Break in complete

Finally Broken In

I finally have my bike ready for the end of break in. I figured I would take a nice drive on that 337 highway again but stop at some new spots and take some of trails I saw last time but didn't have time to take. Good drive mix of trail, highway and dirt. Most importantly 1000km done!

 My KLR found some nice lighthouses

The ocean

The ocean and some pretty thick trails we (me and the bike) had allot of fun riding through

 

Hummm... interesting this was down a really steep muddy narrow trail (then I saw it came out by someones house on the other side)

 

1000km! we did it and had allot of fun getting there! 

Can't wait for the next 1000 

Cracked front fairing

Cracked front fairing

So it turns out there was a small crack on the last drop when I was on Keppoch I didn't initially notice, so being cheap* I am fixing it myself

*also known as KLR owner, the words cheap and KLR owner are interchangeable at anytime

So here we go,

 Yep, that looks bad

  

                                             

 Washed up,  better, still bad

Some adhesive made for ABS plastic added to the back 

Then some fiberglass and ABS cement (remember this is the back)\, then Little bit of sand paper

  

Shoot... the clip didn't hold the fairing that tightly (oh yeh I used a clip while I was applying the glue)

 

 So I added some ABS cement in the exposed crack and sanded it down

Colour matching paint using a camera from a auto paint store since Kawi doesn't share their recipe. Spray paint obviously.

 And there you have it, hard to tell in the pictures but you have to look really close to see the scar and the fairing cleaned up looks good...

Good luck,

Mini Trail / MRA Vario Windscreen

The Mini Trail

(aka Sunrise trail, artisan trail and the 337 highway)

So I decided to take advantage of this beautiful day and ride the mini trail. In my old cruiser bike days I usto ride this trail when I had time and I was stressed... well it paid off. What a nice ride, great weather, lots of other motorcycle enthusiasts and bikers (2 different groups of riders) on the trail. Didn't have allot of time but took a picture of two.

 

Also not posted is a MRA Vario windscreen installed on the bike. I thought of it but it litteraly goes into the stock holes, if your really lazy don't even need to install the comfort strip on the top (I did in case I ever do hit that thing). 

WHAT A DIFFERENCE! This windscreen buffets the air right at the top of my head and I stand about 5'11" great on lower highway speeds (100km/h), It might be good above that too but I can not comment as I don't go over 110km/h. A little vibration in the screen but nothing to be concerned about I don't think and takes that wind right off your chest. My first add on and it did a great job!. If your my height it works well but I would be concerned if you we're much taller as it's just at the top of my helmet I feel.

First oil change

First oil change!

Decided to go with an oil change. 500km into the bike. Did some reading and members of klr650.net suggest frequent oil changes at the start. I now know why look at my filter.

 Quite a few pieces of metal in that bugger!

Anyways I also decided on 15w40 Shell Rotella heave duty oil. Many people support Rotella oil especially for the break in period. So there we go, now have to decide to switch to synthetic oil or not when I get past the break in.

Brown's Mountain / Keppock

Browns Mountain and Keppock area trails

So today I decided to be a real dual sport rider. I decide browns mountain would be a good place to go, it's the middle of the night but whatever I seize the opportunity.  So I travel Browns Mountain and have allot of fun, trails, rocks, mud, puddles, it has it all. Great trip... so far.

So there I am... filling up my bike at the pumps thinking... I WANT MORE. Ok, I drive around some back highways but it's not what I want, come off the highway to the Keppock turnoff. Alright I'll go see it and go right back since it's already midnight...

Shoot.... I took a wrong turn, Well I'm here now, some riding out in Keppock area snow mobile trails, a few hours later exhausted I come out the other end (too stubborn to ever turn around). What a ride! Unfortunately in my fatigue after not having dropped the bike once on the trail I drop it on the dirt road after being done. No good reason just was turning and being tired got off balance.

Shifter is stuck in first gear (all I know if I can't shift) and make my way to some light. I bent the shifter.... Oh well grab it and move it back into place. There we are now I can get going again! Bike looks good otherwise, time to retire as I am exhausted!

*Bike ride was completed around 3am

First Adventure

The first adventure!

So after being really gentle on my new KLR I decided to try a little adventure, my wife needed something at the grocery store (candy) so naturally I took my KLR. After picking up the required item I remembered a "road" behind the nearby plaza that went... I don't know where. SO I DECIDED TO EXPLORE, my first of many adventures. Not far down I found a rather large puddle, deciding to throw caution to the wind (I am driving a KLR after all) I would go through it, then during the ride kinda chickened out and went slowish and was unstable and fell in the much deeper and larger then I originally thought puddle!. My first drop... well I knew it would happen eventually but didnt figure that day, especially since I was in shoes and jeans (my first ever ride without motorcycle pants and boots, sounds like a good time to try a trail isn't it?). So I picked up my bike, was covered in mud went to the end of the road (dead end) and then went back home (walking the bike through said puddle). My first adventure, covered in mud!

 *my friend with the Harley Davidson was thinking at this point I was nuts to do that to my new bike I think