I have committed a sin......I cheated on Ducati....Welcome 2008 KLR650

[cyrus buelton]

Well, I am no longer a Ducati only bike rider.........I just bought my wife a 2008 KLR650 with 3,000 on the clock.

Walked away with a smoking deal. 3900$ out the door including tax, title, documents, etc. A bike wholesaler was selling it. He originally picked it up for a friend of his, but then his wife said no, so this guy was stuck with it. He usually only deals in cruisers and a few sportbikes, not enduros. He wanted 3800$ for it. I offered him 3300$ and he was like:

"Look, here's the story. I'll show you the documents I paid for it. I'll sell it to you for my cost"

Sure enough, I saw all the documents on what he paid for it (bought it from a bank). Also nice he is a dealer, so got to take care of all the documentation, etc, so I will get the title mailed to me after the BMV processes it.

Now I need to find a KLR forum, but I hear it is a cult following of riders, so should be easy to google to start with learning about them. I am not really allowed to mod it because it is my wife's bike, but there are some basic things that need to be done:

1. I want to get the side crash bars to protect the fairing. She is new to riding and didn't like my M750 as I upgraded the brakes, has race carbs, etc. Most importantly.......I have a strong emotional attachment to it.
2. Need to change out the brake pads and change the oil. Pads look worn enough for replacement and I am not sure when the oil was last changed. Through the sight glass, oil level is perfect and oil appears to be clean looking, but cheap insurance makes me want to change out the oil.
3. Run some seafoam through it to clean the carbs (at least I think it is carby based on the choke and starting).

4. Tires. I included some pics. They are a bit worn. This bike won't be ridden off-road at all, so I need a nice street tire recommendation for this bike. It will mostly see highway and in town riding. Obviously it doesn't need performance tires, I just need some ideas on tires that are a nice harder compound to withstand a nice tire life of super slab. Based on the pics, do you guys think the tires have enough center tread for a 500mi round trip weekend to Indianapolis? All highway miles.
5. Exhaust? Maybe. It sounds wimpy as shit.

This thing is a blast to ride. So much different then a monster and so much more comfortable. I could ride this thing all day. It is great.

Now for the pictures and the happy new owner and the husband who will steal it when he can..........

[cyrus buelton]

Now the photos of the bike:

[stopintime]

  She has the same "proud kid" smile we all have 

I would think those tires can take another 1k miles, but can't you change them before the trip?
Get her some bicycle shorts - that seat doesn't look too comfy for such a long trip. Am I wrong?

Really, $4k for that bike

[KnightofNi]

advrider.com  for all your adventuring bike needs

[superjohn]

Nice, but will it fit into the back of a Syclone?

[lethe]

Nice, but will it fit into the back of a Syclone?

think they were rated for 500 lbs in the bed.

[ID_DUC_MON]

4. Tires. I included some pics. They are a bit worn. This bike won't be ridden off-road at all, so I need a nice street tire recommendation for this bike. It will mostly see highway and in town riding. Obviously it doesn't need performance tires, I just need some ideas on tires that are a nice harder compound to withstand a nice tire life of super slab. Based on the pics, do you guys think the tires have enough center tread for a 500mi round trip weekend to Indianapolis? All highway miles.
5. Exhaust? Maybe. It sounds wimpy as shit.

Quick google search turned up a guy who SM'd his:

http://www.southbayriders.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60901

[derby]

I would think those tires can take another 1k miles...

might be the lighting, but i think they're to the wear indicators in the middle there.

[KnightofNi]

might be the lighting, but i think they're to the wear indicators in the middle there.

thumpers seem to go through tires faster than twins. esp if you romp on the throttle.
just replace them, they aren't that expensive

[Monsterlover]

Nice score!

Two things that come to mind...

Better stay off off twisted throttle's website

very surprised that brake pads are worn out after only 3000 miles. If they really are, check for stuck caliper pistons or a stuck piston in the master cylinder.

My last bike I bought new (675) and sold it with 13k on it. Many track days too. Brakes were still all stock and pads looked fine...

[cyrus buelton]

might be the lighting, but i think they're to the wear indicators in the middle there.

What does a wear indicator look like? A line on the tread?

thumpers seem to go through tires faster than twins. esp if you romp on the throttle.
just replace them, they aren't that expensive

It definitely needs some new rubber, I just want some street tires, so I'll investigate the link supplied above.

Nice score!

Two things that come to mind...

Better stay off off twisted throttle's website

very surprised that brake pads are worn out after only 3000 miles. If they really are, check for stuck caliper pistons or a stuck piston in the master cylinder.

My last bike I bought new (675) and sold it with 13k on it. Many track days too. Brakes were still all stock and pads looked fine...

It was an intersting score.

Maybe the pads are worn less than I think. I am used to ducati pads for the past several years and never owned a bike like this so maybe the pads are different in thickness/material. I need to download the manual so I can check specs on thickness.

Just thought in a general "new used bike" mode that simple things should be put back to new condition.

[cyrus buelton]

Nice, but will it fit into the back of a Syclone?

I hate you.

Love,

JudddDDDddd

[RAT900]

I need to know more about the grill in picture #4

was it part of the deal?

and can it be appended to the Kwak using a sidecar mount or trailer hitch?

Nice bike,  it looks to be a killer-good thrasher in the dirt with some fresh knobby's

[Porsche Monkey]

Hey wow I guess we're like peas and carrots now http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=34536.0

Ive been using http://www.Klr650.net/forums/ as a source for info. They seem like a good bunch of guys. Klrs are cool bikes. There kinda like a Swiss army knife, they will do everything but they wont do it well. They make a decent touring bike but there are better ones out there, they can be taken off road but there's better choices for that too.  Not very many bikes can do both.

I just ordered a set of kendas for mine.  Dirt cheap and have great reviews except in the rain. http://www.cyclegear.com/spgm.cfm?L1=&L2=&L3=&L4=&item=TUC_28-6230_G
Then again I plan on seeing plenty of dirt with mine.  If she lets you ride it I think you could have some real fun. I absolutely have a blast on mine.  Yes it is still carbutated.  Exhaust options are cheap and plentiful. Jetting to match the exhaust is very simple.  Have fun with it. Hope the missus enjoys it.   

[cyrus buelton]

I need to know more about the grill in picture #4

was it part of the deal?

hahahahaha

Grill was free from a friend. It is a Vermont Castings that caught on fire and is currently set up for natural gas feed.

I was going to clean it up, switch it back to propane and keep it. This was all based on how it was described by a friend.

Turned out to be a huge piece of shit that I don't feel like cleaning up and then trying to sell.

It could be a nice grill, I just don't want to put the time in to it.

So I put it out by the curb (trash day is Wed morning) with hope someone will take it as they usually do take shit out of trash around here.

I did add a "for sale" sign because if you put "free" on it nobody will take it.

Dead serious or maybe that was just how it worked in Indiana.

Free never got it picked up. Adding a price and for sale always ended in a "theft"

funny shit.



anyone in the columbus ohio area that wants a Vermont Casting 5 burner grill (including the rotisserie burner), PM me and get it before trash day...............



The bike needed a home......grill got the boot.