[lagbc]

Thought it would be interesting to see what YOU think should be Top 3 mods on ever KLR650 (tires excluded), and let's just keep it to 3.

My bike is mainly used as dual sport, so from my point of view Top 3 mods would be:

1. Skid Plate (To protect engine)
2. Crash bars (To protect sides)
3. Handguars (To protect levers from braking off, when bike is dropped)

Looking forward to see what YOU think should be Top 3 mods and why.

Cheers!

 

[Squidly]

What? Only one comfort item?!?!? LOL.
Mostly agree with you! Other than the hand guards. Though right now they'd rock. But than again so would grip heaters. If that's all you were going to do though, I'd change the hand guards for the doo.
Nice question by the way. Makes a guy think.

 

[Damocles]

Thought it would be interesting to see what YOU think should be Top 3 mods on ever KLR650 (tires excluded), and let's just keep it to 3.

My bike is mainly used as dual sport, so from my point of view Top 3 mods would be:

1. Skid Plate (To protect engine)
2. Crash bars (To protect sides)
3. Handguars (To protect levers from braking off, when bike is dropped)

Looking forward to see what YOU think should be Top 3 mods and why.

Cheers!

I agree, qualifying the list with the proviso: For off-road riding survival.

For those who never stray off pavement, not so much. Of course, laying one down even on pavement can trash the levers and plastic. Off-road, chances are, the bike WILL go down. Thus, the recommendations appear valid in any case.

Skid plate? Might be optional, for a road-ridden only KLR. With rocks a possibility; highly necessary, IMHO.

 

[pdwestman]

OK,
EM Doo-Hickey (with Torsion Spring) for increased reliability on street or trail.

Wattman Thermo-Bob for improved fuel mileage and longevity.

PDW Oil Flow mods,
http://www.klrforum.com/1987-2007-wrenching-mods/48377-pdw-oil-flow-mods-order-importance.html

for improved fuel mileage, possibly reduced oil consumption and longer oil life and possibly increased longevity.

 

[DPelletier]

Hmmmm; completely depends on usage and keeping it to only three is a huge challenge IMO.


...but here goes:

- 1) tires: D606 and MT21 for me

- 2) pegs: Knightdesigns drop pegs

- 3) skidplate: JNS or Ricochet


Personally, I'd also consider bars and handguards a necessity and I wouldn't want to live without my Cogent suspension and 320mm/SV front brake upgrade (easily the two most functional upgrades by an entire order of magnitude.)

I could live without the other stuff I've done though the KLX kit is cheap and the airbox mods, T mod and safety switch bypasses were free...



Dave

 

[DPelletier]

....Yeah the EM doo and torsion spring is a "must doo" (pun intended)

Dave

 

[pdwestman]

Dave,
He did suggest "excluding Tires". >

 

[lagbc]

I totally agree that TOP 3 mods will depend on where YOU ride, and that's the reason I am asking what are the 3 mods YOU consider important, not 3 mods that would be important for John or Julie who live few blocks from you and ride different type of terrain.

Feel free to include info on type of riding you do, but remember to keep it down to TOP 3

 

[DPelletier]

Dave,
He did suggest "excluding Tires". >

....you know I have trouble with reading comprehension! :wacko:


OK, fine; swap my tires for the Doo then. :grin2:


Dave

 

[drtrider]

I ride mostly pavement so
1 Do the Doo
2 Thermo bob
3 16 tooth front sprocket
Oh such a short list !

 

[Lockjaw]

Doo
Seat (Sargent)
Crash bars

Best VALUE: smaller front fender

Coolest?: PVC pipe on the passenger peg for :character0053: storage.

(That's more than three? I can't math.)

:nerd:

 

[subvetssn]

I don't think that I can stop at three..

As above, I think how you plan to ride dictates the order of importance.

One of the selling points of the KLR over the DR 650 to me was that it already came with a skid plate and hand guards. Granted, they aren't super robust, but you don't have to shell out money on Day 1 if you want to do some light off roading.

That being said, I knew that I'd be finding dirt and gravel as soon as I got my "sea legs" on the bike. So before I even took delivery I had the dealership install SW Moto crash guards and skid plate.

A suspension upgrade was on my list, but once I learned that the 2015 and on models had beefier suspensions from the factory than did earlier models, I didn't see the immediate need.

I added heated grips, Bark Busters, off road foot pegs and a longer shift lever 2-3 days after bringing it home. 800 miles on and I had done the Doo, T-Bob, and KLR dash (upper and lower).

I plan on replacing the stock wind screen and adding a rear master cylinder cover and a headlight protector in a few weeks. If my riding improves to the point where I'm taxing the suspension, I'll upgrade that as well.

Beyond that, no plans other than changing the oil, chain, and tires when needed. But I do like the PVC pipe mod suggested above....so maybe I'll reconsider. LOL.

 

[justjeff]

Crash bars, you're gonna drop it. You gotta be able to drive it away!
Seat. You gotta be comfortable getting to the drop zone!!
Luggage. You gotta be able to carry the gear you will need when the drop zone is faaarrr aaawaaaayyyyy....

JJ

 

[tasman]

1) Doohickey
2) Crash bars
3) Skid plate


The first two I would consider "must have" items when considering KLR ownership. Luckily mine came with the Doo already taken care of thanks to an Eagle Mike kit. The third would only become a priority if you do any off-road (which as a KLR owner you should) as the stock plastic one is a bit of a token gesture.

 

[Lockjaw]

Alright, I'll be the devil's advocate. I don't ride offroad a lot, but I've ridden some pretty gnarly trails. Stock skid plate has taken some shots, but no drama?

I guess if it does go bad, it goes real bad, but...

 

[pdwestman]

Alright, I'll be the devil's advocate. I don't ride offroad a lot, but I've ridden some pretty gnarly trails. Stock skid plate has taken some shots, but no drama?

I guess if it does go bad, it goes real bad, but...

Lockjaw,
I'll call the Stock plate an "Air Dam". Not because it is made of plastic, but because it does not extend to the frame cross member behind the drain plug.
If one skids across a rock and the rock catches the drain plug, it can be devastating.

My '81 KDX420 had an OEM plastic skid plate which I regularly abused. (Sold)
My '89 KX500 has an Acerbis plastic skid plate which I just abused some more a couple of weeks ago.
My '87 KLR650 has an Aluminum skid plate. Which I try Not to Abuse.
All three of them cover the entire under belly.

I live in, along, the Rocky Mountain 'Rock pile'.

 

[Lockjaw]

Lockjaw,
I'll call the Stock plate an "Air Dam". Not because it is made of plastic, but because it does not extend to the frame cross member behind the drain plug.
If one skids across a rock and the rock catches the drain plug, it can be devastating.

My '81 KDX420 had an OEM plastic skid plate which I regularly abused. (Sold)
My '89 KX500 has an Acerbis plastic skid plate which I just abused some more a couple of weeks ago.
My '87 KLR650 has an Aluminum skid plate. Which I try Not to Abuse.
All three of them cover the entire under belly.

I live in, along, the Rocky Mountain 'Rock pile'.

Gotcha, thanks. Right. That makes sense. I've been lucky enough not to take a rock to the drain bolt. You're right, that could be epically bad.

Fortunately, my bike burns so much oil that I usually have enough in my "oil tubes" that I could at least MacGyver my way out if I could find a way to close the drain hole. I could do it. Somehow... I think...

Yeah, I agree then. If your ride involves bashing baby heads and bolders on a regular basis, that's a pretty scary achilles heel.

 

[justjeff]

Alright, I'll be the devil's advocate. I don't ride offroad a lot, but I've ridden some pretty gnarly trails. Stock skid plate has taken some shots, but no drama?

I guess if it does go bad, it goes real bad, but...

Riding on a graded dirt and sand road. The front tire tipped up a rock about 3" diameter and 12"long. It jammed between the front of the skid plate and the ground end on. Big bang and lurch from the bike, I was traveling at about 40mph. When I got stopped to check things over I found the factory skidplate split nearly in two lengthwise. It did it's job and sacrificed itself to save the engine! I now have the Ricochet skidplate on. It covers all the way to the back of the engine.
JJ

 

[shinyribs]

For mainly offroad riding, just three is hard. I can't do it!

- skid plate w/ low profile drain bolt
- 14T front sprocket
- real pegs
- rim locks to air down ( all the difference in the world IMO )
- suspension improvements

 

[CheapBassTurd]

Doo.
Risers.
Protective cage w/ skidplate set.


(Cool how I snuck in a 4th by combining crashbars and a plate into a "kit".)

CheaperThanRamenNoodles