photo of majorly modified '97 klr

[klr234]

Hello folks, I am new to this listserv and would like to ask anyone out there about a question I have about the KLR-650. I am a really big guy: 6'1" and 315 pounds. According to my research, the dry weight of the KLR is 337 pounds. Add about 40 pounds for 6 gallons of gas, that is up to about 380 pounds. The gross vehicle weight is about 890 pounds. That means that with my bulk, that only leaves about 95 pounds of room left. My question is can I ride this bike without it being a problem? Any other large folks out there who can comment from experience? What issues might there be with repairs? I don't intend to do lots of off-road riding (95/5), but my commute to work takes me on several dirt roads. Thank you all very much, Chris Clarke

[dooden]

Well currently I am hurting the scales at like 240, but have'nt carried that pack of smokes in a year now. Major lifestyle change happening in about 108 days however, and expect to loose alot. But anyhow, I have rode my KLR with my wife on the back she is maybe 110 soaking wet with helmet. The bike handles us fine, even during my breakin period, has plenty of power at the lower RPM's as needed. Obviously I would'nt want to get rough off-road with my wife on the back, nor would I attempt it. I do think if I was to ride alot with both of us on the bike I would add the progressive springs in the front, and maybe the back also, I have yet to adjust the rear shock for effect. Lets see what others say. Duden

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "klr234" wrote: > Hello folks, > > I am new to this listserv and would like to ask anyone out > there about a question I have about the KLR-650. I am a really > big guy: 6'1" and 315 pounds. According to my research, the dry > weight of the KLR is 337 pounds. Add about 40 pounds for 6 gallons > of gas, that is up to about 380 pounds. The gross vehicle weight > is about 890 pounds. That means that with my bulk, that only leaves > about 95 pounds of room left. > > My question is can I ride this bike without it being a > problem? Any other large folks out there who can comment from > experience? What issues might there be with repairs? I don't > intend to do lots of off-road riding (95/5), but my commute to work > takes me on several dirt roads. > > Thank you all very much, > > Chris Clarke

[Zachariah Mully]

Well, I know that my KLR is wayyy undersprung for my weight (220lbs). I have KLX front forks with the stock springs and unknown oil weight and a White Power rear shock with the preload set about 2/5 of the way down. In jersey the rear was bottoming left and right with me on it, but when Devon got on it (he must be about buck sixty when wet and carrying a 50 pound bag of qwik-crete , he said that it was sprung about right for him. Us bigguys are always going to have problems as all bikes seem to be sprung for the rare 160lbs rider. The stock setup is seriously undersprung for our weight, so I would definitely look at the progressive rear spring, and talk to race-tech about a set of front springs... I think that the LR progressives (when I had my stock KLR noodle front end) were far too soft for my weight and riding style. Race-tech should be able to get you a nice set of straight rate springs made up specifically for your weight. I have no idea what weight they'd be, I don't even know what the stockers are, but anything is an improvement. Z SE DC A5 KLR650X "Buster" A1 ZG1000 "Turd"

On Tue, 2002-02-26 at 13:34, dooden wrote: > Well currently I am hurting the scales at like 240, but have'nt > carried that pack of smokes in a year now. Major lifestyle change > happening in about 108 days however, and expect to loose alot. > But anyhow, I have rode my KLR with my wife on the back she is maybe > 110 soaking wet with helmet. The bike handles us fine, even during my > breakin period, has plenty of power at the lower RPM's as needed. > > Obviously I would'nt want to get rough off-road with my wife on the > back, nor would I attempt it. > > I do think if I was to ride alot with both of us on the bike I would > add the progressive springs in the front, and maybe the back also, I > have yet to adjust the rear shock for effect. > > Lets see what others say. > > Duden > > > > > > --- In DSN_klr650@y..., "klr234" wrote: > > Hello folks, > > > > I am new to this listserv and would like to ask anyone out > > there about a question I have about the KLR-650. I am a really > > big guy: 6'1" and 315 pounds. According to my research, the dry > > weight of the KLR is 337 pounds. Add about 40 pounds for 6 gallons > > of gas, that is up to about 380 pounds. The gross vehicle weight > > is about 890 pounds. That means that with my bulk, that only leaves > > about 95 pounds of room left. > > > > My question is can I ride this bike without it being a > > problem? Any other large folks out there who can comment from > > experience? What issues might there be with repairs? I don't > > intend to do lots of off-road riding (95/5), but my commute to work > > takes me on several dirt roads. > > > > Thank you all very much, > > > > Chris Clarke > > > Checkout Dual Sport News at > http://www.dualsportnews.com > Be part of the Adventure! > > Visit the KLR650 archives at > http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=klr650 > > Post message: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com > Subscribe: DSN_klr650-subscribe@yahoogroups.com > Unsubscribe: DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > List owner: DSN_klr650-owner@yahoogroups.com > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > >

[RM]

On Tue, 26 Feb 2002, dooden wrote:

>I do think if I was to ride alot with both of us on the bike I would add >the progressive springs in the front, and maybe the back also, I have >yet to adjust the rear shock for effect.

Not to beat the dead horse again, but off-roading with a passenger makes one a prime candidate for upgraded sub-frame attachments. As for the rear shock adjustment, I was stubborn at first but now I regret it. Carrying a passenger demands maximum preload. Increasing the damping adjuster on the shock doesn't seem to help all that much, since it only controls rebound and what's really needed is more compression damping. RM

[Timothy Royer]

Chris I not a small guy, 5'11" 285, and I have had my KLR for over 5 years and put over 20,000 miles on it both fire road and highway, and as long as you care for it and don't try getting to much air time on it, it will be a faithfull stead. Tim Royer 98 KLR, Kawthump, the back road bomber --- klr234 wrote:

> Hello folks, > > I am new to this listserv and would like to > ask anyone out > there about a question I have about the KLR-650. I > am a really > big guy: 6'1" and 315 pounds. According to my > research, the dry > weight of the KLR is 337 pounds. Add about 40 > pounds for 6 gallons > of gas, that is up to about 380 pounds. The gross > vehicle weight > is about 890 pounds. That means that with my bulk, > that only leaves > about 95 pounds of room left. > > My question is can I ride this bike without it > being a > problem? Any other large folks out there who can > comment from > experience? What issues might there be with > repairs? I don't > intend to do lots of off-road riding (95/5), but my > commute to work > takes me on several dirt roads. > > Thank you all very much, > > Chris Clarke > > > > > > > > Checkout Dual Sport News at > http://www.dualsportnews.com > Be part of the Adventure! > > Visit the KLR650 archives at > http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=klr650 > > Post message: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com > Subscribe: DSN_klr650-subscribe@yahoogroups.com > Unsubscribe: DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > > List owner: DSN_klr650-owner@yahoogroups.com > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > >

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[hens_p]

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