Yet another KLRE650...

The fuel tank that I want to use is plastic. Cutting it would not be an option for my build. I'd rather move the engine forward and cant it down to gain some extra room for it. That's one of the major problems that I have run into.

I was long thinking about a plastic tank. The big thing I guess, would be getting a measurement for proper width, then calling IMS or Acerbis directly and see if they have anything - I'd guess there's SOMETHING in the inventory, but then you'd have to play with mounting points for the tank and seat. If it's off by a little bit, you can use hot water or a heat gun to massage the shape. I had to beat the tank in in three or four spots on the underside to make it fit, even after cutting off a bit of the tank, so starting off with a KLR plastic tank wasn't something I wanted to go with, especially since the tanks aren't cheap! I will say that a 2/3 of the beatings required had to do with my intake, so YMMV.

Will be watching your thread to see what you end up doing!

OK - back to work. New steel braided lines are in, and the front is installed w/o issue. For the rear I need to fab up a new pedal, as the stock one wouldn't fit w/o relieving, which weakened the pedal to the point of flexing during normal use. I can't believe it hasn't broken yet, actually.

Anyway, it's not going so well.

Brake lines, new and old:

New pedal complete. Old vs. New:





The new one is heavy and ugly, but it's stiff and strong, and offsets outboard more, which is good since the old pedal was hard to use as the Ninja motor is wider. I even added material to the stock pedal, but it was a 90% solution.

EDIT: Got the new rear brake line on and new fluid in. Another coat of paint or two and the pedal will go on and the bike will be back on the road! Can't wait.

I played with the fuel mapping a bit more - even leaner on top, and a little richer at mid RPM/closed throttle to get rid of decel pop, and a little richer right around idle. The first second off the line seems just a touch bogged... We'll see how the changes affect the bike later this week. Started riding my bicycle to work to get my fat ass in shape, so I haven't been riding the bike much at all.

Also worth noting - Versys 1k is rumored to be coming stateside this year... really wish I hadn't dumped the money into that shock now. =)

Installed. Works well. It's not until now, looking at the picture, that I realize now unnecessarily complicated I made this. Looks like I could have just made it one piece straight across. I think I was looking at the old lever too much, and not at the actual application enough. Ah well - got some good practice with the Tig... and it works... and the position feels good now. Count your blessings?


Back brake still sucks. New lines, bled as best I could... basically same as before. I think I upgraded the front pads a while back to something better... don't *think* I did the rear pads. Maybe I should try that. Or maybe I got brake fluid all over the place and that F'ed it up... hmmm....


Good news is that the front brake is where I want it. Very happy with the outcome of that one!

New front tire on today!



Did tires by hand for the first time in a while, but it ended up going easily. I planned on re-using the tube, but then pinched it as I got the tire just about on. Luckily, had a spare tube and got the new one in w/o issue. I should buy more... Probably for the best as the old tube and tire were stockers from '08.

EDIT: Spare tube on order as are new rear brake pads.

Good luck with the rear brake. The KLR rear brake is about the worst disc brake set up I've experienced. I put a braded SS line and different pads and then rebuilt the caliper and it still sux azz. I honestly think the diameter of the rotor is too small for the size and weight of the bike. Compared to my WR400 it is easily 1/2" smaller.

I wish calipers and rotors were more interchangeable... I can't imagine there was anything else that would fit. I bet I could make a better caliper fit the same rotor. Not sure that it's worth the effort, but then again, not a lot of this thread has been.

Went out for a little run today to Anza Borrego by way of Julian and back through Campo. ~400 miles of good stuff.

New tire is awesome and rear brake is greatly improved with some use. Did a little desert trail riding - loving the new rear shock now.

I did have a small break down though. Popped an ECU circuit breaker b/c my dumb ass routed the wiring harness way too close to the chain - don't know what I was thinking. I'm just lucky the fuse popped, and the ECU didn't fry. I do have an FI light now, but I may be able to reset that.

I did see this coming somehow... for 5 or 10 minutes before the bike died all I could think about is how I let my AMA membership with towing insurance lapse while I was traveling for work and how fucked I'd probably be if I broke down... then I did. I had this happen once, before - I was thinking about all that was in my wallet and how fucked I'd be if I lost it once just outside Moab. I then realized that could only mean the wallet was missing... long story, but I ended up getting it back in Grand Junction, CO.

Anyway, the troubleshooting and fix went fairly quickly, and a couple of folks even stopped to see if I needed help, which was really cool. People in the city never do that. Good karma sent their way. Thanks guys.

I need to buy more fuses. Heated grips are still on the list of things to buy. I'd like a new modular helmet too. A GPS would have come in handy today too. I got lost twice.

Always break down with a view:


Someone should punch me for being so stupid:

OK, got the FI light out.

I had robbed the fan fuse for the ECU, and apparently, it can tell. I've never actually seen or heard the fan come on. I wonder if it doesn't work, the relay is bad, the temp sensor is bad, the thermostat is stuck open, the cooling is just that good, or what. I need to get an IR gun and check it one of these days. I wish I had a temp sensor instead of just an overheat light.

Oh, and I'm looking to get some stainless nipples for the aux fuel tank tigged in one day - can anyone recommend a source? I wonder if the stock petcock is steel, or some crappy alloy... I can check if I find my stock one. I changed it out b/c it's a vacuum type, and I needed a gravity feed.

Something from here maybe?
http://www.bonacoinc.com/component/easytable/easytable/87

BTW nice job on leaving me to hang with my extended family while you were out tearing s*&t up on your obviously unsafe deathtrap of a project bike.

What are you talkin' about?!?! I think she's ready for a RTW. I just need a chase van with a new parts and a doctor and a mechanic, Ewan style. Long weekend coming up, then takin' some leave in Nov - let's talk about gettin' something in.

Another MSF course coming up on the 25th, need to tighten up the chain. I got the new rear brake pads in too, but I don't think the rear brake is doing that bad anymore. Not sure if I'll use it. There was one thing that bothered me out in the desert though - no underside protection... esp with that oil drain hanging down so low. eeech. I would like to clean up all the electrical stuff too - it looks pretty stupid now.

Sooo many little things. The last 1% of the project really does take 99% of the time.

Made these a month 'r two ago:





Made some KLRE ones today...




All images stolen from some poor sap that trusted their stuff to the internet.

That is all.

Got through an MSF course on the KLRE. The course is so easy on this bike that it feels like cheating. Pretty easy to lock the rear brake now too, so I'll consider the brake problem solved. Also, I *think* the fan came on during the class, which is good, b/c I was beginning to get nervous about it. I kept my bike off when it didn't need to be running anyway.

Got some heated grips in the mail that need to be installed. Old grips are worn and slipping.

EDIT: Heated grips are on. $50 shipped off fleabay - "BikeMaster" brand. The grips are OK - not too squishy, and they're slightly bigger in outer diameter than regular grips. The inside of the grips is hard plastic, so the left hand side just hammered on and is solid, and the right side was a bit looser, so I used the friction tape and gasoline trick. The the wiring is pretty quality and it comes with plastic connectors, which is awesome. You just need to splice in the power and affix the ground. I spliced into the horn's power so I don't kill the battery when I forget to turn the heaters off... been there, done that.

Heaters come with a 5 power setting controller. On high, the left got hot faster than the right. I think they pump more juice into the left b/c it's directly on the bar as opposed to on the throttle tube, but it's overcompensated, so the right never gets as hot as the left.

Anyway, very happy with the grips so far.

New helmet came in too - would have liked to get something nice, but went with an HJC instead to save a few bucks. SyMax II for $135 new... pretty good value. I like the modular thing and it's got a flip down shade, which I like, but it is a little heavier than the Shoei I have now, which I'm not stoked about, but probably won't even notice it once I ride with it a few times. Found fuses in the garage too - so no need to buy more of those!

Add to the list of needs: GPS. I got lost in town yet again today. While I was lost, I did run across a dude pushing his bike and gave him a lift though. I have a tool tube with a liter of fuel in my garage, I should put that on the bike.

Anyway, slight oil weep from the front sprocket... probably from when I used heat on the sprocket nut. Oops. New seal on order, along with oil filters and crush washers, and a oil pan gasket - I need to do something about that low hanging drain plug.

Oh, forgot to mention, 20% off OEM parts on BikeBandit.com... think the sale ends today though.

Lovin' the new helmet - that was a great buy. I like everything except that it's a bit louder than the Shoei X-11 was, but not much. I don't really notice the extra weight.

A couple hundred miles today, mostly twisties. Just a short stretch of high speed gravel as well, which made me very happy.


This describes the leak, so I put a new seal on, but it didn't fix my weep.



Tried to seal as best I could, we'll see how that goes.


USPS delivered a new oil pan gasket, oil filters and crush washers, so I was off to tackle the low hanging drain plug.

She came off and cleaned up easily:


Before:


After:


Cleaned up and flushed the plug/crush washer surface with some bastard files. Getting the pan back on was somehow difficult for me... :huh but I eventually got it with just a few cuss words. The end result is much better, and whilst the drain plug still hangs down a little, I think a skid plate will take care of the rest. I guess that makes it next on the list.




EDIT:
And Rick Clemson snapped one of me on Palomar... Thanks Rick.



Also forgot to mention, got a record setting MPG hit on this ride, north of 40! I don't usually ride too slow though...

T-shirts... now in color!

The ink that came with the new printer sucks though, the black comes out more brownish.

Put me down for one of those KLRE t-shirts. I love your style, just get it done hands on. Keep up the great work.

Cheers Scott aka. Repsol rider.

Great to hear - thanks! PM sent for some Tee's.


Ok - I lied about the next bit being the bash plate. I scored a centerstand on fleabay... kind of.

I think it's a SW Motech bit - which is awesome - but it was sold as missing some bits, which is why it was cheap. I started by making the missing mount. I got halfway through, but it was bedtime for the girls and I had to put the power tools away. Just before I finished, I got to try out my "new" (months old!) plasma cutter for the first time. Mind you, I haven't used one since high school ('bout the year 2000) - so as expected, a Polak and his plasma cutter is not better than a Polak and his welder. I need to play with the settings a bit more... LOTS of slag buildup and got the tip really dirty. Do I even need to mention how I can cut a straight line to save my life? I'll have to read up on the process a bit more. One day, I suppose.

Too embarrassed to post a mid-stage photo.






On a side note, I bought a cheap-o air compressor a while back. While it work well enough for occasional use and I like the tank size, it's annoyingly loud, the gauges are busted up from falling over during move, and just plain sucks. A nice, new, quiet one is on the wish list.

Anyway, the centerstand doesn't have the little foot extension where you would normally push down with your foot to get the bike up, which is weird, but I"m totally OK with that. I'll weld one on if I think I need one later.

Once the new bracket is done, I'll try to scrounge up some bolts - and hopefully that'll be that. THEN, maybe I can get to the skid-plate.

I actually feel pretty bad about working on the KLRE now - I bought a ZX-6RR with some issues to flip - I should be showing her more love, but I realllly can't help but pimp the favorite.

HID: Light up the night.





Love it. Went in, but had to play around a bit with the parts to make it fit. I ordered a kit from DDM again, and it wasn't as good this time - last time (for an 1150 GSA) the kit was totally effortless, this time I had to cut some of the adapter to make it fit then adjust the headlights a bit... which took forever. The KLRE's headlights only come on with the motor running, so it idled a lot. Confirmed that the radiator fan works tonight, which gives me a warm and fuzzy. The fan's realllly quiet, which I love. Anyway, all's well with the lights now. I have another setup for the high beam, but I'm going to keep that incandescent since high beams are typically turned on and off more, which isn't great for HID.

I was looking at my centerstand shenanigans, and I may need to modify the plan of attack. I don't think the exhaust will support any more width around the right peg. I took a week off work starting today, so ZX project permitting, I'd like to finish the centerstand, get that skid plate done, and maybe go do a couple of day rides.

Some more goodies may come in the mail soon too.