Modded the KLR some tonight

[derf]

I did a small job on the bike tonight, replaced the crappy grade 2 subframe bolts that sheer often and easily with a single grade 8 upper bolt that is double the thickness and two grade 8 lower bolts. Took me almost an hour and 3 size drill bits to drill through the frame to get the larger bolt through. Also added some brush guards to protect the lever in a drop, and a throttle lock to the handle bars.

I have a heavier rear spring and a shock rebuild & revalve kit in a box waiting to go on the bike too, thats gonna wait until I see how the bike handles riding with a load this weekend, but I expect to add it on sometime in the near future.

Drilling the frame out





And the handle bars, gonna put the stock plastic hand guards on it once I get the bolts to hold it on tommorrow.





And while the gas tank is off I need to figure out why the power to the 12v outlet cuts off and on randomly, I am pretty sure I got a bad connection or loose wire somewhere. I tried to use my audio system last weekend and it would work for a few minutes then turn off and turn back on, on its own.

[Dave]

sweeet

[derf]

this is what tends to happen when the subframe bolts aren't upgraded

I went south along small roads of Kainuu, a district by the eastern border of Finland. At one point far from everything the rear of the bike started feeling strange, as if the suspension had broken. It was not the suspension but the rear subframe. In Tengai, the seat, battery, exhaust, and rear fender are carried by a subframe, which in turn is attached to the frame by four bolts. The upper two had broken and the rear part was kept from collapsing by the battery cables alone. I was able to improvise a temporary fix by using pieces of steel wire, electric wire, and rubber band I had with me. As I drove along I got more confidence in the fix and ended up driving all the way back home, some 500 km. Just 20 km from home the temporary fix broke. The remaning distance I practically sat on the gas tank and hoped that the frame would last just a little longer. It did and I got safely home.

http://www.jahkola.net/mp/tengai_maintenance.htm

[Mr Lefty]

Nice.. yeah I had a few preventive maintenance items to fix when i first got the bike...

[derf]

the only thing I got left is to put in an easy to reach bypass for the clutch kill switch, thats another part that historically goes bad. i dont want to get rid of it completely, just add in a plug inline so that I can bypass it if I need to. I already did it with the kickstand kill switch, the wires just plug into each other if it fails.

[Mr Lefty]

those are two I haven't done yet... figure they're both easy enough to do on the trail if it fails.... and I have electrical tape and wire in my tool kit. but no issues yet

[derf]

I figure its easier to just unplug/plug back together than cutting away wires on the side of the road. it took 10 minutes to do in the nice warm area I call my garage

[Avatard]

Well, an ounce of prevention is worth at least a pound of low grade Mexican.

[Particle Man]

Nice job man

[G-Rex]

Nice work man! I need to get the subframe upgrade bolt kit still and do it while I've got the bike apart.

I did some work tonight myself. Bought a press and got all of the triple tree, subframe, and suspension link bearings out by myself.

The dealer can suck it! The ONLY thing I need now to be a complete in-house work on my own bike shop is a tire changing machine. Coming this winter I assure you.