Full Time On A Motorcycle

[fiddlefootn]

I was asked to start a thread on my adventures full timing on a motorcycle, aq KLR 650 to be exact. I don't know if this will be a standard thread or a blog. A bit of both I think. I also hope that it will encourage your thoughts, questions, ideas, and dreams to do something that you have been considering to do.

I had been living in my 1991 Subaru Wagon since February of 1993 working for a grocery chain now no longer. When I knew they were going to close I knew it was time to retire. I had no money to speak of and my income was now going to be gone as well. A good severance package was going to be issued so my dream of touring on a motorcycle was saying it was time to do it. My good friend Frank, who owns a auto repair shop, suggested the KLR. I took his suggestion to heart since he has been riding most of his life and I was a novice. I mean a novice novice. I began my search for used and found my Boogles. She was born in 2009 with black and red markings. The day after the last day of work I was in a motorcycle riding school. Then came the outfitting and retro fits. Finally the selling of the Subby. Then it really started to set in, the fears, the trepidations, the excitement, the realization I was alone and no real idea of where I was going or what I was doing. What a rush. All I knew was that I want to head towards the NW.

Next installment: The bike, how it and I was outfitted. In the meantime your questions and/or comments are appreciated. It just may take a while as I am off gid, but will try to log in daily. Thank you.

 

[minimotos95]

The KLR is a great machine if you can remember it's limits, I was never able to grow an attachment to mine even after owning it roughly a year or so. I wouldn't mind owning another one simply because I didn't grow attached to it and didn't mind leaving it out in the weather or throwing it down on it's side to get a few extra miles out of a tank of gas. It would have been an awesome bike to live off of with the right tire choice.
I replaced it with a zx1100e that has family history but needs work and it is likely that I will spend some time full timing off of it traveling the west once it's restored.

Can't wait to see your setup, ride safe.

 

[LeeRevell]

Looking forward to this story.  Have done long weekend roadtrips multistate on my 2005 KLR650, but cannot imagine  fulltiming on it.

 

[Rugster]

I love the KLR, you know it's a good bike where there is a thread on ADVrider.com that states 'You might be a KLR owner when...' and there is a post saying 'if you have ever made replacement parts our of wood.'!

I wanted one but ended up finding it's spiritual sister in a Suzuki Bandit 600, running, titled, in great condition for $300.

Should never have sold it.

Looking forward to more posts and pictures!

 

[LeeRevell]

I love the KLR, you know it's a good bike where there is a thread on ADVrider.com that states 'You might be a KLR owner when...' and there is a post saying 'if you have ever made replacement parts our of wood.'!

I wanted one but ended up finding it's spiritual sister in a Suzuki Bandit 600, running, titled, in great condition for $300.

Should never have sold it.

Looking forward to more posts and pictures!

"KLRWorld" is the best KLR and Dual Sport forum site.  They have a subforum on rides and rallies with great pics of roadtrips and meets.  Lots of them travel by RV and van towing their bikes.

 

[BigT]

You picked a great bike to use.  I've had 5 KLR's.  They're super reliable, fuel efficient, and fun to ride!

As for motorcycle boards, I like KLR650net.  http://www.klr650.net  If you go to that link, the picture of the blue/silver KLR on the right is me. 

 

[Patrick46]

Motorcycling is a huge part of my life. I build and ride my own choppers, and oddly enough, I'm trading my Kawasaki Concours (a spare bike I've got), for a KLR so that I can explore the tens of thousands of logging and forest service roads we have out here in Oregon.

I'm a bigtyme regular on the ADVrider forum...

http://advrider.com/index.php?watched/threads

I actually know quite a number of guys (and gals) who are living full time on their bikes.

https://www.facebook.com/GypsyDrifters/
https://www.facebook.com/PanheadBillyBurrows?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/joe.sparrow.35?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/glen.heggstad?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/beanre?fref=ts
http://theoasisofmysoul.com/
https://www.facebook.com/SimplyNomadic?fref=ts

another great forum for someone like you would be Horizon's Unlimited

https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/


There...that should keep you busy for awhile!

Welcome to the forum!!

 

[masterplumber]

Like so many others, I love my KLR. I have it pretty well set up for long trips, and imagine I good live off it about as well as any bike. I always describe it as the Landcruiser of the motorcycle world. It doesn't do anything real well, being to big and heavy on the trail, while being somewhat to small on the highway. But it will do just about anything, and get you there and back as they are pretty much bullet proof. I look forward to seeing how yours is set up and how your travels on it have gone. While I love the comfort of my cargo trailer, and the ability to haul every tool know to man in my truck, the idea of becoming a true minimalist on a bike intrigues me.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Looking forward to this story.  Have done long weekend roadtrips multistate on my 2005 KLR650, but cannot imagine  fulltiming on it.

I also did some camping trips on my Honda 750 motorcycle back in the day.  It strikes me that fulltiming on a motorcycle falls into the same category as travelling the world with nothing but a backpack and your thumb.

Can it be done?  Yup.  Would I want to do it for years and years?  Nope.

These days I require a certain minimal comfort level . . .

Regards
John

 

[Patrick46]

Glen Heggstad, (one of the riders on my first list, who used to be a Hell's Angel) wrote this book about his experience riding a KLR down through South America and back, on his KLR. Unfortunately, he was nabbed by armed rebels and held captive for 5 weeks in the jungle!

[img=345x493]http://www.strikingviking.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/gh-twtt.jpg[/img]

Glen has since toured the world many times on motorcycles, (mostly BMW's), and now travels and lectures.

 

[fiddlefootn]

The KLR is a great machine if you can remember it's limits, I was never able to grow an attachment to mine even after owning it roughly a year or so. I wouldn't mind owning another one simply because I didn't grow attached to it and didn't mind leaving it out in the weather or throwing it down on it's side to get a few extra miles out of a tank of gas. It would have been an awesome bike to live off of with the right tire choice.
I replaced it with a zx1100e that has family history but needs work and it is likely that I will spend some time full timing off of it traveling the west once it's restored.

Can't wait to see your setup, ride safe.

So true. It is truly a jack of all trades, but master of none. Kind of the Timex of motorcycles.
Thank you

 

[fiddlefootn]

Looking forward to this story.  Have done long weekend roadtrips multistate on my 2005 KLR650, but cannot imagine  fulltiming on it.

Thanks Lee. I hope it will be informative as well as entertaining. 

 

[fiddlefootn]

I love the KLR, you know it's a good bike where there is a thread on ADVrider.com that states 'You might be a KLR owner when...' and there is a post saying 'if you have ever made replacement parts our of wood.'!

I wanted one but ended up finding it's spiritual sister in a Suzuki Bandit 600, running, titled, in great condition for $300.

Should never have sold it.

Looking forward to more posts and pictures!

LOL. Funny. I have always been a lurker on ADVrider as I have felt most of those guys were much more knowledgeable. And thanks.

 

[fiddlefootn]

You picked a great bike to use.  I've had 5 KLR's.  They're super reliable, fuel efficient, and fun to ride!

As for motorcycle boards, I like KLR650net.  http://www.klr650.net  If you go to that link, the picture of the blue/silver KLR on the right is me. 

Hey BigT it sounds like you have a lot to contirbute. I look forward to it.

fiddlefootn

 

[fiddlefootn]

Patrick46.
Wow, a lot of great info and stories. Now I'm going to have to buy more data. I don't know whether to say thanks or not.    Just kidding.

fiddlefootn

 

[fiddlefootn]

MasterPlumber I understand your reference to the Landcruiser. I had one of those as well. Can we all take a moment to lament the vehicles and bikes we had and sold.

fiddlefootn

 

[fiddlefootn]

I also did some camping trips on my Honda 750 motorcycle back in the day.  It strikes me that fulltiming on a motorcycle falls into the same category as travelling the world with nothing but a backpack and your thumb.

Can it be done?  Yup.  Would I want to do it for years and years?  Nope.

These days I require a certain minimal comfort level . . .

Regards
John

Hi John,
It doesn't matter the bike or its configuration just the doing of it, but I can tell you know that. You're right in that there is an affinity to the thumb.

fiddlefootn

 

[fiddlefootn]

The bike and its outfitting which changed as time went on.

Briefly the Kawasaki KLR650 is a dual sport bike purposed for on/off road. It is an older design one cyclinder thumper, carburated, high centered beastie. It is to put it delicately a bit of a pig weight wise and subsequent handling in tight situations. It weighs 430# without gear or rider. It is described as a jack of all trades, master of none MC and has earned that rep. Not a bad rep either when you consider it is a true world traveler. The fact that it is old technology means it is repairable on the side of the road or less developed countries. AND it's cheap. AND its riders are cheap. HAHAHA.

I started out with a new chain, tires (Shinko 705), battery, aluminum panniers. factory rear carrier bag, full tank os gas and empty head. Around 5:30pm I pulled out of Phoenix on a Tuesday, having ate a fish sandwich and orange drink at McD's, heading west on I-10. I was loaded. Helmet, coat, overpants, equipment, all sitting on the factory suspension which was passed maxed out weight wise. What we get away with at times just amazes me and then there are those times we don't.

I was headed to LA to see my son for my shake down and make adjustments if needed. Since I left so late I figured I would stop at Quartzite and get some rest. I proceded sail pass Quartzite. Now it was dark (I had already told myself no night riding) and this was my first trip loaded, plus dealing with Semis. Like I said, "what we get away with." I kept riding, riding, and riding some more . I kept finding excuses not to pull over. I choose to follow a small convoy. Could I be any more idiotic?  That meant I couldn't see ahead. If the truck ran over a tire carcass it would be in my face before I could do a thing about it, but I was tired and chose to make bad decisions. Vulnerable and too tired to care. What fools these mortals be. I came into LA sometime after midnight and due to a freeway closure got lost. My phone had discharged and my charging port was not working. I found myself in a not so good part of LA with people eyeing the Michelin Man on two wheels. Not comfortable skeedaddled out of there I only to find myself in a warehouse district. I know, I'll call my son for help, if I only knew where I was and if I had battery to make the call. Then I saw some cabbies and road over to meet them. I explained about the freeway closure, how I got lost, and where I needed to go. Everyone just looked at me like I had just landed. They were right, I felt as foreign as an alien. Finally one cabbie told me in perfect broken English what I needed to do. I did and I arrived to the laughter of my son who sent texts and photos to his friends. Sleep.

fiddlefootn

 

[fiddlefootn]

Well, last time I forgot to include pics, then I found out I don't know how.  Read Tips and Tricks, but I confuse myself. I will have it sorted out by tomorrow.

At that point I carried an old Coleman bag (6-7#), air mattress, a tarp without poles, no stove or cooking utensils. I had 2 pr. of jeans, tee shirts, socks, LS knit shirts, personals, and a windbreaker. There were an assortment of tools, tire repair kit, and a quart of oil. Later I would add a single burner stove and nestling kit, and a can opener. There would be a couple different tents and a down bag replacement. Space was small so items were in a constant state of flux. Weight was growing like a middle man at the state fair so that I slipped into the seat like I was in a cockpit of a small fighter jet. The factory suspension was woefully inadequate from the git go without being loaded down. A new suspension was in order if I and the bike was going to survive.

Some things were helped by my losing weight. People worry a lot about what things weigh and they should, but lose weight and the effect is significant all the around. Trouble was if I came into a city to visit I gained weight. I got bored and when I get bored ... Another issue with weight on a high centered bike is at slow speeds or the turning too sharply at slow speeds. The front wheel wanted to fold in and the bike would want to come to a halt. Without motion, high centered weight, and already leaning over the bike would just continue its way and fall over. During that point of transition it became a true struggle to stay upright and that didn't always happen. Quite simply no gyro effect allowed gravity had its insidious way.

I will get the photos uploaded so you can see how she looked when I started and how it looked when I went to a van.
I invite your questions and comments. I already know there are quite a few out there hwo have made extensive trips with their MCs. There are a good many KLRers out there.

fiddlefootn

 

[LeeRevell]

I agree with the "high centeredness".  On the KLR Iearned that if it starts to go over DO NOT try to stop it, just ease it down.  I also perfected the "tuck and roll" when I get dumped, especially on sand.  Nice thing about offroading in Florida, the roadsides in the woods are usually soft sand and pine straw.
I also learned, being loaded for camping the braking distance is lengthened.  The KLR brakes aren't the best....
Otherwise the mighty KLR can haul some impressive weight.
One riding buddy based down in the Osceola National Forest has a neat little singlewheel trailer (the Burito) that makes carrying gear a lot easier.
The KLR-650 was used as a long range desert scout by the Marine Corps, another reason I chose it.  I figured if the troops used it (albeit in diesel powered form) it was good enough for me.