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What did you do to your KLR today? (2020)

17K views 120 replies 47 participants last post by  Mark Motomoto 
#1 ·
This thread hasn't been too popular of late. Last post from 2019 was in September, then everybody must have taken a rest from KLR stuff.

Give it another run for 2020.

Who will be first to do something to their KLR in 2020??
 
#2 ·
Bike tinkering KLR 600

Well i am quite busy.

Just about completed a 85 Red 600 back to original.
Need a left switchgear assembly to arrive from Norway.

Got started on a black 85 KLR 600 about 4 weeks ago.

shims
regulator
battery
instument lights
need to check balance adjuster bits
kickstart spring
stickers and polishing
tank spray
front sprox
carb rebuild done but may have to revisit as the bloody choke is not working.Most likely blocked between vacuum chamber and enricher .
thermostat.

I will post some pics when I have worked out how-many its cos i am new ?
 
#4 ·
Well ok here goes, I bought a guy's gen 1 07 model just before New Year's Eve, 2019. It was a clean bike with a lot of extras, 12k on the clock. So for the last 11 days or so I haven't rode any
just worked on it. It came with Shinko 244 knobs , not to my liking very much so I replaced them
with Shinko 705 tires yesterday. It needed a new counter sprocket so I put on a 16t and a new chain. Also had need for a small front fender which I got from Amazon, UFO brand, and a new
windshield Parabellum from ProCycle. Btw , The Doo has been done. This is my second gen 1
bike. Never had a gen 2 yet. I might get around to checking the valves in a month or so but
will just ride it for now. I also spent a good deal of time cleaning up the wheels and chain areas.
 

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#6 ·
Thanks Tom, I have too liked it for years and almost came home with one a few times but the deal just wasn't good enough till now....more to come. Went out today for about 50 miles, it just runs
great. Just something about a motorcycle, even oil tanks are interesting to look at if you are on
two wheels!!
 
#7 ·
Just an observation or two , or a musing perhaps. After I had cleaned and adjusted and fitted new
tires and began to enjoy a KLR all over again arriving back home one evening and admiring the
bike in the garage, what to do next?? So I got the torque wrench out just to spot check a few
places and I found a few surprises. Some nuts were way too tight and some way too loose.
The fork pinch bolts were an area I found the biggest surprises. Peg bolts and motor mounts
were mostly ok. The front axel nut was finger tight. This was on a new to me 07 model. I got a
big education . Y'all be careful out there.
 

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#8 · (Edited)
I made a pair of brackets to lower the foot pegs an inch and move them back an inch.
Took all of two hours and that included waiting for the paint to dry.
They started life as 3/8 x 3 flat bar. they are 2" x 3".
Replaced the factory bolts with quality bolts and used Loctite on them.
I lowered the shifter lever, brake pedal and adjusted the brake light switch too.





 
#9 ·
Well, this weekends plans are to mount a strebel airhorn and hopefully a new(to me) fairing bracket. Might try my hand at making a dash plate out of some old diamond plate i have. Wish i had plans to ride....
 
#10 ·
Fixed that durned ignition switch ...

Recently acquired '95 KLR had some weirdness with the lights. When you turned the ign switch to ON, the lights would come on only about half the time.

So I pulled off the ignition switch, cleaned and lubed the contacts. Scrubbed the grunge off with alcohol wipes, burnished the contacts with 800 sand paper, and then cleaned 'em again. Then put on a light coat of silicon grease and reassembled.

Presto - head and tail lights work every time now.

 
#13 ·
I finally got around to relocating the license plate on my gen 1. I have a cogent shock and raising links and bottoming out has not been a problem, but I'm planning a cross country trip this summer and the last thing I need is to lose my plate somewhere and have to deal with that. It is kinda disconcerting how low that sucker hangs. I was just going to remove the plate and then reinstall putting the bolts through the bottom plate holes, which raises the plate up significantly, but I have the tusk racks, and the bar that runs around the rear obscured the top half of the plate. I figured Johnny Law would not appreciate that.

I made a bracket with some sheet metal and bolted it to the fender, then bolted the plate holder to the bracket so that the plate is horizontal to the ground instead of at an upward angle. Again, for Johnny Law. Probably didn't need to do that but it works. Got rid of that old plate bulb (that thing has to have a pretty good draw) and used those cheap amazon LED's that screw into the plate. They're really too bright (thinking of a way I can dim them up a bit, maybe I'll just try masking tape for now) and I'll be surprised if they hold up more than a year or two, we'll see.

I think most people cut off the old plastic bracket but I'm going to keep it on there for now. I'm not concerned about the tire hitting it and I like the reflectors back there, even if they probably don't help my visibility all that much. All in all it was a nice winter project that may eliminate a headache down the road.
 
#20 ·
That looks very similar to the TPI center stand, at least with that keeper piece for the spring.


Took the red '07 out for exercise and to get some duplicate keys made, and pick up some painting supplies.

For Barbie - the weather here in Sac hit 70dF today so I put a few coats of paint on the DirtRacks and set 'em aside to dry. Should get around to mounting those up tomorrow.
 
#18 · (Edited)
Hello all,

I did something different on my KLR in 2020. I was hit by a car. I happened ten days ago. I was turning left when a car collided with the rear of my bike at 60kmh or about 37mph. Of course the bike and I were both damaged by the bitumen. I sustained only a few grazes on my knees and elbow. ( I was wearing a motorcycle jacket, but only normal denim jeans)

The bike was damaged on the rear and right hand side. The right hand fairing is completely wrecked, the that brackets hold the faring and cowling are squashed in and there are minor scrapes. I don't know if the swing arm or rear wheel are damaged. The forks are probably damaged and the handlebars are a bit twisted.

I am not sure what it is going to take to fix yet, It is at the repairer now, and I am waiting to hear from them.

The other driver's insurer has accepted 100% liability...
 
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