Shortening the Side Stand

[ocatjack]

I am a new owner of a 2006KLR that was lowered 2 inches. I'm having trouble getting off the bike because it is too upright. I am an older female who is maybe?? not quite normal. Can I shorten the side stand or is there a better solution for me. Gotta ride!

[DXKLR]

KLR650.com located at the top of the forum window has this shortened stand. Or you could have someone cut an inch or two out of the center of yours, then weld it back together. A professional welder could do it and make it safe. Shouldn't cost that much either.

Pic of KLR650's stand:

[KayLR]

Well, Hello! from one older female rider to another I got the 2 inch lowering links for my KLR and stopped at a friends house to see if he would put them on (hubby at work and I was anxious) so the friend put them on and he took it for a little jaunt down the road and came back and got off and I got right back on and said Hey, I gotta go!!! He's like, "whats your hurry??" I can't put the kickstand down now to park it--we both had a good laugh and I ride away-got home and leaned it on a rock flower bed and got my sons dirtbike triangle and propped it up--I am lucky to have guys that my hubby works with that cut it off and rewelded the foot back on(love those guys) surely you can find someone that can do that for ya...Kay

oh, and we probably aren't quite normal--I like it that way!!
Oh my gosh-just read your bio-could be me-trade artist for piano player--thinking today while I rode to get art supplies,I garden,do artwork , have my own toolbelt and ride a motorcycle-have my own 357/38 special-gotta be in the minority!!! Dontcha love it!!!

[KayLR]

By the way, WELCOME to the forum--glad to have another female on here.....

[ocatjack]

Thanks for the info. It is comforting to meet another female rider. Thought something was wrong with me. I have only been riding for about 7 months. My main ride is a BMW F800ST. Hope that does not upset anyone. Got the KLR to improve riding skills and go on backroads. Spent last week on a 2500 mile ride with hubby and guys in the Big Bend National Park in South Texas. It was wonderful riding with great scenery. Look forward to more long trips. Felt weird driving a car after we arrived back home.

[Daddyjoe]

Welcome to the forum......

[t3chnow1z]

Welcome to the forum.

Enjoy the ride!

t3ch

[ocatjack]

Thanks for the info. I've ordered a shorter side stand. I have discovered I can dismount on the other side and not drop the bike.
Still trying to break the bike in. That's a darn slow process. We went for a ride yesterday and it's very frustrating keeping an eye on the RPM's and having all the cars pass you. This bike is so different from my other bike which is a ST type. Yesterday really helped my confidence with the new position. Getting close to 200 miles on odometer.

[DXKLR]

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

Give this site a look over. I started out doing the factory thing, then decided to ride it like I stole it. I had always broke my car engines that I built like this guy suggests and never had a problem with oil consumption or anything else. So far my bike will use less oil than my buddies 05 when we ride them hard up into the higher RPM's for extended periods. It is just a thought I am neither saying it is the correct way or incorrect, it is simply up to the person to decide. As for the kickstand, the factory foot is bad for sinking into soft ground and dirt. I went to the hardware store and picked up a washer that was about 2 1/2 inches in diameter and welded it onto the foot. So far it hasn't even thought about sinking short of setting it down in soft mud. I think if you do a search of my posts I should have a picture of it.

Heres my post on the footpad
http://www.klrforum.com/showthread.p...ight=kickstand

[tessy2]

Greetings, I found a cheap used one on ebay, cut out one inch on a friends bandsaw (approx 3 inches from base), found a piece of steel tubing that fit on the inside of the tube about 5 1/2 inches long, used JB weld to put the pieces together. So good so far and the lean is now safe. I lowered mine one and a half inches in the rear and the stand was just a bit too long in my mind. Good luck with your fix.
tessy2