KLE500, Good first bike ?
 

Hi Guys,

Been reading the threads in here, one of the very few places that I can find information on the KLE500.

What I really would like help in is as follows.

I have never really ridden a bike before, but am very serioulsy thinking of getting one for commuting to work and back. Work is approx 23 miles away in nice countryside, 1 small town to go through.

I have bought a few bike mags and none really have a good word to say about the KLE500, I have read through the forums and people seem to like it. I guess I will get a kind of biased view here probably, but once I pass my bike test, is it a good bike to have ?

I am not interested in speed, but think that I will just enjoy riding, I also do not want a low slung racing bike, I want something where I am sitting up and enjoying what is happening. I am also interested in mpg, I want the bike to be able to pay for itself in the long run.

Also, any advice on any othe rpossibly suitable bikes, just the KLE500 is for sale brand new from £3000 in the UK.

Thanks for any advice

Mike (38 yrs, 18 stone, 5ft 10inches, if that helps)

mike, i just bought a secondhand (even cheaper) kle, its my second bike, i have been riding a NTV 650 for 3 years. great bike but i wanted something higher for a planed long trip. only just got the KLE but i think its a good bike, slower than my old NTV but more comtable, (except for the sadel but i'm working on that) i'm about 80 kilos (have no idea how much a stone is) and am 1,80 meters (think thats about 6 foot) a bit high to get on but if your in the sadel its ok. comfable highway driving just not verry fast (don't go autobahning with it) haven't used it for long travels yet but i think it will do ok. i haven't heard annyting really bad from annyone who owns one, it just seems that the magazines don't like it. minor points are: the sadel (not comfable, but sheepskin or something like it should do the trick, or so i have been told) small tank (take a jerrycan),

miles per gallon (whats in a name): i do 22 kilometers to the liter (but i have been called captain slow)

KLE - a wee cracker
 

Mike -
I have recently taken delivery of a new KLE500 and rate it very highly - especially for a new rider.
It can be a stretch to get on it, but once underway, it's very nimble and surprisingly swift. They are criticised for low power, but mine has no trouble cruising at 100 - 130 kph (60 - 70 mph). On minor roads it will be all you need.
They do seem to be "the forgotten one" in the bike world but my opinion is that they are brilliant value for money, appear to be very reliable and economical to run.Do a Google and see what appears.
Come on over to Dunedin, New Zealand and rent one off me and you'll be sold on it - NZ and the bike ! :biggrin:
Howie

Kle 500
 

Hi,

I am also new to biking and so have had to do some research on the KLE 500 as it is also a bike that I am interested in purchasing. I have found a good web site which gives ratings on all types of bikes, the link to the KLE 500 (2005 Model) is: http://www.bikez.com/bike/index.php?bike=22222

I am certainly convinced that this is the bike for me as it gets a decent rating and is good value for money. I should get my bike round about mid September and will then provide some additional opinions...for what it's worth.

Cheers - Steve :cool4:

Re:KLE 500
 

I live in South Africa and bought a new KLE 500. It is a great dual purpose bike and offer excellent value for money. Basically 60% road 30% dirt. But it won't dissapoint you on the latter. Slightly more expensive than the KLR 500 but much smoother because of the twin engine and looks quite attractive. The front end a bit soft under braking. Overall, it will keep up with any 650 cc dual purpose bikes like BMW 650 etc but costs 30% less locally. Obviously not an overland or super bike. Performance, however, more than adequate and will do 120km per hour with a passenger with ease.

We have quite a little fan club growing for the KLE500 here. I got mine in May/June this year and have clocked up 2,700 miles and will (hopefully) be going London to Milan and back on it next week. I love this bike and it does everything I ask of it. I have done all kinds of riding on it (motorway, a-road, b-road and short trail rides) and it is as sure footed as a mountain goat. mpg's not so great on short rides (2-3 miles), but on longer runs (150+ miles) you'll find that the tank lasts a lot longer than expected. Alright, it's not the most powerful bike out there, but the magic ton is available and I've found it a couple of times. Low ratio gearbox means that 70mph comes up pretty quick (3rd gear), so acceleration is good. Fantastic riding position means you never really get tired and the seat does soften up considerably. My first run down to Devon I was seriously considering a sheepskin, but the second time around, I never even noticed it. Also, if your confident with working on it yourself, it's all very straightforward. There are no complicated systems and everything's fairly easy to get to. The only issue is the fuel tap which is automatically off when the engine's not running, but there is a "prime" position to override this. Oh, and I still haven't found the reservoir for the water cooling, but then I haven't really had to look yet. Maybe there isn't one.

Short notes:
1. Ditch the stock Dunlop Trailmax tyres. My rear only lasted 1500 miles and I was not amused. I swapped them for Avon Distanzias and they seem the business so far.
2. Fuel economy is actually slightly better with the lower octane (regular unleaded) petrol we get in Britain. I normally use high octane stuff because I'm still running the engine in, but when the price goes over the £1 a litre mark, I'm not that stupid.
3. Get good front brake pads. The front brake is a bit crap and mine is even worse since I swapped the pad for what I believe is a cheaper one.
4. If you can get one, get a bigger front screen. The stock one just seems to blow the wind and any residual water right into my visor. My dad rode mine with his open faced helmet and said he couldn't see over 60mph. Ermax do one for the Z1 which should fit (same front end), but it's £70, so that's on my "to do" list.
5. The tank is small, but the reserve is pretty big. Just keep an eye on the trip counter. I usually fill up every 100-110 miles or so on longer trips (85-90 miles around London). Basically, if you do run out, the reserve should get you to a petrol station. There's another 4 litres in there.

Incidentally, my Dad's verdict on my bike was "I could get used to that", which is his way of saying if he had the money he'd get one. He's not very communicative.

I am also sad to note that despite retooling it to meet next year's emmission regulations, it seems Kawasaki is poised to replace our beloved KLE500 with their new Versys. Check out page 8 and 9 of this months "Ride".

PS: I take issue with the idea it's not an overland bike and one day (as soon as I've paid for the bloody thing) i'll prove you wrong, Charles. Note to self: buy a very big jerry can.

Welcome to the club!
 

Be aware british bike mags are full of sh*t.
Matt

Thanks very much for the feedback guys. The site I am thinking of buying from is
http://www.kawasakidirect.co.uk/

They also charge £129 to deliver to the house (I have not yet passed my test).

Howie mate, thanks for offer, would love to go to NZ, but would not be able to afford bike if I did :(

Mike

Kle500
 

Mike - you won't regret it and as you can see, we may be small in number, but we're passionate. :thumbup1:
When you put a KLE against a transalp or a Vstrom you will see why they are priced so well - they are cheaper in build in all respects - but you gets what you gets. They do have an excellent name for reliability, they perform (on road) as well as most single 650's - at the end of the day, if they do what you want, you're in.
I reckon with an after-market exhaust (frees up to 10 hp), better brake pads and tyres, you'd have a brilliant package.
BTW, the radiator tank is on the left side, behind the plastic panel under the seat.
I'd endorse Mutha.....s comments on improvements - the front screen needs up-sizing, front end a tad soft, and stock tyre a compromise if used only on sealed roads - all little future tweeks.

H

Hey Howie,

I'm just up in sunny timaru and there isn't a bike shop that is interested in letting me take a test drive on a kle. I have a dominator at the moment and take most of the back roads, mckenzie pass, the haka vally, dansey pass, lake onslow raod and the old man range when ever I head south. Have you tried any decent stuff with your kle? Anything more than gravel roads? You say you hire them out have you got any contact details? I would love to try one I don't know why bike shops think you should buy one without allowing you to ride one.
Any more info would be great

cheers Rich

I had the same problem. None of the main dealers had one in stock, so test riding one was out of the question. What I eventually did, quite cheekily, was find a second hand one for sale at a small bike shop and took that for a test ride. Although, if you like the Dominator, you should get on fine with the KLE500. It's pretty much the same kind of thing with a twin instead of a single and thus a bit heavier. In fact, if you do get a test ride, I'd be keen to know how you think it compares.

KLE testing
 

I had the same issue here. I can understand that bike shops don't want a brand new bike "spoiled" with mileage from test rides - but why not have a demo bike ? Given that the KLE is a new model here in NZ you'd think a demo would be good for business. I have yet to see a mag write-up on the KLE - as I've said else where, the KLE seems to be the "forgotten one".

Richard, give me a call 03 4667623

KLE, lose some weight
 

I know from perusing various South African bike forums that you can lose
32 pounds (not sure what that is in kilograms?) by replacing the stock exhaust pipe with a lighter unit, preferably in stainless steel.
Pipe: Catalytic converters (catalysers) are added to each exhaust header pipe, plus a third in the manifold (three in total) ensure that the KLE500 meets Euro-II emissions standards.
Got that straight of a Kawasaki website.

Here is a link to a South African KLE 500 review...I am a little worried about the writers claim to huge petrol consumption?
http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx...s/new_reviews/


Found this KLE 500 German forum, translated it for you all I hope? You have to use some imagination to grasp some of the translations, but you'll get the gist of it. Look down the list for the KLE 500 Meeting Place.
Check out the post named Dirt Driven. Some places you just should not take a bike, any bike.
http://translate.google.com/translat...l%3Den%26lr%3D


I know the KLE 500 motor is the same used in the GPZ 500 and the ER 500.
I have read that London motorcycle couriers have clocked up over a 100 thousand miles on the GPZ 500 with no major problems. I also read the ER 500 is a very reliable bike.
Parts should not be a problem.

Cheers: Jaq.

kle improvements?
 

Hi there KLE riders,

I would expect that by now the original posting mikeread will have his new kle!
I 've got mine for 6 full years now! After a major crash I had to replace the tachometer, so iam not sure how many km mine has, but surly more than 5000 km per year. Its the purple and black version and although my licence says 2000 i ve seen this model called as '99 or '01 many times!
As an advice for a new driver the bike is perfect as it is! When and if your driving skills make you more demanding then the brakes and sadle are a "must" replacement(at least that's how i feel).

About some questions now, does anyone know whats the horse power for the KLE? There seem to be many contradicting numbers and manuals even for the same year models! i ve seen from 38 to 51 hp! And mine feels slower than a friend's (with an after-market exhsaust though!) I live in greece so I would expect its the same as all european models.

Also about the brake pads, does anyone have any reckomendation? I really dont like the feeling of breaking, esecially in emergancy or high speed situations! I 've been told softer ones might do the trick but still not sure.

And finaly anyone knows of any modifications that would help on high-speed stability? I ve just returned from a trip to italy and I found that after 1 hour at 130 kph (around 95 mph i think) I am getting really tired from a "floating" feeling in the front, appart from suffering from my old sadle(i never had that on my old gsx-r) . Will a new or after-market suspencion system help? I get a bit jelous of all the bmw f-650 passing me while they are cruising with 140 kph and looking soo comfortable!

Anyway good to see the that there is some people going around with this very friendly and reliable bike.
Cheers to all
komm

horsepower 35 KW/47.6 HP for the non enviromental frendly version, 33 KW/ 44.9 HP for the new green tree hugger. or so i have been told

As luck would have it, I accidentally came across the kawasaki ER500 recently, and thought this seemed a good choice as it has a low seat option. The KLE is too high for me, but if you have no problems with that I see no reason at all why you should not be completely happy with it. And at 65mpg plus being less than 1/4 the price of some others you should be laughing all the way to and back from the bank :)

I've also just come back from Italy (from London, not Greece though) and I've had exactly the same experience except for the floaty front end. Yes, the front brakes are crap and after 11 hours in the saddle, your arse goes completely numb. I have to say, it is really, really uncomfortable over long distances, although you do strangely get used to it. I recommend that you take up smoking and stop every hour or so for a fag, water and map break as I did. Fuel economy was fantastic on longer runs and I was easily getting 250 kms from 11 litres just by keeping it planted around 4-5000 rpm. Also, the torque delivery was perfect for twisty mountain roads; I barely had to shift gear at all, especially on the downhills. When I get some more pennies, I'm fitting a scottoiler and a more comfortable seat. I may also look into getting a double disced front wheel and trying that, although it would ruin the bike off road.

BTW: I've also read very confusing power figures. 44bhp seems about right for my model.

PS: 130kph is 80mph. That's about 6,000 rpm in 6th and a comfortable cruising speed. It was also just shy of the top speed of the bike loaded up with my expandable panniers.

KLE brakes?
 

Hi All,

I'm writing from Cambodia where I just bought a second hand KLE 400 (Yes 400. It's an import from Japan) I believe it's a 2000 model (green/grey with white, there was also a "purple" model with older looking instruments in the shop, they claimed that one to be a 1998 model) and according to the taco, it's only done about 3,500 Km and looks like new.

To my surprise I have found the KLE to be better than expected. It is perfect for the riding conditions here, which are rough pot holed roads full of chickens, cows and everything else you can think of. It is a common occurrence to be literally pushed off the road by the insanity of "drivers" here and the KLE handles it well. I haven't done any trails yet but I've found the KLE to handle sections of road works and dirt roads with a sure footing.

I also find the front brakes to be too soft and I'm wondering if anyone out there can recommend a brake pad that works? I will have to import it specially, so I want to be sure it is worth the trouble.

Also I'm getting a really annoying vibration right at 3000 rpm. I'm thinking it might just need the carburettors balanced. Any suggestions? Above 3000 it runs smoothly and performs best above 5000.

Cheers.

I used Ferodo brake pads - the hardest composition (racing or something like that) - brakeing was violent and in city wea annoing .... and now I use Goldfren - a middle range in composition not to soft and not to hard .... it works good. My only problem was with race ones from Ferodo because thy altered my brake disk.

About vibration at 3000 rpm .... depends ... compairing with wich bike? Mine vibrates too on first gear and on second at 2000-3000 rpm when I start runing and on 3rd gear or high at 2000 because is not the right turation for KLE.

I don't want to be an expert or to pretend to be one ..... but KLE has low power on low rpms .... in higher rpms has plenty of power. KTM instead - or maybe the one that I know has thisi thing :confused1: - has higher power on low rpm than on high rpm.

Maybe is a normal vibration for a KLE .... I ride at 4000 rpm and at 4500-maximum 5000 I change the gears but it happend to be in situations that I preffered to get to 7000 rpm (because I needed power) rather than to change the gear and return to 4000.

regards


P.S. - You have to keep in mind that it has a twin engine with an vertical alignment and on normal operation without acceleration it should have 1200 rpm

"....KLE has low power on low rpms .... in higher rpms has plenty of power"

I think you are right. I'm used to riding a 4 cylinder 750. The KLE does fine in higher revs so I just have to get used to riding a low torque bike.

Thanks for the tip on the brake pads. I will look out for the Goldfren pads.

Cheers,

Peter

I don't say that those are the best brake pads but are not expensive and offer a great value for money. To be honest if I had money I would buy a Brembo brake system. So I only shared my small experience with brake pads on KLE. If you want I have the Goldfen catalogue on pdf so I can give it to you.

Regards

If you can pass on the catalogue that would be great. I understand they may not be the best pads but I'm willing to look at anything right now.

I may be in Australia soon so I will also go into a Kawasaki dealer and talk with them.

Cheers,

P

Here is the latest catalog from the producer ....
http://www.goldfren.cz/_download_cat...talog_pads.pdf
there you will find codes for your bike and specifications .... breakepads for KLE are 013 and 084

good luck on your search

I have just taken delivery of my KLE500 and find the top speeds mentioned here as strange. Mine now has 200km , yes that is right 200km, on the clock. Took it out on a 190km run today and clocked 175km/h. She runs 160km/h at 8000 revs and is happy to do it (that while sitting upright)- she just purs along wile running rock solid - no floating at all. The wind conditions were far from ideal.

Ronepaulsen,
Are you happy with your running in procedures for your engine?
Dave

Nothing wrong with the kle at all. However if you do not intend going offroad (much) the er500 is a fine road bike. The reason the bike mags dont like them is because they not the fastest shiniest bike on the planet, and are affordable by the masses. To them it is like being asked to road test a 1600 mondeo, instead of the porsche they wanted to play with. Mondeos make better transport even if they lack the glamour :) They (kle/er500) do have a reputation for reliability and cheapness to run. Never pay any attention to some bike mags critcism or other wise of a bike they rode and did not pay for out of their own pockets.
To put them in perspective, a er500/kle perform as well as a sports 500 from 40 years ago and will have a top speed of close to 100mph. Fast enough for you to lose your licence when you get one. However, I would reccomend you take a course and pass your test before laying out cash for a road bike. Then spend a few weeks riding around a grass field seeing how to corner fast and slow. Ideally with a borrowed 'rat bike'.

Well said!!!!!!!!!
 

Quite agree! I wish more people would say this and then the journos might do a better job of critiquing insteed of looking at where their next advertiser is coming from - the whole corporate "thing" has gone much too far; actually that is why websites such as this are so very, very useful!!!:thumbup1:

Dave

can"t anyone help me i bought a kle my first bike and it vibrates like hell is this suposed to hapen whit the kle?

When does it vibrate? The KLE will vibrate quite badly if using low revs and a high gear. Try more revs and more clutch.

it vibrates at 4,500 or over 8000

what kind of petrol do you put in your kle?

@berty - mine vibrates too arround 5000... but not disturbing and not the whole bike just the plastics on it, anyway I usually change gears at 4000 - 4500 except 6th gear when I go at 9000 rpm maximum

regarding gas - I use unleaded 95 or 99 and I really don't see any difference between these two types of gas.

But I have an older model '94

Yep I am happy the way the bike is being run in. The first 160km or so you keep it back to get the tyres to wear in and get some grip. there after you RIDE the bike. Just keep it out the red zone and don't let the motor labour. Pamper it and you will end up with a lazy bike. At 160Km/h she only runs at 8000 rpm with 3000 to go before the danger zone. She does not rev much higher and will only see 175km/h on a downhill with plenty revs to spare. In my opinion fitting an aftermarket exhaust and air filter will make her breath easier and allow her to rev higher in 5th and 6th. Any idea where i can find a bigger screen as i find the standard one useless at high speeds.

Thanks for that - I am more used to a 600cc single (Yam TT600R) and it does not rev that high; I don't know how many revs it pulls because it does not have a rev counter but it certainly is not as high as your twin.
I agree that if the bike is used over it's full capability, within the running in advice, then it will be a better engine over it's full life; my wife's 650GS revs well and the engine thrives on "strong" use of the throttle.

I have seen another thread in this tech forum about bigger screens for the KLE; I believe they say that other Kawa screens will fit (or maybe it was about after-market screens but have a look through here).

Cheers,

Dave

new kle
 

a good friend of mine bought a brand new kle last year.after running it for a year there where 3 issues,hard seat,crap sidestand,slight corrosion.apart from that he and i loved it.sadly it recently got stolen:(.he had the matt black and bronze one.awsome colour scheme.the motor is unbusrtable,best used buy on the market.imho.:thumbup1:

i agree about the seat but what is the problem with the sidestand?

too long
 

my freinds bike blow over a couple of times due to the sidestand angle,the bike was too vertical.needed 1 cm off the stand.:rolleyes2:

From the Salesman
 

I was in a Kawasaki dealership in Sydney this week to look at the new KLR (mmm), but spotted the KLE right next to it.

I sold my Dominator in London before coming over *sniff*, and am now tempted by something new (for me).

I'm surprised to read comments on the height of the KLE, because I am only 5'7/5'8ish and was very comfortably flat-footed when sitting on it. (perhaps it was a lowered version?).

The salesman's comments were really helpful though, and confirm some of what you guys have already found out for yourselves (so lovely to speak to a salesman who rides and loves bikes, gives you plenty of helpful info and doesn't give you any BS). Basically he said:

• The engine is unbreakable. It's also simple enough for you to learn to do your own servicing.
• Get rid of the standard exhaust and fit a stainless steel one that is lighter.
• The strong steel subframe won't need strengthening for long trips - it's pretty robust.
• If you're planning to do a fair amount of off-roading or dirt riding, the front mudguard may need to be raised a bit (there's not much clearance between the tyre and the guard, which could clogg up in the mud).
• If you can, get hold of some second hand fairings if you think you are going to show the bike some tough love. Replacements can start getting a little pricey.

I think that the dry weight of the KLE was around 180kgs. I am used to the 160kgs dry of the Dommie and actually felt the KLE to be lighter - it's center of gravity is a bit lower.

Hmmm, this bike shopping stuff is fun!

Sounds like the Dommie is already gone and forgotten! How are prices over there? The KLE is great value in the UK; a brand new one can be sourced for around £2800 or so (Autotrader has them at that price), with second hand asking prices, say 18 months old, at not much less than that - how do you depreciate a bike that is already "value" at the brand new price? - the answer is that the trade can't do it!!
It has a two cyl engine rather than the single that you are used to, so it should be a lot smoother as well.

For the suspension, it depends also on the "sag" - how much the suspension settles with the weight of the rider in place basically. What looks like a tall bike on the stand can be anything but when loaded up + your height is not really "short" and it is said that the leg length of females is more than that of males, overall height for overall height (never checked out that latter "fact").

I think the stock exhaust contains a whole load of catalytic converters to meet the law (3 total?), so it would be weight saving to ditch that.


Agree with everything you imply about sales staff here; can't find one worth having a conversation with!! (Those who own their own bike shops are the exception of course).
I am interested in this bike as a potential future purchase; maybe there is a replacement model on the way?

Have fun shopping!!

ps I love the enthusiasm on these threads for the KLE; have a look at the KLE pics thread as well.

And for the slight corrosion Ade: was that the "quite usual" (for yamaha anyway!) bolt heads or something else?

KLE 500 manaul
 

Hi there!:scooter:
I have been searching for 6months for any info on my KLE, the agents are ripping me off!! I'm looking for a service manual PLEASE!!

I bought the bike in February and only traveled about 250Km with it, now it would'nt start, thinks the timing is out. The agent told me that I need to buy the timing chain, tensioner, chain guide and maybe the valves are bent too!! Spoke to a motoracer and told me the agents want to make money! Have to check the timing first!

gawievdlith@gmail.com:clap:

Try this other thread:

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...-manual-9079-9

and:welcome: ---- you will find lots more information in here for your bike!

I had a quick look at a group test in one of the British magazine, last year sometime (or a couple of years ago, i forget). Anyway, the KLE got panned. But that was likely to be expected considering that Brit mags generally only rate the latest whiz-bang rockets - a re-hashed design exercise by Kawa of a "stone age" bike was never really going to be treated any other way. And the "new" KLE was heavier/underpowered than the original... But for a new rider or a non-fashion victim, ideal! Go for it!!:mchappy:

Quite!
I've given up reading the BS that UK journos manage to produce.
In Italy and France, there are more Yam Fazer 600s sold then all of the sports bikes in the UK; this country is a minority market for new bikes. I've nothing against sports bikes and I follow bike racing in a "vague" sort of way, but our journalists cannot see beyond that. So, take no notice of what is said in the mags and take a test ride is my policy.

KLE 500 manaul
 

Thanks to everybody that replied with info on the manaul!!!!

It helped me alot, seems that my hunch was right, timing is out by miles, luckily looks like there's no dammage to the valves. Main fault was that the timing chain tensioner at the front of the engine got loose and droped to the bottom of the crankshaft casing.

Will put it together and let you all know whats hapening!!

THX!!:thumbup1:

Did it come apart and dropped inside or did it loosen and fell outside the engine? Glad you came right with the manual.

the pin is missing, looks like the engine was open and they did not replace the pin! Now I am looking for help to put the pin back, nowhere in the manaul the show how to install the pin!!

first good bike!
 

Hi Guys, I got a new kle500 june this year, to use as a work horse, didn't want to trash my TDM900 for work!
I've found it to be a cracking bike :clap:and tend to ride it more than the tdm:(
fuel consumpsion is about 60-65 mpg depending on how i wring the right hand:rolleyes2:, it deals with city,town, dual carrageway,and A road traffic...a breeze the only off road i've done is going up/down my drive which is 4" deep gravel-no probs, I do find it a stretch to get on though some times (27" inside leg) but i manage, i've fitted top box, scott oiler, a pair of VERY loud horns,clock and a set of fog/driving lights, i'll post pic's asap

Buy one you won't regret it, new or used:thumbup1:
tdmalcolm

That's a nice recommendation TDMalc.

I would be interested in your views on the TDM, for long-distance/two up riding in particular + the reliability etc, if you fancy posting on the appropriate thread.

Cheers,

TDMal,

Cant wait to see those pics. What wattage are the lights you use and did it require any special mods to get them to work.

Hi Walkabout, The TDM is a cracking bike for med to long distance work one or two up with luggage, I love it, like the kle It's a very underestimated machine...nolong back from touring somerset and cornwall on mine with the otherhalf, b*%$y majic! loads of torque (88.8nm @6000), had a prob with the engine paint as have others ...sorted u/g and a choke sender sorted u/g other wise no probs, loads of help and tips on carp tdm website, like here good bunch of guys and know their stuff, give em a post:thumbup1:
regards TDMalcolm

Hi Doc, They are 55watts each, purchased from busters (Busters Motorcycle Accessories) I fabricated a mounting bar from 25 x25mm angle inc cutouts for exhaust and mounted it where the horn mounts (new horns under fairing now) i'll get some picys done..one pic worth a thousand words:confused1: i'm feeding them from the lighting circuit via a fused relay (halfords) and a handelbar mounted switch, I wanted to wire them in serise for day time running and switch to paralel working for night/fog etc, i'll work it need another relay:eek3:
I would also like to wire the head lamps so that both are on for main beam...umm have to look at a diagram..... hope that helps pending pics
TDMalcolm

Thanks Mal,

Thats exactly where I was going to mount them but was a little concerned about avalible wattage on the bike. If yours are working then thats good enough for me.

Thanks again mate :thumbup1:

Doc (Adam)

Get one while you can!
 

It seems that there won't be a KLE available brand new in the UK for 2008; I've just posted the Kawa webpage for 08 bikes here:-

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...7-4#post151594

Nor is there any sign of a replacement type of bike, such as the Versys.
Shame overall, when other manufacturers are going to bring new models to market in 08 which are certain to be much more expensive.

[quote=Walkabout;151596]It seems that there won't be a KLE available brand new in the UK for 2008; I've just posted the Kawa webpage for 08 bikes here:-

I have been told that 2007 will be the last year the KLE will be avalible in Australia. At least I got mine......:scooter:

I had thought that K would have replaced the KLE with an off-roader type of Versys - maybe another year for that then!:rolleyes2:

I made the right choice - thanks to this thread
 

Guys

I took delivery of my shiny new 2007 KLE500 a week ago, and I am over the moon. It's everything I thought it would be, and yes, the brakes are a bit squodgy and the seat hurts my ass after 30mins, but the rest of it is heaven.

The power band is nice and smooth :scooter:......not much to get exceited about but it pulls like a horse!

http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/c...ition/KLE5.jpg

You wont be sorry with this machine, and chicks dig it :clap:

KLE First good bike??
 

Hi Guys, i know the link below is regarding the kle brother:innocent: but same engine etc...so it may help your dission to purchase a kle, some things mentioned will apply to our beloved machines:scooter:

TDMalcolm


Kawasaki GPZ500s - Review - GPZ500s - real world review