1987 klr 250 gas cap gasket

[Norm Keller]

I went to my favorite bike in the whole world, a pre-1996 ABS/TCS Honda ST1100 which rode for several years before trying various other bikes after decided I was done with long distance highway. Single car garage shared with my sports car, tools and other projects made a smaller bike more attractive and acquired a kitted out 1997 KLR for $700.00. Back in the fold and have so little in it that it can sit....which it does to the tune of only 800 miles per year. Getting old is the pits 'cause just less interested in all the ATGATT effort.... Still enjoy riding it and that I can do gravel and such. Vstrom, Versys and such don't appeal at all because are injected and cast wheels make riding gravel unsuitable IMO. I still like to fly so a chuck hole and .....

 

I'm appreciating your investigations and reflections Bogdan, I hope this doesn't mean you will be moving on as you've been someone I always looked up to. Not quite in the way I liked to look up to Monica at the local Honda shop when she was up a ladder in a short skirt.....

[Bogdan Swider]

Norm,  I've heard that a ST 1100 is hard to take on very hot days. Is that true ? I find myself ridding during 100 degree plus days every summer as I cross Kansas or Nebraska to see family in St. Louis or Chicago.  Last year while traveling from Colorado to Florida and back, I found that the deep Southeast is actually cooler, in June/July than the Midwest. Bogdan On Mar 31, 2015, at 1:33 PM, 'Norm Keller' normkel32@... [DSN_KLR650] DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

  I went to my favorite bike in the whole world, a pre-1996 ABS/TCS Honda ST1100 which rode for several years before trying various other bikes after decided I was done with long distance highway. Single car garage shared with my sports car, tools and other projects made a smaller bike more attractive and acquired a kitted out 1997 KLR for $700.00. Back in the fold and have so little in it that it can sit....which it does to the tune of only 800 miles per year. Getting old is the pits 'cause just less interested in all the ATGATT effort.... Still enjoy riding it and that I can do gravel and such. Vstrom, Versys and such don't appeal at all because are injected and cast wheels make riding gravel unsuitable IMO. I still like to fly so a chuck hole and .....   I'm appreciating your investigations and reflections Bogdan, I hope this doesn't mean you will be moving on as you've been someone I always looked up to. Not quite in the way I liked to look up to Monica at the local Honda shop when she was up a ladder in a short skirt.....

[Bogdan Swider]

Yeah if you're used to motorcycles a scooter just doesn't do the trick. Even in town. Moreover ..I'd look funny in my chaps, leather vest with fringes and the rest, perched on a scooter. Bogdan On Mar 31, 2015, at 10:45 AM, Ron Criswell  wrote:

A Suzuki Bergman.....great seat and leg room....will go cross country.....but....I can't get into scooters....even good ones. Criswell Sent from my iPad On Mar 30, 2015, at 1:24 PM, "Bogdan Swider bSwider@... [DSN_KLR650]"DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> wrote:   Be interesting to hear what you may be interested in after the KLR is gone. 

i'm thinking of avoiding dual sports. I usually ride alone. Looking back, I've done some very risky things in out-of-the-way places. A pavement bike would keep me from falling into temptation. I'd even consider a Harley Road King as it's thought of as an old guy's ride. Don't know if I could get used to the weight. I may be too cheap to spring for a Harley - even used. I like the standard/naked Beemers, 1150/1200R, Suzuki Bandits or Honda VFRs. I'm also interested in sidecar rigs. I'm pretty open and will look for a deal. Bogdan

[Yahoo]

Reminds me of the thirty something bearded guy I saw in a convenience store all decked out in black leather, chaps, do rag, the works. He left on a Schwinn chopper bike... Paul Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 31, 2015, at 3:59 PM, "Bogdan Swider bSwider@... [DSN_KLR650]" DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

  Yeah if you're used to motorcycles a scooter just doesn't do the trick. Even in town. Moreover ..I'd look funny in my chaps, leather vest with fringes and the rest, perched on a scooter. Bogdan On Mar 31, 2015, at 10:45 AM, Ron Criswell  wrote: A Suzuki Bergman.....great seat and leg room....will go cross country.....but....I can't get into scooters....even good ones. Criswell Sent from my iPad On Mar 30, 2015, at 1:24 PM, "Bogdan Swider bSwider@... [DSN_KLR650]"DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> wrote:   Be interesting to hear what you may be interested in after the KLR is gone.  i'm thinking of avoiding dual sports. I usually ride alone. Looking back, I've done some very risky things in out-of-the-way places. A pavement bike would keep me from falling into temptation. I'd even consider a Harley Road King as it's thought of as an old guy's ride. Don't know if I could get used to the weight. I may be too cheap to spring for a Harley - even used. I like the standard/naked Beemers, 1150/1200R, Suzuki Bandits or Honda VFRs. I'm also interested in sidecar rigs. I'm pretty open and will look for a deal. Bogdan

[tlz4u]

Bogdan,      I agree with Revmaaatin.      I have been riding over 40 years now, and my 2002 KLR has become my favorite motorcycle. After spending the past 30 years riding three different 4 cylinder 'Wings (over 100,000 miles each!), a bad knee forced me to look for a lighter bike.      I invested in a slightly used (8,000 mile) KLR, and set about "farkeling" it into a single cylinder, light weight!,  touring bike. I lowered it 3 inches, front and rear, and installed Pirelli Skorpion (95% pavement, 5%off road) tires. A "doohickey" change, custom seat, and 9 inch taller wind screen really enhanced the transformation. The large fuel tank of the KLR allows a 250 mile range, and at my age, 250-300 miles a day is all I want to travel anymore.      The lowering greatly improves feeling of the bike on the road, and the tread design of the Pirelli's made an immediate improvement of the vibration inherit with the KLR. I still have 6 inches of suspension travel and ground clearance.      While the modifications (improvements?) I have made to my KLR have seriously comprimised it's off road capabilities, my own off road skills have proven to be worse. The relatively light weight of the KLR , however, does make the gravel roads here in Georgia much more fun!      I'm sure that most guys that have been riding KLR's are not interested in these modifications. However, if anyone is, I will be happy to send information as to how to modify the forks and shock to cheaply and easily lower their KLR. The mod's are easily reversible.        Robert L. Brewer One of the world's main problems is that "The foolish are full of certainty, while the wise are full of self doubt."

[ron criswell]

Great quote at the end Robert. Criswell Sent from my iPad

On Mar 31, 2015, at 4:28 PM, "tlz4u@... [DSN_KLR650]" DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

  Bogdan,      I agree with Revmaaatin.      I have been riding over 40 years now, and my 2002 KLR has become my favorite motorcycle. After spending the past 30 years riding three different 4 cylinder 'Wings (over 100,000 miles each!), a bad knee forced me to look for a lighter bike.      I invested in a slightly used (8,000 mile) KLR, and set about "farkeling" it into a single cylinder, light weight!,  touring bike. I lowered it 3 inches, front and rear, and installed Pirelli Skorpion (95% pavement, 5%off road) tires. A "doohickey" change, custom seat, and 9 inch taller wind screen really enhanced the transformation. The large fuel tank of the KLR allows a 250 mile range, and at my age, 250-300 miles a day is all I want to travel anymore.      The lowering greatly improves feeling of the bike on the road, and the tread design of the Pirelli's made an immediate improvement of the vibration inherit with the KLR. I still have 6 inches of suspension travel and ground clearance.      While the modifications (improvements?) I have made to my KLR have seriously comprimised it's off road capabilities, my own off road skills have proven to be worse. The relatively light weight of the KLR , however, does make the gravel roads here in Georgia much more fun!      I'm sure that most guys that have been riding KLR's are not interested in these modifications. However, if anyone is, I will be happy to send information as to how to modify the forks and shock to cheaply and easily lower their KLR. The mod's are easily reversible.        Robert L. Brewer One of the world's main problems is that "The foolish are full of certainty, while the wise are full of self doubt."

[Norm Keller]

#ygrps-yiv-470572591 blockquote.ygrps-yiv-470572591cite {margin-left:5px;margin-right:0px;padding-left:10px;padding-right:0px;border-left:1px solid #cccccc;} #ygrps-yiv-470572591 blockquote.ygrps-yiv-470572591cite2 {margin-left:5px;margin-right:0px;padding-left:10px;padding-right:0px;border-left:1px solid #cccccc;margin-top:3px;padding-top:0px;} #ygrps-yiv-470572591 .ygrps-yiv-470572591plain pre, #ygrps-yiv-470572591 .ygrps-yiv-470572591plain tt {font-family:monospace;font-size:100%;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;} #ygrps-yiv-470572591 a img {border:0px;}#ygrps-yiv-470572591 {font-family:Tahoma;font-size:12pt;} #ygrps-yiv-470572591 .ygrps-yiv-470572591plain pre, #ygrps-yiv-470572591 .ygrps-yiv-470572591plain tt {font-family:Tahoma;font-size:12pt;} I've not had a problem, even in very hot but those things do vary. I love the electric motor smoothness and torque. Stick one in 5th gear at 50 mph and it will haul itself past 145 mph without a hiccup or bog. They are ideal with an electronic cruise control as almost nothing requires shifting. My nephew and son took mine and swapped bikes with nephew's Suzuki. Nephew came back shaking his head. He said that they swapped a 1/4 mile before the highway entrance lane and he ran up to 100 kph and was going along, when he thought that it was quite smooth but not as smooth as he hoped. After about 5 miles they pulled off to return and then he realized that he's started out in second gear and hadn't shifted. It simply didn't care about starting off in second or doing 60 mph. I've started out in 3rd a few times when not paying attention to shifting down but one has to take a bit of care with the clutch. Nothing more than starting off in second on a KLR. Give one a test and see what you think.   I'd absolutely find an ABS/TCS because the safety and convenience is addictive. Whack the throttle open and it won't spin and won't lift the front wheel so no concern about low siding on a left turn if someone has spilled fuel. Nail it to stop over mud and loose stuff and the ABS just buzzes and hauls you down. I prefer the pre-1996 because am a dinosaur about linked braking although first to admit that I cannot make a case against it. 1996 and up have a 40 amp air cooled automotive (Nippon Densu) alternator which makes about 45 amps. The 28 amp on the pre-1996 isn't a very difficult swap if one wishes and many have been done. The 40 amp alternator for all the later versions I've checked and all the conversions is actually a 55 amp which makes about 60 amps. That kind of electrical surplus is to dream for, IMO, as one can run everything one would ever want, and that will a diode gone.   Easier to pick up than a KLR, have tip over wings which are plastic covered frame extensions sticking out of the lower sides of the fairing so dropping it just lands on the replaceable ABS plastic parts which are cheap. That should be required on all road use bikes, IMO. Not as good on gravel as a KLR though.   I thought of keeping both but space and insurance costs + 800 miles per year...?....   Friends have 300 & 400 thousand miles on ones which have only had maintenance and timing belt.   ------ Original Message ------ From: "Bogdan Swider" To: "DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com" DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com>; "Norm Keller" Sent: 2015-03-31 1:56:27 PM Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] For Sale/ Gauging Interest  

Norm,  I've heard that a ST 1100 is hard to take on very hot days. Is that true ? I find myself ridding during 100 degree plus days every summer as I cross Kansas or Nebraska to see family in St. Louis or Chicago.  Last year while traveling from Colorado to Florida and back, I found that the deep Southeast is actually cooler, in June/July than the Midwest. Bogdan On Mar 31, 2015, at 1:33 PM, 'Norm Keller' normkel32@... [DSN_KLR650] DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> wrote:   I went to my favorite bike in the whole world, a pre-1996 ABS/TCS Honda ST1100 which rode for several years before trying various other bikes after decided I was done with long distance highway. Single car garage shared with my sports car, tools and other projects made a smaller bike more attractive and acquired a kitted out 1997 KLR for $700.00. Back in the fold and have so little in it that it can sit....which it does to the tune of only 800 miles per year. Getting old is the pits 'cause just less interested in all the ATGATT effort.... Still enjoy riding it and that I can do gravel and such. Vstrom, Versys and such don't appeal at all because are injected and cast wheels make riding gravel unsuitable IMO. I still like to fly so a chuck hole and .....   I'm appreciating your investigations and reflections Bogdan, I hope this doesn't mean you will be moving on as you've been someone I always looked up to. Not quite in the way I liked to look up to Monica at the local Honda shop when she was up a ladder in a short skirt.....

[achesley43@ymail.com]

Since '07 , when BMW priced themselves out of my range, I've had an '07 DL1000 Vstrom I put about 20 somewhat thousand miles on. Really hard to get use to regular forks after living with BMW's telelever for 125 thousand miles of them. Found the DL too tall for my old 29 inseam legs/ plus didn't like a little stutter I never could get out of it at about 2800 r's. Onward to an ;07 Bandit 1250S left over at the dealers. Traded in the DL1000 and first ride on the Bandit was really an eye opener. Trips about the USA even opened my eyes up more so. I was 65 years old when buying this bike and had Never had a bike as fast or handled as well or didn't care what gear your were in at what speed. It just went. Of course I have it set up with lowered pegs and 3in risers for the bars so I can run standing for those gravel roads or beat up blacktops I find myself on quite often. At 74,000 on the clock ( need to add 7% for acurate due to speedohealer ) All I've done was Oil / filter / coolent changes, brake fluid changes, syn TBs at 10K miles , Corbin seat, Larger windshield, Wheel bearings and stem bearings at 60,000 miles. After that, gas and tires and go. After my wreck avoiding a deer a few years back, the LD trips due to my shoulder are pretty much over ( the rest of my 72  year old body helps with this decision ) But, after rebuilding the damage from the crash, I thought I was gonna sell the Bandit and just keep the KLR. But, everytime I take a ride about the countryside, I just can't let it go. Guess both of them gonna go to the grave with me. Even though, the KLR is my main go to bike on a daily basics about SW Louisiana's fine roads. HaaaaaaaH ! 

[Norm Keller]

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> Robert L. Brewer > One of the world's main problems is that "The foolish are full of certainty, > while the wise are full of self doubt." >

    It is similar to the Dunning-Kruger Effect.

[Norm Keller]

Taller people tell me that the feet forward riding position on scooters isn't ideal. I suppose that's variable and haven't ridden any long enough to notice.