From: owner-klr650-digest@lists.xmission.com (klr650-digest) To: klr650-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: klr650-digest V1 #251 Reply-To: klr650@lists.xmission.com Sender: owner-klr650-digest@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-klr650-digest@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk klr650-digest Saturday, September 19 1998 Volume 01 : Number 251 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 18 Sep 1998 19:43:27 +0000 From: Alex Jomarron Subject: (klr650) Shipping Panama-Colombia I found an archived travel log from Dave and Sharon Thompson, who are currently riding two BMW GSes around tre world, which mentions flying bike from Panama to Bogota for $250 each. This was last November. The company was called Girag. Another that was mentioned was Servi Carga. I hope this helps. Alex in Chicago ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 19 Sep 1998 09:13:55 +1000 From: Ted Palmer Subject: Re: (klr650) Returning Weave Problem Rcklr@aol.com wrote: [...] > (Now I hang my head in shame..) It seems that if the front tire is about 10psi > low, it weaves. Can you imagine that the Great Kawasaki Engineers didn't > design this possibility into their product?? (smile at this point.) I think there's something in that for all of us. The simple things are often the best. Mister_T ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 19 Sep 1998 11:50:33 +1000 From: Ted Palmer Subject: Re: (klr650) Returning Weave Problem NKLR Eric Rhoads wrote: [...] > I have the wobble. I don't like it at all. I still have the stock tires > which I keep at factory spec pressure (21lbs.) From what you'e saying, I'm > wondering if this wobble has something to do with the tires....and > wondering if it might go to hell (away) if I change tires...I can hope so. Try different pressures, maybe go up to 25psi and see what it does, this I guess is still way below the tyre's max cold pressure. Check on the sidewall, most tyres will tell you this max figure. While every brand and model of tyre needs its own pressure, 21psi sounds a bit low to me for road use. I suspect the book pressures take into account offroad use, where 21psi sounds more appropriate. In my own case, I run about 28-30psi in my front Metzeler ME33 and anywhere from 30-36psi in the rear Metzeler ME55A. Mister_T ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 18 Sep 1998 19:01:15 PDT From: "Juan Villarreal" Subject: (klr650) Fwd: Re: Brake line Protector >From: "Ron Hampe" >To: "Juan Villarreal" >Subject: Re: Brake line Protector >Date: Fri, 18 Sep 1998 20:55:42 -0500 > > >Would you advise the person on your KLR forum that e-mailed me regarding the >year 0f ZX-9 that the brake line protector came off of is a '98...I >accidently deleted when I was thinking I was replying.. > >RON HAMPE ( : - ) >> > >FSSNOC #1214 KLR 650 DSOG >BMWMOA #66471 CHAIN GANG > > > > > ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 19 Sep 1998 02:04:21 EDT From: alyef@juno.com (Alex Yefimov) Subject: Re: (klr650) valves: help? >Fred (for $100 what was "the Jerks special purpose"? That was what he and his parents called this penis!! Alex _____________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 19 Sep 1998 08:53:17 -0400 From: Stuart Heaslet Subject: (klr650) Vibram(tm) soles and steel pegs-ooops! This is to add to the collection of embarrassing stuff - I just finished kicki...er, petting the little dog at Taco Bell and was in process of pulling out into the road from the parking lot. My boots have brand-new Vibram(tm) soles and the KLR has IMS steel pegs. As I was coming to a stop, one of the soles got wedge-stuck in the steel peg, and I had fallen almost halfway over at the stop before I was able to jerk free and stabilize the bike. I don't think I could have recovered if the bike weighed another 100 pounds, nonetheless, the whole thing made me think about the design of boot soles and the fact that I better pay attention to how hardware and clothing work together. Stuart 1998 KLR650 ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 19 Sep 1998 09:02:39 -0500 From: "Jim Sprecker" Subject: (klr650) Honda's XL1000 - forget the mud, rocks, trees. In regards to Honda's XL1000. Even if it did come to America do you really think it would be a success? It's big, real big. Looks like fashion won against function again. Let's see that thing go were a KLR can. Don't think I could pull the big XL out of an Arkansas mud hole by myself. Why can't they make something like an XL1000 without all that nice fancy plastic. The pictures of the new Tiger look more promising. Looks like they put it on a diet from the plastic menu and cleaned up the exhaust system. Kawasaki knows they have a good bike. If they change it, please remember the fashion vs. function. Function is what's needed. Fashion is for weanies and want-a-be's. Jim 98 KLR, 93 KLX - ----------------------------------------------- > jsprecker@uswest.net < - ----------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 19 Sep 1998 11:48:31 -0400 From: "Rick Clarke" Subject: Re: (klr650) valves: help? > >recently took the killer out on a trip this weekend, the first after > >adjusting the valves. when i checked the valves (22k mi), all the > >clearances were slim to none (mostly none). they appeared to be in specs > >after changing shims (and stripping out two head cover bolt threads in the > >cylinder head...). the bike now runs a bit smoother at higher rpms, but > >seems to be less smooth at lower rpms (kinda "jerky"), and also has s > >distinct "tap" coming from the top end. > > If you can hear a "tap" or "click" then that would tell me that the valve > clearances are not set right (too loose). Better do it all again. I know > you really wanted to hear that. A heard a lot of people who adjust valves with zero clearance say they are noisier when they bring them back to normal clearance. When clearance wears down to zero, the cams no longer are taking up any slack. Once you loosen the valves up, you'll hear them ticking when the few thousandths clearance gets closed by the cam. I've experienced this a few times now. Valves that are too tight can be quieter than valves that are properly adjusted. Of course, hearing noise _doesn't_ mean the valves are in spec. :-) - -Rick R.P.Clarke (rpclarke@mindspring.com) "What traffic?" RTP, NC, USA DoD#5811 ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 19 Sep 1998 09:07:13 -0700 From: "Eric Rhoads" Subject: Re: (klr650) Honda's XL1000 - forget the mud, rocks, trees. - -----Original Message----- From: Jim Sprecker To: klr650 Date: Saturday, September 19, 1998 7:04 AM Subject: (klr650) Honda's XL1000 - forget the mud, rocks, trees. >In regards to Honda's XL1000. Even if it did come to America do you really >think it would be a success? It's big, real big. Looks like fashion won >against function again. +++++yeah, but keep in mind this is a design intended to sell in a different market....I'd think this includes the fashion aspect too....the realities of the overseas market will determine success. I think it looks nice, but I wouldn't buy it myself, because it wouldn't give the kind of function I want. My counterpart in, say, Belgium might think it's just the ticket. Economies are different in Europe....especially prices, and taxes. Let's see that thing go were a KLR can. Don't think >I could pull the big XL out of an Arkansas mud hole by myself. ++++ I don't mean to be critical, but I think there's not that many Arkansas mud holes in Belgium, or Denmark, etc. So you see you are on the right track. It's designed for a different kind of use. >Why can't they make something like an XL1000 without all that nice fancy >plastic. The pictures of the new Tiger look more promising. Looks like they >put it on a diet from the plastic menu and cleaned up the exhaust system. >Kawasaki knows they have a good bike. If they change it, please remember the >fashion vs. function. Function is what's needed. Fashion is for weanies and >want-a-be's. +++++ I'd be more happy if they'd have put the KLR on a diet. I don't need all the fancy plastic it has, and it seems kind of vulnerable to damage in some ways. I wanted a 'utility bike' and the KLR came closest to what I wanted. I like the water cooling, but not the added complexity, I like the power but a 500cc 6-speed would've been fine, etc. etc. ........sometimes people say 'what a nice looking bike, I like the color, etc.' to me that means the bike is too fancy. If I want fancy/comfort/safe/dry I drive the Mazda 929. .....sorry guys....hope that's not more'n 2 cents worth. eric ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 19 Sep 1998 11:45:25 -0500 From: "Jim Sprecker" Subject: Re: (klr650) Honda's XL1000 - forget the mud, rocks, trees. That's why I said it's another motorcycle for want-a-be's and weanies. Another styling cue from Dakar. It will be an excellent street bike. Of course it won't do what a KLR will. Neither will the Tiger, R1100GS, or R100gs-pd, African twin, Transalp, blah blah blah. And a KLR won't do what a Legalized XR400, YZ400F, or even a XR600. - ----------------------------------------------- > jsprecker@uswest.net < - ----------------------------------------------- - -----Original Message----- From: Eric Rhoads To: klr650 Date: Saturday, September 19, 1998 11:05 AM Subject: Re: (klr650) Honda's XL1000 - forget the mud, rocks, trees. > >-----Original Message----- >From: Jim Sprecker >To: klr650 >Date: Saturday, September 19, 1998 7:04 AM >Subject: (klr650) Honda's XL1000 - forget the mud, rocks, trees. > > >>In regards to Honda's XL1000. Even if it did come to America do you really >>think it would be a success? It's big, real big. Looks like fashion won >>against function again. > >+++++yeah, but keep in mind this is a design intended to sell in a different >market....I'd think this includes the fashion aspect too....the realities of >the overseas market will determine success. I think it looks nice, but I >wouldn't buy it myself, because it wouldn't give the kind of function I >want. My counterpart in, say, Belgium might think it's just the ticket. >Economies are different in Europe....especially prices, and taxes. > > Let's see that thing go were a KLR can. Don't think >>I could pull the big XL out of an Arkansas mud hole by myself. > >++++ I don't mean to be critical, but I think there's not that many >Arkansas mud holes in Belgium, or Denmark, etc. So you see you are on the >right track. It's designed for a different kind of use. > >>Why can't they make something like an XL1000 without all that nice fancy >>plastic. The pictures of the new Tiger look more promising. Looks like they >>put it on a diet from the plastic menu and cleaned up the exhaust system. >>Kawasaki knows they have a good bike. If they change it, please remember >the >>fashion vs. function. Function is what's needed. Fashion is for weanies and >>want-a-be's. > >+++++ I'd be more happy if they'd have put the KLR on a diet. I don't need >all the fancy plastic it has, and it seems kind of vulnerable to damage in >some ways. I wanted a 'utility bike' and the KLR came closest to what I >wanted. I like the water cooling, but not the added complexity, I like the >power but a 500cc 6-speed would've been fine, etc. etc. >........sometimes people say 'what a nice looking bike, I like the color, >etc.' to me that means the bike is too fancy. If I want >fancy/comfort/safe/dry I drive the Mazda 929. > >.....sorry guys....hope that's not more'n 2 cents worth. > >eric > > > > ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 19 Sep 1998 12:53:13 EDT From: Cloudhid@aol.com Subject: (klr650) Frankenstein...by Team Green On 9/12/98, msfaul@digisys.net wrote: snip > I`m looking forward to the pictures. I`m working on dual head lights right >now and would like to see his. I`m planning on splitting my fairing down the >middle and splicing in 4" of composite material to widen the fairing enough >for the dual headlight assembly I`m fabricating ( unless I come up with one >in a bike boneyard first). > Glad to see you back and hope that all is well. > Skip (who WAS going to bed until he saw Ron`s post) I hope you ended up getting some sleep;) I finally made it by Todd's to take a test ride and photograph his klr/kx hybrid. The following are some observations and a site with pix. Todd bought this '92 with all of the mods already done. A mechanic and a racer from Kawasaki's own Team Green put it together as a project bike. Looks like they really had fun with this one. The Diet: Most of us admit that the klr is on the heavy side for dirt riding. Seems that Green thought so too. Here's a list of what was replaced and what was outright deleted. 38MM stock forks and single piston brake swapped with a KX500's beefy upside down 43MM fork and dual piston. No fan. It's gone. After several years of dirt racing, this bike proves that you can get by without it. And in place of temperature gauge, there's only a heat sensitive plastic strip on top of the radiator. No instruments. While they were pulling the thermostat they got rid of the speedo and tach, which also got rid of the idiot lights. In it's place is a simple mechanical odometer. Who needs a fairing in the dirt? Yup, it's gone. The stock headlight was replaced with a dual lamp setup enclosed in a steel tube frame. Smog stuff? Long gone. Metal gas tank swapped for a light weight plastic one. Steel handlebars are now aluminum. The plastic bash plate changed to a thin, minimal aluminum one. Clutch and side stand safety tangle - deleted. Stock exhaust swapped for a much lighter, custom made pipe. Rubber pegs turned to steel. Rear shock changed out for a works unit with a reservoir. Rims are now blue Excel with a whopping 19" rear wheel. I didn't feel comfortable testing the edge of the envelope on someone else's bike, so I was a bit conservative while riding it. The carb and exhaust were magic. The bike wanted to stand on it's hind leg even when I didn't. Shifting was the smoothest I've ever experienced on a thumper. Steering was very quick. The brakes did _not_ live up to my expectation. Todd had just replaced the pads, so maybe it was just a matter of them not being seated yet. I'm sure I overlooked some things, but this gives you an overall view. If anyone wants more details, I'll see what I can find out. This setup would give most XTs, XLs, DRs and even XRs a run for their money. I still have that silly grin on my face. If Todd sells it, I hope someone local buys it so I can ride this bike again. In the mean time, I'm going to start incorporating some of these mods onto my monster. http://members.aol.com/cloudhid/klrandkx.jpg/ KLR + KX = A Monster Redondo Ron (doing the dirty work so others won't have to) ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 19 Sep 1998 10:03:19 -0700 From: "Robert Morgan" Subject: Re: (klr650)"Form follows function" Gentleman The great designer/architect Louis Sullivan said "form follows function." I could"t agree more. Honda's intended design statement is "to create a large displacement touring motorcycle that combines a litter class engine offering powerful low to midrange output for quick and easy acceleration, even on steep upgrades, with the large, roomy proportions of big touring bikes, yet still offering the remarkably light and easy handling generally associated with off road machines." It looks to me that they may well have hit it right on the head. No its not a MX bike on steroids, and was not intended for the motto-sherpa role our KLRs fill so well. I can't wait to ride one. I will have to clear some more room in my garage as I will not part with my KLR. It will give me an excuse to put real agressive dirt tires on the Kawi and ride the Honda on the street. I think the Varadero will give the 1100 gs a run for the money. As far as comparing anything to the "Tiger"....have you ever owned anything made in Britain?...they don't call LUCAS "the prince of darkness" for nothing. It is said in automotive circles that the reason they drink warm beer in England is because LUCAS makes the refridgerators! peace Morgan ------------------------------ End of klr650-digest V1 #251 ****************************