Do not overthink the gas thing; fill it to the top run the bike in the garage some once a month and refill the tank. Or simply drain the tank and the carburetor. I run 87 ethanol fuel and do not seem too have any issues. Leaving the tank half full is where the problems seem to be worse. Winter is a good time to learn tire repair. Cheers.
@@dustyhobomotoadventure I’m really hoping I will just keep riding it all winter and then I won’t have to worry about it. Went out today for about an hour. I was hoping to have time to film my helmet set up for you. Hopefully I will get to it sometime this weekend.
I started on a CB 500f it was the first and last motorcycle I owned with a carb. I love how much character bikes with carbs have, but man I can’t be arsed to clean them all the time. I want to ride my bike not wrench on it. I do plenty of that at work. Also I will get myself a track bike, so I won’t have to torture my SV 650 anymore. Had a highsider in September that crushed my collarbone so I will use an airbag vest from now on. Yeah I think those are my learnings so far… Stay safe!
First, I'm sorry to hear you high sided. This past September (2024)? And, the SV 650, I've been seeing information about a lot lately, on FortNine and RevZilla. It looks like a great bike that is under rated by everyone. Can get at some good prices. I'm not sure about the character of my carb KLR, I'm kind of embarrassed when I down shift because of all the popping. I really need to make some adjustments to it. Thanks for sharing your experience. I appreciated it.
Keep them clean, store them with Sta-Bil. Store it with the tank full. I have a 119,000 mile Honda CB750F that still has all the original parts in its carbs.
@@SpokedInTheEyeMoto it is a 1980. A good friend bought it new in 1980 and rode it for 78,000 miles. He then married and wife did not want him to ride. I had done free labor work on the bike in the past so he gave the bike to me. I have since put the last 41,000 miles on it.
Start it and let it fully warm up once a week in the winter, or drain the tank AND the carb. Heated gear extends your season. Take more back roads. Highway is god awful on any size bike, even a goldwing. Get a 12v air compressor. Check your tire pressure often. You need air even with a tube... Carry a spare tube and a patch kit. A ripped valve stem cannot be patched. Your insurance should cover your gear in case of an accident. Learn how to push start it. Learn how to lift it after it tips over without hurting yourself. Learn where the fuses are.
Thanks for the advice. I like easy and ready to ride, so I'm going to go for your suggestion of running it once a week. I also like the heated gear. I like the backroads, I have a compressor, tube, patch kit and tire irons. I just need to practice removing the tire in my garage before I have to do it in the bush.
@@SpokedInTheEyeMoto The best advice I ever got about using tire irons, is that when it gets difficult, it's the side you aren't working on that needs adjusted, not the side with the irons.
idk if I want to spend around 2 big ones for a nice newish bike just on the side with my car (first bike so 125cc can’t get any more legally in the uk at least I think) or sell my car and use the 2 grand to get a nicer car I’ve always had eyes for a bike but I feel very planted on the fence. I was looking at a honda mx125 I think they’re referred to as groms in the us. I’ve watched the videos their meant to be little fun bikes to toot you around from point a to b as long as you don’t need to use the motorway. not very practical but that’s what the cars for. what would you reckon
Well, I'm don't really think I'm experienced enough to give proper advice but here's my two bits. I'm sorry it's going to be a bit long winded because I'm going to share my experience with finding a motorcycle to suit my wants. We don't have the same restrictions on size where I am in British Columbia so I could have purchased the biggest bike possible if I had chosen to do so. I think having restrictions in place like where you are is not a bad idea. Like you I had been on the fence about getting a bike. My wife offered to send me for training a few years back and I said no due to the limited space in our garage. Due to our winter weather and other needs I can't give up a car for a motorcycle. I also couldn't justify spending money on a brand new motorcycle. Though I think I would like a bit more horsepower, I could have really started on a smaller displacement MC for learning and riding off road. I can always take back roads the 35km I travel to work each day. The MX125 looks like a fun bike and good for in town riding. And small so would be super easy to learn on I would think. If I had room, and unlimited funds, I would have something like a 300cc or under dual sport bike and a larger bike for doing motorways and some dirt roads. Unfortunately I'm stuck with having one motorcycle. My KLR is a very good motorcycle, once I got over how tall it is. It's very maneuverable, good in any terrain I would encounter on road. And I can ride it on the highway, it's just not the most comfortable there. Sorry for the long winded response. I think the MX125 would be good for you if you still have a car on the side. Thanks for reaching out. Good Luck in whatever you decided. If you happen to remember, I would love it if you let me know what you end up doing.
You can kill its off road by going up on the rear, and down on the front sprocket. It'll buy you the 500-700 rpm. At the end of the day highway riding sucks, and if you gotta do it just being a quart of oil with you and let the klr sing!!!!
@@alexmaccity That certainly makes it a tough decision. I like how it feels off road but I also like the idea of getting that 500-700rpm back on the highway. Thanks for the info on the oil. I guess I’d better make sure to always have some on hand if I’m going to ride far on the hwy.
Do not overthink the gas thing; fill it to the top run the bike in the garage some once a month and refill the tank. Or simply drain the tank and the carburetor. I run 87 ethanol fuel and do not seem too have any issues. Leaving the tank half full is where the problems seem to be worse. Winter is a good time to learn tire repair. Cheers.
The KLR is a good bike there is no perfect bike.
@@dustyhobomotoadventure I’m really hoping I will just keep riding it all winter and then I won’t have to worry about it. Went out today for about an hour. I was hoping to have time to film my helmet set up for you. Hopefully I will get to it sometime this weekend.
@@SpokedInTheEyeMoto Riding is the answer. Keep the content coming.
I started on a CB 500f it was the first and last motorcycle I owned with a carb. I love how much character bikes with carbs have, but man I can’t be arsed to clean them all the time. I want to ride my bike not wrench on it. I do plenty of that at work.
Also I will get myself a track bike, so I won’t have to torture my SV 650 anymore.
Had a highsider in September that crushed my collarbone so I will use an airbag vest from now on.
Yeah I think those are my learnings so far…
Stay safe!
First, I'm sorry to hear you high sided. This past September (2024)? And, the SV 650, I've been seeing information about a lot lately, on FortNine and RevZilla. It looks like a great bike that is under rated by everyone. Can get at some good prices. I'm not sure about the character of my carb KLR, I'm kind of embarrassed when I down shift because of all the popping. I really need to make some adjustments to it. Thanks for sharing your experience. I appreciated it.
Keep them clean, store them with Sta-Bil. Store it with the tank full. I have a 119,000 mile Honda CB750F that still has all the original parts in its carbs.
@ That’s a nice bike! Nice to know if I take care of my bike it will last a while. 119000 miles, That’s amazing. What year is the bike?
@@SpokedInTheEyeMoto it is a 1980. A good friend bought it new in 1980 and rode it for 78,000 miles. He then married and wife did not want him to ride. I had done free labor work on the bike in the past so he gave the bike to me. I have since put the last 41,000 miles on it.
That's an awesome deal! You know the only other owner and it was free. Nice!
Start it and let it fully warm up once a week in the winter, or drain the tank AND the carb.
Heated gear extends your season.
Take more back roads. Highway is god awful on any size bike, even a goldwing.
Get a 12v air compressor. Check your tire pressure often. You need air even with a tube...
Carry a spare tube and a patch kit. A ripped valve stem cannot be patched.
Your insurance should cover your gear in case of an accident.
Learn how to push start it. Learn how to lift it after it tips over without hurting yourself. Learn where the fuses are.
Thanks for the advice. I like easy and ready to ride, so I'm going to go for your suggestion of running it once a week. I also like the heated gear. I like the backroads, I have a compressor, tube, patch kit and tire irons. I just need to practice removing the tire in my garage before I have to do it in the bush.
@@SpokedInTheEyeMoto The best advice I ever got about using tire irons, is that when it gets difficult, it's the side you aren't working on that needs adjusted, not the side with the irons.
idk if I want to spend around 2 big ones for a nice newish bike just on the side with my car (first bike so 125cc can’t get any more legally in the uk at least I think) or sell my car and use the 2 grand to get a nicer car I’ve always had eyes for a bike but I feel very planted on the fence. I was looking at a honda mx125 I think they’re referred to as groms in the us. I’ve watched the videos their meant to be little fun bikes to toot you around from point a to b as long as you don’t need to use the motorway. not very practical but that’s what the cars for. what would you reckon
Well, I'm don't really think I'm experienced enough to give proper advice but here's my two bits. I'm sorry it's going to be a bit long winded because I'm going to share my experience with finding a motorcycle to suit my wants.
We don't have the same restrictions on size where I am in British Columbia so I could have purchased the biggest bike possible if I had chosen to do so. I think having restrictions in place like where you are is not a bad idea.
Like you I had been on the fence about getting a bike. My wife offered to send me for training a few years back and I said no due to the limited space in our garage. Due to our winter weather and other needs I can't give up a car for a motorcycle. I also couldn't justify spending money on a brand new motorcycle. Though I think I would like a bit more horsepower, I could have really started on a smaller displacement MC for learning and riding off road. I can always take back roads the 35km I travel to work each day. The MX125 looks like a fun bike and good for in town riding. And small so would be super easy to learn on I would think. If I had room, and unlimited funds, I would have something like a 300cc or under dual sport bike and a larger bike for doing motorways and some dirt roads. Unfortunately I'm stuck with having one motorcycle. My KLR is a very good motorcycle, once I got over how tall it is. It's very maneuverable, good in any terrain I would encounter on road. And I can ride it on the highway, it's just not the most comfortable there. Sorry for the long winded response. I think the MX125 would be good for you if you still have a car on the side. Thanks for reaching out. Good Luck in whatever you decided. If you happen to remember, I would love it if you let me know what you end up doing.
You can kill its off road by going up on the rear, and down on the front sprocket. It'll buy you the 500-700 rpm. At the end of the day highway riding sucks, and if you gotta do it just being a quart of oil with you and let the klr sing!!!!
@@alexmaccity That certainly makes it a tough decision. I like how it feels off road but I also like the idea of getting that 500-700rpm back on the highway. Thanks for the info on the oil. I guess I’d better make sure to always have some on hand if I’m going to ride far on the hwy.
Yeah keep an eye on the oil, and make sure it has some before you run it, and it will never let you down.
I'd never buy a bike without direct fuel injection and nothing under 300cc.