Contact Overland Solutions for all your custom modifications and setup for overland travel.               Discover the extraordinary with Compass Expeditions.

Go Back   The HUBB > Technical, Bike forums > Kawasaki
KLE 500 - Front fork oil change? KLE 500 - Front fork oil change?
Register FAQ Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Kawasaki Kawasaki Tech Forum - For Questions specific and of interest to Kawasaki riders only. Questions comparing which bike is best etc go in the "Which Bike" forum.
With more than 58 destinations worldwide, Edelweiss Bike Travel is Number 1 in guided motorcycle tours!
Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 21 Mar 2008
Registered Users
New on the HUBB
  
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Spain
Posts: 8
KLE 500 - Front fork oil change?
Hi guys,

This week I've made my first trip with the KLE. I'm still away from home so no photos for now.
It runs just fine, enough grunt for 2-up with allit panniers, top box and the whole kit, but I've that the front fork is really soft, which doesn't really help when highway riding...
So I've been thinking of changing fork spring and oil to make it a little better... But I don't know wether this will help that much. Given that I don't have the money (nor the desire) to substitute the whole fork... What do you guys think? Has any of you tried the same? Am I expecting too much from the poor bike?

Also, I'd like to change the preload of the rear spring, but it doesn't look as though it can be done by hand or with the tools I have... Is the special tool necessary or can it be done with some tool tweaking? If the first one... Where can I buy it?

Thanks for reading
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 21 Mar 2008
royzx7r's Avatar
Contributing Member
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Liverpool UK
Posts: 225
Hi Bloowitt,

I Dunno about the fork stuff as Ive not come to looking at that yet.

As for the rear shock, Just get a flat screw driver and a hammer and knock it up to the maximum. Dont bother with the other stops but go to the top notch coz the back of the KLE is way to soggy.

Be sure to cover the end of the screw driver with something to stop it digging in the shock.

It will ride much better once you get that shocker up, even more so if your touring with 2 up.

Hope this helps?.



Roy
__________________
"Whats in that thing??", An R1 owner said.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 21 Mar 2008
Jedkel's Avatar
Registered Users
New on the HUBB
  
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: U.K.
Posts: 19
You could try putting some air into the forks - I know they are meant to be run at atmospheric pressure but I have heard others have done so, cheap also you just need a bicycle pump.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 3 Apr 2008
Registered Users
New on the HUBB
  
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Sarajevo
Posts: 7
exactly there is no need to change oil in fork, just input some air in fork..you will find pipes like one on tyres on top of the fork...you must be sure to put same air pessure in both fork but you can mesaure it with air pressure meter, I cant find exactly what pressure should be maybe you will find it in service manual?
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 3 Apr 2008
Registered Users
HUBB regular
  
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: cumbria
Posts: 48
air pressure
hi the manual says 0 kpa/adjustable.
i have tryed to put on pages from cd manual but cant do it
if i can figure out how i wil put on
hope this helps
any other help needed and i will look to see if it is on manual
nmc
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 4 Apr 2008
Registered Users
New on the HUBB
  
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Spain
Posts: 8
Hi!

Thanks for the replies, and sorry for not coming back earlier, but my router died and I've been pretty much offline.

The manual basically says that air pressure on the forks shouldn't be messed with, but it looks as if lots of people have done it and their bikes haven't exploded... Should have a look at it.

Anyhow, truth is that once I changed the rear preload, the bike feels much more stable and rebounds less on the front end (I was travelling at preload setting 2 with a pillion and allit boxes, so you can figure how much fun I had...), so I'm not really in any hurry to change anything now, and can look more into it. Will post if I end up changing springs and oil.

Apart from that, I guess I'll have to replace the broken sidestand switch, if just to keep the warranty, so the money is going into that first...
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 12 May 2008
Registered Users
New on the HUBB
  
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Posts: 7
i have the kle repair manual but I could not find any information about adjusting the front fork air pressure.

The is the air pressure range for the forks?

The previous owner of my kle has modified the air presure. How can I restore the pressure to factory settings?

The manual sais it 0kpa ... does this mean it is void?

Thanks!
Last edited by adiroiban; 12 May 2008 at 23:00.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 20 May 2008
Registered Users
New on the HUBB
  
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Spain
Posts: 8
adiroiban, I think what the manual says is "0 kpa adjustable", which means you should adjust it at about atmospherical +-0 kPa , which, really, isn't that much of an ample range

I don't know how to reset it, but maybe just having the valves open would stabilize it at atmospheric pressure. You know, doing this at your own risk, as I'm not sure.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 22 May 2008
Registered Users
New on the HUBB
  
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Posts: 7
I have `reset` the forks by puting it on a rear stand and then releasing all air.

After that the forks were very soft and the seat lower with about 2 centimeters.

But they were to soft for city comuting so I have set them to 1 bar. The bike is againt taller but it does not go over from when breaking or changing gears.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 4 Jun 2008
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: On the road between Oz and Europe
Posts: 181
I changed the fork springs with progressive ones. Totally different riding now.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 9 Jul 2008
Registered Users
HUBB regular
  
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: NSW, Australia
Posts: 53
Anyone of you guys fat bastards like myself? 95kg of lard arse... If so, some spring recommendations would be great...

Cheers
Ian
Reply With Quote
Reply

« Previous Thread | Next Thread »

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 Registered Users and/or Members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes
Linear Mode Linear Mode

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
How difficult to change front fork seals? Sparkdaddy Yamaha Tech 5 26 Jan 2009 12:43
Fork Oil change EKIMYRF Yamaha Tech 2 21 Feb 2008 23:28
Change fork Falk65 Yamaha Tech 4 28 Oct 2007 22:19
Front fork oil Guy Scheveneels Yamaha Tech 2 9 Jun 2004 13:40
fork oil change Finian Yamaha Tech 10 25 Jul 2003 14:44


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 13:02.

Contact Us - Horizons Unlimited Motorcycle Travellers Website - Archive - Privacy Statement - Top