Sold my GSA and am back on a KLR !!!

lmao that thread game me like 2 hours of entertainment at work today just reading all the back and forth bs

Dr650 is a great bike like everything, once modified to your needs. The biggest issue with the Dr from the showroom is the size of the tank. Easy fix. Then you can go and go. The 3rd gear is blown way out of proportion as well. Its all good.

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While I was in here correcting the Torsion spring I also needed to address the deep Hole issue that affects all 2008 and alot of 2009 bikes.

If you are unaware of this, Google it ,and you will find all the info about it.

You can see in the pic, the odd bushing wear at the bottom right of one of the bushings that the pin sets in that supports one of the starter gear transfer clusters.



Basicly, the hole in the outet cover is too deep, which allows the pin to go into it to far and not support the gear cluster on the inside properly, so you have to put a spacer in the hole in the cover to prevent it.

Alot of people use various things but Eagle Mike has the proper spacer so I just got one from him.

Here is the spacer supplied from EM.

Great thread.

So anything above 2010 is not affected by the hole?

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That is correct.

But it is a very simple fix, you only have to pull the outer cover and put the spacer in the hole.

Oh yeah. Just making sure, I'm going after a 2012 and just want to makes if I have to order this part or not.

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Nice looking bike and a good life plan.

I have been leaning this way for several years. Resisting the urge to replace my KLR with something newer, fancier and more expensive. In the end a well set up KLR gets the job done just fine for me.

I rode a buddy's 2008 just like yours - well, except it was stock (but with Kawasaki-replaced rings to fix the oil issue). I was surprised at how much more neutral and comfortable the bike was compared to my DR650. I can see the KLR's ergonomics easily making a prior GSA-rider happy... and that whole package you bought really making anyone happy.

I was glad to get one with most all of the expensive mods already done, and now I can finish it with whats important to me, along with complete a maintenance service.

Thing is, even with a brand new bike, big bore kit, full suspension, and every farkle you ever want to bolt up to the klr, your still less than half the price of a gsa. And all the fun.

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I hated to see even Eagle Mikes spring broke.

We should see if John Deere makes one that will fit. I've seen John Deere spings that were 50 years old.....

I don't think the Torsion spring will be an issue anymore, after moving the hole location and being careful during installation.

With that original hole at 8:00 it is real tough installing the spring, and it would have alot of tension.

If anyone is interested, Super bright leds.com is now having a 10% off sale.
The coupon code is XMAS12

was having fun just reading the tread , now I get an bonus for reading it . Been meaning to order some leds for the camper and a tail light for my little super sherpa . Nice looking /setup klr , I about bought one when I got my super sherpa and still look at them hard at the show rooms or on the road . I think my next bike it going to be an used wee strom for the road and some gravel/fire trail running but if I had to have only have one bike it would be an klr.

After buttoning up the left side cover after installing the Torsion spring and deep hole spacer, I pulled the valve cover and measured and recorded the valve clearances.

They were fine, and at the loose end of specs so it should be a long time before they need adjusted.

While I had the cover off, I checked and made sure the cam cap bolts were tight.

That is something I am paranoid about ever since a Drz 400 I had loosened up and destroyed the cam and head shortly after I bought it.I suspect someone before me had worked on the bike and forgot to tighten them properly.

I also just read a ride report the other day of a KLR that put the decompression mechanism on the end of the exhaust cam up through the valve cover, and the caps and cam of course destroyed.From looking at the pictures it looks to me like
the cam caps loosened up and with the cam chain pulling down in the front it destroyed the cam journals and cracked one of the caps and allowed the back of the cam to rise until the decompression mechanism hit the cover.

Once again,I suspect someone adjusted the valves and did not torque the bolts.Theres no way for me to know for sure

But it seems likely.

So just make sure your cam cap bolts are torqued, especially if you don't know who was in your engine !!

Here is a link to the RR I referred to.Its a great read also, and good pics of the damage on the Klr.
http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=843969

Yesterday I disassembled all the suspension and swingarm linkages and lubed all the bearings and cavities with Maxima waterproof grease.

While the shock was off I verified the spring was a Eibach 550 in lb., which I was glad, as it is plenty of spring, and actually the heaviest spring that Eibach sells for the KLR now because anything more and it exceeds the GVWR.

I buttoned that all up and torqued it all to spec, and then pulled the carburetor to clean and verify all the jetting and replace the phillips screws on the float bowl and diaphragm cover with stainless allen bolts and add a T mod to the vent.

The MAIN jet is the stock 145 , but the needle is a Klx with the clip on the 2nd groove.

The SLIDE HOLE is stock.(It is not drilled.)

The PILOT jet is stock #40, but I opened it a hair with a #78 number drill,which isn't even .001" bigger.

It should put the PILOT between a stock #40 and a #42.

The FLOAT LEVEL was dead perfect at .690".

And the adjustable FUEL SCREW was 2 turns out, I will have to play with that once I get back on the road.

The AIRBOX is stock except for the removed snorkel.I am going to open it up some more.

I also installed a Sunstar 16 tooth sprocket.

Jeff you been Spending a lot,of work on that KLR. I hope mine dose not need all that done to it,,,,,mine only has about 7000 sMILES,,,,,,was there a factory recall on the bolt you replaced on the sub frame,,,,,my dealer replace:a bolt somewhere and also replaced,all 4 signal lights ,the rubber bases were deterrariing.... KLR are great all around bikes,,,I think you made a wise choice , I will sell mine this spring,,,,the CRF 250 l. Is a super bike for me just like,it,is,,,
I am gonna do,the MHC ride Feb 28----,March. 3. 2013..I will post registration a date in the MTF. RRR section later in January....would like for you and you buddy to come down,
Uncle jimmy. Hope you have a Merry Christmas.