Next Sunday, April 6th, Dual-Sport/Adv bike ride

[ChR1s]

One of the most fun bikes I've owned was a KLR650. It could go almost anywhere, eventually. Tony, you seem to really be enjoying your KLR. Those D606s seem to help a lot off-road. I'd always stuck with the OE tires on mine. Maybe I can get the current owner to sell mine back to me...

[TTD]

Yeah... the tires, skid plate, footpegs and gearing change really changed what I'm comfortable doing on the KLR.

Before those items... I would not have liked it as much on anything other than street and fireroads.

[mycirus]

Yeah... the tires, skid plate, footpegs and gearing change really changed what I'm comfortable doing on the KLR.

Before those items... I would not have liked it as much on anything other than street and fireroads.

Hence my whining about my tires....

Bruce

[The Crashing Tomato]

thanks for the op-in's I really do want something with some streetable giddy-up and go but with some grunt and user friendliness in the single track woodsy stuff

I still have a CR250R for my MX fix. it is just sooo much work to tame that beast in the tight stuff

My d/s ing buddy has the KLX250 and I have tesed that out but it seems more road friendly than what I want. Ummmmm Aprillia RXV 450??? anyone? anyone?

[theothersean]

I had a dr650 and loved it it did well off road for how big it was, I ran metzler karoos on it, but would probably go for the d 606 instead.

Leah road it out to americade a few years ago and I rode it in the woods. it did well at highway speeds.


Tony thanks for the tip on the dremmel / flat head screw driver trick . 3 of the 4 bolts backed out with an air gun the 4th wouldn't budge, just kept stripping the allen hole. took out the dremmel made a big slot and cranked it out with a 2 foot long big flat head. Good thing about taking off the passenger pegs , aside from not hitting my leg on them anymore is that I now have 4 spots for spare bolts. ( not for me ofcourse, for those others that didn't check the torque on their bolts after each ride)

[TTD]

No problem, Sean... I've learned the dremel trick almost never fails.

And I usually bring a bunch of nuts and bolts too... but not on the KLR rides.


KLR for sale... good price... it's in CT.
For Sale: 2005 KLR650 Connecticut - KLR650.NET - Your Kawasaki KLR650 Resource!

[TTD]

So I took Renee's new bike out today for a spin.

I went up that big hill that only a few bikes did on the ride posted above.

It went up no problem, but it wouldn't carry 2nd gear. Each time I hit one of the "jumps", I would have to downshift to first and pick up speed again.

I think I would have had no problems with the hill on the KLR650 too. Will have to check that out this weekend.

I really wish I had the WR450, though. I probably could do 3rd gear and accelerate/wheelie all the way up.


Going up that hill definitely convinced me to drop a tooth on the front sprocket on Renee's bike.

[ChR1s]

Paige's KLX that I rode up the hill is -1 front. I missed the 1-2 shift at the bottom (that lever's short!), but once it got rolling in 2nd, no problemo.

[TTD]

Cool...that's what I'm hoping for Renee's bike.

I ordered the sprocket that Moose says fits Paiges' year... but it doesn't work on mine. It goes on, but there is no room for the lock washer to fit on the spline.

I love taking it all apart... and putting it all back together cuz I have the wrong part.

[theothersean]

Tony funny you should mention that, I was just out in the garage tonight trying to put a 13tooth sprocket on leah's bike only to find out its not the right one. I read somewhere that the klx300 sprockets would fit. so thats what i bought but its way too sloppy and definately not the right one, quite a bit thinner than the stock one so it had a lot of side to side play.

If you have one that is supposed to fit the 06/07 klx250S I am wondering if perhaps it will fit leah's but not the new 09 version that you have.

If thats the case I would buy it from you for leah's bike,

Chris which sprocket did you put on paige's bike?

[TTD]

I returned mine to Popolis today ... it is sitting there though.

[ChR1s]

Sean, it's a Moose part. It is not an *exact* match physically, but that's not uncommon for an aftermarket counter-shaft sprocket. I'll get the number off the packaging.

Tony, did you cross reference the OE part for your bike with the earlier model's OE part?

[ChR1s]

You boys aint puttin that thing on backwards, ares you?

2009 13-tooth sprocket- '06/'07 fits fine- UPDATED WITH PICS

[TTD]

LOL... yeah, that's me in that thread trying to get the person to understand.

My other sprocket will be in on Monday (the one the guy used in that thread) so we'll know for sure at that time.

[TTD]

Tony, did you cross reference the OE part for your bike with the earlier model's OE part?

I pulled the part number off this page. I did no other checking.

http://mooseracing.com/pdf/sprocketsaluminum.pdf

[ChR1s]

Here's the Moose Racing cog I installed:

# 1212-0073

[TTD]

yep..that's the one I returned to Popolis

So if it fits yours, it should fit Leah's.

They must have changed the lenght of the shaft because I could not get the lock washer on with that sprocket. The splines matched, but it took up the entire shaft.

I'm surprised by this since I heard there were no engine mods to speak of?

[ChR1s]

With the Moose sprocket, the dished/recessed side faces the engine.

[theothersean]

I made the mistake of getting the primary drive brand, but its a flat sprocket, and not as thick as the stock one so the washer and bolt do not snug it up tight.

I'll have to try the moose one next.

I am affraid to ask yamaha if there is a sprocket that will fit my new bike.
first gear is too revy but 2nd is too boggy I can't hill climb well with it, I went out around the house tonight after dinner for a bit over an hour and fell over on 3 hills that I usually rip right up because 1st would spin me out and second would bog down.
there is nothing quite like laying under your bike in a pile of leaves with your boot stuck under the rad shroud when the sun had set 15 min. earlier , its pretty dark and you hope you can muster up enough strength to get out from under the bike , obviously I did , but it wasn't pretty. Thank goodness for heavy MX boots
Lets just say the bike has suffered its first scratches on the plastics.

[ChR1s]

Tony, while you've got those tools out...

Locking Axle Nuts

[ChR1s]

... I went out around the house tonight after dinner for a bit over an hour and fell over on 3 hills that I usually rip right up

Was it something you ate?

[theothersean]

Was it something you ate?

nope........................ gravity

[TTD]

Tony, while you've got those tools out...

Locking Axle Nuts

Sweet!!!! Wonder why they don't come stock?

Maybe because I proved you don't actually need the nut?

[ChR1s]

OW! I think I bit my tongue.

[TTD]

Just came back from doing that hill on the KLR.

No sweat!!! Actually did it WR style... wheelying all the way.

The more I ride the big beast... the more I like her.

And Renee officially christened the new KLX with a U-turn drop... right at the top of the big hill.