5047 mile valve clearance check - update

[cemal_engin_kilic]

Hi everybody, I am pretty new in biking and an owner of a '07 KLR 650 for the last 2 months. So here I go... 1. When I start the bike in the mornings with choke and let it warm up for 5 minutes even after turning the choke off idle seems pretty high (close to 2000). Is this normal or just me? 2. It seems to me, in the first gear it is almost impossible to give smooth acceleration and decelaration to the bike. Even when I am surgical with the gas the bike shakes a little bit. it doesn't do it on other gears though. What might be the problem? 3.Since I am new to the biking world this question might sound dumb. It feels like on a motorbike once I roll off the gas it slows down real quick unlike a car. In a car when I step off the gas pedal it has a tendancy to slow down slowly but on klr even when I am going with 65mph if I completely roll off bike looses its momentum real quick and slows down. Is this normal or somehow I am burning the brakes? 4. Locking the steering wheel won't work. Is this common? 5. I broke in the bike properly and getting 45mpg regularly, is this normal? When I rented a xt 225 I calculated 80mpg on that little bastard. perhaps I am just jelaous but than again some klr owners claim 60 mpg. Thanks for your time.

[KLRDON]

Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Questions about idle/fuel/steering/carb

> Hi everybody, > > I am pretty new in biking and an owner of a '07 KLR 650 for the last > 2 months. So here I go...

I encourage you to take a Rider;s Safety Class, either state or privatley sponsored.

> > 1. When I start the bike in the mornings with choke and let it warm > up for 5 minutes even after turning the choke off idle seems pretty > high (close to 2000). Is this normal or just me?

Probably 1200 is better

> 2. It seems to me, in the first gear it is almost impossible to give > smooth acceleration and decelaration to the bike. Even when I am > surgical with the gas the bike shakes a little bit. it doesn't do it > on other gears though. What might be the problem?

I wonder if this is clutch chatter, or do you need to use higher revs or just more gas to start smoothly. Is the shaking only while the clutch is partialy engaged?

> 3.Since I am new to the biking world this question might sound dumb. > It feels like on a motorbike once I roll off the gas it slows down > real quick unlike a car. In a car when I step off the gas pedal it > has a tendancy to slow down slowly but on klr even when I am going > with 65mph if I completely roll off bike looses its momentum real > quick and slows down. Is this normal or somehow I am burning the > brakes? >

Motorcycles will slow quicker using engine braking, actually a nice feature for smooth riding through curves on the street and in dirt as well.

> 4. Locking the steering wheel won't work. Is this common? > > 5. I broke in the bike properly and getting 45mpg regularly, is this > normal? When I rented a xt 225 I calculated 80mpg on that little > bastard. perhaps I am just jelaous but than again some klr owners > claim 60 mpg. >

Mmmm. Maybe keeping revs higher than actually needed? Maybe carb out of adjustment? I think you will get the best answer from other posters on this on.

> Thanks for your time.

Welcome to the KLR community! Don M Atl, GA

[a14@att.net]

Replies inserted between questions.

> Hi everybody, > > I am pretty new in biking and an owner of a '07 KLR 650 for the last > 2 months. So here I go... >

You have made a wise decision. Welcome aboard.

> 1. When I start the bike in the mornings with choke and let it warm > up for 5 minutes even after turning the choke off idle seems pretty > high (close to 2000). Is this normal or just me? >

Idle should be set at 1200-1300RPM when warm. You can do this yourself. There is a thumbscrew on the side of the carb.

> 2. It seems to me, in the first gear it is almost impossible to give > smooth acceleration and decelaration to the bike. Even when I am > surgical with the gas the bike shakes a little bit. it doesn't do it > on other gears though. What might be the problem? >

You may be letting the clutch out too fast. Otherwise removing the tamper cap and adjusting the idle mixture screw should help smooth things out.

> 3.Since I am new to the biking world this question might sound dumb. > It feels like on a motorbike once I roll off the gas it slows down > real quick unlike a car. In a car when I step off the gas pedal it > has a tendancy to slow down slowly but on klr even when I am going > with 65mph if I completely roll off bike looses its momentum real > quick and slows down. Is this normal or somehow I am burning the > brakes? > > 4. Locking the steering wheel won't work. Is this common? >

You need to have the handlebars turned full right or left.

> 5. I broke in the bike properly and getting 45mpg regularly, is this > normal? When I rented a xt 225 I calculated 80mpg on that little > bastard. perhaps I am just jelaous but than again some klr owners > claim 60 mpg. >

You are in the normal range. Many factors influence MPG.

> Thanks for your time. >

You are most welcome. Walt

[Michael Martin]

--- cemal_engin_kilic wrote:

> > 1. When I start the bike in the mornings with choke and let it warm > up for 5 minutes even after turning the choke off idle seems pretty > high (close to 2000). Is this normal or just me?

You probably don't need to warm the bike up on choke for 5 minutes, if I understand what you're doing. But that's another issue. The owner's manual has a section telling how to adjust the idle speed. It's on page 81 in my 2005 edition. 1200-1400 rpm is recommended.

> > 2. It seems to me, in the first gear it is almost impossible to give > smooth acceleration and decelaration to the bike. Even when I am > surgical with the gas the bike shakes a little bit. it doesn't do it > on other gears though. What might be the problem?

The KLR650 has a fairly low first gear, and the engine produces a good deal of torque and has a lot of compression braking. Higher gears mask this somewhat. To smooth things out on acceleration, you are being careful with the throttle, which is all that can be done. Disengaging the clutch will help with the smoothness during deceleration.

> > 3.Since I am new to the biking world this question might sound dumb. > It feels like on a motorbike once I roll off the gas it slows down > real quick unlike a car. In a car when I step off the gas pedal it > has a tendancy to slow down slowly but on klr even when I am going > with 65mph if I completely roll off bike looses its momentum real > quick and slows down. Is this normal or somehow I am burning the > brakes?

You can probably tell if the brakes are dragging by just pushing the bike in neutral with the engine off. Odds are the brakes are OK. It's the nature of the bike to slow down rapidly when you close the throttle. Higher wind resistance and gearing are the reasons.

> > 4. Locking the steering wheel won't work. Is this common?

Are you pushing down on the key before you try to rotate it from the OFF position to the LOCK position? Also, the handlebar must be turned fully to the left before trying to lock it. (Page 24 in my manual).

> > 5. I broke in the bike properly and getting 45mpg regularly, is this > normal? When I rented a xt 225 I calculated 80mpg on that little > bastard. perhaps I am just jelaous but than again some klr owners > claim 60 mpg.

You don't say what your riding conditions are or how many miles are on your bike. It may not be fully broken in. Also, if you keep your speed below 60 mph, your mileage will be better.

>

HTH, Mike Martin Louisville, KY ____________________________________________________________________________________ Food fight? Enjoy some healthy debate in the Yahoo! Answers Food & Drink Q&A. http://answers.yahoo.com/dir/?link=list&sid=396545367

[Blake Sobiloff]

On Jul 7, 2007, at 8:32 AM, Michael Martin wrote:

> You probably don't need to warm the bike up on choke for 5 minutes, > if I > understand what you're doing.

Indeed--it's actually bad to let your bike idle for so long on the choke as it creates additional cylinder wear and promotes water formation in the oil. On a properly adjusted '06 and earlier bike you should be able to ride off within 10 seconds of starting, and you should be able to go off choke within 200 yards. I assume that similar performance is possible with an '07. The best thing you can do for your bike is to get on it and ride away as soon as possible, keeping the RPMs below 3,000 or 3,500 for the first several miles.

> The owner's manual has > a section telling how to adjust the idle speed. It's on page 81 in > my 2005 > edition. 1200-1400 rpm is recommended.

It'd be nice to hear from the OP where this info is in the '07 manual and what the recommendation is.

>> 2. It seems to me, in the first gear it is almost impossible to give >> smooth acceleration and decelaration to the bike.

If your bike is idling at 2000 RPM, then yes, first gear's going to be a pretty herky-jerky affair. Adjust the idle speed per your owner's manual and see if that helps. Also, before adjusting, make sure that the idle speed isn't being affected by the turning of the handlebars; sometimes the choke cable can get pulled a bit when the handlebars are at full left turn, causing the choke to engage and raise the RPMs. -- Blake Sobiloff http://sobiloff.typepad.com/blakeblog/> San Jose, CA (USA) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Terry Hamrick]

Where are you located, perhaps one of the wiser group members could swing by to take a look and provide advice. albatross

On 7/7/07, cemal_engin_kilic wrote: > > Hi everybody, > > I am pretty new in biking and an owner of a '07 KLR 650 for the last > 2 months. So here I go... > > 1. When I start the bike in the mornings with choke and let it warm > up for 5 minutes even after turning the choke off idle seems pretty > high (close to 2000). Is this normal or just me? > > 2. It seems to me, in the first gear it is almost impossible to give > smooth acceleration and decelaration to the bike. Even when I am > surgical with the gas the bike shakes a little bit. it doesn't do it > on other gears though. What might be the problem? > > 3.Since I am new to the biking world this question might sound dumb. > It feels like on a motorbike once I roll off the gas it slows down > real quick unlike a car. In a car when I step off the gas pedal it > has a tendancy to slow down slowly but on klr even when I am going > with 65mph if I completely roll off bike looses its momentum real > quick and slows down. Is this normal or somehow I am burning the > brakes? > > 4. Locking the steering wheel won't work. Is this common? > > 5. I broke in the bike properly and getting 45mpg regularly, is this > normal? When I rented a xt 225 I calculated 80mpg on that little > bastard. perhaps I am just jelaous but than again some klr owners > claim 60 mpg. > > Thanks for your time. > > > -- Terry Hamrick +1-919-523-7940 terry.hamrick@... [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Spike55]

I sort of alluded to me buying things over time and only now getting around to installing them. I purchased the (naked) heater elements (left-side & throttle) & Hi/lo/off switch from Dual Star last summer/fall. I also bought two (2) sets of generic Pro-Gel grips from some company (the throttle-side grips have a larger ID than the lefts). I followed the methodology laid out by Jeff Saline last yr, which he felt gave the most even heat between the two grips. I removed the OEM grips and cleaned things up. I applied a layer hi- temp RTV to the left hand and then a layer of cork gasket material for insulation. This was all held together by wrapping it in sewing thread. I applied another layer of hi-temp RTV and then wrapped the "throttle-side" heating element over the RTV & cork. Wrapped it in thread again. More hi-temp RTV and then I slid one of the throttle-side grips over the now larger diameter left hand area (why you need two larger ID grips). The throttle-side is less work. I cut out the enclosed end of the plastic rotating throttle tube so I would be able to add the BBs, as well as, install the bark-buster later. I applied the hi-temp RTV and then wrapped the throttle tube with the "left-side" heating element. No insulation needed since the rotating throttle tube provides the insulation from the cold handlebars. More hi-temp RTV and then slid the other throttle sized grip on overtop of the bundle. As noted by Jeff, switching the heating elements from one side to the other and the addition of the cork insulation on the left-side, provided a reasonable balance in heat levels between the grips, as well as, an overall balance between the grip temperatures and the environment (usable hi and lo settings). At this point, I have not hooked them up and won't until later in the year (kind of getting burned out with all of the mods). I apologize to Jeff if I have mis-represented any of this procedure. This is why I like these forums, since it would have taken me 100 yrs to "noodle- thru" all of this to get a useable heating system. Don R100, A6F

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Fr. Don" wrote: > > Don, > My hat is off to you. That's alot of work on your bike. I'm sure it will pay > off. > > Not to thread jack, but I guess from your narrative that you can you > whatever grip you like with your grip heaters? True? Or are you stuck with > the ones they send you with the heaters. > > Don+ > > On 7/7/07, Spike55 wrote: > > > > Well, it's almost all back together and everything seemed to be > > working well during a test with only the gas tank installed. I > > installed the new shims; ran a new circuit up to the front for future > > accessories; replaced all of the fuses with automotive blades and > > moved their weather-resistant enclosures to the starter-relay / > > kickstand safety switch cover; "almost" installed a NGK Iridium spark > > plug but dropped it right on the electrode and broke off the Iridium > > tip ($8 in the trash). The OEM plug was fine and coloration was > > right on. > > > > Besides the massive amounts of blue loctite that was used through out > > this process, I also installed, but are not yet operable, heated hand > > grips. I also replaced the OEM grips with Pro-Gels. Prior to addind > > the Pro-Gels, I installed plugs inside the handle bar ends about 8"- > > 9" in and filled the bar up with 177 caliber BB's to about 3" from > > the bar end, where I installed another plug. We'll see if that helps > > reduce some of the vibration induced numb hands. Last week, I > > replaced the doohickey with one from Eagle Mike and used the new > > torsion spring obtained through Fred. I'm finally installing all of > > the farkle and improved parts that I've accumulated over the last 14 > > months of ownership - too busy riding. > > > > I should be getting the new NGK Iridium plug tomorrow and then I can > > install the seat, the plastic, side racks, tank bag harness, and then > > test ride it for a while before the big trip later this month. I > > still have Moose Racing "bark-busters" that I want to install (reason > > I left 3" clear for BBs at the bar ends) but I can see that the brake > > fluid reservoir will make this install a memorable experience. > > > > Don R100, A6F > > > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com , > > "Spike55" wrote: > > > > > > After 5047 miles on the clock on my 2006 KLR, I finally started > > digging > > > around in the engine. Last Friday, I completed the doohickey and > > > tension spring (used the new torsion spring design). The OEM doo > > and > > > spring were still intact so no need to go fishin' with a magnet. I > > > took a 150 mile big loop from here an up into the coal region on > > > Saturday with great performance. > > > > > > Today, I got to the point of measuring the valve clearances (much > > bike > > > disassembly required). The intakes were at 0.004" (0.004"-0.008" > > > acceptable range). The exhausts were at 0.007" (0.006"-0.010" > > > acceptable range). It appears that I'm still OK clearance-wise > > after > > > this many miles but it was getting close. Tomorrow I'll go to the > > next > > > step and pull the cams and get the shim numbers and determine the > > > proper replacements. My dealer "of shims", will trade me for the > > shims > > > I need at no cost. > > > > > > Don R100, A6F > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > All other pursuits pale in comparison to your walk with the Living God. > "And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all > your heart." Jeremiah 29:13 > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >

[Cemal Engin KILIC]

I encourage you to take a Rider;s Safety Class, either state or privatley sponsored.

>> Yes indeed I have taken the rider's safety class > 2. It seems to me, in the first gear it is almost impossible to give > smooth acceleration and decelaration to the bike. Even when I am > surgical with the gas the bike shakes a little bit. it doesn't do it > on other gears though. What might be the problem?

I wonder if this is clutch chatter, or do you need to use higher revs or just more gas to start smoothly. Is the shaking only while the clutch is partialy engaged?

>> No clutch is not engaged at all. it is just when I roll on the throttle very smoothly bike would over react. same when i roll off the throttle on the first gear. It might be something related to my gigh idle revs as somebody suggested.

thank you very much for all of your suggestions and reply to my email. I think I need to adjust the choke to 1200 and then see what happens. My bike has 1600 miles on it right now, so the gas milage might improve later on. The steering lock has a defect or it wasn't installed proparly. At least that's what the sales person told me. It was liked that when i bought the bike. so maybe next service time they might look at it. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]