Pelican Panniers

Waterproof, lockable storage.  Isn't that what all motorcycle riders really want?  I recently added the Happy Trails SU Side Racks, perfect for mounting my throwover Cortech bags.  But, sometimes you need to lock things up, and also need to be 100% waterproof.

PELICAN CASES
In a nutshell, bullet proof.  One of the best products I have come across.  These cases come in all different sizes and are used for all different types of applications.  Dual Sport motorcyclists have figured out that they make great panniers and top boxes.  I have had one on my luggage rack since summer that I use to lock up my valuables when out riding.  I have been researching different hard case setups - aluminum panniers made by all different companies, ammo boxes modified, Givi boxes, etc.  In the end, I just love the Pelican cases.  They are light, durable, lockable, and waterproof.  And, they "look" like they belong on a dual sport bike - let's face it, it's just not right to get to fancy - after all we are still riding street legal dirt bikes right?

MOUNTING OPTIONS
Choosing the cases was the easy part - I went with 1550's.  Figuring out how I wanted to mount them was difficult.  Some people hard mount them permanantly.  I did not want to do that.  I don't plan to keep these on the bike all the time.  I just don't need the storage, and like to stay as "light" as possible when I go offroad.  I will probably only use these for shopping trips, overnights, or maybe commuting to work.  Day rides I will leave them at home.  So, I decided I wanted a quick release system.  Pelican cases are so popular as Panniers that there are company's that actually make mounting systems for them - but,they are expensive, and frankly, you can get all the right hardware at the hardware store for a fraction of the cost.  So, I stopped by Lowe's one night - with a pretty good idea of what I wanted to do, and picked up a few items.  My system is very simple. I fabricated an aluminum bracket on the backside/bottom of each case that sits on the bottom of the side rack that holds the weight of the case.  They sit on the bottom of the rack on a pin that keeps them in place.  Then, the case is held to the top of the rack by a threaded carriage bolt, and a plastic threaded T-knob type handle on the inside (making it difficult - if not impossible to remove without gaining access to the inside of the case).

THE FINISHED PRODUCT
I am very happy with how this turned out.  They can come off the bike in about 10 seconds, and I can interchange the right side case as a top box if I ever need one that's a little larger.  I put some reflective tape on the boxes to dress them up a little and also for safety reasons.   I also added small bungee cords on the inside to keep the lids from dropping down to their hinge stops.  I look forward to trying these out sometime on an overnight.

Making a New Riding Friend

I have been trying to get together with Kerry King since the week I got my KLR last year.  He has 5 kids and is a Doctor, so he is very busy like me - not to mention he lives 30 min south.  He also had Knee Surgery last year which kept him off the bike for several months.  Well, we finally got together and enjoyed meeting each other, chatting about bikes at Starbucks, and riding in the mountains on a beautiful day.  Temps were 55 (39 when we left) and the sun was in and out of the clouds. We made my usual stops at Riders Hill, and had lunch at Two Wheels Only.

Here are a few picks of Kerry's KLR - he purchased it used from a guy who had done all the major performance mods including the Progressive rear shock and spring.  Kerry did this light set up - I may do this mod - they really make the bike more visible even in the daytime.  He also hard wired connections for his heated jacket and gloves.  In all, a very nice KLR.  He also has a KLX 250 - which are very popular around here for serious single track trail riding.  I am not sure when we will be able to ride together again - he is having shoulder surgery in early January (the price you pay for an active lifestyle he says).

Thermobob Modifcation

The KLR 650 has a few flaws that Kawasaki has decided that after 20 years of experience with this model, they will just ignore. One of them is the cooling system.  Cooling isn't the problem - warming and maintaining a constant temperature is.  It's a cold natured system and when temps dip below 50, the bike does not want to warm up much past the low end of the normal range, and then fluctuates wildly as you transition from highway to stopped speeds.  Anybody with basic mechanical knowledge knows this isn't optimal for internal parts - especially if you plan to keep the machine for tens of thousands of miles (which at the moment, I do as I love this bike).  

THERMOBOB By Watt-Man.

Who is Watt-Man?  Another fellow KLR enthusiast who happens to not only love the model but has made a business out of manufacturing and selling an aftermarket Thermostat/bypass system designed to keep the KLR's temps right in the middle of the normal operating range at all times - regardless of outside temp, speed, etc.  It's a time tested and proven modification that I just had to do. 

HOW IT'S DONE
The directions were very easy to follow with many great photos.  The most difficult part of the whole process is getting the plastic shrouds off and removing the gas tank.  The actualy installation of the unit was a piece of cake.  Basically, you remove the factory thermostat, and reinstall the Thermobob and bypass.  The thermobob and bypass work in conjunction to regulate the temp of coolant in the system - if it's too cold, it keeps the coolant in the engine to keep the heat in it unlike the factory set up that just kept it circulating through the whole system to keep it cold from outside air temps.  If it's too hot, it circulates it through the radiator like the factory set up did at all times to get max cooling.  Seems like such a basic concept that Kawasaki should have fixed a long time ago.  But, then again, we KLR enthusiasts wouldn't get to meet "Watt-Man" and engage in email conversations with him about our bikes then would we?

Let me tell you, after 130 miles in 45-55 degree weather riding at all different speeds, I can say that it works beautifully.  Great product "Watt-Man" (his handle on KLR.Net forums).

Happy Trails SU Side Racks

I have been performing some maintenance on the bike as it approaches 5,000 miles.  One of the items I have decided to repair is a bit of a "modification" rather than maintenance.  I have been using soft saddle bags made by Cortech that lie easily on the plastic side covers.  No problems whatsoever - they fit great.  However, I recently noticed that the muffler is starting to burn the outside corner of the right one.  So, time to set the bags up properly.  I installed Happy Trails SU Racks.  This were a little beefier than I needed, but I opted for them as I can upgrade later to hard panniers using the same racks if I so choose. 

Here are a couple of pictures of the finished product.  Very functional, very sturdy.  BTW, these are not quick release, so I am leaving them on the bike even when I am not using the bags (which is a majority of the time).

Repairing the Top Box

I installed a Pelican 1450 top box shortly after taking the first overnight trip on my bike. I really needed some lockable, waterproof storage for my valuables.  Well, I found out after some recent riding that 3 of the 4 bolts securing it to my luggage rack were sheered off.  NOT GOOD considering I carry my DSLR Nikon camera in it.  I am guessing it happened while beating the bike around in the woods carrying tools in it.

THE REPAIR
First, I used some of the "pluck and pick" foam that came with the box to design a foam organizer to keep valuables from flopping around in the case.  The next thing I did was upgrade the size of the box.  I really like riding the bike on day trips without the saddle bags - the bike feels better in the twisties.  Also, I commute to work on the bike and my laptop bag will not fit in the existing box.  At the same time, I want to be able to switch back and forth from smaller to bigger box as needed.  So, I decided to run the bolts up through the bottom of the luggage rack as posts and secure them with wingnuts inside the box.  That way nobody can remove the locked box from the bike, yet I can still take it off in a minute if I want to. 

PELICAN 1550
I went with the Pelican 1550 after looking at several sizes.  I also looked at GIVI top boxes - which are extremely nice and also affordable.  However, I really like the "utility" of the Pelican cases.  The 1550 is 2 sizes bigger than the current box I have - it actually fits inside of the 1550.  My foam organizer tray also fits nicely inside the box leaving room for a small cooler.  This is going to be perfect for long day trips, commuting, or trips to the store.  I do plan to continue to use the smaller box if I go on any rough roads.

THE REPAIR ISSUES - Stripped out threads
The first chore was to drill out the sheered off bolts in the frame where the luggage rack is secured.  WHAT A PAIN - I think I broke about 15 drill bits and a couple of taps.  Once this was complete, I had to carefully align the box and make a template for drilling the holes - turned out perfect.  I am very happy with it.

Fall Ride with Friends

Last weekend, I had 6 friends come visit for a long weekend of riding. Curt Owens, Steve Landes, and his wife Tina arrived on Thursday, and Andrew Steadman, Chris Galardi, and Bob Lowe arrived on Friday. The weekend started early on Friday morning as Curt, Steve, Tina and myself went up to the Suches, GA area and did some off roading. Then, on Saturday morning, the entire group departed for 2 days of riding in North GA, Easter North Carolina, and Southeast Tennessee. Our route took us from my home up through Dahlonega, GA where we stopped at Riders Hill - a really cool Moto Guzzi dealer and motorcycle cafe. From there we traveled further up into the mountains and stopped at Mountain Crossings Hiking store at Walasi Yi - this is where the Appalachian trail crosses Highway 129 about 15 miles south of Blairsville, GA. It's a historic building that is actually the only hike store "on" the Appalachian Trail (so they claim). From there, we headed on north until we reached Murphy North Carolina where we stopped for fuel. Then on to Andrews, NC for a snack stop, then we checked into our hotel, the Two Wheel Only Inn. What a cool place - it's a motor lodge designed for motorcyclists - each room comes with it's own garage. Very nice.




TAIL OF THE DRAGON

After dropping our gear, we fired up the iron horses again and headed for Deals Gap and the "Tail of the Dragon". 318 Curves in just 11 miles - cool road - fun people watching!



MOONSHINER 28

After we rode the section of US 129 called the "Dragon", we picked up US 28 and road a section called "Moonshiner 28". This piece of road is actually less stressfull riding than the Dragon - more sweeping curves and less blind corners - less hooligans.



CHEROHALA SKYWAY



For me, I think the highlight of the trip was the morning journey across US 143/165 which is the Cherohala Scenic Skyway. This is one of the nicest roads I have ever ridden on a motorcycle. Big sweeping curves, beautifull wide open scenic views - and the weather was just perfect with the leaves near their peak. It was really cool to see that part of the country on a sunny fall day. We stopped in Tellico Plain's TN for a break, then rode on down to my house taking Highway 60 through Suches, GA - another great motorcycle road.





In all, it was a fantastic trip and we were very thankful to have all stayed safe on the journe

South Carolina, Sumter National Forest, Lake Burton

What do I do when my wife says "you need to get out of here and ride your motorcycle" spur of the moment......I put my gear on, start the bike, and leave as fast as possible before anybody changes their mind.  Sometimes, like this particular day, I had no clue where to go - just knew I wanted to explore a part of the South I had not been to.  So, I headed to the Northwest Corner of South Carolina and rode through the Sumter National Forest.  On the way there, I went past a historic site called Travelers Rest.  It was closed, so I just got  shot from the parking lot.  I then road over to Clayton GA,and then down past Lake Burton and to Helen.  I found an awesome road around Lake Burton down to Unicoi State park that is awesome - I am gonna be visiting it again sometime!

Cherohala Skyway Pre-Trip

In preperation for a planned trip with Friends, I took a day trip up to the Cherohala Skyway over Labor Day weekend.  I only rode about a quarter of it - just didn't have enough time.  Nice day - great ride.

Ten Dollar Tool Tube - You get what you pay for!

I have seen several Dual Sport riders mount tubes on their frames to hold tools.  I decided to do the same using a welding rod holder I got at Home Depot for ten bucks.  It worked great - for half a ride until a big rock kicked up and put a hole in it.  I guess I'll put the tools back in my top box LOL.

Stock Exhaust - Gotta Go!

Does anyone ever keep the stock exhaust on a motorcyle for very long?  Answer - no, because they generally sound bad, weigh too much, restrict airflow too much, and sometimes look bad too.  In the case of the KLR, all 4 apply - especially weight - take a look at these picks - BOAT ANCHOR.  I went with an FMF Q4 slip on.  It's a nice inexpensive system that sounds good but is the quietest of the aftermarket pipes available for the KLR.  I also tuned the bike doing what's called the "22 cent mode" which is basically shimming the carb needle with a #4 washer from Ace Hardware - a very popular mod.  I also enrichened the mixture, torn out the "snorkel" from the airbox, and installed an UNI performance air filter.   I am very pleased with the results the bike came to life after the mods.  It's still a 650, but it's much more responsive and sounds better too.  It's popping on decel from the emissions air pump - that's my next mod - I need to remove it.

 

Flat Tires Suck

During summer vacation in July, my wife spent 2 weeks in Ohio visiting family.  I rode my motorcycle just about everyday while she was gone and there was little "commitments" to atten to at home.  One evening, I took off just before sunset over to Gainesville for a quick run around Lake Lanier.  Just as I got to my furthest point and ready to turn around and head back, I picked up a nail in my rear tire rounding an intersection.  Man, that is a bad feeling to have a tire go completely flat in about 5 seconds in a corner.  I got the bike off the road and into a CVS Parking lot and called Geico Insurance roadside.  Yeah - they got me home, almost 3 hours later.  So, now, not only do I have a new set of Avon Gripsters on the bike, but I also have a tire repair kit and spare tubes on board!

I decided to replace both front and rear tires.  I got to put my motorcycle jackstand to the test.  It was fairly straightforward and easy to do (a positive of owning a KLR).  After the work was complete, I took off for Wolf Pen Gap Road - remembering the last words from the guy at the tire shop "these tires will be dangerous if not respected for the first couple hundred miles as they wll be slippery".  Man was he right - and it rained on me to boot!

The new tires were purchased at Riders Hill after a bunch of research.  They are 80% street and 20% dirt.  Since purchasing the tires, they have enough miles on them for me to conclude they are decent for the style of riding I am doing and an overall good choice. 

Summer Trip to Deals Gap - Motorcycle Camping

Earlier this year, I got a Saturday night yard pass and decided to throw the tent and sleeping bag on the bike and head up to Deals Gap and ride the Tail of the Dragon on the KLR.  Overall, it was a great - but short trip. 

IRONHORSE
I rode up late Morning Saturday, set up camp at the Ironhorse Motorcycle Lodge - an awesome place.  Very nice people, clean facility, and friendly bikers to visit with 

After setting up camp, I unloaded some stuff off the bike and took off on US 28 over to th Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort and then rode the Dragon.  Man, what a place.  Intersting piece of road, 318 curves in just 11 miles.  Lots of hooligans - and cars crossing the center line in curves. 

I got back to the camp at dinner time and learned that Graham county is dry - your kidding me?  So, I took off and rode to Bryson City NC - 20 minutes up the road and grabbed a couple of cold beers at a gas station and came back.  THEN I had had enough riding.  I had dinner and sat by the campfire with other bikers listening to a couple of "locals" picking the guitar and singing tunes.

The next morning  had to get back for Antonio's game, so I loaded the bike early and rode straight back the shortest route possible - 3 hours 15 minutes total time - not bad.