I'm planning on taking my 2003 KLR south, and am wondering what spare parts I should definitely take. I'm a hiker and am used to packing in the minimalist style. Less weight = Better. No matter what the endeavor. That being said, if I have to take the kitchen sink, I will. But am just wondering if I'll be able to buy brake pads, tires, chain, sprockets etc. down south. Or should I purchase them up here before I leave.
Gracias Amigos. Limey Tony.

Hi Tony and welcome,
I would suggest that unless they are new or as new replacing the parts you list before leaving, keep the old one for later if they have plenty of life left in them and not bothering to carry them as spares.
You don't say how far south you plan to go but that should get you most or all of they way to Argentina if you plan going that far. I am not sure about Central America but tyres are available in South America.

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Good luck.
Oh and the saying here is "Less is More" ...

Has a KLR rider I can put in my 3 cents worth.
Depends on how and where you ride for your brake pad life .if you do a lot of wet and dirt they go way quickly.. What kind of service life have you been getting . I suggest you install NEW pads before the trip and that you DO carry a spare set. If you are going to be on s very long trip through South America carry two sets of pads, they aren't very big and can stand the snide of being in the luggage . Pads are bike specific and can be hard to find at times. Carry a spare clutch cable , make sure the throttle cables are good and they will last .
Carry a spare tube for front AND BACK of correct sizes .
Know the fuses in the KLR and carry multiple spares ,.
Light bulbs can be bought everywhere so no need to carry , you shouldn't be riding in the dark anyway.
Have a fresh chain and sprockets and you will be good for Panama and back , if it's going to be a trip longer than your usual sprocket / chain life you could carry but those are heavy items to pack and can be sourced in Guatemala City as can new tires.
Has the doohickey been swapped out ?
Make sure everything is in good shape and adjusted to spec .
Other than tools and tire irons and patch kit and air pump you really don't need much more. Any part CAN break or wear out but it's impossible to carry all spares " just in case"

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http://advrider.com/index.php?thread....207964/page-5 then scroll down to post #93

Most common problems center around chain and sprockets. As mentioned above, starting off with NEW everything is a good idea and would probably take you at least 15K miles into your trip.

Tires are the other issue. But you CAN find tires in Guatemala and Colombia for sure. Rear tires wear out, fronts last double rear.

Rear brake pads may wear quickly but not so much fronts when touring. As mentioned, riding off road in mud pads wear quick. I'd pack one set of each for 20K plus mile long trip.

Tubes: I carry 3. One on front fender (21") two 17" in luggage. Hard to find quality HD tubes, but tubes are for sale, mostly Butyl Chinese ones except in a few big cities.

Learn to use Llantero shops. Let them patch your tubes. They do a good job. Never toss out an old tube until its truly dead and you're sure you can find another. Remember, a 17" or 18" tube works fine on KLR. A 21" will work in rear tire too for short distance. (1000 miles)


You can't cover every eventuality, but doing really good, comprehensive service before departure will avoid a lot of common problems. A good long shake down ride is also recommended. (2000 miles or so)

1. 2003 is an OLD BIKE. So Check all bearings, re-grease or replace (head, swing arm, wheel, linkage)
2. New DID X Ring Chain, carry two spare front sprockets, swap them out every 8K miles. This will extend chain life by a lot.
3. 3 tubes, quality natural rubber ones. (1 21", 2 17 or 18")
4. A tool kit you've tested out pre-trip in your garage (bead breaker?)
5. couple spare jets for altitude, spare pilot jet.
6. Carry any part that commonly fails on the KLR. (Stator? Pick up coil?)
7. Old bike, so make sure cooling system is perfect, hoses OK, fan OK, water pump OK.
8. If your KLR uses oil, keep close eye on level. DAILY.
9. New bolts done for sub frame/rack?
10. NEW high quality battery. (I like Deka)
11. Make sure valve gear has enough life left and that compression is GOOD.

The good news about the KLR down South is that so many guys have made the trip, you may find OEM spares from crashed or junked bikes along the road. We hear of these once in a while. Good source for parts perhaps?

Establish an account with a really good Kawasaki dealer at home so parts can be shipped to you immediately if you need them. Waiting around down South can be expensive.

!Que le via bien!

KLR is sold and poorly supported in Mexico by the dealers. However, you can easily source parts like pads, chains, tires, the carb is common to Harleys and old Yamaha jet skis, through local bike shops. You will have few difficulties. Get a spare cheap ignition off ebay and a spare set of the best sprockets you can find and pack those items.