[Navigator]

It wasn't just what I did to the KLR but rather that I reorganized my shop to make it more efficient, moving my table lift from the back room of the shop, my vintage Brit bike room, into the main area where I can easily access the lift.

The first bike that went up on it was the KLR. I've been working on the unfinished crash bars I bought out of Canada, cleaning, priming and spraying on multi coats of black Roll Bar and Chassis paint. They look very good. The forward mounting point had an extra thickness of bracket welded to it so I cut those off and made spacers out of them to accommodate the skid plate mount. I'll have to reroute the clutch cable through the bars and will take the opportunity to remove the cable and graphite it.

I'll then change out the brake fluid front and rear, graphite the throttle cables, install a new H4 bulb in the Baja Lapaz headlight, remove the seat to check/clean/oil the air filter and ensure that little L shaped nipple is properly plugged.

It will keep me busy tomorrow.

 

[vegasbill]

Removing front sprocket nut - easy way

Every 15-16K I throw on a new chain and sprockets (15t & 43t), and yesterday was the big day. Getting the lock nut off is always kind of a pain, and it was as greasy and messy as it could be, but otherwise not too bad and everything was buttoned up in a couple of hours. While I was so greasy, I did an oil change too.

I really hope that takes care of it for a while, as the working on bike/riding bike ratio is getting a bit out of whack and Summer Solstice is almost here!

FYI, I recently replaced the chain and sprockets. For the front, I used locking pliers to clamp the rear brake lever to my NOMAD skid plate. Then used an air impact wrench to loosen the nut. Boom.

 

[vegasbill]

Adjusted balancer chain tension - Do the Doo?

I should look at the maintenance schedule in the Owner's Manual more often.

I missed the 7.5K mile adjustment of the balancer chain tension on my 2014 New Edition (my bike has 12.3K miles).

Of course, the Owner's Manual does not tell you how to do this.

But the Clymer's manual does. Turns out fairly easy to do. Hardest part was lowering the NOMAD skid plate to access the adjusting bolt.

Between Clymer's, this Forum, and some YT channels, I think just about every KLR how-to is covered.

To "Do the Doo" or not "Do the Doo" -- that is the question.

 

[pdwestman]

Hardest part was lowering the NOMAD skid plate to access the adjusting bolt.

Between Clymer's, this Forum, and some YT channels, I think just about every KLR how-to is covered.

To "Do the Doo" or not "Do the Doo" -- that is the question.

I use a rotary Burr to carve an access scallop into the edge of skid plates that did not take into consideration doo maintenance. Or even use a hole-saw if need be.

I highly encourage people to remove the plastic timing plugs and turn the engine CCW to TDC to get all of the balancer chain slack onto the proper side of the system & the weights into original assembly position, before loosening the locking bolt. (Should have been in all manuals, NEVER Was!)

On Gen1's either the spring or doo can break. On Gen2's the springs are generally too long to pull any tension after 1 to 4 adjustments.
So most of us will recommend that you do the doo at your earliest convenience or next winter, which ever comes First.

 

[samuel]

FYI, I recently replaced the chain and sprockets. For the front, I used locking pliers to clamp the rear brake lever to my NOMAD skid plate. Then used an air impact wrench to loosen the nut. Boom.

There's a tool to do this in the field as well. It's like a sawed-off wrench. You put it on the nut and pin it somehow against part of the frame, then roll the bike (forward? backward?). Perhaps someone'll upload a pic. :smile2:

 

[Navigator]

I use a rotary Burr to carve an access scallop into the edge of skid plates that did not take into consideration doo maintenance. Or even use a hole-saw if need be.

I highly encourage people to remove the plastic timing plugs and turn the engine CCW to TDC to get all of the balancer chain slack onto the proper side of the system & the weights into original assembly position, before loosening the locking bolt. (Should have been in all manuals, NEVER Was!)

On Gen1's either the spring or doo can break. On Gen2's the springs are generally too long to pull any tension after 1 to 4 adjustments.
So most of us will recommend that you do the doo at your earliest convenience or next winter, which ever comes First.

I thought the doo need not be done on the Gen 2s but rather change out the spring tensioner with one from Eagle Mike.

 

[pdwestman]

The EM Torsion Spring was not designed to be used on the sloppy fitting, short stroke oem doo-hickey. But cheap people have used it that way.

To me that is worse than changing the oil filter and using the used engine oil.

 

[Tom Schmitz]

There's a tool to do this in the field as well. It's like a sawed-off wrench. You put it on the nut and pin it somehow against part of the frame, then roll the bike (forward? backward?). Perhaps someone'll upload a pic. :smile2:

It rests on the top of the swingarm pivot and the bike gets pushed backwards to remove the nut. It rests under the swingarm pivot and the bike gets pushed forward to tighten the nut.

I think I did at least one write-up on this.

 

[terry_g]

I made a pair of 3/4" handlebar risers for my KLR. I could have bought a
pair but where I live it would take a week or ten days for them to get here.

I made them from some scrap 6061 aluminum that I saved.

Here they are after the first coat of paint.

Installed they made a big difference in comfort after an hour in the saddle.

definitely worth the two hours it took to make and install them.

 

[KLR Kool-Aid!]

Yesterday I put on a new rear tire (Kenda Big Block) - after about 6000 miles, the old one still had a little life on it but I'd promised the bike that I'd treat it to new tires if we survived the trip down Hagerman pass. The front tire, with approximately the same mileage, isn't so chewed up and can wait a bit longer...

 

[KBear]

2015 KLR. I finally had to replace the OEM headlight bulbs two days ago. I just replaced the OEMs with simple H7 Sylvania bulbs. They are, however, brighter than the OEM bulbs. I'm too cheap to put $100+ PIAA bulbs in there and they work fine for me.

I know this won't be a big deal to you guys. One of the first items of initiation I perform on all my bikes (especially my sport bikes) is to remove the buddy pegs. No one rides as a passenger on a sport bike with me I don't care how good you look in a bikini. So I'm not sure why it took me five years to remove the buddy pegs from my 2015 KLR but I did that today. So the bike lost a pound or so. I should have done this earlier. Looks better without 'em.

 

[foo]

Completed the valve adjustment on the Red '06 (14k mi) and the '95 Barbie (10k mi). Intakes on both were still mid-range, but exhausts were close to min spec, though still in range. Replaced shims with next smaller sizes and got 'em back together without issue. I got the bikes used, but I'm pretty sure this was first adjustment for both. Checked and lubed chains and cables while I was at it.

 

[Jack Straw]

Big day for Gort, that's his name. Leo Vince exhaust, new Deka battery, and a 17 tooth counter shaft sprocket.

 

[Steve.k]

Rode it. 555km one day. Alberta trunk road.

 

[Jack Straw]

I installed a Galfer front brake line and fresh fluid, changed the engine oil and filter and put on some different footpegs.

 

[BlueRibbon]

The governor instructed the state police not to enforce vehicle inspection laws until 7/31 due to Covid-19 concerns. In fact, other laws like vandalism, looting and trespassing aren't being enforced in Richmond either. I've been riding w/o the inspection for several months this summer, but just came back from my 8:00 AM appointment. An inspection in VA costs you $12. Morning weather pleasant (its' been in the upper 90's for days & days here). Nice 25 mile ride in the country. I passed....

 

[terry_g]

I replaced the engine oil and filter. I torqued the drain plug to 200 inch pounds.
The meter is at almost 8000km and I think this is the sixth oil change.

 

[KLR Kool-Aid!]

I'm not sure this counts, but I finally cleaned the lining for my helmet this weekend. After a lot of sweat, dust, bugs, and who knows what else, it was getting pretty nasty but now it smells like expensive shampoo (not mine) !