tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61492339114092219692011-10-10T10:08:48.659-07:00Random thoughts on dualsport biking, including Vancouver Island camping and trails, ride reports, enduro racing, tech tips with an emphasis on the KLR650, and anything else that wanders into mind.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06871828550629252076noreply@blogger.comBlogger161100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149233911409221969.post-84795254947852074602008-09-03T18:35:00.000-07:002008-09-11T23:11:56.660-07:00

Well, I almost went for a ride this weekend. Didn't make it, again. This time I was thwarted by a broken slave piston on my hydraulic clutch. While I've managed a few road-rides this year, I've still not made it out to the bush. Every once in a while, I go through a phase where I don't get out on the bike much; life is just tugging me in another direction. But, I don't think I've ever before

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06871828550629252076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149233911409221969.post-74318374502273241882008-08-22T18:44:00.000-07:002008-08-23T10:55:32.134-07:00

Well, I just received my first parts order from BikeBandit.Com and, I have to say, I'm impressed. Normally, as a Canadian, ordering from US companies and dealing with the whole shipping/border issue is a huge hassle. This time, it was seamless.I needed some clutch parts for my KLR-650 and, after a little research, I found that you can get the actual Kawasaki OEM parts diagrams right on the web,

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06871828550629252076noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149233911409221969.post-15685984184567782642008-08-06T14:57:00.000-07:002008-09-04T18:52:58.449-07:00

Short answer: Awesome but expensive upgrade. I think it's worth it, but if you just ride on the road or open terrain, it's a luxury that's probably not worth the money.I mail-ordered my hydraulic clutch kit from Dual Star and it arrived, through customs and all the rest, in reasonable time. This was quite a while ago, so I have nothing to say about the current customer support levels that Dual

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06871828550629252076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149233911409221969.post-33857560617542891112008-08-05T20:05:00.000-07:002008-09-04T18:55:33.447-07:00

Short answer, buy them, they're worth every penny. If you don't know what progressive springs are, read THIS for more information.Here's a slightly longer answer...I find that progressive springs make my '90 KLR650 much more controllable in tight-woods riding. I picked up a set and, after tuning them a little, was very impressed with the improvement in handling. They feel softer than stock, as

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06871828550629252076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149233911409221969.post-91299100036872472622008-07-13T10:49:00.000-07:002008-12-05T23:34:31.840-08:00

Short ReviewCons: It's cheap.Pros: It's cheap. I love my KLR, it's the best bike I've ever owned.The Really, Really Long ReviewI've been riding Killer, my KLR, from the spring of 1991. He's a '90 A4 model and, yes, I refer to my bikes in the masculine form. I beat on them way too much to think of them as ladies. Anyway, this review is intended to show how my KLR has performed over a long

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06871828550629252076noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149233911409221969.post-16957525104454216772008-05-26T20:13:00.000-07:002008-05-26T20:22:33.704-07:00

Here are a few suggestions for setting up a dirtbike or dualsport for tight-woods trail riding. Note that this kind of trail riding is not motocross racing, nor is it like riding in the desert. Those types of riding require a different setup, and I'm not the person to ask about it. I know tight-woods trail riding; that's my thing.In a typical trail ride or enduro race there are several types

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06871828550629252076noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149233911409221969.post-76105943273159836212008-05-05T10:47:00.001-07:002008-05-05T15:28:59.266-07:00

I made my own steel pegs for my KLR650. Why? Because I'd rather spend money on tools than parts.Why steel pegs instead of the stock rubber-covered pegs? Well, the stock pegs are fine, until you're on some technical trail, dab your foot down for balance, and then try to get back up on the pegs. Just about then, when you probably need the most control, your now muddy boot will slide off the peg

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06871828550629252076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149233911409221969.post-61227131307690420072007-04-16T13:10:00.000-07:002008-08-23T00:35:41.137-07:00

This article is not about advanced techniques for race-preping suspension, nor is it a beginner's step-by-step guide. The intent of this article is to provide a small amount of insight into the process of tuning bike suspension for people that have some basic mechanical skills.First, some terms:Spring rate is how strong the springs are. Stronger springs take more force to compress a given

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06871828550629252076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149233911409221969.post-84178454520842501292007-04-04T13:33:00.000-07:002007-07-15T12:33:58.897-07:00

I ride my KLR650 - away - from civilisation at every opportunity. I also like riding nasty single track where extra weight, even on a monster like the 650, is an issue. Besides that, I frequently ride alone. So, I make sure to carry what I need to fix my bike, but not so much that I can't ride where I want. Over the years, I've fine-tuned my gear to match my bike, my riding style, and my

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06871828550629252076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149233911409221969.post-69765013841621080442007-03-06T00:34:00.000-08:002007-04-20T17:48:06.677-07:00

This review is more of a comparison between the Pirelli MT21 and Kenda K760 DOT (street legal) knobby tires when mounted on a KLR650, for riders that like a bias towards the dirt side.I ran old fashioned dualsport tires for years, and I hated them. I used to cringe at the sight of mud; the tires would instantly load up and leave me with zero traction. Then, one fateful day, I was in the bike

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06871828550629252076noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149233911409221969.post-17920003625575016262007-02-07T22:47:00.000-08:002007-02-08T18:33:45.866-08:00

During the summer of 2006, I was motorcycle camping with my girlfriend, now my wife. At one point, as evening was approaching, we were getting a little deperate for a campsite. Now, when I say campsite, I'm not talking KOA. I ride a dualsport for a reason; I don't consider camping a community event. My preference is for bush camping, being out there with no neighbors, unless you count the

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06871828550629252076noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149233911409221969.post-11440180043340556872007-02-05T18:32:00.000-08:002007-02-05T19:43:31.679-08:00

Many great riding areas often start where major powerlines intersect rural or logging roads. Because of this, I traced out all of the major powerline routes on Vancouver Island. The source maps were the 50K government topos (available HERE).Don't expect to ride the entire length of a powerline. Around these parts, they often use helecoptors to run the wire so, unless you've got wings, you'll

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06871828550629252076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149233911409221969.post-74487092242352477252007-01-12T22:31:00.000-08:002007-01-12T22:33:49.883-08:00

I've put some more tracks up on the GPS and Mapping area. All of them came from my GPS while riding the KLR650. They are Here

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06871828550629252076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149233911409221969.post-41646621301222514602007-01-12T01:07:00.000-08:002009-12-07T10:23:40.359-08:00

During the summer, my girlfriend and I rode the KLR up to Labour Day Lake. I've uploaded a route; it makes for a nice relaxed trip. From the Alberni highway, the ride was basically abandoned logging road suitable for anything resembling a 4x4. There's nothing really difficult, you just need a bit of clearance from the rocks. I wouldn't do it with anything you were worried about the paint

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06871828550629252076noreply@blogger.com0Nanaimo C, BC, Canada49.1247254 -124.457672348.900047400000005 -124.9245913 49.3494034 -123.9907533tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149233911409221969.post-22595289876259766992007-01-09T01:44:00.000-08:002007-01-12T20:44:20.955-08:00

Run on March 5th 2006 at Boyds Pit, out in Sooke B.C.Now, being the first enduro of the year, this is suppose to be a "Junior Friendly" event, at least by VMC standards, which means it can be ridden by people on dualsport bikes, maybe. Most years, they even have a beginner class that bypassed everything nasty, so riders can wimp-out and race with the 8-year olds.For those that don't know, an

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06871828550629252076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6149233911409221969.post-944963025390518842007-01-09T00:58:00.000-08:002008-09-04T19:46:49.078-07:00

I go by FixerDave and ride a KLR650 on southern Vancouver Island. I typically ride alone... just drifting around as the wind blows me.I've got near 35 years riding experience and I can't remember the last time didn't own a dirtbike... I think I was 6; you do the math. I'm a member of the Victoria Motorcycle club and race a few of their events... the last one of note being the 2006 March Hare

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06871828550629252076noreply@blogger.com0