From: owner-klr650-digest@lists.xmission.com (klr650-digest) To: klr650-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: klr650-digest V2 #113 Reply-To: klr650 Sender: owner-klr650-digest@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-klr650-digest@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk klr650-digest Thursday, March 11 1999 Volume 02 : Number 113 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 10 Mar 1999 23:58:56 +0000 From: Tom Simpson Subject: RE: (klr650) KLR's in Daytona At 04:08 PM 3/10/99 -0700, Pokluda, Gino F wrote: >>>Also saw a KLR 500 with Canadian license plate, Do they still sell these >in >Canada? I never saw one before.<< > >They used to sell a Tengai 500 also. A DSN subscriber owns one. At the >Thumper Rally, someone had a KLR with all decals removed with the BMW >roundels on the tank also. It was white. Go figure. Odd. I saw a Transalp done up like that once. - -Tom '96 KLR 650 ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1999 00:20:08 EST From: DNKendell@aol.com Subject: (klr650) senseless humor In a message dated 99-03-10 17:52:59 EST, owner- klr650-digest@lists.xmission.com writes: << C'mon man, there's no need to get personal (smiley face or no). Your e-mail had me thinking until I got to this part. I'm sure I'm not the only one you lost with that comment. Keep it relevant (which you had up until that point), keep it witty, make it irreverent too, but keep it courteous. The list seems to be in a slump lately in this regard. Pulpit mode on: I have to agree with you Jaun, the list is slowly becoming a place to *safely* insult others, while hiding in our apparently anonymous glass houses. I have greatly benefited from the many years of skill this list represents, as I think many have. I would like to continue. Let's try to keep our political, religious and otherwise non-KLR listing to a constructive minimum. >> Forgive me for I have sinned. :( I am guilty of having a warped sense of humor. But I think you are missing the point.We sometimes take ourselves and our choice of bikes too serious. Juan, Rev, lighten up. Ranaldo ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 10 Mar 1999 23:11:54 -0700 From: "Skip Faulkner" Subject: Re: (klr650) re. NKLR ....line-up > >- the R-80GS has less plastic than the TransAlp and a proven >>track record off-road if for no other reason than Helge's legendary >accomplishments on >>his...what do the rest of you think? >> >>Kurt > > >Doesn't Helge ride a F650? I could be wrong (just ask my wife). > >Arne > > He does now, but his most famous exploits to date have been done on the R80GS. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 10 Mar 1999 22:41:10 -0800 From: Eric & Jill Dietiker Subject: Re: (klr650) O-ring, Heavy/Duty O-ring, X-ring or bog standard chains? >1. How long would a bog standard cheapo chain last? If you're going on a road trip, get an O or X ring chain. You'll need to lube a non-O-ring chain every couple hundred miles, and you won't need to lube the O-ring chain at all (though you'll need to adjust it). >2(b) What special tools do I need? Chain breaker? Any special tools to fit >the master link? You might consider this: As Kurt said, the OEM chain is endless, so you would need a couple of special tools to cut the old chain and press the master link. I find it easier to remove the swing arm pivot, slip off the old chain and slip on the new chain. I have the dealer install the master link on the new chain. The main concern here is to get the master link pointed in the correct direction (the closed end leads). > >3. Am I right to say that if I were to get an endless chain, the swing-arm >has to be removed? Long operation? Not advised for butter fingers? How >great are the risks of cocking it up? You need only remove the pivot bolt and slide the swing arm back enough to slip the chains through. Eric. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 10 Mar 1999 22:54:41 -0800 From: Eric & Jill Dietiker Subject: (klr650) Jetting question Just in case there are any hardened carb tuners out there... I have a 38mm Mikuni on my KLR650. Very nice, except for a couple of small problems. The most irksome is this: When I close the throttle all the way, then decelerate for a bit, I cannot smoothly open the throttle. I feel a great resistance, then the bike jerks forward as the engine finally responds. The second most irksome is that the bike can't hold a steady speed at very low throttle settings, such as one would encounter while splitting lanes through stopped traffic. It's on and off and on and off, ad nauseum. Hopefully this behavior is characteristic of some common jetting problem & one of you all will set me straight. Thanks much, Eric. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1999 04:40:26 -0700 From: "Kurt Simpson" Subject: Re: (klr650) Oil Leak >The rubber plug that I am referring to is below the stator. The plug is about >the size of a quarter. Any suggestions > >Thanks >Larry Larry, I'm confused because you first said it was above the sidestand...and now the rotor...the most forward and lower plug is the balancer chain adjustment...next are the two gray plugs one amidships for turning the crank by hand and the smaller above it for viewing the timing marks...are we talking about any of these three? Kurt ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1999 04:47:01 -0700 From: "Kurt Simpson" Subject: (klr650) Battery tender converter...NKLR Does anyone know if I can get or make a converter for my battery tender plug (the part that installs to the battery) with the battery tender two prong on one end and a standard cigarette lighter plug on the other? The idea is that I would have only one accessory cable (the battery tender) with an adaptor for other stuff... Is the cigarette lighter accessory plug the standard for accessories like heated vests, grips, etc. I just took a glance at my Garmin plug and that is what it appears to be... Thanks, Kurt ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1999 04:17:23 -0800 From: "Arne Larsen" Subject: Re: (klr650) Battery tender converter...NKLR - -----Original Message----- From: Kurt Simpson To: List KLR Cc: dust@dorje.com Date: Thursday, March 11, 1999 3:55 AM Subject: (klr650) Battery tender converter...NKLR >Does anyone know if I can get or make a converter for my battery tender plug (the >part that installs to the battery) with the battery tender two prong on one end and a >standard cigarette lighter plug on the other? The idea is that I would have only one >accessory cable (the battery tender) with an adaptor for other stuff... > >Is the cigarette lighter accessory plug the standard for accessories like heated >vests, grips, etc. I just took a glance at my Garmin plug and that is what it appears >to be... > >Thanks, > >Kurt > I would lose the two-prong all together. Unless you want to be able to plug into other peoples tenders, I would just adapt the connection at both ends - female cigarette plug on the bike, and a male plug on the charger. This would keep it simple and the one plug could serve multiple purposes. Unless the charging current is too heavy for the plug, but at 1 amp I can't see that being a problem. Arne ------------------------------ Date: From: Philip Allen Subject: (klr650) Dimensionally Challenged I hope the collective group wisdom can help me out. On the specs for the new KLR 650 the wheelbase is listed as 58.9". Is this measured from the point where the tyres touch the ground or from the longest point from the front of the front tyre to the rear of the back tyre? Also what is the total height of the bike without mirrors- I guess from the top of the windshield to the floor? Alternatively you could just put me out of my misery and tell me if the KLR will fit inside an late model Astro/Safari van. Keep the interesting posts coming- this is a great resource. Cheers Phil ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1999 07:45:19 -0500 From: Mike Ratta Subject: RE: (klr650) Jetting question What is your idle set at? Is the idle and slow mixture correct? Any popping from the exhaust? Just in case there are any hardened carb tuners out there... I have a 38mm Mikuni on my KLR650. Very nice, except for a couple of small problems. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1999 07:55:54 -0500 From: Mike Ratta Subject: RE: (klr650) Installing Acerbis hand guards I highly recommend aftermarket bars like answer and renthal. Aluminum bars dont vibrate as bad as steel ones either. Shame Acerbis no longer carries those full bucket guards for use with bark busters. I've used those for years I put Acerbis hand guards on my KLX. Spent a long time drilling out the welded in weight and filing down the inside of the bar so the plug on the Acerbis would fit. It can be done. It ain't fun. Marick ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 12 Mar 1999 05:08:23 -0800 From: "Rick range" Subject: (klr650) Electrical Problem I just bought a 89 KLR650 only 7500 Mi and real clean and tight running. After I got it home, I began to notice that the electrical in starting routine was a little strange. It would start with the kick stand down and clutch engaged in neutral but when I disengaged the clutch it would not start. Aslo I could not lock the front wheel with the light off. But hell I want to ride my new bike. It is so much fun! So I am at the point to take the little woman for her first ride. Sometimes its good to have your mattress sitting there on the back if you are going on an extended ride. With the KLR650 you can get off road to some pretty secluded areas. But you want to make it as pleasant as possible so the mattress will be wanting to go again. So we take off to a nudist resort to hang out and relax for a while. After a little hot tubbing we were relaxed and ready to go for a ride to the lake. I went over to my bike and was getting ready to go and It would not start. I had shut it off with the turn signal on(did this cause the electrical to finally fail?). NO dice on the starter turning over. So here I am push starting my cycle in the nude!!!! Such indignity! I could see my mattress starting to deflate right before my eyes! Anyone know what the problem may be?? The fuses on top of the battery are OK and I had the battery checked and it is still strong, so what is the problem? Is it some black box circuit controller somewhere that costs and arm and leg to replace? Anyway I am still out there trying to push start my bike in the nude and the nights are cold! Any ideas to help me out of this predicament? - ---------- ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1999 06:48:59 -0700 From: "Pokluda, Gino F" Subject: RE: (klr650) Dimensionally Challenged If I am not mistaken, wheelbase is measured axle to axle on center. Overall length is measured from the forward most part of the bike (usually the leading portion of the tire) to the rear most part of the bike (usually the mud guard or rear tire). I'm not sure if mirrors are included in overall height. Gino ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1999 08:13:15 -0700 From: "Fred Hink" Subject: Re: (klr650) Jetting question - -----Original Message----- From: Eric & Jill Dietiker To: klr650 Date: Wednesday, March 10, 1999 4:57 PM Subject: (klr650) Jetting question >Just in case there are any hardened carb tuners out there... How about some soft around the middle carb tuners? >I have a 38mm Mikuni on my KLR650. Very nice, except for a couple of small >problems. Email me some exhaust fumes and I will analyze them. Does your bike start easy and idle without the choke on? Does it run better with the choke on? I would guess that your air screw is missadjusted or plugged or you have the wrong size pilot jet. The Mikuni should have the air screw adjuster on the side of the carb towards the air filter. It is a true air adjustment where the pilot screw adjustment on the KLR carb is on the bottom and is a fuel adjustment. They both end up doing the same thing. They adjust the fuel mixture at idle and up to about 1/8 throttle position. There is some good information in this months DSN newsletter about carb tuning. Just realize that the Mikuni uses an air screw to adjust the idle mixture and the Keihin on the KLR uses a fuel screw to adjust idle mixture. Fred ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1999 10:11:49 EST From: FTabor231@aol.com Subject: Re: (klr650) Battery tender converter...NKLR In a message dated 3/11/99 5:47:28 AM Central Standard Time, ajax@xmission.com writes: << he idea is that I would have only one accessory cable (the battery tender) with an adaptor for other stuff... >> Kurt, any output jack is also an input jack. Frank ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1999 10:10:07 EST From: FTabor231@aol.com Subject: Re: (klr650) Jetting question Eric, it sounds like a clogged pilot jet. A lot of owners drill out the air adjustment screw, and turn that screw out a turn or two to get the best idle, but that only affects idle. using a bigger pilot jet allows more fuel from idle up through transition where the needle has primary duties. If you raise the needle on the slide by using a washer (there has been lots of ideas on this in the recent past) you can enrichen the low to mid range and get rid of you lean surging. I personally don't endorse the jet kits because they are expensive and don't address all the jetting issues. This service can be done without taking the carb off the engine. Most bikes have rich main jetting because EPA and Sound testing is done more in the mid range revs, so top end jetting is ok a lot of the time, until you mess with air boxes and exhaust systems. Good luck, Frank ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1999 08:19:21 -0700 From: "Fred Hink" Subject: Re: (klr650) Battery tender converter...NKLR - -----Original Message----- From: Kurt Simpson To: List KLR Cc: dust@dorje.com Date: Wednesday, March 10, 1999 9:52 PM Subject: (klr650) Battery tender converter...NKLR >Does anyone know if I can get or make a converter for my battery tender plug (the >part that installs to the battery) with the battery tender two prong on one end and a >standard cigarette lighter plug on the other? The idea is that I would have only one >accessory cable (the battery tender) with an adaptor for other stuff... > >Is the cigarette lighter accessory plug the standard for accessories like heated >vests, grips, etc. I just took a glance at my Garmin plug and that is what it appears >to be... > >Thanks, > >Kurt > > > Kurt, Anything that is attached to your bike should be "hard wired" and anything that is removable should be attached with a plug to disconnect it. Try Radio Shack for your plugs they should have what you are looking for. Fred ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1999 07:55:32 PST From: "Paul Christenson" Subject: Re: (klr650) Battery tender converter...NKLR >Kurt, any output jack is also an input jack. Not necessarily. I once ran across a lighter socket that was for charging only. It had a diode in line, presumably so the charger wouldn't drain the battery if the power to the charger was shut off. Didn't work worth squat as a power source. Of course, that's the 1% exception to the rule... Paul (avoiding anatomical comparisons on the subject) Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1999 08:57:02 -0700 From: "Vik Banerjee" Subject: Re: (klr650) Kudos - wireless turn signals?(NKLR) - -----Original Message----- From: Juan Villarreal To: KLR650@lists.xmission.com Date: Wednesday, March 10, 1999 7:22 PM Subject: (klr650) Kudos (NKLR) >The helmet brake light thing sounds like a no-brainer (I'm >going to order one tomorrow), Me too, but not for my helmet. I think I'll put it on my top box so it is easily removable without wires. Anyone know of a wireless your signal setup? Cheers, Vik ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1999 09:03:10 -0700 From: "Vik Banerjee" Subject: Re: (klr650) re. NKLR ....line-up - Helege's ride - -----Original Message----- From: Skip Faulkner To: KLR650 Page Date: Wednesday, March 10, 1999 11:19 PM Subject: Re: (klr650) re. NKLR ....line-up > > > >> >>- the R-80GS has less plastic than the TransAlp and a proven >>>track record off-road if for no other reason than Helge's legendary >>accomplishments on >>>his...what do the rest of you think? >>> >>>Kurt >>Doesn't Helge ride a F650? I could be wrong (just ask my wife). >> >>Arne > >He does now, but his most famous exploits to date have been done on the >R80GS. From an internet interview he said he was given an R1100GS as a replacement for his older GS bike now in the BMW museum. He said he likes the R1100GS, but its too big and complicated for riding outside of Europe. He prefers the F650 as an adventure touring bike. And for Arne's original question....no he is not forced to BMW's, but I'd be riding them too if they gave them to me free!..=) Cheers, Vik ------------------------------ End of klr650-digest V2 #113 ****************************