pilot screw / idle mixture screw????????

[takes2serious]

I have an A18. I rode it for a while without doing anything to the front brakes. Then I had a panic stop. I changed to a braided ss line on the front. Didn't upgrade the pads. Certainly didn't change rotors. Didn't touch the rear brakes at all. I just wanted a better feel and quicker bite on the front brakes. Personally, I believe that a ss braided line will help in that area. Randy

--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "Mike Frey" wrote: > One of the highly recommended mods for our KLRs is to improve the front > brake. > > I can lock up the front wheel on my A18 on the street. It does require a > healthy squeeze. I'm wondering if Kawasaki improved that recently. The KLR's > braking seems linear and adequate. Not great, just OK. But I don't see the > need to improve it - yet. > > Not a big guy, I'm only 168 pounds - maybe that makes a difference...? > > Mike

[James]

> I changed to a braided ss line on the front. Didn't upgrade the > pads. Certainly didn't change rotors. Didn't touch the rear brakes > at all. I just wanted a better feel and quicker bite on the front > brakes. Personally, I believe that a ss braided line will help in > that area. > Randy > --- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "Mike Frey" wrote: > > One of the highly recommended mods for our KLRs is to improve the > front > > brake. > > I can lock up the front wheel on my A18 on the street. It does > require a > > healthy squeeze. I'm wondering if Kawasaki improved that recently. > The KLR's > > braking seems linear and adequate. Not great, just OK. But I don't > see the > > need to improve it - yet. > > Not a big guy, I'm only 168 pounds - maybe that makes a > difference...? > > Mike

____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________ I go about 6'2--275 and installed the front SS line. What a remarkable change! It's like night and day compared to the stocker. I was going to get one of those 320MM rotors, but the brake (w/stock pads--original to boot) it's all good. now. And no, I could not lock it up. Big Jim

[dirtrooster2003]

I weigh in at 235 and usually carry about 30 lbs of gear and have no trouble with the stock brakes lines and pads on my a18.

--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "Mike Frey" wrote: > One of the highly recommended mods for our KLRs is to improve the front > brake. > > I can lock up the front wheel on my A18 on the street. It does require a > healthy squeeze. I'm wondering if Kawasaki improved that recently. The KLR's > braking seems linear and adequate. Not great, just OK. But I don't see the > need to improve it - yet. > > Not a big guy, I'm only 168 pounds - maybe that makes a difference...? > > Mike

[rsanders30117]

Each to his own. If you're satisfied with whatever, that's OK with me. I wasn't satisfied with my KLR's braking riding 95% of the time on the street. I installed a MAP Engineering oversized front brake & the improvement is extremely obvious (at least to me). A larger diameter rotor is absolutely an improvement over the OEM rotor, it has more surface area to release heat & longer moment arm for more braking torque. I want the best brakes I can get to bail me out in an emergency situation & oversize front brake rotors trumps all other brake modifications. --- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "dirtrooster2003" wrote:

> I weigh in at 235 and usually carry about 30 lbs of gear and have

no

> trouble with the stock brakes lines and pads on my a18. > > --- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "Mike Frey" wrote: > > One of the highly recommended mods for our KLRs is to improve the > front > > brake. > > > > I can lock up the front wheel on my A18 on the street. It does > require a > > healthy squeeze. I'm wondering if Kawasaki improved that

recently.

> The KLR's > > braking seems linear and adequate. Not great, just OK. But I

don't

> see the > > need to improve it - yet. > > > > Not a big guy, I'm only 168 pounds - maybe that makes a > difference...? > > > > Mike

[John]

I find it interesting that almost everyone who is saying the front brake is OK is on an A18. I ordered a stainless line the other day to improve mine ($44 from Happy Trails- about $15 less than everyone else, thanks guys). When researching the part numbers I noticed that the buykawasaki.com front brake diagram for an A18 specifically says "(A18/A19)". So maybe something was improved here, since it is a different part number and haven't heard any complaints so far. John A18

--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "Mike Frey" wrote: > One of the highly recommended mods for our KLRs is to improve the front > brake. > > I can lock up the front wheel on my A18 on the street. It does require a > healthy squeeze. I'm wondering if Kawasaki improved that recently. The KLR's > braking seems linear and adequate. Not great, just OK. But I don't see the > need to improve it - yet. > > Not a big guy, I'm only 168 pounds - maybe that makes a difference...? > > Mike

[kdxkawboy@aol.com]

In a message dated 2004-09-03 5:11:14 AM Pacific Daylight Time, mike21b@... writes:

> > One of the highly recommended mods for our KLRs is to improve the front > brake. > > I can lock up the front wheel on my A18 on the street. It does require a > healthy squeeze. I'm wondering if Kawasaki improved that recently. The KLR's > braking seems linear and adequate. Not great, just OK. But I don't see the > need to improve it - yet. > > Not a big guy, I'm only 168 pounds - maybe that makes a difference...? > > Mike >

Putting on a steel brake line improves the linear feel and makes it easier to get all the braking the KLR has to offer, which has been good enough for me as well. The biggest problem with the KLR is just the simple fact it has a tall, skinny front tire that doesn't have the same stopping grip as the smaller, fatter tires typically found on street bikes, but then that same tall skinny tire is what works so much better for braking when you get in the dirt because instead of floating on the surface like the smaller, fatter tires, the skinny 21" wants to knife into the dirt. One of the things with a KLR, and its longer travel suspension, is to get maximum braking on the street you need to master the use of the rear brake. By making sure you crank in the rear you can get the rear suspension to squat, pulling back some of the weight off the front wheel, allowing the forks to extend a bit more, balancing the bikes weight a bit better and giving the front wheel more braking power to be applied. My own feeling about learning good braking skills, especially since all of you have a dirt bike, is to forgo the parking lot practice and head for an empty, straight section of dirt road. Start out practicing low speed, 2nd gear stops. Get comfortable with the fact that despite what the expects say, you can control a bike with both wheels skidding to a stop. The only trick is you have to get you butt out of the saddle and stand up so it becomes easy to keep the bike balanced in a straight line - as long as the front wheel keeps pointing straight it won't high side you. With time you will get very comfortable with braking either wheel right up to the point of skidding and you will develop a touch for keeping the brakes just short of this point. It will also build in the habit of always using the rear brake when you go grab the front. Once you have developed the motor skills such that you are judging your braking by what you feel at the wheels and starting to instinctively adjust your braking pressure to meet the needs then go back to the parking lot. In short order I think you'll notice a big improvement in your stopping distances. Since we all seem to get focused on being able to brake quickly in a panic stop, there is something else to consider in a panic situation. An experienced rider can swerve a bike to avoid an obstacle in less distance than it takes to brake. Part of the purpose of spending the practice time in the dirt is to help get you to the point where it takes such little mental effort to control the brakes that you have the mental capacity to drink in and process all the other data, such as the ability to spot a hole that you could swerve into to avoid a collision. Pat G'ville, Nv [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[dirtrooster2003]

This is a good explanation of how to control your bike. I mostly have ridden dirt bikes over my 30+ years of riding and every time i get into a pannic type situation on the street i find myself standing on the pegs. I unconsionly revert to dirt bike mode. I also corner by pushing the bike down and sitting on the edge of the seat instead of leaning into it.

--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, kdxkawboy@a... wrote: > In a message dated 2004-09-03 5:11:14 AM Pacific Daylight Time, > mike21b@d... writes: > > > > > One of the highly recommended mods for our KLRs is to improve the front > > brake. > > > > I can lock up the front wheel on my A18 on the street. It does require a > > healthy squeeze. I'm wondering if Kawasaki improved that recently. The KLR's > > braking seems linear and adequate. Not great, just OK. But I don't see the > > need to improve it - yet. > > > > Not a big guy, I'm only 168 pounds - maybe that makes a difference...? > > > > Mike > > > > Putting on a steel brake line improves the linear feel and makes it easier to > get all the braking the KLR has to offer, which has been good enough for me > as well. The biggest problem with the KLR is just the simple fact it has a > tall, skinny front tire that doesn't have the same stopping grip as the smaller, > fatter tires typically found on street bikes, but then that same tall skinny > tire is what works so much better for braking when you get in the dirt because > instead of floating on the surface like the smaller, fatter tires, the skinny > 21" wants to knife into the dirt. > > One of the things with a KLR, and its longer travel suspension, is to get > maximum braking on the street you need to master the use of the rear brake. By > making sure you crank in the rear you can get the rear suspension to squat, > pulling back some of the weight off the front wheel, allowing the forks to extend > a bit more, balancing the bikes weight a bit better and giving the front wheel > more braking power to be applied. > > My own feeling about learning good braking skills, especially since all of > you have a dirt bike, is to forgo the parking lot practice and head for an > empty, straight section of dirt road. Start out practicing low speed, 2nd gear > stops. Get comfortable with the fact that despite what the expects say, you can > control a bike with both wheels skidding to a stop. The only trick is you have > to get you butt out of the saddle and stand up so it becomes easy to keep the > bike balanced in a straight line - as long as the front wheel keeps pointing > straight it won't high side you. > > With time you will get very comfortable with braking either wheel right up to > the point of skidding and you will develop a touch for keeping the brakes > just short of this point. It will also build in the habit of always using the > rear brake when you go grab the front. Once you have developed the motor skills > such that you are judging your braking by what you feel at the wheels and > starting to instinctively adjust your braking pressure to meet the needs then go > back to the parking lot. In short order I think you'll notice a big improvement > in your stopping distances. > > Since we all seem to get focused on being able to brake quickly in a panic > stop, there is something else to consider in a panic situation. An experienced > rider can swerve a bike to avoid an obstacle in less distance than it takes to > brake. Part of the purpose of spending the practice time in the dirt is to > help get you to the point where it takes such little mental effort to control the > brakes that you have the mental capacity to drink in and process all the > other data, such as the ability to spot a hole that you could swerve into to avoid > a collision. > > Pat > G'ville, Nv > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Bogdan Swider]

to get maximum braking on the street you need to master the use of the rear brake. I found that changing to a steel line made a bigger difference in the rear than the front. Before - on the rear - all I felt was mush. Now I have some feedback. Nothing great but way better than before. Bogdan

[kdxkawboy@aol.com]

In a message dated 2004-09-04 7:48:31 AM Pacific Daylight Time, BSwider@... writes:

> to get maximum braking on the street you need to master the use of the rear > brake. > > I found that changing to a steel line made a bigger difference in the rear > than the front. Before - on the rear - all I felt was mush. Now I have some > feedback. Nothing great but way better than before. > > Bogdan >

I'd agree. With the stock rubber line the rear brake was more like a light switch because that was the only feedback it gave me. The only thing I can think of to say good about rubber brake hoses is that they are going to wear out in a couple of years and need replacing anyway. Pat G'ville, Nv [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[kdxkawboy@aol.com]

In a message dated 2004-09-04 8:21:31 AM Pacific Daylight Time, dirtrooster2003@... writes:

> > This is a good explanation of how to control your bike. I mostly > have ridden dirt bikes over my 30+ years of riding and every time i > get into a pannic type situation on the street i find myself > standing on the pegs. I unconsionly revert to dirt bike mode. I > also corner by pushing the bike down and sitting on the edge of the > seat instead of leaning into it. > >

I like that word, unconsciencously ... the years of dirt biking have trained me so I don't really think about what I am doing with the controls. I use my eyes to point me where I want to go and a little autopilot in my head just seems to get it done. BTW, I push the inside handle bar into the turn as well. Being an old skier as well as a dirt biker it just feels more comfortable to balance my weight to the outside of the turn. Then, from reading Twist of a Wrist I learned it was just a good way to get a bike to turn tighter with less lean. I guess it was skiing that made me comfortable with moving my balance from the outside down low to the inside as the g' forces increased. At SL race speeds you kept you weight solidly planted on your outside foot, but as you increased your speed to GS levels you had to learn of to still feel your balance on that outside foot as leaned to the inside to counter balance the g's. I guess that's my way of saying while leaning into a turn is doable and good rush - I do love the felling of swooping through a turn - its not the technique that gets the most out of your bike. Out in the dirt, unless you have a berm to rail against, if you try to lean into a turn odds are the bike is going to lowside out from under you. Youse guys all have bikes that can be run in the dirt. When of what I thought was the best findings of the famous Hurt study was riders with both extensive dirt biking experience to go with their street skills had the lowest accident rate of all motorcyclists. So low that Hurt even called it a statistical anomaly that perhaps it just represented the noise of the random chance of real bad luck happening as most all of them represented accidents caused by cagers violating the biker's right-of-way. So if you are worried about being safe on the street, go ride some more dirt. Pat G'ville, Nv [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]