kawasaki tech rep sez "specs don't matter" - ??? wtfit???

[Ed Chait]

I recently suffered a bulging disk in my lumbar spine and subsequent numbness and weakness in my left leg and foot from a pinched nerve. I'm having surgery on the disk in a few days, but currently the only way I can shift my KLR is to reach and hook my heel under the shift lever and pull it up. I don't have enough strength in my left leg to pull it up with my toe. In case the surgery and/or rehab fails to restore enough strength to my leg, are there any solutions such as a heel-toe shifter that are available? Not sure this could work due to where the shifter shaft is located on the KLR, but thought I would inquire. I also see that there are electric shifters are available, although costly. Does anyone have any info and/or experience with these as regards the KLR? thanks, ed A17

[Michael Silverstein]

Cheer up, Ed. About three years ago I had a similar problem (ruptured lumbar disks), was in constant agony and couldn't walk more than a few yards without doubling over in pain. I didn't have surgery but my Dr. gave me medicine to reduce the swelling. Over a few weeks the toxic fluids from the ruptured disks dissipated from the surrounding tissue and I was able to start healing. Since then I've hiked and run hundreds of miles, shoveled many tons of earth and gravel, bicycled thousands of miles off and on road and of course, ridden my KLR as it was intended. I thought I would never do any of those things again but as long as I don't make any stupid movements like the kind that got me into that mess in the first place I can do everything I could before, including carrying my son who now weighs more than me on my back up a flight of stairs (when he'll let me). I think the key to healing for me was to stay active (after initial an rest period), bend right, and when something hurts stop doing it. Mike A18

> -----Original Message----- > From: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com > [mailto:DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Ed Chait > Sent: Sunday, November 13, 2005 6:15 PM > To: klr list > Subject: [DSN_KLR650] heel-toe shifter? > > > > I recently suffered a bulging disk in my lumbar spine and subsequent > numbness and weakness in my left leg and foot from a pinched nerve. > > I'm having surgery on the disk in a few days, but currently > the only way I > can shift my KLR is to reach and hook my heel under the shift > lever and pull > it up. I don't have enough strength in my left leg to pull > it up with my > toe. > > In case the surgery and/or rehab fails to restore enough > strength to my > leg, are there any solutions such as a heel-toe shifter that > are available? > Not sure this could work due to where the shifter shaft is > located on the > KLR, but thought I would inquire. > > I also see that there are electric shifters are available, > although costly. > Does anyone have any info and/or experience with these as > regards the KLR? > > thanks, > > ed > A17

-- Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.344 / Virus Database: 267.12.4/146 - Release Date: 10/21/2005

[Pat Schmid]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Ed Chait" wrote:

> > In case the surgery and/or rehab fails to restore enough strength

to my

> leg, are there any solutions such as a heel-toe shifter that are

available?

> Not sure this could work due to where the shifter shaft is located

on the

> KLR, but thought I would inquire. > > ed > A17 >

Ed, If you don't get enough strength back, let me know. I was looking over my bike and I think it would be an easy thing to build a heel-toe shifter. Given the right tubing, out to be able weld something to a shift lever that acts lick an extension to the shift shaft, and then come up with something welded onto the footpeg bracket for it to pivot on. The tube would then give you something to weld a heel level to. Tap the tube with a zerk fitting and you can keep the pivot point on the footpeg bracket lubed. Basically just taking the way Chevy/GMC did the bell crank for the manual clutch on the their old 60s trucks. They had a tube that slpped over a pivot point on the engine blocl and the other end was a bolt that slipped into a slotted plate welded to the frame. The clutch pedal attached at one spot and the lever to the clutch was about 2" over. Pat G'ville, NV

[Willy J]

could a lever be added that goes to the rear behind the peg? that way you shift up with your toe and shift down with your heel Ed Chait wrote: I recently suffered a bulging disk in my lumbar spine and subsequent numbness and weakness in my left leg and foot from a pinched nerve. I'm having surgery on the disk in a few days, but currently the only way I can shift my KLR is to reach and hook my heel under the shift lever and pull it up. I don't have enough strength in my left leg to pull it up with my toe. In case the surgery and/or rehab fails to restore enough strength to my leg, are there any solutions such as a heel-toe shifter that are available? Not sure this could work due to where the shifter shaft is located on the KLR, but thought I would inquire. I also see that there are electric shifters are available, although costly. Does anyone have any info and/or experience with these as regards the KLR? thanks, ed A17 Archive Quicksearch at: http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/klr650_data_search.html List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html Member Map at: http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650 Yahoo! Groups Links --------------------------------- Yahoo! FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Ed Chait]

> could a lever be added that goes to the rear behind the peg? > that way you shift up with your toe and shift down with your heel >

That is one possible solution, and by far the least expensive if doable. ed A17

[Ed Chait]

> Cheer up, Ed. > > About three years ago I had a similar problem (ruptured lumbar disks), > was in constant agony and couldn't walk more than a few yards without > doubling over in pain. I didn't have surgery but my Dr. gave me medicine > to reduce the swelling. Over a few weeks the toxic fluids from the > ruptured disks dissipated from the surrounding tissue and I was able to > start healing. > > Since then I've hiked and run hundreds of miles, shoveled many tons of > earth and gravel, bicycled thousands of miles off and on road and of > course, ridden my KLR as it was intended. I thought I would never do any > of those things again but as long as I don't make any stupid movements > like the kind that got me into that mess in the first place I can do > everything I could before, including carrying my son who now weighs more > than me on my back up a flight of stairs (when he'll let me). I think > the key to healing for me was to stay active (after initial an rest > period), bend right, and when something hurts stop doing it. > > Mike A18

Sometimes it works out that way, but sometimes it doesn't. I may already have suffered some permanent nerve damage, but I won't know until after the surgery. Thanks for your encouragement, however. I'm hoping for the best, but also planning for a less than ideal outcome. Whatever happens, I'm not giving up riding my KLR. ed A17

[Ed Chait]

>> In case the surgery and/or rehab fails to restore enough strength > to my >> leg, are there any solutions such as a heel-toe shifter that are > available? >> Not sure this could work due to where the shifter shaft is located > on the >> KLR, but thought I would inquire. >> >> ed >> A17 >> > > Ed, > If you don't get enough strength back, let me know. I was looking over > my bike and I think it would be an easy thing to build a heel-toe > shifter. Given the right tubing, out to be able weld something to a > shift lever that acts lick an extension to the shift shaft, and then > come up with something welded onto the footpeg bracket for it to pivot > on. The tube would then give you something to weld a heel level to. > Tap the tube with a zerk fitting and you can keep the pivot point on > the footpeg bracket lubed. > > Basically just taking the way Chevy/GMC did the bell crank for the > manual clutch on the their old 60s trucks. They had a tube that slpped > over a pivot point on the engine blocl and the other end was a bolt > that slipped into a slotted plate welded to the frame. The clutch > pedal attached at one spot and the lever to the clutch was about 2" over. > > Pat > G'ville, NV >

Thank you so much Pat. It seems as if you have the combination of creative thought and mechanical knowhow to accomplish this if need be. I will let you know how it goes. Regards, ed A17

[Rich Rakich]

> -----Original Message----- > From: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com > [mailto:DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Willy J > Sent: Monday, November 14, 2005 11:05 PM > To: dsn_klr650@yahoogroups.com > Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] heel-toe shifter? > > could a lever be added that goes to the rear behind the peg? > that way you shift up with your toe and shift down with your heel >

It would be shift up with your heel and down with your toe. Which is what I believe the OP was trying to accomplish.

[Willy J]

did i have it backwards??? yeah. theres a reason i dont have an engineering degree.. Rich Rakich wrote:

> -----Original Message----- > From: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com > [mailto:DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Willy J > Sent: Monday, November 14, 2005 11:05 PM > To: dsn_klr650@yahoogroups.com > Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] heel-toe shifter? > > could a lever be added that goes to the rear behind the peg? > that way you shift up with your toe and shift down with your heel >

It would be shift up with your heel and down with your toe. Which is what I believe the OP was trying to accomplish. Archive Quicksearch at: http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/klr650_data_search.html List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html Member Map at: http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650 Yahoo! Groups Links --------------------------------- Yahoo! FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[jokerloco9@aol.com]

How about pitching the whole Kawi temp guage altogether, and buy a car-type mechanical temp guage? Try Autometer guages. Jegs or summit racing. Around $50. Should be able to get an adapter to connenct to the engine head. Jeff A20 -----Original Message----- From: Jeff Layton To: RM ; DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Sent: Tue, 15 Nov 2005 17:57:30 -0600 Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] Kawasaki Tech Rep sez "specs don't matter" - ??? WTFIT??? Re: [DSN_KLR650] Kawasaki Tech Rep sez "specs don't matter" - ??? WTFIT???Fan cycles, no boil-over, IR thermometer reads ~8F higher than my friend, yet gauge reads waaaay too hot. Does anyone have the schematic of this gauge? Thanks Jeff

----- Original Message ----- From: RM To: Jeff Layton ; DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Sent: Tuesday, November 15, 2005 5:28 PM Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] Kawasaki Tech Rep sez "specs don't matter" - ??? WTFIT??? Does the bike actually run too hot? Any boil-over problems? Does the fan cycle on and off? If the bike's true operating temp is acceptable, maybe a 20 ohm resistor in series with the meter will do the trick. RM On Tue, 15 Nov 2005 16:40:16 -0600, "Jeff Layton" said: In the never-ending saga of my bike reading hot, if you recall, I found my temp meter reading out of spec. Page 222 in Clymer (and page 14-21 in the KAwasaki manual) -Black/Yellow to Yellow/White wires: 80-100 ohms (mine measures 55 ohms) -Brown to Yellow/white wires: 95-120 ohms (mine measures 112 ohms) I ordered a new temp meter from Ron Ayers (for over $50!!!) It arrived and had similar meter readings, and measured 55.9 ohms - also out of spec. (Note that I measured a friend's meter & found it to be IN spec - his bike also reads a lot cooler than mine!) I copied the pages from the manual & wrote up a long letter of explanation and sent the whole shebang to Ron Ayers. I just got a call from a lady there saying she talked to her techs and - get this - the Kawasaki tech - and both of them told her their meter is good. Of course, not being technical, she couldn't tell me why the specs in the manual didn't matter, but complained she was 'caught in the middle' and wanted to know what I wanted her to do. According to her, each meter would read different because of the different suppliers Kawasaki uses. I explained that's why there's a 20 ohm tolerance, and informed her there's a very standard way of getting engineering specifications into manufacturing tolerances, but that of course did no good. So, I'm back at the drawing board. Does anyone have a schematic of the inside of that meter to show me what coil this measurement is on, or what effect that out of spec reading would have on my bike's temp reading? Or better yet, does anyone have a temp meter that actually reads in-spec they want to sell me? [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Archive Quicksearch at: http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/klr650_data_search.html List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html Member Map at: http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650 Yahoo! Groups Links [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]