From: owner-klr650-digest@lists.xmission.com (klr650-digest) To: klr650-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: klr650-digest V2 #216 Reply-To: klr650 Sender: owner-klr650-digest@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-klr650-digest@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk klr650-digest Thursday, April 1 1999 Volume 02 : Number 216 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 01 Apr 1999 14:21:56 -0800 From: Christopher J Beasley Subject: Re: (klr650) Novice's inquiry Mark wrote: > >SNIP > > grab the front brake in an off-camber situation...pfloop....verrrry > >interessting... > > > >Kurt > > Interesting indeed. > This happened to me as a reflex reaction at a gas station when a cage came > whipping into the lot right at me. OUCH...my left knee oozed for a month; > the doctor was amazed that I didn't shatter my knee cap. No damage to the > A2 although it left a couple of nice 20' long grooves in the asphalt. > > Mark > B2 > A2 Dude! 20' long grooves? How fast were you going in the gas station lot?!?!? Wassup wi dat? b ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 1 Apr 99 14:22:08 PST From: "Marick Payton" Subject: (klr650) Gripster mileage >I am only getting about 5K on my rear Avon Grippster. I don't feel >like I'm particularly hard on the tires with my riding style but I >do feel I should be getting more mileage. I'm wondering if perhaps >I'm running to much air pressure. I current run 38-40psi rear and >34-36psi front. I'm clearly going to get 6-7K miles on the rear Gripster on my KLX. That includes 2000 very high speed freeway travel (80-85) and 2000 gnarly dirt road miles from a trip to Copper Canyon. I run 34 psi. So, maybe your high pressure is hurting. I can imagine that is most of your riding was freeway, the center might wear flat in less miles also. Marick ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 02 Apr 1999 08:31:07 +1000 From: Ted Palmer Subject: Re: (klr650) Question regarding tires DWF wrote: > I am only getting about 5K on my rear Avon Grippster. I don't feel like I had Gripsters on my 600 before I went to road Metzelers. The Avons were the longest lived tyres I'd used till then. I must be real easy on my bike compared to some of you guys because I've only ever had 5 rear tyres on my bike in 80,000km, and 4 fronts. The rear Avon lasted about 22,000km. With the Avons, I had to figure out my own pressures as Avon didn't have any recommended pressures for my bike. I think I settled on about 33-36psi on the rear, with maybe 2psi more when touring loaded. 38-40psi sounds way too much, unless the bike is loaded to its max weight. The front would have been about 30-33psi. Mister_T ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 1 Apr 1999 18:05:57 EST From: Ztib@aol.com Subject: (klr650) Spring Industry Announcements or APRIL FOOLS? are these BMW and Yamaha announcements real or april fools tricks? ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 1 Apr 1999 18:09:21 EST From: GVBettes@aol.com Subject: (klr650) Re: klr650-digest V2 #214 In a message dated 4/1/99 1:28:40 PM Pacific Standard Time, owner-klr650-digest@lists.xmission.com writes: > my speedo quit registering. You need to check the speedo cable. They have a tendancy to come loose at both the hub and the back of the gauge. If the bottom comes loose you lose the inner drive cable. If the top comes loose it just drops down a little and disconnects the inner cable. Gary Fresno ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 1 Apr 1999 18:30:02 EST From: LPetty4585@aol.com Subject: Re: (klr650) Spring Industry Announcements or APRIL FOOLS? In a message dated 4/1/99 11:10:17 PM !!!First Boot!!!, Ztib@aol.com writes: << are these BMW and Yamaha announcements real or april fools tricks? >> Does this mean that Honda will bring the African Twin or VRF1000 to the states to contend with. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 1 Apr 1999 17:49:11 -0600 From: David M. King Subject: Re: (klr650) Spring Industry Announcements or APRIL FOOLS? NKLR > are these BMW and Yamaha announcements real or april fools tricks? Those sound like April Fool's jokes to me. There *is* a new BMW R850GS to complement the R1100GS. Seems like the only difference between the two is the 850 is slightly lighter in weight and has less power. Perhaps the 850 is cheaper? You can see them at: http://www.bike.bmw.com/english/w_of_encounter/r1100gs/index_a.html David M. King ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 01 Apr 1999 19:27:40 +0000 From: Jeffrey Doyle Subject: (klr650) (KLR650) May 1999 Rider Magazine Project Bike Get the new May 1999 Rider Magazine. It puts to rest the speculation on boots, exhibits an unbelievable KLR Project Bike, and hey....what about that new Suzuki! Jeff A2 ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 01 Apr 1999 19:53:24 -0500 From: Stuart Heaslet Subject: Re: (klr650) (NKLRNDR) With regret.... At 10:02 AM 4/1/99 -0700, Pokluda, Gino F wrote: >As some of you know, I will be unemployed soon, so I am looking at other >means to support my family. Oh, puh-leeze. After the BMW heartwarmer, I'm starting to feel a rash coming on. I'm gonna take a swab sample and send it to you. Stuart Publisher, Writer, Counselor to Environmental Groups, Sucker. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 1 Apr 99 17:26:25 PST From: "Marick Payton" Subject: (klr650) BA ride Sunday Chris Beasley and I are going to Carnegie (near Tracey, CA) for a bit of dirt riding this Sunday. Any other Bay Area riders interested in joining drop a line and I'll forward more info. Marick ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 1 Apr 1999 20:51:18 -0800 From: "Dave Payne" Subject: (klr650) Acerbis disc guards If anybody is interested in Acerbis disc guards for the KLR, I have some information. I sent an e-mail to Acerbis asking them what part # should I use to order them for my A13. Acerbis promptly responded with an e-mail telling me that the disc guards have been discontinued. However, they will be brought back one last time. The part number is 18515906 and they won't be available till 4/30/99. Dave ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 1 Apr 1999 21:02:22 EST From: Cloudhid@aol.com Subject: (klr650) Re: TT850 & R80GS Scoops & New Job Amazing stuff Gino. I noted that some of the improvements being proposed by Yamaha and BMW are the very ideas you've previously expressed. I doubt either company will live up to their PR though. Losing your job is the best thing that could happen to you. Now you will be free to design a DS of your own making. Let me know where to send my deposit. I want the first one. Redondo Ron (waiting for the miracle to come) ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 1 Apr 1999 19:26:57 -0700 From: "Kurt Simpson" Subject: Re: (klr650) Re: TT850 & R80GS Scoops & New Job | Amazing stuff Gino. I noted that some of the improvements being | proposed by Yamaha and BMW are the very ideas you've previously | expressed. I doubt either company will live up to their PR though. | | Losing your job is the best thing that could happen to you. Now you | will be free to design a DS of your own making. Let me know where | to send my deposit. I want the first one. | | Redondo Ron (waiting for the miracle to come) If BMW wanted to truly be retro why would they make the R80 an oilhead... Kurt ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 01 Apr 1999 22:38:14 -0500 From: "J.Taylor" Subject: Re: (klr650) Acerbis disc guards Did they give you an idea of the price range for them? Jake, hoping this too is not an "April Fools". Dave Payne wrote: > > If anybody is interested in Acerbis disc guards for the KLR, I have some > information. I sent an e-mail to Acerbis asking them what part # should I > use to order them for my A13. Acerbis promptly responded with an e-mail > telling me that the disc guards have been discontinued. However, they will > be brought back one last time. The part number is 18515906 and they won't be > available till 4/30/99. > > Dave ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 01 Apr 1999 20:36:39 From: Guy Cheney Subject: Re: (klr650) Givi's crashability Looks like if got Vik's set up you could carry the Honda Civic itself! >My Touratechs have completely spoiled me. I can carry the same amount of >stuff as a Honda Civic practically. > >Gino > > ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 01 Apr 1999 19:13:31 -0800 From: "Rob Gendreau" Subject: (klr650) Low-mount front fender I got a new low-mount front fender from Fred (thanks! about a 2-day turnaround!) I was wondering if anyone had any tips on mounting it. It looks like I can attach it to the forks just at the point where the lower fork tube ends. I wonder if its possible to just mount the clamps over the lower end of the fork boot, rather than using the included spacer? It also looks like I might have to trim some of the outer flange where it wraps around the fork, lest it rub on the fork boot and wear through it. - -- Rob Gendreau Oakland, California gendreau@ccnet.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 1 Apr 1999 21:38:16 -0700 From: "Fred Hink" Subject: Re: (klr650) Acerbis disc guards - -----Original Message----- From: Dave Payne To: klr650@lists.xmission.com Date: Thursday, April 01, 1999 12:08 PM Subject: (klr650) Acerbis disc guards >If anybody is interested in Acerbis disc guards for the KLR, I have some >information. I sent an e-mail to Acerbis asking them what part # should I >use to order them for my A13. Acerbis promptly responded with an e-mail >telling me that the disc guards have been discontinued. However, they will >be brought back one last time. The part number is 18515906 and they won't be >available till 4/30/99. > >Dave > > > I have my name on 18 of them. Is that enough? Fred Hink ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Arrowhead Motorsports http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/ 435-259-7356 Fax 435-259-9148 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 01 Apr 1999 21:54:04 -0700 From: Jeff Subject: (klr650) What Valve Clearance Adjustment? Today, I picked up my A13 after it's 500 mile (actually 497.97 miles) check up. My valves were NOT checked! Long story - > I borrowed some of my wife's finger nail polish and marked the Cylinder Head Cover, the Cylinder Head Cover rubber Gasket and the side of the block just below the gasket. I painted on a 1/4" wide by 1/2" long glob of the neutral color (Light Tan) polish just behind and above the gas shutoff valve. The color reminded me of dried dirt that precipitates out of mud after the water evaporates. A perfect match for dirt. (an old James Bond trick) Anyway, here's the long part. When I bought the bike, I talked the salesman in to throwing in the lowering links as a bonus for paying his asking price for the KLR $4799.00. He said OK. His parts department ordered them from someone other than Quality R&D. After four weeks the links were not in. So I re-negotiated with the sales manager for the 497.97 mile check up instead of the links. He said OK. I ordered the links from Fred who had them in stock. (- Thanks Fred) I got to 490 miles that next week (Monday) and took the bike in after a little enamel Polish job. I verified with the service manager that the valves would be checked. He grabbed the KLR Service Manual and tossed it open to the Periodic Maintenance Chart and pointed to the list of things that would get done at the 800 km (497.97 miles) interval. "I have that book!", I said to myself. Thanks again Fred. I was in a hurry this morning and only had time to pick up the bike and ride it home. The service manager followed me home and gave me a ride back to my car at his shop. Nice guy!? We'll see... So, I didn't have time this morning to investigate the Polish for damage as it's in a hard to see spot without a flashlight and a head stand. It's still behind the gas shutoff valve. This evening I had to scrap off the polish from the rubber gasket with my finger. It flaked off with very little effort. Therefore, I don't believe the valve clearances were checked on this KLR, as recommended by the manufacturer at the 500 mile service interval, because the gasket was never removed and there were no cracks in the enamel polish that I bridged across the seams of the cover, gasket, and block at all. I almost didn't believe it myself. At the shop, before my ride home on the KLR, I was handed a receipt for the service, $154.94, which does not outline work performed. It only shows Parts 19.93 (Oil & Filter), Labor 120.00, and other shop supplies 6.50. This bill was charged to the sales department (probably at a discount). My action at this point might be to call the salesman and explain to him that he didn't get what he paid for and explain how I know. This is risky except that the KLR Valves WILL be checked by me when the weather gets better. (2-3 weeks or 250 miles) I could go down to the shop and discuss this matter with the service manager (nice guy!?), but I didn't get the impression that he wanted to be friends with my type (WASP + suit/tie@work guy). I used to bust knuckles as a mechanic (a few years ago) and have a new set of metric sockets and allens to break in. Somehow, I knew this would happen. I'm not sure if telling these guys about my suspicions is the best way to follow up with this shop.(???) I still have a 11 months of warranty left. (Rick, are you reading this?) If any of you folks have other ideas, Socket To ME! I call them in the morning! Epilog: So! It's true! They really don't check the valve clearances at 497.97 miles (800 km). Why? I think it's because it's under warranty and if it blows they'll fix it. Also, this is the "Land of Manana" (New Mexico). BTW, the bike is a lot smoother now that the oil has been changed! Before it was changed, I could see metal flakes (like the flakes in Metal Flake Paint) through the oil level window. I'm glad to get that break in oil outta there! - -- Jeff, NM, KLR650-A13 --- http://www.flash.net/~n5ujj - Down Home Page http://www.flash.net/~n5ujj/hamstuff - HAM It UP Page ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 1 Apr 99 20:58:35 PST From: "Marick Payton" Subject: (klr650) Givi's vs spam cans Vik, Thanks for the thoughts re Givi's vs spam cans (and homebuilt U-cans). If I knew a good fabricator I'd give serious thought to following your example and having a U-box built for all the reasons you cite. Still, I do worry about adding any unnecessary weight at the rear. In that regard, I'm curious that you chose to build your's with 2.5 mm aluminum, given that the Tourtechs only use 1.5mm. Do you feel the Tourtechs really aren't adequately strong? As it is, I don't know a good aluminum fabricator and suspect that, if I did, he'd been darned expensive in this very high cost of living area. And, I really don't want to spend a grand on the Tourtech's. Particularly since this PVMT Andes Tour is going to cost eight big ones already, what with bike shipping and airfare, etc. So, the less than $400 Givi's continue to look appealing to me. Now that you have your big box, do you want to sell your Givi topcase? Marick ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 01 Apr 1999 22:24:36 -0700 From: Jeff Subject: (klr650) Wired in color. >I'm trying to identify the three wires that lead >red one, and a black one with a yellow stripe. I >have a hunch they might be negative, positive, and >ground (respectively), but I want to be sure. Can >someone please confirm for me? Thanks in advance... My book shows the Black/Y as ground (negative) wire. It also goes to each turn signal lamp and the license plate bulb. The Red/W wire is your parking lamp element as it also feeds the license plate. By process of elimination, the blue wire is the brake lamp element. The blue wire comes from each brake switch. Each brake switch is feed by a Brown wire. The brown wire is hot (+12V) when the ignition is on. - -- Jeff, NM, KLR650-A13 --- http://www.flash.net/~n5ujj - Down Home Page http://www.flash.net/~n5ujj/hamstuff - HAM It UP Page ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 1 Apr 1999 22:30:51 -0700 From: "Kurt Simpson" Subject: Re: (klr650) Low-mount front fender |I got a new low-mount front fender from Fred (thanks! about a 2-day |turnaround!) Mine is still sitting in the box along with about a dozen other Christmas presents from Fred and Obe Wan...Rob, I encourage you and all listers to take photos (digital or otherwise) and notes on any and all procedures..."Dusty" Bill Haycock is hungry as can be for new material on the website... Kurt ------------------------------ End of klr650-digest V2 #216 ****************************