KLR handling badly

**NordieBoy** · 9th December 2008, 10:11

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

**ducatijim** · 9th December 2008, 17:48

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?

Maybe not. Just my 1.5c worth.

**Woodman** · 9th December 2008, 19:22

Originally Posted by 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?

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** · 9th December 2008, 19:52

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** · 9th December 2008, 20:32

Originally Posted by 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.

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

**Moki** · 10th December 2008, 18:32

Originally Posted by Padmei

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbyVp...eature=related

Did it handle like this?

Or did it handle more like this?

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

**NordieBoy** · 10th December 2008, 20:40

Now this one has a nice camera angle...

**Woodman** · 10th December 2008, 21:31

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

**NordieBoy** · 11th December 2008, 07:18

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

**Woodman** · 11th December 2008, 21:29

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.