KLR250 thread

[handyman1018]

[/IMG]Picked up a 98 KLR250 for a ridiculously low sum, cosmetically challenged but only 3K miles.. Bought it pretty much sight unseen after talking on the phone with the PO who turned out to be a great guy. Went to pick it up with my F150 with a tool-box cap on it which was a bad idea. This is a pretty big bike! Finally got the bike in the bed, but had no way to brace it. PO says hey I have an idea... brings out an old plastic garbage can that we wedged between the bike and the walls of the cap. The bike looked so peaceful. Drove across NY with the bike half hanging out the back of the truck (yes I was able to get a couple straps around it to stop it from escaping).

Get it home and was able to slide it out of the truck and get it back on the ground with out any further damage (I think). My son said start it up, it was dark and I was tired but what's one kick right? To my amazement it fires right up. Ran a little rough but it ran.

Anyway PO said only thing wrong with it was it needed some choke at idle. Pulled the carb and sure enough the primary jet was blocked solid. So I clean an inch of dried mud off of everything, put two Kenda 761's on it (tires were originals), new fork seals, used instrument cluster, fluids/filters, and it is back on the road. . Must have been fate but the week I got it a local guy on CL lists a couple boxes of 250 parts for $30 so I have a bunch of spare stuff now just in case.

I have always had "large" bikes, Concours, R1100.... and I have to say I love this bike. I am 6'3" and fit perfectly. The flat seat with no bum hump lets me spread out a bit and is pretty comfy. I commute 20 miles to work on it every day on back roads and the always scenic streets of Trenton NJ and it is great to have something that is so easy to throw around.

Only thing I really need for it is a rack for the back to make it a true commuter. Anybody have one for sale let me know ( I got parts to trade).

Great forum, great advise. Thanks.

Will get some picks up soon.

[toomeymd]

Just picked up an '88 KLR 250 for $600. Not running yet, but will be soon. Just did the valves (I think I may have done it on the exhaust stroke rather than the intake stroke though so I have to go back and check), fresh gas, new plug, but stuck on the shock. It had little to no stiffness to the rear, and it has a reservoir shock. Thinking it was like the air shock I had a couple of bikes ago, I stuck the air hose on the nipple and immediately doused everything with oil...ooops. So anyone know of an oil reservoir shock that fits the KLR 250, and how to work on it? No description on the shock as far as brand or model.
Thanks in advance

[newcastleadam]

Originally Posted by toomeymd

Just picked up an '88 KLR 250 for $600. Not running yet, but will be soon. Just did the valves (I think I may have done it on the exhaust stroke rather than the intake stroke though so I have to go back and check), fresh gas, new plug, but stuck on the shock. It had little to no stiffness to the rear, and it has a reservoir shock. Thinking it was like the air shock I had a couple of bikes ago, I stuck the air hose on the nipple and immediately doused everything with oil...ooops. So anyone know of an oil reservoir shock that fits the KLR 250, and how to work on it? No description on the shock as far as brand or model.
Thanks in advance

Does the shock have a remote reservoir? Sounds like an aftermarket item. Picture would help a bit.

[toomeymd]

I'll get a pic up tomorrow. Also, the carb is acting odd. The drain at the bottom, with the screw tight, will drip 2-3 times then pour fuel out after the engine is shut down. I'm guessing there is an o ring in there that the needle is no longer sealing against? I'll have to order that part too I guess.

[toomeymd]

K, here is the pics of the shock. I can't see a maker or model anywhere on it.

[toomeymd]

another view

[toomeymd]

and another

[toomeymd]

and yet another

[toomeymd]

Here's another question...what is the knob for that is ziptied to the frame? It has a short cable going up to the rt side of the carb.

[toomeymd]

This pic shows better where the cable goes on the carb. Twisting, pulling, or pushing of the knob does nothing??

[dbarale]

The knob going to the carb is to adjust idle RPM. In for higher RPM, out for lower. Keep it a little higher if you're not sure so it gets proper oiling.

The shock looks like an XR250 shock but I'm away from mine right now so I can't confirm...

[toomeymd]

so is it a push pull system or twist? It's not moving either way, but I wonder if the sharp bend in it is causing it to bind?

[dbarale]

Twist/screw. It's a cable linked to the idle stop screw that you show in the last pic. Trying cutting the cable ties and straightening up the cable (gently). It should then screw/unscren. You may need to find a way to dropp a little oil in the cable.

[newcastleadam]

So aftermarket shock (might have ID marks on shock body, bump stop, etc) and "fiddled" idle screw. Worst case you can "manually" adjust the idle screw with a pair of vice grips or pliers. If needed of course . If no one can help with the shock issues you can send it out and have it professionally gone over and serviced. That might be needed anyway.

An earlier post you mentioned a carb overflow issue, I'd suggest pulling it and looking everything over, might be as simple as an O-ring, could be something else. Don't order parts until you're sure.

Best,

[toomeymd]

Decided I don't want to mess with the shock at all. I have a guy delivering a used KLR650 shock on Fri. Drill out the bottom mounts and I'm set, and it's even a bit shorter for my vertically challenged ace. Gonna get the carb off tonight, strip it down, and drop it in a bucket of carb cleaner overnight. Anything special I need to watch out for? I know about the diaphragm so I'll be extra special careful with that.
Thanks