I'm mildly excited... [Archive]

Padmei

15th July 2008, 19:59

merv

15th July 2008, 20:04

A three seater - cool :2thumbsup

Crisis management

15th July 2008, 20:13

Looks good, try and keep it that way for at least a week then get it all muddy....

Watch them chicks tho, let them have it for too long and they won't give it back!

pete376403

15th July 2008, 20:14

It's a proper green one!
Oxford heated grips are a worthwhile addition. Make sure the muffler mounting bolts are tight - there was a recall on those. I have also re-routed the wiring loom in the vicinity of the horn as it was getting pinched pretty tightly between the bottom of the tank and the fairing frame (awkward to explain but you'll see when you look at it.
I've blanked off half the radiator with duct tape to help it run a bit warmer more . The lights are aimed a bit high out of the box, unless the dealer picked this up as part of the WOF check.
The seat might feel a bit firm but it's still good after a 500km day.
Once run in 120-130 is a good cruising spped but anything over that and oil consumption can become an issue - lots of noise about this on advrider.com, klr650.net, etc

sels1

15th July 2008, 20:16

Nice machine - you will have a lot of fun on that. Congrats on the new baby.

Quasievil

15th July 2008, 20:20

OK I'm not I'm really really stoked:Punk:

My brand spanking new hot off the boat 08 KLR650 was delivered this morning & it was only fitting I took an afternoon off from crawling around in ceilings & basements to bond with it.

It is all I dreamed it would be & more:wari: I am running it in nicely so did 50kms over the whangamoas then got the dealer to replace the oil & filter. I then went & showed it off to my mates (who made appropriate ooh & aah noises as expected with a new baby)

First impressions:

A lot smoother & more power than I expected (& I know they aren't up to much powerwise in comparison).

Very easy to ride & good turning circle. Large tank - took so long to fill I thought it was running out the bottom...

Seat is a tad hard but I guess I will get used to it & is easy to stand up to relieve the stiffness (teeheehee)

A lot of wind noise vs my lil naked bike but very warm behind the fairing & hand protectors.

All in all I am very very happy with my purchase & am looking forward to many cool trips:rockon:

And KLRs pull cool chicks

Nice one mate, ive had mine for a year, only a couple of things that have had issues with, one being the seat. Its actually not hard, its to soft, and its crippling, I have a custom seat on mine and WOW what a difference, photo below I can ride on it all day without a problem.
http://www.trimit.co.nz/

the other issue I had was a vacumm problem in the tank, the bike would run rought like starving of fuel, fix was to remove the non return valves out of the fuel cap, not a major, and now its sweet.

I would jump on it and ride to invercargill without blinking about it.

Other stuff, watch the oil level, they do burn oil

look up KLR on googel for some great KLR sites.

its a great bike and very capable, you will love it dude

cheers

Quasi

Cruisin' Craig

15th July 2008, 20:20

Congratulations! The bike looks great :-)

Padmei

15th July 2008, 20:33

JATZ

15th July 2008, 21:12

ooh ooh, looks SHIIINEY, better go and find some mud aye

mbazza

15th July 2008, 21:24

Congrats on the new bike! :woohoo:
Looks good, plenty of advice here too!
My advice is to watch those co-pilots! Before the bike is 10 yrs old one of them will have their name on it! :sweatdrop
Ride happy. Cheers.

fridayflash

15th July 2008, 21:32

congrats! i want one too:weep:

pete376403

15th July 2008, 22:57

thanks guys for the info.

I am aware of the probs with the 08s as I have been cruising the KLR sites for a while. I tried to follow the breaking in procedure off KLR650net but KAWA told the dealer they wouldn't honour the warantee if I put in the Rotella oil as recommended by their site. So anyone want to buy 20litres of Rotella?
What grade Rotella? The owners manual page 87 lists the recommended oil types: API SE, SF or SG 10W40, with a note "although 10W-40 is recommended for most conditions oil viscosity may need to be changed to accomodate conditions in your riding area" - nothing there about voiding the warranty.
Anyway, oil keeps. Wait till the warranty expires, then use it.

Also something really worth doing - pull the rear suspension apart and grease all the uni-trak bearings. There's a tiny smear of white grease that the factory put in each bearing, they need a lot more. Also the swingarm pivot bolt needs a coat of grease to stop corrosion. There's a couple of vent holes in the frame that let water in. Once the bolt gets a good coating of corrosion it's extremely difficult to remove. Instructions here:
http://www.klr650.marknet.us/swingarm.html.
The pic shows the hole where the water gets in

Stampy

16th July 2008, 06:21

What grade Rotella? The owners manual page 87 lists the recommended oil types: API SE, SF or SG 10W40, with a note "although 10W-40 is recommended for most conditions oil viscosity may need to be changed to accomodate conditions in your riding area" - nothing there about voiding the warranty.
Anyway, oil keeps. Wait till the warranty expires, then use it.

Also something really worth doing - pull the rear suspension apart and grease all the uni-trak bearings. There's a tiny smear of white grease that the factory put in each bearing, they need a lot more. Also the swingarm pivot bolt needs a coat of grease to stop corrosion. There's a couple of vent holes in the frame that let water in. Once the bolt gets a good coating of corrosion it's extremely difficult to remove. Instructions here:
http://www.klr650.marknet.us/swingarm.html.
The pic shows the hole where the water gets in

You got far too much time on your hands Jonesy!!!:clap::clap::clap:

Padmei

16th July 2008, 07:49

cheers pete876983275 It looks like a reasonably ok bit of maintainance to do.

I dont want to go to work today I just want to ride baby:baby:

NordieBoy

16th July 2008, 08:10

So going to run it in up Mt Arthur and friends on the weekend?

marks

16th July 2008, 11:55

A lot of wind noise vs my lil naked bike but very warm behind the fairing & hand protectors.

Do you think the trade off of more helmet buffeting versus increased body wind protection is worth it in terms of rider fatigue/comfort?

BTW I rode Petes KLR and he's right - heated hand grips are brilliant for winter riding.

If you don't mind me asking - what was the purchase price including on road costs - are the dealers prepared to negotiate at all?

Finally what sort of of engine bars did you get and what cost landed?

In case you hadn't guessed I'm looking at one of these to replace/supplement the little DT230.

cheers

Mark

young1

16th July 2008, 12:17

Very nice, they do suit green.

Were the handwarmers standard? I need to get some for my bike sometime and need to look at what is around

M

babysteps

16th July 2008, 13:20

You lucky b*stard!!!!

Roll on December
Roll on Full Licence
Roll on my KLR650

:clap:

Creeper

16th July 2008, 16:01

a nice green one(only colour they should be!) ....just like mine....
I have had an issue with oil consumption....was filled by shop with semi synthetic however Kawa NZ are now saying to use a mineral oil as big thumpers will always burn a semi syn. burnt 800mls in about 1000ks
Also keep an eye on the blinker stalks, if they are like mine the will fall off before 2000ks.
apart from all that,for $9000 ride out the door I'm all happy

enjoy!!

Padmei

16th July 2008, 17:56

Nope not going up Mt Arthur Nordie till I put on the studded ice tyres

I haven't got hand warmers yet but have new good gloves which seem to do the trick. I will prob get some protective hand bar end thingys cos I may want to play the piano someday.

Do you think the trade off of more helmet buffeting versus increased body wind protection is worth it in terms of rider fatigue/comfort?

Damn Marks why did you ask me that? Now I'll have to think about it...

The biggest thing I didn't like about my little GB400 was that I would get cold with the wind hitting my puku & chest. Riding yesterday I was heaps warmer but shit the noise was deafening. I have some earplugs for now...
I know you can buy taller screens but experimenting with my hand placed at different places along it while riding I found the wind coming from the sides & meeting up around my ears. So I will monitor it for now.

I am 6ft tall & the bike feels really tall!!

The bike cost 9600 + on road so was basically 10k out the door. The dealer wouldnt take any thing off it but did give me $75 off a mx helmet (for summer). Insurance was $440 & engine bars are from Motorradgarage AUssie & cost $340 Aussie dollars. They arrived n 5 days (postage was included for $99)

Crikey I hope my wife doesn't read this.

Wil put the bars on tonite & post a photo - I may even be nude;)

pete376403

16th July 2008, 20:17

Very nice, they do suit green.

Were the handwarmers standard? I need to get some for my bike sometime and need to look at what is around

M
Handwarmers (ie heated grips) are not standard but at around $115 you'd be crazy not to. Hand "protectors" (ie the plastic guards) are standard but these are not real barkbuster-type protection. They will keep the wind off your hands but thats about all.
But with the guards keeping the cold breeze off the back of your hands the heated grips have a much easier job of keeping our hands toasty warm. Even coming back from the Brass on a shitty wet cold day I had the heat setting on medium.

CrazyFrog

22nd July 2008, 12:13

Reckon he should run it in over the Porika and Braeburn in the pissing rain. The fords will wash the mud off.....

Padmei

22nd July 2008, 12:16

Put the crash bars on on Sat & went riding Sun over to Golden Bay & got a bit of gravel road in too.

Got pretty used to the wind noise & stayed relatively dry behind the screen.

Managed to drop it for the first time at my kids school no less but the sturdy crash bars did their job & saved the plastic.

I have noticd the vibration of the bike is greater with the crash bars on - they have the rep of being tuning forks.

Can't wait for the weekend now:woohoo:

My friend cleverly christened my bike Gonzo though cant see any likeness myself:whistle:

Heres some pics of the bars

marks

22nd July 2008, 14:18

were till waiting for the nude photos

JATZ

22nd July 2008, 20:28

Bloody hell you went for a :ride: on sunday, It was pissing down here in between the heavy showers, I just couldn't bring myself to go out:baby:

Padmei

23rd July 2008, 09:08

I went past your house on the way up west bank about 1pm & tooted. I was a bit worried being on reserve but got back to richmond

Quasievil

23rd July 2008, 09:59

I went past your house on the way up west bank about 1pm & tooted. I was a bit worried being on reserve but got back to richmond

If you ever run out on reserve, get off the bike and lean it right over (almost dropped) on the left side, and magic !! you have another Litre

cool eh, prolly a design fuck up but it works

JATZ

23rd July 2008, 18:17

I went past your house on the way up west bank about 1pm & tooted. I was a bit worried being on reserve but got back to richmond

Kids said a bike went past and tooted, I couldn't work out who it could've been.
I'll be able to sleep tonight , thanks

Padmei

23rd July 2008, 20:14

If you ever run out on reserve, get off the bike and lean it right over (almost dropped) on the left side, and magic !! you have another Litre

cool eh, prolly a design fuck up but it works

Is it alright if I drop it while doing it - gives me a good future excuse
:yes:

pete376403

23rd July 2008, 20:26

How many kms did you get before going on reserve, and was that from a full tank?
I havent bothered about the crash bars as the bike is heavy enough as it is. I dropped it on the right side, broke the side cover at the bottom mount. Pissed me off for about 5 minutes, but, it was bound to happen sooner or later.

The panniers I put on later did a good job of keeping the plastic out of the mud the next time it fell over.

Padmei

23rd July 2008, 20:37

got 320 kms before reserve & filled up at 380kms:eek5:

The riding was strange though as I'm breaking it in lots of roll ons & offs & not too much of keeping a steady speed.

yeah the bars are bloody heavy but have saved a bit of broken plastic already.

NordieBoy

23rd July 2008, 22:16

Saturday ride from Mot up the Mot valley to Murch, Mauriaiaia Saddle etc...
Over in the NZ forum on ADV...

Cap'n Lobster should check it out...

JATZ

24th July 2008, 18:02

Saturday ride from Mot up the Mot valley to Murch, Mauriaiaia Saddle etc...
Over in the NZ forum on ADV...

Cap'n Lobster should check it out...

:argh:. I work 1 saturday in 6 and guess what..........
it's this saturday:doh:

Padmei

1st August 2008, 17:50

Won't be long guys before I'll be making you green with envy:banana:

marks

1st August 2008, 20:23

I'd be quite keen to read about your ongoing experiences getting used to Gonzo. What problems/mods etc etc...

Crisis management

2nd August 2008, 08:23

I'd be quite keen to read about your ongoing experiences getting used to Gonzo. What problems/mods etc etc...

FFS Mark, it's a Kawasaki, it'll go like shit for a while and then explode, everyone knows that!

Cons seem to be:
uncomfortable seat.
High oil consumption at higher speeds.
Soft suspension.
Lots of plastic to break.
A bit fat.

Pros:
Fuel capacity / range.
More comfortable than a DR (like thats saying something...)
Better braking than the previous model.
Mechanically reliable & cheap to maintain (did that go audio?)

Disclaimer:
I don't own one and could be making all this up. <_<

marks

2nd August 2008, 12:51

FFS Mark, it's a Kawasaki, it'll go like shit for a while and then explode, everyone knows that!

I think its the opposite - they make less power (about 32hp) than a dr650 which makes them fairly sedate and they last for freaking ever (as long as they don't run out of oil - poor oil ring tension on the new models causes bore glazing if thrashed for any extended period....)

I'm more interested in getting a low km earlier model as I don't have a good history of staying vertical and don't really want to be surrounded by exploded plastic. One of the Aussie owners of a new KLR was quoted 2K for new plastics and fairing bits after a messy 'off'.

pete376403

2nd August 2008, 16:55

But with the earlier models, what you save in plastics repairs you'll pay for brake upgrades, suspension upgrades, doohickey upgrades, seat upgrades, luggage rack upgrades, lighting upgrades, to start with. Then you start farkling.

Crisis management

2nd August 2008, 18:40

I'm more interested in getting a low km earlier model.

But with the earlier models, what you save in plastics repairs you'll pay for brake upgrades, suspension upgrades, doohickey upgrades, seat upgrades, luggage rack upgrades, lighting upgrades, to start with. Then you start farkling.

Listen to Pete, Mark, the early models seem to have a bit of a reputation for being basic in every way. Comments I kept finding were "Looks like an adventure bike but I'd hate to take it off road..."

Mind you, there is a sort of mad joy in riding something entirely inappropriate and succeding, so maybe it's worth the shot.

Padmei

2nd August 2008, 20:17

I gotta be honest & say that when I was looking, it was what the 08 Klr looked like that made up my mind.
Once I saw the brochure it was me I saw sliding around desert roads on the advertising photos - yep I am that shallow...
I think if I wanted a good offroad going bike I would have got a DR but I wanted a fairing. If I wanted a good road bike I would have got an older Tiger or Vstrom.
I was looking at 01-03 BMW650 for the same price so thought this was better value to get a new bike with warantee (& the fact that I've never had something as new & expensive as this before). KTMs are tooo expensive & Yamaha XT are more expensive & not quite right in my eyes.

As a newbie to adventure riding I don't really have anything to compare it to & dont really want to set the world on fire with my exploits.(I have 2 young kids,mortgage,business etc so time is pretty precious).

All in all it seemed to fit the bill.
I have been following the KLR650net forums for some time & there are a lot of people selling their year old bikes for various reasons - build quality, oil consumption, not enough power, seemingly negligent attitude from Kawasaki regarding model defects.

Of course the net does bring out those on the outer edges so I read between the lines & yeah it does have teething problems (well after 20yrs so did the older models).
The only real negative I havealready noted is that at 6ft the noise over the screen is deafening.

I have only put 500 kms on it after 2 weeks as I'm not that well at the moment but am looking forward to those long evenings to go for a cruise after the kids go to bed.

I honestly don't know if i'm in a position really to advise others to buy one as will be learning to ride to suit the bike rather than have the experience to compare to others.

How

Padmei

2nd August 2008, 20:19

Um how do I delete this message I submitted twice?

pete376403

2nd August 2008, 21:18

I gotta be honest & say that when I was looking, it was what the 08 Klr looked like that made up my mind.
Once I saw the brochure it was me I saw sliding around desert roads on the advertising photos - yep I am that shallow...

The reason I got mine - a bunch of mates had various adv bikes - DR650, Funduro, Dakar - I wanted to join them on adv rides and the 1100 Suzuki might not have been entirely appropriate. I was considering the older model KLR when I saw the pics of the '08 on the net and at that point - thats what I was going to get. Motorad had no idea that a new KLR was coming out - neither did Kawasaki NZ at that time. Motorad had my $2k deposit for nearly 6 months before it was delivered - I was THAT determined to have it. So far I haven't been disappointed.

pete376403

2nd August 2008, 21:22

The only real negative I havealready noted is that at 6ft the noise over the screen is deafening.
What sort of helmet have you got?
I use either an FFM K3 flip front or an HJC CLX-S. I wouldn't rate the noise as that bad.

Rollestonchick

2nd August 2008, 21:56

congrats on your new bike. Awesome:yes:

Padmei

3rd August 2008, 17:52

Took gonzo for a play up the Maitai & onto th slippery slopes of the Motutapu. Now I see why they say to get better tyres - needless to say my experience shutting my eyes & relaxing when downhilling my moutainbike came into play:lol:
Had a great deal of fun, especially dropping into a ford that I should have scouted out first. Is it common practise to bottom out the front suspension, cover the headlight with water then launch uncontrollably out of the stream bouncing off both sides of the track having the whole bike steaming?:2thumbsup

marks

3rd August 2008, 18:08

pete376403

3rd August 2008, 19:12

Is it common practise to bottom out the front suspension, cover the headlight with water then launch uncontrollably out of the stream bouncing off both sides of the track having the whole bike steaming?:2thumbsup

You stayed on board - what could be better than that? And isn't all that low-down torque great for recovering from ballsed-up stream crossings?

But yeah the standard Dunlop K750s are a bit marginal on wet clay /mud.

CrazyFrog

3rd August 2008, 19:27

Were the Mangatapu wheel tracks rutted out today after all the rain the last 2 weeks? Or just the usual greasy-as-hell muddy fun? I guess there was some extra water in the fords, mmmmmm, river crossings! When you replace your standard Dunlops, I can recommend the Pirelli MT21's. Would loved to have join ya, but I was bloody working AGAIN.
All work and no play makes me a dull boy......

Padmei

3rd August 2008, 19:33

No wories crazytoad. Pi has a scheme afoot for a midweek sojourn - wil keep you up to date.

CrazyFrog

3rd August 2008, 20:32

I got days off Thurs , Fri this week, I'm gettin out of the house for sure. Might do the Porika, Braeburn and Maruia day trip. Can you down tools mid week?

marks

3rd August 2008, 21:42

I got days off Thurs , Fri this week, I'm gettin out of the house for sure. Might do the Porika, Braeburn and Maruia day trip. Can you down tools mid week?

Hi

Was it you Nordie and I rode over to Pelorus Bridge with (I was on a heavily loaded Yammy DT230) end of May on a Saturday? We stopped at the summit and I drooled all over your 640....?????

NordieBoy

3rd August 2008, 22:07

NordieBoy

3rd August 2008, 22:08

NordieBoy

3rd August 2008, 22:09

if you are going to do this sort of stuff you need to take someone along with you to take photos. I would also like to see photos of you riding your mtb downhill with your eyes closed.

Any volunteers? :D

CrazyFrog

4th August 2008, 05:45

Hi

Was it you Nordie and I rode over to Pelorus Bridge with (I was on a heavily loaded Yammy DT230) end of May on a Saturday? We stopped at the summit and I drooled all over your 640....?????

Yep that's me. Nice to put a face to the name, right? Hope the rest of your ride North was as fun as the Mangatapu!

warewolf

4th August 2008, 12:50

poor oil ring tension on the new models causes bore glazing if thrashed for any extended period....Umm, a common cause of bore glazing is insufficient combustion chamber pressure, aka riding it like a nanna. :whistle: (insert smilie to represent look of incredulity that KLR riders might fit that profile... no really... :rolleyes: :girlfight:) Light throttle, high-rpm steady-state cruise for long periods might do it too, ie American motorways.

The cure is to load it up enough to push the rings hard against the cylinder walls. Pillioning your biggest, heaviest friend repeatedly up a long steep hill in 3rd gear at heavy throttle should do it. That, or a good few pulls through the rev range on the dyno.

Getting up it occasionally should stop the problem. I can almost guarantee you won't be glazing the bores by thrashing it... quite the opposite. Which is one reason that demo bikes thrashed mercilessly by the press from new often pull better hp and burn less oil than other bikes.

CrazyFrog

4th August 2008, 18:19

I can almost guarantee you won't be glazing the bores by thrashing it... quite the opposite. Which is one reason that demo bikes thrashed mercilessly by the press from new often pull better hp and burn less oil than other bikes.

I'll be looking forward to test riding the new KTM Duke 3 when it arrives then, purely to benefit engine longivity for the new owner.:laugh:

NordieBoy

4th August 2008, 19:44

Just saw an RC-8 today.
Sounded quite nice.

Padmei

4th August 2008, 21:13

Just saw an RC-8 today.
Sounded quite nice.

what kind of knobblies would you run on that?

NordieBoy

4th August 2008, 21:36

what kind of knobblies would you run on that?

Whatever sort you want.

10s later they'd be slicks anyway.

Actually at this time of year with the gravel in the condition it's in you could get away with almost any bike with good general purpose tyres on.
Maybe not an RC-8 but even a GN250 could get through the Porika at the moment plus it'd be even more fun in the snow.

CrazyFrog

6th August 2008, 19:28

Any volunteers? :D

Boys, I found a volunteer....nice form Padmei! Good ride over the Mangatapu today, took the camera this time:clap:
Even found some tourists stuck in a ditch up there in a 2WD Nissan Primera, but a trio of nice friendly bikers got them unstuck and pointed them downhill again.

Crisis management

6th August 2008, 19:48

Possibly a bit quick there Padmei......

didn't take long to give the bike that "lived in" look :woohoo:

pete376403

6th August 2008, 20:01

(in best Little Jim * voice) "He's fallen in the water...."

*Spike Milligan

NordieBoy

6th August 2008, 20:05

Padmei

7th August 2008, 08:02

Gonzo gonzo speak to me speak to me - stay away from the light!!

I was actually trying to cough my adams apple back up as my helmet strap strangled me when I hit my head on the screen/ handlebar. Theres a big rock in the water.:(

Lots of fun & my crash bars have certainly paid for themselves only after 600kms.

NordieBoy

7th August 2008, 09:54

Stay to the right in that ford :D

warewolf

8th August 2008, 09:26

'Specially on the way back, we want more action photos!:msn-wink:

Padmei

8th August 2008, 17:43

Gonzo getting tired and having a liedown at the start of the track?

I went up to the start of the 1st pylon track at about 3:45pm today to test the footpeg mounts.
32psi front and 36 rear is not a good feel up there on the wet rocks :D

Seriously what pressure do you reckon would be best to ride the terrible stockers on that terrain?
I will be getting some MT21s after I can afford to eat.

NordieBoy

8th August 2008, 18:37

18 front, 20 rear.

Low enough to grip but high enough not to pinch-flat on Maungatapu type rocks.

Crisis management

8th August 2008, 19:47

18 front, 20 rear.

Low enough to grip but high enough not to pinch-flat on Maungatapu type rocks.

Will you get away without rimlocks at those pressures? You might find it's right on the cusp of "ooops that's removed the valve stem".

My bet would be heavy duty tubes & rimlocks.

Padmei

8th August 2008, 20:08

I think if I was doing the rimlocks etc I would get better tyres anyway then not need to reduce pressure as much

Crisis management

8th August 2008, 20:16

I was assuming you would be running MT21 type tyres....
Reducing the pressure increases the contact patch area and allows better hook up in poor traction conditions but with the obvious risk of getting too much traction for the bead to be able to resist.
Fran or Colin's recommendations would be best to listen to tho, I am applying my (limited) experience to tracks & conditions I haven't been on.

Note the carefully worded disclaimer...I shoulda been a lawyer!

NordieBoy

8th August 2008, 21:27

Will you get away without rimlocks at those pressures? You might find it's right on the cusp of "ooops that's removed the valve stem".

My bet would be heavy duty tubes & rimlocks.

12-15psi and knobblier tyres - rimlocks yes.

18-20psi and not a lot of traction to do any damage with this rain.

warewolf

11th August 2008, 23:11

I would get better tyres anyway then not need to reduce pressure as muchThat's what I do. I can run my front enduro dot-knobby at any pressure and it still grips, so it tends to stay around 21psi+ (recommended road pressure for my bike).

At 18psi front I'd worry about pinch flats on the Maungatapu, not valve stem damage - and dinged rim on the 640A.

I don't go as low as Nordie, I've turned tyres on the rim many times, even with rimlocks. Once bitten, twice shy. Plus I just haven't found the need. Prefer to run decent tyres at moderate pressures and forget about.

NordieBoy

12th August 2008, 10:03

I don't go as low as Nordie, I've turned tyres on the rim many times, even with rimlocks. Once bitten, twice shy. Plus I just haven't found the need. Prefer to run decent tyres at moderate pressures and forget about.

Riding style has a lot to do with it too :D

The 640A has good suspension to handle the higher pressures too.

Having said that I went through the Maungatapu the other day with my "road" pressures 32f/36r no problem apart from being a bit more skittish.

warewolf

15th August 2008, 12:00

That's a good point: tyres do work in concert with the suspension, and the load they are carrying.

With cars, they say 'the first quarter of your suspension travel is your tyres.' Dirt bikes of course would have a different ratio.

I spent ages trying to sort the front suspension on my Triumph. Eventually I discovered the tyres I'd been using had stiff sidewalls. Changed to a brand with soft sidewalls, instantly discovered the front end was hammering the tyre, adjusted the suspension to suit... voila! Tyre & suspension working well together, much improved ride.

I've learnt weight has a big impact (pardon the pun) and I don't have much of it. Metzeler and Pirelli sportstouring tyres are way, way too stiff to work well for me, except at stupid low pressures. Hmm, where've we heard that before, maybe that's why I find TKC80s so useless? Michelin and Dunlop make tyres with conforming sidewalls and work really well for me at the recommended pressures.

NordieBoy

15th August 2008, 20:33

Michelin and Dunlop make tyres with conforming sidewalls and work really well for me at the recommended pressures.

And the nice soft E-07.

warewolf

16th August 2008, 11:35

And the nice soft E-07.And that right there is the kind of feedback that encourages me to try them. :clap:

daryl

16th August 2008, 18:50

Nice bike want one myself why change oil filter after 50 kms,is that recommended. cheers daryl

Padmei

16th August 2008, 19:51

I tried to do my break in as per KLR650.com recommendations. The 08s have had oil burning issues related to the quality of rings used.

The factory oil is supposed to be crap so I got them to drain it before I started it first time.
They reckon the first 100 kms are the most critical so being a bit pedantic got them to change it & filter. there is generally a lot of swarf in the filter after the first 20kms or so.
Don't tell anyone you want one though or you'll get the DR boys after you:2guns:

NordieBoy

16th August 2008, 20:54

Don't tell anyone you want one though or you'll get the DR boys after you:2guns:

Saw an Army KLR650 today passing through the Rai on point for a pile of UniMogs and Pinzgauers.

Padmei

16th August 2008, 21:49

:laugh:
Could have used them for the kamikaze mxers.

pete376403

16th August 2008, 23:20

Woulda thought the army would have used DRs, because of the, y'know, superiority thing that just EVERYONE knows about. Apparently they're even bullet-proof.
Oh, the US Marines use KLRs? Well what would they know, not like Iraq or Afghanistan is hard territory..

P T for the humour impaired.

Padmei

17th August 2008, 08:42

:spanking:

Crisis management

17th August 2008, 10:08

Blah, blah blah...., not like Iraq or Afghanistan is hard territory...

And who is winning this war then?

Everyone knows Bin Laden uses DR's! :whistle:

PS. I'm serious!

pete376403

17th August 2008, 18:38

And who is winning this war then?

Everyone knows Bin Laden uses DR's! :whistle:

PS. I'm serious!

Then it's official - DR = roadside IED (Improvised Explosive Device)

Crisis management

17th August 2008, 19:15

Then it's official - DR = roadside IED (Improvised Explosive Device)

I'll remember that...everytime I fall off I better sing out Allah Akubar!

(actually, I thought it just proved they were hard arses)

Padmei

22nd August 2008, 19:50

Well did a few mods over the last couple of days. Fitted some MT21s & Acerbis hand guards. A bit of head scratching went on but got there in the end.

Went for a ride over the Maunga again this avo (twice this week - being quiet at work has it's advantages). Found the tyres good in the slippery mud stuff but the track was pretty bony so lost a bit of traction on the loose rocks.

I've been riding a lot slower trying to keep the bike moving smoothly rather than hanging on & hoping for the best. My riding was getting better, I thought, until I had an unexpected off around a harmless easy corner. For some reason my front wheel just slid under & I was on the ground looking at my scuffed new handguards. I was annoyed.

I was at the time standing up practising the full adventure pose & I wonder if my weight was too far forward. Is it best to stand up when riding along the flat & downhill if on "technical" terrain? It seems natural standing going uphill.

Any tips for riding technique?

Ps I love my bike & riding it too:wari:

NordieBoy

22nd August 2008, 20:44

What pressures were you running?
Touching the front brakes at all in the corner?

I stand as much as I can now.

We need to organise an "Adventure Training Session" with my brother at the Waimea West MX track. It's got some nice little sections that would translate well to a track like the Maungatapu.

Padmei

22nd August 2008, 20:58

I was running about 21 - 22psi. No front brake but wheel may or may not have been a tad wet, not noticably though.

Def +1 on the adv training seesion - I need all the help I can - Gonzo starts looking te other way when I go outside now:sweatdrop

I was actually thinkin of doing something like that while riding today but didn't know where/ who with.

NordieBoy

22nd August 2008, 21:17

Hmmm. I'll have to put it to him then.
It's also cool to watch what your bike is capable of too :D

I know most of the theory but the application is lacking as evidenced by my mad motorcross skillz.

warewolf

23rd August 2008, 22:57

Is it best to stand up when riding along the flat & downhill if on "technical" terrain? It seems natural standing going uphill.Stand up, unless it is flat and straight, or very smooth. Stay centred on the bike. Don't lean forward/back, but rather stay upright and let the bike come to you or fall away on the hills. Shift your hips more than your shoulders: bend zee knees to get your weight up front, poke your bum out to shift weight back. Weight over the front on corners.

Don't coast with the throttle closed, 'specially in the corners. Keep the drive on, it will make the bike handle. Footpeg pressure and drive will keep the back end of the bike pushing the front where you want to go, no matter which direction the front is pointing.

In the snotty slick stuff, you don't want to be accelerating much if at all, you'll just spin up the rear; nor do you want to have a closed throttle and get compression lock-ups. Keep the throttle on enough to maintain your speed and keep the wheels turning.

Yes, it is a subtle balancing act, both wrt body and throttle position.

+1 on the training session for me, too.

Padmei

24th August 2008, 08:31

Excellent thanks WW kinda confirmed some things I thought. Alot of it is what I try to do while MTBing, it is the weight thing of the moto that changes the technique for me.

I think the big thing is I close the throttle off around tight bends. Is it better to ride the clutch a bit? When I get more experiencd/ confident I'm sure it will all come together in a more relaxed way.

Went for another cruise into wairoa gorge & took my time doing a few steep hills etc. Very cool. I'm just loving riding at the mo & can't wait till summer & dust:eek:

warewolf

24th August 2008, 23:36

Alot of it is what I try to do while MTBing, it is the weight thing of the moto that changes the technique for me.That, and the fact that applying power settles the bike, makes the rear shock do its thing, and floats the front. I've worked out my hardtail mtb is front-biased: you have to pound the front through stuff because that's where the suspension is, the rear will follow. A rigid is nowhere near that front-biased, and neither is a motorcycle especially not anywhere you can be on the power working the rear.

I think the big thing is I close the throttle off around tight bends. Is it better to ride the clutch a bit?Closing the throttle is fine while you are under brakes, but be either on the brakes or on the throttle.

I ride the clutch A LOT, both on the 200 2T and the 640 4T. Dipping the clutch on transition from brake to throttle can save two gear changes, or a whole shiteload of revving in the next gear down. The more I ride the clutch in the dirt, the more I ride the clutch on the road!! :msn-wink: It's probably the most under-utilised control on a motorcycle, possibly due to racers' clutchless shifts being so cool - when done properly - so people aim to use as little clutch as possible. Road racers that I dirt ride with often say, "must learn to use the clutch more", they treat it as almost an on-off switch.

JATZ

31st August 2008, 16:52

My riding was getting better, I thought, until I had an unexpected off around a harmless easy corner. For some reason my front wheel just slid under & I was on the ground looking at my scuffed new handguards. I was annoyed.

Any tips for riding technique?

Ps I love my bike & riding it too:wari:

http://i412.photobucket.com/albums/pp201/ztaj/biker1.jpg

Could be worth a try:Pokey: :dodge: