From: owner-klr650-digest@lists.xmission.com (klr650-digest) To: klr650-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: klr650-digest V1 #276 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 Friday, October 2 1998 Volume 01 : Number 276 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1998 06:28:40 -0600 From: "Kurt Simpson" Subject: (klr650) Re: BOUNCE klr650@lists.xmission.com: Admin request: /^subject:\s*help\b/i >Date: Thu, 01 Oct 1998 23:51:26 +0000 >From: "Rick P." >X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.06 (Macintosh; U; PPC) >MIME-Version: 1.0 >To: klr650@lists.xmission.com >Subject: Help-won't run. >Hi guys, any ideas. I am a fair back-yard mechanic, but this has me >stumped. >'95 KLR 650, stock except jet kit and Cobra pipe, 4000 miles. >After a ride, washed bike, then started. Runs 20 seconds then dies. >Will restart in 20 seconds or so, then dies. Water seemed to be the >obvious problem, so drained carb. No improvement. Figured it was water >/ electrical, so connected my inductive timing light to the sparkplug >lead. When engine quits, light is still flashing, indicating it is >still getting a spark. Back to fuel as the culprit. >Have checked: >Petcock: flows fine when engine cranked. >Tank cap vent: opened cap to ensure fuel flow >Choke cable appears to close properly. >Ran engine with float bowl petcock slightly open, fuel still flowing >when engine quits. >Ran engine at higher RPM to eliminate idel circuit, runs longer but >still dies, >Ran engine with choke on, also runs longer but still dies. > >I'm open to suggestions. Thanks. >Rick P. SLC, Utah ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1998 09:08:16 -0400 From: Cliff Duff Subject: (klr650) used KLR price? I have decided to purchase a used KLR650 to compliment my '91 KDX250 with a dual sport kit. I mainly want the KLR for more road(paved and unpaved) or "long hauls," the KDX is very uncomfortable for any amount of road riding beyond getting to the single track. My question(s) are... 1) how much should a used late model KLR650 cost (say 95 - 98) 2) when were there significant changes (how many years can I go back and basically get the same bike) 3) what kind of mileage should I be looking for (how long do they usually last) 4) any major areas/problems associated with these bikes I should watch out for when buying used (most knowledge is with 2-strokes) Thanks-- Cliff ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1998 15:50:27 +0000 From: "Mats Cederblad" Subject: (klr650) socket for my rocket jumpstartpart Subject: Re: (klr650) Sportbike Vs KLR O.K. I'll put in my two cents. Power (even though you've addressed it): I wrote the VFR list that the best way to make a major improvement to the VFR's power (a bike that's relatively difficult to achieve gains in H.P.) was to ride the KLR for two weeks. It would make the VFR appear as a rocket ship. Comfort: In the same note I also wrote that even if the VFR was considered the most comfortable of sportbikes, the KLR put that statement in perspective. The KLR has a much more comfortable riding position (putting aside the P.O.S. seat- do these designers ever try out what they design?). Handling in the twisties: I think the answer is somewhat affected on how you set up the tires on the KLR. Since I have the VFR, I stuck with knobbies vs. Gripsters. I don't feel as comfortable trying to explore the limits of adhesion with knobbies. Anyway, I really like the flickability of the KLR. After riding other sportbikes with Genmar bars I've reached the obvious conclusion that the width of the handle bars seriously affects the response to steering inputs. In serious twisties I think the KLR would shine and be more fun than the VFR. It's weight advantage is an obvious benefit (the VFR is considered porky). But once you add in any straights to the equation, the VFR would leave it in the dust. I can't define the term but I find the KLR to be more of a 'fun' bike. I prefer it to run around town and the like and it has the off road capability. When there are serious highway miles involved though I leave it at home. Since I could never find one bike to satisfy all the requirements, I accepted the inevitable conclusion that you just have to own multiple bikes. It's a tough cross to bear but somebody has to do it. For what it's worth and good luck. Dean in Seattle 95 VFR750, 94 KLR650 ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1998 09:09:03 -0500 (CDT) From: Carlos Yonan Gonzalez Subject: Re: (klr650) socket for my rocket On Thu, 1 Oct 1998, Rob Clement wrote: > > I'm guessing your battery went down because you turned the key too far > counterclockwise, leaving the tail light on. That's what I nearly did, > several times. That feature (turn key left past lock, leaving the tail > light on) is one that may strand me with a dead battery one day. That's exactly what I did yesterday. Went to start it today and the battery was dead. Got to tell ya, that parking light switch is in a pretty stupid position, I bet thats the number one reason for dead batteries on the KLR. Tried to use a battery booster pack on it to jump start it, but it didn't work so I decided to buy a generic (identical)version of the stock Yuasa. It was 25 bucks, not bad I thought, considering my buddy with a DR had to pay almost 100 bucks for a sealed Yausa! Carlos ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 02 Oct 1998 09:26:44 -0500 From: John Tranter Subject: (klr650) KLR vs Sport bike Carlos Yonan Gonzalez wrote: >I was wondering if anyone out there with the good fortune of owning a >KLR and a sportbike can comment on how they compare. While not a sport bike, the Concours is know for being pretty good on the twisties, in spite of it's weight. I was surprised to find that I enjoy the KLR more than my Concours on paved twisties, even riding double. For me, it seems to allow a faster pace and I am far more relaxed while carving. I came up riding dirt bikes so I'm probably biased. IMO, having an EX500 and a KLR650 would be redundant. As always, YMMV. Good riding, - -- John Tranter '98 KLR 650 '93 Concours Montgomery, AL ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1998 08:37:57 -0600 From: "Kurt Simpson" Subject: (klr650) Fw: BOUNCE klr650@lists.xmission.com: Non-member submission from [myoung2@ceo.cudenver.edu (Marcus Young)] >>From myoung2@ceo.cudenver.edu Fri Oct 02 08:41:34 1998 >Received: from [132.194.25.201] (helo=ceo.cudenver.edu) > by lists.xmission.com with esmtp (Exim 2.04 #1) > id 0zP6Oj-0007Ew-00 > for klr650@lists.xmission.com; Fri, 2 Oct 1998 08:41:33 -0600 >Message-id: >Date: Fri, 02 Oct 1998 08:44:02 -0600 >Subject: Re: (klr650) KLR vs Sport bike >To: klr650@lists.xmission.com >From: myoung2@ceo.cudenver.edu (Marcus Young) >MIME-Version: 1.0 >Content-type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 >Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit > >I purchased the KLR after owning several other types of bikes. Sport >riding is my primary type of riding, but I wanted something more versitle >than a sport bike, and something to outfit for a trip to South America >next year. > >Most recently I had a Honda Hawk, not a sport bike by power standards, but >a wonderfully fun bike in the twisties because if it's light weight and >stiff frame. I was concerned about the KLR in the canyons around Denver, >would it keep up with the folks I ride with who have VFRs, Hawks, and >ZX6s? In all but the fastest sweepers (over 85 mph) it's amazingly stable. >In tight turns it excells. On the KLR I am much faster than I was on my >Hawk. The wide bars make it easier and the seating position gives improved >visibility. On the Hawk, I rode at the same pace as my counterparts, on >the KLR I'm always asked to lead because I'm now faster. I figured the KLR >would be almost as quick in the canyons as the Hawk, but not that it would >be faster. > >A racer that I've seen rides a road modified CR500 (I think that's the >correct designation, the big Honda 2 stroke dirt bike). He'll ride it >against GSXR 750s and the like, and except for very high speet straight >aways, he's in the running the entire time, quicker in the turns. While >the KLR isn't a CR, the effect is similar. > > ~marcus~ > >96 KLR 650 > >twocomm@bellsouth.net writes: >>Carlos Yonan Gonzalez wrote: >>>I was wondering if anyone out there with the good fortune of owning a >>>KLR and a sportbike can comment on how they compare. >> >>While not a sport bike, the Concours is know for being pretty good on >>the twisties, in spite of it's weight. I was surprised to find that I >>enjoy the KLR more than my Concours on paved twisties, even riding >>double. For me, it seems to allow a faster pace and I am far more >>relaxed while carving. I came up riding dirt bikes so I'm probably >>biased. IMO, having an EX500 and a KLR650 would be redundant. As always, >>YMMV. >> >>Good riding, >>-- >>John Tranter >>'98 KLR 650 >>'93 Concours >>Montgomery, AL >> > > > > ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1998 06:14:14 -0700 From: Dreas Nielsen Subject: RE: (klr650) Sportbike vs KLR I have never owned a sportbike, but I've ridden a friend's VFR on occasion. The VFR is a wonderful bike for going really fast in a nearly straight line. Its excellent tracking ability, however, is a handicap in tight twisties (and even more so in town). At cornering speeds below about 50, the KLR is clearly superior: you need to apply a lot of body english to get the VFR around a corner, whereas with the KLR, you look there--and you're there. Also, if you hit gravel on the corner, the KLR seems to correct without any conscious application of effort, whereas the VFR is frighteningly unwieldy. You should realize, though, that my impressions are based on many years of riding a KLR, which has gotten welded into my synapses, compared to relatively little time on the VFR. I'm sure that anybody who has been riding a VFR for years would adapt to it and find it much easier to handle. Anyway, I always grin when I hear sportbike riders berating cruisers for their poor handling. What wisdom flows from limited experience. Dreas Nielsen > -----Original Message----- > From: Carlos Yonan Gonzalez [SMTP:aviator@csd.uwm.edu] > Sent: Thursday, October 01, 1998 9:10 PM > > But because this [KLR] is my first > and only bike, I can't compare it to a sportbike. I was wondering if > anyone out there with the good fortune of owning a KLR and a sportbike > can > comment on how they compare. Specifically I'm interested in handling > rather than acceleration (I assume any sportbike worth its salt would > blow > away the KLR on acceleration). > ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1998 11:51:06 EDT From: DOUGUR@aol.com Subject: (klr650) K&N jet, filter -- opinions? This is a multi-part message in MIME format. - --part0_907343467_boundary Content-ID: <0_907343467@inet_out.mail.aol.com.1> Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Guys, Kurt is in the process of giving me instructions on cleaning the carb. I just got it off, which I consider a good feat for me. I'd welcome any opinions on the jet and filter he has suggested, bearing in mind that I'm going to buy a new tank and I need to keep other costs down. Also, if the K&N is an increase in performance thing, I'm not planning on any hot riding anytime soon, since this will be the first time I've ridden in years, and never on a bike this size. Thanks, Doug. - --part0_907343467_boundary Content-ID: <0_907343467@inet_out.mail.xmission.com.2> Content-type: message/rfc822 Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Content-disposition: inline Return-Path: Received: from rly-zc01.mx.aol.com (rly-zc01.mail.aol.com [172.31.33.1]) by air-zc05.mail.aol.com (v50.14) with SMTP; Fri, 02 Oct 1998 09:02:48 -0400 Received: from xmission.xmission.com (xmission.xmission.com [198.60.22.2]) by rly-zc01.mx.aol.com (8.8.8/8.8.5/AOL-4.0.0) with ESMTP id JAA16872 for ; Fri, 2 Oct 1998 09:02:46 -0400 (EDT) Received: from kurt (slc298h.modem.xmission.com [166.70.2.44]) by xmission.xmission.com (8.8.8/8.7.5) with SMTP id HAA10114 for ; Fri, 2 Oct 1998 07:02:44 -0600 (MDT) Message-ID: <00bb01bdee03$c032a8e0$b30246a6@kurt> From: "Kurt Simpson" To: Subject: Re: carb is off !!! Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1998 06:26:14 -0600 X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.72.3110.5 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V4.72.3110.3 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable - -----Original Message----- From: DOUGUR@aol.com To: ajax@xmission.com Date: Thursday, October 01, 1998 10:11 PM Subject: carb is off !!! >Kurt, >Thanks a lot for those instructions bud. It went really smooth. I'm fired= up! >I guess the hard part is about to begin though huh? Do I need to go ahead= and >order a repair kit? > >.... waiting further instructions ... when you have time. > >Thanks, >Doug Good, next instructions sometime this afternoon when I get things settled = at work. No, I don't think you need a carb kit but I do recommend that you in= vest in a K&N jet kit and K&N filter. Probably set you back around $100. If you care to ask the list what they think. Fred Hink usually has these both in stock= and can get them to you in a day or two. Instructions later today... Kurt - --part0_907343467_boundary-- ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1998 10:34:30 -0700 (PDT) From: Lance Rushing Subject: Re: (klr650) KLR vs Sport bike > Carlos Yonan Gonzalez wrote: > >I was wondering if anyone out there with the good fortune of owning a >KLR and a sportbike can comment on how they compare. Also, It depends on the rider ability and his/her mood. The KLR is much eaiser (and more fun) to ride fast, and can keep up with sporty bikes in the tight stuff. But a really good rider can make almost any bike shine. Also, the KLR is relativly lighter than most street bikes. And weight makes THE difference in the twisties. (ever see those 250cc two stroke Japanese market street bikes? I have, and they are FAST in the corners) I've seen some old hard core BMW R100GS riders TOAST many sport bike riders. I could even toast most sport bikers with my K75s on Sunday afternoon. Key word being "most". For me, it took a lot of consentration to ride at those speeds. In fact, it would wear me out mentally after about 15-30 minutues. But KLR is easier (with the right rubber), and doesn't require as much mental stress for me. Speaking of rubber, that is also where a sportbike has an advantage. You can carry more speed into the turn, and open the trottle earlier on the exits. just my $.02 Lance ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 02 Oct 1998 12:08:58 -0600 From: bruixot@rmi.net Subject: Re: (klr650) speaking of dead batteries Batteries: has anyone had any experience with replacement sealed gel-cell batteries of the KLR size and amp rating requirements? Part numbers and sources? Prices, and all the usual? - - The Evil Wizard ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1998 12:14:50 -0600 From: "Kurt Simpson" Subject: Re: (klr650) K&N jet, filter -- opinions? >Guys, > >Kurt is in the process of giving me instructions on cleaning the carb. I just >got it off, which I consider a good feat for me. > >I'd welcome any opinions on the jet and filter he has suggested, bearing in >mind that I'm going to buy a new tank and I need to keep other costs down. >Also, if the K&N is an increase in performance thing, I'm not planning on any >hot riding anytime soon, since this will be the first time I've ridden in >years, and never on a bike this size. > >Thanks, > >Doug. Uh Oh.....Doug....has to be gender inclusive. Kathleen let me know you are still there! Here is my take on the jet kit. The two complaints on the stock KLR carby are backfiring on deacceleration and surging at mid-range. The jet kit takes care of both of these. As for performance gains and losses. It is true that if you go to Stage III (modified airbox, K &N filter, less restrictive exhaust, moving down on the needle notch, and biggest main) you gain performance and lose mileage. My stage III at 4500 ' altitude gives me an average of 44-50 mpg. But, you can do it otherwise. Jake Jakeman uses the smallest jet (136) no airbox mod, no muffler mod, with a K & N filter and gets 60-69 MPG. In both cases backfiring and surging is gone, and throttle response and starting is improved. Kurt A12 ------------------------------ End of klr650-digest V1 #276 ****************************