is new jersey really hell?

[Robin Van Eyk]

My 2001 KLR650 feels like it has a squishy suspension. I replaced the rear shock and it still feels squishy. I went to the dealer, sat on a new KLR650 and it felt much firmer than mine. So I have several questions: 1) How long will the front springs last if I only ride off road occasionally, and not to hard? 2) Can the rear linkage have anything to do with the what feels like a lack of firm suspension? (if so, is it able to be rebuilt) 3) Any suggestions on how to get that firm "new bike" suspension feel out of my KLR ? Thanks, Robin

[Luke in Brooklyn]

> My 2001 KLR650 feels like it has a squishy > suspension. I replaced the rear shock and it still > feels squishy. I went to the dealer, sat on a new > KLR650 and it felt much firmer than mine. So > I have several questions:

Robin-- The "new" KLRs have thicker, stiffer forks and a better rear shock. Be sure to compare apples and oranges. Also, replacing an OEM shock with a new OEM shock will still feel squishy because even brand new the "classic" KLR is woefully undersuspended.

> 1) How long will the front springs last if I only > ride off road occasionally, and not to hard?

Forever, but they'll always suck unless you replace them with something better. The Progressive Larry Roesller (sp?) are the popular choice.

> 2) Can the rear linkage have anything to do with the > what feels like a lack of firm suspension? > (if so, is it able to be rebuilt)

Not in the way you're asking. You can modify the rear linkage by installing shorter doglegs (aka raising legs) which will make the shock effectively stiffer (increases its leverage on the swingarm). As far as wearing out, yes, those bearings wear out and need to be lubed, but their wearing won't make your suspension squishy.

> 3) Any suggestions on how to get that firm "new > bike" suspension feel out of my KLR ?

Ditch the KLR and get a new bike! OR, either rebuild your stock shock with thicker fluid and a heavier spring (eshocks) OR spring for an F1 or Works rear shock. Put progressive springs in the fork, and if your wallet can handle it add emulators. If the height doesn't bother you, add raising links, too. Luke Brooklyn NY 92 CB750 nighthawk--naked simpleton 03 KLR650--fat girl with a dirty mind ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a PS3 game guru. Get your game face on with the latest PS3 news and previews at Yahoo! Games. http://videogames.yahoo.com/platform?platform=120121

[Jim Priest]

On 6/19/07, Luke in Brooklyn wrote:

> Forever, but they'll always suck unless you replace > them with something better. The Progressive Larry > Roesller (sp?) are the popular choice.

Swapping out the front springs will also allow you to dump in some fresh fluid up front. On the two KLR's I've swapped fork oil - I always got different amounts of oil out of each fork... Progressive springs and some 10-15w fork oil makes a nice improvement! -- Jim Priest - central NC - 04 KLR650 'Gonzo' Checkout the KLR Resource List and Master Tool List http://www.thecrumb.com/wiki/KLR650_resources http://www.thecrumb.com/wiki/Master_tool_list

[Luke in Brooklyn]

Dave-- The Oranges are really inconsistent as far as neighborhoods to live in. Parts of them are *really* nice, parts are pure ghetto. But you'll see that when you house shop. For trail riding--while it's no SoCal--the Pine Barrens are pretty great by the standards we have around here. It's the largest piece of open space between Boston and Richmond and because 150+ years ago it was settled, the area is crisscrossed with "stage roads" that are technically still legal roads. (the area was totally "unsettled" when they figured out how to get iron out of the mountains in PA) Most of these roads are about 4' wide and full of sugar sand, but they're easy pickins on a 650. The area is crisscrossed by literally hundreds of miles of this. The east coast also has a pretty active enduro scene if you have a real bike (www.ecea.org) and they run a number of organized dualsports, many of which are in south jersey. The Pine Barrens is almost totally flat (noticeable elevation changes of more than say 30' are REALLY uncommon) and totally sandy (and muddy). If you need rocks and hills you'll be miserable. The downside to all this is that once the sierra club, the Pinelands Preservation Alliance and the other morons succeed in getting the area off limits, there will be NOTHING around here to ride--they've been working at it for years, and in the only 3 years I've been riding down there there are areas that have been made off limits. There is currently NO legal trail riding in all of New York State, except a small land donation up near Plattsburgh (read: Quebec). Pennsylvania has also made a lot of trails off limits or (perversely) only open to ATVs and not trail bikes. Even north Jersey, up by the Oranges, has exactly NO legal riding. Years ago most of those state parks were open, but no more. This isn't to say that guys don't ride illegally, but then you're taking your risks. The Water Gap area (about 45 minutes west of the oranges) has dirt roads and illegal trail riding, too. For street riding, NJ is horrible. If you're willing to ride a few/three hundred miles round trip, though, you have all of the catskills, which is pretty good by eastern seaboard standards. The area around Port Jervis is alright, but it's well worth it to push a little further and ride the area around the pepacton reservoir and east of there. In 2 days you can have a lot of fun, in three days you can be anywhere you want--this is the east coast, things are close together. You could enjoy PA, spend a day in WV, and enjoy your way home in a 3 day weekend. There's plenty of camping and stuff available. Lane-splitting is illegal and untolerated in most of jersey. It used to be you could split near and in the city, but they're currently having a HUGE crackdown and it's pretty risky. Taxes suck, real estate reflects proximity to NYC, but NJ consistently has the cheapest gas in the country. Air pollution isn't an issue like out west because we don't have a mountain range to catch the air... if you live right near a bad factory or refinery it will be horrible (anyone who's had a bad experience riding I95 knows this) but it's really isolated. Hope it helps. If I didn't have to be near the city for work, I'd move the hell out of here... and I wouldn't move to suburban NJ, seems like the worst of both worlds to me--all the expense and hassle of the city without the freshness and diversity of the city--but that's just me. Luke (who just rode the Sandy Lane dualsport in south jersey on sunday and is still feeling it) --- Dave Svoboda wrote:

> My wife is itching to move from Sunny Sandy Eggo > back to her native > New Jersey, and as we all know, "If Momma ain't > happy, ain't NOBODY > happy." She's from West Orange, so we're looking in > that area. > > So I'm looking at the issue. First of all, I by no > means expect the riding > to be the caliber of that available in Southern > California, but really, how > bad is it? What's available on a one day ride? Two > day weekend? > Three day long weekend? I like twisty riding best, > but backcountry hiking > and camping is right up there. I also love taking > my dualsport bike on > mountain fire roads. How does that translate? > > I know there's no legal lane splitting there, so how > bad is traffic, really? > > How's insurance? Taxes? Air Pollution? > > Any local listers wanna be friends? (I don't > actually know anyone there.) > > Thanks. > > - Dave Svoboda, Sandy Eggo > >

Brooklyn NY 92 CB750 nighthawk--naked simpleton 03 KLR650--fat girl with a dirty mind ____________________________________________________________________________________Ready for the edge of your seat? Check out tonight's top picks on Yahoo! TV. http://tv.yahoo.com/