digest number 7630

[CA Stu]

http://www.motorcycledaily.com/23september06_klr650.htm

[Matt Knowles]

On Sep 23, 2006, at 9:58 AM, CA Stu wrote:

> http://www.motorcycledaily.com/23september06_klr650.htm

Well it sounds like there's a lot to like in the new model. Better alternator, stiffer forks, better brakes, better suspension, better seat. A bit more power, and a nicer fairing. I also like that it's still pretty recognizable as a KLR. Too bad the gearbox is still a 5 speed. I'll have to see it in person to judge the crash worthiness of it. My biggest disappoint is that I'm a long way from wearing out my 2001. Matt Knowles - Ferndale, CA - http://www.knowlesville.com/matt/motorcycles '99 Sprint ST - for going fast and far (2CZUSA) '01 KLR650 (A15) - for exploring the North Coast backroads '97 KLX300 & '01 Lakota - for playing in the dirt '79 KZ400 - just because it was the first vehicle I ever owned

[Blake Sobiloff]

On 9/23/06, Matt Knowles wrote:

> Well it sounds like there's a lot to like in the new model. Better > alternator, stiffer forks, better brakes, better suspension, better > seat. A bit more power, and a nicer fairing.

Don't forget a little larger gas tank, twin headlights, better radiator, and a "double engine balancer" revised balancer system! I'm not so keen on the reduced suspension travel, and we don't know what the overall weight is, but I'm guessing that it'll be a bit lardier than ever. [sigh] Really bummed there isn't a 6-speed transmission, and I doubt the new brakes offer much improvement (20 mm isn't that big of a difference--probably just enough to keep up with the additional weight). I think they're a bit off on their electrical specs, too; they keep saying the total system capacity is only 36W, but that can't be correct--that's not enough to even light the headlight! Working some numbers, I think they mean 236W, which at 17.5A gives us almost 14V. Sounds about right. Sure wish there were some HP/torque specs. -- Blake Sobiloff http://sobiloff.typepad.com/> http://sobiloff.typepad.com/klr_adventure/> San Jose, CA (USA) -- Blake Sobiloff http://sobiloff.typepad.com/> http://sobiloff.typepad.com/klr_adventure/> San Jose, CA (USA)

[Mike Frey]

Well I'll be darned. (I was looking for an "April Fools" note) Better brakes, more power. Maybe even a new doo? Looks like they made it more road worthy, whereas I would prefer they went the other way, a true 50/50 bike. We'll have to wait and see.

----- Original Message ----- From: CA Stu To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Sent: Saturday, September 23, 2006 12:58 PM Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Kawasaki updates the KLR for 2008? http://www.motorcycledaily.com/23september06_klr650.htm [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Krgrife@aol.com]

In a message dated 9/23/2006 10:37:02 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, sobiloff@... writes: Don't forget a little larger gas tank, twin headlights, better radiator, and a "double engine balancer" revised balancer system! <><><><><><><><> I didn't see "revised" and the balancer system is already a "double" with two balancer shafts so it will be interesting to see what they've done with it. Externally the bottom end looks the same as the old one. If they're ever going to address the doohickey this would certainly be the time. Kurt [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[E.L. Green]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Blake Sobiloff" wrote:

> > On 9/23/06, Matt Knowles wrote: > > Well it sounds like there's a lot to like in the new model. Better > > alternator, stiffer forks, better brakes, better suspension, better > > seat. A bit more power, and a nicer fairing. > > Don't forget a little larger gas tank,

Not sure of that. Claimed gas tank capacity is same as Kawasaki has always claimed for the KLR.

> twin headlights, better > radiator,

They probably had to change the radiator (and the thermostat) in order to get better temperature control in order to meet emissions. The headlights will be greatly appreciated though!

> and a "double engine balancer" revised balancer system!

Uhm, they didn't say they revised it. Look at the bigger picture at http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/Article_Page.aspx?ArticleID=3748&Page=1 You'll see that KHI hasn't changed anything about the engine that they weren't forced to change by emissions. The engine basically has a new head and new piston and rings, and that's it. That's all they had to do, so that's all they did. Well, they also upped the electrical capacity slightly to deal with the new headlight system, big whoop. My suspicion is that Eagle Mike is still in the doohickey business for a while to come :-}.

> > I'm not so keen on the reduced suspension travel, and we don't know > what the overall weight is, but I'm guessing that it'll be a bit > lardier than ever. [sigh]

Frame looks identical in the big Kawasaki publicity still too. Even the front engine mounts look identical. My suspicion is that there's basically no change in weight, or if any change, maybe 10 pounds more up at the beak.

> Really bummed there isn't a 6-speed transmission,

We're talking Kawasaki. They never redesign anything they don't have to redesign LOL! It's clear from the publicity stills that they haven't touched the bottom end of the engine, other than to perhaps re-balance the crankshaft for the new piston.

> and I doubt the new > brakes offer much improvement (20 mm isn't that big of a > difference--probably just enough to keep up with the additional > weight).

Any improvement is welcome. The stock front brake is pretty scary on the street.

> Sure wish there were some HP/torque specs.

Kawasaki has never released HP/torque specs for the current KLR. Why do you expect them to do so for the new one? _E

[E.L. Green]

Just finished looking at the big pictures of the new KLR at: http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/Galleries_Featured.aspx?Gallery=855&Main=2&Sub=19&PostBack=1&Media=1 Some thoughts: The frame looks identical, as does the gas tank and the engine crankcase and the engine mounts and the airbox/battery box. It appears that my skidplate and the Happy Trails highway pegs will bolt straight on. I suspect my Corbin seat would also bolt straight on. It appears that my Givi racks will bolt straight on too -- it bolts to the turn signal location on the rack and to the rear peg bolt, and both of those are there and accounted for. Lots of KLR aftermarket suppliers are going to be breathing a sigh of relief. About the only thing that won't bolt up is HT radiator guards, due to the new radiator and shrouds. And of course the PD Nerf aren't going to work either for the same reason -- the radiator is wider. The plastics are all new, but it appears they're bolted onto the same places as the old plastics. Weight should be identical to the current KLR, with the exception that the new forks are obviously heavier than the wimpy old ones. The seat has been re-shaped and given more foam. No more sitting on frame rails after 500 miles. Probably one of the reasons they dropped the suspension slightly, they wanted to keep the seat height the same. This should also make it more comfortable for tall people. I ride the Corbin Flat mostly because it puts me higher above the pegs -- with the stock seat, my knees hurt on long rides, with the Corbin, they never do. In one of the photos, I see the bottom of the carburetor. Apparently no fuel injection on the 2008 KLR -- yet. The new head and piston obviously would allow it to be fitted. It's the same old heavy muffler and exhaust pipe we're familiar with. No catalytic converter -- yet. The muffler and exhaust pipe system is certainly bulky enough to fit one tho! The front suspension is obviously new. Looking at the photos, though, it appears they have new rear swingarms too. The new swingarms have a slightly rounded profile, as vs. the flat profile of the current ones. Aftermarket brake caliper relocation brackets for the "old" KLR aren't going to work on the new fork, obviously. But the wheels look the same, so if you have an aftermarket Galfer or EBC disc, it should bolt up. Then all you'll need is the new bracket (sigh!). But the brakes look like they're good enough as-is and thus waiting for the aftermarket is acceptable. Obviously fork springs are going to be an issue. Kawasaki makes their fork springs of the finest compressed oatmeal, they sag badly after a few thousand miles regardless of which Kawasaki you buy. It appears that they may actually have good enough fork seals in this guy though to actually pump air into the forks without worrying about blowing the seals. That will certainly help. My suspicion is that they needed new shrouds to accomodate the larger radiator necessary to control the temperature more tightly in order to meet the new emission standards. The new shrouds, in order to get the air flow right to the radiator, hit the current fairing, so they needed a new fairing. So they restyled the front end at the same time. I think it's ugly faux-BMW myself, but hey, the current KLR isn't exactly a beauty pageant winner either . The interesting thing will be noting how long it takes the boys at Happy Trail to gin up some new PD Nerf bars to protect the bigger radiator and plastics... my suspicion is that six weeks after the first new KLR hits Boise, we'll have new PD Nerfs . It is not clear, from looking at the thing, whether the current IMS tank will fit over the new radiator. My suspicion is that it would -- the IMS tank has laughably sloppy tolerances, but this is one place where it'd come in handy. http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/Article_Page.aspx?ArticleID=3748&Page=1 All in all, it looks like this is an evolution of the KLR, not a redesign. Kawasaki fixed what needed fixing, did a bit of restyling while doing so, and didn't touch what they didn't need to touch. It doesn't look quite as dirt-worthy as the current KLR, but let's face it, the current KLR isn't all that dirt-worthy anyhow -- it's just too bleepin' heavy and bulky to be a good dirt bike. -E

[Blake Sobiloff]

On 9/23/06, E.L. Green wrote:

> --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Blake Sobiloff" wrote: > > Don't forget a little larger gas tank, > > Not sure of that. Claimed gas tank capacity is same as Kawasaki has > always claimed for the KLR.

I'll be darned--you're right! I guess I was thinking of the effective capacity.

> They probably had to change the radiator (and the thermostat) in order > to get better temperature control in order to meet emissions.

Yep. I wonder how we can get Bill Watson to evaluate the new cooling system...

> > and a "double engine balancer" revised balancer system! > > Uhm, they didn't say they revised it.

Sigh, right again. Wishful thinking, I guess. -- Blake Sobiloff http://sobiloff.typepad.com/> http://sobiloff.typepad.com/klr_adventure/> San Jose, CA (USA)

[Krgrife@aol.com]

In a message dated 9/23/2006 1:33:47 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, eric@... writes: Any improvement is welcome. The stock front brake is pretty scary on the street. <><><><><><><><><><> One of the photos does show what looks like a dual piston caliper on the front which could be a lot better than current. Kurt [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Bogdan Swider]

On 9/23/06 10:58 AM, "CA Stu" wrote:

> http://www.motorcycledaily.com/23september06_klr650.htm

I don't understand why in this day and time they didn't go for fuel injection. BMW singles - thus fitted - get 70 mpg. Bogdan