Hi everybody,

I'm a KLR newbie that has just bought a 2018. Really happy with it and wanting to make a few mods/improvements.

The first thing I want to replace the plastic skid plate with a metal one and add a center stand. Now, I'm not particularly mechanically minded so don't want to be messing around trying to modify anything so I'm looking for a stand and plate that are compatible.

There's a lot of choice out there and I don't know what would be best. Can anybody recommend me anything?

Thanks so much!

Howard

I recommend that you consider a skid plate only. Then ride for a while to see if you really need a center stand. I have about 150,000 miles on KLRs and have never needed a center stand.

Guaranteed compatibility can be had from over here, but I don't necessarily recommend center stand installation either. But you probably don't ride where I ride or how I ride.

https://www.happy-trail.com/find-you...te-klr650.html

https://www.happy-trail.com/find-you...d-klr650e.html

Thanks for both your replies. I got to think that anybody who has ridden 150,000 miles on a KLR should know what he is talking about so I'll take your advise and skip the center stand for now at least.

Here is a link to an old link, 2010. I don't know if the company is still in business or not.

Trail Stand, https://advrider.com/f/threads/trail...-stand.538235/

For a jack stand I use about 15 inches of 1 inch PVC pipe with a "TEE" cut in half to make a saddle on one end. I store my tire tools inside the stand and also use it as a cheater bar on the short handle tools I take on road trips.

Ditto on Paul and GoMotor's comments; I hate centerstands.....why? well, they add weight, reduce ground clearance, flop around on bumps and obstacles AND on the KLR they typically mount using the footpeg mounting bolts/nuts which are already weak adding to a common failure point. ....all that plus I tend to do my maintenance in my heated garage on a bike lift - if and when I (rarely) have to make a repair or do maintenance in the field, there are many small, light easy options like the one GoMotor mentions.

Cheers,
Dave

How do you check the oil and clean the rear wheel without a center stand.

To check the oil I hold the bike upright and look in the sight glass.

To clean the rear wheel, oil the chain, remove the rear wheel, I use a Is Stick™ in the field, a proper lift in the shop.

Was your statement meant to be some sort of a rhetorical question?

My Is Stick™ doesn't clank loudly when going over rough ground, weigh 10 pounds, reduce ground clearance, or help strip footpeg bolts by overstressing them.

My neck is fused with twelve plates so holding the bike vertical and looking at the site glass is impossible. I use a front wheel stand or ask someone to hold it up. I sure miss dip sticks on bikes!