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So I guess rattlecan paint jobs aren't the most durable or resistant and my paint's starting to look a little grungy after taking it offroad a bit and riding like a dickhead in the city. I really need some gloss on this thing too. I don't know if it's the worst idea ever, but i've been looking at 70s vans. The klr is basically the van of motorcycles anyway so I thought it would fit ideologically too.   
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Mar 27, 2014 09:41
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for sale posted:So I guess rattlecan paint jobs aren't the most durable or resistant and my paint's starting to look a little grungy after taking it offroad a bit and riding like a dickhead in the city. I really need some gloss on this thing too. I vote yes, do it. Which one are you leaning towards? The Brown/Orange shade job? Also a question: Does anyone have a recommendation for replacement bulbs for my headlight? My low beam bulb on my '01 KLR burnt out last night, and I might as well put upgraded super bright bulbs in both my low and high beams.
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Apr 11, 2014 23:30
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DJ_Ferret posted:I vote yes, do it. Which one are you leaning towards? The Brown/Orange shade job? I too would like to know this. I dunno if it's the same for automotive, but when I tried to use brighter bulbs (SilverStars or whatever) instead of OEM, they blew within minutes. Something about not being able to handle the voltage difference.
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Apr 13, 2014 14:43
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Have any of you fine KLR folks installed a choke cable eliminator? My cable seems to be causing my KLR some high-idle troubles when I engage the choke and disengage it, which I think is because I might have broken the nut that attaches it to the carb when I did some carb work a couple weeks back. Since I'm already looking at throwing money at parts so I can start riding, I splurged for a choke cable eliminator plunger thingus. Have I made a terrible, terrible mistake?
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Apr 23, 2014 03:21
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I know my KLR wasn't really a fan of starting if it wasn't at least at half choke, but everyone's bike is a little different.
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Apr 23, 2014 03:52
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DJ_Ferret posted:I vote yes, do it. Which one are you leaning towards? The Brown/Orange shade job? eh eh? Also, anyone with some experience with steel brake lines on the KLR? Considering making that part of the summer to-do list.
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Apr 27, 2014 16:13
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FaceEater posted:eh eh? We put stainless lines on the family beater KLR. Improved level feel quite a bit.
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Apr 27, 2014 18:42
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FaceEater posted:eh eh? That's next on my upgrade list once I finish fixing the temperature gauge. I dropped it in the river a few months ago and the gauge has been boogered ever since. The way I had steel braided lines explained to me was that they didn't allow bulging and flexing under pressure, which normally translates to loss of pressure to the the caliper. My highly recommended upgrade is to buy a surplus aluminum night vision goggle case and mount it up as a top box. Just did that about a month ago, and all I had to do was buy longer bolts for the rear luggage rack and drill some holes in the bottom of the box.  35$ all said and done for an invincible, weathertight, lightweight top box that enhances the KLR's natural beauty 
Catatron Prime fucked around with this message at 17:54 on Apr 30, 2014 |
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Apr 30, 2014 12:33
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Looks like you lost some night vision goggles down by your side stand there.
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Apr 30, 2014 13:30
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Safety Dance posted:Looks like you lost some night vision goggles down by your side stand there. Hahaha, that would probably explain where those safety glasses disappeared to
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Apr 30, 2014 17:56
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OSU_Matthew posted:My highly recommended upgrade is to buy a surplus aluminum night vision goggle case and mount it up as a top box. Just did that about a month ago, and all I had to do was buy longer bolts for the rear luggage rack and drill some holes in the bottom of the box. Not specific to KLR's, but I've seen a lot of Japanese bikers who affix a big Rubbermade type box to the back of their bikes. Waterproof, although not terribly tough (and looks like it'd be pretty tippy, seriously, some of those things are pretty big). I've got an... I think Givi box on mine, although I broke the built in lock overstuffing it too many times, so now have to rely on a cable lock. The Japanese guy who owned my XLR250 before the buddy I bought it from had a pair of NVG cases side-mounted on metal pole thingies. They stuck out all weird and looked like dogshit, definitely looks better on the back. Pompous Rhombus fucked around with this message at 08:28 on May 2, 2014 |
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May 2, 2014 08:24
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DJ_Ferret posted:I vote yes, do it. Which one are you leaning towards? The Brown/Orange shade job? Yeah i'm partial to that one even though it would probably be over my head. The black and gold definitely looks easier. Any recommendations for aftermarket shifter pegs and kickstands? I think the PO bent the peg-lever weld and I was too inexperienced to notice. I usually wear size 14 steeltoe timberlands so I can see why I would not realize this kind of thing. for sale fucked around with this message at 15:42 on May 2, 2014 |
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May 2, 2014 15:38
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I've been wanting a motorcycle for a few years now, but only recently has my wife gotten on board with the idea, so I've begun looking around casually. I'm not really much of a gearhead but I would love to learn how to work on bikes as time goes on. That being said, I am very wary of buying anything off of craigslist because I'm very worried it will crap out on me and be beyond my skill level to repair. So I am wondering, I found the following ad on craigslist: http://collegestation.craigslist.org/mcy/4444036435.html Do you guys think that is a reasonable price for a bike like that? It seems kind of low to me but I really have no idea. What about all of those upgrades? Are some of those standard for a bike with that many miles? Also, I saw someone mention earlier in the thread that their bike was hard to ride on the highway? Most of my riding would be highway riding with some 200 mile trips every now and then. Is a KLR650 the right bike for this? I really love the aesthetic and idea of it, but have only recently discovered them. Thanks.
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May 2, 2014 21:37
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KLRs are awesome and super simple. They have their share of quirks, but if you want a starter bike that you can learn to wrench on, they're a good choice. $2600 is a good price for a 2007 KLR with 15K miles. It does seem a little low, but maybe the guy's wife is telling him to get rid of one. One major thing concerns me about that ad, though. The bike in the front is a 2008 or newer KLR. The bike in the back is a 2007 or older KLR. I don't see some of the mods listed (crash bars, skid plate, aftermarket hand guards) on the front bike, but it looks like the rear bike has aftermarket hand guards, at least. Is the guy an idiot, lazy, or malicious? Who knows? That said, picture notwithstanding, I'll explain the mods: crash bars -- Bars attached to the frame, extending past the engine and the tank of the bike, such that if the bike falls over, the bars will hit the ground before expensive bits. skid plate -- A plate, typically metal, on the underside of the bike that protects the engine and other sensitive bits from smashing against rocks if you were the kind of person to drive over rocks. The stock KLR comes with a plastic skid plate. CYCRA hand guards Metal and plastic bars that go on the handlebars in front of the brake and clutch levers, so that if you hit some branches or whatever, they won't activate your brakes / clutch. Also, if the bike falls over, those levers won't break. bigger ft. sprocket (for lower RPM on freeway) Making the front sprocket bigger changes the gear ratio of the final drive of the bike, so that the engine is spinning less quickly at a given speed. The downside to this is you have less power for wheelies or climbing up rocky hills or w/e. Practically, this is an advantage if you're mostly going to be cruising around town. ASV levers Brake and clutch lever, but made out of different materials. Lighter? Better fitting? Stronger? Shorter? Colorful? These are all possibilities. These may indicate a low-speed crash, or the guy might have just put them on. acerbic ft. fender (catches less wind at High speed helps keep wind from wiggling ft. of bike) The dude can't spell "Acerbis". That said, the stock KLR front fender does cause the front end to feel a little wobbly if you're going faster than about 70. ft. fork stabilizer (ties forks together near wheel to reduces ft. wheel leverage on fork tubes prevents forks from twisting to eliminate ft. from wiggling at high speed,makes steering more responsive yeah some spare parts like tires ect. Most craigslist vehicles come with a box of spare parts. The notable thing this list is missing is the "doohickey", or cam chain tensioner. That's a part that can fail on the KLR, and most KLR riders have replaced theirs with an aftermarket version less likely to fail. If you talk to the guy, ask him about it. The KLR isn't "hard" to ride on the highway. It just isn't designed to go 70 or 80 mph for long periods of time. It'll do it, sure, it just won't be excellent at it like a sport touring bike might be.
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May 2, 2014 22:16
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It looks like that guy changed his rear sprocket gearing for smoother highway riding, which to be honest (at least on other forums) is controversial as to whether it actually works to the intended effect. I don't know how mechanically apt you are, but basically that change affects how many links of the chain are gripped by the engine while it's turning the rear wheel. Also, I knew next to nothing before getting mine about eight months ago and am amazed at how dead simple everything is on it. With YouTube you can pretty much do anything besides the bottom half of the engine and the transmission with a set of metric Allen wrenches, some blue loctite, and some pliers. It also helps the beginning rider for being very forgiving with hitting things in the curb with its very high suspension, not to mention these things were designed to be dropped, especially with all the crash stuff the PO put in. Conversely to this, since everything is so dead simple to it being a single cylinder engine you technically have a comfortable top speed of around eighty miles an hour unless you bore out the engine. Going at that speed is also pretty scary for a beginner because of th e very thin wheel width compared to street bikes and the very tall seat, at least in my opinion. I was also shaken with learning an entirely new skill at extremely high speeds, all the while knowing just one wrong move means a destroyed investment and a mangled body. This is compared to a more technically complex street oriented bike like a ninja 300, which with it's multiple cylinders and low profile can (I'm told) stay at 90 all day. Like I said, I have been riding for only a short time, but it was a good six months before I even considered trying the highway. I live in LA though, so YMMV. I would make the same decision on a first bike knowing what I know with the same choice, maybe a drz 400 or something since I live in the city, and after I get comfortable upgrade to something more highway ready. If you are as tall or taller than me, congratulations, you found one of the few beginner bikes worth a drat for tall dudes. Edit: a a a fuckin beaten by the klr king. Listen to him instead, he got me to buy mine.
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May 2, 2014 22:20
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for sale posted:congratulations, you found one of the few beginner bikes worth a drat for tall dudes. quote:Edit: a a a fuckin beaten by the klr king. Listen to him instead, he got me to buy mine. 
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May 2, 2014 22:26
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Thanks for the excellent explanation/response. I'm 6'2'' and about 200lbs, so the height of the bike doesn't really concern me too much. Having just discovered dual sport bikes I am really excited that my wife is finally on board. I'm not gonna be buying this guys bike, but I guess it's pretty much my ideal purchase. Here in June I'll be getting my endorsement and start actually shopping around, just looking to get some tips and learn a little bit more about bikes before I go for it. Edit: Is there a guide to the bikes total mileage and what sorts of things are going to start failing? About how many miles typically get put on a bike per year? Like for a car 10k miles/year is about average, what about a bike? Big_Gulps_Huh fucked around with this message at 22:43 on May 2, 2014 |
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May 2, 2014 22:37
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Oh yeah and if you take EVEN ONE BOLT off of this thing, buy some blue loctite buy some blue loctite buy some blue loctite and put it on every time. It is not a maybe thing, this thing shakes like Michael J. Fox on a good day and your radiator cover is going to end up sitting somewhere on the road ten miles before you notice, true story  Edit: also for the mileage thing I probably don't know what I'm talking about but I feel like something like that is really hard to gauge because you don't really know how the other person rode it. I feel like a bike with 10k on a south America trip, on rural dirt roads, in hot traffic, or on daily commutes all are going to have different damage on them. I think the cam chain tensioner (doohickey) is the biggest problem with this bike, then the clutch or the transmission, then the pistons (I think). You obviously want to sporadically clean your carburetor and switch the fuel and air lines, which is really easy. Some people seem to have problems with the petcock, the thing that pumps fuel from your tank to your bike. It really depends, at least in my experience. Get a friend to look at it, I have definitely fixed poo poo on my bike that really did not need fixing, and I probably could have known this if I asked a friend or a mechanic. for sale fucked around with this message at 23:09 on May 2, 2014 |
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May 2, 2014 22:40
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I've never really had that experience, but yeah, blue loctite is a good thing.
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May 2, 2014 22:41
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Dont buy a loving KLR if you're going to be doing mostly freeway riding. Around town, maybe, but on the freeway it's going to be crappy, not that you'll know any better as a new rider, so meh. Check the oil regularly on it or you will run it out of oil if most of what you do is freeway riding. Also assume that all PO work was done with nothing but assorted size hammers, so expect to have to fix anything they touched. Then again, all KLR riders do all their maintenance with hammers and PVC, so...
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May 2, 2014 23:56
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As a new rider, likelihood is all you own is hammers and PVC. Sometimes not even a hammer, just a medium sized rock. "Most of my riding would be highway riding" is one of those sentences that barely even parses. It's like buying a high end Alienware or whatever the hell is hot these days and saying, "Most of my computer usage will be Outlook". Safety Dance fucked around with this message at 02:17 on May 3, 2014 |
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May 3, 2014 02:14
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HoogieChooChoo posted:http://collegestation.craigslist.org/mcy/4444036435.html The price isn't bad, especially considering the crash bars and junk are probably 600-700 bucks alone. I'm just thrown by the 08+ bike pictured with an '07 bike being listed... seems pretty skeevy, especially with the other one hiding off in the background... A KLR though is fantastic for zipping around town (0-55) and screwing around off-road. There are certainly better highway bikes, but I just love the versatility of the KLR. I've got no problem sustaining 80-90 on the highway for a couple of hours, as I can just tuck into a sportier pose. 90 is about as much as you can wring out of it though. At 6'4" it's pretty much the perfect bike for me--I've sat on quite a few other bikes at the dealership, mostly out of curiosity, and they're just uncomfortably small for me--I'll take a dual sport anyday. My 2¢ on the doo is that it's a must for pre-08, and discretionary on later bikes since Kawasaki beefed up the part considerably. From what I can tell, a lot of the hullalaboo were owners who overtightened the part, causing it to fail in the first place. Then after '08 everyone was so insistent that the part was forever hosed and subsequently made a big deal out of the spring being too long or something asinine. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't, but I'd like to give the engineers some credit. Then again, despite widespread agreement on hosed piston rings in the '08, my bike doesn't burn oil (even at sustained highway speeds) so YMMV 
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May 3, 2014 03:21
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Tomorrow I'm buying an '09 KLR. Just broke 14k, never been offroad---though there is a crack on the left side of the fairing. Not large enough to worry about it, guy claims he used to be a helicopter mechanic (looked the part, at least) and apparently kept up with maintenance pretty well. New chain (couple thousand miles) and new tires (3k miles, good shape). Oil changed at 3k regularly. Looks sharp. Ran better than anything I've ever been on prior. The do-hickey hasn't been done. Is this something I need to get done? It appears as though the interwebs is wishy washy as far as if the models after '08 need 'em done... $3k cash and we're done. Will post pics when I get it.
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May 10, 2014 02:45
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Noice! Good pick! That sounds like a solid price. As far as the doo goes, I'll defer to OSU_Matthew. I can't remember what the deal is with 08+ KLRs.
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May 10, 2014 05:00
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Safety Dance posted:Noice! Good pick! That sounds like a solid price. I'll defer to Safety Dance... I have no idea! Apparently Kawasaki beefed up the tensioner in the new model, but people on the internet claim the spring is too long or something asinine. I think a lot of the early model doohickey failure was intrepid owners who overtightened the part after checking it, causing premature failure and increased scrutiny, which in turn led to the assumption that the part is forever hosed. Apparently it shouldn't be under tension in normal use, so the spring theory is half baked in my opinion. Obviously I am not a mechanic, so whatever you think is best oughta work! I just kinda ignored mine and it hasn't been giving me any issues... plus I'd like to think the engineers at Kawasaki are smarter than a bunch of random people on the internet? But who knows! Enjoy your bike--you've made a fantastic choice! There's a reason why Kawasaki is still cranking out the same bike nearly thirty years later!
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May 10, 2014 05:41
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Yeah, that's pretty well in line with what I've read. I'll just go ahead and prep for it when the next oil change is due (1k mi). Without further ado:  H.E.L.L. Y.E.S. Dead Pressed fucked around with this message at 17:41 on May 10, 2014 |
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May 10, 2014 17:37
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We're new the KLR family. My g/f bought a rough and ready 2005 klr650 late last season and now it's time to get it up and running. Lots of farkles (corbin seat, center stand, hard bags, taller fairing) but with stock carbs and exhaust. I've already taken care of the basic tune up stuff, new spark plug, air filter, adjusted cables, added steel brake lines to go with the new pads, a fresh battery, and a coolant flush. The kickstand kill failed and kept killing the bike on the road so I deleted it to prevent further problems though it could get replaced in the future. The bike ran well at the end of last season for the 50 or so miles we put on before winter but now it's behaving badly and I suspect it needs a good carb cleaning and/or rebuild. The bike will start easily but any throttle will kill it. The choke lever was busted and has since been replaced but it's still the original choke cable. I will put on a new choke cable while the carbs are out. I am considering adding a Dynojet stage 1 jet kit while it's apart. Does anyone know if it will be worthwhile on a stock bike? It felt kinda wheezy and lean to me but I don't have much experience with big singles. The factory exhaust also makes the worst headache inducing chirping sound but I was not given the okey to alter it. I can always drill the airbox and tune the carb a bit if it makes a difference witha jet kit. We definitely don't want to hot rod the klr, just open it up a little if possible. This bike will definitely be seeing some highway duty in the future. I know it isn't ideal for that purpose but it was cheapest and most comfortable bike we found last season. She's pretty tall and can flat foot the klr with both feet.
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May 10, 2014 21:33
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The tweety bird exhaust is the best. You're crazy. "The bike will start easily but any throttle will kill it." sounds like your pilot jet is OK, but your slide might be gunked up. If I were you, I'd take it all apart, spray it down with / soak it in carb cleaner, and then button it back up. Should be an afternoon's job. As far as rejetting it, etc, goes, I don't really know. I'm a fan of the "don't gently caress with it" mentality, but whatever floats your boat. In my opinion, the KLR is plenty fast.
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May 11, 2014 01:36
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Nice! I really love the look of the black KLRs--very sleek! You should peel off some of the decals and swap in the KLR BMW logo sticker for subtlety. TobyLerone posted:
Seconding some gunk in the carb from winter storage. Should be fairly straightforward to clean out... maybe some seafoam might even do the trick. If you're taking the carb apart though, you might look into the .22 cent mod while you're at it--I personally haven't done it, but that combined with drilling out the exhaust can add a few horses and a throatier tone. If you're looking at more highway riding, maybe look into swapping in a 16 tooth front sprocket to lower the revs at high speed. Two other highway things you might look into are a front fork brace, and changing the front fender for a KTM one (I want to say Acerbis?) A guy I know did both and said it's a huge improvement in stability as well as helps reduce wind buffeting the bike.
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May 11, 2014 05:16
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I'm digging the KTM or alternate front fender options. Any mods to the bike will be taking some of dual-sport out of the KLR and giving it a road bias, so the smaller fender would follow suit. Different tires and gearing are slated for the future. We know it's less than ideal for a street bike but the others that fit well (versys, vstrom, super tenere, tiger, etc) are vastly more expensive than a middle aged KLR 650. Plus, she can abuse the poo poo out this one and no one will wince.
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May 11, 2014 16:54
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Keep trying to convince myself to sell the '01 KLR I've had for several years and rarely ride, but drat, if they aren't the hardest bikes to nail down an asking price. I suppose it's the same issue that you see with DR650s and the like, where minimal changes have been made over more than a decade and demand doesn't waver much. I'm seeing clean, low-mileage '08+ models for $3500 and higher-mileage Barbie bikes for $3000.  Who knows what they're actually selling for, though.I love the thing, but after riding an '05 SV650 for two years, the KLR is horrendously lacking in the brakes/suspension department and I'm not terribly willing to throw money at that. (Ergonomically perfect, though - I doubt I could ever get a V-Strom or Tiger 800 to this position.) "New low seating position" is the worst possible trend on newer bikes.
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May 13, 2014 00:07
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OneOverZero posted:'01 KLR 'Bout two large. Maybe 2.5 if riding season is just starting, but be willing to negotiate.
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May 13, 2014 00:20
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Safety Dance posted:'Bout two large. Maybe 2.5 if riding season is just starting, but be willing to negotiate.
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May 13, 2014 00:35
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Too bad the bars (presumably?) won't fit on 08+ bikes, otherwise I'd offer to buy the bars outright since they probably won't add much resale value to the bike itself. Edit: crash bars Catatron Prime fucked around with this message at 01:20 on May 14, 2014 |
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May 13, 2014 03:49
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Just ordered a new Acerbis supermoto front fender, so excited for the easier highway riding. I guess the SM fenders allow better cooling which is nice, since it was 100 degrees yesterday and the bike already runs really hot. My gauge was at 3/4 most of the day! Should I be worried? I know klrs run hot in the first place but coupled with the weather and the magma pumping out of this thing I didn't know if the engine block would melt before or after I got heat stroke. By the way dead pressed you got like the best color scheme of all of the gen 2 models for a good price, good job dude.
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May 15, 2014 14:50
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OneOverZero posted:Yeah, that's about what I was thinking. It's your basic KLR - doohickey done, SW Motech guards, ATO fuse kit, and fresh T63s. I figure I'll take some good photos, start at $2500, and see how long it takes. (Hell, the salvage-title SV went for $2600 in hours with no negotiation... living next to the Blue Ridge Parkway has its perks.) If you're parting, I've got an '01 I'd love to put those crash guards on. I paid $2k for my ugly baby, bone stock '01 with about ~5k miles on it last year.
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May 15, 2014 16:50
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for sale posted:Just ordered a new Acerbis supermoto front fender, so excited for the easier highway riding. I guess the SM fenders allow better cooling which is nice, since it was 100 degrees yesterday and the bike already runs really hot. My gauge was at 3/4 most of the day! As long as the coolant is good and the fan comes on, I wouldn't worry about it too much.
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May 15, 2014 17:27
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for sale posted:Just ordered a new Acerbis supermoto front fender, so excited for the easier highway riding. I guess the SM fenders allow better cooling which is nice, since it was 100 degrees yesterday and the bike already runs really hot. My gauge was at 3/4 most of the day! I dunno if you've already looked at it, but my buddy that swapped fenders mentioned he needed the Eagle Mike front fork brace to mount the lower fender to. Great choice by the way--I really like the look of the Acerbis fender on the KLR. In person, it doesn't look out of place like some of the lowered fenders jammed right up next the wheel. I dunno about the running hot thing... Maybe check your coolent levels and make sure the radiator fan is running? I'm troubleshooting the same thing on my bike--the radiator fan quit running and my temp gauge is boogered. Next weekend I need to pull the tank and troubleshoot that. Edit: Beaten
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May 15, 2014 17:31
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Safety Dance posted:As long as the coolant is good and the fan comes on, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Yeah, mine in the summer ran pretty much always around 1/2 or 3/4. (Humid in central Kentucky.) Edit: Regarding the radiator fan, yeah double check it. I've seen some that look ok (kinda) visually, but the central bearing has been stripped out and the fan isn't running anymore, even when it sounded like it was.
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May 15, 2014 23:06
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I keep an eye on my local CL (mostly to torture myself) back in the US, and I think any pre-08 KLR650 I've seen under $2500 has either over 30,000 miles on it or needs wear items replaced. Is that just a Florida thing, or is everyone really leaving like $800-$1000 of haggle room?
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May 16, 2014 05:45
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