I just got this KLR 650 2007 NEW froma Local Dealer ,Columbus Ohio . .I looked for months for a" Fair" or even closeto fair deal on a used one ,but most people as well as Dealers wanted a new price for theirused and beat to deathor dumped JUNK, and never looked at the NADA Blue or brown book.. So I broke down and over spent for new , If I had it to do over I would have went out of thisstate to get a better deal . The savings would have been worth it ! And Dealer backing is meaningless ,At least in this aira (we are all hillbilly Republicans here and don't need consumer protection laws).Read on!
First item was the Dealer made the clam that they did some assembly ,implying that the bike was not shipped fully assembled ! And burned me for handling and assembly . When I took delivery of the machine ,I road it home in the rain with great care,slow .Thank GOD . It is the tallest bike I have ever had and it was a bit strangefor thefirst time ride! I only liked it for design reasons . It is not fuel injected best of all " Fuel just runs out of the tank into the Carb no fuel pump to break down. Another item the book that came with the bike stated its ok to run it on part grain alcoholbut you might need to re jet or adjust the carb richer for E85 . I may build a still !And the plastic will not bust into small peaces if dropped its Tupperwere and it will happen sooner or later ,Murphy,s, law.As well the KLR is what ourmilitary uses .but they are rebuilt by F1 engineering co. and some are multi fuel diesels"Iracgets them on the Tax payers backs at goofy prices,we can't buy them". Bestthey are some what simple to work on ,NO geputer to fail or adjust !But As far my bikeI will never take it back to the Dealer that burned me ,for any repairs or buy any thing from them what so ever, no matter of how good the deal looks. Orlet some dumb Dealership kid screw up parts that my life depends on,THEY are not real pros Just kids working a summer job to pay for school in the fall. And the following is why I say that ! (actualy unemployed now)
The Bike needed lowered ,I am 5 foot 10 inch tall and if I stopped over a low spot in the road or a hole in the ground I would be on my tip tows or maybe just drop the whole thing. Undeterred I knew Icould lower it some how !Of course the dealer was no help at all with a lowering linkkit when I made the deal and at least 2 of the dealers parts people acted real stupid as to what I was talking about . They said that they could not find one listed in their parts book . I found 6 differentlowering link kitson the WEB ! Some steel others Stainless steel and most some sort of Aluminum Alloy .Went with one from Performance-Design.they are avery old maker of lowering links made ofAL.Alloy.Powder coated black.One problem with Stainless Steel! I have seen it work harden and crack and your life depends on that part its not good .Stainless Alloy is soft work hardens and breaks.Aluminum Alloys also do not hold up well, but most will bend a little before breakage.Performance DesignAlloy looked good but over priced$80,but they have made them for years and they lowered the bike something like 1 and 5/8 inch "I did the work myself instructions very good". That works for Me . Side stand also needed lowered some thing like 1 and1/4 inch .Cut and re weld your self or buy a shortened one $49.However the lowered ones you can buy may be a little over lowered.Low and behold when I removed the bolts for the OEM linksONE bolt was almost just finger tight ,the other was 75 foot lbs or more .(Standard) . Now if the bolt would have cameout riding home I would have went down fast The loose boltwas the only thing holding up the rear end swing arm! The bolt was not nutted with a ni lock or lock tight or a cotter key and castle nut .THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS ! When I installed the lowering kit I pushedone set of needle bearings out the far side ,and to my surprise the bearings hadNO grease or oil on them at all ,Just a fine coat of shippingwax like gees on all new bearing just out of the box and wrapper . So I removed the other set of bearings to check same . It was the same deal NO OIL or GREASE ,more or less bone dry !Nice touch Dealer andor Kawasaki ! Bolts replaced and threads coated with Locktight 242 ,Blue! And bearing cavity filled with 90 syntheticwt. gear oil untill it ran on the floor as well as soaking bearings and seals with silicone grease.Hay the bearings could have had a grease nipple ,if you go through water often it would have been a nice touch, But you don't get Quality any more at any price ! Hello Ralph Nader please gee home!
Seeing that I did not want tostake my life on the ROTTEN job the Dealeras well asKawasaki did on assembly ,andfor areal high price at that !.I started looking at everything .This is what I found . Front head light faring screws finger tight . Wind screen not even finger tight (loose as a goose). Right side tank faring screws one tight,ONEfinger tight . Left side Battery cover side plastic Loose, ready to fall off . Dealer charged battery up who do you think did some of this crap! What dose that tell you .Speedometer cable Loose at wheel (REAL LOOSE)and cable dry as a bone ,I coated it with cable moly lube .(dealer screwed up again!).Muffler bolts 2 out of three loose "And I got a recall letter on that one "Fixed that my self ,can't trust dealers.Muffler Drain bolts(plugs) needed Anti Seize lube or high heat grease of some kind(almost stripped them out removing them brand new! ) Re- Taped holes and replaced plugs with heat proof grease ! (Kawasaki did that one) .Drive Chain to rear wheel .not lubed at all "Bone dry" Thanks dealer nice touch ! That a sealedO Ring chain, but itsoutside will rustif not lubed .Brake and Clutch handles not lined up the same on handle bar, fixed that to (dealers falt mabe) Handle barnuts and bolts not real tightand noLocktight used . Nice quality job ! Clutch not adjusted right . To much free play . Engine Oil level almost to low ,At bottom of sight glass with bikeCHEAP on the oil . "Thanks dealer" For checking that one two ! It(the oil)is supposed to be at the top of sight glass if you do a lot of off road work .I do ! Last thing !The light bulbs all of them did not have electric pin sealing grease ,"All cars from Japan do anymore". The spark plug boot also had no waterproof sealent . Almost All world cars have waterproof Sealent in the Spark plug boots now. And The battery terminals had no grease sealentto keep the oxcide from forming .Also one more time *Nice Job Kaw
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