I started riding 26 years ago. I had not ridden a motorcycle in any serious fashion in at least five years. I got the bug and bought a 2008 KLR 650 yesterday. I have a ton of farkle on order. I am going on a trip to Alaska in two weeks and will ride it 2,000 miles and ride the ferry the rest. I am pressty excited. This morning I decided to put 65 miles on the bike real quick while keeping it under 4000 RPM's, (what a pain), I would have loved to open it up through the twisties. The bike has the factory Dunlops on it, and they are squirrely as heck in the dirt. Any tire upgrade suggestions would be appreciated. I rode the bike from my house in Battle Ground WA to Lucia Falls Road. I followed the Lewis River as far as I could and went a few more miles on gravel and dirt. Thsis is where the tires sucked. You can tell from the picture, that the bike is still like new. I guess I got lucky :).
Sounds like you're gonna just jump right in...Good luck on your maiden trip to AK...Did the ride from Nebraska to AK and back last summer on my GS.. Had two other buddies on the ride, one on a new KTM 990 and another on an old 2,500 dollar KLR..The klr handled the trip with know swet...The tire that worked really well for the KLR was Metzler Sahara III...Cost more, but I think he has been getting around 7 to 8 thousand miles a set... " A Smokin Hole is a Small Price to pay for a Bitchin Manuever"
I sincerely HOPE one of the farkles on order is some sort of aftermarket seat or a pad. The factory seat kills after about 75 miles. My only other complaint after close to 4500 miles is the lack of horsepower when you need to get on it in traffic, etc. Okay, and a 6th gear would be nice too. If you're going to spend a lot of time in the dirt, Dunlop makes a good tire that's like 80/20 dirt to street.. http://www.dunlopmotorcycle.com/tirecatalog_tire.asp?id=14 Ride safe on your trip!
Thanks for the feedback. I was ridieng Lucia Falls road this morning. It parallels the Lewis River and is loaded with gentle twisties. I have looked at a lot of seat options for the KLR 650. From what I have read the Afrika single seat seems liek the best value for quality. The Corbin looks nice, but I have ridden with their seats and some are great and some are mediocre. At least with this, it is similar at half the price. KLR 650.net has this listed. Is it any good? Has anyone tried it? Part #: 53066-1074-AS Price: $187.15 Thanks, Scott
Love the new KLR's.....really like what they did to them...very impressed with the looks of the bike. I mean, its no 950SE, but its still sweet
I also have a 08 KLR and live in Bonney Lake. I have put about 300 mine during the last week. D606 is your friend...good wear, better traction. Get a fork brace from Eagle Mike. Feels a lot more stable Do the carb mods (22c and KLX needle, EXT Ilde adjustment) and change the air filter to a good after market one. I bought a low seat from Happy Trails last year (it was one of the 1st) Not too bad. ) Mostly have a great time and enjoy Good luck
Congrats!! Moved this to Thumpers since we're talking about your bike and its farkles.. when you start your adventure to Alaska, be sure to give us a report in the Ride Reports forum
I'm very curious to find out how you do on your trip. The KLR engine ran perfectly the entire time I've had my bike. It's done everything I've asked and asked for more. One thing I'd encourage you to do while you're on your trip is to constantly monitor your oil level. KLR's like to consume oil. No oil could mean a long walk from BFE Alaska. I'd pack at least a couple quarts for the road, too.
A comment about KLR oil consumption. KLRs CAN use oil but usually when they are run at high RPM at high speed. 60 mph won't result in excessive oil consumption but 75-80 mph will.
A friend and I did AK on KLR's in '06. Our tire of choice was the MEFO explorer. Reasonably priced, worked well on the gravel roads of the Denali Hwy and the Dempster, and a good pavement tire. they can be found here: http://www.klr650.com/MEFO%20Sport%20Tires.htm or here: http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/parts_frames.html (arrowheadmotorsports.com) If you don't buy a seat, at least get an Alaska Leather Butt Pad. Makes a world of difference. If you can,...don't forget heated gear. It can get pretty cold an miserable, even in summer. if you're interested,.... our trip report is here: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=166507&highlight=Alaska+2006+weeks
Hello, I live here in alaska and I recommend kings with about a 40/60 mix. Alaska is only about 20% paved. Enjoy your trip, the AK is a killer place, it is huge.
I have the Dunlop D606 and they are suprisingly well on the street. Here is a picture of mine hitting the tale of the Dragon. Never had an issue with them. I also want a diffrent seat. 250 miles is about my street limit with the stocker.
I have the $187.00 seat and it is remarkably better than the factory one. It lowers rider height by 1.5 inches. I just rode 6300 miles in 17 days on it and it was tolerable. I hope this is helpful. Take Care, Scott
Iv got that seat on my 08 along with a Alaskan buttpad and its a great combo. Very Comfortable, i can ride all day without a problem
