loud whining noise - is it the tires?

[Kurt Simpson]

> temperature. Is that normal for a klr650? What could of the dealer > have done at the 600 mile check that would increase vibration and > temperature? Any thoughts would be appreciated, I really like this > motorcycle and am worried that it is not set up right and continued > use like it is will harm it.

the 600 mile check is basically a bolt and nut tightening thing plus oil and filter plus adjust the balancer chain plus a valve adjustment... so the only real thing that could be done incorrectly is the valve adjustment...the cams may have been removed and installed incorrectly...on the other hand it has been the experience of the list that most dealers skip the valve adjustment... Kurt

[Jeffrey L. Walker]

but now I think the bike is running hot.

> On highway the water temperature is ok but as soon as I make a couple > of stop lights the fan is kicking on even in 60 to 70 degree air > temperature. Is that normal for a klr650?

Perfectly normal. Much more heat is carried away when you are traveling at highway speeds, and when you are in town, not enough heat is carried away, and the fan kicks on and off. Remember that this is a water cooled bike, not really an air cooled engine (not directly anyway). It tends to keep more heat in the oil and around the cylinder, to be carried off by the anti-freeze. Water is a wonderful medium of heat transfer, much better than air, probably the best there is. But it also retains heat pretty well, and it takes the bike quite a while to cool down after a highway run in the stop and go traffic. (too a lower level that is.) As for making the engine run hotter. Well, oil viscosity can play a role there, and too high a viscosity could also exaggerate the engine vibrations and make the bike run poorly. What kind of oil did the dealer put in? Jeff

[Joe Percival]

Recently, I have noticed a fairly loud whining noise when traveling above 60 MPH, in a straight line, on pavement. The noise goes away when I turn ever so slightly to the right or left and when I drop below about 60 MPH. It seems to get louder as my speed increases. I have not been so bold as to test performance in the dirt above 60. Could it be... Tire (MT21)? Chain/Sprocket? Bearings? Originally I suspected the tire because it sounds like a pickup truck running snow/mud tires (which sounds like a rear end going out as well) but I have since seen postings by others claiming the MT21 is nearly whisper quiet. Background: I put a new MT21 on the back just before Moab. Bearings were checked and chain tension checked while changing the tire. At Moab I ran fairly low pressure the entire time I was there (around 22 - 25 lbs.). Riding there included a bunch of dirt trails and probably between 100 and 150 miles of paved access roads. I dumped it once on the right side at very low speed. Upon returning I have bumped the pressure back up to 30 -32 lbs. for the time being because most of my riding has been on pavement (woe is me). The bike is young in years and miles. It is an A13 with a little less than 3K miles on it. Thanks in advance, Joe