recovered: was loud pipes

[Stephen Grisanti]

"Tell us how your bike was recoverd. I think I remember you posting that your bike was stolen, but I don't remember the post saying it was recovered--or do I? Did you get it back in like 3 days???? Tell us how you got it back and was anyone prosecuted? Was the bike really beat up? Did you buy it back from the insurance?" The KLR was taken from my driveway on a Sunday with locks on the front (disk lock) and rear wheels (U-lock). I duly reported it and never expected to see it again. When the police made the followup call next day to verify info I asked them to repeat the VIN in my report and she read it off with some numbers transposed, so until I corrected her they'd have been looking for the wrong bike! Or rather, whether they were looking for it or not they'd have had the wrong VIN and would not recognize it if they had found it. Thursday I got a call at work notifying me that it was recovered during a routine traffic stop. If you ever steal a motorcycle, never run a stop sign in sight of a police car. I brought it home with the pipe and radiator fan missing, the headlight replaced with a non-KLR unit, butchered wiring and other damage. Plastic was off the bike for maintenance at the time of the theft so I still had it. Bike was insured only for liability so I was out of pocket on the repair. Thanks to the list (extreme shout out here) I found good parts reasonably priced. In court they could only charge the guy with possession of stolen property, as I expected. He did not seem bright enough to have engineered the theft and I can't believe he had a friend to help him drag the bike away. He had been stupid enough to borrow what was obviously a stolen motorcycle and break several traffic/vehicle code laws while riding it, and he deserved to get caught for something. It was evident that his dad knew he'd sired a mope. We agreed he'd plead to possession if he agreed to pay me $1000 to cover damages, and of course all he did was to agree. Never saw a dime of the grand, also as expected. The poor bike was never right after that and I eventually sold it, with full disclosure. Since I'd found it for such a killer price I broke even for all costs (including insurance, fuel and the repairs) over the term of ownership. I'm sure that will never happen again. What I learned: 1) Lock your bike TO something. I had a plan to sink a metal post in concrete and lock to that, but did not "get around to it" in time. Get around to it. 2) Keep your paperwork in order and be sure to get the accurate word out if something bad happens. 3) Don't rely on the justice system to get justice. Revenge is a hollow, petty and corrosive motivator but a little bit of it would have been tremendously satisfactory in this instance. I'm only human. Stephen P.S. Though KLR-less, I'm still on the list in case I find another to buy. It was a fun bike and I'd like to have another when circumstances permit. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[crozetsam]

I recently discovered that the right rear turning signal on my '08 KLM was broken and dangling. I haven't had any trauma that would reasonably explain what could have happened. I called the dealer parts dept, and was told it was a $65 item. The cheap plastic mounting collar is all that is torn but of course you have to purchase the whole turning light assembly. This is the rectangular shaped clear lens type that apparently was changed from a round red type sometime in 08. Is ther a LED upgrade available,where,and how much? Is there a cheaper after market option to OEM available? Thanks

[Jeff Saline]

On Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:17:04 -0000 "crozetsam" writes:

> I recently discovered that the right rear turning signal on my '08 > KLM was broken and dangling. I haven't had any trauma that would > reasonably explain what could have happened. I called the dealer > parts dept, and was told it was a $65 item. The cheap plastic > mounting collar > is all that is torn but of course you have to purchase the whole > turning light assembly. > This is the rectangular shaped clear lens type that apparently was > changed from a round red type sometime in 08. > Is there a LED upgrade available,where,and how much? Is there a > cheaper > after market option to OEM available? > Thanks

<><><><><><><> <><><><><><><> crozetsam, I don't have much experience with post 07 KLRs but I believe the turn signals were a warranty item if they broke on the 08 KLRs. Might be worth talking with the dealer service manager and asking if they'd consult with Kawasaki and cover your broken turn signal under warranty. 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 . ____________________________________________________________ Online Doctorate Degrees Find leading online Phd programs. Study anywhere anytime. http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/c?cp=elEIVd9WYF-UPGh4UToiJAAAJ1DWfJIDP-R0_NC3mMpGFS0kAAQAAAAFAAAAANdoGj8AAAMlAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaUcwAAAAA=

[Darren Clark]

www.denniskirk.com They have a bunch to choose from. Jeff Saline wrote:

> On Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:17:04 -0000 "crozetsam" > writes: > >> I recently discovered that the right rear turning signal on my '08 >> KLM was broken and dangling. I haven't had any trauma that would >> reasonably explain what could have happened. I called the dealer >> parts dept, and was told it was a $65 item. The cheap plastic >> mounting collar >> is all that is torn but of course you have to purchase the whole >> turning light assembly. >> This is the rectangular shaped clear lens type that apparently was >> changed from a round red type sometime in 08. >> Is there a LED upgrade available,where,and how much? Is there a >> cheaper >> after market option to OEM available? >> Thanks >> > <><><><><><><> > <><><><><><><> > > crozetsam, > > I don't have much experience with post 07 KLRs but I believe the turn > signals were a warranty item if they broke on the 08 KLRs. > > Might be worth talking with the dealer service manager and asking if > they'd consult with Kawasaki and cover your broken turn signal under > warranty. > > 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 > > > . > ____________________________________________________________ > Online Doctorate Degrees > Find leading online Phd programs. Study anywhere anytime. > http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/c?cp=elEIVd9WYF-UPGh4UToiJAAAJ1DWfJIDP-R0_NC3mMpGFS0kAAQAAAAFAAAAANdoGj8AAAMlAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaUcwAAAAA= > > > ------------------------------------ > > 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/dsnklr650Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > >

-- Darren Clark http://www.flickr.com/photos/84373829@N00/ 2004 KLR-650 Fowlerville, MI [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]