During my trip to the FL Keys, I posted a few photos from in the past couple weeks, I mentioned having issues with the bike. Some of you asked me to share the problems I ran into. I think the story starts in ME, where I rode from Chicago about 3.5 weeks ago. started noticing my chain getting loose. It was a new chain that I put on maybe a 1000 miles before, I figured its just stretching out a bit, as a new chain might... nothing to worry about. Got back to Chicago and noticed it being loose again. retightened. Left to go to the southernmost point in the US, Key West FL, as planned, another week down later, without having ridden the bike at all in between. Was meeting an old buddy of mine, who lives in NC, in KY, then riding on into TN to camp. As we met I finally realized what the real reason behind the chain stretching was (see video). In KY. I was worried by then seeing that the chain was starting to literally come apart at that point. A bunch of the ferrules were missing and links were separating sideways. We found a Kawasaki dealership in Huntsville TN, only about 45 miles from our location, so, staying off the interstate, we slowly rode to the said shop. It was closing, got no immediate help or info, so we went looking for a camp. Made a turn into a side street, which turned out to be one way, the other way. Quickly noticed a feller on a Super Tenere waving his arms at me. I immediately stopped, realized what he is saying and turned around, only to notice him talking to my buddy Bob across the divider. Upon finding out about the issue with my bike and us looking for camping, he invited us to camp on his property. To make a long story short, Eric, the fellow we ran into, helped us find a shop that had the parts in stock, invited us to dinner, we had an amazing time with him and his lovely family, set us up in his immaculate barn for air conditioned sleep with all amenities, dropped my KLR and I, in his Sprinter van, off at the said shop, another 40+ miles away, sharing my concern for my safety at this point. The folks at Tommy Thompsons shop in Clinton TN, where Eric had dropped me off, were amazing. The mechanic Paul, swapped out all the rear wheel bearings, both sprockets, chain and my rear brake pads, which were getting thin, while he was at it. Had my bike on the stand before the store officially opened and I was back on the road before noon, able to finish this adventure without any further problems. The bearing(s) in the sprocket body (not sure what the correct term for that piece is) is what went out first, making the sprocket wobble. Im honestly shocked how long it all stayed together. I feel I should have found the issue sooner, but glad I still found it before shit hit the fan. I put over 7k miles on this bike in the last 2 months, I guess things will wear out/break. All in all, I think the bike performed great. The only other issues I had were in ME, snapping the clutch cable and the stock aluminum shifter cracking. Both were an easy fix and had no issues with either afterwards, keeping the clutch cable, at the lever end, lubricated to prevent it from breaking there again. Its the round piece in the lever that stops turning and starts stretching the cable I found out... Makes sense. Cheers!
Posted on: Wed, 23 Jul 2014 15:43:49 +0000