tire failure!!!

[Fred Hink]

[b]You have come to the right place.  Stuart Heaslet lives for this stuff.  Contact Stuart at  stuart@...  He is either in Alaska on his KLR or back home in Florida planning another trip to Alaska.[/b] [b]http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/ontheroad.html[/b] [b][/b]  [b]Fred[/b]   [b][/b] 

----- Original Message ----- [b]From:[/b] jesbo@... [b]To:[/b] DSN_klr650@egroups.com [b]Sent:[/b] Thursday, August 24, 2000 6:47 AM [b]Subject:[/b] [DSN_klr650] New on List- Looking for KLR Info I would also be interested in hearing from anyone who has rode their KLR to Prudhoe etc

[Kurt Simpson]

> a little more dual sport and started looking at BMWs F650. In the

meantime,

> I've had a number of folks recommend the KLR as an alternative. I have no > knowledge or experience with the KLR or any Kawasaki product, so I've come > here to this list to be "loaded up" with wisdom. Naturally, I'm

interested

> in things like reliability, "packability" comfort for the long haul, etc.

I

> would also be interested in hearing from anyone who has rode their KLR to > Prudhoe etc. I know this is a wide open topic, but if this list is

anything

> like the Internet BMW Riders List (and I suspect it is), I'll find someone > who has been there, done that, and has the tee shirt!

Jess, you wouldn't go wrong with an F650 either the new version or the old, the KLR, or the DR650. The KLR is a workhorse and performs beautifully as an adventure tourer. Many seasoned veterans change out the front and rear springs to improve load carrying capacity and, in the case of the front, to eliminate "break drive". The KLR is unsurpassed when it comes to aftermarket support for racks, stands, luggage, etc. and there is no better bargain when it comes to cost. The KLR and DR have less plastic to break if you fall in the dirt or otherwise. The DR is air-cooled, the KLR water-cooled. Check out the archives for hours and hours of reading. Best regards, Kurt Simpson Editor Dual Sport News

[klrkaw@aol.com]

Just got back from a wonderful trip to northwestern Canada and Alaska. Bike ran flawless. Tires - another story. Sometime within the last 1,000 miles my Avon Gripster rear tire developed three 2 1/4 inch long gashes between the knobs on near the sidewall of the tire. The center one actually went clear through the tire and exposed the tube. In addition to these three gashes there were two smaller ones developing. All cuts were on the drive side of the wheel. They do not appear to be "slashes" and the tire still has about 1,000 miles of tread left on it. I thought - hmmm novelty. Must just be mine. Then I went to see my dad, who was on the trip with me, and noted that he had a similar set of cracks developing on the same side of his rear tire. Not an isolated incident!! Has anyone else run into this issue? Erik.