gas leak after fill-up

[Rick]

I decided to take my good camera gear on rides and moved from tank panniers to a tailbag. I'd rather not use my camera to protect my bike if I drop the bike. Now don't everyone laugh at once but how do you get off the bike gracefully with a tailbag. Getting on is easy using a step through method but not getting off that way. I think it's because I probably use the bars to help balance while stepping through or it's easier to kick your leg up with both feet planted. I keep catching my heel when stepping off. I have this image of seriously hooking my heel and pulling the bike down on top of me. Is it just practice or what? I am not short 6'2" Rick

[Spike55]

Rick: For a while, I had a plastic milk crate attached to the rack (covered rack with duct tape first to cut down on scratches) so I could haul the transmission or the heads for my BMW (old bike) that I'm working on. I'm 6'3" (55 yrs old) and after a few "on & offs" along my route, I decided against "tail" anything. The bike then ('06 with stock seat) was never in danger of falling (installed a "BigFoot" on kick stand & it was always down during the mounting / dismounting process) but I was. My addition of the Corbin flat seat does lose an inch or two but any thing big mounted on the rear rack still requires too much gymnastics for me. I now use a Wolfman Explorer tank bag for small odds & ends (no BMW transmissions). Don R100, A6F

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Rick" wrote: > > I decided to take my good camera gear on rides and moved from tank > panniers to a tailbag. I'd rather not use my camera to protect my bike > if I drop the bike. > > Now don't everyone laugh at once but how do you get off the bike > gracefully with a tailbag. Getting on is easy using a step through > method but not getting off that way. I think it's because I probably > use the bars to help balance while stepping through or it's easier to > kick your leg up with both feet planted. I keep catching my heel when > stepping off. I have this image of seriously hooking my heel and > pulling the bike down on top of me. Is it just practice or what? I am > not short 6'2" > > Rick >

[Mike Peplinski]

Same problem here; 6', not very limber but not very young either (58). I have a large storage box on my rack. Its a 5 gallon water tank from an RV. I've learned to kink my leg and swing high to get on. It doesn't work too badly. I do have a 1 1/2" lowering link that really helps. Before I had to take a sort of sideways leap to get on and sort of a "bugs in my ass" jump to get off. I leave the stand down. I have not dumped the bike nor have I fallen, yet. I tried the stand-on-the-peg mount but this just isn't natural for me. I just don't trust the kick stand but some riders get al ong fine with this method. By the way-I happen to be in need of a BMW transmission, 75 R90/6. I'm a little shy about spending the $850 plus to rebuild it and wouldn't mind finding a good used one.

>From: "Spike55" >To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com >Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: Getting On the Bike >Date: Tue, 06 Jun 2006 10:45:06 -0000 > >Rick: For a while, I had a plastic milk crate attached to the rack >(covered rack with duct tape first to cut down on scratches) so I >could haul the transmission or the heads for my BMW (old bike) that >I'm working on. I'm 6'3" (55 yrs old) and after a few "on & offs" >along my route, I decided against "tail" anything. The bike then >('06 with stock seat) was never in danger of falling (installed >a "BigFoot" on kick stand & it was always down during the mounting / >dismounting process) but I was. My addition of the Corbin flat seat >does lose an inch or two but any thing big mounted on the rear rack >still requires too much gymnastics for me. I now use a Wolfman >Explorer tank bag for small odds & ends (no BMW transmissions). > >Don R100, A6F > >--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Rick" wrote: > > > > I decided to take my good camera gear on rides and moved from tank > > panniers to a tailbag. I'd rather not use my camera to protect my >bike > > if I drop the bike. > > > > Now don't everyone laugh at once but how do you get off the bike > > gracefully with a tailbag. Getting on is easy using a step through > > method but not getting off that way. I think it's because I >probably > > use the bars to help balance while stepping through or it's easier >to > > kick your leg up with both feet planted. I keep catching my heel >when > > stepping off. I have this image of seriously hooking my heel and > > pulling the bike down on top of me. Is it just practice or what? >I am > > not short 6'2" > > > > Rick > > > > > > > > >Archive Quicksearch at: >http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/klr650_data_search.html >List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com >List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html >Member Map at: http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650 >Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > >

[Arden Kysely]

Rick, Have you considered a tank bag? My 35mm has traveled many an on- and off-road mile safely sitting on some thick egg-crate foam in my Wolfman Explorer. No kick worries, out of the way in a crash, and I think it gets less bouncing that the tail end of the bike. If you're set on a tailbag, just use the left peg to dismount once you put the sidestand down. __Arden

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Rick" wrote: > > I decided to take my good camera gear on rides and moved from tank > panniers to a tailbag. I'd rather not use my camera to protect my bike > if I drop the bike. > > Now don't everyone laugh at once but how do you get off the bike > gracefully with a tailbag. Getting on is easy using a step through > method but not getting off that way. I think it's because I probably > use the bars to help balance while stepping through or it's easier to > kick your leg up with both feet planted. I keep catching my heel when > stepping off. I have this image of seriously hooking my heel and > pulling the bike down on top of me. Is it just practice or what? I am > not short 6'2" > > Rick >

[Don S]

Rick: Elton John may still have some of his costume boots available. In a pinch, you could get by with the left boot only. The down side is that walking any distance would be a bit of a challenge. The up side is that if "Gunsmoke" was to be re-made, you'd have a good chance of getting the role of Chester. Joking aside, there isn't much one can do getting on and off with a dimensional load on the rack. I normally use my home-made panniers to haul stuff. Suggest you get yourself a set. LIfe will be a lot easier. (see econo-panniers) in the photo section. Cost me less than $80.00 to make them. On the otherhand, the SU rack from Happy Trails was over three times that much. Worth every cent though. Don S. Rick wrote: I decided to take my good camera gear on rides and moved from tank panniers to a tailbag. I'd rather not use my camera to protect my bike if I drop the bike. Now don't everyone laugh at once but how do you get off the bike gracefully with a tailbag. Getting on is easy using a step through method but not getting off that way. I think it's because I probably use the bars to help balance while stepping through or it's easier to kick your leg up with both feet planted. I keep catching my heel when stepping off. I have this image of seriously hooking my heel and pulling the bike down on top of me. Is it just practice or what? I am not short 6'2" Rick --------------------------------- Feel free to call! Free PC-to-PC calls. Low rates on PC-to-Phone. Get Yahoo! Messenger with Voice [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Andrus Chesley]

Us older people do it this way. Put Kickstand down. Hold front brake with bike preloaded with your weight. < Kinda keeps the bike lower. > Keep left foot on peg. Stand up. Swing right foot over everything and ease to ground. Put other foot down too. Release front brake. < Notice the bike lean over more as suspension unloads.> I've been doing this for years on my R1150GSA, R11GSA, R11A, KLR #1, KLR #2, DRZ400s. ETC. That being said, why not a good tank bag?. Andy in Louisiana '00 KLR650 < Keeper '02 R1150GSA < For Sale

[Don Bittle]

On Jun 6, 2006, at 2:14 PM, Andrus Chesley wrote:

> Us older people do it this way. Put Kickstand down. > > > .

Works for me too. If the manufacturers only knew how many bikes I didn't buy because of the 36" seat height. I guess I should thank them. don a17 voyager12 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Norm Keller]

I'm 57 with a 28"inseam and don't have much difficulty excepting when wearing MX boots. I simply lift my left leg above the height of the seat, bend my knee a bit, point my foot over the seat and slide over. Maybe some stretching and agility exercises would be in order? I've noticed that most tall people are not as flexible as shorter people because (seemingly) they don't have to make as many accommodations to fit around obstructions. I can still kick above my head with no effort so getting onto the seat with tank bag, HT panniers and Givi trunk gives little difficulty. Try doing daily stretching and mounting/dismounting exercises. After a couple of weeks you will likely have little difficulty. HIH Norm [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Rick]

The reason that works for you is because of your inseam. I have a 36" inseam and bending my knee with my knee well over the tank my foot will still hit the tailbag. I have to be able to clear the tailbag which is easy standing on the pegs but not very reassuring to rely on that small point for balance even if it is only for a moment.

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Norm Keller" wrote: > > I'm 57 with a 28"inseam and don't have much difficulty excepting when wearing MX boots. I simply lift my left leg above the height of the seat, bend my knee a bit, point my foot over the seat and slide over. Maybe some stretching and agility exercises would be in order? > > I've noticed that most tall people are not as flexible as shorter people because (seemingly) they don't have to make as many accommodations to fit around obstructions. I can still kick above my head with no effort so getting onto the seat with tank bag, HT panniers and Givi trunk gives little difficulty. > > Try doing daily stretching and mounting/dismounting exercises. After a couple of weeks you will likely have little difficulty. > > HIH > > Norm > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >

[Kimosabe]

I had a similar problem that was relieved by moving the box mounted on the tail rack back a couple of inches. If you're worried about the box extending too far over the end of the rack and cracking, a thin piece of plywood underneath the box helps to prevent it.

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Rick" wrote: > > The reason that works for you is because of your inseam. I have a > 36" inseam and bending my knee with my knee well over the tank my > foot will still hit the tailbag. I have to be able to clear the > tailbag which is easy standing on the pegs but not very reassuring to > rely on that small point for balance even if it is only for a moment. > > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Norm Keller" wrote: > > > > I'm 57 with a 28"inseam and don't have much difficulty excepting > when wearing MX boots. I simply lift my left leg above the height of > the seat, bend my knee a bit, point my foot over the seat and slide > over. Maybe some stretching and agility exercises would be in order? > > > > I've noticed that most tall people are not as flexible as shorter > people because (seemingly) they don't have to make as many > accommodations to fit around obstructions. I can still kick above my > head with no effort so getting onto the seat with tank bag, HT > panniers and Givi trunk gives little difficulty. > > > > Try doing daily stretching and mounting/dismounting exercises. > After a couple of weeks you will likely have little difficulty. > > > > HIH > > > > Norm > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > >