[dsn_klr650] fork oil mussing

[John Biccum]

Typical rationales for changing fork oil include viscosity breakdown from shearing and dilution and/or contamination from iffy seals. I have always changed fork oil at the same time I was upgrading or replacing worn-out components inside the forks so I have never needed much rationale. When I dumped factory oil to fit Progressive springs and RaceTech gold valves I seriously wondered if there was some long-decayed animal part in there that made the oil smell soooo bad. The oil reeked of offal and was a greasy gray. The second fork oil change (or was it the third?) was part of a comprehensive fork rebuild (seals, both sets of bushings) and that oil looked a lot better and smelled orders of magnitude (odors of magnitude? ) better than the OEM oil. There was minute bits of shiny metal in the old oil, likely bits of the plated coating worn off or flaked off of the worn-out bushings. So I don't think we can always assume zero metal-on-metal contact inside the forks. -----Original Message----- From: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com [mailto:DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Bogdan Swider Sent: Tuesday, April 16, 2013 08:17 To: Bogdan Swider; List KLR Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Fork Oil Mussing Also....one old Harley guy - of the pre-yuppster generation -opinioned that you never have to change fork oil. It's like the oil in your shock; there's no metal to metal contact. What's the rational on changing fork oil ? Bogdan [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ List Sponsors - Dual Sport News: http://www.dualsportnews.com Arrowhead Motorsports: http://www.arrowheadmotorsports.com List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok: http://www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html Members Map https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=212558560286766214899.0004d0fa9f1732283 bb6f&msa=0&ll=38.522384,-109.489746&spn=6.831383,9.624023Yahoo! Groups Links

[Eddie]

Last Saturday, here in New Orleans, we had a weather system that came through with rain and high winds; and my KLR wound up horizontal - it fell over onto its right side - and was on its side for some 10 hours before I found it tipped over. The only damage that I can see is a scratch to the brush guard (an after market metal one that I added). So, my questions are, "I have a slosh battery, but since it was on its right side, hopefully the battery juice did not flow out?" Tomorrow, I am going to change the oil and check the battery, anything else that I ought to consider? BTW, I think that a culprit in my KLR's tipping was the (aftermarket) centerstand. I love my centerstand, but I doubt my KLR would have tipped if it were on the side stand. Eddie P.S. I did restart the KLR, and it seemed fine.

[revmaaatin]

Eddie, Yes, the wind will blow the bike over while on the center stand. I have the T-shirt. If the bike is on a center stand, it will need to be pointed into the wind.That will help However, I have had my bike blown over while on its sidestand as well with a direct cross wind from the right. It is more easily blown over if it is loaded like a rented mule. I have a T-shirt for that as well. I like park on the lee side of a building as a wind break; however, duing frontal passage, the wind will change 180 degrees. You can also use a car for a windbreak, however, don't park so close it will fall on anything valuable. If your bike had a bike cover on it during the storm, I would advise removing it next time; installed, you have just graduated from a large sail (uncovered, top heavy bike) to a HUGE sail when the bike has a bike cover installed. Yeah, I have a T shirt for that as well. revmaaatin. so many T-shirts, more to come for sure.

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "eddie" wrote: > > Last Saturday, here in New Orleans, we had a weather system that came through with rain and high winds; and my KLR wound up horizontal - it fell over onto its right side - and was on its side for some 10 hours before I found it tipped over. The only damage that I can see is a scratch to the brush guard (an after market metal one that I added). > > So, my questions are, "I have a slosh battery, but since it was on its right side, hopefully the battery juice did not flow out?" Tomorrow, I am going to change the oil and check the battery, anything else that I ought to consider? > > BTW, I think that a culprit in my KLR's tipping was the (aftermarket) centerstand. I love my centerstand, but I doubt my KLR would have tipped if it were on the side stand. > > Eddie > > P.S. I did restart the KLR, and it seemed fine. >

[Eddie]

Rav, and all.............. Bingo on the cover (read Sail). I had a cover on my KLR. To fully understand your advice on how to tack the KLR into a headwind, I am going to take an introductory sailing class. But, you are right on point about the cover, I think that had a lot to do with the fall-over. Lucky for me, there are not too many gail force (or Hurricane) winds around her in New Orelans, oh wait, forget that last part. I have a tee shirt for that, It reads "FEMA" - "Fix Everything My Ass!" Eddie

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "revmaaatin" wrote: > > Eddie, > Yes, the wind will blow the bike over while on the center stand. > I have the T-shirt. > If the bike is on a center stand, it will need to be pointed into the wind.That will help > However, > I have had my bike blown over while on its sidestand as well with a direct cross wind from the right. > It is more easily blown over if it is loaded like a rented mule. > I have a T-shirt for that as well. > > I like park on the lee side of a building as a wind break; however, duing frontal passage, the wind will change 180 degrees. > You can also use a car for a windbreak, however, don't park so close it will fall on anything valuable. > > If your bike had a bike cover on it during the storm, I would advise removing it next time; installed, you have just graduated from a large sail (uncovered, top heavy bike) to a HUGE sail when the bike has a bike cover installed. > Yeah, I have a T shirt for that as well. > > revmaaatin. so many T-shirts, more to come for sure. > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "eddie" wrote: > > > > Last Saturday, here in New Orleans, we had a weather system that came through with rain and high winds; and my KLR wound up horizontal - it fell over onto its right side - and was on its side for some 10 hours before I found it tipped over. The only damage that I can see is a scratch to the brush guard (an after market metal one that I added). > > > > So, my questions are, "I have a slosh battery, but since it was on its right side, hopefully the battery juice did not flow out?" Tomorrow, I am going to change the oil and check the battery, anything else that I ought to consider? > > > > BTW, I think that a culprit in my KLR's tipping was the (aftermarket) centerstand. I love my centerstand, but I doubt my KLR would have tipped if it were on the side stand. > > > > Eddie > > > > P.S. I did restart the KLR, and it seemed fine. > > >

[RobertWichert]

The bike had a nice nap. No problem. Sleep tight. Robert Wichert P.Eng. LEED AP BD&C +1 916 966 9060 FAX +1 916 966 9068 ===============================================

On 4/16/2013 4:32 PM, revmaaatin wrote: > > Eddie, > Yes, the wind will blow the bike over while on the center stand. > I have the T-shirt. > If the bike is on a center stand, it will need to be pointed into the > wind.That will help > However, > I have had my bike blown over while on its sidestand as well with a > direct cross wind from the right. > It is more easily blown over if it is loaded like a rented mule. > I have a T-shirt for that as well. > > I like park on the lee side of a building as a wind break; however, > duing frontal passage, the wind will change 180 degrees. > You can also use a car for a windbreak, however, don't park so close > it will fall on anything valuable. > > If your bike had a bike cover on it during the storm, I would advise > removing it next time; installed, you have just graduated from a large > sail (uncovered, top heavy bike) to a HUGE sail when the bike has a > bike cover installed. > Yeah, I have a T shirt for that as well. > > revmaaatin. so many T-shirts, more to come for sure. > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com > , "eddie" wrote: > > > > Last Saturday, here in New Orleans, we had a weather system that > came through with rain and high winds; and my KLR wound up horizontal > - it fell over onto its right side - and was on its side for some 10 > hours before I found it tipped over. The only damage that I can see is > a scratch to the brush guard (an after market metal one that I added). > > > > So, my questions are, "I have a slosh battery, but since it was on > its right side, hopefully the battery juice did not flow out?" > Tomorrow, I am going to change the oil and check the battery, anything > else that I ought to consider? > > > > BTW, I think that a culprit in my KLR's tipping was the > (aftermarket) centerstand. I love my centerstand, but I doubt my KLR > would have tipped if it were on the side stand. > > > > Eddie > > > > P.S. I did restart the KLR, and it seemed fine. > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]