moose bash plate question

[robbybar@zdnetmail.com]

This questions shows just how new I am to this sport. I have a 2000 KLR, yes, the military model. How do I clean this thing? I've had it for about 3 months and it's filthy. Unlike a car, there are way too many nucks and crannies on this bike. I need a fast, painless way to wash it. What should I do? Thanks, Robby Also, on an unrelated note, the clutch lever vibrates like crazy at low rpm and makes an annoying tinny noise. How can I fasten it?

[Robert E. Faircloth, D.M.D.]

  ----- Original Message ----- From: robbybar@...> To: DSN_klr650@egroups.com> Sent: Saturday, September 23, 2000 12:59 PM Subject: [DSN_klr650] Cleaning [color=#000000]> This questions shows just how new I am to this sport.  I have a 2000

>

KLR, yes, the military model.  How do I clean this thing?  I've had

> it for about 3 months and it's filthy.  Unlike a car, there are

way

> too many nucks and crannies on this bike.  I need a fast,

painless

> way to wash it.  What should I do? >

[i][/color][/i][b]Ride it in the rain, works for me.[/b][/color] > > Thanks,

> > Robby > > Also, on an unrelated note, the clutch lever vibrates like crazy at > low rpm and makes an annoying tinny noise.  How can I fasten

it? [b]Remove handle cover and tighten bolt that goes through clutch lever and clutch lever bracket.  Don't over tighten.[/b] [b][/b]  [b]Robert[/b] [b]A13[/b]

[George Basinet]

robbybar@... wrote:

> This questions shows just how new I am to this sport. I have a 2000 > KLR, yes, the military model. How do I clean this thing? I've had > it for about 3 months and it's filthy. Unlike a car, there are way > too many nucks and crannies on this bike. I need a fast, painless > way to wash it. What should I do? > > Thanks, > > Robby >

Robby, You don't have to. Kawasaki wash it at the factory. Enjoy it George Escondido, CA

[Kurt Simpson (Editor Dual Sport News)]

> This questions shows just how new I am to this sport. I have a 2000 > KLR, yes, the military model. How do I clean this thing? I've had > it for about 3 months and it's filthy. Unlike a car, there are way > too many nucks and crannies on this bike. I need a fast, painless > way to wash it. What should I do?

There is a great book out on how to detail your bike. Everything you'd like to know. Boils down to buy a bunch of different small disposable paint brushes...tooth brushes...etc. and use Meguiar's everything.... Get a big bucket of warm water, buy a bottle of car wash liquid. Mix. Buy a couple of wash mits. Hose down the bike thoroughly. Need only be careful not to put water in the exhaust pipe hole. Start from the top and work down rinsing often. Don't wash in direct sunlight. Rinse...lots of suds...change water often. Rinse. When you get to very dirty parts. Use a different wash mit so you don't bring grit to body parts. Lots of suds, wash spokes, rims, steering arm frame. Rinse. Lots of suds...rinse. Dry with Chamois or one of those miracle absorbers you can get for $8 that make great adventure touring towels. Now you are 1/3 done. Now get some good liquid or past wax with Carnuba. Wax and polish everything in sight except your seat. Lots of clean dry white cloths for polish. Now you are 1/2 done. Now remove your side panels and seat. Clean everything in sight with Simple Green or WD-40 or both. All the while look for anything a miss, loose nuts bolts, tighten everything. Look for wires. Battery overflow in place? Anything loose take out all the way and put Loctite blue on it and put it back in. Now you're 2/3 done. Get the bike on a stand and by hand rotate the rear wheel spraying the chain with WD-40 and wiping with a cloth held between the wheel and the countershaftsprocket...be careful not to get your fingers caught in anything. Adust your balancer chain while you're down there. Check your chain tension. Spray some chain wax on the cleaned chain or wait until later after it is warm. Spray all the front swingarm joints with WD-40 or Simple Green and get in there and clean. Do the same up under the fenders and on the underside of the bike. Lube your sidestand. Lube your cables. Call it good. I did this as a gift to my friend Fireball when he came in from his Alaska foray...he left almost in tears not from my generosity but because I had made his well toured Alaskan mudball into a beautiful KLR again. He had lost his legacy...(g) Kurt

[Fred Hink]

[b][/b] 

----- Original Message ----- [b]From:[/b] dsneditor@... [b]To:[/b] drrobert@... ; DSN_klr650@egroups.com ; robbybar@... [b]Sent:[/b] Saturday, September 23, 2000 1:18 PM [b]Subject:[/b] RE: [DSN_klr650] Cleaning I did this as a gift to my friend Fireball when he came in from his Alaska foray...he left almost in tears not from my generosity but because I had made his well toured Alaskan mudball into a beautiful KLR again. He had lost his legacy...(g) Kurt [b]Thanks Kurt,[/b] [b]I tried to get Fireball to ride the White Rim with me and he wouldn't hear of it.  Stu will never be the same again.[/b] [b][/b]  [b]Fred[/b]

[Kurt Simpson (Editor Dual Sport News)]

yeah, it was like I was cutting his hair...his strength...   Kurt

-----Original Message----- [b]From:[/b] Fred Hink [mailto:moabmc@...] [b]Sent:[/b] Saturday, September 23, 2000 6:19 PM [b]To:[/b] DSN_klr650@egroups.com [b]Subject:[/b] Re: [DSN_klr650] Cleaning [b][/b]  ----- Original Message ----- [b]From:[/b] dsneditor@... [b]To:[/b] drrobert@... ; DSN_klr650@egroups.com ; robbybar@... [b]Sent:[/b] Saturday, September 23, 2000 1:18 PM [b]Subject:[/b] RE: [DSN_klr650] Cleaning I did this as a gift to my friend Fireball when he came in from his Alaska foray...he left almost in tears not from my generosity but because I had made his well toured Alaskan mudball into a beautiful KLR again. He had lost his legacy...(g) Kurt [b]Thanks Kurt,[/b] [b]I tried to get Fireball to ride the White Rim with me and he wouldn't hear of it.  Stu will never be the same again.[/b] [b][/b]  [b]Fred[/b]

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[Karl Raupp]

> How do I clean this thing?

That's easy! Start 'er up, throw a leg over 'er and head through a muck puddle as often as necessary to coat 'er with a good layer of muck real nice like. Cleaning is only required so you can get the bike reasonably clean for working on it, ie valve adjustments. I really like the atttention the bike gets when it's plastered with mud and dirt. The squids kinda just look the bike up and down and nod in approval. Kids cheer me. Guys in minivans look at the bike with such green envy you gotta just smile from ear to ear. I love it!

> Also, on an unrelated note, the clutch lever vibrates like crazy at > low rpm and makes an annoying tinny noise. How can I fasten it?,

Mine too. Drives me nuts. What I do when I ride it press a finger or two outwards against the lever to stop the vibrating/rattling. I've tightened it a few times but it just rattles loose again. It's just second nature now and I don't even realize I'm doing it. TTYL Karl

[D.J. Rogers]

Rob, I swear to God a guy told me this, and I shook my head but haven't proved him wrong yet. He used Bilge Cleaner (like in a boat's bilge) that he gets at a marine supply store. Says it disolves the oil and gunk on his old Suzuki but leaves the paint behind. Spray it on a cold engine, etc, let it set a few minutes, then hose it off. I duuno, but his bike is pretty clean for one that has a slight oil leak. Cheers, D. GBG eh14

[bigmotomama@aol.com]

Why would anyone want to wash a dual purpose bike? It's not a Harley. They whole reason I bought mine and got rid of my Harley was so that I wouldn't feel guilty riding a dirty bike! Motomama

[Kurt Simpson (Editor Dual Sport News)]

would anyone want to wash a dual purpose bike? It's not a Harley.

> They whole reason I bought mine and got rid of my Harley was so that > I wouldn't feel guilty riding a dirty bike!

I agree, but the truth is it is the best way of finding whatever is coming loose or about to go wrong. I was telling Fireball that in all of the years that I've done a good thorough cleaning I have yet to not find something that needed fixing... Kurt