nklr - ducati monster

[mmmasters28]

\Dual sport bikes that are more dirt bike oriented seem to be taller and have more travel than the KLR. I realize the KLR is better multipurpose bike than some, but it would be nice to have a little more ground up clearance for logs and ledges. HMM, I weigh about 185 and and run the preload at two clicks and the dampener at two clicks. Having not ridden a better suspended bike it is hard for met to say the suspension is bad, but did notice that I seemed to bottom out more. Probably won't mess with it to much, maybe just a nice aftermarket shock like the WP. Your thoughts and comments are always appreciated. Ordered the doohickey parts today from Fred and a new aluminum fan blade. Looking forward to getting the KLR back on the road. Have to get the Cobra bracket welded back on and am having a hard time finding someone who will even weld aluminum. A strap would work in a pinch, and did, but the vibration is bad and surely it would not hold up longterm. I think I will repack the Cobra as well, the bubbles are starting to form and I can only hope this would make the pipe last longer. Thanks, Mick

[bigfatgreenbike]

MMMASTERS28@... wrote:

>\Dual sport bikes that are more dirt bike oriented seem to be taller >and have more travel than the KLR. I realize the KLR is better >multipurpose bike than some, but it would be nice to have a little >more ground up clearance for logs and ledges. HMM, I weigh about >185 and and run the preload at two clicks and the dampener at two >clicks. >

If you're talking about the stock shock, that was rebound damping you adjusted and not compression. Won't have any direct effect on bottoming. The stock spring is 10" long and 300lb/in. Changing to a 9" 500-560lb/in spring works for big riders or people who ride agressively offroad. Even at 4 the stock shock doesn't have enough rebound damping for the heavy spring, so the rear end kicks around a lot but it's still a huge improvement for $89. Better might be a 400lb/in spring, and have a shop change out the shock fluid for 10w instead of 5w. I'm using a Progressive 420 shock with a 350-450lb/in progressive spring. It's a modest improvement, but I think you could get 90% of the improvement with an $89 spring and a $40 shock service. Also, have the shop charge the shock to 175psi instead of 150, it will help a bit with fade especially with the thicker oil.

> Having not ridden a better suspended bike it is hard for >met to say the suspension is bad, but did notice that I seemed to >bottom out more. Probably won't mess with it to much, maybe just a >nice aftermarket shock like the WP. Your thoughts and comments >are always appreciated. > >Ordered the doohickey parts today from Fred and a new aluminum fan >blade. Looking forward to getting the KLR back on the road. Have >to get the Cobra bracket welded back on and am having a hard time >finding someone who will even weld aluminum. A strap would work in >a pinch, and did, but the vibration is bad and surely it would not >hold up longterm. I think I will repack the Cobra as well, the >bubbles are starting to form and I can only hope this would make the >pipe last longer. > >

Keep hoping, but look for another pipe at the same time. Repacking may quiet it a little bit, but I've seen Cobras do the bubble-gum thing and it's toast. I bought one of the old-style Jardine pipes off ebay along with a Cobra spark arrestor. With stock gearing, and a stock or other road-biased tire, it should fit fine, be a bit loud, and take 9lbs off the bike while adding a little bit of snap off idle. With the "sparky" the pipe is 9" longer than stock. With a Kenda K760 and 15-45 gearing, I had to oval the pipe enough for tire clearance that it's melted a hole in the airbox. The supertrapp IDS2 fit up well, but was too loud. -- Devon Brooklyn, NY A15-Z '01 KLR650 '81 SR500 cafe racer "The truth's not too popular these days....." Arnold Schwarzenneger, in The Running Man

[dooden]

Get your stock exhaust ready to put back on for when the Cobra explodes. I took one that did explode, and basically had to redesign the inside, trim the exploded area of the can, make a mounting bracket since the now shortened can mount did not reach the rear mounting hole and was too long for the front hole. I trimed the can insides, almost an inch, did a solid weld where the can meets the header pipe, basically it became a solid unit, it was still louder than loud, no matter what it was packed with, and had a short time on the bike, sold it with detailed comments what I had did to it and what was to be expected from it, never heard back if its still holding up or not. But I do know if for some reason Tweety attempts to make a nest in my stock pipe I will cut the end off, modify and replace the end, maybe even add a down spout, this way the can should remain spark arrested and fairly quiet, or at least have the stamping still on it that says it is anyway. Dooden A15 Green Ape

--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "mmmasters28" wrote: > \Dual sport bikes that are more dirt bike oriented seem to be taller > and have more travel than the KLR. I realize the KLR is better > multipurpose bike than some, but it would be nice to have a little > more ground up clearance for logs and ledges. HMM, I weigh about > 185 and and run the preload at two clicks and the dampener at two > clicks. Having not ridden a better suspended bike it is hard for > met to say the suspension is bad, but did notice that I seemed to > bottom out more. Probably won't mess with it to much, maybe just a > nice aftermarket shock like the WP. Your thoughts and comments > are always appreciated. > > Ordered the doohickey parts today from Fred and a new aluminum fan > blade. Looking forward to getting the KLR back on the road. Have > to get the Cobra bracket welded back on and am having a hard time > finding someone who will even weld aluminum. A strap would work in > a pinch, and did, but the vibration is bad and surely it would not > hold up longterm. I think I will repack the Cobra as well, the > bubbles are starting to form and I can only hope this would make the > pipe last longer. > > Thanks, > > Mick

[Stuart Mumford]

I owned a 94 M900 for about 6 or 8 months earlier this year. Fun bike, loud (CF Pipes), fast, but it was uncomfortable to ride (cramped riding position, very tightly sprung) and demanding. You really had to drive the bike rather than ride it, took lots of rider input to go fast. If you want to try it, I suggest buying a used one cheap and that way if you don't enjoy it after owning it for a few months you can sell it without too much financial strain (I made money on mine when I sold it). I liked the idea of a Monster more than I liked the reality. As a side note, I needed a turn signal (it came with a cracked lens) and it took about 3 months for Ducati to ship one to my local dealer. Parts availability is for shiznit on the Ducs. After I sold it, I picked up an '02 Triumph Sprint ST. Comfortable, seems like I just have to look at where I want to go and it goes. Quickly. Still a little exotic (3 cylinder, 955cc fuel injected, single sided swingarm), way easier to ride fast, and much more my "cup of tea". All in all, I enjoyed my Italian fling, but I'm glad I didn't pony up the cash for a new one and take a beating when I sold it. Good Luck CA Stu PS I disagree strongly with the Suzuki TL recommendation. They are flat out crap bikes, I reckon.

> -----Original Message----- --- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, bill grishaw wrote: > I have an A15 and enjoying the hell out of it, but I rode a Ducati > Monster today and want to get one of these in addition to my KLR. > > Anybody got any experience with these. I think it would complement the > KLR. > > Thanks > > G