klr650 update - recent tire choices

[Ian Francisco]

Since this list seems quiet, I will post an update on my A14 (2000). Just recently turned over 61k miles on the odometer. I bought this bike in 2007 with 24k showing and a burned exhaust valve. Rather than do a valve job I opted to bid on a used head from a 2005 which is still on the bike. Since the bore looked perfect at 24k miles I did not disturb the cylinder or piston and it is still running on the original rings. It is down to the thinnest shim on the RH exhaust valve buts runs like a champ. Oil consumption is up a bit but no smoke is ever visible. Recently I upgraded the doohickey spring with the Eagle Mike part that requires a small hole to be drilled in the cover ("radial" spring?). The Eagle Mike doochickey was installed in 2007 and looks like new. The only part in the engine that has ever failed is the shift pawl spring, which left me stuck in 3rd gear at around 40k miles. I rode home twenty miles across town in only 3rd gear, stopping for many lights. Still running the same original clutch plates! In the nearly 40k miles I've ridden on the bike, far less than 500 miles have been off the pavement. The bike is an excellent commuter and canyon carver, play bike, and solo tourer. Doesn't seem like a waste to spend that much time on pavement on a KLR. Unless of course, I had been running knobby tires all that time. For tires I have been running a Heidenau K76 on the front and am very happy with it. It is more street oriented but has big blocks and deep wide grooves so does as well on dirt roads as any non-knobby I've tried. Other tires I have tried and liked are the Pirelli Scorpion A/T and the TKC80. The Heidenau and Pirelli have excellent grip on pavement as would be expected. The TKC80 front was also excellent on pavement and the best off road of any mentioned, as would be expected. I got 6500 miles from it by reversing direction at 3500 miles. http://heidenautires.com/dual-sport-tires/ Since rear tires wear faster I tend to go cheaper and have found the Shinko 700 and 705 series to be far superior to the Kendas I have tried which are the K761 and the K270. I tried to like the K270s but could never get comfortable with them on asphalt. The Shinko E 700 is the rear tire I just recently purchased. I think it will be fine on dirt roads. It is excellent on pavement and in combination with the Heidenau front I am comfortable at very aggressive lean angles. Solid grip on dry asphalt with none of the squirmy feeling. I have not tried a Shinko on the front. http://www.shinkotireusa.com/tire/700-series -- Ian Franciscohttps://plus.google.com/+IanFrancisco-CAPianomanhttps://www.facebook.com/CAPianomanhttp://www.scarletfuries.comhttp://jameskobexperience.com/