I'm in Ventura California. the red kill switch was smashed off and the terminals exposed. So i just used some copper wire to cross the ON terminals....then pushed the start botton as usual. Of course once it started i would take the copper wire off - circuit open but still running?. I don't know if this could have fried anything. I think not, but not sure. i rode like this for 500 miles and started and stopped her in this manner a dozen or more times. My feeling is it is not related to it not starting, but i have been wrong before.

Anyway, i noticed her suddenly not running very well - lots of vibration when excelerating - like the timing was off. then she just wouldn't start. Turned over fine - just wouldn't fire. Anyway any ideas would be appreciated. i will be taking it apart tonight or tomorrow and checking for spark and testing different parts. DArn it i forgot my multitester!!! I have three of them....guess now i have 4.

Anyone know any good shops in Ventura California. I went to So-Cal motor sports to get it worked on and they were too busy. All i wanted was new tires mounted and a couple of spare parts. I haven't heard any good things about these guys. Impressive shop, but they just seemed so disorganized and unprofessional. Some one told me Howdy's shop is good.

Once i dig in to the problem i'm sure i'll get it figured, but any help and direction would be appreciated.

Regards
Troy

I had a DR650 that had a loose balancer tensioner,, that vibrated like mad till i adjusted it.

Maybe the same thing on the KLR? its a big single, it needs a balancer....

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If perchance the OP has not changed out the balancer spring and quadrant, that's a very likely explanation...and definitely worth taking care of regardless of the source of the current problem. Google or search this site or any of the KLR forums: "doohickey." When the balancer goes it can do some major damage, the most obvious sign of which can be that the bike turns over but doesn't start.

Didn't really grasp the description of the kill switch, but didn't see what that would have to do with anything else in particular. The kill switch lets the bike run, or it doesn't.

Good luck!

Mark

I got my Doohichey replaced with the after market one i got from happy trail - made with really thick metal at Burnaby Kawasaki. anyway, got it done 2000 miles ago. I'm at 10 000 now. Driving me crazy. Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

Appreciated
troy

Wrong Way, if you're really that frustrated you might check onto one of the KLR-specific sites. I like the Yahoo group: [http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/DSN_KLR650/], but there are others.

Post as clearly as you can; include the fact that you had the doohickey done plus whether or not you've been adjusting it for the past 8,000 miles. There are so many possibilities for a sudden vibration followed by inability to start the bike that I sure wouldn't know where to start. You need someone who'll take you through the diagnosis step by step. There are some good people at the forum linked above.

Good luck.

Mark

(2007 KLR now registering 94.000 miles/150,000 km following a long trip through the various Americas)

I have to get new tires, etc..., so i brought it in to a shop. I had to help put it on and off. Putting it on i noticed a puddle of oil in the middle of the deck. By the time the kid strapped the bike up, he had spread it around the whole deck with his shoes? Like he was doing it on purpose. It seemed that the driver used me to make a point with his boss. The deck had oil on it that the kid thought that his boss should have had cleaned before his shift, he even mentioned this to me, so of course, when we unloaded down the incline it started to slide. The dude just let go, almost though me off the edge with bike on top. the bike smashed my pannier. He got right on the phone and called the boss - swear he was happy about it. facetiously I said, "Maybe now your boss will clean that damn deck for ya, eh?". He was trying to insist that i pay and then go through the insurance with them. Serious? Nope. Free 80 dollar tow, but a smashed up ammo can pannier - still works(mounted on front of motorbike). that kid should be fired...total liability.

learned a lot during this process. i'm sure it will help me when I'm deeper into my travels. What i do know is that i need to know my bike better. A little disappointed i couldn't get it to fire. Very curious to see what it is. Hopefully it doesn't break the bank.
Regards,
Troy

Ten bucks on either the cam chain or balance chain as the culprit...

Or both, since the balancer chain tends to take out the cam chain when it goes. Or was that just me?

+1.

Actually, that is a concern I have about the aftermarket doo replacements - do they run the balance chain too tight? I doubt they have been designed with specific chain tension in mind... comments anyone?

I'd sure be surprised if they are not designed this way. A spring is always designed to provide a certain amount of tension....except, of course, the current 2008+ doohickey spring, which is designed to provide no tension whatsoever, so that adjusting per Kawasaki instructions provides no benefit at all. If I had a concern about spring tension, I'd email Mike directly and ask him. [http://www.eagle-m-e.com/] I know a lot of work went into the torsion spring which I've had on my doohickey for the past 75,000 miles.

Roger that - I already did email Eagle Mike and got a very helpful reply; I noted that the OP used a Happy Trails product which may be an EM rip off. I'd be happy to use EM's products having conversed with him.

Both the Eagle Mfg. website and Happy Trails website say that the doohickey sold by Happy Trails is from EM. I doubt that EM would maintain a relationship with Happy Trails if their products were being ripped off.
Maybe Happy Trails has other quality issues, I don't know. Just thought I would mention that because I hate so se someone get a bad rep for something beyond their control.

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Japan touring information

Once they get the gaskets in...geez....it's taking a little while. Didn't expect it to take near two weeks. It is the christmas season though?

thanx for all the imput.

Troy

When my bike broke down, wouldn't start, i immediately started reading my manual. I thought about what it could be and thought back to the 10 000 miles i put on it. During those miles i had a few occasions when my bike wouldn't start. Random really. I would leave for a 10 miniutes go back to it and no problem. This happened about 5 times in total.

I had it worked on at a shop that i trust...... not for this problem above, just to get some upgrades and service. After the work was done the tech took it for a spin. It stalled on him and he had to push it back to the shop. Then, of course, it fired no problem for him. The tech told me about this problem and was very concerned that i was leaving with a bike that he stalled and then couldn't restart at an intersection....however this had never happened to me. There was a problem. However for the following 2500 miles it ran better than ever. The tweaks and upgrades he made to my bike made it feel like a completely different animal - good conscientious mechanic i thought. However, there was a problem.

After trying over and over again to start my bike, not believing it was going to not start, i more of less killed the battery - after a long ride with heated clothing. reading my manual for 6 hours and taking my bike apart for a spark test...no spark that i could feel or see. However, it only turned over at this point maybe 8 revolutions and i didn't get to do the Feel test untill the last turn. Damn. Wasn't sure if the no spark was because of the ignition system or that i didn't have any juice.

I started writing a list of what it could be. The first thing on my list after reading and staring and thinking back was "test CDI". I didn't test it. i took it to a shop when i saw a flatbed tow truck across the street from the dive motel i was staying at. Two weeks later it is diagnosed as the CDI being the problem.

So, next time i will trust my ability to diagnose. It's my bike, my problem and i do have the tools to fix it. I'll order the parts myself next time.

Also, thinking about it, a random reoccurring symptom will probably be attached to a complex part that is most likely electical. Hindsight is 20/20, but trust your intuition and judgement Troy.

Live we learn,

Thanx all for interest, advice, direction and thoughts,

Wrong Way

Maybe the flywheel has come loose on the crank shaft. It will still run until it destroys the woodruff key and then the ignition timing will be lost. Remove the inspection plug on the centre of the left hand cover and see if the large nut is loose.