pitcock on/off when parked ?

[usa1911a1]

I totally agree with your findings E. I feel very comfortable in the sidewinds. Trucks passing get my attention but I am comfortable with that now as well. Capt. Bob in Durham, CT. USA

----- Original Message ----- From: "E.L. Green" To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Thursday, December 07, 2006 7:05 PM Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: New to KLR650 and the group --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Randall Marbach wrote: > This weekend on the ride home from the Arghhhh Polar > Ride north of Ojai, I was kinda disappointed in how the KLR was > handling with a full camping load. It seemed to be bobbing more than I > recall and I was having trouble pulling a headwind in the Fillmore > area. When I started getting pelted with gravel sized rocks, I started > getting suspicious. > > It wasn't until I got home and saw the news, > that I realized I was riding in gale (70 mph) force, near record winds > for the area... suddenly, instead of being disappointed, I was kindof > impressed with what that silly little KLR could do.... Indeed. I am quite puzzled with all the talk about how "unstable" the KLR is in a high wind. If your KLR is unstable, it's not set up right. My KLR bobs left and right when the wind hits it from the left or right, but tracks straight as an arrow while bobbing. Some people, I think, just need to learn how to trust their bike, they try to fight their bike and that, not the wind, is what moves them around on the highway. Let a properly-set-up KLR bob without fighting it, and it'll track straight as an error without moving one inch left or right. A KLR with properly-set sag and head bearings and with good tires is an extremely stable and comfortable long distance tourer, to the point where I sold my Concours because, frankly, my KLR simply is more comfortable and just as stable now that I have it set up right. _E > ----- Original Message ---- > From: Ronald Criswell >> Yep but all bikes get blown around. My 600 lb. Concourse with all > that plastic gets blown around a lot also. A friend on a ST 100 got > > On Dec 7, 2006, at 10:09 AM, Bogdan Swider wrote: > >> I have gotten used to blowing around on mine. Airing the tires to the > >> mid 30's seem to help mine's stability. > > > Also - when it gets real bad - it helps to stick your knee out in > > the direction of the wind. And yes, a smaller/lower front fender is > > an improvement; the stock fender is a sail. > 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

[Mike Brodhead]

On Dec 6, 2006, at 3:29 PM, artie wrote:

> I was encountering very gusty sidewinds on open stretches of road > with no trees or > buildings on the sides. Once I thought it was going to blow me into > the > opposing lane.

I only have 400 miles on my KLR so far, but my experience compared to the Gixxer is that I feel the wind a lot more, but it affects me a lot less. The KLR is taller and presumably can catch more wind, but the Gixxer steering geometry is much sharper. I'm interested to know others' techniques for riding in nasty crosswinds. Here are mine: * Consider pulling over. If there is a safe way to get off the road for a bit, think about doing so. To hell with pride. * Slow down. Getting pushed a few degrees off your path will make less difference at a lower speed. * Grip the tank tightly with your knees. If you are hit with a sudden gust, you'll need some stability. * Remember your riding fundamentals: Look where you want to go, and stay on the gas. Sure, we all know that, but the panic brought on by a nasty gust can make us do dumb things, so think on those fundamentals. If nothing else, repeating the mantra "look where you want to go, and stay on the gas" will give you something to do while you wait to pass through the nastiness. --mkb [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Me]

I just grip the tank with my knees, lay myself a little into the wind, and try to go faster than the wind is. Wind is scary at first, but the KLR is pretty solid when it comes to handling it. --- Mike Brodhead wrote:

> > On Dec 6, 2006, at 3:29 PM, artie wrote: > > I was encountering very gusty sidewinds on open > stretches of road > > with no trees or > > buildings on the sides. Once I thought it was going to > blow me into > > the > > opposing lane. > > I only have 400 miles on my KLR so far, but my experience > compared to > the Gixxer is that I feel the wind a lot more, but it > affects me a > lot less. The KLR is taller and presumably can catch > more wind, but > the Gixxer steering geometry is much sharper. > > I'm interested to know others' techniques for riding in > nasty > crosswinds. Here are mine: > > * Consider pulling over. If there is a safe way to get > off the road > for a bit, think about doing so. To hell with pride. > * Slow down. Getting pushed a few degrees off your path > will make > less difference at a lower speed. > * Grip the tank tightly with your knees. If you are hit > with a > sudden gust, you'll need some stability. > * Remember your riding fundamentals: Look where you want > to go, and > stay on the gas. Sure, we all know that, but the panic > brought on by > a nasty gust can make us do dumb things, so think on > those > fundamentals. If nothing else, repeating the mantra > "look where you > want to go, and stay on the gas" will give you something > to do while > you wait to pass through the nastiness. > > --mkb > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > >

test'; "> ____________________________________________________________________________________ Need a quick answer? Get one in minutes from people who know. Ask your question on www.Answers.yahoo.com

[Norm Keller]

I also agree with Eric. IMO a KLR which seems to over react to wind isn't set up correctly. My $0.02 Norm [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[thomas breedlove]

Couldn't agree more with mkb. I would add this; If you know you will have a cross wind on your ride, top off the tank. My Triumph Trophy is a sail in a cross wind, six gallons of fuel seems to really make a difference. If it's really bad (30-40mph) I have to tuck in and hug the tank bag. Cheers, Tom, Central Il. --------------------------------- Check out the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta - Fire up a more powerful email and get things done faster. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[E.L. Green]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Mike Brodhead wrote:

> I'm interested to know others' techniques for riding in nasty > crosswinds. Here are mine: > > * Consider pulling over. If there is a safe way to get off the road > for a bit, think about doing so. To hell with pride. > * Slow down. Getting pushed a few degrees off your path will make > less difference at a lower speed. > * Grip the tank tightly with your knees. If you are hit with a > sudden gust, you'll need some stability. > * Remember your riding fundamentals: Look where you want to go, and > stay on the gas.

All of this boils down to: Trust your bike. A properly-set-up KLR wants to go straight, and *will* go straight and won't budge an inch to the left or right as long as you don't cling to the handlebars with a death grip. When riding tricky mountain passes with whipping crosswinds, I unwind my fingers altogether, and keep my palms only lightly on the handlebars, and apply a little pressure only when my KLR starts (slowly) drifting off the path. The KLR is whipping left, right, left, right like a bronco ride, but isn't moving a centimeter off its chosen path while doing so. The only thing that will make a properly-set-up KLR steer to the left or right in a crosswind is *you* -- specifically, your inputs to the handlebars. Many people, when the KLR starts banking left into a wind from the left, instinctively push on the right handlebar to bank it back to the right because it just doesn't *feel* right to be banked to the left when you want to go straight. It is the push on the right handlebar, not the wind, that then steers the bike to the right (countersteering). -E

[Blake Sobiloff]

On Dec 7, 2006, at 10:50 PM, Mike Brodhead wrote:

> I'm interested to know others' techniques for riding in nasty > crosswinds. Here are mine:

1) RELAX! Don't get a death grip on the bars. Flap your elbows like a chicken to make sure your upper body/shoulders are relaxed. 2) Loosen those hips! Let the bike tip underneath you. If you try to stay straight up-n-down you'll end up using the bars for leverage and initiate an undesired course change. 3) Have fun! It's not something to fear--it's a fun game. Frankly, it's tough for most people to stay relaxed enough to not be affected by unexpected gusts. See how long you can "go with the blow" before tensing up and getting pushed around. -- Blake Sobiloff http://sobiloff.typepad.com/blakeblog/> http://sobiloff.typepad.com/klr_adventure/> San Jose, CA (USA) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[THE MIGHTY VEXORG]

I find that on my KLR, the wind doesn't bother me much. Although the bike does behave differently from my VFR in gusts and strong side winds, it pretty much tracks straight. My girlfriend's KLR however, is a different story. She had the high speed wobble thing, which seemed to be cured by putting less aggressive tires and a KTM fender on the bike. Now when her bike is hit by the same stong wind gusts, instead of wobbling, it pushes the bike across the lane. At first I thought it was just her not being used to the bike, so I tried it myself, and sure enough, it did it to me too. Our bikes are pretty much identical, the only real differnce being hers is an '05, mine is an '04, she has less aggressive tires, her fender, and that her bike has been lowered. Anything else I should check out? We already had her bike's steering head tighted a bit just to be sure, no luck with that. Pat http://bike.stu.ph/rides E.L. Green wrote:

>--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Randall Marbach wrote: > > >>This weekend on the ride home from the Arghhhh Polar >>Ride north of Ojai, I was kinda disappointed in how the KLR was >>handling with a full camping load. It seemed to be bobbing more than I >>recall and I was having trouble pulling a headwind in the Fillmore >>area. When I started getting pelted with gravel sized rocks, I started >>getting suspicious. >> >>It wasn't until I got home and saw the news, >>that I realized I was riding in gale (70 mph) force, near record winds >>for the area... suddenly, instead of being disappointed, I was kindof >>impressed with what that silly little KLR could do.... >> >> > >Indeed. I am quite puzzled with all the talk about how "unstable" the >KLR is in a high wind. If your KLR is unstable, it's not set up right. >My KLR bobs left and right when the wind hits it from the left or >right, but tracks straight as an arrow while bobbing. Some people, I >think, just need to learn how to trust their bike, they try to fight >their bike and that, not the wind, is what moves them around on the >highway. Let a properly-set-up KLR bob without fighting it, and it'll >track straight as an error without moving one inch left or right. A >KLR with properly-set sag and head bearings and with good tires is an >extremely stable and comfortable long distance tourer, to the point >where I sold my Concours because, frankly, my KLR simply is more >comfortable and just as stable now that I have it set up right. > >_E > > > >>----- Original Message ---- >>From: Ronald Criswell >> >> >>>Yep but all bikes get blown around. My 600 lb. Concourse with all >>> >>> >>that plastic gets blown around a lot also. A friend on a ST 100 got >> >>On Dec 7, 2006, at 10:09 AM, Bogdan Swider wrote: >> >> >>>>I have gotten used to blowing around on mine. Airing the tires to the >>>>mid 30's seem to help mine's stability. >>>> >>>> >>>Also when it gets real bad - it helps to stick your knee out in >>>the direction of the wind. And yes, a smaller/lower front fender is >>>an improvement; the stock fender is a sail. >>> >>> > > > >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 > > > > > >

[Blake Sobiloff]

On Dec 8, 2006, at 8:30 AM, THE MIGHTY VEXORG wrote:

> Our bikes are pretty much identical, the only real > differnce being hers is an '05, mine is an '04, she has less > aggressive > tires, her fender, and that her bike has been lowered. Anything else I > should check out?

Make sure the static and dynamic sag are correct at both ends. This is especially important since you've lowered her bike, thus changing the suspension's leverage on the rear spring. Most of the high-speed wobbles I've heard about occurred on bikes with rear suspensions that are too soft. -- Blake Sobiloff http://sobiloff.typepad.com/blakeblog/> http://sobiloff.typepad.com/klr_adventure/> San Jose, CA (USA) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[C L Cooper]

Aaahhh glassoppah.... soft hands, soft arms.... where the eyes look the body follows.... relax and trust.

On 12/8/06, Blake Sobiloff wrote: > > On Dec 7, 2006, at 10:50 PM, Mike Brodhead wrote: > > I'm interested to know others' techniques for riding in nasty > > crosswinds. Here are mine: > > 1) RELAX! Don't get a death grip on the bars. Flap your elbows like > a chicken to make sure your upper body/shoulders are relaxed. > > 2) Loosen those hips! Let the bike tip underneath you. If you try > to stay straight up-n-down you'll end up using the bars for leverage > and initiate an undesired course change. > > 3) Have fun! It's not something to fear--it's a fun game. Frankly, > it's tough for most people to stay relaxed enough to not be affected > by unexpected gusts. See how long you can "go with the blow" before > tensing up and getting pushed around. > -- > Blake Sobiloff > > http://sobiloff.typepad.com/blakeblog/> > http://sobiloff.typepad.com/klr_adventure/> > San Jose, CA (USA) > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]