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KLR650 with 18 inch rear tire? KLR650 with 18 inch rear tire?
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  #1  
Old 22 Sep 2010
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Question KLR650 with 18 inch rear tire?
I am preparing a KLR650 (2005 model year) for my upcoming trip and am debating switching out the rear wheel with an 18" rim. The goal would be to make it easier to find tires.

Has anyone out there on a KLR650 (pre-2008 model!) done this? What was your experience? What rim width did you use (2.5 or wider)? Any problems with tires hitting the swingarm?
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Old 22 Sep 2010
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Why put yourself through this execise of trying to out engineer the engineers who did a good job of engineering the KLR. You are asking for more trouble- loose spokes , unfamiliar tire size for KLR.
and then all the expense. From all the posts I read I never recall anybody specifically being unable to find tire s for the stock wheel
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Old 22 Sep 2010
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I would not say the engineers did a good job of engineering the KLR. It is inexpensive only because of necessary short-cuts in quality. The KLR community has been "out engineering the engineers" for more than two decades.

Loose spokes? I will need to deal with those with the stock tires. Nothing magic about a different rim which makes spokes spontaneously loosen.

Expense? In South America, If I spend a few extra days hunting down the more rare and more expensive 17" tire every time I need one, have I really saved any money?

Is it a necessary change? Of course not. I am simply trying to get information if there is anyone on this board with experience using an 18" rear wheel.
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Old 22 Sep 2010
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No offense intended othalan, just my observation and experience riding a 2000 KLR left box stock except for addition of handlebar heaters. Never ONE loose spoke in 120 000km, never any great search finding a round black thingy in Mexico which holds air ,for the back wheel.I think they did a reasonable job when they designed it.
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Old 22 Sep 2010
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No offense taken, nor intended towards you. I have seen lots of high mileage stock KLRs too. But I've also seen broken doohikeys, sheered subframe bolts, mangled radiators, broken shift levers, sheered footpeg bolts, broken handlebar controls, etc. All easily avoidable with better engineering.

I've also seen more than one mangled wheel (admittedly only the front) because of the relatively weak construction. The newer model (2008+) actually uses stronger spokes on both wheels, though the same rim to keep costs low.

As for spokes ... my stock front wheel has had three loose spokes in 25k miles.
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Old 23 Sep 2010
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thick tire
I put on my klr a sahara 3 180x90...standard size wheel...we were two up with aprox 350 kg on top of the bike. previously i added a 3 finger stainless steel metal cylinder at the bottom of the shock absorber to make it higher keeping in position 1 in the top adjuster. still the bike went rub the right side of the tire on to the exhaust. i have an after market one, it was quite easy to make it loose and pull it towards, outward. FYI!!!
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Old 2 Oct 2010
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18 rim size
Quote:
Originally Posted by othalan View Post
I am preparing a KLR650 (2005 model year) for my upcoming trip and am debating switching out the rear wheel with an 18" rim. The goal would be to make it easier to find tires.

Has anyone out there on a KLR650 (pre-2008 model!) done this? What was your experience? What rim width did you use (2.5 or wider)? Any problems with tires hitting the swingarm?

hello klr rider

be carefull with the 18 rim size,
when you ride the original exhaust, it 'll be early catch up with it,
I have the problem sometimes with the orig. 17 rim, and my shockabsorber ist 5 cm longer, and sometimes the tire hide on the endexaust,
check it out befor try it, I feel it's easier to buy 17 tires instead 18 ,
kepp your mirrows up,Fredontour.de
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