Another new bike in the garage

[G-Rex]

Just now getting around to posting about it, but I finally picked up a KLR for the trip up to Prudhoe Bay next year. Flew down to Dallas and rode it the 200 miles home.

It's a 98. The doohickey has been done, Progressive rear shock, Sonic front springs, heated hand grips, top box, a few other small things..

I've already got a 6.6 gallon tank and Happy Trails Teton bags sitting in the garage for it. I'm probably going to need to upgrade the stator as well to support the heated gear I want. There are a few other upgrades I have in mind as well.

I've had several people ask me why I didn't get a BMW, Versys, flavor of the week, whatever..

One reason. I'm mechanically proficient obviously, and things WILL break on the Haul Road. The KLR is a basic design that has been around for 20 years, and I can fix anything with a few tools and parts. I'll be damned if I'll be stranded 200 miles north of Fairbanks due to a shaft drive that exploded or a sensor that flaked from vibration.

So there it is. I'll be dismantling this one to give it a once-over and lay my hands on every nut, bolt, and wire. It obviously won't get the powdercoat treatment LOL, but I will be painting fairings and making it one solid color.