Miscellaneous KLR Additions and Modifications

SW Motech Center Stand This center stand looks stock and mounts very easily. It is one of the lowest stands on the market. That makes it a little easier to lift the bike onto than some others. Unfortunately many aftermarket center stands do not have a long tang to stand on to help lift the bike. This one has a small trinangle, not much help. Lifting the bike onto the stand takes a grunt. I could spin the rear wheel freely on the stand until I got my Duro Median tires, they are noticably taller than the stock tires (or the Dunlop D604). The company I bought it from now sells a different brand, I think it is taller. I have Dunlops back on the bike so the stand works as intended. It allows for easy chain maintenance at home or on the road and easy wheel swaps after getting new tires put on my spare wheels.
Happy Trails PD Nerf Bars These guard bars protect the radiator, shroulds and gas tank. I have dropped the bike twice off road since putting them on, not a scratch. I bought them in response to my first offroad drop that bent the radiator screen, but not the radiator. Close call. The right fork tube will touch the right guard before full lock. Not a problem so far. There is an engine guard incorporated into the bottom of the Nerf and great hiway pegs. The hiway pegs add hiway comfort by giving you another place to put your feet, and stretch your legs. Also putting your feet on the forward pegs helps to calm the front end wobble you can get in crosswinds on the hiway of when the read of the bike is loaded to heavily. They were $280 shipped, cheaper than a radiator or a tank. Don't leave home without them.

Update 7/2003:One of the tubing intersection welds cracked (presumably from vibration) while I was on my Co 2003 trip. The guard continued to protect the bike when dropped and the hiway peg was still usable. When I got home I emailed Tim at Happy Trails asking for advice on getting it repaired. Even though it was way out of warrantee he recommended I send it back to Happy Trails and they repaired it at no charge.

Happy Trails NW Side Racks These racks are sold to carry either soft luggage, or with optional mounting tabs, Givi hard luggage. I could not find the mounting tabs on the web site (which easier to navigate now!), so I bought the tabs from TwistedThrottle.com (and got excellent service and a phone call there). The holes in the NW Side Racks did not seem perfectly located for the Givi luggage but after fiddling with the tabs to get them tightened down in the right place the luggage fit. Once setup the racks work great. I like these racks because of the one piece design. The whole unit bolts on at once. Very strong. I thought this would protect the flanks in a tip over on or offroad, and the CO 2003 trip proved this to be correct. Despite the fiddling with the Givi mounting tabs I recommend them.
Aquatech plastic watch from Wal-Mart You can spend a lot of money on a clock for your bike that may or may not be water and vibration proof enough for the KLR. On a friend's recommendation (thanks Russell) I bought the $5 plastic watch and Dremeled off the lugs that hold the wrist strap pins. Easy to do since it's plastic. You can hardly see where they were. A little adhesive-backed velcro sticks it to the KLR dash area. Be sure to clean the plastic or the watch will fall off. Mine disappeared for a while and I found it wedge in a recess on top of the front fender by the fork. It sat outside (cover on the bike when not riding) almost a year before being garaged and suffered no ill effects.

Update 6/2004:Two years so far, watch is still ticking on the original battery.

Maier 2QT Super Jug I bought this for a long trip out west. Not only can you carry a half gallon of either potable water or extra gas, it can help keep the front end planted on the hiway (to help control front end wobble) when the rear bags are loaded heavily. You will need to tilt the mounting bracket on the crossbar back a little to be able to see the warning lights on the instrument cluster. I have yet to ride with liquid in the bottle. I will post impressions after doing so.

Update 7/2003: The jug was great to have on the CO 2003 trip. It does indeed settle the front end down at speed. And the extra two litres of water was a godsend while riding the White Rim Road. Only niggle is that the Jug mount that bolts to the crossbar scrathces the paint off the crossbar and is weak and eventually tore, although it still holds the jug securely. I plan to cover the now rusting crossbar with a pad when the jug is not mounted. I recommend the jug.