KLR650 Oil Consumption Issue Revealed (& thermo-bob explanation)

Does your KLR650 use oil on the highway? Many riders have destroyed their engines after only a few hundred miles on the highway at sustained high RPM's due to the engine running low on oil. Eagle Mike explains why, even for the new 2022 model, the KLR650 suffers from this issue. We also take a look at the thermo-bob device used to better regulate engine temps.
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[@douglasquaid2548]

I have 4700+ miles so far on my 2022 KLR and it has not burned any oil at all. I ride it very hard and average 85mph on the freeway. I weigh 255 pounds and I also ride with a passenger with no issues.

[@billwiley7216]

Having owned multiple big bore Thumpers across different bike brands over the last 40 years I think one of the biggest issues is owners are asking of the engine to run for extended periods at higher RPM ranges on the interstate highways which is not the engines design strength or really its intended purpose. These engines are designed and perform best at lower RPM's and allow the torque of the design to do the work. One of the reasons I have always loved big thumpers is they are tractor like in their bottom end power output and do not require constant shifter work to keep the engine in its peak power range. Having owned a couple of KLR's over the years, a first gen and a second gen with 99% of the road miles being on back, mountain or secondary roads with a 55mph speed limit I have never once had oil consumption issues out of any KLR I owned. Perhaps my use of the bikes is not what most do but as I rarely exceeded 55mph and most roads I road on were either 45 to 55mph speed limits or less and I rode that type of bike the majority of the time on tighter mountain roads with a lot of steep inclines I would usually gear the bike up a couple teeth on the rear sprocket to actually be lower than the factory stock ratios. As a bike to be used like I used it the KLR650 is one of the best bikes ever made and for more logging road/ trail use I would say my favorite was the Honda xr650L as it was a bit more suited to heavier trail usage than the big Kawasaki. Age and health has stopped my riding but I will always love the big Thumpers!

[@BigRockMoto]

thanks for sharing, many ride these at high speeds for extended periods

[@laingdonschmitt2237]

More than a few of us need to ride those highway miles to get to the dirt/back/fire roads.

[@martinarthur8928]

I admire you....ibe done over 80k of kms on 125cc's...... I'd doze off at such slow speeds....but yes i get the point

[@poweredbyrice5708]

The same man that sells this crap is the same one making up the rumors you need it lol

[@knifecharlatan8912]

Old timers like this gentleman are a dying breed. Very veeerry good video, I love this content.

[@rupertfb]

Thanks to Big Rock/Eagle Mike for creating a very relevant technical video on subjects that any KLR owner is very familiar with.

[@BigRockMoto]

Our pleasure

[@brantmcfarland517]

I’m an old bike tech and your old bike tech is one smart guru. I have seen him before on hear and I thought then he had it going on. There’s not many of us around who can do that. Have had 2 of the G1’s and 1 of the G2’s. I’ve never had a oil consumption problem with any of them but all of mine had low mileage when I got rid of them. Thanks for sharing your videos with us.

[@theantheron85]

I rode a 2010 KLR for 85 000 km's with just a doohickey change. All sorts of terrain and elements. She used a bit if I rev'ed her hard, but she never broke down. Frequent oil changes is all I really did differently. Although if I had one again I would maybe do the Thermobob upgrade for piece of mind.

[@ExpeditionaryRanger]

You gentlemen have done prospective buyers a great service! Thank you.

[@shaymtbrider7244]

I ront know what he is talking about 2008 had oil consumption issue . Mine 2018 12000 miles zero oil issue . Even i was doing 90 95 on highway

[@texashillcountryadv9197]

As a buyer I say this was misleading as eagle mike who relies on you buying his parts to feed himself is always going to blow the Klr issues out of proportion because that’s his whole business and this can lead a prospective buyer to have unnecessary concerns about a bike that is well known and still made because it’s the most rugged longest lasting motorcycles to ever hit the market. Not to take away from Mike he’s clearly very knowledgeable and dose have some validity to his claims and again I’m not at all saying that he’s lying to people he just makes it seem like ever bike will suffer from these issues 95% and the only way to fix it seems to be to install all his parts before 10,000 miles. He dose have good products though I myself have picked up a few of his parts and there of the absolute top quality and machining like you would expect. With 11,000+ miles on my gen 3 I’m burning absolutely no oil and doohickey seems to still be doing it’s thang had the stator cover off at 9,800 miles and it looked just fine, eventually I’ll install the torsion spring but that is all I also did the thermo bob before ever riding the bike in temperatures below 55 degrees F but I mainly did that to improve throttle response and because it barely got warm by the time i got all the way to work.

[@peacebewithdayo9266]

Don't believe these dudes

[@tieoneon1614]

The people who worry and change this stuff on a KLR also buy Earthquake Insurance for their house in the Midwest. 62,000 miles between a Gen1 and Gen2 KLR. Bought both low miles used, unsure of break in. Never changed a doohicky, never burned oil lower than spec on the sight glass. One got hot twice doing single track during summer in AZ. Never ever heard of anyone blowing an engine or having a doohicky fail....from someone who owned a KLR that is. I will be buying a '22 again next year, and wont be changing anything on that one either. Just gonna ride it and enjoy it

[@Speedytrip]

You can base your decision on your 2 bikes or consider the information from a guy who worked on hundreds if not thousands of KLRs over the years :)

[@tieoneon1614]

@@Speedytrip Obviously that fella is an ace mechanic. But he is selling his product, too. He is also honest and says "if" and "may" given scenarios on the bikes. If u want to change certain parts, great. But the bikes track record speaks for itself. There seems to be a lot of T7 guys on this thread threatened by EFI on the old tank KLR, LOL. That speaks for itself also. This video is misleading, aimed at the gullable w/ links to buy merch

[@MCraven10]

Agree with you 100%! I find that the doohickey/thermobob folks are a bit cult-like and tend to jump on anyone who speaks ill of those components. It has almost become like politics. When doohickey and thermobob discussions pop up, it seems we quit becoming a motorcyclist family and devolve into tribes. Just my $0.02.

[@tieoneon1614]

@@MCraven10 Its bad. I came across this when it first posted, and all the comments were absolute haters or T7 guys LOL. Its ridiculous how threatened they are. Honestly Kawasaki has been killing it lately, releasing new stuff and models. Yamaha took awhile for the T7 and nailed that too. Assuming they will do the same with the wr250r replacement. They are tied as my favorite bike brands, both the same reliability but Yamaha edges them out a bit with performance but for more $ too. We all benefit from it.

[@tieoneon1614]

I know I will get some arguments, but wanted to voice some reason here in case a would be buyer would just read all the negative whining from people who never owned one, and get turned away. Or think the bike needs to be fixed upon purchase.

[@dwlawson78]

Mike used the term 'proper break-in' but didn't elaborate on what that was. Your viewers may be interested in a segment that talks about the process and recommendations beyond those of Kawasaki. Thanks.

[@freebehindbars8654]

Breaking in today’s bikes means riding them.

[@SmokingHotConfessions]

@Dual ADV How do you like the 685 kit? Any long term negative effects on the engine?

[@williamrae9954]

That gentleman is worth his weigh in gold,when i comes to knowledge of these machines

[@dahveed284]

I had a 2008 KLR and the Thermobob is a great mod. I had an early one and it allowed you to use a normal automotive thermostat instead of the small one that would only fit in the stock location. With a bypass, you keep the cylinder temperature more consistent on all sides. My bike burned some oil, but the Thermobob helped reduce the amount being burned greatly. Between Eagle Mike, Wattman, and Wyman, they spent 100 times the time engineering fixes to Kawa's problems than Kawa spent designing the bike in the first place.

[@searchingfor6thgear44]

Thanks for including the expert of experts on this. EM for the win!

[@jayknight850]

I have about 22,000 miles on my Eagle Mike 09 KLR 685. Eagle Mike did the cylinder and a valve job, absolutely great! No problems and it hasn’t used a tablespoon of oil since the conversion. Also installed the Thermo Bob when I installed the EM685 kit

[@KLRmurdercycle]

I have a klr that needs a cylinder job. The other klr needs a valve check, so I might do both. Didn't know about the different holes between years. A ThermBob is a great product, especially for us that ride north of the great lakes.

[@Zoofactory]

My KLR had this installed by the previous owner. Appreciate the explanation w/ Eagle Mike.

[@Cw0346]

Check the oil every time you ride. You're absolutely right, it isn't a car and it needs more attention.

[@southerndualsport3827]

Not to argue with a knowledgeable old tech, but typically a thinner ring pack is more stable and controls oil better at high RPM due to less ring flutter. It also could be that the oil ring simply has too low of pressure against the cylinder wall. Although he is looking in the right places, personally, I doubt it's the ring pack and is probably the oiling system for the wrist pin of the piston. Now I don't claim to know that engine at all, but they all work the same, and my experience with oil consumption on an otherwise properly set up engine comes down to 2 things, either the bore of the cylinder is out of round or a poor finish which I doubt is the issue, or more likely it's the crankcase is splashing too much oil into the cylinder. Some high RPM engines even use a squirter that shoots a jet of oil at the wrist pin, and if it uses that, its quite easy to dial back the orifice of the nozzle. If it is splash oiled, then as long as its a full floating piston pin, you could experiment with an oil deflector in the case or something, but remember you can't block it ALL or you will seize the wrist pin. Basically the oil ring can only handle so much oil no matter what it's size, now he did say they reduced the number of drain back holes and drilling a few more certainly could help as well, and might be a place to start IF it doesn't use a squirter, because if it is a squirter style oiling, then you could actually allow more oil through the ring! Hope this got someone thinking. If I owned one of these I would want to know why its happening and fix it, but that's just me. I have LOTS of experience in 4 cycle engine design and racing. Everything from Indy car engines down to local NASCAR stuff, so I promise you my ideas are valid possibilities. 😁👍🏻🍻 P.S. If they offer overbore sized rings, if you can find a ring pack for a very slight over bore, you COULD try the oil ring or even just the oil ring expander from that larger bore diameter on your standard bore engine, as long as it will still fit the bore size without butting the ends of the rings, you might find the solution! But be careful R&D sometimes doesn't do what you expect! You've been warned haha! Great video, I would love to hear if anyone has tried any of my ideas!

[@markcollins5026]

Man, no problem with my new KLR, I do frequent oil and filter changes on all my bike's and ATV's, Rocky Mtn. has oil change kit for 30 buck's !

[@colinmize9434]

I have a 2016 KLR with ~17,000 trouble free miles. I’ve made no changes to the engine and I have never noticed any oil consumption.

[@BigRockMoto]

Awesome

[@MCraven10]

Informative video indeed. My only gripe is the use of the verbiage, "you're gonna need" when speaking about a thermobob. The thermobob and everything else EM sells is a modification, not a "need". There are plenty of folks with bone stock KLRs with tens of thousands of trouble-free miles. Maybe my KLR is a unicorn....I have zero issues with oil consumption. My last trip was a 6 hour (one way) ride to Destin, FL and back, and although there was plenty of alcohol consumption on my part, there was no oil consumption on my KLR. I don't dispute what EM says, and I think his modifications are certainly helpful, but saying that they're "needed" is a bit of a stretch and misleading to potential KLR owners.

[@gregoryemmanuel9168]

That “you’re gonna need” was very clearly explained during the video and especially towards the end when he was summarizing his narrative.

[@colinmize9434]

My KLR is stock with ~17,000 miles. I’ve had zero issues. I’ve taken it to Death Valley, White Mountain, Sequoia, Bodie Hills and Zion. Lots of highway miles. Lots of dirt/logging roads. No oil consumption or engine problems. It’s a great bike.

[@poweredbyrice5708]

The same man selling these trinkets is the same man saying you need it lol

[@Cobra427Veight]

Back in the 80s and 90s as a engine reconditioner, all the ring jobs we did we machined that relief and we had a jig to drill extra oil drains at 45 degrees or so on that relief .

[@aleski4090]

I have a 1999 KLR, at around 60,000mi the original piston failed. Installed the EM 685 Kit and have loved it ever since. Oil Consumption has been pretty much eliminated. Also, after some carb jet work, gobs and gobs of extra usable power. Highly recommended!

[@aleski4090]

@@jez7433 did the job myself. Altogether cost under $1000. Biggest expenses were the EM 685 Kit and paying a shop to Bore and Hone the Cylinder. I have so many farkles on my bike, and yes, I am in love with my KLaRissa. Just recently rebuilt the bottom end too. That was actually cheaper than the 685 Kit. In my case, because I did the work myself, it was less $$ to repair than replace

[@brendanwhite2415]

Hey Eagle Mike. The 3rd gen KLR has a coated cylinder, not a steel sleeve. It doesn't burn oil at all.

[@brendanwhite2415]

@@KLRJUNE Well I've owned and serviced a lot of of KLR's and never had a balancer chain fail without the doohicky mod. I think the only failures are people who get paranoid and start messing around with it too much. They then over tighten the adjuster cos they're paranoid

[@chriszettel5001]

I have owned a 2008 and now a 2018 and I have installed the torsion spring leaver up grade and a thermo-bob on the 2018 what huge difference it made. the 2008 had the spring up grade. In my opinion the thermo-bob is a must.My 2018 I think work's much better with the even coolant flow.And also the 16 tooth drive gear gives it the overdrive it never had.

[@ADVF800GS]

I have a 09 KLR, I have done a ton of upgrades to it and the one thing I’ve done to it that helped a TON is change the rear sprocket to a 38 tooth from a 43 tooth and I can do the BDR and all my trail runs and also 70 at 4300 and 75 at 4800 no problem. I LOVE MY KLR!!!

[@martinarthur8928]

Explain....how does this work

[@timlubbers2884]

@@martinarthur8928think of a bicycle. If you shift the front gear, it is dramatic (up or down) and instantly you can loose all of your slow speed power or high speed power . But by changing the rear gears, you maintain more of your original torque but add or subtract speed . A lot of people change their front sprocket because it’s easier “on the fly”, but if you can dial in your preferred gear ratio, it’s better to work the rear gears and leave the front alone! The new FI klr have their speed pickup over the front gear (instead of on the front wheel) which may make front gear changes a thing of the past anyway …

[@kimlivingston9458]

When I was a KLR noob I rode 350 miles in one day on an 08, all highway speeds over 75 mph. The next morning I had to put in 1.75 quarts of rotella. The bike ran great for years afterwards but the heads were damaged.

[@barryweaver8833]

Thanks for covering the issues! Kawi engineers don't seem to care much about refinement.

[@geekvinos]

Just bought a 2023 KLR 650 Adventure that's already showing minor oil leakage. Not even 100 miles - and I've been staying within break-in parameters. *Purposefully moving in a vague direction at the moment.

[@JeffManseau]

I bought one of those 8oz condiment squeeze bottles that you see in diners with the spout on top and I keep some engine oil in there in my rear box along with my toolkit it's super easy to top off my oil on the go when needed.

[@pjm204]

I appreciate that Mike says RPM (Revolutions Per Minute, already plural) and not RPM's. A pet peeve of mine.

[@jamesdumas6602]

On my 2008 that I bought brand new in Oct. 2007. I've been running a 16 tooth engine sprocket that lowers the engine RPM's by about 500 RPM's in 5th gear at highway speeds since 2008. I changed the initial engine oil at 500 miles, then at 2000 miles, then every 2000 miles since. And guess what my KLR goes 2000 miles without having to add oil.

[@mattkeating7446]

Every KLR guy ever: kLr iS iNDeStRuCtABlE!!! *after you update the piston, balancer, cooling system, air intake, wheel bearings, suspension, brakes, subframe..

[@peterbeard5362]

That’s half the fun Matt, while your updating your brand new ride in the workshop with a nice cold beer, you’re not arguing with her indoors. That’s why Kawasaki is the patron saint of men’s health.😎

[@mattkeating7446]

@@peterbeard5362 in the shop on free time it's fun. On the side of the highway at 3am is less so

[@peterbeard5362]

@@mattkeating7446 yeah been there,& it’s always 🌧

[@sweetcostarica]

I'm getting a Honda after hearing of the issues with the 2022 KLR 650.

[@RaptorPackAdventures]

Another very informative video. I just bought a 2015 KLR and these videos are very helpful. Good job

[@BigRockMoto]

Thanks

[@chrismorgan7678]

thanks mate, keep up the great work.

[@Speedytrip]

Wow, what a missed opportunity by Kawasaki to finally make a flawless KLR650. I don't get the point of a redesign if you don't even fix the most documented issues from the previous generations. So the bike is just as boring as it was and you still need to fix things if you want it to last. On a side note my brand new 2018 R9T UGS used 1L of oil per 10000km. At the dealer they told me that was great, that under 4L per 10000km is within BMW specs...

[@farmoboy83]

Lolol, so 12000km service intervals are a joke since by than you had to add 5l of engine oil or seize the engine. That is almost twice engine oil capacity

[@jothain]

It's not actually that uncommon. My father bought new car years ago and it burned oil for about 5 liters in it's service interval, which iirc was 15000km's. Anyway obviously he contacted dealer about this fault and they took inspected the engine and said that it has been manufactured with slightly bit too tight tolerances. They made deal that if it continues to burn oil, they'll do complete engine swap. And it indeed stopped using it I think it was around 40000km's. I bought the car to myself and drove it to somewhere around 300000km's without any oil issues. So new engine burning oil isn't that uncommon. Surely it should settle, but as said, not that uncommon when new.

[@Speedytrip]

@@farmoboy83 sorry I misstyped, it burned 1L of oil per 10000km. But 4L/10000km would still be considered “normal”. Anything above that they take the engine apart.

[@Speedytrip]

@@jothain I never had to add oil to any of my new bikes between oil changes. Was the car an Audi?

[@farmoboy83]

@@Speedytrip 1l per 10000km é 100ml per 1000km. Yes, that's OK for some engines or even low oil consumption engines if used on higher revs.

[@jaisabai4155]

I feel confident Kawasaki will claim "we don't have a problem", just as with their persisting doohickey problem 🙄

[@timopartanen7262]

Kawasaki would be my choice otherwise, but manufacturer who takes no action in two decades to address issues brought to them by their clients, doesn't deserve your business.

[@jaisabai4155]

@@timopartanen7262 I fully agree with you Timo. It's a form of arrogance really.

[@tieoneon1614]

Disagree 100%. If Kawi knows about it, and didnt address it that tells u how little of an issue it is. They addressed the want of EFI, vibration damping, and stiffer suspension. Kept it the same price while eating the cost of the EPA reg's by updating the emissions instead of tacking on $1-2k. And offered different models kitted out, ready to travel. The amount of peoples KLRs that didnt burn oil or have doohicky problems and didnt change anything is the same amount as those who changed parts out, who didnt have a problem in the first place.

[@leekazan556]

@ J Martin Dude, I’m an aircraft mechanic and have been fixing stuff all my life and you nailed it!

[@bennyblanko3]

It's funny, the longer I own my 1st gen klr the more I like it. I got it used about 15 years ago, and it already had most of the normal upgrades - my favorite being the bigger front brake rotor and ss lines. It is geared up, so cruising highway at 65 to 70 mph is decently mellow on the motor. I got a new seat concepts seat and parabellum screen this year. Not necessary, but nice. Always a good reminder to check oil. Mine doesn't burn oil, unless running 75 mph+, and I seem to like going a little slower anyway (and usually in the dirt). But, always a good reminder to check the oil after every tank. I'm always surprised on a long highway trip, pushing a little, and I check the oil, and need a 1/2 quart, as it usually doesn't burn oil.

[@donkeydong12]

I just picked up a 2022 Adventure model and they were running a promotion for a free extended 4 years on the warranty so 5 years total. It’s nice to know if it does blow or have problems within that time it won’t be at my expense but I really don’t want to sit on the side of the road/trail haha

[@johnnyrebel1617]

I have bought a KLR 659 gen 2 and after i changed the oil, it only had 550 mils of oil. That`s a good reliable engine.

[@zukins5003]

I ride a Suzuki cruiser and it seems to use a lot of oil when cruising above 5k rpm. Showing how this Kawasaki's piston design comparison makes a lot of sense. Will you be making a video on how to fix the issue on the Kawa?

[@311badfish]

Love my 18 thanks for the update

[@raythedestroyah]

My 08 burns a quart of oil on a 2 hour highway trip consistently. 5500 rpm, 75-80 mph. It smells like burnt oil at the end of said trip. Doesn't leak a drop.

[@ianferrier235]

Very cool discussion ian thanks 👍🏻👍🏻

[@BigRockMoto]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@rugby3874]

I think that eagle mike has pulled the wool over a lot of people eyes. Especially with doohickey. Its not the doohickey that's wore out. Its the chain guide that wears out.

[@johngoodwin6694]

2mm oil control rings are more than adequate as are the number of drain backs within that groove for that engine’s needs. The real issue with low load, mid to high rpm oil consumption is almost always top ring flutter. A wider second ring gap gap along with about two more lbs of tension and these issues would go away. Surely someone has figured that out for the bikes. GM LS, various BMW cars have similar issues. Modern engineering, basic stuff.

[@alexquevedo831]

What a great informative video Mike rocks

[@AT2021Rocker]

My 2013 used oil at higher rpms and yes checking oil every fill up was key, but really modern bike shouldn’t!

[@SamiNami]

Damn after all the changes you have to do to the KLR, you could have bought a T7... A real turd of a bike...

[@PaydayGabeBCNV]

Exactly Sami 💯! Either way you gotta spend. For Accessories,, sure🤩. For Reliably,, thats the manufacturers job..🤬

[@jothain]

I consider myself to be bit of an Kawasaki fanboy. But I'd never get KLR, it's not sold here in EU, but even if it would be. I'm actually looking into T7 or maybe even KTM (not likely, cause of their poor reliability)

[@dw5523]

KLR $6700 + $130~ Thermobob + $140~ Doohickey = $7000~ Tenere 700 $10,000 Even with a fully upgraded suspension, bark busters, new foot pegs, and a slip on exhaust the KLR is money saved over the T7 AND you know how to work on your bike - which is also a simpler, lower stressed machine with a proven track record. How many people leave their T7 stock? Not saying one is better than the other, just that different people with different perspectives come to different conclusions.

[@jothain]

@@dw5523 Hey, keep in mind that T7 is much more costly in US than in many other continents. Not to mention that KLR can't be even sold in EU anymore. Also T7 doesn't have anything that special tech wise.

[@SamiNami]

@@dw5523 Do you work for free?

[@Turco949]

I still don't understand why this bike burns oil at higher RPMs when virtually no other Japanese bike does? If it was indeed due to some piston or xyz part, why wouldn't Kawasaki solve this in all those years?

[@GrtSatan]

I recently took my 2011 KLR on a tour entailing sustained high engine speed for several hours. It drank about a half litre of 10-40 synthetic, which IMHO is not excessive and the bike does not consume oil at all during normal riding.It has 27 K and I change the oil and filter every 1 or 2 K.

[@andrewbozhozr]

Change oil every 1000 miles??

[@GrtSatan]

@@andrewbozhozr On a big single? You bet.

[@andrewbozhozr]

@@GrtSatan ok, but why? What oil brand do You use? Honda says 12.000km oil change interval on my CRF, i do it every 3000km...

[@seatime674]

Always use 20w50 synthetic,, single-piston revs a lot higher and thins that oil out real quick and you'll burn a little less oil

[@ralphwatten2426]

Eagle Mike if you're there, I've had trouble with my Thermo Bob thermostats sticking open. It's happened to me twice and I think it's happening to me again. Once in Kalispel heading east it was 43 degrees and pouring rain and the temp never got above the cold mark. Changed the thermostat and fixed. Any ideas?

[@1sinister80]

A lot of modern cars use a lot of oil. The 0w full synthetic that goes in the smaller 3 and 4 bangers burns like crazy. I had a 2018 Jeep with the Fiat world engine and it burned a quart every 800 miles brand new from the factory. My mom has a 2017 Chevy 4 banger SUV that also burns about a quart every 1500 miles or so that happened after 15k miles or so and now it just runs like garbage now at 45k. It will be dead soon. The new engines use very light thin piston rings so that they have less drag in the cylinder add that to the 0w oil and you have a recipe for consumption. But you get that extra 2 or 3 mpg at the cost of an engine lol.

[@PaydayGabeBCNV]

I traded my 08 po💩 for a Vstrom 😍. Great decision. Its absolutely pathetic that Kawi refuses to make these relatively simple upgrades for God sake! I don't care how much money they(Kawi) save by not doing NOTHING! The F I is nice, but its just a pacifier. GTFOuta here😡! 😫

[@karlrupert1800]

I agree with u cause a better piston and cylinder and a jet oil colling would help alot to stop such problems in this babys.

[@212driller]

I'll stick with my dr650 that burns no oil at all.

[@xnihilo1044]

Yep. My '08 KLR was a constant paranoia ride from new. My '17 DR650 went between changes trouble free.

[@tomvana4270]

Oh good for you. Suzuki riders are gay.

[@dualsportoutdoors]

I hear the DR is the Chuck Norris of motorcycles

[@dcxplant]

Break in: Ride it like you stole it. Get the manifold pressure up, roll on full throttle, then off throttle back down. Manifold pressure is everything breaking in an engine.

[@0HARE]

This is super interesting. I still have lots of questions, though. I have a 2006 (1st generation) KLR. It has 70,000+ miles on it, and I’ve never done anything to it except regular maintenance at my local Kawasaki dealership. The bike is still rock solid. It runs and handles as good as new. Do I need the thermo-bob? Thanks for the episode, and Happy Trails

[@raizt1596]

Honestly, before a thermobob you should do the doohickey. I bet your spring tension is already gone if you've got a 2006.

[@0HARE]

@@raizt1596 The doohickey has been done, years ago.

[@raizt1596]

@@0HARE ok, you said you've never done anything except regular maintenance, so I assumed it hadn't been done. The thermobob would be a good next upgrade.

[@PP-wz7mp]

@@raizt1596 uter bullshit

[@poweredbyrice5708]

NO! Don't fall for the cult....this old man has been peddling his trinkets making everyone freak out about nothing then people go mess their bikes up based on the word of a man that tell you a problem you don't know you have then offers a solution....pretty sure Kawasaki techs know more than an old man in a shed

[@joeblow5037]

2018 Gen 2, 8000 miles, full Castrol Synthetic (after a couple quick oil changes of conventional) spend a lot of time doing 75-80. The motor is screaming...but STILL nary a bit of vibration ( unlike my 2000 Concours had) Not a bit of oil used. I did take it easy for the first 500.

[@joeblow5037]

oh.....every oil change I do the doohicky adjustment with a few whacks of a rubber mallet (after loosening the 8mm bolt...of course)

[@peterjones7935]

To those who say "why doesn't Kawasaki ..." the answer is "they don't need to". As long as the engine lasts two years and gets through warranty, they will keep right on making the same bike. Its a good earner for them, the tooling was paid off 20 years ago. A few incremental changes that they can find out of the parts bin, e.g. gen II headlight was off a Ninja, Bold New Graphics and they have another winner. The four most important things I have done to my 08 - 685 piston - better balance because the piston weight is lighter, recall the balance system was designed for the 600 and not altered for the 650, the t'bob because I know that closer temperature control will help an engine last longer (a bypass system just like nearly every other liquid cooled engine made in the past 50 years, Paul Westmans modifications to the lubrication system that get most of the oil away from the crank and into the cams where its needed. The KLR crank is all rolling element bearings like any two stroke and exists fine on an oil mist, but most every dead KLR engine is melted exhaust cam bearings due to lack of oil. Finally the EM doo, mostly for the torsion spring, the original spring had no tension at about 10,000 km

[@shaymtbrider7244]

I had 2018 rode it for 12000 miles like stolen n always doing 85 90 on highway. I rejected fmf pipe n that thing had zero problem never had to put extra oil in after oil changes . Fan works good n bike always stay cool

[@mr.solitude3352]

You keep raising the bar re. providing your viewers with useful info, sir. This video is extremely informative. Thanks for creating/sharing it. A quick Q: within the second gen years, if there a particular year that is a good cut off year because of a certain improvement or two within the 2nd gen years?

[@BigRockMoto]

The only change was 2014.5 with better suspension and seat.

[@Rickman357]

Like Mike said " Check your Oil" my 09 KLR smokes sometimes when its cold or when i throttle up, 🫡💨 I just add oil every now and then. Oh well, at least the oil is somewhat fresh, kind of like an extended oil change😂

[@markcollins5026]

Man, isn't checking your oil, coolant, tire's etc, part of your pre-ride inspection, if you never check your oil it's you own fault !

[@dmitrio.193]

Mark you are sort of correct, but also not. You can check your coolant till you are blue in the face but with a flawed design, the engine just doesn’t stay at consistent optimal temp. And as far as the oil, you pretty much must check it 3x more often than most modern bikes of that size and carry more spare oil on a trip for top ups. Frankly, it’s your fault if you buy this model expecting modern quality. The rest is on Kawasaki for penny pinching and half assed QC. Gen 2 owner here.

[@markcollins5026]

@@dmitrio.193 man, you are correct, I got the new KLR and love it !

[@texashillcountryadv9197]

11,000+ miles on my gen 3 doesn’t burn a single drop of oil I did install a thremobob at 8,500 miles before riding in temps below 55F-60F degrees as recommended my eagle mike. I had purchased the bike used in 22 with 2,300 miles in early august I live in Texas so I waited until late November when are temps finally start falling to install it.

[@ecalzo]

Thank you Ian very informative.. i really love the new KLR but i cannot buy it in Italy.. Will looking forward for the New Honda Transalp .. maybe i will change my V-Strom 650Xt for it ..

[@jothain]

Can I ask why you don't like your 650 Strom XT? I was sometime ago very interested in getting one, but I've began to lean more to T7 (more off-road capable). Still Strom to me seems like descent all arounder

[@j.eicher9017]

You don't know what you have until you loose it.....

[@mt1885]

I bet the original piston was more expensive and they wanted to cut cost. I still like the old school Gen 1 KLR myself. Got a DR650, wish Suzuki would update it but doubt it. Wish Suzuki would bring back the DR350.

[@Surly1966]

It’s 5:30 I hear a ding- what now? Cool a new video from Ian. 8: minutes later- lights off need Thermo Bob- need Thermo Bob. Zzzz

[@HaRLeYDvDsN1215]

Love my Thermo Bob on my 2018.

[@bradboustead1682]

Good info. Clearly presented.👍

[@BigRockMoto]

Thanks

[@geoportchile2770]

Gracias por la enseñanza y saludos desde Chile

[@zyonsdream]

My gen one KLR drank more oil than gas but I routinely rang it’s neck on the highway. RotellaT kept it tolerable but man did it drink. I go 5k intervals on my ‘17 Africa Twin and I never have to add oil.

[@ryannafe9252]

Here’s my question: Why the hell would Kawasaki not simply make an engine that doesn’t need all this garbage to keep it from self-destructing? It’s not like they can’t make a functional engine, they’ve got dozens of them in their lineup. What the hell, Kawasaki?!

[@CrustyMac300]

Good to know. What does Mike know about the version 2021-2023 KLX300 engine?

[@AarPlays]

I'm surprised kawi hasn't fixed these issues yet. Is it a cost issue? Or laziness?

[@BigRockMoto]

cost

[@FirstLightAdv]

Kawasaki should give this man a medal

[@mojoriden]

I was the owner of a 2013 KLR and quickly became the owner of a 2013 KLR with a 685 kit because of it burning all the oil and burning out the head. That is when I bailed on the KLR and got an 1190. Didn't think I owed shit to a bike that burned all its oil doing highway speeds. Personally I think these bikes are overrated, underpowered, and capable of nothing more than putting around the back roads.

[@thuuryn6249]

Having to install a thermostat and worry about oil consumption on a brand new bike seems not fun. Consolations for that low price point, I guess.

[@robertwedden5761]

99544 miles my klr runs damn good

[@shanecollins863]

This guy is a true salesman

[@greengoat5654]

In short though, it's a necessary symptom, it's one of the reasons the engine is so reliable, at least the loose tolerances

[@greengoat5654]

Also, I will continue to say, first gen best gen, love my 07

[@bywayz]

BRM, thank you for this video. But it lacks comment/explanation from Kawasaki. Why did they make the decisions underlying and perpetuating these problems? Quality is a management decision, and I believe they need to explain theirs.

[@bluezhawg2104]

The claims made in this video are not backed up by hard data. These claims are purely opinion.

[@feron450]

Modern cars use oil like crazy thanks to the switch to zero weight oils. People don’t check their oil cause they are use to the early 90s to early 00’s cars that didn’t use oil

[@MindBodySoulOk]

Have 30k miles on my 2014 and my routine is 75mph for hours and no oil issues at all.

[@peterbeard5362]

Often wondered if the run in process affects oil consumption. Modern engines don’t need running in ! Have always run in new bikes with oil changes @ 500km/1000 then 2500 & 5000. Vary the rpm ,backing off sucks oil into the bore, & not going flat out till 5000km. Just my 2 cents as never had excess oil usage.

[@jothain]

Ryan F9 tested this. Ride it like it was stolen and other engine well run in. There wasn't any proven difference in engines when they were disassembled.

[@peterbeard5362]

@@jothain yeah Ryan is well respected. I’m just old school 😎. That’s how I was taught & it’s always worked for me. My TDM 900 didn’t feel like it was run in till 20000km. Didn’t need to work the box just rolled on in top gear.

[@jothain]

@@peterbeard5362 Don't get me wrong. I'd definitely do good run in myself too. There's nothing wrong about it. On the contrary, just so if there happens to be bit too tight tolerances in engine.

[@Tripplebeem]

I did have my mind made up on buying a new KLR as my first bike, but now I am not sure. I have basically only heard this channel and Mike talk about these issues. How common are they actually?

[@Tripplebeem]

@HorchataFan Luckily I am 6’4” so usually I have the opposite problem of bikes being too cramped for me! Thanks for your input, I’m actually back to wanting the KLR650 as my first bike. You can’t beat the price to fun ratio!

[@stevek4449]

So would the doohickey or thermobob upgrades void my 5 yr warranty on my 2023 gen 3 KLR 650?

[@leeinwis]

Sure, anytime you touch it yourself .

[@benb2058]

Hey you're right on target with that video I think there were a lot of people that wanted to know more about that subject too bad you can't get the KLR650 new with the oil ring already fixed it would be worth a little extra. WTF is Kawasakidoing... ...Sheesh! If they're going after the midsize Adventure Market they're going to have to stop using rubber bullets !!!!!

[@johnhamilton2680]

Eagle Mike, YOU ROCK

[@BigRockMoto]

he does

[@josepeixoto3384]

.010 out-of-round is a lot; how much wear on top was that,and at how many miles?

[@robertwedden5761]

86k + miles my 2015 still runs NICE

[@patsyvarelalynch4956]

Hola Sr Mike, queria consultarle ya que he adquirido un Thermobom y lo coloque en una KLR gen 3 y noto que sube mas temperatura de lo normal y aparte cuando paro la moto hace en el sector de cilindro como un ruido a agua hirviendo o hervor pero en el receptaculo de liquido no hierve y no baja nivel, me preocupa el ruido si puede sacarme la duda lo agradeceria Saludos desde Argentina

[@brianwinters4991]

This was good , have you ask about the doohicky ?

[@_AndromedaGalaxy_]

i was thinking of enlarging those holes on my '08 but if i have to go that far into the motor i might as well upgrade the parts. then theres the other option of not doing either and get rid of my klr. im thinking it would be easier to just buy something that doesnt have these issues.

[@daveb5130]

I noticed different part numbers from 2018 to 2022 for the piston ring set and cylinder. I wonder why.

[@SolomonsMartialArts]

I think it has to be different 2018 was 651cc . 2022 is 652cc. They must of changed the shape of cyl. Piston....

[@daveb5130]

@@SolomonsMartialArts Hopefully the change improves the oil control problem. I'm considering purchasing a 2022 KLR but am very hesitant due to reports on oil loss at sustained highway speeds, the doohickey issue and the coolant temperature control. I also see their is part number change for the lever associated with the doohickey on the 2022 models.

[@SolomonsMartialArts]

@@daveb5130 me too I had a 2011 burnt a lot of oil. Almost bought a 2022 but didn't due to over charging 8500 and no assurance that this one won t have the oil issue. I am considering a DR 650 no issues and 90lbs lighter. I can t decide.

[@leonardocharles991]

Hey goodday I own a 2009 Kawasaki 650 KLR and I would like to know what can I do to improve the oil consumption on it. I would like to know if these any upgrades for it as yet.

[@jothain]

So that's why KLR isn't sold in EU anymore. It burns too much oil that it doesn't get past emissions regulations. Hey, I'm allowed to joke around, I'm Kawasaki owner 😊

[@BK-oo1bl]

I have 2000 miles on my 2022 I have mainly done 2 lane 55mph and I haven’t noticed any oil consumption should I put the thermobob on?

[@darrylkay7264]

2022 gen 3 . I live in Southwest Florida ( hot pretty much all the time) do you think I need the thermo bob?

[@matiasbibel4233]

Hi, thanks for this video!! do you know of any case of oil consumption in a 2022 KLR? The part number are the same as Eagle Mike said but it suppose to have different rings package. Thank you