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

GAS GUY · 09-23-2012, 01:16 PM

Took my first ride today on my new to me 2008 KLR 705.I received it Thursday but put it on the lift table to sort out a few little issues it had before I rode it.
I have had a few gen 1 Klr's before, but never a gen 2, and they have appealed to me since they were introduced.
The Gsa is an amazing road bike but I want to slow down and ride more dual sport and whenever I was on the Gsa I always just ended up pounding pavement.
Secondly, I am paying down debt.I am tired of bills, and just want some simplicity in my life.I am going to leave the high tech, expensive bikes for the rich.
So, this is the start of a new adventure and lifestyle. "Less is more"
The first shake down ride went well and I am happy with the bike.It will take a little while to adapt back to the thumper but I plan on dedicating to it as my everyday bike.
A pic from todays first ride.

jon_l · 09-23-2012, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GAS GUY

I am paying down debt.I am tired of bills, and just want some simplicity in my life.I am going to leave the high tech, expensive bikes for the rich.

Something many of us should do. Good on you.

JerryH · 09-23-2012, 02:55 PM

Best of luck with it. I hope it does not turn out to be an oil burner, but it seems most of the '08s were. I have avoided them for that reason. I don't want to buy a bike and immediately have to put a new top end on it. It is tempting though, most of the '08s on Craigslist are cheaper than the earlier models. Seems Kawasaki built an almost entirely new bike, but did not fix the doohickey issue, or the frame bolt issue, which they HAD to have known about, and then added top end problems to go along with them. Being an auto mechanic and a tinkerer, I may just go ahead and do it though. How many miles does yours have?

I have always gone cheap with bikes. The most expensive bike I have ever bought was a brand new '02 Vulcan 750 cruiser, for $6499. My '95 Goldwing was given to me, but I did put a LOT of work and almost $3000 into it. I have an XT225 that I built out of 3 XT225s, plus some aftermarket parts, and a few new oem parts. Runs/rides like new, and I have a lot of spare parts.

GAS GUY · 09-23-2012, 03:04 PM

JerryH, this bike has around 12 k miles on it, but at about 1,600 miles it received a 705 kit with head work from Klr Cary, so this bike should not have a oil burn issue.
I am a auto tech also, so any issues the Klr has are very minor, because parts are very reasonable and the bike is so easy to work on.

byways · 09-23-2012, 03:42 PM

This may help confirm your choice. I rode with a fellow once who was on an F650. He dropped it, and broke the clutch lever. My recollection is that the replacement BMW clutch lever was $37 or thereabouts. So I decided to get an extra to carry on my 08 KLR. New, it cost something like $5.49.

I suspect your P.O. fixed the oil issue by going to the 705. RIP, KLR Cary ...

OrangeYZ · 09-23-2012, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GAS GUY

...but I want to slow down...

That won't be too hard now...

GAS GUY · 09-23-2012, 07:01 PM

The colors are changing.

ADV24-7 · 09-23-2012, 07:21 PM

Good Job!
I rode a 2012 KLR a few weeks back and after I sold my Ducati
I picked up an 09 g650 X country and what an awesome machine.paid down some debt and have been enjoying the machine and less paved rides.

FoolHardy · 09-23-2012, 08:41 PM

Looks to have an IMS 10 gallon tank, aftermarket front wheel, mirrors, handguards, seat, supermoto fender, exhaust, aluminum skid plate, highway pegs, and pannier racks. Add those to the 705 with head work and you picked up a very nice bike! Has the suspension received similar treatment?

Beezer · 09-23-2012, 11:13 PM

Cary's head work is gold.... lucky guy. RIP Cary.

Wallachian Spikes · 09-24-2012, 05:38 AM

Looks like a nice bike. I've never ridden the 705 but, I hear they actually vibrate less.

Living debt free is the only true freedom! Everything I own is paid for & I could probably survive (& still eat meat) on $600 a month. Here in rural Tennessee the cost of living is very low, just gassed up @ $3.59. My blood preassure would be through the roof if I had a mortgage to pay. Credit is a trap. I never had a credit card till I was 39 & I only got that so I could buy things cheaper on the inter-webs. Proptly pay the card in full each month.

I love my KLR, it's a bike that puts money in my pocket.

GAS GUY · 09-24-2012, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wallachian Spikes

Looks like a nice bike. I've never ridden the 705 but, I hear they actually vibrate less.

Living debt free is the only true freedom! Everything I own is paid for & I could probably survive (& still eat meat) on $600 a month. Here in rural Tennessee the cost of living is very low, just gassed up @ $3.59. My blood preassure would be through the roof if I had a mortgage to pay. Credit is a trap. I never had a credit card till I was 39 & I only got that so I could buy things cheaper on the inter-webs. Proptly pay the card in full each month.

I love my KLR, it's a bike that puts money in my pocket.

Amen to that !!!

GAS GUY · 09-24-2012, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FoolHardy

Looks to have an IMS 10 gallon tank, aftermarket front wheel, mirrors, handguards, seat, supermoto fender, exhaust, aluminum skid plate, highway pegs, and pannier racks. Add those to the 705 with head work and you picked up a very nice bike! Has the suspension received similar treatment?

Yeah, the forks have race tech springs and Gold valve Emulators and a fork brace and the rear shock has a Race tech Gold valve and I believe a Eibach spring.
The bike is from out your way in Idaho, then the po moved to South Dakota, and then he delivered it to me thursday in Michigan.

beergut · 09-24-2012, 08:01 AM

Looks like you have quite the bike there...not your average KLR thats for sure!

I will be just North of you this weekend!

GAS GUY · 09-30-2012, 11:58 AM

Since it has a 705 kit and is jetted accordingly, I have been curious as to the mpg.A few days ago I filled up the massive 10 gallon tank and reset the trip odo.

So I have been commuting to work, and running around doing some photo tag on dirt roads and maybe 20 miles of freeway and stopped today to top off the tank and get some numbers.

The trip odo had 202 miles on it and the tank only took 3.779 gallons to top it off.
So thats like 53.5 MPG.
I don't know how accurate the trip odo is (I know it is close though judging by the ride to work)yet, as I have not checked it against the Gps.But even if it is off a little I figure I am at least getting 50, so I am really happy with that.

Here is a picture from todays ride.

09-23-2012, 01:16 PM	#1
GAS GUY ^OP Beastly Adventurer Joined: Jul 2007 Location: Garden city, Michigan Oddometer: 2,045	Sold my GSA and am back on a KLR !!! Took my first ride today on my new to me 2008 KLR 705.I received it Thursday but put it on the lift table to sort out a few little issues it had before I rode it. I have had a few gen 1 Klr's before, but never a gen 2, and they have appealed to me since they were introduced. The Gsa is an amazing road bike but I want to slow down and ride more dual sport and whenever I was on the Gsa I always just ended up pounding pavement. Secondly, I am paying down debt.I am tired of bills, and just want some simplicity in my life.I am going to leave the high tech, expensive bikes for the rich. So, this is the start of a new adventure and lifestyle. "Less is more" The first shake down ride went well and I am happy with the bike.It will take a little while to adapt back to the thumper but I plan on dedicating to it as my everyday bike. A pic from todays first ride. __________________ 2008 KLR 705 2001 GAS GAS 321

09-23-2012, 02:55 PM	#3
JerryH Vintage Rider Joined: Jul 2009 Location: Chandler, AZ Oddometer: 1,653	Best of luck with it. I hope it does not turn out to be an oil burner, but it seems most of the '08s were. I have avoided them for that reason. I don't want to buy a bike and immediately have to put a new top end on it. It is tempting though, most of the '08s on Craigslist are cheaper than the earlier models. Seems Kawasaki built an almost entirely new bike, but did not fix the doohickey issue, or the frame bolt issue, which they HAD to have known about, and then added top end problems to go along with them. Being an auto mechanic and a tinkerer, I may just go ahead and do it though. How many miles does yours have? I have always gone cheap with bikes. The most expensive bike I have ever bought was a brand new '02 Vulcan 750 cruiser, for $6499. My '95 Goldwing was given to me, but I did put a LOT of work and almost $3000 into it. I have an XT225 that I built out of 3 XT225s, plus some aftermarket parts, and a few new oem parts. Runs/rides like new, and I have a lot of spare parts. __________________ "I refuse to give up the thrill of living for the relative safety of existing" Nick Ienatsch "Life is not a race. Don't treat it as such. If you don't believe me, just have a look at the finish line"

09-23-2012, 03:04 PM	#4
GAS GUY ^OP Beastly Adventurer Joined: Jul 2007 Location: Garden city, Michigan Oddometer: 2,045	JerryH, this bike has around 12 k miles on it, but at about 1,600 miles it received a 705 kit with head work from Klr Cary, so this bike should not have a oil burn issue. I am a auto tech also, so any issues the Klr has are very minor, because parts are very reasonable and the bike is so easy to work on. __________________ 2008 KLR 705 2001 GAS GAS 321

09-23-2012, 03:42 PM	#5
byways byways Joined: Dec 2006 Location: Idaho Oddometer: 1,484	This may help confirm your choice. I rode with a fellow once who was on an F650. He dropped it, and broke the clutch lever. My recollection is that the replacement BMW clutch lever was $37 or thereabouts. So I decided to get an extra to carry on my 08 KLR. New, it cost something like $5.49. I suspect your P.O. fixed the oil issue by going to the 705. RIP, KLR Cary ... __________________ Tony Huegel Backcountry Byways Journal Leave No Trace Heart of the West Adventure Route (a.k.a. Forever West)

09-23-2012, 07:01 PM	#7
GAS GUY ^OP Beastly Adventurer Joined: Jul 2007 Location: Garden city, Michigan Oddometer: 2,045	The colors are changing. __________________ 2008 KLR 705 2001 GAS GAS 321

09-23-2012, 07:21 PM	#8
ADV24-7 Adventurer Joined: Sep 2011 Location: orange county ca Oddometer: 9	Nice Good Job! I rode a 2012 KLR a few weeks back and after I sold my Ducati I picked up an 09 g650 X country and what an awesome machine.paid down some debt and have been enjoying the machine and less paved rides.

09-23-2012, 08:41 PM	#9
FoolHardy Still Inky Joined: Mar 2007 Location: Boise...ish Oddometer: 407	Looks to have an IMS 10 gallon tank, aftermarket front wheel, mirrors, handguards, seat, supermoto fender, exhaust, aluminum skid plate, highway pegs, and pannier racks. Add those to the 705 with head work and you picked up a very nice bike! Has the suspension received similar treatment? __________________ "It is not the mountain that we conquer, but ourselves" - Sir Edmund Hillary "Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go" - T.S. Elliot FoolHardy screwed with this post 09-23-2012 at 08:46 PM

09-23-2012, 11:13 PM	#10
Beezer Beastly Adventurer Joined: Oct 2004 Location: Anchorage, formerly Spenard (hub of the universe) Oddometer: 4,418	Cary's head work is gold.... lucky guy. RIP Cary.

09-24-2012, 05:38 AM	#11
Wallachian Spikes Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Mar 2012 Location: Somewhere between the sacred silence & sleep Oddometer: 383	Looks like a nice bike. I've never ridden the 705 but, I hear they actually vibrate less. Living debt free is the only true freedom! Everything I own is paid for & I could probably survive (& still eat meat) on $600 a month. Here in rural Tennessee the cost of living is very low, just gassed up @ $3.59. My blood preassure would be through the roof if I had a mortgage to pay. Credit is a trap. I never had a credit card till I was 39 & I only got that so I could buy things cheaper on the inter-webs. Proptly pay the card in full each month. I love my KLR, it's a bike that puts money in my pocket.

09-24-2012, 08:01 AM	#14
beergut Thumper Joined: Dec 2009 Location: Indiana Oddometer: 348	Looks like you have quite the bike there...not your average KLR thats for sure! I will be just North of you this weekend! __________________ '04 KTM 950Adv

09-30-2012, 11:58 AM	#15
GAS GUY ^OP Beastly Adventurer Joined: Jul 2007 Location: Garden city, Michigan Oddometer: 2,045	Fuel mileage check today. Since it has a 705 kit and is jetted accordingly, I have been curious as to the mpg.A few days ago I filled up the massive 10 gallon tank and reset the trip odo. So I have been commuting to work, and running around doing some photo tag on dirt roads and maybe 20 miles of freeway and stopped today to top off the tank and get some numbers. The trip odo had 202 miles on it and the tank only took 3.779 gallons to top it off. So thats like 53.5 MPG. I don't know how accurate the trip odo is (I know it is close though judging by the ride to work)yet, as I have not checked it against the Gps.But even if it is off a little I figure I am at least getting 50, so I am really happy with that. Here is a picture from todays ride. __________________ 2008 KLR 705 2001 GAS GAS 321

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