KLR650, XT600, DR650, F650 etc wellywood

[Oscar]

You're a champion

I'll take you up on that, I rode one briefly at the last Pukemanu Ride

Yeah, I got a brief ride at Pukemanu too.
Mainly because Roger pinched it for most of the ride (they had to shut a gate to get it back).

[Bartman10]

Thanks for all the replies. Some useful information there.

I'm thinking about getting some custom panniers made too. Does anyone know any decent aluminium welders in Wellington who could do panniers for a fair price. Would you recomend custom paniers or would you buy commercial jobs? I'm keen on your thoughts.

I'm gonna check out an XT and hopefully a KLR this weekend.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Thanks again.

Bartman.

[Ruralman]

Thanks for all the replies. Some useful information there.

I'm thinking about getting some custom panniers made too. Does anyone know any decent aluminium welders in Wellington who could do panniers for a fair price. Would you recomend custom paniers or would you buy commercial jobs? I'm keen on your thoughts.

I'm gonna check out an XT and hopefully a KLR this weekend.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Thanks again.

Bartman.

There's a DR650 SE on Trademe at the moment which has got panniers on the back and also one hanging off the side of the tank - have a look and ask them if it looks interesting.

[Ruralman]

Here's the front one - they're Mitas E09's, and work well everywhere I've had them so far, including sloppy mud. I don't know that you can go too much more open and still be legal - not a problem on the KDX of course. Those pics were when they were new on - I've done around 2000km on them so far and they're wearing OK - hoping for 6000km from them and expect them to be completely rooted by then. That's what I got from the Pirelli MT21's I had on last.

thanks for that - if you're coming down Sth Otago way let me know and we'll take a strop round the farm and put that back tyre to the test!!!
I have wondered about putting tyres like yours on my Transalp to make it better off road but I won't because I keep coming back to the fact that even with thos tyres on its still 200kg plus with fuel etc so I'll restrict it to gravel roads and good dry or grippy tracks. Once it gets rougher than that you need to be able to raise the front wheel easily if you want to make decent progress - and that is just too hard to do onthe T/A. The 640 KTM however would be right at home, the DR & TTR too, the KLR doubtful and I don't really know about the XT but would expect it to be OK but at a lesser pace.

[far queue]

thanks for that - if you're coming down Sth Otago way let me know and we'll take a strop round the farm and put that back tyre to the test!!!

Sure thing, where abouts in South Otago are you?

I have wondered about putting tyres like yours on my Transalp to make it better

You need to have a chat with transalper, he's got the same tyres on his ... Transalp

[Ruralman]

Sure thing, where abouts in South Otago are you?

You need to have a chat with transalper, he's got the same tyres on his ... Transalp

I am about halfway between Milton and Lawrence on a side road on the Lawrence side of the Manuka Gorge. When are you going to be down?
I'm going up to Akaroa Mon-Weds next week to catch up on some friends and do some work stuff on the way but I don't think I'll have a chance to do any meeting of ChCh kiwibikers - looking forward to that Port Hills road tho.
The thing that would worry me about those tyres on the T/A would be on seal in the wet. I'm doing around 7000-10000 km a year so I can't help but get a few wet trips. I get the odd twitch from the michelins I've got on the back now and I don't want that getting any worse.

[far queue]

I am about halfway between Milton and Lawrence on a side road on the Lawrence side of the Manuka Gorge. When are you going to be down?

That's a long way from here, but handy for the Brass Monkey for you. I don't have any immediate plans to be down that way, but bound to be down there sometime.

I'm going up to Akaroa Mon-Weds next week ... but I don't think I'll have a chance to do any meeting of ChCh kiwibikers ...

Maybe next time, or if next time is the Feb trip, then for sure.

The thing that would worry me about those tyres on the T/A would be on seal in the wet.

I just take it easy on the wet seal and they've been OK.

[warewolf]

So what, I ask you, is the bloody point of a big single that is peaky, and worse, won't idle under about 1500-2000 rpm??? Ever try riding one down a slippery greasey hill? No engine braking...in fact the opposite of engine braking...

I hadn't made the connection before...doesn't the F650 series have a "feature" in the injection program that holds the idle speed up supposedly to make it easier to ride the big thumper in stop-start traffic? Something along those lines anyway. I test rode one with this "feature" and it definitely shitted me more than it helped; cutting in when I least expected it, and cutting out suddenly when I was used to it/relying on it.

[Garry.W]

I hadn't made the connection before...doesn't the F650 series have a "feature" in the injection program that holds the idle speed up supposedly to make it easier to ride the big thumper in stop-start traffic? Something along those lines anyway. I test rode one with this "feature" and it definitely shitted me more than it helped; cutting in when I least expected it, and cutting out suddenly when I was used to it/relying on it.

Hi ya Colin,

Don't know about a "feature" built in but the fuel injection system controls the fuel/air mixture very accurately (mainly for emission control reasons in UE) and deals well with big single-cylindered engines where air can flow too slowly for efficient carburetion (i.e. performance). Given BMW’s fondness for electronic engine management systems, the fact that FI integrates easily here makes it an obvious choice. The US markets slightly different machines to the European spec bikes, certainly there are differences in programming and emission controls. Early F650GSs (both the regular GS and Dakar version from around 2001) were plagued with stalling and surging problems. The stalling typically occurred at idle or upon deceleration. The surging would generally occur between 3,500 and 4,000 RPMs. The US-spec bikes, which had more stringent emissions controls, were most prone to these problems and, although rest of the world owners have reported similar problems, it seems to be the US owners who keep making objective claims about the dodginess of their bike. The software has been written to keep the idle speed high when you are still rolling, to prevent the stalling problem which used to occur on the early fuel-injected models. The surging and stalling type issues are now resolved, I have an 03 Dakar and don't seem to have any of the problems often reported. Granted, a steep & slippery slope is not an ideal place to try out a Dakar but there are ways of managing these once you know what to do on the way down - gravity is such a wonderful thing

Cheers
Garry

[Transalper]

The thing that would worry me about those tyres on the T/A would be on seal in the wet. I'm doing around 7000-10000 km a year so I can't help but get a few wet trips. I get the odd twitch from the michelins I've got on the back now and I don't want that getting any worse.

So which Michelins do u have on?
I can't say I've had any problem slipping in the wet with the E09's. My cornering speed in the wet is very similar (just a little slower at times) to my dry speed, i just concerntrate more on being smooth, no sudden twitches and try to remember to ride to the conditions.
I've had worse slipping in the wet on my CBR at slower speeds on the same corners with supposed good wet weather tyres when i had it.
The only concern i have with the E09's is that i'm only expecting the 6000km range in them as opposed to the even better in the wet/pretty good dirt/not so good in slush E07's that took me 12000k and were still alive (and possibly will go back on in Summer to finish them) when changed for the Brass Monkey adventure where we went in slush.
Isn't there a whole thread dedicated to the tyre topic....yes there is.
Why are we here... oh thats right...

I've sometimes thought I'd like a DR650 as well because if your riding a bike that's light enough to pick up by yourself with out straining anything then I find more confidance for going up the slippery slopes and places I expect to have to pick up the bike. The ride is more relaxed and I can let loose a little, as i do with the CRF but can't ride CRF on the road.

[far queue]

... I've sometimes thought I'd like a DR650 as well because if your riding a bike that's light enough to pick up by yourself with out straining anything ...

Is this after I provided an example to you of coming off and picking it up on our last ride

[warewolf]

Thanks for the info Garry.

The software has been written to keep the idle speed high when you are still rolling, to prevent the stalling problem which used to occur on the early fuel-injected models.

So you're saying there *is* such a feature then? Is it on the current bikes, or was it phased out when the other issues were sorted?

Not shopping, just curious.

[Garry.W]

Thanks for the info Garry.
So you're saying there *is* such a feature then? Is it on the current bikes, or was it phased out when the other issues were sorted?

Not shopping, just curious.

Correct, and I understand no different to older or newer versions of the GS. The idle is set to be raised if the bike is travelling to around 2000rpm. The idle returns to around 1400rpm when at standstill. This is a bit of an issue on downhills, as we have all found in the past. The main reason is for a smooth transition between just rolling and standstill. Surging problems that people take about, again mostly those overseas with US models, are a different issue. There are a number of program updates which make the "driveability" (if that's a word) of the bike better, these updates can be checked and installed by Dealers. Mine's been done, which is probably why I don't have the problems.

[merv]

God I just love my carburettors.

[SDU]

I was about right with the mileage (144K's to about 10-11L of petrol) and the gearing is 14/43.
I have never worried about working out fuel economy, just tank range.

I'll have to start taking a bit more notice off what I put in the tank. It is usually approx 10L on fill. But as Lemans has said 144-146kms & I hit reserve doesn't matter what type off riding I've been doing either, but the more freezing it is- the slightly sooner I hit reserve. I haven't run on reserve to find out how lge it is cause I'm not keen on pushing. The most I think I have done on a tank was about 165kms. The guy we bought it off said he has squeezed 240kms max on a trip.
I don't know what the jetting etc is. We haven't played with it since we got it as it seems to run well. Starting is a breeze it is not a cold bitch like my XT is.