What did you do to your KLR today??

[solorider40]

I installed a New set of Chain and Sprockets from Rocky Mountain ATV. 15t Front, 43t rear, and O-ring Chain for $72.99  I thought "Why not"? I'll give it a try and see how well they do. The chain came already cut to length, so all I had to do was just install it. OEM Chain lasted 26K miles, the last one was a Bike Master and it lasted 23K miles, so hopefully I'll get 23K out of this set.

Whoa.. great chain life your getting!  Not to start a new thread but which lube you using???

Believe it or not, I'm using Champion Chain Lube that I buy at Walmart for $5 a can. I run my chains a little toward the loose end. I usually lube it down as soon as I pull into the garage, so the chain is still warm and soaks in. Not sure if that helps, but I am getting good chain life. I will say that the last chain probably should have been changed out sooner. I started noticing a surging(which I thought was the engine) then I realized that the chain had a tight section in it and was making the bike feel like it was surging.

OK thanx... think'n of switching to a Real lube since I only get about 10,000mi outta a chain using WD-

Oh Yeah!! WD-40 is more for Water Displacement than for Lubrication. Plus it doesn't stay on long. You'll double the chain life if you use a good lube or at least 90 weight oil.

[Jettn Jim]

Yea I generally only use WD for a cutting/drilling aid, not really for lube.. but thought I'd try it on the chain since it was easily available EVERYWHERE on the globe. So figured I'd test it out here at home for when ever I can get away to ride the World.    Spose I'll switch up to real lube for this years rides.. aaand ya know what... the way the population of the globe is getting I can about find chain lube anywhere anyway.   If not then I'll use some sort of penatrating oil.  OR  better yet engine oil, when I was a kid racing MX  that's all dad and I used for chain lube.
Thanx for helping bring this back into my memory...

[Jettn Jim]

Welllll not exactly today... but a couple days ago and for the next two... these mods.
Hung a new/used DR650 fender on her (I really like this one.. keeper) and pulled the tank to install the choke, replace a weaping valve cover seal with 4 new cover bolt seals too.  While I was in there checked the valves Int .007 -.008 Ex .009 -.010  

Put on the carb mounted choke.

Works great and I love it!

Hung the new Zeta clutch perch.. (I like this too, very adjustable and smooth.) Seems to reduce the clutch pull even more, soo may sell the longer 2HE clutch arm.  I don't even have it on the light setting though it has both light and accurate settings.   Yea more moving parts to fail compared to stock.. sooo I'll be the guinea pig for a few thousand miles.

Also put on the New 60mm Mark 3 Pivot Pegs... after 600mi I like them too.

In the next coupla days I'll rebuild the shock linkage then hang this new swingarm, rotor, caliper, Zeta brake lever with DRZ master cylinder and use the new HEL Performance lines. Red w/ gold on the rear and Smoke w/ Red on the front  
You'll notice I haven't heated the shrink tubing that covers the stainless ends yet.. wanna position the ends first in case I have to rotate them. I'm really exited about this new swingarm and can't believe I didn't do it sooner.  The lack of the thin metal adjusment pieces full of dirt WON'T be missed or kicking the rear tire everytime I remove the wheel to get the caliper bracket unstuck!!!   The ol' arm is basically 1986 technology soo I'm getting 22yrs of advancement for $159- WoooHoooo

[orco59]

getting ready to ride more ...
changed the front rotor, new tires front and back (shinko 700), lubed it, 5v and 12v outlets, homemade dashboard, heated grips, new grips, and a little more knowlede on how this bike is put together.

[Josjor]

At 6'4" tall I've been screwing around with about every option available to get rid of buffeting on the helmet, including the KLRDash and tall screens.  Nothing was working.  On a recent ride I got to my destination and thought "Why don't I remove the screen completely for the ride home and check it out?"

Result:  Bliss.  Clean air on the helmet.  Quiet.

Got home, removed the KLRDash, and trimmed my old stock shield way, WAY down, painted it black, and installed.  Did a 100 mile ride yesterday and it's perfect!!

[elk311]

Doing:

Thermo Bob
22 cent mod
snorkel mod
new Jardine RT4 exhaust
JD jetting
K&N air filter
new Metzler Enduro3 Sahara
new spark plug

[CoastieShep]

Found out that a 270 front + high speed gusty cross winds + grooved pavement + idiots in cars = quite a few washers cut out of my seat.

[Jettn Jim]

DId a leakdown test... She didn't quite ace the test.    Then hung the new DRZ front brake master cylinder w/ Zeta lever and HEL custom line... Desiree's look'n soo sexy  

[CoastieShep]

Slipped on the new Progrip 714's. I like the slight palm swell, and overall feel of these grips. They really fill my hand nicely. Haven't had a chance to ride with them yet, hopefully tomorrow.

[CoastieShep]

Short little ride today, just to the store for some chain lube.
Where have these grips been all my life?

[Jettn Jim]

Stripped the bra (and other things) off Desiree' today exposing her Jug, then organized all the pieces so that tomorrow I can mic the Cylinder and Piston, before ordering up a new ringset and gaskets.  The hole  looked great and so did the skirt  soo I'll havta look closer to see why she was leaking soo much, everything nice and clean nooo scuffing.   Will clean up the head and maybe touch up the valves while I'm in there too.
 

[rarepartbuilder]

Jim are you using valve grinding/lapping compound when you touch up the valves...  or just carbon removal from the stems?
~b~

[Josjor]

You know, if you take out the references to cylinder, piston, ringset, and gasket, that could be a really dirty post.   

Stripped the bra (and other things) off Desiree' today exposing her Jug, then organized all the pieces so that tomorrow I can mic the Cylinder and Piston, before ordering up a new ringset and gaskets.  The hole  looked great and so did the skirt  soo I'll havta look closer to see why she was leaking soo much, everything nice and clean nooo scuffing.   Will clean up the head and maybe touch up the valves while I'm in there too.
 

[Jettn Jim]

Jim are you using valve grinding/lapping compound when you touch up the valves...  or just carbon removal from the stems?
~b~

Havn't decided yet.. I'll think about it tomorrow when I go over it a bit closer.  Don't want to round off the sharp angles of the valve job with too much lapping,  so probably just a clean up... maybe a touch with a stone?  But don't want to sink them either.  I've been concentrating more on the piston, rings and cylinder trying to determine why she started leaking.   Cylinder is nice and round  with nice crosshatch, (more than I would expect) piston looks good with some signs of heat expansion on the upper lands causing a touch of scuffing, and some heat discoloration under the top,  the  rings look really good wear wise but show perhaps a slight sign of butting. (not good)   Looks like I'm a leeetle (alot on a street engine) on the lean side causing some  upper piston expansion and ring expansion.  Which has led to losing seal and some blow by.  Seams to have started at about the 9,000mi mark into the 705 which is when I was ripping down to Florida with temps @ upper 20's lower 30's and near sea level.  Ripping fast but not so good for the long haul.  My jetting mentality is still from the racing days and I always like to be lean and mean,  should have fattened her up before that cold Febuary ride, the plug is usually white w/ a slight hint of color if at all, and the exhaust valves are both grey to light grey deffinately plenty lean.   Engine looks super good actually, just needs a few tweaks.  I'll go fatter this time and throw a couple more .000"  to the end gaps this time.  Oil choice had entered my mind too but I'm going to suspend that thought for at least a few days more.

You know, if you take out the references to cylinder, piston, ringset, and gasket, that could be a really dirty post.   

Haha yea I spose it could be puurty Riskque'
 

[CoastieShep]

Plugged in a new low beam bulb, since the stocker blew out on me last night. Got me one of those sylvania pure white bulbs that claims 35% better light or whatever.

[BkT]

Anyone ever get a speeding ticket on their KLR like me???

[SLO-KLR]

Anyone ever get a speeding ticket on their KLR like me???

Iv'e come close a couple of times.  I got pulled over on a section of road that had been 45mph forever then it was closed for many months and rebuilt.  When it was reopened the new speed was 35mph but I was doing 50.  The motorcop let me off with a warning.  The other time I had a good lean angle going in a sweeper doing about 60-65 in a 55 when a deputy going the other direction saw me and came to a quick stop then tried to turn around.  He was still in the process of a 3 point turn when I disappeared around the next corner. 

[CB160]

Hey JJ, is there any 'Kawi' left on that nice bike besides the frame?   

[Jettn Jim]

Anyone ever get a speeding ticket on their KLR like me???

 ooh buddy... been pulled over MANY times on the KLR!  

Hey JJ, is there any 'Kawi' left on that nice bike besides the frame?   

haha well ya know it's about down to the frame now... the frame and coolant overflow bottle still stock.  Most everything else modded.    I love how this bike is coming together.. just hope it STAYS together.
Ooooh boy... and I have plans for another 705cc engine using the first blown engine, was gonna wait and do it myself this winter, ol' style tranny, big valves in a ported head, 10.5:1 CR... but I'm thinking there's a good chance I'll blow this poor mill up on this next ride sooo I think I'll just ship it all out to Carl's for the Pre-Build.  So that IF it indeed does come apart I'll have a spare to drop in while I'm out there... Then BABY her home and maybe buy a twin.

[BkT]

Anyone ever get a speeding ticket on their KLR like me???

Iv'e come close a couple of times.  I got pulled over on a section of road that had been 45mph forever then it was closed for many months and rebuilt.  When it was reopened the new speed was 35mph but I was doing 50.  The motorcop let me off with a warning.  The other time I had a good lean angle going in a sweeper doing about 60-65 in a 55 when a deputy going the other direction saw me and came to a quick stop then tried to turn around.  He was still in the process of a 3 point turn when I disappeared around the next corner. 

As I was signing the ticket I just chuckled a bit about how odd of a picture it would make.  Speeding on a KLR... I still chuckle some but I was frowned up when I put the payment in the mail...

As someone pointed out its a good thing I wasn't on a sportbike on that long, straight boring road... It woulda been worse

[Jettn Jim]

Been a busy week... from new levers, with DRZ master, to brakelines and footpegs, to a new 2" longer Motion-pro clutch cable, to a poor leakdown test which led me to resolve the just recent oil use/blowby issues by freshening the top end with an improved valve job and fresh rings with opened up gaps, to rejetting the CV40, to swapping in a nice new/used airbox (I got from fatherof4 Thank you   ) with out the butchered "L" Mod from the PO, I had covered with an icecream tub, then put in my own adjustable tuning holes, to hanging some new/used '09 black rearpegs.  Also did the MB PCV mod and Heated/Reshaped 4 plugs with a heatgun so they'd stay in the new airbox breather holes when not opened up.  This way I can either add or take away fuel by swapping jets or do the same thing by adding ar taking way air... or a bit of both.
She's further from being finished now than ever and just a little over a week till we go on Tour... Tomorrow reinstall the airbox and subframe, hang the carb, hang new SU rack and swap out to the new '09 swingarm, caliper, rotor and HEL lines..
As soon as I get the new Mylers Supercool radiator I'll fire 'er up and do a 50mi break in run.
Here are a few pics...





You can see she had started to burn the oil that got past the rings...



Wait'n for a new lung...











Mocking up the head to figure where I wanted the shims to fall, then tipping the valves, and reassembly...







That's 4011mi on the 244...

She loooks reeeally good as a bobber!!!

[NomadGal]

Wow! what a venture! You sure got the tools to do all that, and the daring. Not sure if I would ever willingly go there. The crack case was challenging enough for me at this time! Is your rear tire bald, or does it just look that way?

[Jettn Jim]

Wow! what a venture! You sure got the tools to do all that, and the daring. Not sure if I would ever willingly go there. The crack case was challenging enough for me at this time! Is your rear tire bald, or does it just look that way?

Shoulda clarified... took ol' Desiree's cyl and head up to my buddy Lou Terra's machine shop (where I used to do all my racecar work) and with him reminding me of old procedures and Good friend Kurts touch with the stone (on the heads) I got her tip top again. I used to do this stuff as much as I layed carpet back in the day.
I think your doing EXCELLENT on bringing your bike back into shape!      aand yup the 244 is SPENT!  Was trying to get it worn to the cords and about succeded, having put 4,011 miles on it.  Was shooting for 4,000. 

[CoastieShep]

Well, I lubed the chain, washed AND dried it. 

[Old Big Mo.]

Not much, but I wanted to try out these bags on my Nerf bars,, they hold a lot of stuff down low, seam to work ok, not sure if I will keep them or not,







I like traveling light, but want to carry some stuff with me, I have most of my tools and air pump and patch kit it these with room for more..