"The List"

Lol, so I was trying to remember the vast collection of bikes that have entered my life over the years, and here is what my memory was able to come up with:

1978 KE250 enduro (4 stroke)

1978 Suzuki 250 enduro (2 stroke)

1978 GS750

1983 KZ440 ltd

1981 CB650

1989 RM250

1998 Shadow 750 ace

1999 Shadow 1100 aero

1981 GS750

2001 SV650 - track bike

2003 SV650 - track bike

2001 600 ninja ZX6R

1998 PW80

2002 Blata pocket bike

2003 Honda jazz

1982 550 vision

1983 GS 400

1983 CB450

2005 CRF250X

2001 XR200

2003 Firestorm 1000

1985 Interceptor 500

2007 CBR 125

2003 PW50

1997 KLR 650

2008 KLR 650

1981 KZ750

Dundas, 2010

Overall mod list on the bike

So far, this is all I have done. I'm really on the fence about how much one should modify a KLR; they were intended to be an affordable bike, and that is why I bought one. I really don't want to put "pearls on a pig", so I'm hoping I can stick with a pattern of the most cost-effective and realistic mods to make this bike work well for me. Some of these mods are a direct result of my size alone, as the suspension just doesn't work well from stock. For a point of reference, I am 6'4, 235lbs.

The list:

1. Kawasaki gel seat & cover
2. Doohickey
3. 16 tooth countershaft sprocket
4. Heated vest plug
5. 685 kit
6. Mild port & valve clean up
7. Remove emissions air intake
8. Carb shim
9. Progressive fork springs
10. Elka shock
11. EBC - HH pads
12. Exhaust (removed and put back to stock, unsure what to do next)
13. GIVI monokey trunk


I'm hoping to find some decent soft bags for it, and hopefully someone is now making bag stays for this year. The old style do not work

Why I hate supertrapp

Suspension stuff

So, I caved in and went with a set of progressive fork springs, and an elka shock. It was not in my original budget to do the shock, but honestly when I priced out a spring, linkages, and a "freshening up" of the stock shock, the money was the same. With the intentions I have with spending some time with my wife on this bike this season, and my own heft on the poor bike, it was simply required to address the suspension. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Some engine pics

First time at this

So, I've never blogged before. I guess my intention/interest in doing this is to primarily review my experiences with my motorcycle, and sometime to reflect on things in my daily life.
 As it stands right now, it is freaking cold and nasty this week, and I am awaiting the call from my buddy that is doing the engine job on my bike. It's a 2008 KLR 650, and it is in the process of getting the 685 big bore, some mild porting, and if the funds allow it, heavier springs in the fork. The bike is pretty much stock, save for going up a tooth on the front sprocket, and I have since reverted back to the original exhaust after trying out a supertrapp pipe. That pipe by the way, turned out to be a real piece of crap. Packing blew apart right away, end cap blew off, crushing the can in the process, and the factory did NOTHING when I sent them photos of the pipe. Never again.