Bought a KLE 500

[Tony Smith]

This one is down to me.

I had to replace the clutch cover, the original having a large crease that hadn't quite cracked in it. While I had the engine apart I decided to check the clutch - I didn't like the looks of the fiber plates so I bought new ones,  I made up a "mix-n-match" set of steel plates and gave them a wash in Muratic acid to clean off a bit of rust on some of them.
 
After that I threw the clutch back together with new fiber plates, but the clutch cover gasket took a couple of days to arrive and then I had a bit of an attack of the "bugger-its" so I didn't finish the job for a couple of weeks. Gee but I wish I had put some engine oil on the steel plates like you are supposed to. I didn't at the time because I thought I was going to be riding it that afternoon and I wanted the plates dry and clean to speed up the bedding in process.

Long and short of it is that the clutch sticks - after a few minutes of riding with the clutch in, it will disengage and be fine to ride until the bike cools down, then it sticks again. I've now run three "heat up to release then let cool down" cycles and it still sticks. At this point I have to accept the inevitable and pull the clutch cover off, disassemble the clutch and clean the rust off the steel plates (which I put in clean and dry - all my own work). Then it will be just fine and I can concentrate on other stuff that needs doing - like recovering the seat as a matter of urgency.

Why is the story of a forgotten model Kawasaki in a BMW forum? Because I really wanted an Airhead GS model but cannot justify the cost unless I know I am going to do the "adventure bike thing" and enjoy it. The KLE is an entry level "adventure bike" and so far owes me less than $700 pacific pesos. That's why......

[montmil]

Should you ever decide to buy a GS, perhaps consider a pre-2004 model. You can actually work on these bikes without an ODB-CANBUS reader thang and a laptop compuKer. I believe that's what most GS lads carry in those fancy, sticker-covered aluminum cases. Well, that and some designer vintage wine.

Keep it old school. Keep it Airhead.

[Tony Smith]

Should you ever decide to buy a GS, perhaps consider a pre-2004 model.

Keep it old school. Keep it Airhead.

Absolutely. I own airheads because I want to own airheads. A local BMW salesman put some very serious work on me to buy a S1000R and was very disappointed when I indicated I wasn't even interested enough to come and ride one (that did happen eventually and frankly it was very sobering - it also decided me that I simply didn't need or want a 'modern" motorcycle. Funnily enough the same salesman contacted me just this week to enquire if i was interested in a S1000XR, truth is I am not, but I did jump at the chance to grab a ride. Because I am old and clearly trustworthy I am going to be allowed to have one all day, I just have to promise not to take it off-road and to not thrash it. I shall of course post photos and impressions here.

I must comment on the KLE. In spite of some indications of modernity, it is surprisingly "old-school" Yes it is water cooled, but it has carbs, it also has the old traditional Kawasaki "bump whirr and grind" (in my experience Kawas have always been more mechanically noisy than other Jap brands.

The biggie of course is that it is a vertical parallel twin and just how much more old school can you get? I am going to have some fun on this beastie as soon as I solve a few basic problems (and the fundamental barrier to what I have in mind is the 200km stock fuel range - presently thnking about how to mount pannier racks to it that incorporate room for a 8 to 10 lt fuel tank inboard of the panniers.

[Tony Smith]

To the extent that anyone might be reading this and wondering where my "ride report" on the S100XR is - the ride didn't happen.


I've managed to roll my left ankle 4 times in the last 2.5 weeks, to cap it off I tripped over the dog earlier this week and to really put the icing on the cakef, came home last night and put my foot down on the leaves on the driveway and ended up nearly falling over with a Yamaha trail bike on top of me.

Long and short I have damaged my tendon and am taking things very easy - had to ring this morning and give up taking the XR for a run.

[Burt]

Poor old Tony.  I guess you'll just have to sit at home and watch motorcycle porn all day long.  

Just make sure that the credit card is out of reach  

[Tony Smith]

After something of a saga the KLE is now registered.

As soon as I cure the flooding problem that has suddenly beset it I will begin using it for some dirt road adventures. Actually I might take it over a dirt road first and see if that cures the flooding problem - now there is a plan.

The reason for the saga was that the Frame number did not match the VIN number, well it did sort of, but the last three numbers were missing from the VIN plate, there was also the small problem that it was an import and did not have the Australian ADR compliance tag either.

Fortunately I had a sensible public servant at the registration office, they agreed that it was clearly the case that the lunch or smoke whistle went off while the kawasaki worker was punching the VIN tag. On the basis that teh Government form says "Chassis Number / VIN Number" the helpful public servant decided to just record the Frame number as the VIN number.

The second problem was a little more difficult, obviously the bike has been previously registered in Australia, but I have no idea where (I had assumed Queensland) a search of the TMR database on both frame and engine number established that it has never been previously registered in QLD.

Luckily I was able to use my phone to access the Federal Government website that records the modifications a manufacturer had to make in order to be ADR compliant in Australia.  That basically said that all Kawsaki had to do was fit a left dip headlight and fit the absurdly long rear mudguard that our ADRs required at the time.

My helpful TMR guy inspected the bike, it has a left dip headlight but the guard is the short European type - but he informed me that the ADRs have recently changed and rear mudguards are no longer required to extend downward to be level with the rear axle.


So it got registered.......

Yay!

[skippyc]

Well done on sorting out the registeration.