This found itself into the bed of my pickup yesterday. 1989, 24,900 miles and a whole host of new parts including tires, shocks and chain. $1200.
Just what I need, another expensive hobby...
This found itself into the bed of my pickup yesterday. 1989, 24,900 miles and a whole host of new parts including tires, shocks and chain. $1200.
Just what I need, another expensive hobby...
That's not an expensive hobby, especially if you're doing it on a $1200 bike 
With bike insurance what it is, and the gas mileage you're going to see now, you'll be saving money.
Should be a lot of fun.
I'm with zomby, that's a cheap intro to DS. Stay off the single track and you'll be fine.
http://www.streetfire.net/video/big-k-poker-dirt-bike-poker-run-2006-helmet-cam_153966.htm
I have a soft spot for that '80s KLR paint.
klr650.net (IIRC). Get a Doohickey, if it hasn't already been done.
Zombie and jensen have it. This is sooo not an expensive hobby. This is quite a cheap hobby, and you'll save bucks commuting and have fun doing it.
Well, the bike may cheap but that's just the first piece. Now I need "gear". I won't ride in a T shirt and sneakers. Unfortunately, prior to buying the bike I also bought a Stromung exhaust (used) for the Forester and a set of new rain tires for the race car, so my money stash is about shot.
I did add up all the new parts on the bike mentally and it came to about $800. I think I did ok. 
alex wrote: I have a soft spot for that '80s KLR paint.
Paint on the tank. Decalz on the rest of it. They are now gone. 
The other side was much worse; they were really hammered. Gigantic photo
I'd have bought that for 1200. Looks like a real good deal.
That makes me want to speed down a fire trail.
Self: You have no room for a second bike right now. Don't buy a dual sport, don't buy a dual sport.
Dual sport = 2 bikes in 1. Actually can be used to diminish the bikes in your garage.
So easy to say that when this is the first bike I've owned in 15 years.
I've had my 32K mile KLR650 for a few weeks now and love it. Probably spend more time on that than my Bandit 1200S. Good score!
Awesome. Did you do the doohickey? I'm trying to find someone with the tools so I can rent vs buy them.
Nice find. At $1200, it would have ended up in the back of my truck as well.
Fwiw, I've a cousin who dirt roads it all around the continent on one of those.
ddavidv wrote: Awesome. Did you do the doohickey? I'm trying to find someone with the tools so I can rent vs buy them.
Ok, I'll bite.
Doohickey?
What's that?
That looks just like the bike a friend of mine had in high school. Dual sport FTW!
ClemSparks wrote: Ok, I'll bite. Doohickey? What's that?
re: gear -- quite a lot of closeouts and deals to be had at http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com .
Alright ddavid...
I'm halfway through a 5 minute "doohickey" video...I'm pretty sure you could have given me the gist in about 2 lines of typing...from a phone...while driving...in a rain storm.
I'll watch the rest but...sheesh...
I gave too much credit.
I still don't know what the 'doohickey' is. I'm assuming a timing chain tensioner cam of some sort...but [McBaine voice] the video tells me nothing.
Ok...no more beer tonight and/or no more posting. ;).
Clem
Okay, I'll admit that was a Google induced lazy man's way out.
The "doohickey" is a metal pivot for the chain tensioner system for the engine timing drive. It has a spring that attaches to one point that sets the proper tension, but the spring only really matters when the bolt that holds the metal piece is loosened for adjustment. The springs always break, which isn't catastrophic unless the bits find themselves into bad places. The metal 'doo', however, is also prone to fracture, and when that goes, all hell can break loose in one of those Subaru timing belt sort of ways.
Eagle Mike makes an aftermarket replacement that is worlds better and also a redesigned spring system. What's sad is that Kawasaki keeps making essentially the same failure prone design from the late 80s through present day. It's the one negative on a otherwise bulletproof bike. What sucks is you can't tell what part is in there until you take the engine side cover off, and then you need special tools to remove the flywheel to replace the 'doo', so it's not a inexpensive fix.
THanks for the explanation!
Clem
Owner's update: After about 4 weeks of owning the thing, I finally rode it yesterday. There was a reason:
What you're looking at is a FUBAR'd wheel hub. When I bought it the speedo didn't work, which the PO told me about. He didn't figure out or admit that it quit working after he did the brake upgrade and/or fork rebuild. He put something back together wrong and the speedo drive portion of the hub cracked and broke the flange into about 5 pieces that I found in the speedo drive housing. I refused to ride on a cast hub that may have additional fractures, so the search for a wheel began since the hub was $365 and I'd have to relace the spokes to it. After pricing a lot of expensive used wheels I finally got one for $175. Got the tire swapped 3 days ago and yesterday good weather (scratch that; perfect weather) gave me an entire Saturday to ride the thing. Which I did to the tune of 170-ish miles. My butt was sore and upper body fatigued pretty badly by the end of the day but I had a great time. First I've been on a bike in about 15 years. It's pretty much everything I hoped for and expected.
Plenty of power for me. Cruises no problem at 70. In fact, almost wants to go faster but the wind is pretty harsh at that speed.
Seat sucks as bad as everyone warned me it would.
Disc brakes work really well. I'd never ridden a bike with them before! What a relief to actually be able to stop.
Rode it on some two track with lots of marbles. Pretty much what I expected; not hard to control but it is a bit of a pig due to it's weight. Not bad; you just have to stay on top of it (pun intended).
My first choice in gloves sucked. Too thin. Got too much vibration and they were actually getting cold in the upper 60s temps I had in the AM. Stopped at Tractor Supply and bought some Thinsulate deerskin rodeo gloves that are perfect for $24. They look a little geeky but then so does the rest of my current outfit.
Motorcycling is fun! 
Good to hear!
I'd love to have a dual sport, but I don't think I'd use the off-road aspect of it enough (not that that will stop me from getting one if a good deal comes along).
Clem
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