KLE 500 head gasket?
 

Hi guys,

Have a slight problem with my new toy....

When you start her up from cold, there is white smoke coming out from the exhaust AND from somewhere around the front of the engine.

Also, from cold, if you set the revs for 2800 (as per the manual) and then move the bike to its central position, off the side stand, the revs drop off immediately by as much as 700-1000 rpm.

Once it's warmed up, it doesn't idle very well at the recommended 1200 rpm - there is some rough running, sometimes it even cuts out. It feels happier idling at 1500 or thereabout - but even then, every now and again, the revs drop off by about 300-400 rpm and then immediately come back up again. And there is this weird noise - like detonations "cutting in" into the normal engine sound.

I took it back to the shop - they found a small oil leak and replaced a gasket. I thought this would get the job done - sadly, it didn't.

So I now suspect head gasket failure - or first signs of it.

Do you guys agree? Any advice?

Thanks!

Does it only smoke at startup ? as in it stops after it warms up ?

Although there are always exceptions to the rule, white smoke is normally coolant being boiled in the cylinder, which means head gasket.

You could try taking off the radiator cap or watching the overflow (if it has one) while you pump compressed air into the cylinder via the spark plug hole. If the head gasket is faulty there should be bubbles appearing at the cap.

Swap
 

Left her in the shop today. They gave me a CBF600 as a ride-around while they're looking at the KLE. God, the CBF looks so wrong! The mirrors: too small. The steering: not right. The brakes: too hard. The engine: makes a funny whiny noise. Grr. I want my KLE back.