Have a great ride, Rev!
Hey! Send us some posts from the road, eh?
Cheers!
Robert Wichert P.Eng. LEED AP BD&C +1 916 966 9060 FAX +1 916 966 9068 ===============================================
On 3/27/2014 6:55 PM, Martin Earl wrote:
When I started searching for my first KLR650 some 11 years ago, I 'culled' one that the owner had replaced a doohickey. Why would anyone want to buy a bike that someone had opened up and replaced something they could not even correctly identify? so, it goes. shrug. Now you know, now I know. I culled another KLR650 because the fork boot was torn; to me, an indication of a lazy owner. What else did he neglect? I culled a 2000 Garbage Can Green because it exceeded the definition of fugly. I also heard they were harder to pick up when they took a dirt nap. shrug.
My second KLR650 I bought (sight unseen) because I like the Teal Green/Teal Blue color, admittedly the worst reason for buying a bike, but that is what I did. And the fact that it had retail-value farkle almost equal to the purchase price. That was a no brainer, especialy after seeing the owners shop and talking to him on the phone extensively. No haggle, no dicker, pay the money. It was that kind of deal. Sufficient to say, buy the seller as much as buy the bike. IRT to color choices, our friend Criswell custom painted the same color bike...as I recall, couldn't stand the 97-99 color scheme, and Judd Jones changed the color of his with an IMS tank.) Teal Blue IS the fastest color, especially with the Free HP mod. The only thing I have noticed is that the Teal Blue bike break bones and have a fascination for nails/punctures. ymmv.
IRT to buying a bike with a replaced engine piston, I would want to know how many miles are it since the maintenance? Enquiring minds should ask, and want to know. If it was just done, who did it? Sufficient to say, buy the seller as much as buy the bike. Even the very best have a failure or two. shrug. It happens. Several NASCAR engines fail every race, and they are built by some pretty smart people. For me, A bike that has recent engine surgery needs to have a few 100 miles on it before I would want it, unless the price is very, very good, OR somebody is standing behind a warranty; which is doubtful on a 30 year old bike for $3K dollars.
Even your/our own work needs to be looked at with slight suspicion until it proves to be working correctly. It only makes good sense. I now have 580 miles on my 685 kit and am reasonable sure it will go the next 4K during the next 3 weeks. I have proven confidence in the bike now, more so than the first day when I only logged 28 miles. When I was doing post-maintenance check flights, we always suspect the helo was there to kill us, until proven other wise. It is also a reason not everybody qualified to do check flights--they were not suspicious enough or thorough enough to search out every possible gremlin.
Conversely, what about purchasing a stock KLR? Conversations 10 years ago suggested that just about any bike under 3K would be a safe bet, and I/others concluded at the time I probably would not buy a KLR650 with more than 6K on it. And one should do a test ride more than just around the block. So how did I follow that advice? cough. I on the other hand have gone after 2 bikes, sight unseen and rode them back (1997 KLR250) 1750 miles in 5 days, and a 1998 KLR650 (rode the bus 26 hours to get this one) and rode it back 1500 miles. The KLR 250 had 975 miles on it, the 650 had 20K on the clock, now 57,080 miles and a freshly installed 685 kit. Never had a lick of trouble from the 250 in the 4K I owned it, and the 650 only started showing signs of serious oil consumption around 55K, an almost predictable point of use. (Others have gone longer, many not as far.)
Sufficient to say, buy the seller as much as buy the bike. When Norm Keller sold his 110+farkle/mod KLR650, it could have been the primary definition of "buy the seller.' Did you know he even bought the HONDA valve stem seals that keep the goop out of the rim? and 109+ other items as well. Somewhere in my archives is his list of farkle/mods. That is attention to detail. smile. Maybe if he reads this, he would post that list for our amazement and enjoyment.
The guy who bought his bike bought a bike that needed nothing other than the HD tassels for the handgrips. Relax. Just kidding. I wish I could have bought Norm's KLR650; but, (at the time) what do you do with a 4th KLR650?
The KLR Koolaid runs deep in my family. Brother #2 bought my low mileage 2004 KLR650 last summer, He needed to buy it; he had logged over 1/2 of the 5K miles on the clock during three summer rides in the Black Hills! So, in my family, there are 3 KiLeRista-teers! by the same mother. Can anybody here top that?!?!?!? Dad thinks we (age 59, 56, 54 )are nuts. shrug.
Three brothers (Me as m1, brother #2 as m2, and brother #3 as m3) and my son (m1s1) are now KLR riders and I believe a KLR is sneaking up on my nephew, m3s1! hey!
I will catch up with m2 and m3 this weekend in MO if the wx cooperates and I can escape South Dakota's fickle Spring wx. 1-3 inches of snow tonight; 39F for Friday, 67F forecast for Sat. Hopefully it will be up to 40F on Saturday by 8-9am. and wind. sigh.
The bike is 95% prepped. New tires, one new tube. TALLL windshield installed for the wx protection. (First time behind a windshield since May of 2008 when I rode it home from Dallas Tx to Central SD. Clothing selected; needs to be packed. Tool roll needs one last look. GPS maps loaded. Paper maps selected/highlighted for most of the first two days
Should you wonder, it IS the Teal Blue bike with the free HP mod. This should be a hoot. Route: Sturgis to East Central MS via Lincoln, NE near Columbia, MO, Branson MO, Caledonia, MS (terminus) Then perhaps US 7 South through AR on the return trip to ride the AR, Ozarks twisties;
How do you know if you have selected the right road? It will be the one marked "Dangerous curves, next 169 miles."
Film at 11. revmaaatin. who believes the KLR is a reusable container.
On Thu, Mar 27, 2014 at 4:40 PM, Desert Datsuns wrote:
I can see both sides to it. I have personally thrown a new cylinder and
piston onto a bike I owned, so I could sell it. It was a good bike, but
had a lot of hours on it. So the new owner gets the piece of mind
knowing there is a new cylinder/piston.
But yeh, I've seen some really crap work on vehicles due to previous
owners, so I can see your point. When I bought my KLR I wanted it to be
all stock, so I know somebody didn't screw anything up. So I guess it
just depends on what parts, the age, etc.
On a 30 year old bike like that KLR600, I'd be happy that it has a new
piston, and more likely to buy it. But on something that was only 5-10
years old (and not a track bike), I'd be wondering what else is wrong
with it. We have an 87 quad, which I wish the PO threw a new piston
into, because it knocks and needs a rebuild.
Ryan Newman
Phoenix, AZ
RobertWichert wrote:
> "Just rebuilt" is the most scary thing to hear about a vehicle, in my
> opinion.
>
> Not everybody is as good at it as you are, and if they just rebuilt it,
> why are they selling it?
>
> Just sayin'...
>
>
> Robert Wichert P.Eng. LEED AP BD&C
> +1 916 966 9060
> FAX +1 916 966 9068
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ===============================================
>
> On 3/27/2014 2:16 PM, Desert Datsuns wrote:
>> Why not? I do my own motorcycle pistons, as do many people.
>> Ryan Newman
>> Phoenix, AZ
>>
>>
>> RobertWichert wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> I don't trust the fact that he did his own piston, but the idea of a
>>> lighter KLR is pretty appealing to me.
>>>
>>>
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sgv/mcy/4387735650.html
>>>
>>> --
>>> Robert Wichert P.Eng. LEED AP BD&C
>>> +1 916 966 9060
>>> FAX +1 916 966 9068
>>>
>>> ===============================================
>>>
>>>
>>>
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