acerbis locking gas cap being discontinued??

[Jeff Saline]

On Tue, 30 Oct 2007 08:45:36 -0500 "Don Pendergraft" writes:

> Thank you Jeff! That's a great explanation and I can see where I was > making > some mistakes. I look forward to testing it out. > > Concerning having a fully charged battery, I haven't thought of > buying a > tender because I ride at least 2 hours a day on the beast, so it's > always > fully charged. However, I'm thinking that winter may change the > equation a > bit. Sure it's fully charged, but does a cold night sap some of it's > power > so that I would not have an optimal charge on a frosty morning when > I try to > start her up? Not sure if this is true, but it makes some sense. If > so, > mayhaps a tender would be good to keep on it during the winter > months, even > if I ride daily. Your thoughts? > > Don+

<><><><><><><> <><><><><><><> Don+, I don't think a battery tender will do much good if you are riding it daily for about 2 hours. What you may consider doing some morning when you just don't really have to be anywhere is to turn on the headlight for about 5 minutes before trying to crank the engine. Don't cheat on the 5 minutes. Time it as it will seem like a very long time. The load of the headlight will get the electrons, protons, neutrons and morons flowing a bit. When they start moving they will rub against each other. That friction will cause heat. Heat will make the battery work a bit better. When the rons flow a bit better the engine will crank a bit better too. We used to do this in the military when in colder areas. Sometimes I could start a large diesel that everyone else thought would need a jump. Of course I'd also lay my hands on the dash and talk nice to it too. : ) Best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT

[Don Pendergraft]

Amazing! I will try it. Don+ -----Original Message----- From: Jeff Saline [mailto:salinej1@...] Sent: Tuesday, October 30, 2007 9:59 AM To: dpendergraft@... Cc: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] Tips to Starting in Cold Weather Needed.... On Tue, 30 Oct 2007 08:45:36 -0500 "Don Pendergraft" writes:

> Thank you Jeff! That's a great explanation and I can see where I was > making some mistakes. I look forward to testing it out. > > Concerning having a fully charged battery, I haven't thought of buying > a tender because I ride at least 2 hours a day on the beast, so it's > always fully charged. However, I'm thinking that winter may change the > equation a bit. Sure it's fully charged, but does a cold night sap > some of it's power so that I would not have an optimal charge on a > frosty morning when I try to start her up? Not sure if this is true, > but it makes some sense. If so, mayhaps a tender would be good to keep > on it during the winter months, even if I ride daily. Your thoughts? > > Don+

<><><><><><><> <><><><><><><> Don+, I don't think a battery tender will do much good if you are riding it daily for about 2 hours. What you may consider doing some morning when you just don't really have to be anywhere is to turn on the headlight for about 5 minutes before trying to crank the engine. Don't cheat on the 5 minutes. Time it as it will seem like a very long time. The load of the headlight will get the electrons, protons, neutrons and morons flowing a bit. When they start moving they will rub against each other. That friction will cause heat. Heat will make the battery work a bit better. When the rons flow a bit better the engine will crank a bit better too. We used to do this in the military when in colder areas. Sometimes I could start a large diesel that everyone else thought would need a jump. Of course I'd also lay my hands on the dash and talk nice to it too. : ) Best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT

[Greg May]

Hi Don, I started my bike this morning just to check it out, I've never really paid attention at startup before, temperature was -4*C I used full choke and no throttle. As close as I could count it started on the third rotation. Bike has 15000 kilometers on it with original battery that hasn't been on the Battery Tender since last sping. It lives outside uncovered until it gets put in the basement for the winter and was pretty much frost covered when it was started this morning. This is how it has started in cold weather since I bought it. As far as gas mileage goes I usually get about 410 - 420 kilometers if I run to or close to reserve which takes somewhere around 18.5 litres which works out to about 65mpg, imperial gallon, I did get 68mpg n one tank I checked on a long run with steady speeds between 80 and 100kph running with some guys on cruisers. This stays pretty consistant if I do a mixture of gravel and secondary roads running most of the time between 4 and a little over 5000 rpm, but will drop some, not sure how much if a get into more challangeing trails. The last two tanks before the bike went into the basement last winter dropped into the 350km+ range, I found the all the valves needed adjustment, exhausts were close to their minimun clearence. The gas mileage was back to it's normal when I got it out in the spring so I assumed that the problem was mostly tight valve related. I did have a tank this year in the warm weather of early September that was down to I think 325kms, right after which I noticed the choke cable outer housing was moving out of where it seats in the choke lever assembly as opposed to shutting off the choke completely making for an overly rich mixture but not enough to cause the bike to stall when warm, just idle at around 1000 rather then it's normal 1400 or so. I lubed the cable and mileage has been back to normal since. Strangely enough last year was done with the stock front and a 50/50 ChenSing tire while this year was done on Kenda 707's I believe 80 street and 20 dirt with no effect on mileage (32psi f&r in both sets), I would have expected to see at least a slight rise on the 80/20's. Oil consumption seems from what I've read to vary quite a bit on these bikes, mine gets an oil change around 3000 - 3500kms with 10-40 Kawasaki full syn. When changed with the recommended amount the level is just above the top of the sight glass when full and drops to just around the full line on the glass by the time the oil needs changing. I think I've done 4 changes since I bought it and have never had to add between changes. Anyway pardon me for getting long winded but too much info is usually better then not enough....have a great evening....Greg Don Pendergraft wrote: Hmmn. You mean I should trust Kawi's recommended 15K mile 1st check of my valves? ) I'm closing in rapidly on 10K and haven't checked them yet. I'm skeered. ) Naw. I just need to order the shim kit and have a good warm (no garage!) saturday to do it. Question: would out of adjustment valves lead to bad gas mileage (43-46mpg highway)? Oil usage (a quart of Amsoil every 500 miles)? Don+ _____ From: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com [mailto:DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of gmay131313 Sent: Monday, October 29, 2007 6:59 PM To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: Tips to Starting in Cold Weather Needed.... Hi Don, I realize there are differences between my 04 and your 08 and others could probably speak to what those are but I can say mine with 10-40 Kawasaki brand syn oil in it and the jetting left factory stock fire up as soon as you touch the button with the original battery installed in weather as cold as -10C...and nope I din't go for a ride. My bike spent it's first 3000km with the original owner who supposedly had the 500km service completed including the valves checked, never said if any needed setting but when I checked them at 10000km all needed to be set with the exhausts believe being just above the min clearence. I would suspect that if yours were checked there clearance would be too "closed for comfort" causing at least some of your hard starting. Have a great day...Greg --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogro ups.com, "Don Pendergraft" wrote:

> > Is it just me, or are KLR's hard to start when it's below 40

degrees F? I

> fear my battery is going to be run down before I get it started.

OK, a few

> details. I have an '08 with about 10K miles on it. It runs great.

Well, it

> does burn oil, but I don't think that's related to hard starting in

cold

> weather. I haven't checked the valves yet as the SM doesn't call

for it

> until 15K miles. Not sure how I'm going to start it when it's 25

out. Will

> pointing a 100W bulb at the engine help? I haven't been

stranded...yet. This

> is the ONLY time it is hard to start. The rest of the day, no prob.

All

> other mornings when it's warmer, no problem. Ideas? Thanks in

advance.

> > Don+ > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed] --------------------------------- Be smarter than spam. See how smart SpamGuard is at giving junk email the boot with the All-new Yahoo! Mail [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Jacobus De Bruyn]

As far as my experience with the choke and starting goes, you should keep your right hand in your pocket! As soon as you twist the gas with the choke on, it stalls. So probably you had the engine flooded. Yes, as far as nagging is concerned, better give her something innocent to get worked up abt, and not adultery, late nite drinking in bars etc. Alcohol is a dangerous substance, and should be used, if at all, with a clear, calm head. When you re really thirsty and tired, a beer can taste very well. But I have got to watch it, it is easy to slip.... I did not call anyone in particular a doormat, so the person feeling offended can relax, just horsing around. I can understand that for freeway commuting a MC is not the safest choice. Got to go, they are going to pour concrete on the street in front of my house, so I leave now, or be a prisoner all day. Need some wind under my angel wings. Jake. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

[Luke in Brooklyn]

On Mon, 29 Oct 2007 09:03:24 -0500 "Don Pendergraft" writes:

> Is it just me, or are KLR's hard to start when it's below 40 degrees > F? I haven't checked the valves yet as the SM doesn't call > for it until 15K miles. Not sure how I'm going to start it when it's > 25 out. Will pointing a 100W bulb at the engine help? I haven't been > stranded.. > Don+

Don, +1 on Jeff's advice. Also, CHECK YOUR VALVES--valves are not the kind of thing you want to leave be until they force you to address them. My first generation KLR starts pretty easily with no throttle and full choke in the teens (F) with no prep/light bulb/etc. FWIW, I also treat the choke like a lightswitch--it's either on or off. On my nighthawk, I have to give it in betweens or the engine races as it warms up, but on the KLR by the time I've pushed it out of the garage I can turn the choke off, and by the end of my block I don't need to be careful with the throtte. Luke PS Is it annoying/useless for those of us with older KLRs to comment on problems with the newer bikes, or should we assume similarity on the things we don't know to be different? Brooklyn NY 92 CB750 nighthawk--naked simpleton 03 KLR650--fat girl with a dirty mind __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Don Pendergraft]

Thanks! I need to do that. I just need to save my shekels for that shim kit. I took the same amount of money and bought some electric gloves instead. I have to have my priorities! ) But soon... Don+ _____ From: Luke in Brooklyn [mailto:anavark@...] Sent: Wednesday, October 31, 2007 5:15 PM To: Don Pendergraft Cc: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [DSN_KLR650] Tips to Starting in Cold Weather Needed.... On Mon, 29 Oct 2007 09:03:24 -0500 "Don Pendergraft" writes:

> Is it just me, or are KLR's hard to start when it's below 40 degrees > F? I haven't checked the valves yet as the SM doesn't call > for it until 15K miles. Not sure how I'm going to start it when it's > 25 out. Will pointing a 100W bulb at the engine help? I haven't been > stranded.. > Don+

Don, +1 on Jeff's advice. Also, CHECK YOUR VALVES--valves are not the kind of thing you want to leave be until they force you to address them. My first generation KLR starts pretty easily with no throttle and full choke in the teens (F) with no prep/light bulb/etc. FWIW, I also treat the choke like a lightswitch--it's either on or off. On my nighthawk, I have to give it in betweens or the engine races as it warms up, but on the KLR by the time I've pushed it out of the garage I can turn the choke off, and by the end of my block I don't need to be careful with the throtte. Luke PS Is it annoying/useless for those of us with older KLRs to comment on problems with the newer bikes, or should we assume similarity on the things we don't know to be different? Brooklyn NY 92 CB750 nighthawk--naked simpleton 03 KLR650--fat girl with a dirty mind __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Jud Jones]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Don Pendergraft" wrote:

> > Thanks! I need to do that. I just need to save my shekels for that shim kit. > I took the same amount of money and bought some electric gloves instead. I > have to have my priorities! ) But soon... >

Don, The shim kit is nice to have, but not absolutely necessary if you can leave your bike down for about three days. That's how long it will take Fred to get the shims to you once you call him and tell him the sizes you need.

[Fred Hink]

Gary, That isn't exactly what I was told. The Locking Gas Cap has not been discontinued. Acerbis USA told me that they didn't sell very many (relatively speaking) of these caps and they didn't seem very motivated in getting them back in stock. I have a large order coming from Italy in about 10 weeks. Getting anything from Italy seems to take a very long time. If you want a Locking Gas Cap, check with me the middle of January and I should have some by then. I'm very familiar with the Acerbis Disc Guard and I had sold a lot of those too. Fighting with the manufacturer to keep producing them was a loosing battle. Any manufacturer will produce goods for the market that they can sell the most of. You have to remember that the KLR is a very small slice of the motorcycle pie. Every year it is harder to keep the selection of inventory for the KLR from the year before. The 2008 KLR will breath life into the aftermarket but will also hasten the end of goodies for earlier model KLRs. Fred www.arrowheadmotorsports.com

----- Original Message ----- From: Gary To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Sent: Thursday, November 01, 2007 5:07 PM Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Acerbis locking gas cap being discontinued?? The Acerbis locking gas cap is a slow mover?? Acerbis is full of crap!!! When I tried to order mine ...three different websites were out of them and all three websites told me they sold them as fast as they came in. That is like the Acerbis KLR650 disc guards that Acerbis discontinued.It wasn't because they weren't selling any.Acerbis still gets enough requests for those disk guards so that when you email them....the head honcho has a prewritten email that he replys with that tells you ...bascially, Acerbis America has asked and asked Acerbis Italy to make more of the KLR650 disk guards but that Acerbis Italy took the molds apart and are not making anymore. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]