KLE500SE

[A_morti]

This one goes back to the footpeg thing in a bit more detail.

[A_morti]

I seem to have all the luck. Is it me?

A few owners on the FB group mentioned about the handlebars being squiffy. It reminded me that I'd thought the same but assumed the KLE was straight and the CBR must've been bent.

Nope - my KLE is definitely right hand in, same as the other owners'. My guess is the assembly procedure has the top nut torqued down without the wheel fitted (the bike is delivered with the wheel separate in the crate) and it's causing the assembly to twist.

So, step one, find your 14mm Allen key.
What, can't find it? Make one.

Use it and a bunch of other hand tools to slacken every bolt on the front end (except the top yoke or you'll have a bad day).

Step two: jack up your motorcycle.


Step three: YouTube says sit on the bike and bounce it, but that seems sketchy AF on AliExpress paddock bobbins. So instead, use your eyecrometer to align everything.


Step four: use your recently - calibrated torque wrench to tighten everything back to factory specs (obviously I did this step off-camera).

Test ride tomorrow but it already looks better.

[KungFooBob]

Save that 14mm allen key, I made one just the same recently for fitting a valve tail into a radiator for my bathroom.

[A_morti]

Little job today, but being it's a new model and the YouTubes doesn't have a how-to video yet, I thought I'd make one.

[A_morti]

Save that 14mm allen key, I made one just the same recently for fitting a valve tail into a radiator for my bathroom.

I was looking for it today, I've lost it already

[A_morti]

Turns out the KLE comes with taper bearings in the neck from factory, which is nice. But they're just preloaded by a c-spanner nut then it's the top nut which locks it all with the top yoke as a washer; there's no locking nut above the bearing preload ring like in the olden days. When messing about straightening up the bars, I apparently accidentally added tightness to the steering bearings. Oopsie, but only a 5 minutes job to slacken back off.

Also, the intake snorkels fell out last night. Kind of an involved process but it's only nuts, bolts, and plastic clips. It sounds way funnerer now

[A_morti]

I've just hit 500km, which is where the dealer wanted to do a first-oil-change-before-the-first-service service.

I think they're a bit excessive and trying to stay afloat on servicing rather than sales, but it can't hurt to change the oil too often.

Turns out they're also the local agent for SW Motech and have crash bars in stock for €250.
https://sw-motech.com/en/bike/KAWASAKI/ ... 312551.htm


Seems like the right look for an ADV bike. Plus might save me one day whenever the seat height catches me out.

According to the Facebook group, original rear tyres don't last much over 2500km, which is pretty shit really. So I'll be looking for new tyres soon enough. There's really no other option for an ADV tyre in the stock size 140/70-17, but in Malta the tyre size isn't on the logbook like e.g. Germany and Spain, so I'll either get e.g. Michelin Anakee with a 150/70-17 rear (perfectly normal for a 4" rim) or some street tyres e.g. Bridgestone BT46 which are offered in stock size or 150/70-17 rear. Not the right look but honestly, I'm not going off road...

Nothing like this lad, who's hopefully now shut up the whole internet which says the bike can't do it.

[Supermofo]

Nothing like this lad, who's hopefully now shut up the whole internet which says the bike can't do it.

Chris has done an off road vid on one of these before and I'm sure he said he'd been involved in some of the testing for Kawasaki at the dev stage. Although Chris has done off road challenges on a Gixxer thou before! He's a bit handy on a bike.

[A_morti]

Chris has done an off road vid on one of these before and I'm sure he said he'd been involved in some of the testing for Kawasaki at the dev stage. Although Chris has done off road challenges on a Gixxer thou before! He's a bit handy on a bike.

He did the sizzle reel in which he somewhat infamously bottomed it out over a very small jump.

I reckon they probably developed it with a 140/80-17 then realised the seat was too high and fitted a shorter 140/70 that lets the bike bottom out too easy.

But either way, young Chris certainly proves that it's not the arrow but the archer.

[A_morti]

The pre-first-service was yesterday, no hassle.
They only charged €30 for the oil, no labour charge.
Which is less than I spent on taxis getting between the dealership and the office. Ah well.

I realised that if you fit the silencer to the bike before tightening the link pipe, it allows the graphite gasket to take up some misalignment. Still not perfect, but it's close enough for government work.



We had this already, but the world needs videos these days.