Cabritos 2000 KLR650

[Cabrito]

Finally back in the saddle after a few years. More than a few since being on another KLR. This is my third one.

My first KLR was a '89 that took me all over northern CA and multiple trips down I-5 to see my girl in LA. It also took me on a great solo trip to Death Valley in the month of July!

Back then more than ten years ago I'd heard of the doohickey. I never had one in any of my previous ones and drove them a lot. Both had over 25k miles on them. That was way back around '96. There was plenty of Internet to, but nothing like now. There is so much info out there that my head is spinning.

It's a 2000 model that was poorly maintained for a short time by a young man who sold it to me.



I'm curious to hear from some of the other KLR folks here on Expedition Portal on what KLR forum they prefer and what sources they like for parts and such.

I have a few ideas for add-ons so I will post them as I go.

[emohn]

Nice KLR!

Here's mine (also a green 2000 model) loaded up for a 1400 mile Lap of Kentucky.


I bought it back in February from a guy in Knoxville off ADVrider.com and have put about 3k miles on it since. I'm having a blast with it. I've added the $17 Stearns ATV seat pad, $18 nylon saddlebags (with the middle connecting part cinched up a bit, but I need to cut out about 5" to get them sitting higher and farther back), and the Large $22 Walmart Dry Bag on the rear rack for clothes and other gear.

The bike already had the doohickey replaced, dual star bash plate, acerbis handguards and wolfman tank bag when I bought it. Next on the agenda for me is replacing the factory fuse setup and adding additional fused circuits by going with something like Eastern Beaver's PC-8 fuseblock. I've got a Garmin 2610 I need to get a RAM Mount for and wire in and would like to add heated grips at some point, so the electrical upgrades will hopefully simplify their addition.

[Cabrito]

Nice KLR!

I've added the $17 Stearns ATV seat pad, $18 nylon saddlebags (with the middle connecting part cinched up a bit, but I need to cut out about 5" to get them sitting higher and farther back), and the Large $22 Walmart Dry Bag on the rear rack for clothes and other gear.

I've got a Garmin 2610 I need to get a RAM Mount for and wire in and would like to add heated grips at some point, so the electrical upgrades will hopefully simplify their addition.

Nice setup. Wish mine was in as nice as shape as yours.

You got some nice additions there. I'd like to put one of those pads on the seat but I'm just 5'6" and can barely touch the ground as it is. I'm thinking about one of those Corbin seats that can take 2.5 inches off the height but they are spendy.

[Cabrito]

So I got some plastics that are in a little better shape. Not from the same year but I can live with it for now. I'm thinking about one of the IMS army green tanks so the mis-match might not matter.


It looks way better.


I did not replace the rear section yet.

GPS is fun but not really needed around town.


Here are a few shots of the RAM mount

[HenryJ]

I just joined the KLR650 club a couple days ago. Mine looked much like the first picture in this thread with the heavy oxidation. It is a 2000 as well.
I found that scrubbing the oxidation off with SOS steel wool pads and then using a heat gun to blend the fine scratches works great. It brings the plastic back to near new condition.



Hit that with Mother's Back to Black and they are good to go.
I have a Cycle Rack on my TW200 and love it. That was the first thing this one got. The tall windshield doesn't work well for me. The air vibrates my helmet so I picked up a stock windshield from a friend to replace it. The tank bag and Happy Trails highway bars were already on it.

I was neat to see the Ram GPS mount. I have one of those mounts on the way for my PN-20.

Now I need to get the wife comfortable on the TW200 and we can go riding together.

[CoastalDefender]

I SOOOOOO want to add a Gen1 KLR to the fleet...

[dr. benny]

This is a great MX jumping bike

[Cabrito]

This is a great MX jumping bike

The Doctor is in the house! Ben has ridden his KLR more miles than most people ever will..

[Cabrito]

A few more things that I've done.

Lowered Foot Peg Brackets -
These are probably a hazard, and not the greatest idea. They hang lower than anything else and do bottom out. I've read reports of them breaking and leaving you without a foot peg for the ride home.
I'm planning on removing them, and found a guy who modifies stock pegs to be lower.


Tool Tube made out of PVC. My friend makes them and sells them at his Tech Days.
I've broken four hose clamps so I back them up with big zip ties.


The White Dash made by another KLRista that I bought and he installed at the Nor-Cal Tech Dayz
My old man eyes can now see how fast I'm going and it corrects the KLR speedo that's off by about 5mph.


Poor mans windshield extension. Made by the same guy who did my White Dash. Helps deflect the wind a tiny bit.


Go Cruiser Throttle Control – Cheap and easy cruise control.
http://2wheelride.com/throttle_pro.html



The bike has been super reliable and fun this past year. Sure it's no fun over 70mph, but it's a blast on city streets and back roads.

I did have to re-do my Doo Hickey. I think I mauled the spring when installing it. The first time I went to adjust the thing it broke. Back in June at the Nor-Cal Tech Dayz I cracked it open and found this -

I installed the torsion spring this time. It's been fine since.

The only problem (and it's a big one) is that it's got a real thirst for oil. Freeway riding uses so much oil that I have to add some every 4 to 5 hundred miles. I'm sensing a 685 kit in the near future.

That's it for now...