Q and the Killer

[FastDoc]

Roger and I enjoyed a BEAUTIFUL today together on a 75 mile dual sport ride around the area. About 1/3 road, 1/3 trails, 1/3 dirt/gravel/desert riding. 8)

What a nice day!

I owe the Killer an apology. In a previous post I stated that it could go where a Subaru goes but you'd need to be an expert rider to take it where a Jeep goes. Well, today Roger and I rode it on some pretty steep/rocky/twisty trails that a Subaru could not go on. The Killer REALLY is a nice trail bike, in desert conditions at least. I even jumped it about 18 inches. Landed front wheel but it turned out OK. :roll:

[MICRider]

Looks like a blast! Mine looks so lonely in the frozen garage... Out of all the bikes I've had the KLR is one I don't plan to part with. Unless it's for another KLR of course! It's snowing, blowing, and drifting here so I will have to ride vicariously through your pics, thanks again for sharing

Cheers,
Stew

[Jim]

Looks like a nice day for a ride

[Weldangrind]

The grins on your faces tell the whole story.

[MICRider]

If you don't mind me asking, what kind of chaps are those Doc?

Cheers,
Stew

[FastDoc]

They are old Eclipse chaps, electric. I have had them about 15 plus years already. I hardly ever use the electrical function but even without they are warm and very fast to put on and remove with velcro. I use them in the winter when I commute to work in the morning on the bike. Dress slacks are not made with warmth in mind. :roll:

The vest that goes with them I still have, but I much prefer my newer (4 year old or so) Aerostich Kanetsu (?sp) vest for it's inflatable air bladders.

It was a nice day. Sunny and very mild. No wind even. I hope to go again tomorrow. :P

The Killer is a nice bike. A good rider could do ANYTHING with it from sand dunes to interstate highway. It HAS to be one of the best values in motorcycling nowadays.

[MICRider]

Originally Posted by FastDoc

They are old Eclipse chaps, electric. I have had them about 15 plus years already. I hardly ever use the electrical function but even without they are warm and very fast to put on and remove with velcro. I use them in the winter when I commute to work in the morning on the bike. Dress slacks are not made with warmth in mind. :roll:

The vest that goes with them I still have, but I much prefer my newer (4 year old or so) Aerostich Kanetsu (?sp) vest for it's inflatable air bladders.

It was a nice day. Sunny and very mild. No wind even. I hope to go again tomorrow. :P

The Killer is a nice bike. A good rider could do ANYTHING with it from sand dunes to interstate highway. It HAS to be one of the best values in motorcycling nowadays.

Ahh, electric too boot! I have to get something for leg protection on the highway but don't want to go for full pants again (too bulky/hot on warm days). Looks like a great ride, as W&G says, your grins say it all 8)

Cheers,
Stew

[JTCAndrew]

FASTDoc - Looks like you had a great time - I'm jealous. Still got plenty of Snow here in NW Pennsylvania with no sign of relief anytime soon. Puxantauney Phil predicts an early spring so I hope he is correct! LOL I see and want your luggage rack - but I bet you hear that often! - Someone recently told me you may have some insite on the q's rear spocket - and what maybe interchangable? Reason I ask is I have e-mail super spokets about getting one for my "Q". They make some awesome sprockets. http://www.supersproxusa.com/ I want to get one but need to find one they make that may fit. Any insight you may have would be appreciated. I just ordered up a Pro Circuit T4 Ehuast system for my "Q" and it's due to arrive this wednesday. My NEW Q has never had a drop of gas in her yet, as I bought it in Oct just as it started snowing, so I am patiently waiting spring time. So with all the down time I've had I've beed doing alot of the Mods. The bike stares at me each day in my store. LOL http://www.jamestowncomputer.com telling me "I Wanna Ride" LOL

Andrew

[FastDoc]

I need to ride just like you all !

MY only 'rule' is that it has to be over freezing and dry. I'll go out below freezing if it's sunny. Other than that I tell people that I'd rather freeze on a bike than be warm in a cage. 8)

I am lucky to live in an area with hot summers and mild winters with 7-8 inches a year of rain (desert). This is NOT to say that its sunny all winter, it's not. It is overcast and 50 today, but I'm gonna run The Dirt Rat in a little while. :P

Andrew, I orderd my sprocket from a Q dealer in San Diego, JT Motosports, IIRC. They also sell pipes and jet kits.

As I recall I bought a front and rear sprocket from them to increase the gearing as much as I could for ON ROAD use with my last Q, an XF.

One the XP I find the gearing to be ideal from the factory for the kind of use I need.

[SpudRider]

Thanks for posting the nice photos, Doc. Did you mount a Kenda, K760, TrakMaster rear tire on your QLink?

Spud

[FastDoc]

Originally Posted by SpudRider

Thanks for posting the nice photos, Doc. Did you mount a Kenda, K760, TrakMaster rear tire on your QLink?

Spud

The Q had offroad only Dunlop knobbies. Great traction and wear qualities, much better in my experiance than the Trackmasters (as far as wear goes. TM traction was fine). I plan to fit Dunlops to my KLX when I wear out the stock D/S tires. Won't take long.... :roll:

Like ID, WA patrol could give a rip about non DOT tires!

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by FastDoc

The Q had offroad only Dunlop knobbies. Great traction and wear qualities, much better in my experiance than the Trackmasters (as far as wear goes. TM traction was fine). I plan to fit Dunlops to my KLX when I wear out the stock D/S tires. Won't take long.... :roll:

Like ID, WA patrol could give a rip about non DOT tires!

Please tell. What model Dunlop tire did you have mounted on the rear wheel?

Spud

[FastDoc]

Git 'er done!

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com...Rear-Tire.aspx

Plus the matching front:

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com...ront-Tire.aspx

They wore so much better than the Trackmasters (in my experiance) that the small price difference is more than worth it for the Dunlops, especially when you add in tubes and effort/labor.

I burned the rear Trackmaster half way down in 1,000 miles on my HSUN200. I ran these Dunlops on Q 1,500 miles and they still looked great. Recall almost all of Q's life was off pavement, much of it on rocky/hard packed terrain. And dirt/gravel roads, mostly gravel.

The Dirt Rat has Dunlops (came with it) of indeterminate age. The rear was maybe 1/3 worn. After 500 Rat miles the rear tire still looks good, and The Dirt Rat delivers a horrible beating to it's tires.
YMMV. :P

[SpudRider]

Thank you, Doc. Indeed, the Dunlop, D952 tire has a very similar tread pattern to the Kenda, K760 tire. I bought my last three, K760, TrakMaster tires for $38 apiece, delivered. However, the price of the TrakMaster tires has gone up to $45. :(

I can get either the Dunlop, D952 tire, or the Maxxis, Desert IT tire, for $50, so I am going to make the switch! I'm sure either of these tires will wear longer than the Kenda, K760 tire. However, at $38 a tire, the K760 was an excellent bargain. Thank you for confirming the D952 tire wears longer than the K760.

Spud

[FastDoc]

Go for it Spud. You can trust my review. When you add in less tire changing and tube replacement the Dunlop may be cheaper! And we're Chinariders, after all. It's all about cheap! 8)

When I finish off The Dirt Rat's tires, which should be soon the way I ride that poor thing, I'll put 952's on it as well. I can already picture the KLX with them also.

Don't worry about on road performance. They did just fine. I certaianly did not push them, and I bet they would offer less traction in the wet, but they were fine.