KLRsys build

The big news, at least to me, is VTwinWilly (who is an old friend of mine) made good on finding a donor Versys. 09 with 870 miles. He didn't have to look to hard, it was sitting in my store room. Now Willy knew that I wanted to ride to BC in June, and he tells me that he's rolling off his current project in mid July so he'll have some free time and if I can finish his bike before then he'll ride with me. And since we're almost there, we might as well ride to Alaska. So I say "Sure, no problem. Let's do it!"

The donor bike. Sure is pretty, or was. It doesn't look like that anymore.



Two Saturdays ago he showed up at my door with his 03 KLR. He hauled it 550mi roughtly to my place.



Sunday it looked like this. Bike completely disassembled, frame shaved of all excess brackets.



By Thursday there was a motor in it, more or less. Only four of the six motor mounts in place, but the frame tube mods are done.




This past Sunday the Versys came apart. I had help that day, Matt, a fellow I met through the Two Wheeled Texans forum. He came by and stripped the Versys to pieces. Thanks for all the help, Matt.



Not so pretty anymore.



Our plan is to hit the road July 15th leaving out of McKinney, TX. I hope to have Willy's bike ready by July 4th. No pressure. Our rough route is northern NM, pass through CO, western WY, MT, ID, hopefully run up to Hyder AK, come down Vancouver Island to Victoria and stop by Adrenalin Motorcycle Co-op, birth place of the KLRE650, and meet Scott (are you going to be there?), then WA, OR and ???.

Since I'm not going to have much time to plan routes and find cool place to go I welcome any suggestions. I've never been the the PNW so it will all be new to me. We'd also love to meet other ADVer's so if you'd like to check out a KLRsys and you're on our route let us know. All three converted KLR's will make the trip.

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Outstanding, Fritz!!!

I simply still cannot believe how you have begun to streamline this process so well. If you can start now and have another one built up and ready to ride to Alaska by July 4th you are doing better than any custom bike builder I've ever heard of or seen.

Just amazing, my friend!!!

Vickie is doing her OB rotation up at Parkland in Dallas the whole month of June so I wasn't planning on coming down to the Valley any time soon, but after seeing all this I think I'm gonna' make a special trip down just to shake your hand and see the latest in person!!!

Dallara



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Sheesh. I'm not worthy of even reading this thread anymore. Please post a pic of some schlocky half-ass work so I can keep reading.

Come on down. Bring a helmet.

I'm planning on it, believe me!!!

Let me work on some dates on when I can, and I'll check with you first to make sure some of those work for you.

And don't worry... I'll be in my helmet and full riding gear!!!

Thanks!

Dallara


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You know where I'll be holed up for the next four weeks. Won't be hard to find.

I tend to not take pictures of my screw-ups, but there have been more than a few. Maybe next time. :huh

Do I need to bring wrenches and work gloves, or just refreshments???

Dallara


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Gee I read that wrong. I was going to reply "Forget the refreshments, bring on the wenches!"

That's a wonderful idea, but you know it'd get us both in too friggin' much trouble!!!

Dallara



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FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS!

That much estrogen floating around the KLRsys household might set off Mrs. KLRsys, who would then be on the phone with Mrs. Willy, who then revokes my kitchen pass. The whole thing just starts to unravel.

So are you taking orders on builds yet? You have done 3 now youre a pro!

No, not yet. But I'm working on it. I'm keeping meticulous records on what I'm spending to build this one, and also the labor time involved. It's looking like the parts cost is not bad at all, most of the money is spent on bells and whistles like Power Commanders, fancy suspension goodies, tires, etc. Of course there is the purchase of the Versys, but a lot of that is recouped selling off the left overs, which does add to the labor tab. And the labor tab is the killer, it's just a boatload of work to build these things.

At the end of day 10, this is where I'm at. Pretty much finished the radiator mounts and grills. Next is get the tank to fit, built mounts for the ECU and radiator overflow tank, mount the fuel pressure regulator and pump. By then it should be ready for powder coating.







It's little things like this bracket that are time killers. I have to make about 14 custom bracket of various sizes and shapes to mount stuff like the grill, body work, rad tank, etc.



I also prefer to have nuts in blind spots welded in place. Makes it easier to assemble, but takes time.



So keep packing Willy, it's gonna happen.

Not too much progress this evening. I got the fuel tank to fit. It has to be hammered on the underside to clear the right side of the cylinder head. Also got the radiator overflow tank mounted.

Hi there, just read this through from start to finish. I was wondering how you go about insuring a modified bike like this. In the Uk some insurance companies wont insure a bike with a change of paintwork let alone an engine change with frame mods. Great biuld though. Keep up the good work
Cheers Dave

I just insure it as a KLR 650, just like it says on the title. None of the insurance companies I've ever worked with have ever asked whether the bikes are modified. I also don't get full coverage, so I'm not sure they would care anyway.

I just started a separate thread over in the Ride Planning > Americas forum.

This will help to keep the bike build discussion and the shake down cruise discussion a little better delineated... and hopefully we can get some good ride routes and travel tips.

I also intend to post updates, questions, concerns, etc about this trip as they develop.

That thread can be found here:

Barely Alaska Ride 2013 - KLRsys Shakedown Cruise

Pretty much finished the framework. The pile of parts below goes off to the powder coater tomorrow morning. Hopefully I will get it all back sometime this week. While waiting I'll work on the exhaust and airbox.




Vtwinwilly sent me a rough route for the Barely Alaska ride. Subject to change. Still planning on leaving July 14-15th.

Here's a link to the Barely Alaska Shakedown Cruise I started over in the Trip Planning > Americas forum.

http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?p=21608193#post21608193

BTW... I tried posting this link earlier and it never appeared. A board clunk I guess. So if it shows up twice... oops!