At what speed does your KLR650 start to feel a little light up front?

[sneakybc]

I am used to sport bikes and stable high speed and the reason I ask this is because I start to feel the front end of my used but inexcellent 5500kcondition 2002 KLR650 start to feel a little light/unstable over 80KM/h.

Is this normal?:?

 

[tomcycle]

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Another sport bike guy with a KLR:wi:

The problem here is you have had it too easy on that sport bike. Take a look at that KLR, its tall, it has tall skinny spoke wheels with stupid looking tires, it has a tiny steel tube frame, it has a set of front fork tubes strait out of the 70's (with no brace). Watch out for those brakes:hr:

Damn Right, this bike is gonna handle like hell compared to a sport bike on the road, now take that sport bike ona gravel road for 100 miles. Now thats a funny feeling front end.

Keep riding that KLR and soon you will be one with the road and showing your sport bike buddy what real riding is all about.:tup::tup:

Tom T

 

[sneakybc]

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I'll take that as: it is "normal", I just couldn't imagine that it's only 1/2 way to it's top end. I guess I'll have a look and make sure nothing is loose up front first and then get used to her.

On another note TOM, while I have you. Do you have any good blowout deals on Gear right now as I am basically in the market for all new gear now for this Dual Sport Beast?

Cheers

 

[Yak_KLR650]

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If you don't like it "a little light" on the front, put a bigger light on it!

 

[sneakybc]

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I don't know whether to laugh or cry!:shock:

 

[vanmixman]

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Getting squirrly at 80k seems a little weird to me. Up until 2 months ago, my other bike was an FZ1, so I am used to the feel between the two. Idon't start to get nervous on my KLR until about 130k. You may want to have it looked at.

Scott (vanmixman)

 

[sneakybc]

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I don't have a lift, so I'll just have to figure out a way to jimmy it up onto something in the parking lot to have a look at her. Thanks. :spl:

 

[Yak_KLR650]

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OK. I'm sorry. But I was having a bad day and I needed to release ($17000 short on a $50000 project - F**K!)

I have run my KLR at 140 - 160 for a few hours and it felt fine. Try tightening up the steering head.

 

[sneakybc]

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Thanks Dude, Good Luck with your projects.

 

[Pirate]

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KLR650's are a little twitchy up front and that is what I have expierienced. I purchased my 02 new and from day one that has certainly been the case. However I would add that this has been, for the most part, acceptable. As mentioned by TT, you may not actualy have a problem, other than unfamiliarity with this style of motorcycle.......However if you do thenthe easiest and first thing you should check is that you have equal pressure in both fork legs. Position the bike so that the front wheel is off the ground and then remove the black screw caps on the very top of each leg. Now press the valve in and release any built up pressure. This worked for me, after I had a huge problem with front end wobble at speeds over 90 and itshould take no more than about 2 minutes to perform. If you still have a problem there are other things to check such as tire wear, tire pressure, wheel balance, loose front fender and a little more extreme at this milage, wheel bearings and steering head................Good luck mr sneaky,

PIRATE..........

 

[tomcycle]

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sneakybc wrote:

I'll take that as: it is "normal", I just couldn't imagine that it's only 1/2 way to it's top end. I guess I'll have a look and make sure nothing is loose up front first and then get used to her.

On another note TOM, while I have you. Do you have any good blowout deals on Gear right now as I am basically in the market for all new gear now for this Dual Sport Beast?

Cheers

Just got the information sent to me I will try and post on Thursday. I will PM you

TT

 

[Yak_KLR650]

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Do you have an after market windshield on it? Those big slabs of plastic can effect handling at higher speeds. My +4" creates a bit more shake than the stock one, but not significant, ie, not enough to slow me down! :dr:. You might try a fender brace (See the DSBC Store), that floppy front fender can cause some twitch as well.

Do some searches on the KLR lists on front end buffeting and you'll get tons of info.

Doug.

 

[sneakybc]

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Just a standard windshield. I'm gonna have a look at the front end. I'm just searching out lifts right now. Holy crap the, the cheapest I can find is 159.99 at Canadian Tire and Sears has one around the same price as well. I would rather be putting my cash into riding gear that I need right now! Any suggestions anyone, on where to buy an inexpensive lift to check my front end? I don't want to pay a garage to do this, I am a do it yourself kind of guy and I know a lift would be a wise investment in the long run.:ted:

 

[Aaron]

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I only get the heebie jeebies after about 120 - 130 KM/H on my older KLR.nobody in this thread seemed to mention tire pressure. Too soft and it is a wobble fest in high speed corners.

Also, Canadian tire has a cheap lift for bikes that works well.

Aaron

 

[sneakybc]

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Which cheap lift would that be Aaron? The only one I saw online was the $159.99 one.

 

[tashunka]

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apparently, they go on sale pretty often though, scotty905 said he got his from much much less......

 

[sneakybc]

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Ya, I think I'll try the milk crate and 2X4's for now until I see a sale.

Thanks:tup:

 

[Yak_KLR650]

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I bought the Canadian Tire lift. They go on sale every 2 or 3 months for about 90 or 100 bucks. I paid 100 for mine, but I saw them in the flyer about a couple of months ago for $89.95. I really like mine makes doing lots of things easier.

My buddy did the 2X4 thing until the bike fell off and bent up his bars.:mad3:Now

hehas the Canadian Tire one as well. Less than the cost of a new set of bars!

 

[sneakybc]

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Hey everybody, it turns out that Canadian Tire has theirs on sale right now for $99.99. Woohoo! I'm heading there tonight! This is one piece of equipment everybody should have, so now you know where they are on sale!:tup::tup:

 

[farmerger]

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Will go check that out, thanks.

By the way, what shape is your rear tire in. My stock Dunlop started to die at about your milage and caused a pretty nervous front end condition. Put a new rear tire on, and all was cured. I also found that it seems more stable without the front windshield, but that might just be me.:hb: