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klr650-digest           Sunday, May 16 1999           Volume 02 : Number 408




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Date: Sat, 15 May 1999 23:11:34 -0600
From: "Kurt Simpson" <[e-mail]>
Subject: (klr650) Fw: BOUNCE [e-mail]:    Non-member submission from ["Jill Phipps" <[e-mail]>]

>Fellow lister Stuart Heaslet stopped in to visit here in Fort St. John on
>his way from Florida to Alaska.   I told him I'd post to let you all know
>how he is doing.   I'm glad to report he is doing well and enjoying his
trip
>so far.  Originally he was planning on camping during his trip.  However,
>awhile back he hit a few days of less than ideal camping weather (i.e.
snow)
>and has since shipped all his camping gear back to Florida!!  (Be sure to
>give him a hard time about this when he gets back on the list).   His KLR
>has been running strong.  The only difficulty was a some carb ice that
meant
>a bit of a delay.  He also had a strange electical thing going on where his
>turn signal would not flash and would come on faintly when he applied the
>brake.  This electrical problem only happened for a short time while in
>heavy rain.  Hasn't had it happen again.  He left Fort St. John this
morning
>and was hoping to get to Fort Nelson (4 hours away) or Liard Hot Springs (7
>hours away).   He was scheduled to hit Whitehorse by Monday I believe.
>My wife took a couple pictures of us with our KLR's before he left.   If I
>can figure out a way to post them on the net I will.  I must say I was very
>impressed with Stuart's KLR.  He's got all the extras!   Anyways, I imagine
>he will get a message to the list once he gets up to Alaska.
>I did a three hour round trip to Alberta to get a new set of gripsters put
>on my bike today.  I'm getting a lot more comfortable on the bike and I'm
>having a great time.  It was pretty cold today though and I totally froze.
>Got home a couple hours ago and I'm still cold!!   Still smiling though.
>Love the KLR.
>
>Al
>A10
>
>
>
>
>
>

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 15 May 1999 22:19:52 -0700
From: "bphillman" <[e-mail]>
Subject: (klr650) NKLR-funny (sorry about the bandwidth, couldn't resist)

> Variation to the SunScreen song by Lews Therman.
> >
> >Custom modifications by Team Obnoxious, 5/11/99
> >
> >Ladies and Gentlemen .....wear Leather.
> >
> >If I could offer you only one tip for improving your life, leather would
be
> >it.
> >
> >The long term benefits of leather have been proved by serious bikers over
> >many highways and many years, whereas wearing something unreliable like
> >shorts and flipflops means you will experience a trip to the emergency
> >room. There, uncaring nurses will scrub gravel out of your wounds, and
> >doctors will dispense ineffective painkillers and meaningless advice...
> >like telling you to trade that "murdercycle" in for a Camry.
> >
> >Bullshit. I will dispense some real advice right now:
> >
> >Enjoy the power and beauty of your ride; If you don't already; you can
> >fully enjoy it by doing block-long smokey burnouts in the parking lot at
> >the local drive-in.
> >
> >Trust me, in 20 years you'll look back at the photos of you and your pals
> >on your bikes and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much fun you
had
> >and how fabulous you really looked hauling ass down the highway dressed
in
> >leather.
> >
> >Leather is as sexy as you imagine.
> >
> >Don't worry about what your Mom thinks; or worry, but know that worrying
> >about what other people think is as effective as trying to scratch your
> >nose in a blinding hailstorm at 80 m.p.h. with a full- face helmet and
> >winter gloves on. The real troubles in your life are apt to be Volvo
> >stationwagons, driven by some dipstick talking into his cell phone or
doing
> >her makeup; the kind that blindside you at 4 PM on some urban roadway and
> >then claim you crashed into THEM.
> >
> >Do one thing everyday that scares other drivers... Lanesplit.
> >
> >Sing into your helmet. Use mouthwash first.
> >
> >Don't be reckless with other people's bikes, especially if you don't have
> >insurance. Don't put up with people who mess with yours.... in fact, beat
> >them with a chain.
> >
> >Ride Fast.
> >
> >Don't waste your money on chrome, or fancy paintjobs; spend it on racing
or
> >partying. Sometimes you're fast, sometimes you're slow. Sometimes you're
> >hungover. The ride is long, and in the end, a cold beer tastes pretty
damn
> >good.
> >
> >Remember the good rides you've had, forget the cuts and bruises; try to
> >wear out the sides of your tires before the middle.... if you succeed in
> >doing this, tell me how.
> >
> >Keep your oil changed, throw away old traffic citations.
> >
> >Take chances.
> >
> >Don't feel guilty if you ride faster than the posted limit ...the most
> >interesting people I know didn't know at 22 how to ride conservatively,
all
> >the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don't.
> >
> >Get plenty of saddle time.
> >
> >Be kind to your passengers, you'll miss them if they fall off.
> >
> >Maybe you'll crash, maybe you won't, maybe you'll have surgery, maybe you
> >won't, maybe you'll ride a cruiser off a cliff doing 40, maybe you'll get
a
> >new motocrosser for your 75th birthday ...whatever you ride, don't
> >congratulate yourself too much - your choices are 90% foreign,10%
> >domestic, so are everyone else's.
> >
> >Enjoy your bike, use it every way you can...don't be afraid of it, or
what
> >other people think of it, it's the greatest instrument of pleasure you'll
> >ever own, not counting porn sites and a fast modem.
> >
> >Wrench... even if you have nowhere to do it but in your hotel room.
> >
> >Read the owner's manual, even tho' you won't remember any of it.
> >
> >Do not read American motorcycle magazines, they will only make you wish
> >you'd bought a British one instead.
> >
> >Get to know your brake pads, you never know when they'll be gone for
good.
> >Be nice to your tires; they are your link to the pavement and the things
> >most likely to save your butt from a nasty highside.
> >
> >Understand that mechanics comes and mechanics go, but for a precious
> >talented few you should pay them well and buy them sixpacks. Work hard to
> >bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle because the older your bike
> >gets, the more you'll need the mechanic who worked on it when it was
young
> >and still not paid off.
> >
> >Ride in New York City once, but leave before you get killed; ride in
> >Northern California whenever possible, but leave a plausible excuse whan
> >calling in sick for work.
> >
> >Do lurid wheelies.
> >
> >Accept certain inalienable truths: prices will rise, traffic will get
> >worse, you too will get old, and when you do you'll fantasize that when
you
> >were young, gasoline was cheap, the highway patrol couldn't catch you,
and
> >Harley owners weren't all yuppies.
> >
> >Respect your rev-limiter.
> >
> >Don't expect anyone else to see your bike unless it has really loud
pipes.
> >Maybe your bike has a big gas tank, maybe a smaller one; but remember,
> >either way you'll have to make bathroom stops.
> >
> >Don't mess too much with your carburetors, or by the time your done,
you'll
> >be walking home.
> >
> >Be careful whose advice you buy, and save your receipts. Don't take
advice
> >from those who supply it for free, especially if they own a Britbike.
> >
> >Motorcycle restoration is a form of self-torture. Doing it is a way of
> >pulling the past from the dustbin, degreasing it, painting over the rusty
> >parts and dumping way more money into it than it's worth.
> >
> >But trust me on the leather...
> >
>
>
>
>
>

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 16 May 1999 09:58:46 -0700
From: "Rob Gendreau" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (klr650) NKLR   GPS Problem

Garmin says that their devices will not have a problem with Y2K dates, and
will operate fine after the "EOW" (end-of-week) rollover in August. They
said some units will kick into the autolocate mode if operated during the
test; they'll post info later.

>       FYI. A problem with gps will happen in Aug. 21-22., this is some info
> on the fix.Not all gps are affected.
>       http://gps.laafb.af.mil/y2000/body.htm       Check it out.


- --
Rob Gendreau
Oakland, California
[e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 16 May 1999 10:30:22 -0700
From: "Rob Gendreau" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (klr650) The Moab Slick Rock Bike Trail NKLR

As a mountain biker and motorcyclist I'm well aware of the user conflicts
that have closed so many of our trails. It's amazing to me how many
mountain bikers bitch about losing trails, but then express intolerance at
other users, like equestrians or motorcyclists. Stop and tell these fools
what's up; tell 'em that only by sharing trails effectively can we keep them
open, and encourage to thank the people who made the trails in the first
place. You can be sure the poseur who was displeased at the sight of the
motorcycle will undoubtedly be the object of some hiker's scorn soon. But if
she doesn't appreciate the connection, she's not worth talking to.

- --
Rob Gendreau
Oakland, California
[e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 16 May 1999 11:48:33 -0600
From: "Vik Banerjee" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (klr650) The Moab Slick Rock Bike Trail NKLR

Its not quite this simple.  I was on the slickrock trail last year when two
guys on dirt bikes in full body armour decided to show off on a steep part
of the trail about 3-5 miles in from the start.  Since I ride a bike I sort
of understand what they can and can't do so I knew how to get by these guys,
but a lot of mtn bikers got jammed up as the trail was technical at that
point and concentrating of the challenges of the trail and two loud
aggressive dirt bikes was too much for them.

I agree the dirt bikers have an equal right to use the trail and that they
don't need to apologize for being there, but you can't equate a 30lbs silent
mtn bike with a 300lbs fire breathing dirt bike.  The impact is quite
dissimilar.  If the dirt bikers had stopped and been a bit more considerate
they would have not pissed off 100 mtn bikers who will likely always have
that image of off road motorcycling firmly planted in their head.  This is
especially true on the slickrock trail where in 3 mins on a dirt bike you
can find some awesome places to test your skills and be quite alone.  99.9%
of mtn bikers use about 20' on either side of the painted tire marks - this
leaves a huge area undisturbed for motorized riding.  I bet if they had shut
off their bikes, taken off their helmets and chatted with the mtn bikers for
5 mins they probably would have convinced a bunch that dirt biking has very
cool.

I am not just being hypocritical because I ride a mtn bike.  When I am on
trails with hikers I slow down and often stop and chat with them.  I ask
them how their day is going, help out with power bars and water.  Most of
all I let them know how much I enjoy riding on such beautiful trails.  Do I
want to stop that often or slow down coming around blind corners? - nope.
But, I do it because a) they have a right to some respect    b) I want to
keep riding my favorite trails for years to come.  Its not a big deal for me
as a mtn biker and I recognize that compared to a hiker I have this fast,
mechanical machine under me, reflective sunglasses, helmet, colourful
clothes - the impact can be pretty overwhelming for some hikers.  On the
otherhand I have never seen a mtn biker say .."..damn did you see those
scary hikers blast by at 2mph????.."

Have you ever been on the freeway and thought...damn I should be more
considerate to the cars on the road??...likely not because they out weigh
you 10 to 1 and seem much more dangerous than another bike on the road.
Same sort of analogy applies to motorcyclists and mtn bikers.  Its not that
we shouldn't ride the trails, but we should think about being considerate.

Just some thoughts.


Vik
- -----Original Message-----
From: Rob Gendreau <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail] <[e-mail]>
Date: Sunday, May 16, 1999 11:30 AM
Subject: Re: (klr650) The Moab Slick Rock Bike Trail NKLR


>As a mountain biker and motorcyclist I'm well aware of the user conflicts
>that have closed so many of our trails. It's amazing to me how many
>mountain bikers bitch about losing trails, but then express intolerance at
>other users, like equestrians or motorcyclists. Stop and tell these fools
>what's up; tell 'em that only by sharing trails effectively can we keep
them
>open, and encourage to thank the people who made the trails in the first
>place. You can be sure the poseur who was displeased at the sight of the
>motorcycle will undoubtedly be the object of some hiker's scorn soon. But
if
>she doesn't appreciate the connection, she's not worth talking to.
>
>--
>Rob Gendreau
>Oakland, California
>[e-mail]
>

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 16 May 1999 13:28:50 -0600
From: "Vik Banerjee" <[e-mail]>
Subject: (klr650) Atlanta, GA 22-26 May 1999  [NKLR NMCADV off topic]

Hi all,

I will be in Atlanta from 22-26 May 1999 at a conference.  I will have
evenings free if anyone wants to have a beer and chat.

Anyone interested contact me off-list.

Cheers,

Vik

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 16 May 1999 15:05:17 -0500
From: "Roscoe" <[e-mail]>
Subject: (klr650) $$$$

Any body remember how much they paid for their 500 mi service? (250 mi on it
and need to start saving up)
Thanks
Roscoe
Roscoe's Music
164 W Van Buren
Eureka Springs Ar 72632
501.253.5876
www.roscoesmusic.addr.com

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 16 May 1999 13:22:23 -0700
From: "Bryan Loehr" <[e-mail]>
Subject: (klr650) Getting Serious

I'm getting serious about buying a KLR.  Yesterday my local dealer quoted
$5500 for a stock '99, out the door (California).  How does that sound?

Bryan Loehr

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 16 May 1999 13:49:56 -0700 (PDT)
From: Juan Villarreal <[e-mail]>
Subject: (klr650) NKLR- Sharing the wealth

Vik and Rob-

Thanks to you two for some very interesting and
worthwhile postings.  Between them you showed the
many sides and factors to consider when
addressing this issue.  As of right now I have
yet to do any riding on public lands.  My
"off-road" experience has been limited to dirt
and gravel roads, and the Panamanian interior.  I
do however plan to buy a KLX300 when I get back,
slap a Baja kit on it, and throw myself into a
more technically demanding type of riding.  This
new set of adventures will most certainly take me
onto some public lands, and any tips, pieces of
advice, and past experiences that can serve to
keep me "honest" as a civilized member of that
particular social order are most welcome.

Social courtesy and order...  It's worth it's
weight in gold.  I live in a place that lacks it
to a certain degree and trust me when I tell you
it isn't fun, nor pretty.  It wears you down;
changes you in the most insidious ways (can you
say "Lord of the Flies?").  It's changed me.  The
guy you know from the postings is very different
from the one you would see walking down the
street (guess which one's nicer?).  I'll leave it
at that.  At this point I'm just hoping I'll be
able to change back once I return.  At any rate,
thanks for sharing the wisdom....

Juan Villarreal, '97 KLR
"The Happy Hooligan"


_____________________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Free instant messaging and more at http://messenger.yahoo.com

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 16 May 1999 17:05:29 EDT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: (klr650) M.A.P. Front Rotor kit, Progressive springs & Avon AM24 tires!!!

Hello, All:

How's it going? Well, I just got the K-horse back from the dealer's 500-mile
check-up, during which an M.A.P. oversized front rotor kit, Progressive
springs, and Avon AM24 Gripster tires (F&R) were installed.

Wow! I can't speak to the tires, yet, as to how they make a big difference,
BUT that larger rotor with a sturdier cable and the Progressive springs are
great on the braking behavior. The front end is a LOT less mushy in braking
... very smooth and responsive, but not 'grabby'... and there is definitely
less tendency toward the 'diving' behavior on a faster deceleration. When you
consider that you've got a 6-gallon tank and that I weigh round-about 250
lbs, well... It really works well, and as far as I am concerned, all of the
reviews that I read that suggested these modifications were "spot on" (as the
Aussies say).

I have also set my rear shock (which is still the standard unit, with the 5
settings) to setting number 4. I figured since I am XL and with the front end
set stiffer, I should compensate with the higher rear shock setting. It seems
to work out well.

Just wanted you all to know and, if you are riding a stock KLR650, these
particular modifications are probably worth your while. In my case, the parts
and the installation labor were part of my original purchase deal... except
for the springs, but they were only $65 and the installation was only $26
additional.

I also am growing more fond of my dealer and his people. The Parts people --
who I initially thought were almost "too professional" in the way they
interacted with me, are turning out to be a good bunch. Also, the Service
Dept folks are definitely 'customer service' oriented and friendly.

Anyway, I am satisfied, now, whereas I wasn't quite sure about my
satisfaction with the dealer's service up until now. That's my take, and I'll
let you know what further -- if anything -- transpires that is notable.

Happy ridin' and watch yer 6, 9's and 12... I mean it. So long.

Alex Kesaris
& Fun Bike Center, San Diego

------------------------------

End of klr650-digest V2 #408
****************************