KLR650 Only Thread......

[willys]

I found that my oil choice also made me get false nutrals and whether or not the temps in the engine were high.
I don't want this thread to get into an oil thread chest beating thread either....so use whatever oil you think is best for YOU!...I use Amesoil 10-40 full synthetic strictly, unless breaking in my engine, then I use simple dyno oil. It works for me.

Again, please don't start the oil arguement...thanks....just state what you use and move on if you will.

Thanks and hope this helps.

[crestedbutte-rtw]

Good Morning!
I met Bill, ADVRIDER.COM "Eakins", three days ago who owns Sayulita (Puerto Vallarta) Mexico - guided day trips & vacation services
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=732617
Just to get a beer a talk about my trip he lives here in Sayulita, just moved down. He gave me alot of advice and answered all my questions. Very nice guy, two days later I started having bike trouble and shot him an Email. He came right away and met me in the square, we messed with it there for awhile and then I followed him to his house with a nice clean garage. We left the bike due to the heat and went to the beach, met back up at around 5 and started tearing her down. We pulled the carb and it actually looked great almost brand new. We cleaned her out really well checked everything all the pilots the skirt everything. we notice taking off the Choke cable that connects to the carb was cracked. So we did our best to fix, super glue, electrical tape, and zipties and shes back to new. We pulled the Spark plug and it didn't look that bad, but still changed it anyways I had brought 3 extras with me. We went through the bike making sure nothing stood out as odd. Put the bike back together crossed our fingers, started right up once gas got back in the carb and sounded awesome, took the choke off and she just puuurrred. I just started to laugh, guessing that there was just some junk stuck in the carb which came out with the old gas. So we walked into town for victory tacos and beers, my treat of course!!.. haha
If it wasn't for Bill I would of had a huge headache but he just laughed and helped me out a really awesome dude.
If your ever riding through or visiting Sayulita or PV hit him up too go riding or just grab a beer.

Thanks for all the advice

Sayulita (Puerto Vallarta) Mexico - guided day trips & vacation services
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=732617

to more adventrues to come!
Fletcher

[Gundy]

Fork: K-9 brace and progressive fork springs. PVC spacers trimmed to get sag in line with rear sag (about 25% of travel, rear at about 30% of travel).

Shock: Stock with Eagle Mike RL-2 links

Wearing gear I am about 215, and I usually ride with another 15 pounds of water, tubes, tools etc. When loaded like that I run the preload at 4, if its just me commuting I run it at 3. With the wife on the rear, I run it at 5. Works well all around, although I do want to eventually put a stiffer spring set-up on the rear so I can run preload at 1 when its just me and 5 with the wife.
Ricor has some great deals running right now, and I have been eyeing it closely...

The problem in my mind is that dropping a lot of money on suspension on this bike may not be so wise. It will never be a sub 300 pound Euro bike and should not be ridden as such!

Originally Posted by IDRIDR

Let's talk suspension mods. Who's done them, what have you done, why, and what/where do you ride?

Me? Just picked up a 2006KLR650 with 10K miles. Don't know much about it yet. Looks pretty stock. I weigh 200# and will be riding street, gravel, FS roads, desert, single track, goat trails, etc with and without gear for camping out. Wherever I can manage to take it. Idaho is a DS rider's mecca and I have the need to make the most of it. Suspension mods on my '06KLX250 made a huge difference in off-road rideability. Is the KLR similar? It's not clear to me because so many don't seem to do much if anything.

What are your thoughts on fork springs? Flat rate or progressive? Are heavier springs even needed?
Emulators vs. Intiminators? I've hear rumor that progressive suspension is going to release a complete cartridge replacement system for the forks, but it's not listed on their site yet.

What about the rear? Who's done the 465?

[Canuman]

Originally Posted by willys

I found that my oil choice also made me get false nutrals and whether or not the temps in the engine were high.
I don't want this thread to get into an oil thread chest beating thread either....so use whatever oil you think is best for YOU!...I use Amesoil 10-40 full synthetic strictly, unless breaking in my engine, then I use simple dyno oil. It works for me.

Again, please don't start the oil arguement...thanks....just state what you use and move on if you will.

Thanks and hope this helps.

The PO of my bike was using Royal Purple 10-40, which made shifting very rough. I switched to Bel-Ray 10-40 semi-synthetic, which smoothed things out a lot. I think I will try a full synthetic again - likely Mobil 1 - if I head to James Bay next summer. I'd have a little more confidence extending a drain interval if needed.

[willys]

I usually change my oil at very quick for synthetic oil intervals. Tupidly quick some may say, but it gets saved and then goes into my run about pick me up, an old Mazda B4000. So no loss of funds so to speak, for the cost of my oil in the bike ....that's how I look at it. Sorry for the long winded explanation...........Last summer, well two summers ago since this past one just ended , I went across the country and as far north as possible. I only changed the oil once in that distance. That was maybe 6- thousand kms per change. Both times it was as close to black as one would expect. So for your trip up the James Bay Road, I wouldn't sweat it much.....just change it before you leave and again when you get home if you so choose.

Hope this helps

[Canuman]

Originally Posted by danger_dave

You know, maybe I don't fit in here, but I'm just happy with my 2011 KLR.

I don't need to do anything to it, add anything, modify anything or bolt anything on to it.

It's very comfortable for me at 6'5" and I don't need a bigger screen, risers or any other ergonomic mods. Also pretty happy with the way it handles.

I'm also quite happy with the way it goes out of the box (now it is de-restricted). If I wanted a high performance vehicle I would have bought one, but the KLR is just as fast at the speed limit as a Ducati and probably more fun.

I think I'll just go for a ride :-)

I used to think that, and then the sickness hit. Bone stock, the KLR is a good bike. It's such a joy to farkle, though, and can be made into a fantastic bike. The aftermarket on mine is likely at half the purchase price now, although that's about the cost some friends have in luggage on their GSs. I was initially set on a BMW GS or nothing. Then I rode both within the space of a week, and bought a KLR. Don't get me wrong, if anyone wants to give me a GS, I'll gratefully accept. However, for my money, the Kwak is as much a do-everything as one can find. Owners of some marques tend toward the "all factory, all original" mindset. KLR owners just make the damn thing fit their needs, be they bush or boulevard. I've seen a half-dozen in the past two weeks, and no one's favorite set-up is identical.

[MotoBoss]

Not wanting to proliferate an oil thread but I have been using Lubrication Engineers Monolec Oil http://www.le-inc.com/products.jsp?productID=38 and must say it is AWESOME. Guaranteed for 5K and I have never used a drop between oil changes. It works for me,,,,,,,,,,,,,, but.......................................

[CA Stu]

Originally Posted by Canuman

My '07 catches a false neutral between first and second, but only when really cold. It's troublesome..

You do know that's where the real neutral is, right?

Seriously, check that your shift lever is tight on the shaft.

If it is the OEM one, consider replacing it with an IMS or Moose shifter.

The factory shift levers are prone to cracking at the weld, and any sloppiness / flex will prevent you from making a nice positive shift.

Edit: Also, if you have an aftermarket skid plate, the shift lever will hit the top of the mounting bracket on the downshift from second to first and you'll have a hell of a time shifting down into first.

I ground a groove into mine with a file to give the lever some clearance. (The mounting bracket, not shift lever)

[willys]

I relocated my rear skid plate mounting hook or whatever it's called just for that reason!

[Canuman]

Originally Posted by CA Stu

You do know that's where the real neutral is, right?

Seriously, check that your shift lever is tight on the shaft.

If it is the OEM one, consider replacing it with an IMS or Moose shifter.

The factory shift levers are prone to cracking at the weld, and any sloppiness / flex will prevent you from making a nice positive shift.

Edit: Also, if you have an aftermarket skid plate, the shift lever will hit the top of the mounting bracket on the downshift from second to first and you'll have a hell of a time shifting down into first.

I ground a groove into mine with a file to give the lever some clearance. (The mounting bracket, not shift lever)

Moose lever should be in this week, I ordered it last week. I've checked all you mentioned, and it's tight and square. I am used to shifting BMW dry clutches, which are not noted for their feather-light action. I know it's a false because the neutral light doesn't display. It's affected by oil choice, which indicates something internal. Kind of a PITA, but only occurs when cold.

[CA Stu]

Originally Posted by Canuman

Moose lever should be in this week, I ordered it last week. I've checked all you mentioned, and it's tight and square. I am used to shifting BMW dry clutches, which are not noted for their feather-light action. I know it's a false because the neutral light doesn't display. It's affected by oil choice, which indicates something internal. Kind of a PITA, but only occurs when cold.

I use Honda GN4 10-40, have used Valvoline Blue Diesel oil, straight 40 wt in a pinch, Castrol GTX, all kinds of oil and never get a false neutral.

Do you have an aftermarket skid plate? If you do, the lever is hitting it.

If not, I bet your shift lever is cracked.

[Hektoglider]

[QUOTE=If not, I bet your shift lever is cracked.[/QUOTE]

any thoughts on this: the stock shifter breaks off more easily in a crash

the aftermarket shifter is more durable, and during a crash if it moves a lot further, the internals of the shift mechanism can be damaged. bent shifter fork ? stripped splines or other internal damage.

The stock, weak shifter acts as a dispensable component, saving more complex and expensive parts from damage.

I am hesitant to install such a durable shifter. I would rather break my stock one occasionally

[CA Stu]

Originally Posted by Hektoglider

any thoughts on this: the stock shifter breaks off more easily in a crash

the aftermarket shifter is more durable, and during a crash if it moves a lot further, the internals of the shift mechanism can be damaged. bent shifter fork ? stripped splines or other internal damage.

The stock, weak shifter acts as a dispensable component, saving more complex and expensive parts from damage.

I am hesitant to install such a durable shifter. I would rather break my stock one occasionally

I've owned KLRs since 1998, yet to hear of that happening.

It's not an issue at all in my opinion.

They both flex but when you go to bend them straight again, the stock one cracks / breaks. The other ones don't.

I used to carry a spare OEM shift lever, sure enough, I was at Neduro's off road riding school session at Ocotillo Wells and another KLR rider fell over and broke his OEM lever.
His weekend would have been over had I not given him my spare...

[Smithy]

Been trying to figure out where to install my aux lights, and looking through the mod and pic threads, don't see hardly anyone doing this to their KLR.

1. Is there a good reason people don't mount extra lighting on this bike?

2. Is there a preferred or more suitable way to do it, if I'm set on it?


Just looking for inspiration, my current thinking is to bolt on at the bottom edges of the fairing sides, but don't want to be too close to the turn signals. Thought about mounting on forward side plastics, too... so many options, and no examples out there to actually look at before buying hardware and experimenting.

[lexluther11]

Unfortunately the Pre 2008 KLR electrical system is underpowered so
you only really have one choice for adding something electrical and a
lot of people choose a external power outlet. The 2008+ have more
electrical power so maybe you can add more not sure though, I have
a 2004?