KLR650 Only Thread......

I liken my KLR to my old swiss army knife. It's bare bones and utilitarian, but all that sexier because of it. Keep it working well, and it'll always be there.

Really like your bike. Can you tell me what box that is on the back? Tks!

I miss MCN. That was the best mag for well researched concise info. It wasn’t cheap but I think it was well worth the price. RIP.

I'm in with my 2007 First Gen Thumpy. Won't idle nor run unless on full choke and back fires incessantly. Installed new sparkplug, also just dunked/cleaned and rebuilt the carb, installed All-Balls Carb kit. Did .22 cent mod as well. Now, if I can just re-install the damn thing back on manifold I'd be golden! LOL

Google or YouTube the "22 cent Mod" for the KLR. Use a 7/64" drill bit for the CV slide hole. I had same only run on full choke issue too. I Just did 22 cent Mod to mine.

I run 0.080" of shims under the stock needle on my stock muffler 685. At 0.060" I still had a touch of lean surge.

Stock jets. Liberated fuel screw. The bike has run exceptionally well many years and didn't care at all when I moved it to +5,000 feet in altitude this year. Have ridden it up to 9,500 feet altitude. Still doesn't care.

The two cabin KLR250s I manage at 9,000 feet of altitude need 115 main jets or they run like absolute crap. The 685, with a bigger version of the Keihin CVK isn't anywhere near as sensitive on the main circuit as that. I don't understand this from a theoretical point of view, but I appreciate it.

I don't know what the altitude will be where I think about the 2003 KLR685, "Must fit a smaller main." I've not hit that yet. And I'd not change it anyway because I'd not be there long.

I rode my 2008 KLR650 over a 12,500-foot pass once, and though the power went a bit soft, the bike still ran OK.

Check for perforated diaphragm, or . . . improper installation (diaphragm edge must fit fully in channel around mixing chamber for air-tight seal).

No pin holes in diaphragm and it is properly seated inside the groove. I'm having a bitch of a time re-installing this rebuilt carb back onto engine. Don't know if my mods etc, did any good until re-install and fire it up. Thanks.

Finally having a parts issue on first gen. Two bolt front sprocket retainer is getting tough to find locally and even bike bandit says nyet. it looks like a dozen other kawasaki models of that vintage so any ideas?

Can you provide a photo of the item?

Have you checked out klr650.com website yet?

Have not. I have been spoiled finding parts for these things so easily over last 20 years.

Will go there as soon as I remember my password lol.

Yeah they list late style too. no worky.

Will email them Monday,thanks for the reminder.

I bought one from EagleMike a couple years ago.

I bought 2 from Eagle Mike last spring.

Well, mixed kind of day.

I ordered a set of Shinko 804/805s and they're amazing. Install was "easy", they ride great and look pretty damn cool. I also purchased an Outex tubeless conversion kit, and I've got mixed feelings. For some reason the rear is giving me a devil of a time, and I ended up throwing a tube in so I could ride. The sealing tape is quite narrow for the rear rim, and I must not have gotten it exactly centered, or missed something greasy on the rim that fouled the seal. Needless to say, I'll be going back in to repair soon. Has anyone done this or another style tubeless conversion method that can offer advice? Also, when it comes to tubeless tires and KLR rims (mine is a 2017), has anyone had any issues with the bead surface sealing completely? I sanded down a couple welds and didn't see any bubbles coming out of that location upon my final check. Also, when you're installing the tire, is there a preferred lube to use that doesn't compromise the Outex seal? these things will not mount dry with tire spoons! I'm suspicious my Windex may have exasperated the leak problem. This is all kind of new to me.

Thanks.
Andy

I just happened to do the outex conversion 2 weeks ago.
The tape is very narrow and you have to center it as best that you can. There were a few spots were the tape overlapped the nipple by only 1/8''. Some of the spoke nipples needed to be ground down a little.
I prepped the rim with 100 grit sandpaper followed by blowing it with compressed air and then brake cleaner followed by a wipe down with acetone.
You can use the tape for the front wheel that came with the kit since it's probably not a good idea to convert the front rim anyhow.
As for tire lube, I used murphy's https://www.jtmproductsinc.net/murphy.php
The outex instructions also mention that it's a good idea to mount the tire as soon as possible.
Be careful using the spoons. From what I have read, it's possible to damage the tape when mounting the tire.

Just curious. What are your primary reasons for converting a KLR to tubeless? Being able to plug a puncture?

Are you all using sealer with the tubeless conversion? I would. I do in all tubes, and would not think of running a NuTech Tubliss system's low pressure tubeless outer chamber without a sealer.

The Tubliss system has a nice wide sealing tape that comes with the kit, but it's not for a pressure seal, only to protect the 110 psi high pressure bead retention tube from the spoke nipples.

As for bead retention, the tube type rims - some or all of them... I don't know - lack the added ridge that captures the bead slightly more. But on my recent 400+ mile fully loaded camping ride trip on the KLR, my rear tube oddly got punctured on the side and went flat twice, once off road, once on the highway. Both times I rode long enough to get the Shinko 805 tire quite hot. Yet never did it de-bead, which impressed the hell out of me.

What had happened was Quadboss was maintaining tube seal with the puncture well enough to get another 300 miles out of it after I aired it back up after the first flat. It maintained pressure over night when camping, so I didn't intervene, but should have, because 100 miles into day two it went flat on a highway and would no longer hold air. Yet still the Shinko did not de-bead!

After that experience I'd be less concerned over a tubeless conversion on a KLR with tube type rims. I'd still not do it, however, as tubes on KLR rims having no rim locks are pretty simple to deal with if one does get a flat.

On the light Beta 390 I fit the Tubliss system to be able to run 7 to 9 psi in the outers to improve traction and suspension. The complexity and wheel balancing issues were worth the benefits in that case, but I'd not do Tubliss on the KLR. The heavy KLR has fairly compliant tires at 18 to 22 psi, which is overkill for bead retention. But maybe I'm missing something on the tubeless conversion benefit.

I tried it as an (expensive) experiment because it would be nice to be able to just plug a puncture and roll on. I am fully aware that the front rim on the klr is not equipped with a proper tubeless bead seat, but it seems to be holding air ok, and wouldn’t it also un-seat if the tube went flat? In reality, I’ll probably go back to tubes, patches, and tire spoons in the travel kit because, as you say, they are simple.

Malo’s, I had not planned to use a sealer with the tubeless because I’m not certain how it would interact with the sealing tape adhesive.

that’s that.