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Thread: Klx650r

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    southern oregon
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    2,338

    Klx650r

    Anybody have any good or bad experiences with these? I just picked up a '94 thats been titled for street use. It was an abandoned project so it needs assembly. I believe it's all there and it came with lots of new stuff. Fresh powdercoated frame, lotsa new bearings, plastics, bars, grips, skidplate, trail tech computer, seat cover...

    I am a full fledged 2 stroke guy, but have always wanted a green machine with a plate. I have other bikes for single track trail thrashing.. Probably use this one for quick trips to town and exploration adventures on weekends... Forest service roads, easy trails, things like that.. If I find it to be too heavy for dirt, might even do the motard thing..

    So anybody have one? Or have direct experience with them?
    2-stroke lover

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Surprise, AZ
    --
    2,430
    I used to race them in 4 stroke motocross, desert & GP races (Back when 4 strokes were exotic)...LOL!

    They are fantastic bikes that did very well against XR's, Huskys, Husabergs & KTM's

    I raced for Kawasaki Team Green at the time, but they didn't help out much on the KLX's It was the 2 stroke times!

    I developed many mods that made that bike killer! (Many Team Green guys used my stuff-specs) Stock they are a heavy, soft trail bikes that ALL the magazines seemed to hate. I fully disagreed.

    Let me know if I can help.
    Email- onformula1@hotmail.com Rebuilt, Revalved, custom springs, lowering, forks & shocks, Custom Suspension, all brands, 2-3-4 wheeler's- PM or Email with questions.

    ***Check out my album for cool pictures*** http://www.3wheelerworld.com/album.php?albumid=2527

    As always- Everything I post is IMHO.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    southern oregon
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    2,338
    I am very interested in your mods. I would like it to have good power. I spent a day on a modded XR650R...It ran nice.. I do need to keep this reliable and somewhat quiet. As far as I can tell its all stock. Muffler is missing insert so I will need to figure something out there
    2-stroke lover

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Surprise, AZ
    --
    2,430
    Awesome, give me a little time to get my old spec books out of the attic (I don't want to go by memory for that was a few years ago)!

    Cool bike, I am glad you got it, its a much better bike than some think. I smoked a lot of 2 stroke 250s & 500s on that thing!

    Wish I had it back, seems like it has gone to good hands, I have followed all your great builds.
    Email- onformula1@hotmail.com Rebuilt, Revalved, custom springs, lowering, forks & shocks, Custom Suspension, all brands, 2-3-4 wheeler's- PM or Email with questions.

    ***Check out my album for cool pictures*** http://www.3wheelerworld.com/album.php?albumid=2527

    As always- Everything I post is IMHO.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Surprise, AZ
    --
    2,430
    Kawasaki KLX650R Mods 1993-1996
    Here we go-
    I first test every bike stock or the way I bought it first then I find the pro’s & con’s and make a ton of notes. Next the “game plan”

    This info is NOT to insult your bike, it is my opinion only.

    The KLX650R-
    Pro’s- Its fairly fast, starts very easy, its smooth running, reliable, looks cool, pretty good ergonomics, shifting & clutch are good (For a Kawasaki) At the time it was very high tech. (For a 4 stroke) Perimeter frame is sweet, very reliable engine and this bike would make a sweet trike! Hint, hint.

    Con’s- It very heavy, 302+ lbs. Dry, Slower than it should be, bad quality air filter, over heats (Even with the cooling fan upgrade Kawasaki did on later models), butter soft rims, cheap spokes, poor handle bar quality & bend. Bad brakes for a 125 let alone a 650!, the gearing in set for Bonneville, lean jetting at sea level to 4,000 feet, choked off air box.
    Email- onformula1@hotmail.com Rebuilt, Revalved, custom springs, lowering, forks & shocks, Custom Suspension, all brands, 2-3-4 wheeler's- PM or Email with questions.

    ***Check out my album for cool pictures*** http://www.3wheelerworld.com/album.php?albumid=2527

    As always- Everything I post is IMHO.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Surprise, AZ
    --
    2,430
    Super soft front springs & rear spring, too much rear sag, too little fork preload, too light compression damping in the forks, too light low & high speed compression damping in the shock, mid speed & high speed rebound is to light in the shock, worst rear shock bumper ever, chain guide snaps off if it sniffs a rock, rear end is too low which gives the bike too much rake, does not turn well or hold a inside line, front end pushes in turns, small gas tank, poor clutch lever assembly, kick stand falls down while riding.

    What I did for mods-
    302+ lbs, Dry weight- lighten it up as much as possible-
    -Remove the kick stand, saves weight (Find a tree or dump the clutch & free stand)
    -Changed the front fender to a KX250, same year its lighter and narrower, the fork guards don’t run into it a break & it helps mentally (It does not look like you are riding school bus will riding)
    -Changed the rear fender to a 1992-1993 KX250, lighter, no tail light.
    -Removed the head light & odometer, the headlight is so weak you can’t ride at night and the odometer strips out. Best of all it saves weight. Run a KX250 number plate.
    -Gearing stock is 14/49 (I never run a smaller counter shaft sprocket because of chain torque & I don’t want to saw my chain buffer or swing arm in half) I loved 14/51 or 14/52.

    -Chain guide, reinforce it by adding an aluminum plate to the “back side” of the guide, use longer metric grade 8 bolts, easy mod.

    -Exhaust, anything will work better! I liked at the time Supertrapp or White Bros with at least 1” of baffles, I prefered 1 ½” worth. ( I can’t remember how many baffles that was, sorry) If you can change the head pipe, but it is not needed. The welds inside the pipe can be cleaned up on the stocker.

    -Air box, remove the air filter lid & trim the top down ½” away from the seat pan. Throw the stock filter as far as you can and use a Twin Air with Twin Air filter fluid (They still make them) Uni filters are my second choice on this bike.

    Front brakes- change to a 1992-1996 Honda CR125, 250 0r 500 complete master cylinder & lever (Ebay) bolt it up and tap the banjo bolt fitting with a dead blow mallet so it does not hit the handle bar. (Its easier than it sounds) I use Motul 660 synthetic brake fluid, only, period! (Must have, simply the best, IMHO) Bleed with a Mini-Vac and tap the brake line up and down with a wrench while bleeding, Kawasaki’s have a habit of hiding air in the brake lines. I use aftermarket “Soft” brake pads, but if you ride in a lot of mud you want a harder compound. Now your front brake will stop this big boy.

    Rear brake- (same instructions) I use Motul 660 synthetic brake fluid. Bleed with a Mini-Vac and tap the brake line up and down with a wrench while bleeding, Kawasaki’s have a habit of hiding air in the brake lines. I use aftermarket “Soft” brake pads, but if you ride in a lot of mud you want a harder compound. Now your rear brake will stop this big boy.

    -Remove brake glaze with emery cloth, clean with brake cleaner. (These discs like to polish up and queek)

    -Jetting (At sea level to 4,000 ft,) Plus one clip richer on the needle, 158 or 160 main jet, replace the needle jet nozzle with a 01B38, zero idle! The weight and poor stock brakes don’t need any extra help.
    -Over heating keep the stock cooling fan, strip the radiators of all that heavy rubbery stock black paint that has probably been repainted a few times over the years. use Berryman Chem-dip carb. & parts cleaner, 1 gallon, plug the holes and submerge until the paint is removed, re dip if needed, wash with Dawn soap & water then leave them the natural finish.
    Run a higher PSI Mylers or other radiator cap.
    Run distilled water with water wetter, no coolant unless the bike is stored below 32 degrees. (This mod makes a huge difference)
    Strip the swing arm why you are at it with the extra dip and polish with a green scotch bright pad sprayed with WD40, it will look trick polished and it is easy to take care of. (Lighter too…LOL)

    -Fuel Tank its small, but leave it or “swell it” for ½ gallon of extra fuel, the IMS after market tanks are- HUGE!, they make the bike hard to ride unless you are a bull rider and put more high placed weight on the bike.

    -Clutch, use heavier springs or shim the 5 springs with 5- 14mm spark plug washers. The clutch gets weak from the added power. Use a complete Honda CR clutch perch, lever, bolt, nut and clamp set-up or aftermarket equivalent (Must have mod)

    -Bars I love aluminum Honda high CR bend cut down 12mm per side. The stock bars are junk and the sweep is back too far.

    -Rims the stockers are butter soft, Excel or DID with Buchanan spokes and Excel nipples will save the day. For motocross tracks we ran a 19” rear rim. Honda CR rim locks are much better than the Kawasaki’s.

    -Seat, the stock seat is very soft and not all that “flat” change to a aftermarket seat foam & cover, I used a “tall” seat or at least run two seat covers to stiffen it up.

    -Front suspension I modded the stock front springs from .43 kg/mm to .45 kg/mm and used 15mm of preload (Heavy bike) I revalved the forks for more compression damping, single stage stack. KYB 01 oil set at 100mm from the top, tubes bleed, springs out. Compression clickers 8 out. Polished cart. rod. This bike has no rebound adjusters…Boo! Front fork tube height set at 10mm above the triple clamp.
    -Rear suspension I modded the rear spring from 7.4 kg/mm to 7.7 kg/mm. Rear sag set at 95mm, I extended the rear shock travel 6mm, which lifted the rear of the bike approx. 1” (You may need a 6mm spring preload spacer) I revalved for more low & high speed compression damping & more mid speed & high speed rebound damping. I used a KYB “works” shock bottoming bumper. The stocker is way too soft & breaks down in hours. Compression clicker 10-12 out. Rebound clicker 12 out. Nitrogen PSI 150. KYB shock fluid. No piston bleed hole. Chamfered piston.

    With these mods this bike rips! You will never see a XR, Husky or KTM from the rear. (Same era of bike) It will “hang” with the new high tech four stokes for pennies on the dollar.
    I am here to help if you have questions, or PM me.
    Email- onformula1@hotmail.com Rebuilt, Revalved, custom springs, lowering, forks & shocks, Custom Suspension, all brands, 2-3-4 wheeler's- PM or Email with questions.

    ***Check out my album for cool pictures*** http://www.3wheelerworld.com/album.php?albumid=2527

    As always- Everything I post is IMHO.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    southern oregon
    --
    2,338
    Thanks for the info.. You must have kept detailed notes. It sounds like the chassis needed much more tuning than the engine..
    2-stroke lover

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Surprise, AZ
    --
    2,430
    Your welcome, yes I have ton of 3 ring binders full of thousands of pages of notes for 2-3-4 wheeler starting in 1982, my wife does not get it at all..LOL

    Now its on a computer the only problem is in high school I typed 100 words a minute now I am at about 20, I cheat, copy, paste & short cut everything.
    (It took me 2 hours to type the above posts)...LOL I need a typing program!

    The motor is great with the above mods- KX500/CR500 fast, but it will still trail ride like a KDX 200/250.

    The bike is heavy about 70lbs. more than a KX500 and the frame is stiff which over taxes the suspension, brakes & handling...Stock.

    Get to work, please post some pics when she is ready.
    Email- onformula1@hotmail.com Rebuilt, Revalved, custom springs, lowering, forks & shocks, Custom Suspension, all brands, 2-3-4 wheeler's- PM or Email with questions.

    ***Check out my album for cool pictures*** http://www.3wheelerworld.com/album.php?albumid=2527

    As always- Everything I post is IMHO.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    --
    691
    I had one for a few years I got it back in 1999 or 2000. It's obvious that onformula has alot of insight and experience on these. They were a good bike for the time in the early 90s, but they do not really compare power or weight wise to any of the new style four stroke fast revving bikes. I remember the guy I sold mine to nearly backed out of buying it because ktm was just starting to make faster 4 strokes and he owned one. The yz400f had been out a year or two, and he was used to the power of those bikes and thought something was wrong with mine.

    I kept mine bone stock, and pretty much got rid of it because I could not keep it cool. The fan is pretty vulnerable when the bike is crashed and mine had been repaired a time or two and wasn't working the best. It really needed one on each radiator I thought. Here in TN most of my riding was slow and technical for the most part and it was too heavy and hot for that. I never had a issue with the wheels but then I never tried to jump it whatsoever.It would have been more at home for long distance fire road riding or dual sport type rides. The things that made it slower than the new style 4 strokes were also it's strong points. I remember the bike kickstarted very easy for a 650 it had a awesome compression release setup, far better than a 350x. It was also not in some high strung state of tune, and so there was no worry with valves, or replacing pistons all the time etc. Even though it was not super fast it had tractor like torque for days and that was fun. I do agree about the suspension. The front forks seemed super stiff on mine and the rear shock was marshmallow soft. I ran ufo fenders on mine, the originals always busted pretty fast. I geared mine down a TON for woods riding here. I always figured they just used the same transmission from the klx-650 on/offroad bike and that's why it was so high geared? I ran 12/52 and it still had gobs of topend speed for where I rode. Mine idled a bit high, and it would literally idle up steep hills in first gear, I've never had another bike that would do that.

    One of the reasons the bikes were so slow when you whacked the throttle is the old type constant velocity carburetor. Mine had a bog or lag right off the bottom. It would fool you though. The power would come on so smooth that if you held in it long you would be moving faster than you realized. You can tune some of the bog and sluggishness out, and gearing and a pipe (I always wanted a big gun pipe)will help but it still is what it is a big heavy bike. I say enjoy it for that, because it is too heavy to ever be "quick if compared to new models". In my opinion it is a fireroad/ desert bike, and a good one at that. I miss mine sometimes, but alot of parts are really scarce especially for the R models and I knew eventually I would cook the motor on mine.



    Last edited by 86waterpumper; 02-25-2015 at 04:46 PM.
    73 cr250m elsinore, 85 atc70, 85 250r flattracker, 87 250es bigred, 86 tecate, 2004 gas gas de300

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Surprise, AZ
    --
    2,430
    Any updates on this big boy?
    Email- onformula1@hotmail.com Rebuilt, Revalved, custom springs, lowering, forks & shocks, Custom Suspension, all brands, 2-3-4 wheeler's- PM or Email with questions.

    ***Check out my album for cool pictures*** http://www.3wheelerworld.com/album.php?albumid=2527

    As always- Everything I post is IMHO.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    southern oregon
    --
    2,338
    Quote Originally Posted by onformula1 View Post
    Any updates on this big boy?
    Haven't done anything with the street titled project bike yet ... But I just picked up another bike that runs and rides. I haven't rode the bike much because we have had a lot of snow, and this bike is a bit heavy for that. The bike is also too loud for my taste.. Gonna need an insert for the pipe. I plan to combine parts from both bikes to build a nice dual sport when the weather gets nicer
    2-stroke lover

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    indiana
    --
    891
    I don't have much experience on the klr, but I'm pretty darn sure the military used them. I just got back from Washington and all I can say is I wish I had my super tenere out there with me! You guys got adventure touring terrain to explore! Put d.o.t knobbies on it and treat it like an mx bike! So much fun. Other than it's hard to pick up when I dump it in a mud puddle!

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