My FJR has a friend in the garage now

[ShinyPartsUp]

Well I picked up my KLR 650. I took a shakedown 50 mile ride on pavement up old 99, onto North Bank Road to Colliding Rivers at Glide and then Buckhorn Road home to Roseburg.

She is definitely a female: she is very dainty around corners and she needs time to gather her skirts before hitting 50-60. I am admittedly breaking her in slowly and gently as a gentleman should, but she is not the fastest woman. And when I look at that big gas tank and fairing, well, :blushing: I'll just say she has a nice chest.

Here are some pics and first impressions:

First gear is REALLY tall! The bike feels light compared to the street bikes I've owned. Dirt Bike this month does a comparo of 650 dual sports and weight was an issue... gues it is all about perspective. She gets a little squirrelly in the corners as expected. It took me almost twice as long to ride one of my favorite routes, and I didn't mind! The vibrations are not horrible, but almost enjoyable. I love the earthy old-school mechanical sounds emanating from the big thumper. Wish it had a gas Gauge. The stock grips have to go... maybe after the graphics. A dirty black bike is gnarly...

She is tall and easy to drop/fall over.

Overall, she's a keeper! Perfectly suited to my gentlemanly needs off road, and she has easy access to the good parts! (Don't you love that in a woman?)

EDITED to not show redundant pics

 

[rushes]

Cool!

Try and wear out the stock tires so you can get better ones.

And I love Pro Grip #714 grips....

Enjoy!

 

[Vesparado]

Just the bike I have been eying now for sometime! Same color I've been wanting too. She is mighty sexy looking hopefully your FJR doesn't get jealous!

Matt

Just the bike I have been eying now for sometime! Same color I've been wanting too. She is mighty sexy looking hopefully your FJR doesn't get jealous!Matt

 

[Vesparado]

Just the bike I have been eying now for sometime! Same color I've been wanting too. She is mighty sexy looking hopefully your FJR doesn't get jealous!Matt

Just the bike I have been eying now for sometime! Same color I've been wanting too. She is mighty sexy looking hopefully your FJR doesn't get jealous!Matt

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

Cool!Try and wear out the stock tires so you can get better ones.

And I love Pro Grip #714 grips....

Enjoy!

I was eyeing those. More farkles are going to have to wait until after WFO... have a few in the box I need to put on.

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

Just the bike I have been eying now for sometime! Same color I've been wanting too. She is mighty sexy looking hopefully your FJR doesn't get jealous!Matt

Just the bike I have been eying now for sometime! Same color I've been wanting too. She is mighty sexy looking hopefully your FJR doesn't get jealous!Matt

I hear you. I hear you. I hear you. I hear you.

Nah, PussyKat won't get jealous. She was still the lady I pulled out to ride to work on this morning.

 

[MojaveFJR]

Congrats on the new dual sport. Was out on mine this morning. Good stuff right there just being able to head dowm any fire road to see where it goes.

In talking with some KLR owners the front springs are soft. This will cause the front end to suck in when you hit soft sand, dirt or mud. Most beef them up with an after martket spring.

Ride safe and keep her dirty. Dirty, dirty girl.... :yahoo:

 

[user 6393]

...i hate being short, have I mentioned that lately?

 

[beemerdons]

Very nice, Shiney! Does need a Mexico Vehicle Entry Permit on her windshield and "Where the Hell is Chicken, AK?" sticker!

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

...i hate being short, have I mentioned that lately?

Two words: Lowering links. Two more: Upgraded suspension.

Your good to go Barb. If money isn't a factor, go for the BMW. You saw Don's posts.... think about it for the future. Girl on girl is soooo hot!

 

[user 6393]

Ride safe and keep her dirty. Dirty, dirty girl.... :yahoo:

*nods* a dirty girl is a happy girl!

 

[Dudewado]

Very nice Shiny! Hope you have a lot of fun.

I assume your leg is all better?

And Barb; May you always be happy!

 

[7xray]

Way to go. Congrats.

 

[FLOWBACK]

Good friend in Montana just bought the same bike today. I have the black and silver 07. (Last year of the good lookin ones) :bleh:

Went over engineer pass last week, two up, hard paniards stuffed full, tank paniards stuffed full and passed everything in sight. If anyone tries to tell you the KLR isn't off road worthy they are full of ****. The more you ride it the more you will like it.

Install a skid plate :big_boss:

New intake and exaust makes a big difference.

 

[madmike2]

:yahoo: Congratulations! :yahoo:

Michael, once you get used to it you're going to like the way it corners. Wait until you scuff the tires in so they grip better on the road.

After a weekend of riding dirt and/or rough, pot holed roads on the KLR, my FJR feels really heavy to turn in.

...i hate being short, have I mentioned that lately?

Miss Barb, assuming you're not looking to ride trails and crawl over rocks and trees, lowering a KLR shouldn't hurt the ground clearance that seriously for dirt road riding. Find one and try it....you might like it.

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

Very nice, Shiney! Does need a Mexico Vehicle Entry Permit on her windshield and "Where the Hell is Chicken, AK?" sticker!

I don't know how I missed your post, but just read it. What is up with Chicken, AK? Doesn't sound manly to me...

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

Very nice Shiny! Hope you have a lot of fun.
I assume your leg is all better?

And Barb; May you always be happy!

My leg is good enough to keep the girl happy Dude... Illahee anytime soon? I want to hear about CFO and your rides...

To Montana folks and Mike: Thanks for the encouragement. I have the doohickey, skid plate and Nerf Bars from happy-trails. I painted the ghey aluminum rear brake master cylinder protector flat black today (high temp enamel spray laying around to paint the yellow purolator oil filters). I learned you can't rush installing just painted parts or it will rub off in places as you handle it to install. Wiped it down and repainted it... hope the wife doesn't mind the black spot on the front lawn. Plan is to get them all on tomorrow or early in the week as energy and time allow.

I know I'm just breaking her in at 4K and less RPM; I did one favorite decreasing radius (with a dip into the turn and rise out) at the same 30mph turn on the KLR that I do on the FJR. On the Feejer I'm scraping a peg or close. On the KLR she just flipped right into it, and I looked down at the speedo in surprise... the low weight helped a lot.

Lots of potential. The closest I came to off road was riding along a gravel overlook/rest area above Whistler's Bend Park (Dude will know where I speak) and beside the tarmac for 100 feet or so. No squirreling back tire like on the Pilot Road II's (GRIN).

OK, I'll fess up: This morning I go out to take the bike to work. I engage the choke (no push pull knobs anymore? WTF?) and she starts right up. I edge off the choke and diabla idles nicely around 1k... sounding good! I give her time to warm up and get a nice lope going. Love the thumpety thump! All is good...

I let out the clutch and roll on the gas and she dies. ... I try again. No go. Why did I name this a devil???I think: "Damn tall first gear, I probably let the clutch out too fast. Try again...cranks but no vroom. Did I flood the carb? I'm starting to burn the battery so I stop and take the old girl (PussyKat my FJR) out and run her to work. I fret and think, and ponder, and read the owners manual (again). No help. Guy at the dealer is there when I go to pick up my cage at the dealership from yesterday. He shows me the idle screw on another example (the slow red one ), and so I go home. Adjust the idle... cranking, battery strong. No love in my garage. I even made space for her and threw out my wife's wing back chair taking up room with no hope of ever being recovered (wait till she finds out). I take several people's advice and leave the garage and have a diet coke; then another. I'm on-call so I can't drink beer :angry2: .

I'm sitting and pondering and I get an Ah Hah! moment. I turned the fuel petcock off last night like in the old days, but starved the old girl for happy juice by forgetting to turn it back on!!!! Been years with fuel injection -- makes a guy lazy!

I hop down the stairs fast. Damn lab puppies think they are going for a ride or walk or sumpin' and start barking and jumping... damn mutts, I'm on the trail of fixing my first mechanical dilemma! :yahoo: I run over (there's enough room now, not as much clutter) and do my checks... neutral, fuel turned to 'on' now, kill switch off, cross fingers and hit the button. Oh the joy in heaven! Fired right up! Satisfaction is the only word for that feeling.

I never wanted a celebratory beer more in my life. It felt like the time Yale handed me a degree. OK, pretty lame by a lot of guys' standards, but a shade tree mechanic has to start somewhere...

To work tomorrow young lady!

 

[user 6393]

...i hate being short, have I mentioned that lately?

Miss Barb, assuming you're not looking to ride trails and crawl over rocks and trees, lowering a KLR shouldn't hurt the ground clearance that seriously for dirt road riding. Find one and try it....you might like it.

I think I'll start small with dirt/trail riding. KLR would be a bit down the road for me. I dunno, I just don't see the sense in lowering bikes. That's just me tho...

My little neighbourhood terminates in a golf course, that when skirted, hooks up to a zillion miles of logging roads, lakes, ski hills, etc.

If I can get out there, confident and able to deal with breakdowns all on my lonesome, I would never be bored ever again.

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

...i hate being short, have I mentioned that lately?

Miss Barb, assuming you're not looking to ride trails and crawl over rocks and trees, lowering a KLR shouldn't hurt the ground clearance that seriously for dirt road riding. Find one and try it....you might like it.

I think I'll start small with dirt/trail riding. KLR would be a bit down the road for me. I dunno, I just don't see the sense in lowering bikes. That's just me tho...

My little neighbourhood terminates in a golf course, that when skirted, hooks up to a zillion miles of logging roads, lakes, ski hills, etc.

If I can get out there, confident and able to deal with breakdowns all on my lonesome, I would never be bored ever again.

It's the uncertainty of breaking down that I have to overcome as well Barb. Get the bike that's right for you when it's right for you, and take the plunge. Just stay happy by getting dirty.