KLR handling badly

[Woodman]

My Klr has just all of a suddenlike started handling like a shopping cart full of Samoans. It doesn,t make any sense as I have changed nothing.
The tyre combo has done a good ride with no issues, but now the back just wants to pass the front all the time and the front has become a bit vague. Went up the wairau today and I was riding like the keystone cops over places I had ridden heaps of times with no issues. Eventually I fell off , got shitty and came home.
Does anyone have any ideas about what may be causing this e.g. blown shocky or something????

[buggsubique]

recheck tyre pressures? Whats the wear like on the back?

[warewolf]

No real experience with that phenomena, but I have some suggestions.

If the shock is buggered, it would have leaked oil and made a mess... easy to spot? If the oil seal was still good, but the pressurising gas leaked, it might be harder to assess statically. Can you bounce the rear end quite freely?

Check all suspension-related bolts: both axle nuts & pinch bolts, triple-clamp pinch bolts, handlebar mounting bolts.

Check wheel and steering bearings for free play.

For it to get that bad that fast, I would agree with you, something must have worked loose and created a lot of free play. Either that, or your skills suddenly equal Roma's and you're finding the limits of the KLR??

Puncture: slow leak job?

[NordieBoy]

How is it handeling in a straight line over bumps?

Tyre pressures?

[buggsubique]

didn't have a load on the back sitting up high at all?

might well have just been an off day - I have them like you describe too. Makes me wanna come home and park it up for good.

I've also had shocking rides where my tyres are getting a bit worn and I'm running them too hard. Add to that some rougher terrain and an off day and it's enough to get you swearing inside yer helmet.

Tyre condition and pressures would be my first thoughts.

[Peril]

My Klr has just all of a suddenlike started handling like a shopping cart full of Samoans.

Quote of the year? I'm still giggling while typing this.

[CrazyFrog]

Dare I say it...well, you DID buy a KLR.
(Ok, so I've just got home from the pub and have got a bit of dutch courage goin' on.:woohoo:)

[jafar]

Quote of the year? I'm still giggling while typing this.

Gets my vote, a truly impressive image :whistle:

[Howie]

Hi Woodman, not quite sure what you mean by vague, do you mean it is really loose, or do you mean it feels like it doesn't want to turn in properly? if the later I would suggest checking the steering head bearings, I recently had an intermittent handling problem on my 07KLR with only 14000k which turned out to be a rusty top steering head bearing, but you couldn't feel anything wrong with it when you lifted the bike up and checked for free play as all weight was resting on the bottom bearing. It wasn't until after I had the fork legs out, when I decided to regrease them that I felt any roughness in the steering head, as then the weight wasn't on the bottom bearing. The other thing to check could be that your swingarm, and rear suspension bearings/bushes are all properly greased.

Cheers

Paul

[hospitalfood]

my 87 KLR 650 is always like that, i need to replace a few parts.....like the electrical parts, mechanical parts and rubber bits.
but i love it.

[Woodman]

[QUOTE=warewolf;1829963]No real experience with that phenomena, but I have some suggestions.

If the shock is buggered, it would have leaked oil and made a mess... easy to spot? If the oil seal was still good, but the pressurising gas leaked, it might be harder to assess statically. Can you bounce the rear end quite freely?

Check all suspension-related bolts: both axle nuts & pinch bolts, triple-clamp pinch bolts, handlebar mounting bolts.

Check wheel and steering bearings for free play.

For it to get that bad that fast, I would agree with you, something must have worked loose and created a lot of free play. Either that, or your skills suddenly equal Roma's and you're finding the limits of the KLR??

Thanks for the suggestions guys. There is no sign of leakage on the rear shock and nothing seems loose at a quick glance, although tomorrow I will have a real good look after a good clean. Never thought of checking tyre pressures even though I carry a digital gauge in me jacket:dodge: Rear tyre is about half worn , and it is a trailwing, mind you the previous tyres were Anikees which aren't far off road tyres and it didn't have these issues. The front and rear bottom out quite a bit so a suspension upgrade is on the wishlist. Prior to this I was pretty impressed with the klrs offroad handling.

[Woodman]

Hi Woodman, not quite sure what you mean by vague, do you mean it is really loose, or do you mean it feels like it doesn't want to turn in properly? if the later I would suggest checking the steering head bearings, I recently had an intermittent handling problem on my 07KLR with only 14000k which turned out to be a rusty top steering head bearing, but you couldn't feel anything wrong with it when you lifted the bike up and checked for free play as all weight was resting on the bottom bearing. It wasn't until after I had the fork legs out, when I decided to regrease them that I felt any roughness in the steering head, as then the weight wasn't on the bottom bearing. The other thing to check could be that your swingarm, and rear suspension bearings/bushes are all properly greased.

Cheers

Paul
By vague I mean that it seems very light, imagine a car with real light powersteering. I will check and regrease everything tomorrow while I'm in there.

[buggsubique]

I put a Vee Rubber dual purpose tyre on the back of the DRZ start of this year and did the molesworth on it. It was bad - so bad I swore I would never use it again. But I did, and it still sucked the fat one, so I've got a half used tyre that I would cut in half if I had a pair of scissors big enough.

Basically it would skid the rear under engine braking, under normal braking it would lock up and skid (without the "slowing you down" bit), and in corners it would suddenly let go and come around. No good for anything but pure asphalt.

[Woodman]

I put a Vee Rubber dual purpose tyre on the back of the DRZ start of this year and did the molesworth on it. It was bad - so bad I swore I would never use it again. But I did, and it still sucked the fat one, so I've got a half used tyre that I would cut in half if I had a pair of scissors big enough.

Basically it would skid the rear under engine braking, under normal braking it would lock up and skid (without the "slowing you down" bit), and in corners it would suddenly let go and come around. No good for anything but pure asphalt.

Yea it may be that the tyre has just "gone off" , shit it hasn't been on there that long, I will try a more aggressive rear similar to the front. Have read the tyre choice thread and have come up with a plan. Your problems describe mine almost perfectly, it wouldn't be so bad if it was predictable but it ain't. I wasn't even planning on doing much offroad when I got this bike but I just cannot ignore little sidetracks so tyre choice has to be more offroad. Will still check and grease everthing but.

[marks]

The front and rear bottom out quite a bit so a suspension upgrade is on the wishlist. Prior to this I was pretty impressed with the klrs offroad handling.

On anything rough my klr bottoms/sledges and is generally horrible if I'm sitting down. If I stand up it has a character transformation and becomes a fat/wide/slow trailbike that is much more fun to be on.

[Woodman]

:mad::mad:
On anything rough my klr bottoms/sledges and is generally horrible if I'm sitting down. If I stand up it has a character transformation and becomes a fat/wide/slow trailbike that is much more fun to be on.

Yep standing is compulsory on anything rougher than a gravel road on a klr (or any bike really).May have solved my problem, after checking and greasing everything I then checked the tyre pressures (er 17 psi front and um haha 11 psi rear). They didn't look flat or anything so I never checked them, in fact they haven't had any new air in them since they were put on. Yes I know I deserve a slapping:mad:
Haven't ridden off road yet to see if it is better, but will go for a hoon one night this week weather permitting.

[JATZ]

:mad::mad:

Yep standing is compulsory on anything rougher than a gravel road on a klr (or any bike really).May have solved my problem, after checking and greasing everything I then checked the tyre pressures (er 17 psi front and um haha 11 psi rear). They didn't look flat or anything so I never checked them, in fact they haven't had any new air in them since they were put on. Yes I know I deserve a slapping:mad:
Haven't ridden off road yet to see if it is better, but will go for a hoon one night this week weather permitting.

That'll do it.
mind you I can't go pointing fingers :shutup:

[Woodman]

That'll do it.
mind you I can't go pointing fingers :shutup:

Gonna buy a wee pump tomorrow

[NordieBoy]

That'll do it.
mind you I can't go pointing fingers :shutup:

:whistle: :oi-grr:

[NordieBoy]

Gonna buy a wee pump tomorrow

Or an air pump...






Sorry. Someone had to say it.

[Padmei]

QUOTE=NordieBoy;1831278]Or an air pump...






Sorry. Someone had to say it.[/QUOTE]



:laugh:

[Cross Rider]

:mad::mad:

Yep standing is compulsory on anything rougher than a gravel road on a klr (or any bike really).May have solved my problem, after checking and greasing everything I then checked the tyre pressures (er 17 psi front and um haha 11 psi rear). They didn't look flat or anything so I never checked them, in fact they haven't had any new air in them since they were put on. Yes I know I deserve a slapping:mad:
Haven't ridden off road yet to see if it is better, but will go for a hoon one night this week weather permitting.

Aint it wonderful to own the bike version of a hummer. Tyre pressure or not, I had 10psi in my from tyre and still managed 100k before a mate said it was only flat at the bottom. Thought I'd got rid of my mad cow disease, guess sleeping with other farm yard animals doesn't pass it on....:devil2:

[Woodman]

Or an air pump...






Sorry. Someone had to say it.

I will get a quality unit as I do not want a shit pump

[JATZ]

I will get a quality unit as I do not want a shit pump

You could probly get something @ repco aye :Pokey:

[CrazyFrog]

You can get a decent compact portable bike pump from Torpedo7 NZ website or most bike shops have stacks of them for you to try.
I've got a tall floor pump complete with pressure guage for the workshop, and a mini pump to chuck in my backpack, it pumps a motorcycle tyre up to 20 odd psi quite quickly. Far cheaper, lighter than those mini CO2 bottles which don''t always inflate your tyre fully.

[Padmei]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbyVpy-MB2I&feature=related


Did it handle like this?:Oops:

[Woodman]

Pretty much, I think we all have had climbs like that aye

[NordieBoy]

Pretty much, I think we all have had climbs like that aye

Invert it and I've had a downhill like it.
Up Pig Valley with my brother and Warewolf.
I was out of control and in damage limitation mode.
I made it.

[Woodman]

Invert it and I've had a downhill like it.
Up Pig Valley with my brother and Warewolf.
I was out of control and in damage limitation mode.
I made it.

When the going gets too steep on a downhill you gotta look for an escape plan. Either a bush or a bank or something to stop the momentum. The steep one that drops into the wairau valley is a good example, there is a sort of a ledge about half way down thats very handy if gravity takes over. Been down but not up that one on the KLR, will try soon.

[cooneyr]

Invert it and I've had a downhill like it.
Up Pig Valley with my brother and Warewolf.
I was out of control and in damage limitation mode.
I made it.

Did you try bulldogging? Kill the engine, put the bike in first gear and use the clutch as a rear wheel brake so you can keep you right foot of the peg. Only problem is that the clutch is not as progressive as a brake. Definitely worth trying if it gets really steep and speeds must be keep down.

Cheers R

[NordieBoy]

Did you try bulldogging? Kill the engine, put the bike in first gear and use the clutch as a rear wheel brake so you can keep you right foot of the peg. Only problem is that the clutch is not as progressive as a brake. Definitely worth trying if it gets really steep and speeds must be keep down.

Nope. I was busy :D

Now I think I could ride down it feet up with minimum issues and only a little brown stain.

Steep whooped out gravel with a hardpack base turning 35 degrees or so to the right half way down and then plenty of run-off but none before the corner.

[warewolf]

Bro' was very much amused that he'd 'tricked' Nordie into going down this hill and enjoyed the ensuing chaos. What are bro's for, after all? :bash:

Yep, bulldogging would be a good option on this one...maybe. This is the hill that was so steep and loose that when I lost the front (a few times) it slid down not sideways... I was too busy laffing at that I nearly dropped it due to lack of concentration on the task at hand.

There are two key things to get down a hill like this: control your entry speed, and come off the brakes to get the bike to steer. The former often gives you the confidence to do the latter.

It would be a very, very good hill to practice uphills on.

[Padmei]

Bro' was very much amused that he'd 'tricked' Nordie into going down this hill and enjoyed the ensuing chaos. What are bro's for, after all? :bash:

Yep, bulldogging would be a good option on this one...maybe. This is the hill that was so steep and loose that when I lost the front (a few times) it slid down not sideways... I was too busy laffing at that I nearly dropped it due to lack of concentration on the task at hand.

There are two key things to get down a hill like this: control your entry speed, and come off the brakes to get the bike to steer. The former often gives you the confidence to do the latter.

It would be a very, very good hill to practice uphills on.


I feel a hillclimb comp coming on:devil2:

[cooneyr]

.....It would be a very, very good hill to practice uphills on.


I feel a hillclimb comp coming on:devil2:

So where is this hill :blip:

Looking forward to hitting NN in two weeks. Got some plans for a route off Sherry River road and want to do Aorere Gold Fields. Probably a couple of "nice" two up rides as well.

Cheers R

[Woodman]

So where is this hill :blip:

Looking forward to hitting NN in two weeks. Got some plans for a route off Sherry River road and want to do Aorere Gold Fields. Probably a couple of "nice" two up rides as well.

Cheers R

yes,where is this hill? is it the one that drops into Wairau valley cos its a goody with a bend in it, or is there a steeper one somewhere.

MMM hillclimb competition sounds like fun.

There are a couple of rippers on the way to tapawera just past Kohatu where they have done some bulldozing for forestry. Get real steep at the top which you can't see from the bottom. Alas I didn't make it but will try again. As for shutting down the engine on a downhill, in my experience that is something to be avoided at all costs as I like my rear wheel to be going around.

[NordieBoy]

yes,where is this hill?

It's on the green line in there somewhere...

[Woodman]

It's on the green line in there somewhere...

Please note that wherever I have said "Wairau valley" I meant wairoa gorge. My sense of direction and memory for place names is generally crap.

[NordieBoy]

Please note that wherever I have said "Wairau valley" I meant wairoa gorge. My sense of direction and memory for place names is generally crap.

We knew where you meant :D

That green line was in the Pig Valley/Wairoa Gorge area.

[warewolf]

It's on the green line in there somewhere...In googleearth you can look sideways at the "hill" (actually a spur) to get some idea of how steep it is.

[Woodman]

In googleearth you can look sideways at the "hill" (actually a spur) to get some idea of how steep it is.

hmmm may have to tootle up there one night this week just to make sure the shopping cart is handling better.

[NordieBoy]

Wairoa South Branch is off limits due to logging :(

[topo]

Bulldog'n in central last weekend, :woohoo:

[NordieBoy]

The E-07's would have loved that surface.

[topo]

that pic is of the "old man" on my old PD he was riding on old worn out E-08's!!! fair'd much better than the tiger on road tyres:stupid:

[Woodman]

Wairoa South Branch is off limits due to logging :(


went to work today for a catchup, and thought I would take a detour home up Wairoa for the tyre pressure/handling test.

Result:

Better but my conclusion now is that the rear tyre has no grip whatsoever therefore I am never gonna get a trailwing ever again.

Found a new (for me) hill that was steep but (I thought) rideable. Almost got to the top but rear was just spinning. Eventually stopped and went backwards at a million miles an hour. Managed to spin bike round but it highsided me in the process ,fortunately there was a nice stump just off the track to stop me going any further.:wacko: Broke front brake lever and garked the shit out of the right side. I could still use the front brake to get down but I woulda been buggered if I couldn,t. Maybe i need 2 bikes.

Also why do the tdc or works put so much gravel on the roads???

[NordieBoy]

Get a DR650 for the gnarly bits :D

[buggsubique]

Maybe you want to look at what bias of riding you want. For me, I'm happy enough sitting on a buzzy little trailbike for the sealed ride to the rough stuff. Not to say I wouldn't like a more road worthy bike, but I know if I only had one bike I wouldn't want to give it a rough workout off road like I do on my dizzer. Never felt bad about spilling off it, only thing I ever broke was a $60 rad shroud.

Generally I find works etc put the additional gravel on corners and hills so that @ssholes like me can lean the bike down a bit more and chew out our MT 21's a bit faster :laugh:

[Woodman]

Maybe you want to look at what bias of riding you want. For me, I'm happy enough sitting on a buzzy little trailbike for the sealed ride to the rough stuff. Not to say I wouldn't like a more road worthy bike, but I know if I only had one bike I wouldn't want to give it a rough workout off road like I do on my dizzer. Never felt bad about spilling off it, only thing I ever broke was a $60 rad shroud.

Generally I find works etc put the additional gravel on corners and hills so that @ssholes like me can lean the bike down a bit more and chew out our MT 21's a bit faster :laugh:

You are possibly right . Am I expectin too much outa the KLR?? I like it, it is a great bike and until recently it did everything I wanted. Was doing mostly long day trips about 50/50, now I seem to be riding to forestry areas etc and tryin to ride it like a dirt bike, which really it is not. In sayin that the rear tyre is still gonna go . Might try one of them mitas e07 or e09 whichever is Knobblier. Also gotta start plannin rides a bit better instead of going on a whim by myself, especially when goin to really gnarly hilly places. Aaaahh its a hard life isn't it???

[NordieBoy]

E-09 is the knobblie.

[Padmei]

KLRs are a great bike to ride anywhere and there are very few limitations to them. If you are happy to get your bike in hard core situations then go for it - everythings replaceable. The main problem is the weight of the bastards as you probably found riding it backwards down a hill.

What I feel has happened is the styles of motobikes are so diverse now you have to have the right bike to fit a particular niche. I thought of getting a light dirt bike for blasting around but realise that with time restraints one bike will be gathering dust.

Look at some of the epic journeys oer the years & most of them would have been done by the 'wrong bike' in somebodies eyes.

Keep going hard & having fun.

[buggsubique]

Also gotta start plannin rides a bit better instead of going on a whim by myself, especially when goin to really gnarly hilly places. Aaaahh its a hard life isn't it???

Yeah, I ended up passing the point of no return a few weeks back, rolled back into town on fumes. LImitations of a small tank and no fuel stations in the boonies... haha. Best ride though - awesome feeling.

[Woodman]

KLRs are a great bike to ride anywhere and there are very few limitations to them. If you are happy to get your bike in hard core situations then go for it - everythings replaceable. The main problem is the weight of the bastards as you probably found riding it backwards down a hill.

What I feel has happened is the styles of motobikes are so diverse now you have to have the right bike to fit a particular niche. I thought of getting a light dirt bike for blasting around but realise that with time restraints one bike will be gathering dust.

Look at some of the epic journeys oer the years & most of them would have been done by the 'wrong bike' in somebodies eyes.

Keep going hard & having fun.


Trust me, I know its all part of the fun, and yes I really think the KLR is a great bike. My new radiator guards worked too. Will have to hook up for a hoon soon with some of the locals on here, unfortunately I cannot fit the db1k in .

[Ally67]

unfortunately I cannot fit the db1k in .

Keep waitangi w/end open then

[Woodman]

Keep waitangi w/end open then

ok whats happening waitangi weekend?

[NordieBoy]

ok whats happening waitangi weekend?

Dusty Butt 2 dayer - rinse and repeat :D

[Woodman]

Dusty Butt 2 dayer - rinse and repeat :D

oooo need to plan

[marks]

Get a DR650 for the gnarly bits :D

bite your tongue you nasty subversive person


I am continually amazed where these big lardy sluggish poorly suspended oil burning pigs will go. There really is a trail bike buried deep down inside that excess of plastic and steel.

Put a mitas E09 or Dunlop 606 on the back and a Dunlop 606 on the front and keep fanging the crap out of that 2 wheeled hummer.

I never intended to do anything other than all road touring on mine and now I've just put serrated pegs on and am looking at serious bash plates and knarly tires. It doesn't make any sense at all but its just so much fun :2thumbsup

[Padmei]

I never intended to do anything other than all road touring on mine and now I've just put serrated pegs on and am looking at serious bash plates and knarly tires. It doesn't make any sense at all but its just so much fun :2thumbsup

I was wondering how long it would take:woohoo:

[MXNUT]

Dusty Butt 2 dayer - rinse and repeat :D

Excellent, couldnt make the early January date but would be veeeeeery keen for a waitangi weekend re run. :niceone:

[warewolf]

There really is a trail bike buried deep down inside that excess of plastic and steel.Correction:

"There really is a trail RIDER sitting atop that excess of plastic and steel."

It's the Indian, not the arrow. Yonks ago (umm, like 20-ish years) I used my CBX250 roadie as an adventure bike... didn't know "adventure" or "adventure bikes" existed, per se. I simply went places on it. It took me & my gear everywhere I wanted to go, no matter the surface or the weather. No trail bike hiding in that sucker (it even had a 16" front wheel) but it did have an XR250-based engine.

[NordieBoy]

My VT250 made it up to the caretakers at the start of the Maungatapu with Jenni on the back.
The road was rough enough back then to blow the rear shock though :D

<a target=_new href=http://www.photostorage.nelson.geek.nz/sports/motorsport/mybikes/others/slides/vt250.jpg><img src=http://www.photostorage.nelson.geek.nz/sports/motorsport/mybikes/others/thumbs/vt250.jpg></a>

[ducatijim]

So much stuff in here that I can relate too, makes a change on here for me!!

My first thought re your handling issue was indeed pressure, or the lack of it. Then when you added the pressure with mixed results...I thinkd...Deathwing!!

Truely amazing!

I have recently found myself, aboard my DR650, in places and shit I am not comfortable with. I am a firm belive that for ME, this bike is a dual ROAD bike indeed...tyre choice/pressures play a huge part in its ability to tackle either seal or wet grass or mud, without factoring in the size and weight of the bike as well.

I am of small stature( except round the waist!!) and just cannot comfortably control a tall heavy bike in gnarly going( small stature skillwise too don't help any.....) and am currently looking down the 'horses for courses' path....ie, a registerable 250 endo( that i can ground on???) for adventure TRAIL rides, and my DR for the ANY ROAD adventure ride.

But....can I seperate these 2 scenarios?:oi-grr:

Maybe not. Just my 1.5c worth.

[Woodman]

So much stuff in here that I can relate too, makes a change on here for me!!

My first thought re your handling issue was indeed pressure, or the lack of it. Then when you added the pressure with mixed results...I thinkd...Deathwing!!

Truely amazing!

I have recently found myself, aboard my DR650, in places and shit I am not comfortable with. I am a firm belive that for ME, this bike is a dual ROAD bike indeed...tyre choice/pressures play a huge part in its ability to tackle either seal or wet grass or mud, without factoring in the size and weight of the bike as well.

I am of small stature( except round the waist!!) and just cannot comfortably control a tall heavy bike in gnarly going( small stature skillwise too don't help any.....) and am currently looking down the 'horses for courses' path....ie, a registerable 250 endo( that i can ground on???) for adventure TRAIL rides, and my DR for the ANY ROAD adventure ride.

But....can I seperate these 2 scenarios?:oi-grr:

Maybe not. Just my 1.5c worth.


It has taken me a long time, but have finally realised that heavy bikes need good tyres when going offroad. Never ever had the same issues when fanging round on IT's and XRs years ago and believe me they had pretty crap tyres. I reckon I sold my XL600 cos I thought it was a just too bent outta shape to fix, but am wonderin now if it had deathwingitis. The funny/sad thing is that the KLR has now got similar handling traits to said xl which was running trailwings too. Anyway I do like the KLR and am gonna get e09's next month to see what happens.

I cannot stay on the road for long either, and once had a gixxer that did a lot of gravel work (poor thing).

[Peril]

If you're going to get E09s,just remember that if you give it some juice and like the back to slide out,be ready to stomp your foot out.They do roll off the edge of the tread quite easily and I have had a few "Oh shit" moments when the back has been sliding under power coming out of a corner on gravel.

[Woodman]

If you're going to get E09s,just remember that if you give it some juice and like the back to slide out,be ready to stomp your foot out.They do roll off the edge of the tread quite easily and I have had a few "Oh shit" moments when the back has been sliding under power coming out of a corner on gravel.

Don't mind the back coming out as long as it is predictable and not random like it is now.

[Moki]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbyVpy-MB2I&feature=related


Did it handle like this?:Oops:

Or did it handle more like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AtzAy236_s&NR=1

[NordieBoy]

Now this one has a nice camera angle...
<object width="320" height="265"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2H3S57-6bsQ&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2H3S57-6bsQ&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="320" height="265"></embed></object>

[Woodman]

Yeah i seen that before. Where/how is the camera mounted you reckon.??

[NordieBoy]

It's mounted off the side of the helmet but is a nice wide angle.
Maybe just a video camera taped up there.

[Woodman]

Well I ordered front and rear e09's today. Will get them picked up next week and fit them, then go for another handling test, and hopefully won't fall off. Am over falling off.

[Padmei]

where did you order them from?

[NordieBoy]

Get them straight from the importer if you want to fit them yourself.
www.lmsimports.co.nz

[Woodman]

where did you order them from?

Kevin Hebberd motorcycles in takaka. He has had so many inquiries he has now decided to carry them. Great excuse for a ride to Golden Bay aye.

[Padmei]

Like we'd ever need an excuse to ride over the hill:drool:

[NordieBoy]

Like we'd ever need an excuse to ride over the hill:drool:

Got to get up the Cob and finish that ride off sometime - over the other side whatever it's called...

[Woodman]

Got to get up the Cob and finish that ride off sometime - over the other side whatever it's called...

Never been to Cobb yet, Cobber has asked a few times but never at convenient time. Keep posted as to when you are gonna go and I,ll see if I can tag along.

[Woodman]

time for an update for anyone who may be interested.

have fitted e09 front and rear and they work good with abour 26 psi, I also heard that fitting spacers in the front forks can help the front end a bit so I fitted the valve springs off my Benelli in there instead as they were all I could find in the shed of the correct diameter etc, and compressed they are about right. The front is way better now and only bottomed the once.
Also removed the snorkel thingy and set the idle jrt screw out 1 and 3/4 turns which gives it better throttle response.
So itis handling better but it wuld have been good to do each thing individually to see which had the most impact, and at the end of the day it is a klr and i need to remind myself that it isn,t perfect.

[NordieBoy]

at the end of the day it is a klr and i need to remind myself that it isn,t perfect.

Yet ......

[Woodman]

Yet ......

Don't start, this was sposed to be the bike I wasn't gonna mess with and just ride.

[marks]

this was sposed to be the bike I wasn't gonna mess with and just ride.

that bike does not exist

[JATZ]

Seemed to be goin o.k. coming down from the caretakers house up the Maitai this morning ( I did stop to see if you were comin back)

[Woodman]

Seemed to be goin o.k. coming down from the caretakers house up the Maitai this morning ( I did stop to see if you were comin back)

Was riding one eyed, a bloody bee got me in the eyeball going up to the caretakers:whocares:
Decided to go early this morning to avoid the heat.

Where did yous fullas go?

[JATZ]

Was riding one eyed, a bloody bee got me in the eyeball going up to the caretakers:whocares:
Decided to go early this morning to avoid the heat.

Where did yous fullas go?

Pelorous for a coffee, and a bit of an explore up tinline rd. :ride:

KEEP YA VISOR DOWN :bash::nya:

[Woodman]

Pelorous for a coffee, and a bit of an explore up tinline rd. :ride:

KEEP YA VISOR DOWN :bash::nya:

Visor has too many gorse scratches on it to see good.

I went up tinline too, first time ever been up there but need to go back as there looked like a lot of good excursions .Cool road too yeehaa.

[warewolf]

Yep Tinline is great. Right up the end I was chasing the disappearing track, managed to wrap some stray fencing wire around the rear wheel hub. :blank: Mr Leatherman to the rescue. Rolled up about 30m of it before I got to the pile of old fence posts.

Nice bit of road, especially the hill climb on the return when you can see a long way through the corners... :msn-wink:

[JATZ]

Yep Tinline is great. Right up the end I was chasing the disappearing track, managed to wrap some stray fencing wire around the rear wheel hub. :blank: Mr Leatherman to the rescue. Rolled up about 30m of it before I got to the pile of old fence posts.

Nice bit of road, especially the hill climb on the return when you can see a long way through the corners... :msn-wink:

Aparently there's a loop track in there somewhere, we found a few dead ends, still a couple of tracks that need further investigation.
Be nice to get across the bridge and onto the other side of the river, but there's a small matter of a 10ft barbed wire topped gate followed by a standard forestry gate on the bridge, must be something reeealy secret over there

[Woodman]

Aparently there's a loop track in there somewhere, we found a few dead ends, still a couple of tracks that need further investigation.
Be nice to get across the bridge and onto the other side of the river, but there's a small matter of a 10ft barbed wire topped gate followed by a standard forestry gate on the bridge, must be something reeealy secret over there

area 52 maybe

[NordieBoy]

Be nice to get across the bridge and onto the other side of the river, but there's a small matter of a 10ft barbed wire topped gate followed by a standard forestry gate on the bridge, must be something reeealy secret over there

Religious "Retreat"...

[Woodman]

http://i709.photobucket.com/albums/ww97/innathyzit/DSC00262.jpg

[Woodman]

Thanks Warewolf.

[warewolf]

bashplate paid for itselfLooks like it's living up to its name, BASHplate !! :laugh: That does look like a good hit.

I'd often wondered why the mounting system for the bashplate on the 640 seemed so hefty, until I read recently an annual service tip of "check your bashplate bolts and replace the bent ones." When you think about it, the bashplate can cop a fair whack which is taken out on the mounts.

[pete376403]

Woohoo! Wadja hit?

[Woodman]

Woohoo! Wadja hit?

it was a smallish rock on the Maungatap. Front wheel ran over it and I think levered up the buried unseen part which hit the basplate and bloody near stopped the bike in its tracks.
Fastest the KLR has ever stopped.:niceone:

[warewolf]

it was a smallish rock on the Maungatap. Front wheel ran over it and I think levered up the buried unseen part which hit the basplate and bloody near stopped the bike in its tracks.
Fastest the KLR has ever stopped.:niceone:Why are my nads making a run for the safety of my throat while I'm reading this?? :blink:

[Woodman]

Why are my nads making a run for the safety of my throat while I'm reading this?? :blink:

Fortunately i had my nads pre-retracted. Worse thing was when I stopped to see wtf happened I forgot (yes forgot) to put the side stand down and we both fell over in a heap. Thats how i bent my clutch lever.:doh:

[Woodman]

Wadaya guys reckon.

Got sick of breaking rear indicators, so got these WR ones cos they are way cheaper than klr ones. It may look a little dorky but the chances of breaking them now are pretty remote, and the best thing is they bolt straight on, all you need is a slightly longer bolt.
haven,t been for a ride yet but they look solid enuff.

http://i709.photobucket.com/albums/ww97/innathyzit/DSC00304.jpg

[marks]

[QUOTE=Woodman;1959542]Wadaya guys reckon.

Got sick of breaking rear indicators, so got these WR ones cos they are way cheaper than klr ones. It may look a little dorky but the chances of breaking them now are pretty remote, and the best thing is they bolt straight on, all you need is a slightly longer bolt.
haven,t been for a ride yet but they look solid enuff.

how much are the wr indicators?
were do you get them from?

[warewolf]

Look like they'll do the job. Have you tried laying the bike on the ground (gently at a standstill :doh:) to see if they strike?

Fitted cheapo after-market XR indicators to my DR200SE, pretty much as soon as I got it. They were protected fairly well by the hand rails. OEM ones were on stalks and around 20cm long :no:

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o20/warewolf885/mc/bikes/suzuki/dr200se/tail.jpg

[Woodman]

[QUOTE=Woodman;1959542]Wadaya guys reckon.

Got sick of breaking rear indicators, so got these WR ones cos they are way cheaper than klr ones. It may look a little dorky but the chances of breaking them now are pretty remote, and the best thing is they bolt straight on, all you need is a slightly longer bolt.
haven,t been for a ride yet but they look solid enuff.

how much are the wr indicators?
were do you get them from?

Got them from Filco Yamaha/ Kawaski dealerhere in nelson. they are not genuine (wfo) but the guy says he sells a few of them for all sorts of things.
Cost $20 each.

[Woodman]

Look like they'll do the job. Have you tried laying the bike on the ground (gently at a standstill :doh:) to see if they strike?

Fitted cheapo after-market XR indicators to my DR200SE, pretty much as soon as I got it. They were protected fairly well by the hand rails. OEM ones were on stalks and around 20cm long :no:

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o20/warewolf885/mc/bikes/suzuki/dr200se/tail.jpg

Theres no way they will hit they are about an inch inboard.:2thumbsup

checked ltsa website and there is nothin about distace apart or how far out they have to be.