[Yellowjacket]

I did chain maintenance yesterday after getting the centerstand mounted and I really like the stability it offers. I first tried a fairly high setting with the adjustable legs but it was a no-go when I tried pulling the bike onto it. It makes me appreciate just how heavy the KLR is, especially with a top heavy full tank of gas. (That I donated a kidney in order to fill up.)

 

[pdwestman]

I went to the hardware store and got some slightly shorter bolts along with some Loctite thread lock.

Yea I put blue Loctite on mine also.

May I make a simple suggestion to all of you concerning footrest bolts & sub-frame bolts and who own an inch pound torque wrench?

Use the stronger Red Loc-Tite and purposely over-torque them by 24 INCH POUNDS. Then when you CHECK them use the Standard torque spec, so as to NOT break the Loc-Tite loose.
Foot rest & Lower sub-frame bolts are spec'd at 18 ft lbs or 216 Inch Pounds, correct?
So initial install with Red Loc-Tite would be 240 Inch pounds. If in the future they move at 216 inch pounds or less something has stressed them.

 

[Yellowjacket]

Well, first problem I noticed was the very low center stand scraping whenever I make right turns. It's also all I can do to get the bike on the center stand. I'm in this too deep already for a refund-I'll try lowering the stand to the lowest setting.

 

[jiggseob]

After installing lowering dogbones on my rear suspension, and trying some reinforcing brackets from the center-stand to the frame, I found that with the lowering and the center-stand I was at like 6-1/2" inches of ground clearance. Not great.

When the bike wasn't lowered, I had a couple of occasions of straining my back getting the iron pig up onto the center stand.

And now that the bike was lowered, the angle of the center stand was even worse. I was going to have to chop some length out of the center-stand legs.

With all the complication that entailed, I just took the center-stand off and set it aside.

For $20 at a yard sale I picked up an ATV/motorcycle lift for use around the shop, to lift the whole bike for chain fiddling or rear wheel or front wheel work.

1500 lb. Steel ATV/Motorcycle Lift

1500 Lb. Capacity ATV/Motorcycle Lift

www.harborfreight.com

Bonus is I can put the KLR on the lift and wheel it around into a corner and make room for other bikes tractors trucks etc in the shop.

So outside the shop, I use the sidestand only. My back likes that better. And the footpeg bolts are staying tight. Grade-8 socket-head bolts, shortened to length with a grinder. I did as suggested, red-loctite and 20 ft-lbs, check with the torque wrench set at 18 ft lbs. No movement or loosening of the bolts so far.

 

[DPelletier]

....much better solution IMO.

Dave

 

[Yellowjacket]

For $20 at a yard sale I picked up an ATV/motorcycle lift for use around the shop, to lift the whole bike for chain fiddling or rear wheel or front wheel work.

I think eventually if I ever get a garage (or house for that matter and the way things are looking it's not happening anytime soon) I really would like one of those lifts. I found the reason I'm scraping is the double springs are loose enough it's allowing the center stand to lower due to momentum or inertia or whatever you want to call the downforce. It's primary purpose is to make it more difficult if some asshat wants to throw a hissy fit and knock my bike over again.

 

[Daveylocker]

Yup, sending my center stand order back after seeing this. Found a good way to do it after seeing the hickory stick pic. Thank you bud!

 

[jiggseob]

You carry a shovel... well prepared you are. Yes, there are always complicated ways to do stuff, including lifting the rear wheel off the ground for chain tending. And then there is elegantly simple.
I'm currently looking at why in the @#$%^&& it takes several bolts and taking panniers and racks and side covers off to get seat off to get to battery. I was riding with a buddy whose battery died and wouldn't start his Virago. I carry jumper cables. By the time I got my iron-pig disassembled enough to get to the battery, his buddy was to us with a truck/trailer. I'm considering leaving seat bolts off and letting friction and gravity and the old-fat-guy hold my KLR seat on...

 

[Daveylocker]

You are correct about doing a field dismantling to get to the battery. 6 bolts, best done with a socket. Most would think at least three times before starting that. Don’t think I would leave the bolts off for easy access though. Haha
I’m probably overthinking things, but I do fear a rear flat repair in a remote place. I can change the tires myself in my shop with all the amenities like an impact, chain hoist, tire stand and soap, and think it’s difficult enough there. Hopefully I never will have to remotely. But it’s like the life jacket in a fishing boat. It would be a bad day when you needed it and didn’t have it.

 

[PeteK]

And with certain types of pannier racks, you have to loosen them to get the side panels off. More reason not to reinstall the side panels.

 

[jaimesix]

You carry a shovel... well prepared you are. Yes, there are always complicated ways to do stuff, including lifting the rear wheel off the ground for chain tending. And then there is elegantly simple.
I'm currently looking at why in the @#$%^&& it takes several bolts and taking panniers and racks and side covers off to get seat off to get to battery. I was riding with a buddy whose battery died and wouldn't start his Virago. I carry jumper cables. By the time I got my iron-pig disassembled enough to get to the battery, his buddy was to us with a truck/trailer. I'm considering leaving seat bolts off and letting friction and gravity and the old-fat-guy hold my KLR seat on...

Noticed that issue

Like when I will go out of town knowing I’d not be around my KLR … looking to disconnect the negative post off my battery to keep it from discharging … only to realize I’d need go the 9 yards …

In lieu of that I thought about using a dremmel tool to open a hole on each side cover, right where the seat bolts are located behind each side cover … (using a rubber grommet to cover the edges of the hole giving it a factory look 😜, or else a rubber cap to keep it water tight ) … so that anytime I need access to the battery or any thing under the seat, all it would take is an 8 mm socket and a small extension !

👍🏻