battery water level and charge

[Arden Kysely]

Unfortunately, you need to remove the whole battery to be able to see the electrolyte level in all of the cells, and to top them off. The battery slides right out after you disconnect the wires from the terminals and take off the plate that holds it in. The plastic piece that goes over the top and down the side of the battery comes out with it. I top mine off when I remember, maybe every two months or so. You shouldn't need a maintenance charge if you ride your bike regularly, unless you take really short rides. Check the voltage--it should be a few tenths over 12. If it's around 10.5, you've got a bad cell and need a new battery. Can't wait for someone to make a direct replacement AGM type battery for the KLR! Arden Kysely A11 "Mr. K"

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., pguerra@s... wrote: > Hi everybody: > Had a battery question. > I tried to check my battery water level a week ago and noticed that I > couldn't see a water level. I suspect that it is overfilled but then > again could be very low. > How often do most people top theirs off? > Do you really have to remove the fuses and all that stuff to get at > the fill plugs? > Should I give it a maint. charge every few months? > Thanks, > Paul > A15

[Roberts Vernon]

I'm in the process of getting my short bed Silverado set up for bike loading and carrying also and have found the comments to date reassuring and consistent with my plan. An additional item I've got for the plan is to utilize a piece of half inch plywood, cut to fit the bed and pushed full forward, which will use one of the aftermarket wheel chocks installed to the plywood at the front of the bed to keep the wheel loading off the forward part of the bed and help stabilize the front wheel of the bike. This could also be moved to other pickups as need be. The thought here is to prevent localized loading of the forward wall of the pickup bed and prevent the bed from bowing as some beds I've seen. This may not really be necessary but I thought I would give it a try. Also, when towing some trailers the use of the tailgate in the lowered position precludes full articulation of the trailer. On the Silverado, and presumably on other pickups, the tailgate can be run at an approximate "45 degree reclining angle" by running the tailgate restraining cables over the lock pins for the tailgate latches. This would allow most bikes to longitudinally fit the short bed pickups without fully lowering the tailgate if desired. Haven't tried it in actual on the road operation yet but plan to soon!! Finally, I've got a really nice '94 KLX650C (street legal dual sport version of KLX650) which is too tall for my 55 year old 30 inch legs. This is the teal and black color scheme version. The bike has 2900 pampered paved back road miles (no comments please), a new rear Metzler Sahara tire, and a not installed Supertrapp EAR system. I would be interested in trade up or down for W650 (this bike has made me a Kawasaki believer) or small street legal trail bike (XR200L, TLR200, Yamaha XT125/200/225, KLR250, Super Sherpa, or similar). I would like to get about $2700 on straight sale for the KLX650C. Reply offline if interested. Jpeg pix available. Vernon Roberts Northern Virginia SR500, XT350, Old Triumphs, etc. robertv@...