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Choosing for Milage, Maintenance, and Reliability
Plans for my upcoming RTW trip are starting to come together, and I have reached the point where I am looking to buy the bike to be used on the trip.
I have more or less made a decision, but want to run my reasoning past everyone and see if any of the experienced riders out there can shoot any holes in my reasoning. Perhaps my reasoning below can also help out others debating this same decision. Size and Riding Style The bike will be supporting only me and a minimal amount of gear (I travel light). I also have no fear of leaving the pavement. At the same time, an RTW trip will spend some time in highly developed countries and should be capable of at least minimal highway speeds. Given this I am looking at a 650cc - 1000cc range dual sport. The lower end of this range is preferred because I will inevitable need to pick it up by myself from time to time. Mileage I am planning a trip to last a minimum of 2 years, beyond which I am not planning ahead for if I will be on the road or not. Assuming I travel an average of 100 miles a day, I will be putting on 36,500 miles a year. 73,000 in two years. 146,000 if I'm still on the road in 4 years. The motorcycle used should have a reasonable expectation of reaching the 2-year mark, though not necessarily without repairs (see below). Reliability and Maintenance Reading blogs and talking to experienced RTW travelers, it is clear that repairs will need to be made along the way. The unrelenting mileage in inhospitable conditions will get to any motorcycle, no matter how reliable under ordinary conditions. Reading those same blogs and talking to those same people it is also clear that the best way to avoid breakdowns is in regular maintenance. Put lots of work into keeping the bike in top condition and just about any brand will give you a highly reliable ride. Given this, ease of maintenance should be a priority. This can take the form of easy to perform and/or less frequently needed. A person's own skill at performing maintenance must also be accounted for. Repairs The ability to make repairs after a breakdown is greatly effected by several factors:
Comfort Comfort while riding is critical. Some start out reasonably comfortable (BMW GS) while others require work using after-market farkles (KLR). Models which cannot be made comfortable should be avoided. Cost Cost should include purchase price, farkles, carnet, and gas mileage. To some extent cost is almost irrelevant against the overall cost of the trip, but not if the cost difference equates to additional months on the road. Personal Decision: KLR650 (pre-'08 model) Based on the above, I have chosen the KLR650, specifically a pre-'08 model. The KLR is not without its significant drawbacks. It isn't the most comfortable ride, it requires lots of farkles to match up to stock RTW worthiness of some other brands, and it has a lower potential lifespan than some other brands. To balance this out, the technology is simple and can be fixed anywhere. There are lots of after-market farkles for modifying the KLR to my desired specifications. The KLR is capable in any road conditions I am likely to encounter and light enough I can pick it up myself. The bike is also very inexpensive compared to many of the other choices, even after adding a long list of after-market parts. The cost difference between the two extremes (KLR650 and F800GS) is sufficient for several months of travel expenses and well worth the consideration. What tips the balance in favor of the KLR is my extensive knowledge of how the bike works. I currently own a KLR which I have worked on extensively and I am satisfied that if necessary I could repair anything using the clymer manual and my existing knowledge. Some parts will be hard to find in some parts of the world, but many of those can be cludged together with a bit of ingenuity. Those that cannot should be no more difficult to obtain than specialty parts for some other brands people are using. Maintenance (daily and periodic) is easy and can be performed anywhere with a little bit of advance planning. Any other choice would be more difficult to repair and I would have less knowledge of how the bike works. The big unknown is maximum lifespan, even with good maintenance. A well maintained KLR can easily last 70k - 90k miles, even under abusive conditions. Before the 100k mark, it is entirely possible the engine will need to be rebuilt, or possibly even replaced. My opinion so far is that this risk is balanced out by my knowledge of the bike and its lower cost compared to other choices. Comments? Anyone who can convince me the KLR650 is a bad choice? |
You already have a KLR ,you know how it works ,you know how to fix it when it breaks .
That's all you need . It's not about the bike ,it's about the trip . Spend your extra cash on travel ,not another bike . Comfort is entirely subjective ,my VStrom felt great when I bought it but after 8 hours in the saddle I was in severe pain . My friend had the same problem with his 1200 GS . My most comfortable seat is on an old bike and I made it out of a piece of scrap foam duct taped to the seat pan . The KLR can be rebored enroute , no big deal ,any decent machine shop can do that and you can have a piston mailed out to you . Valves and springs also can be mailed . What else will go wrong ,--seals ,bearings ?-carry spares . The rear shock might ,potentially , be your biggest problem ,change it out for a rebuildable aftermarket unit and leave the old one with a friend to mail out to you ,should it be required . Chains and sprockets :, carry a new front sprocket ,aim to be in a place where they sell Kawasaki or jobber parts at a time when you think the chain and rear sprocket might need replacement . I would say that the KLR has a good reputation for reliability . Bear in mind that they are very often bought by younger guys ,on a low budget and thrashed mercillesly . Nobody buys a KLR for it's poseur status ! |
Because you are familiar and happy with a KLR it is likely the right bike for you. I went through a similar process of elimination and an Enfield turned out to be the right bike for me. It is the marriage of bike AND rider that is important. You cannot judge either the bike or rider alone.
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Got to be the KLR! :thumbup1: I'm sure you know all the upgrades and have probably done them already. The F800GS is three times the money. You could go with the F650GS. Nice comfortable bike but IMO, not as solid as a KLR over the long run and will not take a beating the way the KLR can, seems to have more "issues".
I would take to heart what Dodger mentioned about the shock. I would invest in a high quality aftermarket shock set up for your weight and the load. Do similar to the front, add a fork brace, heavier springs and Race Tech emulators or similar. Improving the ride will be well worth it IMHO and will allow to tackle any Tope without fear:clap: (don't forget to upgrade sub frame bolts!) I've been on two rides when Topes snapped these bolts! Beware! I would also be very sure about your seat. You should be able to spend 10 hours a day on the bike, day after day. A good seat will make this possible. Most everything else on the KLR should be good to about 50,000 miles with decent care. I'm sure you will upgrade the front brake, which to me is worth while. Getting good oil on the road is a crap shoot. Buying premium priced specialty motorcycle oil will cost a fortune, but using good syn or semi syn car oil IMO, is the way to go whenever possible. I would start with a high quality DID VM-2 X-ring chain and carry an extra countershaft sprocket. That chain should last 20,000 miles, so plan to replace chain and sprockets at that time (more or less). Tires are always a challenge. Get them when and where you can. I almost always carry at least one, usually a rear. Fronts are easier to find and last double a rear. The rest will be about fitting nice luggage and not overloading the bike. (not so easy). I prefer soft bags by far. Saves weight, makes you pack light. Good logical approach. Keep an eye on things but don't obsess on the road, better to enjoy. Do maintenance at a time that suits you and when you're taking a several day break from the road. :Beach: |
Never owned a KLR, but in 2001 and 2002, I rented them out of Johannesburg, and toured South Africa first, and then in 2002, many other countries in the region (excellent trips, BTW!!!).. some 20 thousand kms altogether.
Generally, I think it was very capable for travel 1-up, even though the standard seat wasnt too good, but that can be fixed. And it seems to suit the conditions quite well (even if this part of Africa may not be the most challenging as far as roads are concerned). I sometimes had a little problems with the mixture getting too rich in high altitude (about 3300 meters was the highest pass I went to), but I managed to do it without altering the jetting. Compared to the twins, it is a little bit down on power for motorways, but that´s common for every 1-cylinder bike; they have around 50 hp. It´d be especially noticeable, if you were going 2-up, but you´re not planning to do that. If you were, I´d recommend to get a twin. And because you´re already familiar with the KLR´s technical side, it seems like the perfect choice for you. The weight of the bike will likely be a factor, when you´re shipping it between continents, and the KLR is not too heavy. |
Thanks for all the replies, lots of great ideas both covering new ground and reaffirming my existing planning!
As for modifications, I've done a lot of work on my existing KLR (which likely will not be the trip KLR as it will have 40k+ miles on it by the time I leave). I'm putting together of a list of upgrades which include things like a custom-made seat (Corbin is close, but not quite right), Cogent Dynamics rear shock matched with Intiminator on the front shock, IMS tank, and all the standard durability upgrades (Doohikey, Subframe bolt upgrade, etc.). Luggage: I've already decided on Caribou Luggage on the sides no matter what the bike ends up being. Caribou converts Pelican cases to well designed motorcycle luggage. Based on trips around the USA, I should be able to fit in those everything I use except the tent (I pack light when I travel). I will then have a guitar strapped across the top along with the tent. Yes, I know the standard warnings about instruments..... If anyone is interested on modifications I'm making, I am putting together a web page with my planning. I'll post a link here when I get it done (a few days probably). Thanks for the input! |
Two things to keep in mind are altitude and range. As I am on a Vstrom, mine is fuel injected and I have no issues with the low oxygen in the Andes for days on end, I also have a large tank, so although I still need an extra fuel can, mostly I can do without.
I am thinking the KLR is a carb model, but I could be wrong, you may need to be capable of changing the jets on the road quite a few times if it is. If you cannot ride all day on the seat, get an Airhawk, a cheap mod as compared to a remod of the entire seat and you can take it with you Cheers TS |
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As for seat ... I currently use a Corbin and have ridden many very long days. It is almost the perfect seat for me, but not quite ... so I am planning to have a custom seat made at a place nearby where I live. A larger gas tank is in the plan, which will give sufficient range for most situations short of crossing the Sahara, or similar. |
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KLR-650 Preparation for RTW Trip |
Was skimming thru the Hubb - night shift you see and thought Blimey he s up early , then i saw where you lived :oops2: . Have to agree with what everyone says about the shock - that said even new ones can go to the wall pretty quick if abused .
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As one of the KLR riders seen by Travelingstrom laboring up hills at 4500+ meters, I feel compelled to respond. Besides, it's cold and grey and I'm still chilled from riding in the snow and rain yesterday.
Fuel injection lets you ride at altitude without losing power. And it gains you significant fuel economy (my KLR gets 5 miles per gallon about 2 km per liter worse than the Vstrom I left at home in the garage). On the other hand, Travelingstrom's fuel injection stopped working properly when his intake screen got clogged; it requires high pressures, which means a fuel pump, and life gets messy when it fails for whatever reason. It also requires electronic circuitry to function, with which some are more comfortable than others. Carburators are easily repaired by the rider or whatever backyard mechanic happens to be right around the bend if yours develops issues. The OP claims a desire for simple technology and easy repairs, which fuel injection is not. I left my new-ish Vstrom at home and brought my middle-aged KLR to South America. So far, this has been working fine for me. But I admit to pangs of jealousy whenever those GS and Stroms go whizzing by me on the steep uphills. I never bothered changing my jets, and it doesn't seem to have done any harm to anything but my pride. In the end, the OP seemed sold on his KLR from the start, and it's hard to see what he'd gain by buying an expensive, complicated bike considering his stated prejudices and thought processes. But as others often point out here, these sorts of trips are made on all sorts of machines, and for the most part everyone makes it home in the end. Safe journeys! Mark (from Punta Arenas, heading northward at last) |
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I had two KLR650 and did a lot of riding with the first one (83000 miles) I will pick it over the DL650 if you like to go off orad a lot, the DL is a great bike and I drove one for a litle while but not at all able to compare withe KLR when its question of real of road. Now if you like to cruise at 70 all day the KLR is not as great, the hight also is an issue for some smaller rider, I never any problem at high altitude ,I had some back fire and lost of power but nothing that bad that I needed to change my jets (done CA and SA with it) cheap and reliable , my second choice will be a XR650L or DR650 for same reason but not very good on HWY.
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One tip on coping with altitude.
Changing the needle height can often be quite an easy job, and of course requires carrying no extra/different bits. I dropped the needle on my DR350 when riding in central asia last year, with the highest pass something like 4,500m. It definately made a noticable difference to the bike's running. Not all bikes come with adjustable height needles, but you can normally buy one for about a tenner. Of course it's not going be anywhere near as effective as the auto adjustment on fuel injected bikes, but like I said a tip which might help and is worth doing if you're riding for more than a few days at altitude. |
Just as a side issue - a friend had a Triumph T595 a few years back and it had a sensor to detect altitude - and he was out on Dartmoor (UK) which isn't a great height, and the bike started playing up, missfiring & running bad. He turned round to head home and it cleared itself. As it was still under the bike shop guarantee (although a couple of years old - secondhand) they checked it out, and eventually it turned out that the increase in altitude had effected the computer - and injection system! A bit of a worrying "weak point".
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As you've seen in above posts, in S. America you WILL spend months above 8000 ft. Quito is about 9000 ft., Cuzco about 8 or 9K ft. La Paz is over 12,000 ft. Many of the Alti-plano roads go over 14,000 ft. and many stay up at 10,000 and above for hundreds of miles. But not to worry. This is not nearly as daunting as it may sound. If you jet your bike to run very lean at sea level (stock settings are very lean) with the air box closed up and snorkels all on, then a very easy solution when over about 7000 ft. is to begin opening up the air box. Over 10K ft. open it up all the way. This will make a huge difference and essentially leans things out. You could also do as suggested and lower the needle to lean out the mixture also, or change main jet. Just don't forget to put it all back when you drop back to near sea level. I would bring a variety of jets along, as you could always install a smaller (leaner) main jet when in the Andes. But most times opening the air box takes minutes, whereas changing the main jet is more work/time. So keep this in mind as a "quick fix" when up very high. It will help. There is really no danger in running too rich at high altitude but running too lean at sea level can ruin your engine, so be aware of your jetting and pay attention to altitudes. Altering air flow is easier than changing jets and may be enough to allow the bike to run OK up high. It will lose power, but not nearly as much if you did nothing. Also, some jetting and internal combustion basics here: Mark: All engines lose power at altitude. ALL. With F.I. the difference is your mixture will remain consistent as the F.I's altimeter sensor adjusts fueling for altitude in conjunction with many other sensor input. The ECM then calculates proper fuel/air ratio, adjusts timing et al. But you still lose power and even fuel economy goes down, yes even on F.I machines. Less Oxygen means less efficient combustion, means less power and more fuel used. Basic. Mark, your KLR starts out with just 37 HP. At 12,000 ft. that drops down to about 30 HP. The Vstrom 650 starts out with about 67 HP, drops to probably 55 up high. Still far more than a KLR. If your bike is so down on power and getting poor fuel economy you need to re-jet, open air box up, adjust your Fuel/Air screw much leaner. This should really help a lot. Your air cleaner will get dirty sooner with air box open but the bike will run like a new bike. Will start and will idle better. Plugs will not be black, and MPG will improve by at least 25%. Don't be afraid to mess with your carb. Get help doing it but do it! |
I wasn't aware that F.I. engines also lose power, but it makes perfect sense. Hadn't thought about opening my airbox either--an easy partial accommodation. I'll try that next time I gain significant altitude. I'm reluctant to do anything more since, as you said, I'm not hurting anything by doing nothing. Jetting for altitude is fine as long as you're at altitude, but I need this bike to run another good bit without engine work...and I'd be just the one to drop down to sea level with changing my jets back.
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Yes, all bikes responds on changing in altitude. Both for mixture reasons (not FI) and the fact that your engine will get less oxygen. The lack of oxygen is more or less the same as reduced cylinder-volume and there is nothing you can do to eliminate the loss.
As a rough guide you loose 10% power per 1000m (3000 ft) but many factors kicks in. If you start to mess with your carb-settings it's important to know how your carbs work. This is a bit different from carb to carb but generally the main-jet doesn't mean much before you have 3/4 throttle. The mixture-screw is only in effect at low throttle (typical up to 1/5 throttle). How often do you drive above 3/4 throttle or below 1/5 throttle? Not much, I guess. Your idle will drop at high altitude but IMHO it's better to increase idle a bit then to adjust the mixture. But of course if you drive with the throttle fully open most of the time changing the main-jet will help. http://justkdx.dirtrider.net/images/graph.jpg If you want to change something it is usually better to change the clip-position because it usually has bigger influence in the normally used throttle positions - on my bike clip-position makes a difference up to 3/4 throttle. When I travel I normally just adjust the idle and live with the fat mixture, it's not that much power to gain with adjusting and I can live with the reduced range. As other have mentioned it might be possible to open up the air-filter to get a leaner mixture. This works on some bikes and not so well on others. If you have a bike with a CV-carb it typically changes the sound of the engine so people think it runs better. Another issue is that when you open the air-filter more dirt might pass it. If you mess with the mixture it's extremely important to get it back before you return to low altitude, otherwise you can seriously damage your engine (melted pistons etc). This is one of the reasons why I prefer to adjust idle instead of mixture. If you forget to adjust it when altitude drops the only thing that happens is that you have a high idle. When it comes to the KLR it's a bike you seldom see in Europe, Asia or Africa but a lot of people have used it and the weak spots should be known. Personally I prefer airheads.:innocent: |
Great comments!
It's true, on a carb the needle clip position is the most important and most of your riding will be "on the needle". Problem is, I don't think a stock KLR has an adjustable needle. (anyone know for sure?) Like so many bikes, there are no clip adjustments. In the USA this is a EPA thing. They set it as lean as possible and use a very lean needle taper to give low emissions. This is another good reason to go to an aftermarket needle that does provide needle clip position changes. It's been too long since I've been inside a KLR carb, can't recall for sure, but I'm thinking its a fixed needle? So NO adjustment possible. Doing this sort of work also depends on access and how easy or hard it is to get too the carb. It's true, main jet changes only affect from 3/4 throttle to full throttle, so it is not so important. Nonetheless, I've found going to a smaller jet somehow helps the bike at altitude. I have no explanation for this, but it worked pretty well. But more important would be the fuel/air screw and air box opening. Dirty filters, as I said before, need to be looked after and kept clean. |
Othalan ... didn't see any mention of the Suzuki DR.
I prefer the DR to the KLR. I rode an '02 KLR thru South America, and a DR thru Africa. The DR wins hands down --- lighter, faster, funner, more maneuverable, way better offroad and equivalent on the highway. I'll continue my RTW in a year or two thru Africa again and into the Himalayas and it will be on the DR, no question about it. Good luck ~~ :thumbup1: |
I will then have a guitar strapped across the top along with the tent. Yes, I know the standard warnings about instruments.....
Consider buying one of the travel guitars that you sometime see in music stores. I ve seen them every once in a while. Half the size of normal ones. Use pig nose type amp to play. |
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The KLR can be easily modified for adjustable idle fuel/air mix and slightly less easily modified for an adjustable needle. Sounds like it might be worth looking into both. Quote:
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===== I'm hardly decided on the KLR....in fact my obsessive-compulsive planning nature makes me ever less certain (as a side note, that obsessive-compulsiveness tends to disappear once I'm on the road). Of course I'm just as uncertain that any other motorcycle would be the best one for the task. I suppose what really sends me towards the KLR is that I don't really care about its lack of power. I won't be in a race against time, nor will I have a schedule to meet. I will simply have a bank account I'm prepared to drain and the next adventure to meet. If the KLR leads me to travel slower and meet more interesting people ... well, I'm not certain that is a drawback. |
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Just make sure you swap out the final drive with something repaired by Bruno before you go... I did a bit of off-roading on the K and it survived fine. So its a valid option. |
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Have a good one:Beach: |
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