its engine due to a manufacturing flaw that has never been officially addressed by the factory and it only affects a relative few, insignificant members of the motoring public who don't even buy "real" vehicles.  Broken toys, guys.  Don't hold your breath. > > Stephen > > --- On Sun, 2/7/10, roncriswell@ ... wrote: > > From: roncriswell@ ... > Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Toyota & KLR doohickey > To: "Billy Brooks" , CurtisDrew@. .., "Don & Jewel Gil" , "GARY PATTERSON" , "Fred Hink" , "KLR Group" , "Michael McSpadden" , "rocky heuer" > Date: Sunday, February 7, 2010, 8:00 AM > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I was reading an article in the Wall Street Journal this morning about Toyota's big problem with it's accelerators and Prius brakes. It was interesting in the article that how the most successful car company in recent years both in quality and safety has let this happen. The article itself speculated that it may be a cultural issue with the Japanese in that it is considered a no no to question authority or admit mistakes. How this relates to our motorcycle is we have known and Kawasaki have known for years about the problem with doohickey breakage and spring breakage on an otherwise very reliable motorcycle. The doohickey on the new KLR is stronger but I have heard they still break. I still wonder where that 3/8 inch piece of my doohickey wound up on my '99 KLR. I don't really want that chunk to work itself free from where it might be and suddenly surprise me at 75 mph by locking up the engine. You would think Kawasaki would have made a stronger piece > much earlier than it did. I have ridden Japanese bikes and cars since 1968 and they have been proven to be the most reliable and trouble free machines I have owned. But still....... I think the Wall Street Journal article does have merit. I still would like for the Japanese to own up to their war crimes with especially China,Korea and other places that they really have never really done. Instead they ask why did we drop the bomb? It ended the war.......quickly. > My wife works for a company that runs numerous car dealerships. The number one dealer for them for years has been their Toyota dealership. It is dead in the water right now. > Criswell  >

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Jeff Khoury wrote: > > Is there something about: > > 1. Apply Brakes > 2. Turn key from "ON" to "ACC" > 3. Coast to side of road > > That I'm missing? Isn't that in every driver's ed. course since the 1950s? > > -Jeff Khoury > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "fasteddiecopeman" > To: "DSN KLR650" DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> > Sent: Sunday, February 7, 2010 10:19:22 AM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific > Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: Toyota & KLR doohickey > > > > > > > And, by the way, the latest issue of either "Automobile" or "Car and Driver" has an article wherein they tested several Toyotas, and were able to stop in very close to normal distances, with WIDE OPEN THROTTLES AGAINST FULL BRAKES! > Ed > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com , Stephen Grisanti wrote: > > > > Good luck on all those points, but the Toyota incident involves a brand that is one of the national symbols of Japan and a high-profile product that affects millions of customers in easily dramatized life and death situations (Unintended acceleration! No brakes!). The humble KLR, by comparison, merely destroys its engine due to a manufacturing flaw that has never been officially addressed by the factory and it only affects a relative few, insignificant members of the motoring public who don't even buy "real" vehicles. Broken toys, guys. Don't hold your breath. > > > > Stephen > > > > --- On Sun, 2/7/10, roncriswell@ wrote: > > > > From: roncriswell@ > > Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Toyota & KLR doohickey > > To: "Billy Brooks" , CurtisDrew@, "Don & Jewel Gil" , "GARY PATTERSON" , "Fred Hink" , "KLR Group" < DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com >, "Michael McSpadden" , "rocky heuer" > > Date: Sunday, February 7, 2010, 8:00 AM > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I was reading an article in the Wall Street Journal this morning about Toyota's big problem with it's accelerators and Prius brakes. It was interesting in the article that how the most successful car company in recent years both in quality and safety has let this happen. The article itself speculated that it may be a cultural issue with the Japanese in that it is considered a no no to question authority or admit mistakes. How this relates to our motorcycle is we have known and Kawasaki have known for years about the problem with doohickey breakage and spring breakage on an otherwise very reliable motorcycle. The doohickey on the new KLR is stronger but I have heard they still break. I still wonder where that 3/8 inch piece of my doohickey wound up on my '99 KLR. I don't really want that chunk to work itself free from where it might be and suddenly surprise me at 75 mph by locking up the engine. You would think Kawasaki would have made a stronger piece > > much earlier than it did. I have ridden Japanese bikes and cars since 1968 and they have been proven to be the most reliable and trouble free machines I have owned. But still.......I think the Wall Street Journal article does have merit. I still would like for the Japanese to own up to their war crimes with especially China,Korea and other places that they really have never really done. Instead they ask why did we drop the bomb? It ended the war.......quickly. > > My wife works for a company that runs numerous car dealerships. The number one dealer for them for years has been their Toyota dealership. It is dead in the water right now. > > Criswell > > >

On Feb 8, 2010, at 11:30 AM, klr6501995 wrote:   Thank You, I'm so glad that this thread started as I have been wanting to post a same topic message. This is really starting to feel like the firestone/ford explorer "problem" a few years back. As a media watcher (to much tv) this topic got nasty when a "48 hours" or "20/20" did a re-enactment of a family getting themselves killed with a stuck accelerator. But the MAN of the family was recorded on a 911 call pleading for help as his car wouldn't stop. They pleaded for help, And the collision and OMG, crash sounds were heard. Very scary. America are you shocked. of course! I'm sure I'm missing something. But from the very begining of the story didn't we on the list and the rest of America who believe in self responsibility "predict" the media/govt response to the toyato recall? Yes! I have had a throttle stick in a car and motorcycle. I damn well knew that if I could call 911 and yap for help I could save my ass before the call. 86 ford escort hatchback- klr6501987. BTW kenda 270's made me leave skid marks in my drawers on wet and dry roads. Like them off road. But Avon gripsters never leave marks on roads and I have been able to conquer the same off road conditions that I did with k270's. --- In DSN_KLR650%40yahoogroups.com, Jeff Khoury wrote: > > Is there something about: > > 1. Apply Brakes > 2. Turn key from "ON" to "ACC" > 3. Coast to side of road > > That I'm missing? Isn't that in every driver's ed. course since the 1950s? > > -Jeff Khoury > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "fasteddiecopeman" > To: "DSN KLR650" > Sent: Sunday, February 7, 2010 10:19:22 AM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific > Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: Toyota & KLR doohickey > > > > > > > And, by the way, the latest issue of either "Automobile" or "Car and Driver" has an article wherein they tested several Toyotas, and were able to stop in very close to normal distances, with WIDE OPEN THROTTLES AGAINST FULL BRAKES! > Ed > > --- In DSN_KLR650%40yahoogroups.com , Stephen Grisanti wrote: > > > > Good luck on all those points, but the Toyota incident involves a brand that is one of the national symbols of Japan and a high-profile product that affects millions of customers in easily dramatized life and death situations (Unintended acceleration! No brakes!). The humble KLR, by comparison, merely destroys its engine due to a manufacturing flaw that has never been officially addressed by the factory and it only affects a relative few, insignificant members of the motoring public who don't even buy "real" vehicles. Broken toys, guys. Don't hold your breath. > > > > Stephen > > > > --- On Sun, 2/7/10, roncriswell@ wrote: > > > > From: roncriswell@ > > Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Toyota & KLR doohickey > > To: "Billy Brooks" , CurtisDrew@, "Don & Jewel Gil" , "GARY PATTERSON" , "Fred Hink" , "KLR Group" < DSN_KLR650%40yahoogroups.com >, "Michael McSpadden" , "rocky heuer" > > Date: Sunday, February 7, 2010, 8:00 AM > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I was reading an article in the Wall Street Journal this morning about Toyota's big problem with it's accelerators and Prius brakes. It was interesting in the article that how the most successful car company in recent years both in quality and safety has let this happen. The article itself speculated that it may be a cultural issue with the Japanese in that it is considered a no no to question authority or admit mistakes. How this relates to our motorcycle is we have known and Kawasaki have known for years about the problem with doohickey breakage and spring breakage on an otherwise very reliable motorcycle. The doohickey on the new KLR is stronger but I have heard they still break. I still wonder where that 3/8 inch piece of my doohickey wound up on my '99 KLR. I don't really want that chunk to work itself free from where it might be and suddenly surprise me at 75 mph by locking up the engine. You would think Kawasaki would have made a stronger piece > > much earlier than it did. I have ridden Japanese bikes and cars since 1968 and they have been proven to be the most reliable and trouble free machines I have owned. But still....... I think the Wall Street Journal article does have merit. I still would like for the Japanese to own up to their war crimes with especially China,Korea and other places that they really have never really done. Instead they ask why did we drop the bomb? It ended the war.......quickly. > > My wife works for a company that runs numerous car dealerships. The number one dealer for them for years has been their Toyota dealership. It is dead in the water right now. > > Criswell > > >

On 2/8/2010 10:57 AM, roncriswell@... wrote: Yeah beware if you are a company that is on the media and government as a target. Exploding Pintos and Corvairs that like to go backwards hitting something or rolling at 80 mph come to mind. Still I really don't understand companies that make really good machines that don't heed early signs of warning (as in the doohickey on a KLR). This is going to cost Toyota millions probably billions. Besides, if you are on a cell phone texting, it is a severe test of multitasking if the throttle jams, to shift into nuetral and pull over. Or if the brakes fail to remember to hit the emergency brake. Remembering to pull in the clutch on a KLR and hoping that works if the engine suddely tries to lock up because of a defective design is another form of multi tasking split second decision I hope I don't have to make. Criswell On Feb 8, 2010, at 11:30 AM, klr6501995 wrote: Thank You, I'm so glad that this thread started as I have been wanting to post a same topic message. This is really starting to feel like the firestone/ford explorer "problem" a few years back. As a media watcher (to much tv) this topic got nasty when a "48 hours" or "20/20" did a re-enactment of a family getting themselves killed with a stuck accelerator. But the MAN of the family was recorded on a 911 call pleading for help as his car wouldn't stop. They pleaded for help, And the collision and OMG, crash sounds were heard. Very scary. America are you shocked. of course! I'm sure I'm missing something. But from the very begining of the story didn't we on the list and the rest of America who believe in self responsibility "predict" the media/govt response to the toyato recall? Yes! I have had a throttle stick in a car and motorcycle. I damn well knew that if I could call 911 and yap for help I could save my ass before the call. 86 ford escort hatchback- klr6501987. BTW kenda 270's made me leave skid marks in my drawers on wet and dry roads. Like them off road. But Avon gripsters never leave marks on roads and I have been able to conquer the same off road conditions that I did with k270's. --- In DSN_KLR650%40yahoogroups.com, Jeff Khoury jeff@... wrote: > > Is there something about: > > 1. Apply Brakes > 2. Turn key from "ON" to "ACC" > 3. Coast to side of road > > That I'm missing? Isn't that in every driver's ed. course since the 1950s? > > -Jeff Khoury > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "fasteddiecopeman" > To: "DSN KLR650" > Sent: Sunday, February 7, 2010 10:19:22 AM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific > Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: Toyota & KLR doohickey > > > > > > > And, by the way, the latest issue of either "Automobile" or "Car and Driver" has an article wherein they tested several Toyotas, and were able to stop in very close to normal distances, with WIDE OPEN THROTTLES AGAINST FULL BRAKES! > Ed > > --- In DSN_KLR650%40yahoogroups.com , Stephen Grisanti wrote: > > > > Good luck on all those points, but the Toyota incident involves a brand that is one of the national symbols of Japan and a high-profile product that affects millions of customers in easily dramatized life and death situations (Unintended acceleration! No brakes!). The humble KLR, by comparison, merely destroys its engine due to a manufacturing flaw that has never been officially addressed by the factory and it only affects a relative few, insignificant members of the motoring public who don't even buy "real" vehicles. Broken toys, guys. Don't hold your breath. > > > > Stephen > > > > --- On Sun, 2/7/10, roncriswell@ wrote: > > > > From: roncriswell@ > > Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Toyota & KLR doohickey > > To: "Billy Brooks" , CurtisDrew@, "Don & Jewel Gil" , "GARY PATTERSON" , "Fred Hink" , "KLR Group" < DSN_KLR650%40yahoogroups.com >, "Michael McSpadden" , "rocky heuer" > > Date: Sunday, February 7, 2010, 8:00 AM > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I was reading an article in the Wall Street Journal this morning about Toyota's big problem with it's accelerators and Prius brakes. It was interesting in the article that how the most successful car company in recent years both in quality and safety has let this happen. The article itself speculated that it may be a cultural issue with the Japanese in that it is considered a no no to question authority or admit mistakes. How this relates to our motorcycle is we have known and Kawasaki have known for years about the problem with doohickey breakage and spring breakage on an otherwise very reliable motorcycle. The doohickey on the new KLR is stronger but I have heard they still break. I still wonder where that 3/8 inch piece of my doohickey wound up on my '99 KLR. I don't really want that chunk to work itself free from where it might be and suddenly surprise me at 75 mph by locking up the engine. You would think Kawasaki would have made a stronger piece > > much earlier than it did. I have ridden Japanese bikes and cars since 1968 and they have been proven to be the most reliable and trouble free machines I have owned. But still....... I think the Wall Street Journal article does have merit. I still would like for the Japanese to own up to their war crimes with especially China,Korea and other places that they really have never really done. Instead they ask why did we drop the bomb? It ended the war.......quickly. > > My wife works for a company that runs numerous car dealerships. The number one dealer for them for years has been their Toyota dealership. It is dead in the water right now. > > Criswell > > >

----- Original Message ----- [b]From:[/b] robert@... [b]Cc:[/b] DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com [b]Sent:[/b] Monday, February 08, 2010 12:47 PM [b]Subject:[/b] Re: [DSN_KLR650] Re: Toyota & KLR doohickey   Has anybody actually seen a failed doohickey, with their own eyes?  Not "I heard it thru the grapevine... "  I mean "It happened to me". I'm waiting. Robert P. Wichert P.Eng +1 916 966 9060 FAX +1 916 966 9068 ============ ========= ========= ========= ========= ======== On 2/8/2010 10:57 AM, roncriswell@... wrote:  

Yeah beware if you are a company that is on the media and government as a target. Exploding Pintos and Corvairs that like to go backwards hitting something or rolling at 80 mph come to mind. Still I really don't understand companies that make really good machines that don't heed early signs of warning (as in the doohickey on a KLR). This is going to cost Toyota millions probably billions. Besides, if you are on a cell phone texting, it is a severe test of multitasking if the throttle jams, to shift into nuetral and pull over. Or if the brakes fail to remember to hit the emergency brake. Remembering to pull in the clutch on a KLR and hoping that works if the engine suddely tries to lock up because of a defective design is another form of multi tasking split second decision I hope I don't have to make. Criswell On Feb 8, 2010, at 11:30 AM, klr6501995 wrote:   Thank You, I'm so glad that this thread started as I have been wanting to post a same topic message. This is really starting to feel like the firestone/ford explorer "problem" a few years back. As a media watcher (to much tv) this topic got nasty when a "48 hours" or "20/20" did a re-enactment of a family getting themselves killed with a stuck accelerator. But the MAN of the family was recorded on a 911 call pleading for help as his car wouldn't stop. They pleaded for help, And the collision and OMG, crash sounds were heard. Very scary. America are you shocked. of course! I'm sure I'm missing something. But from the very begining of the story didn't we on the list and the rest of America who believe in self responsibility "predict" the media/govt response to the toyato recall? Yes! I have had a throttle stick in a car and motorcycle. I damn well knew that if I could call 911 and yap for help I could save my ass before the call. 86 ford escort hatchback- klr6501987. BTW kenda 270's made me leave skid marks in my drawers on wet and dry roads. Like them off road. But Avon gripsters never leave marks on roads and I have been able to conquer the same off road conditions that I did with k270's. --- In DSN_KLR650%40yahoogroups.com, Jeff Khoury jeff@... wrote: > > Is there something about: > > 1. Apply Brakes > 2. Turn key from "ON" to "ACC" > 3. Coast to side of road > > That I'm missing? Isn't that in every driver's ed. course since the 1950s? > > -Jeff Khoury > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "fasteddiecopeman" > To: "DSN KLR650" > Sent: Sunday, February 7, 2010 10:19:22 AM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific > Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: Toyota & KLR doohickey > > > > > > > And, by the way, the latest issue of either "Automobile" or "Car and Driver" has an article wherein they tested several Toyotas, and were able to stop in very close to normal distances, with WIDE OPEN THROTTLES AGAINST FULL BRAKES! > Ed > > --- In DSN_KLR650%40yahoogroups.com , Stephen Grisanti wrote: > > > > Good luck on all those points, but the Toyota incident involves a brand that is one of the national symbols of Japan and a high-profile product that affects millions of customers in easily dramatized life and death situations (Unintended acceleration! No brakes!). The humble KLR, by comparison, merely destroys its engine due to a manufacturing flaw that has never been officially addressed by the factory and it only affects a relative few, insignificant members of the motoring public who don't even buy "real" vehicles. Broken toys, guys. Don't hold your breath. > > > > Stephen > > > > --- On Sun, 2/7/10, roncriswell@ wrote: > > > > From: roncriswell@ > > Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Toyota & KLR doohickey > > To: "Billy Brooks" , CurtisDrew@, "Don & Jewel Gil" , "GARY PATTERSON" , "Fred Hink" , "KLR Group" < DSN_KLR650%40yahoogroups.com >, "Michael McSpadden" , "rocky heuer" > > Date: Sunday, February 7, 2010, 8:00 AM > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I was reading an article in the Wall Street Journal this morning about Toyota's big problem with it's accelerators and Prius brakes. It was interesting in the article that how the most successful car company in recent years both in quality and safety has let this happen. The article itself speculated that it may be a cultural issue with the Japanese in that it is considered a no no to question authority or admit mistakes. How this relates to our motorcycle is we have known and Kawasaki have known for years about the problem with doohickey breakage and spring breakage on an otherwise very reliable motorcycle. The doohickey on the new KLR is stronger but I have heard they still break. I still wonder where that 3/8 inch piece of my doohickey wound up on my '99 KLR. I don't really want that chunk to work itself free from where it might be and suddenly surprise me at 75 mph by locking up the engine. You would think Kawasaki would have made a stronger piece > > much earlier than it did. I have ridden Japanese bikes and cars since 1968 and they have been proven to be the most reliable and trouble free machines I have owned. But still....... I think the Wall Street Journal article does have merit. I still would like for the Japanese to own up to their war crimes with especially China,Korea and other places that they really have never really done. Instead they ask why did we drop the bomb? It ended the war.......quickly. > > My wife works for a company that runs numerous car dealerships. The number one dealer for them for years has been their Toyota dealership. It is dead in the water right now. > > Criswell > > >