KLR suspension/weight /tire wear questions

[thejohnnyutah]

2009 KLR with stock suspension. About 7k miles on her. I have logged over 1500 miles in the last 6 days. I was extremely overweight initially but cut dramatically before beginning the TAT yesterday. Much of that weight was also waaayyy too high and far back on the rear rack. I noticed weird scooping on about every other, center tread on the front tire before I cut excess weight. I'm assuming that was caused by the front tire skipping along at highway speeds. I also brought weight down and forward as much as possible. The wear had gotten worse before I did this and I'll have to change the tire anyway. I weighed today on industrial cotton scales and got 820 with me and 580 without me. That's right on. I'm 223 in skivvies.
What mods can/should I make to the suspension now that I've already started the TAT? I'm not going to stop for more than a day and I'm not going to pump 2 thousand bucks into her. Suggestions?
(If this post is in the wrong place, please let me know!)
Thanks!

 

[bwdmax]

So according to the inter-webs a gen-2 KLR is 432 wet. So between racks other accessories and gear your at 580 that's still 148 pounds of stuff. You might watch this if you haven't. You might decide you can offload a few more items.

BigDog’s Packing Light Advice

Mark “BigDog” Sampson gives some great advice on how to pack light but have everything you need on an adventure trip. I spent 4 days riding with BigDog last week and saw first hand how …

basherdesigns.com

You are on the right track to move the weight forward and down. You might be able to shed a few more pounds. The only thing you could do on the fly is crank up the pre-load on the rear shock. You might order a stiffer spring and have it shipped to someone on your route and change it when you get there.

 

[bwdmax]

Air pressure?

 

[thejohnnyutah]

So according to the inter-webs a gen-2 KLR is 432 wet. So between racks other accessories and gear your at 580 that's still 148 pounds of stuff. You might watch this if you haven't. You might decide you can offload a few more items.

BigDog’s Packing Light Advice

Mark “BigDog” Sampson gives some great advice on how to pack light but have everything you need on an adventure trip. I spent 4 days riding with BigDog last week and saw first hand how …

basherdesigns.com

You are on the right track to move the weight forward and down. You might be able to shed a few more pounds. The only thing you could do on the fly is crank up the pre-load on the rear shock. You might order a stiffer spring and have it shipped to someone on your route and change it when you get there.

I'll give the article a read but, generally, I know I'm pushing the extreme for this bike and I'll deal with the associated difficulties. This isn't really a trip about the TAT, that just happens to be the route (loosely) that I'm following on my way across the country, visiting friends and doing a lot of other things (fly fishing, a cattle drive, helping build a barn etc...)
Pre-load is @ 5.
I was thinking probably springs front and back but didn't really know if some were better than others etc...

 

[Retiredtosoon]

How much you have to spend
I have a 2011 KLR did the COBDR in 18 with my big butt at 245 lbs in street clothes and 90 lb of luggage (40 lbs to much junk) bike at 452 with all the iron on it all I did was up grade the spring to fit my weight and it did great
My self there's no need to throwing a lot of money at a KLR would not take long to have bikes total value in extras less your going to keeping it for ever.
Not a big fan of full blown race suspension on a bike I am not racing been there done that ,spend that money on a trip some where nice are stay long on the one your on
as for tire wear I have the same problem on the KLR and my Vstrom may be to much weight are air pressure are just the way the tire wears my advise is change it and move on you may never figure out why it does what it does and look at the sleep you losing
Aaron

 

[thejohnnyutah]

Air pressure?

I'll have to double - check in the morning but I want to day that I put in around 34 out of 40psi at max weight. Again, I may be remembering incorrectly

 

[thejohnnyutah]

How much you have to spend
I have a 2011 KLR did the COBDR in 18 with my big butt at 245 lbs in street clothes and 90 lb of luggage (40 lbs to much junk) bike at 452 with all the iron on it all I did was up grade the spring to fit my weight and it did great
My self there's no need to throwing a lot of money at a KLR would not take long to have bikes total value in extras less your going to keeping it for ever.
Not a big fan of full blown race suspension on a bike I am not racing been there done that ,spend that money on a trip some where nice are stay long on the one your on
as for tire wear I have the same problem on the KLR and my Vstrom may be to much weight are air pressure are just the way the tire wears my advise is change it and move on you may never figure out why it does what it does and look at the sleep you losing
Aaron

Thanks Aaron. I'm definitely not going to dump money on it. It hasn't run in 6 years anyway and had been sitting outside, next to the ocean marina the entire time. I got her running, re-jetted, painted with spray hi-temp grill paint, invested in good luggage and hit the road. I'll run her into the ground (or not) on this adventure and then I'll be done with her!

 

[Retiredtosoon]

Thanks Aaron. I'm definitely not going to dump money on it. It hasn't run in 6 years anyway and had been sitting outside, next to the ocean marina the entire time. I got her running, re-jetted, painted with spray hi-temp grill paint, invested in good luggage and hit the road. I'll run her into the ground (or not) on this adventure and then I'll be done with her!

Good luck wearing it out i have been trying to wear mine out for a couply years now with no luck

 

[thejohnnyutah]

Good luck wearing it out i have been trying to wear mine out for a couply years now with no luck

Lol!

 

[_RG_]

You are seriously loaded. The things are pack mules but dude... Drop some baggage.

 

[Windmill]

I think the rear rack is rated for less than 20# ( I think it may be even less) To me I don't like alot of weight behind the rear axle. I have packed like you are doing, but it messed with handling on every bike including a 2011 KLR. I run Shinko 705's and sacrifice some dirt, but they wear better for me on my bikes. Usually run 35-40#'s on rear. We do what we gotta do. I used Happy Days panniers to at least keep weight lower.
Nice looking rig, have fun.

 

[Textanker]

I had a 2012 that I did the New Mexico BDR. I'm 240. I outgrew the stock suspension after that ride and upgraded the front springs to Racetechs, and the rear to a Progressive Suspension 465-1001 rear shock. It was the best upgrade I ever did to that thing.

But, in your case, just shed the weight and bring it in and down.

Love the tank molle.

 

[thejohnnyutah]

Just following up with y'all. Completed the TAT about 3 weeks ago with over 9k miles and am now riding with no clear destination! Lol!
I ran D606s most of the way. Loved them! Bike has been a trooper but my riding ability and taste has moved past her limits I believe. Waiting on aT7.
The trip was/is amazing! Take a look at my Facebook of you want to see some of it.(My profile is public. I'm not trolling for followers. John Utah Mitchell)
13k feet + with snow and sleet, ungodly mud, scorching deserts, ocean salt and amazing people all the way through!

 

[jkelley82]

i dont have FB but would love to read more about your adventures. Looks like you had a great time... 3 helmets and one stolen tank of gas in 80 days sounds like an amazing adventure.