No issues at 6000 miles.

 

Nobody says anything bad about the 3rd generation.

 

I have 9,000. Adjusted tensioner twice. Do plan on replacing for peace of mind within next 5000

 

how about the valve clearances??

 

I haven't done valves yet

 

Looks like nobody has issues with the 3rd generation

 

I will say I have read a few that had loose Doo springs on the 3rd gen. It's still a problem they say. But to put a stiffer spring you need to also do the doo.

 

AFAIK, nothing was changed with the valves or the doohickey..... do what you think necessary

 

I get the impression from reading here that valves are coming out of the factory on tight end of settings. Just acquired an 07 w7600 miles. In valves were .002 &.0025….ex were .006&.007….. so I fixed ‘em ….you make your own choices.good luck

 

^^^ This, and fuel pump failures on the 2022 models and some 2023's, and OE tires and chains wearing out quickly. As for the doohickey, at least one person here changed his and found the OE spring loose.

You have enough information here to make your own decisions. Do what you want with it.

 

I'd read all about everything except the chains wearing out quick before I bought mine. Is there a particular reason they wear too fast?

 

With respect to the balancer system, there have been no changes. One should expect to have the same performance and issues that were seen on the Gen 2.

 

This. There is no reason to try to determine how many Gen3's have had doo issues (yet) as they are the exact same parts as the Gen2.

Dave

 

I changed my DOO on my '22 , spring had almost no tension on it, I changed it for piece of mind and yes my valves were very tight at 6000 miles, their happy now.

 

I own a 2022 klr650 and would like to know if anyone had any issues with the 3rd generation doohickey? I can't find nothing on the 2022+

The 2008-2025+ problem is not the actual locking lever/doo-hickey. It is TOO Long of springs.

I will say I have read a few that had loose Doo springs on the 3rd gen. It's still a problem they say. But to put a stiffer spring you need to also do the doo.

It is not the Strength of the OEM spring that is the problem. It is the Length of the OEM spring that is a problem on many 2008-2025+ engines.

I changed my DOO on my '22 , spring had almost no tension on it,

This is but one of many 2008-2024+ bikes that I have read about in these very pages over the past 16 years and yes I Have Read them ALL!

I'll let you find them. There is at least 2 in the 5th thread down,

https://www.klrforum.com/search/241447/?q=too+long+of+doo+spring&t=post&c[child_nodes]=1&c[nodes][0]=170&c[showFilter]=visibleOnly&o=relevance

There are 3 pages of threads which you can search or better yet read all of them!

 

--- snip ---
It is the Length of the OEM spring that is a problem on many 2008-2025+ engines.
--- snip ---

Exactly why I will replace the doohickey on my 2024 KLR650 during one of the next two oil changes. The 3rd Gen KLR650 Facebook group also has posts about the same issue on 3rd Gen KLR650s.

 

My 2024 Gen 3 doesn't even have enough miles for its first oil change, so you are correct, the doohicky has not caused any problems. But the Gen 3 engine uses the same chain tightener design, and the exact parts as the Gen 2.

My approach will be to ride another 5-6,000 miles before opening the case unless it starts running funny. Then I'll tear it apart and correct valves, Mod the cooling system, and install the EM chain tightener system. I will likely need new tires about then too.

The doohicky is a long term maintenence issue. My advise is to install the mod before you take your "Bucket List" trip to Alaska.

 

--- snip ---
My advise is to install the mod before you take your "Bucket List" trip to Alaska.

I did my "Bucket List" trip to Alaska north of the Arctic Circle 23-years before I owned my KLR650.

 

Did my 2022 at just under 8,000 miles and the stock spring had no ability to increase tension because the spring was too long. Installed the EM kit with torsion spring. One less thing to worry about. Now I just ride and enjoy the bike.

 

I would put the valve adjustment at the top of the list on a gen 3, I had 3 out of spec at 5000 miles. I would do it before that if I got another one. I would do the Doo second if it's a time or money issue, I just wouldn't adjust it at all in the small chance that the spring is broken. I replaced my stock chain at 5000 miles, it had some life left but I was taking big trip. I put on the DID EM sell for $93. it lasted 15,000 miles at which time the rear sprocket was still perfect as in it looked like it has 500 miles on it, but the front was hooked so I did the front sprocket and another chain at 20,000 miles.

Older KLR's had good chains that would go 15000 miles stock, they are just putting cheaper chains on them now, which is kin of the way of the world.

 

All depends on how, and especially where you plan to ride your KLR. If you ever plan to go on a real backcountry trip, you should go with the very best chain and best tires you can find.

 

I always use a name brand chain, lately DID, 520vx3 which is what Eagle Mike sells for $93. I find this stretches very little, you will find lesser chains stretch quite a bit, also it makes life quite a bit easier if you just get the correct length, for a gen3 that is 110 links. The stock rear sprocket is some kind of crazy hardened steel, the factory hasn't run out yet the next batch might be be junk IDK but I always use a factory rear sprocket because they last so darn long. I am less brand loyal on the countershaft because my results aren't that amazing, but I am currently using a stock countershaft as well. I had a "kit" kawasaki sells a kit chain sprockets locking tab and master link and I keep robbing everything out of it, except the chain, and replacing it so I still have the full kit.

 

This comment is for our Newer Members.
Chains Do Not Stretch! Otherwise they would Break.
They WEAR Additional Clearance between the Rivets and the Bushings when the lubricating grease wears out.

 

Ok Ill agree with that, but haven't you seen broken chains?

 

Mrs nicks said "you will never break the chain".

I have in fact broke a chain or two on quad but it wasn't from wear. It was from over tightening and jumping. Our 90s lt160 has the factory chain on it. Outlasted 6 children now.... my wife got it new for her birthday. I'd LOVE to know the miles. I did clean and lube it 10 years ago. Probably the first time.

 

My G3 with 4700 miles did not have an issue but since I just ran out of extended warranty I installed an EM setup. Here are pics pre-disassembly.

I also checked valves due to recommendations here and they were tight.

 

My G3 with 4700 miles did not have an issue but since I just ran out of extended warranty I installed an EM setup. Here are pics pre-disassembly.

That is par for the course since 2008.
Next to No Usable Extension of the OEM spring left to facilitate future adjustments of the balancer system.

 

My 2024 Gen 3 doesn't even have enough miles for its first oil change, so you're kinda right..

 

I had a late 70's early 80's XT 500. I t was the only bike that broke a chain. I'm guessing a large railroad rock got in there just right and ripped it apart at just about wot. It didn't get cased but just was laying waaaaay back there. Sometime before that a whole bed sheet got wrapped around the rear sprocket with the chain on the outside. It was so tight the bike would not pull itself. Had to cut it out bit by bit, start it and force it a little then cut over and over. Took a long while in the North Carolina heat and clay mashed all in it. I wonder if that damaged the chain to failure? Never know. But man, that was an awesome bike comfy seat too. Rode it to Winston Salem and back at about wot, about froze to death...ahhh the crazy thing we did in our youth!

 

Everyone discusses the spring tension and that's true, but I think most people miss what I consider to be even more important issues: the sloppiness of the factory system (doohickey fitting the idler shaft loose, factory spring preloading the loose doohickey to the 'wrong side' of the flats) resulting in a system, that even brand new, 'rattles around' and beats up the balancer system components.

This is what I've posted at my site about this, I'll copy and paste it here.

"On ALL model years of the KLR, I believe an Eagle doohickey and torsion spring should replace your stock components. The function of this lever and spring is to properly tension your counterbalancer chain, which is being driven by your crankshaft. If you think about it, the crankshaft is decelerating a little on the exhaust and intake strokes, decelerating a lot on the compression stroke, and accelerating a LOT on the power stroke. This is actually a significant torsional input to the system with every revolution of the engine, which means that the counterbalancers and water pump are also accelerating and decelerating with every engine revolution. Now put a loose chain or sloppy system between these two into the equation and you can see why things get beat up if they are not properly tensioned. Gen 1 levers broke or cracked, Gen 2 and Gen 3 levers are much stronger but have a spring which runs out of tension in a short distance (around 5,000 miles is common), and ALL factory levers have a sloppy torsional fit onto the idler shafting. Thus, even when bolted down from the factory, the stock balancer system is rattling torsionally within the lever with every engine revolution, which over time, beats up the torsional fit in the lever (especially the Gen 1 bikes) and in all cases, beats up the rubber on the balancer sprockets. After running out of tension from the factory spring (most prevalent on the Gen 2 and Gen 3 bikes), this wear accelerates. The factory extension spring stinks, period. It's job is to rotate the doohickey to keep the balancer system tensioned. Of course, Kawasaki should use a torsion spring to rotate something... but they don't. They pull on the side of a separate lever, which has two problems: one, this could never turn the separate lever very far because the load application angle never changes, and two, it preloads the factory doohickey against the loose side of the flats on the idler shaft, guaranteeing the maximum torsional rattle discussed above. The Eagle Doohickey fits the flats on the idler shaft with much less slop, PLUS the torsion spring actually applies torque directly to the doohickey, NOT a sub-lever. Thus the doohickey is always preloaded to the "tight" side of the flats on the idler shaft. Win-win."

I think this slop is a primary problem, but it is almost always overlooked in doohickey discussions. All I can add to this discussion is that I have over 200,000 miles on my KLR with an Eagle doo and torsion spring, and have had zero issues with all the components. Hope this helps. I'm headed out in August on another multi-state ride, far from home and am not worried.

 

I own a Gen3, in fact exactly '22

My stock doohickey ran out of slack at 4K miles, which is when I installed Eagle-Mike's. Right on time, VERY glad I acted on the cautious side this time.

My valves tightened up also around 4K miles, 3/4 were out of spec on the tight end. I've set them to the top of the interval then. Checked again at 12k and they were all well in spec. Still seem fine at 15k.

The img shows the linear spring was entirely compressed, even though the dorito had some slack left. Again, this is 4k miles.