T2W How To: Eagle Mike Drill Through Subframe Bolt Kit for KLR650
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ก.พ. 2025
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T2W How To: Eagle Mike Drill Through Subframe Bolt Kit for KLR650
In this How To episode, I install the Eagle Mike (Mfg.) drill through subframe bolt upgrade kit on my 2009 KLR650. This video covers why you should consider this kit and helpful information on metric bolt classification.
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KLR-650 Repair Manuals
Clymer Repair Manual for KLR650 (Gen 1 1987-2007): amzn.to/2wPJOaX
Clymer Repair Manual for KLR650 (Gen 2 2008-2012+): amzn.to/2wNMlCE
LINKS:
Eagle Manufacturing (Eagle Mike) website: www.eaglemike.c...
Link to EM Drill Through Kit - www.eaglemike.c....
Rocky Mountain ATV/MC Link: www.rockymount....
Amazon Link: amzn.to/2Putp4x
DISCLAIMER
The Information provided in this video IS NOT professional advice. It is simply a demonstration of how I performed this task and is for informational purposes only.
If you are not comfortable performing this mechanical work, seek professional assistance.
Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when installing parts and equipment.
About half the youtube vids I see on assorted topics have incorrect info. Your vids are right on the money.
Thanks for the comment. I try to be as accurate as possible with no BS.
Thanks Tim, this was such a great help. I just did the bolts for my 2011. It was only at 4,000 KM but I think it had a pretty rough life before I got it(IE I'm pretty sure I did the first oil and air filter changes since I got it a couple weeks ago)
You're the man Tim. Your videos have helped me so much over the past 3 years since I got my KLR
Hi , really enjoy your videos ,been riding 45 years now and was on a trail with a friend who had this kit installed , he crashed hard on the right side hitting a tree stump. The bolts in the did not break but since it went through the frame it twisted and bent the frame and totaled the bike,, I recommend keeping the strong short bolts that came with crash bars , they are more than strong enough,,,, thanks for all your info on the klr,,
I didn't even bother with the instructions and just watched this! if you are buying crash bars , do this at the same time as I spent way too long taking off and putting on my tusk crash bars!
Steve - Thanks for the comment Steve. I'm glad this was helpful! Thanks for watching.
I just discovered I sheared a subframe bolt today. I'm pretty sure it's from hitting a whoop I didn't see at like 65mph, bottoming out my entire suspension, and launching into the air. Small price to pay considering I almost endo'd into my deathbed. Needless to say, I'm glad I found this video maybe this won't happen again after I've installed the kit.
Yep, this upgrade is well worth the time and effort. Thanks for the comment and for watching.
Your videos have helped me greatly in maintaining and upgrading my 2018 KLR. Thank you.
Hey Kevin, I'm so glad the videos have been helpful. I appreciate your feedback. Thanks for the comment and for watching.
In the other vids it shows someone drilling tyhe frame at full speed. Best way I know to dull a drill bit. Proper way to drill metal is the bump method. Bump the trigger, get a bite of metal and let off. The drill bit makes it's best cuts coming from a stop (breaking the static friction).
I appreciate your expert quality How-To videos Tim! Thank you!
I happened to order the drill through kit today from Eagle Mike, i think it will help the procedure by using motorcycle straps from cross bridge where fuel tank bolts onto sub frame to handlebars to keep the sub-frame from dropping as well as loosen air box clamp and lower sub-frame bolts. good videos i have been binge watching a few tonight.
15:48 I hope those red and black wires that are exposed have been properly wrapped or covered in plastic ..chaffing wires on the klr are notorious for shorting
I wonder if mine had different bolts also as I lost the lower left bolt which I believe was the lower grade one on your bike. Mine was completely gone when I noticed it so I have no idea what it was originally. Just about to install the Eagle Mike kit. The prices have increased a little since you did this video and the kit now comes with both long and short bolts and spacer so that one kit can fit any configuration, albeit at a higher price.
Great video, Tim. Well put together, easy to see and understand. I'm ready to tackle the project.
Thank you for this, still relevant and still helpful!
Tim 2 Wheels you are a super good Teacher!!! Is it your job beeing teacher?
The how's and why's was good solid information. Thanks!
Hey Tim! Excellent videos. Love your stuff and use it regularly. Did the sub frame upgrade today. Your video was a huge help. Thanks for your help.
Hey, thanks for the feedback and for watching.
Hey Tim, I've been following your videos any just wanted to say great job! I've got a KLR and watch and source from websites and TH-cam for info on maintenance and tech. Your videos have good production value, are well filmed and informative. I hate instructional videos where they leave a step out assuming you would have had that piece of knowledge. I'm sure you already have these mods in mind, and there are many videos already out there but heres a list of some I'd love to see you do. The Doohickey, EM KLX kit, L-mod, valve clearance check. Thanks for the good work!
+Justin Blais Hey Justin, thanks for the comment. The Doohickey has been done on this bike, but I do have plans for the Eagle Mike KLX jet kit and exhaust upgrade this summer. I will see what I can do on the other suggestions. Thanks for the ideas!
excellent video, now I am new subscriber to this channel, I recently purchase a KLR and started watching your videos, I just watched the video where you said that you got rid of it, now I am like too bad, like the way he goes in detail an explain everything, but I will remain as a subscriber and if I ever need help hopefully you can help me. Thanks
Really good explanation. I think I'll go ahead and do it. I think you could also do 4 12.9 bolts at all those locations and it would be very similar.
Excellent video ,I'm just waiting on my parts to arrive .
Good luck with your project Mitch!
Thanks for the comment and for watching.
@@Tim2Wheels Thanks !!! I ordered the doohickey , subframe kit as well as the Thermo-Bob ,your videos are the best .
Fantastic video, great explanation and camera work.
Thank you for the comments and for watching.
Tim, a follow up. Eagle Mike sent some longer ones (35mm). The normal length is (30mm). I appreciate his great service and products. With some other brands of crash bars the longer subframe bolt is needed. I think my bars are Givi brand. They were on there when I purchased the bike preowned. Bryan
Deborah Bicker - Bryan, That's good to know. I have always been pleased with Eagle Mike (Eagle Manufacturing), both the products and service. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you very much
You are welcome Cody. Thanks for the comment and for watching.
Tim, thanks for the video! Is the drill through a stronger solution than just replacing the bolts with better bolts? Thanks!
I replaced the lower 2 with Eagle Mikes. Structurally heating and removing material out of the frame is only making that area weaker. (Who doesn't drop a KLR?) I will be upgrading the upper bolts with ones stronger than what eagle mike sells.
Just what I was looking for, Thanks for the high quality.
Chris, Thanks for the comment and for watching.
Thanks to your video, I did my upgrade this past weekend with confidence. Also to note, both the lower subframe bolts on my bike were 10.9 marked. I replaced regardless.
Heres a question? Would it be ok too just buy upgraded bolts the same size as the ones in there instead of drilling out the frame?Sure the drill out would be more rigid but is it necessary?
Yes. Eagle Manufacturing (Eagle Mike) makes a bolt replacement kit to do just that. It's a good option and no drilling required.
Thanks for the comment and for watching
Another video shows that they drill the subframe attachment brackets too..where the crash bars connect.
You didn't have to?
Very good video with good instructions.
Thanks for watching!
Nice work. Just confirming that you had to unbolt the crash bars near the bottom of the bike?
Yes, that is correct. I unbolted the bottom to be able to move the crash bars out of the way for drilling.
@@Tim2Wheels did you upgrade the bolts on the rear rack frame too? That rear rack rattles loose it seems
Hey Tim any chance on a front sprocket change for the KLR? cheers Jimmy.
James, I do have a spare 16 tooth front sprocket and will add that how to video to my list. Thanks for the suggestion. - FYI, here in the mountains the stock 15 tooth sprocket serves me better overall.
excellent explained...and detail.
Thanks for the comment and for watching.
Great walk-through!
Thanks for watching Dan.
Tim your videos helped me decide on a KLR. I had a CRF230L before this. Your how to videos are the best !!! Drilling through the frame scary but went well. My Eagle Mike lower bolts aren't long enough to go through the crash bars. Did you experience this? I have a brand that doesn't connect up top like the SW Motechs, but do on the lower sub frame bolts. I've got a call into Eagle Mike.
Deborah Bicker - If Eagle Mike does not have longer bolts, you can order them from BoltDepot.com
Thanks for the kind words of support and I'm glad the videos are helpful.
What do you carry for a roadside jack? I can’t seem to find anything
Hi Tim, kudos on the great videos. They've been helpful. I'm currently installing sw motech bars and doing the sub frame bolt. I notice that you did not loosen the bolts on the muffler like the guy from Rocky Mountain. Did you find that you did not need to? Thnx
Hi, thanks for the comment. I did not need to loosen the exhaust bolts to get it to drop down far enough to drill. However, I think it may give you a little more room to work.
Thanks for watching, I'm glad it has been helpful. Good luck with your project!
+Tim2Wheels Thank you sir
Tip; put a magnet underneith to catch most of the shavings
hi Tim excelent video! I followed step by step the instructions, but sadly I ended up with a lightly crooked hole... any idea on how can I correct it?
by the way, it was completely my fault! haha
Felipe Ordóñez - The only way I know of is to re-drill. If only one side is off, try drilling through from the oposite side. This will use one side as a guide to help.
I thought of that but I'm kind of worried about the bolt having some extra room to move inside the frame... I missed the centre by less than 1mm ... 1/16 inches... Maybe is not much and the free play of the bolt wont affect... or not? haha thanks a lot Tim
Tim bought two jack stands after watching your video. Before I experiment how did you get them on there 3 inches up?
Gonna back rear wheel onto a 2-3" plank. Tilt w/ kickstand down slip jack under higher side. Friend stabilize handle bars while car jack up other side and slip 2nd jack under. Hope that's how its done!
Hi John,
Here's how I did it - start with the Jack Stand on the lowest setting - then lean the KLR up a bit on it's kickstand (to the left side - insert the Jack stand under the right side frame - then lean the bike to the right (on the one jack stand) just enough to get the 2nd jack stand under the left frame.
Then repeat side to side if you need to raise the jack stands to a higher setting.
Its a bit of a pain, which is why I eventually bought a proper motorcycle jack. :)
@@Tim2Wheels No that's not unknown to me! I removed an SW Motech centerstand for weight & to put JNS lower footpegs. New method is lean it up on the kickstand after wrapping the front brake lever & slip a cut-off crutch under there!!! So that's a familiar hell! Thanks.
I have a 2012 KLR 650. I was wondering if you have done the dookickey? Cam chain tensioner.
No, I have not. The previous owner of my bike had already upgraded the doohickey.
Great vid.
+Steve Smitherman Thanks for the comment Steve and thanks for watching.
VERY NICE HOW TO....
I recommend people NOT do this mod. Just get new, stronger bolts for the top and bottom. You are using a hand drill to essentially be a drill press to drill a hole through very hard, thick steel. Just get the non-drill through kit from Eagle Mike. I did that on my first 2007 KLR, 10 years later and lots of miles, all is well. I just did the drill through kit on my "new" 2007 KLR and am now very concerned that it is weaker than it was to begin with. I was very careful to drill as instructed but I, like Felipe in this comment list, came out with a loose/oval hole. I am very concerned that this is not going to be nearly as strong as the original setup. I now wish I just used the new, stronger bolts as I did on my first bike. Look at the video by Wandering Beast regarding this mod, you can see part of the problem with trying to be a human drill press.
Thanks for the great video
Also very interested in how you set up your amazon store on your site.
+Dirt Hammers Hey, contact me through my website and I will be happy to give you some information on the "a store" setup.
HI SIRS HOW LONG IS THE UPPER SUB-FRAME BOLT IF MY BIKE HAVE CRASHBARS ??. THANKS IN ADVANCE
enzo ottaviani I don't recall the exact length of the bolt, but there are two different kits for bikes wth and without crash bars. Just pick the right kit for yor setup. The bolt kit in my video was for a bike with crashbars.
Hi Tim thanks for your response but I live in Venezuela Im shame that, but here is to hard in the actual country circunstances politycs and economics buy merchandice in foreign currencies in all ways thanks for your advice.
What if i do not have a torque wrench?
Just tighten by hand. These bolts will not strip easily. So tighten fairly tight. With blue thread lock, they will not work loose.
Typo in the thumbnail….oops….
Another magic upgrade. Upper subframe bolts are 10.9 from factory and not as you said 8.8 so swmotech bolts are not upgrade. They are as strong as factory bolts. Misleading video. Eagle Mike is charging you 2-3 times more for the bolts than what they are worth. Just get some loctice and you will be fine. Just like I said another magic upgrade from US that is not necessary but they tell you can’t live without and charge you few times more than what parts are worth.
Your basically voiding your insurance and bike Warranty.Why do you need to do this.Just upgrade the original bolts if need be.And if this was necessary.Kawasaki engineers would of applied this.Your opening a Pandoras Box.
It is necessary on Gen 1s which is why Kawasaki increased the upper subframe bolts from 8mm to 10mm.
I'm not sure drilling a hole through the frame is a good idea. I think I would just upgrade the bolts and leave it at that.
Too long. 6-8 min would be best