The KLR650 Is Alive And Well

It has been a long road. From the point where the suspension seized up until the motorcycle is again fully functional is a span of a year and a half.

So what was the holdup? I wanted to install six grease nipples on the rear suspension, and didn't know how I was going to get that done. In fact, for a while, I was considering a seventh and difficult location to install a grease nipple: on the head of the shock linkage pivot bolt.

I finally got those grease fittings installed earlier this year, abandoning the seventh. Thanks for doing this, Bruce. Also, since the engine was out of the frame, I opened up the engine to replace the balancer chain tensioner - the infamous doohickey.

Having taken some time off work to devote to this project, it finally progressed - sort of. Sometimes it was one step forward and two steps back.

I got the subframe on - a fiddly job that requires attaching a stiff rubber hose from the airbox to the carb. Then I had to remove it again in order to install the exhaust system. Then I had to remove the exhaust system in order to attach the negative battery cable to the starter. Of course, removing the exhaust system meant also removing the subframe - again!

Then after getting the bike mostly together, I discover that the initial problem which precipitated this entire process still existed. The rear suspension was still acting as if it was seized. One problem was the left linkage arm was installed the wrong way to allow clearance between the bolt head and the drive chain.

But after taking things apart to correct that issue, the suspension was still seized. I could press the seat down and it would stay down. I could pull the seat up, and it would stay up. What was wrong?

I once again disassembled the rear suspension (was this the third time or the fourth, I can't remember!) to remove the shock and check everything out. With the help of Gord Inglis of Inglis Cycle Centre in London, we put the shock on the hydraulic press and it did seem to rebound.

However, another check of the suspension eliminated all other possibilities. I enlisted Gord to help me find an aftermarket shock for the bike. Aftermarket shocks have the advantage of being rebuildable down the road when the damping system inevitably becomes less effective.



In the case of the original shock, instead of losing all damping whatsoever and turning the back end into a pogo stick, the internals of the Kawasaki shock went the other way; the shock became slow and stiff to extend and rebound as if filled with molasses.



Now, with my new Progressive Suspension shock in place, the bike rides as it should. Things have settled down in the back and the bike rides much smoother.

Upon initial disassembly of the bike way back when and finding the shock linkage pivot bolt rusted and seized, I looked no further for any other possible causes with regards to the seized suspension. Obviously, there were more than one problem with the bike!

Once again, thanks Gord for helping me out.

Today, my wife and I went out for an extended dirt ride to check things out and have a bit of fun. It was an excellent ride. We racked up more than 200 km, the vast majority on dirt and gravel backroads. There were also several old no-longer-maintained roads which required elevated care to the point of standing up at times.

Here are some pics.


Jane and her Yamaha XT225 - and the "new" KLR650





Port Stanley, Ontario - on the north shore of Lake Erie



Yellowstone Park! (see the sign in the background)

Coming Together

My last post on this subject detailed my changing of the engine balancer inside the KLR650 engine. The engine was out of the frame and so I could position the engine to make it easier to work on.

Now, the engine is back in the frame, and other bits and pieces are starting to be assembled into something that resembles a motorcycle. The following pictures show the grease nipples that my friend Bruce applied to the suspension bits. These will make it easier to lubricate the suspension so that hopefully a seizure like what happened on the Michigan Cross Country Trail can be avoided.


The shock linkage and center swingarm pivot showing grease nipples




Left side swingarm pivot grease nipple mounted on top near chain




Left side swingarm pivot grease nipple mounted underneath




Coming together, but still lots to do




Here I am on the Michigan Cross Country Trail
before the suspension seizure




Parts of this trail are very difficult and treacherous




GPS track of trail (including the crossover which forms
the letter A) it would take over a week to do it all

Did The Doohickey

Today I completed a further step towards getting my KLR6500 back on the road. I replaced the balancer chain idler pulley. This part is commonly referred to in the world of the KLR650 as the "doohickey."

I won't bore you with describing the whole procedure. It can be found here:
www.klr650.marknet.us

Something not updated in this procedure is the new spring design pioneered by Mike of Eagle Design and Mfg. I bought my kit, including the custom wrench and rotor puller, from A Vicious Cycle in New Dundee, Ontario. Great place for dirt bike and dual sport enthusiasts.

www.aviciouscycle.ca

The new torsion spring is not discussed in the above procedure. For that, the instructions can be found at Left Coast KLRs.

http://leftcoastklrs.com

Here are a few pictures from my own experience. I should say that with the above instructions, there were no surprises whatsoever.

My setup - I used ratcheting straps to tie the motor down
as a lot of torque is necessary to remove the rotor inside.



Close up of the left side strap. I removed the strap from
the ratcheting mechanism to thread it behind the oil
line which feeds the head.



Wider view- the back of a pickup truck is the perfect
work area. D-rings to hold the motor right at waist level.



This view shows my work lights. Plenty of light!



Left side cover removed showing the stator. The
rotor is still on the engine.



Torque on the rotor bolt is 130 ft.lbs. This custom
wrench holds the rotor/engine from turning.
Worked great!



Here is my old doohickey on the left. A welded part.
New doo on the right is machined from solid billet.



Vacuuming off engine before removing second
engine casing in order to access old spring.



This original spring, at 45,000 kms, has lost
all of it's pulling ability.



The engine casing has been drilled out to accept
the new torsion spring - shown.



Inner engine casing, torsion spring, and new
doohickey are applied. Using tack lifter
to stretch spring into place.



Here the spring is in place, and pushed back into the
groove on the doohickey. No more weak extension
spring or welded part.



Re-tightening the rotor bolt.

First Ride of 2010

It felt great to be riding the motorcycle today. It was unseasonably warm and I took full advantage. Not a big ride, but a very satisfying one. Can't wait for the next one.

2010 World of Motorcycles Expo

In the midst of a Canadian winter. Bikes are parked and we can only dream of rides to come. But wait, we can also get together to talk about and look at motorcycles at the numerous motorcycle shows that take place in the winter time.

Here in London Ontario, the World of Motorcycles Expo is coming up soon. February 19th - 21st at the Western Fair Agriplex.

I will be running the show booth for the London Motorcycle Ride for Dad, and will be displaying the motorcycle I rode in the 2009 Iron Butt Rally.

This is an iPhone test.

This is a test of blogging via iPhone. This test will determine how accurate text entry is, and whether the forms work.

My Honda ST1100 is amazing for putting up with the crap I throw its way. It just shrugs it off. Simply amazing.

The bike now has 428,800 kms on the clock. Ahh, the open road.

It has just completed its third Iron Butt Rally. During the ride down to the start in Spartanburg South Carolina (1300km), the rally itself, and the ride home (3500km) I have clocked over 22,500 kms. I have done this without an oil change. This is the second time I have competed in the Iron Butt without changing the oil in between somewhere.

Before leaving, I went down in deep mud and tore the windshield off. I rode the iron Butt with the windshield taped on with duct tape. Incidentally, duct tape does not stick well in temperatures greater than 120F. Twice it came loose, the second time it knocked me square in the face before landing on the interstate behind me. A truck clipped it before I could retrieve it but it did not shatter. It is time for new plastic.

Thanks to Tomas of the Honda ST Owners club for helping me tape it back on the first time in Texas.

During the rally, the bike shut down due to a faulty vacuum shutoff valve. I bypassed the valve, forgetting to block the vacuum line. I rode it home this way, running rough all the way. That is what can happen when you are tired.

Also during the rally, I got the bike stuck in Louisiana Bayou mud. So badly that the front fender was caked up with it. The mud was so hard it felt like I had the front brakes on. I walked the bike using its own power for maybe 100 ft or so and the front tire was hot and smoking! I had to remove the fender by flashlight and knock the mud out.

Another thanks goes out to another Honda ST Owners Club member - Mike Turley of Montana. Thanks for giving us a place to stay for the night as we were passing through!

I have new spark plugs, air filter, and fuel filter waiting to go in not to mention fresh oil and a filter. It deserves it.



Rural Montana




Tied down on the Lake Express Ferry




Shut down in Rural Alberta




On The Ferry To Martha's Vinyard





Port Angeles Washington - In The Extreme
North West Corner Of The State

Iron Butt Rally Starts In The Morning

At 10AM Monday morning, I depart on the 2009 Iron Butt Rally.

Due to rally regulations, I will not be permitted to post to this site during the rally. Nor will my SPOT tracker be active in this public forum to protect the integrity of the bonus locations.

I am looking forward to the rally, and to writing about it afterwards.

To follow the rally, you can read daily updates on the Iron Butt Rally website.

Arrived In Spartanburg

I am here in Spartanburg, South Carolina. It is Friday, August the 21st. The rally starts on Monday.

No official functions on the roster today. Just doing a few little things to make sure I am ready. I will likely do some mapping work to prepare myself for plotting bonuses for the rally. Also a nap is in order for this afternoon. It was a long day yesterday riding down here from London, Ontario.

The bike suffered a fuel starvation issue during a long hot slog through a clogged interstate highway. Neil Ward's KLR650 also was acting up during the ride down. His temperature gauge is faulty.

Sal Terranova from Buffalo rode with us on his ST1100. All three of us are in the rally. His bike was the only one that did not act up. I must say thanks to Sal for providing me with a few camera memory cards and a Camelbak drinking system for my use during the rally. I will also take this time to thank Inglis Cycle Centre in London Ontario, who have been generous in my preparations leading up to the rally.

Due to the wishes of the rally organizers, this event will maintain its amateur non-commercial nature this year. This means that I must cover up or remove any companies decal that may be on the bike. Another duty I will be performing over the next few days.

The 1300 km I rode yesterday to get here is the longest ride I have taken all year and I feel it. Oh boy...

coolant problems on neil's bike near pittsburgh
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It's Getting Closer

It's August 2nd. In just a little over two weeks, I will be heading to Spartanburg, South Carolina to join 99 other crazy individuals participating in the Iron Butt Rally. It is getting more real and more menacing in my mind. I have ridden this rally twice before and yet that is not enough to quell the nervousness.

A tremendous personal challenge. Not just of one's riding skills. Riding it is almost the easy part. No, the real challenge is in choosing where to ride. From the massive list of "bonuses" or destinations, one must decide which ones to ride to. Of course some are worth more than others, and some are "sucker" bonuses, designed to trick the rider into making a bad decision.

Go for the big ones. Sounds easy, but sometimes, a string of medium ones add up to the same. Tricky. Very tricky. I'd like to think I am good at it, but in 2005, 24 other people were better at it than me.

Am I ready? Well I will likely do some mapping work beforehand to prepare. Alas, the latest version of Garmin maps is backordered at dealers and unavailable. The bike is pretty much ready. A few little things need to be done, but it is in good condition. No nagging problems with the machine to distract or worry.

I am the holdup. Not having done many long rides this year, I am concerned I will be able to keep up. Log in here and and at ironbuttrally.com to follow along.

Table of Contents - Road Trips

Easter 2001 Banzai Blast to Key West
Dover In December - Port Dover Friday December 13th 2002
2001 Iron Butt Rally - A Look From The Rookie's Seat
2000 Blackfly Endurance Rally
Mexico Trip 2003
Lake Superior SaddleSore 1000
2005 Iron Butt Rally
Taking The Road Less Traveled - Trans Labrador Highway
Newfoundland Rail Trail
Riding in South Africa

Sidestand Up

I appeared as a guest on the internet radio show Sidestand Up last night.

In case you missed it live, their website streams past episodes. The show I appeared on is show number 94.

Click here to go to their website.

We talked about the upcoming Iron Butt Rally, and my trip to the Route du Nord.

South Africa

Recently, I completed a five week work assignment in South Africa. I was in the city of Pretoria. For North Americans, this is an interesting place to visit, not only because of the history and the wildlife, but also because they drive on the left side of the road.

I was lucky enough to do some driving and riding during my time there. Temperatures were quite pleasant despite the fact that it is their winter right now.

I would like to thank Riel Smit and especially Peter Short. Peter's generosity in lending my his BMW R1150RT was very much appreciated. It helped stave off the motorcycle withdrawal I was beginning to experience, and it gave me the chance to experience South Africa in a way that was very enjoyable and familiar to me.

Familiar, except for the fact that one must always remember what side of the road you must be on!

I was there mainly to work, but found the time to enjoy riding. SA of course has a troubled past, and despite the fact that there is hope and optimism amongst residents for a brighter future, there is high unemployment and crime there. Most properties have fences topped with barbed wire surrounding them. Sometimes it looks as if one is in a prison.

It would certainly be a shame not to experience everything possible, and I did my best. I even traveled to neighboring country Botswana. This to rehearse for perhaps a longer multi-country tour one day. One day.

Here are a few pics and videos.



The very nice BMW R1150RT




Little dualsport that was running around called the Wildfire. I don't know the origins of this make.




Visit to the Apartheid Museum.




Two stroke Suzuki GP125.




Jonway cruiser. This is a Chinese made bike - 250cc. This is the first bike I saw in SA after arriving there.









My trip to Botswana.



Impala crossing!

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James Bay via KLR article - Motorcycle Mojo Mag

My article on riding the Route du Nord via KLR is in the June 2009 edition of Motorcycle Mojo magazine.

You can find it here.

Mileage Milestone

The Honda ST1100 recently reached a major milestone and it seemed like a good time to do a little review of where the bike and I have been.

Accepting the keys

I purchased the machine in March of 1998 from Hully Gully. I knew from my days with my Honda Shadow that I wanted to do more traveling, and the ST was my choice. I fell in love with the colour when I saw it on the showroom floor.

The bike was all I hoped it would be. Within a month, I had done my first SS1000 ride with the bike. It was a cold ride, and I thought I was prepared. I knew enough to have a heated jacket liner, but I was still frozen. It WAS April after all, and riding through the night was frigid.

I was successful, however. And I was hooked. It wasn't long before I was planning longer rides in the Iron Butt Association extreme category.

In 1999, I set a record crossing Canada in 65 hours and two minutes. The previous record was 84 hours and change by a fellow named Roy Eastwood. I assisted the IBA in setting this up as an official ride called the Trans Canadian GOLD.

I rode the bike to Edmonton in 1998, 1999, and 2000 to participate in the Alberta 2000 rally. This is an immense ride. 3500km each way, plus the event's 2000 km. All this is the span of six days.

I once again crossed Canada in even less time in 2001, using a fuel cell and a catheter setup. My elapsed time was 59 hours and 45 minutes - beating my own record. I also rode the Iron Butt Rally in 2001, placing in 32nd place with a gold medal. Very good in this competitive field.

In 2002, the bike was rear-ended hard on the highway and I was thrown off. There was over $6000 dollars damage to the bike, including a bent subframe. It was repaired with no apparent lasting effects. I had a sore shoulder but was otherwise unhurt, thanks to my armoured riding suit.

Many other trips followed. Including Mexico, Key West, and St. John's Newfoundland. I continued to do solo and competitive long distance rallies.

The bike was racking up big mileage but showed little signs of slowing down. Today, it uses somewhat more oil than when new, but I wouldn't hesitate in riding it across the country. Eventually, things were showing signs of wear. Parts I have replaced include: Steering head bearings, rear differential bearings, u-joint, one intake camshaft, all of the fork internals, three timing belts, water pump (not a failure, just on spec), water hoses, thermostat, clutch, and a couple of starter solenoids.

I was stuck on Cochrane, Ontario, when a starter solenoid failed, and had to take the train and bus back home in order to pick up my truck and trailer and drive 12 hours north to retrieve the bike. Quite an ordeal. That was 2002 when I was attempting a back to back ride of Canada. I had already completed the ride from Halifax to Vancouver and I was on my way back.

I successfully rode across Canada back to back on the clock in 2004, establishing a new one-way record of 59 hours and 36 minutes in the process.

I rode the Iron Butt once again in 2005. Increasing my place in the finishing order to 25th place and again with a gold medal. Very pleased with this finish.

Each winter the bike gets a thorough going over. All fluids get changed - brakes, clutch, coolant, rear diff oil, fork oil, as well as fuel filter, air filter, spark plugs, and of course a carburetor synch and valve clearance check. It's a lot to do, but it's worth it.

In 2007, I had the motorcycle tattooed on my arm.


Now I am looking forward to riding the 2009 Iron Butt Rally with this bike. The bike has been nicely updated with all the things previously mentioned. I even have a new seat courtesy of my friend Sal Terranova from Buffalo. I will be sure to post results and hopefully a few updates during the rally.

And so here it is, the latest milestone in a long series of milestones in the ongoing story of this motorcycle. I am so very impressed with this machine, the Green Hornet.