KLR650 Only Thread......

[k9bite]

Thank you for all the replies. I am excited about all of the extras, has almost everything I want and then some. Only mods I'm not excited about are the jet kit and the 14 tooth sprocket. I plan to do probably 90/10 street to dirt so neither of these are really a plus. Also, the turn signal beeper is so loud it made me jump when I was checking that the signals functioned (I'm sure I can disconnect this).

Reference the stage 1 jet kit, the seller said he thought it was a Dyno jet kit, but the label on it was Studebaker, so he wasn't sure what manufacturer the kit was.

My main concern about the odometer was resale value. Not that I plan on selling it anytime soon, but I guess I worry other potential buyers would be as trusting as I am. I guess I'm being silly because if you guys don't think it is a big deal, than most potential buyers wouldn't either.

I'll let you know how it all turns out. My mechanic isn't open until Tuesday, so if it works out I'll know Tuesday night.

Todd

[Croissant Warrior]

Looking for advice and direction...

Neutral light no longer lights up. Looked at the diagram, I see it is fed by a brown (+12V) and baby blue (on pic is it LT GN) which feeds all the way to the gear box. When the bike is in Neutral, the LT GN wire shorts to ground, and the light should come on.

If I disconnect the wire from the gear box and short it to the frame, the light comes on. And to make sure I am not stupid, I did rotate the rear wheel to make sure I was in Neutral.

Looking in Google, can't find anything in reference to replacing a Neutral switch inside the gearbox...

Tx for any tips

~CW

[oneblackdog]

Originally Posted by stuser

Yeah mine's using that much sometimes.... bah

Did you also get the Wossner piston kit from Mototech? or?

G'day Stuser, I got the Wossner kit from the local distributer (Serco, Brisbane) and they also did the bore job, but another local engine builder (Dave Chilton) did the head... and I'm doing the rest.

[Grinnin]

Originally Posted by Croissant Warrior

If I disconnect the wire from the gear box and short it to the frame, the light comes on. And to make sure I am not stupid, I did rotate the rear wheel to make sure I was in Neutral.

Looking in Google, can't find anything in reference to replacing a Neutral switch inside the gearbox...

Tx for any tips

Sometimes a switch will get "fussy" and only light up when the selector is centered in neutral. But it sounds like this is not a single instance, but a total failure.

The neutral switch simply unscrews from the case. After you get it out, test the switch itself to see if the problem is the switch contact or the switch "button" not being pushed far enough.

If you clean enough chain lube out of there, you'll probably see clearly how to get it out.

[Aprilia]

Originally Posted by k9bite

Thank you for all the replies. I am excited about all of the extras, has almost everything I want and then some. Only mods I'm not excited about are the jet kit and the 14 tooth sprocket. I plan to do probably 90/10 street to dirt so neither of these are really a plus. Also, the turn signal beeper is so loud it made me jump when I was checking that the signals functioned (I'm sure I can disconnect this).

Reference the stage 1 jet kit, the seller said he thought it was a Dyno jet kit, but the label on it was Studebaker, so he wasn't sure what manufacturer the kit was.

My main concern about the odometer was resale value. Not that I plan on selling it anytime soon, but I guess I worry other potential buyers would be as trusting as I am. I guess I'm being silly because if you guys don't think it is a big deal, than most potential buyers wouldn't either.

I'll let you know how it all turns out. My mechanic isn't open until Tuesday, so if it works out I'll know Tuesday night.

Todd

Studebaker kit is a repackaged DJ kit. You don't buy bikes for resale value. You buy them to ride and enjoy. Entry price for a KLR is very low. If you managed to rack up 75K miles next couple yrs you'd still get $1500 for it. $ per mile usage is very very very low. Buy it, do the basic hit items for GenII's, maintain it with records and just ride!

[itsatdm]

Originally Posted by k9bite

Thank you for all the replies. I am excited about all of the extras, has almost everything I want and then some. Only mods I'm not excited about are the jet kit and the 14 tooth sprocket. I plan to do probably 90/10 street to dirt so neither of these are really a plus. Also, the turn signal beeper is so loud it made me jump when I was checking that the signals functioned (I'm sure I can disconnect this).

Reference the stage 1 jet kit, the seller said he thought it was a Dyno jet kit, but the label on it was Studebaker, so he wasn't sure what manufacturer the kit was.

My main concern about the odometer was resale value. Not that I plan on selling it anytime soon, but I guess I worry other potential buyers would be as trusting as I am. I guess I'm being silly because if you guys don't think it is a big deal, than most potential buyers wouldn't either.

I'll let you know how it all turns out. My mechanic isn't open until Tuesday, so if it works out I'll know Tuesday night.

Todd

Studebaker is probably a Chinese knock off of some ones jet kit. If the bike runs OK and gets decent mileage, I would not be worried about removing it. They do give a modest boost in power. Stage 1 is meant for stock bikes with no exhaust modifications

The stock sprocket is 15 tooth, the owner may have it laying around if he is the one that replaced it with a 14. If you do any off road, that 14 is a good sprocket to have.

[NHMatt]

I have my 08 torn down to just the mechanicals and have considered not putting the front fairing back on after I'm done. I plan on taking everything off the frame and painting it flat black instead of the silver color. Here is the catch, I want to change the look of the bike but with next to nothing to spend on fancy fairings. I kind of dig the single round headlight mounted to the tree look. How hard is it to go old school and still use the tach and speedo from the stock setup? Will the side fairings look right without the front one? Am I just talking out of my ass and assuming too much work for so little money? Note: I am a welder by trade and can make any brackets or guards that I may need.

[k9bite]

Well, thanks for all the good advice guys. I was still really on the fence about the bike with all the upgrades and the odometer issue when I came across a new CL listing for an '09 KLR. I looked at it today and bought it. The owner really babied it and it looks almost like new. Got a good enough price that I still have enough money left over to make a significant dent in the upgrades I intend to do to it. Again, thanks for all you input.

Todd

[elel]

Originally Posted by Tsotsie

1. Finding the oil leak. Clean the bike well- with a water soluble degreaser - spray on, wash off. Ride the bike (on a dirt road) and see where the dirt collects. Several areas. There is an oil delivery pipe that sends oil from the left side to the transmission, the counter sprocket bearings and up to the head and cams. These attachment points and their copper washers may be loose. This oil leaking will be on the top back of the motor. If the chain was too tight, then it may have destroyed the counter shaft oil seal - oil will be coming out of that shaft area. Both are relatively easy to fix and no need tear the motor apart. Find the leak area 1st.

2. Foam in the motor. I would 1st look at the oil filter area to see what was in there. Then definitly, and as soon as possible, remove the clutch side cover and check the oil screen at the bottom. If this gets blocked, then it would starve the oil pump and if that happens, it will 1st toast your cam bearings.

3. White moisture residue in the sight glass. Not a big issue. A by-product of combustion is acidic water which does not get expelled from the exhaust, but leaks into the crankcase and is usually heated off/evaporated when the motor (oil and crankcase in particular, gets up to operating temp. This evaporation does not occur if all you are doing is short trips in cold weather. Those of us who have the thermobob have less of a problem as the motor warms up quickly and stays at a higher temp (195) than the 160 degree stock stat.

4. Leaking oil and using oil are two different animals. Fix the leaks and then see what your oil usage is before sweating over piston replacement.

5. What is prudent for keeping an 08 running on long trips?. Oil and gas is the short answer. Proper maintenace, including lubing and adjusting the chain helps. The long answer - another day. However, the best and most important answer to keeping any motorcycle running long and reliably is what is between your ears! Information (and knowing where to get it), knowledge and a KLR, as simple as it is, will help you there.

Thanks for the advice! Everything not pavement is covered in ice and snow here right now, so I may have to find an alternate method of pinpointing oil leaks, but the rest should be doable. I'll post if any new developments come up in the course of the work.

[ausfahrt]

Originally Posted by k9bite

Well, thanks for all the good advice guys. I was still really on the fence about the bike with all the upgrades and the odometer issue when I came across a new CL listing for an '09 KLR. I looked at it today and bought it. The owner really babied it and it looks almost like new. Got a good enough price that I still have enough money left over to make a significant dent in the upgrades I intend to do to it. Again, thanks for all you input.

Todd

Well done. I think that you made the right choice. There are just too many nice reasonably priced bikes out there right now to take a chance on one with a questionable history.

Congratulations.

[PWRCRZR]

Originally Posted by k9bite

Well, thanks for all the good advice guys. I was still really on the fence about the bike with all the upgrades and the odometer issue when I came across a new CL listing for an '09 KLR. I looked at it today and bought it. The owner really babied it and it looks almost like new. Got a good enough price that I still have enough money left over to make a significant dent in the upgrades I intend to do to it. Again, thanks for all you input.

Todd

Congrats on the new bike
I think either way you would have been happy.
This way you get to do all the mods yourself though.

[Murphy Slaw]

Originally Posted by PWRCRZR

Congrats on the new bike
I think either way you would have been happy.
This way you get to do all the mods yourself though.

Ditto. And that's a looker right there.....

[Byork]

Originally Posted by k9bite

Sweet Bike. Congrats.

[k9bite]

Thanks for the nice comments guys. Been having lots of fun with it today (like riding to the motor vehicle department to get it plated).

Todd

[IDRIDR]

Checked valve clearance last night with feeler gauges. 2006 model with 13K miles, I've had it for a little over a year and picked up with 11.5K miles. Don't know if valves have ever been checked or adjusted before. Results:

Lt Ex: between .076 & .102 mm
Rt Ex: 0.15 mm (tight fit)

Lt In: 0.15 mm (tight fit)
Rt In: 0.15 mm

Specs: Inlet 0.10 - 0.20 mm. Exhaust 0.15 - 0.25 mm.

Questions: Is it typical on these for the exhaust to be out of spec before intake? Is there anything I should be especially concerned with on the left exhaust being so far out of spec? Plan to pull the exhaust shims out tonight and replace appropriately.

Thanks.