Going Green New Meaning

[motocephalic]

Another confirmation that 3-bars is more or less normal. The 1000's run a little cooler on the gage.

Just sold my DL650. A bit frumpy and certainly not anything to write home about in the dirt, but you can argue that it is one of the best all-around bikes every made. Extremely economical and stone-ax reliable too. I loved mine. With ABS now available on the new ones, you can make a strong case that it is 95% of a S10 at 65% of the cost. I better stop talking or I'll talk myself into a new ABS at my local dealer. If Suzuki would just "butch" the bike up a bit like BMW does with the Adventure (bigger tank, wire/tubeless wheels, integrated guards) and update the styling, I'd be back into the fold.

- Mark

I jumped ship with mine cause I needed a little more lead in the pencil. An 800cc would be incredible. I can handle the fuel capacity at 5.8 gal. I would like inverted forks with a shaft and ABS and that would be it.

 

[ptfjjj]

There's a guy here in Florida selling a KTM 625 SuperMoto. Anyone know any scoop on this bike? He says that it has 1500mi and he's asking 4K.

 

[HoebSTer]

do any of your KLR guys know how many teeth are on the counter sprocket from factory? OH, here's my bike!!! The knobbies gotta go!!!! They aren't even street legal!!!

 

[ptfjjj]

Nice looking bike, Jeff. It should do a nice job for you til......

 

[fredz43]

do any of your KLR guys know how many teeth are on the counter sprocket from factory? OH, here's my bike!!! The knobbies gotta go!!!! They aren't even street legal!!!

On the 08+ models the stock is 15t. I believe the earlier ones were the same. Many of us found out that changing to a 16 for general riding was great, as it lowered RPM's at highway speeds and still had enough grunt for around town. Guys that do a lot of off road generally dropped down to a 14.

 

[HoebSTer]

thanks fred, while i am at it, how about the rear? 43 tooth? it now has a 45 on the rear, i am going back to the 43 just for fuel sake and ability to run on hwy to and from work 8-10 miles.

 

[MotorcopBBQ]

Nice purchase, jeff. Now you have to get one of those Zombie KLR sitckers.
I think I should look into a DL650 and KLR a little bit more...or a yamaha zuma 125

 

[markjenn]

There's a guy here in Florida selling a KTM 625 SuperMoto. Anyone know any scoop on this bike? He says that it has 1500mi and he's asking 4K.

That's a bit of a cult bike. More fun than a barrel of monkeys on a supermoto track or super tight/twisty road, but not much of an all-arounder. The LC4 engine in the 625/640 models has a bit of a reputation as a serious shaker. Also very maintenance intensive - 3K oil changes that involve two filters, draining multiple reservoirs, removing oil lines, burping the frame reservoir to purge air, etc. There is no harder bike to change the oil on in all of motorcycledom. And 3K valve adjustment intervals that require special feeler gages to fit into unbelievably small rocker boxes.

But a VERY cool bike. Just be sure you're going in with your eyes open. No comment on price - don't watch this market.

- Mark

 

[motocephalic]

do any of your KLR guys know how many teeth are on the counter sprocket from factory? OH, here's my bike!!! The knobbies gotta go!!!! They aren't even street legal!!!

nice bike, changing the gears should help. That is my fear that I will be wringing it out in this metro. I am working on a couple of other deals.

 

[fredz43]

thanks fred, while i am at it, how about the rear? 43 tooth? it now has a 45 on the rear, i am going back to the 43 just for fuel sake and ability to run on hwy to and from work 8-10 miles.

I sold the bike recently, Jeff and so can't go look at the rear sprocket. I didn't change it from stock and don't recall how many teeth it was. With the OEM rear sprocket and the 16 in front I could cruise at 75 GPS speed comfortably.

 

[tubebender]

do any of your KLR guys know how many teeth are on the counter sprocket from factory? OH, here's my bike!!! The knobbies gotta go!!!! They aren't even street legal!!!

Stock KLR sprockets are 15/43.

Nice bike! How many miles?

 

[mobyfubar]

thanks fred, while i am at it, how about the rear? 43 tooth? it now has a 45 on the rear, i am going back to the 43 just for fuel sake and ability to run on hwy to and from work 8-10 miles.

I ran 16/45 for a couple years on my '03 and liked it; only changed because when I was ready to swap I couldn't find anything but the stock sizes locally. I ride mostly paved stuff.

 

[HoebSTer]

tube bender, it has 1350 miles on it. I have some Shinko E705's coming this week for it. That will help with the highway riding, and occasional forest service road. Has to be better tires than the OEM ones, and the Knobbies!!!!

 

[HoebSTer]

So, whats worse than not having a bike, is having one in the garage on a stand waiting for tires!!!! AARRGGHH!!!! It has been monsoon rain here in Seattle, so that has helped some!!!

 

[HoebSTer]

well, i have put a few hundred miles on the KLR, wow, it sure isn 't a twin or v-4!!! what a buzz at 70mph. there isn't any buzz the Tenere can produce that will be remotely close to this buzz!!!

 

[justbob]

I've got some friends that ride their KLR's everywhere, they are a lot tougher than me.
Two of them are leaving next week to circle north america, about 23,000 miles in 6 to 8 weeks on KiLleR.

 

[motocephalic]

well, i have put a few hundred miles on the KLR, wow, it sure isn 't a twin or v-4!!! what a buzz at 70mph. there isn't any buzz the Tenere can produce that will be remotely close to this buzz!!!

At least your out riding. I bought another DL 650, and I can say I am really happy with it. It was sitting for a very long time in a guys yard tires rotting. I ordered some new ones right away, but not soon enough as I got too discover their limits with a slow speed low side. That was the first thing I changed.

 

[HoebSTer]

motoceph, yeah tires can be pretty important item for riding. i once had installed a half worn pair of dunlop k591's put back onto my bike after i got home from a cross country trip. The used tires were installed, the bike sat out in the shop parking lot most of the day until i could pick it up. Then when i did pick it up and start to drive out of parking lot, as soon as i hit the road while turning still, and leaning over a bit too much, the cold tires went right out from under me!!! No damage, just cold used (but still 5k left on them) tires. That was embarasing right in front of the shop!!!

 

[RedRocker]

I've got some friends that ride their KLR's everywhere, they are a lot tougher than me.
Two of them are leaving next week to circle north america, about 23,000 miles in 6 to 8 weeks on KiLleR.

They're crazy, I went from an Ultra Classic to a KLR, so taking long trips on it
don't even cross my mind.

 

[HoebSTer]

there are tons and tons of people taking long trips on the klrs