THE KLR650 PAGE 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS (The Fine Print)
This is a hobby website and the instructions contained on this page merely document how the authors work and setup their own motorcycles. Improper motorcycle maintenance, repair and modifications can lead to serious injury and death, as problems can arise causing unpredictable and unavoidable accidents.  Any work you choose to do on your motorcycle is done so at your own risk using your own judgment. If you doubt your abilities to perform any of the work discussed here; you are strongly advised to consult a professional mechanic to carry out the work for you. Any use of the information contained in this document is done solely at your own risk. No responsibility or liability is accepted by the authors or MultisurfaceMotorcycling.com for incorrect part numbers, torque values, riding tips, recommended accessories or any other information provided. It is advised that any information presented should be verified with the manufactures manuals, parts diagram or reputable shop. 
Reading beyond this point constitutes an implicit acceptance of these terms and conditions!

KLR Basic Maintence 
by Webmaster Mark with technical assistance from Elden Carl

Chain Cleaning, Lube & Adjustment

First get the rear wheel off the ground by supporting the bike from under the frame.  Do whatever it takes to safely get the job done of course. To do the chain adjustment  properly, the swing arm must drop to the bottom of its travel. Then mark a dot with a Sharpie® pen, punch or paint on the lower outside edge of the swing arm exactly half way between the center of the counter shaft and the center of the rear axle. At this time inspect the sprockets and chain for wear as outlined in the owners manual. 

 Cleaning the chain and sprockets is necessary if the chain is very dirty or if you want to convert from chain wax to a synthetic lube like Alisyn. A dirty chain wears faster as the accumulated lube may have fine sand particles embedded in it. These particles (especially quartz or feldspars minerals found in Baja) can be very hard and may quickly wear out a chain and sprocket from the abrasive action. It is best to use kerosene and a soft parts brush for cleaning to prevent damage to the O-rings. Also as a word of caution, when using kerosene you should do this outdoors and with gloves or your hands and garage will smell like kerosene for days. Finally, because of the slow evaporation rate of kerosene, you will need to allow an hour or longer to do this job. (Avoid using compressed air as it can also blow kerosene past the o-ring seals into the chain pins)

Cleaning method for heavy build up

If the chain has severe wax and dirt build up, it will be necessary to clean the chain with the rear wheel removed  in order to allow sections of the chain to be pulled through the kerosene as you brush it on both sides.  You may have to repeat this several times to loosen up severe chain wax build up. Wipe off any kerosene from the chain using a rag and wait at least one hour before applying the chain lube. It is also important not to forget any build up on the sprockets which can be wiped off using a kerosene soaked rag.  

Note: Dispose of kerosene rags carefully to avoid spontaneous combustion. Spread them out in the open air to dry out. 

Although not shown, this procedure should be done wearing Nitrile gloves

Cleaning method for light build up  

If the chain only has a light dirt build up, you can get by cleaning the chain on the bike without having to remove the rear wheel. Some folks have had success by using a grunge brush and using light pressure to avoid damaging the O-rings. Also be sure to to avoid splashing anything on the rear disc. Again wipe off any kerosene from the chain  and allow it to evaporate for a couple of hours before applying chain lube.

Note: As a precaution, it is best to remove the rear brake caliper during chain cleaning and replace it after the disc has been cleaned. 

Next Lube the chain with Alisyn chain lube by applying it to the inside bottom of the lower chain run where it enters the front sprocket by spinning the wheel backwards.

Note: Be careful not to catch your fingers between the chain and sprockets or your story could end up on the internet.     

Note on chain lubes: O-Ring chains are permanently lubed between the pin and bushings.  They must be replaced if this lube is ever washed out or the O-Rings become damaged. (However there is a website that claims these chains can be reconditioned by using a special vacuum chamber and heat.  which we have yet to verify)  yet, just because they have O-Rings, doesn't mean they are maintenance free. The chain bushings and rollers as well as the sprockets must be lubed periodically. 

What chain lube you use is a matter of personal preference and just like engine oil, can be very subjective to some individuals. As for the gang at multisurface motorcycling, we prefer using Alisyn chain lube. Elden has ridden many offroad miles with his chain lubed with Alisyn and has found very little wear on the chain and sprockets after a long trip. Another added benefit of using Alisyn is that the chain needs less cleaning, since the lube doesn't build up and attract dirt quickly like other lubes.  

While there are many websites on the internet that rave about chain wax and how people have gotten unbelievable life from a chain and sprockets. Our personal experience hasn't been so favorable and we have found that the stuff tends to build up over time on the side plates and sprockets. Yet does not seem to get down into the critical bushings and the roller area. At best we have found the chain can not go more that 200 miles without needing to be relubed.  

Measuring chain slack can be done a number of ways. What works for Elden is the following:  With the wheel still off the ground (bottom of the suspension travel), find the tightest part of the chain, then firmly push down on the lower chain run at the midpoint where you put the dot. Holding a metric scale against the bottom of the swing arm, measure to the center of a link pin. (write down the number)

Now firmly push the chain up and measure it again from the center of the same pin to the bottom of the swing arm. (record this number)

Subtract the first number (say 25mm) from the second number (say 80mm) and you have the measurement of the chain slack. Elden sets his slack at 55mm and never lets it get over 60mm. 

Note: Getting the chain slack correct is very important, especially making sure that is not too tight. Elden has had Vey de la Cruz from Vey's ATV/ Jet ski examine the bearings in at least 20 KLR engine cases only to find that many have worn countershaft bearings. Vey and Elden attribute this problem to overly tight drive chains.

While adjusting chain slack it is also very important  to maintain proper alignment of the rear sprocket. Although there are reference marks at the rear axle, these are not always accurate. Using a tool like a straight edge or Chain Alignment Tool from MotionPro.com may help insure that the sprockets are inline with each other. However keep in mind that to use this tool properly, the chain guide and cover must be removed. 

An important point that Elden has brought up while creating this procedure is that he feels that the Chain Alignment Tool may be overkill since "The wheel basically wants to align itself with the swingarm, once the axle has been completely torqued". This is due to all the flat surfaces from the head of the axle bolt, to the nut and washer want to stay parallel under torque. However it is still a good idea to inspect the alignment once in awhile as a sanity check and ensure that nothing is bent or misaligned from the factory.

The rear brake lever pivot point is an area that often gets neglected. Ideally it is best to remove this assembly to grease the pivot shaft with NLGI #2 moly grease. But a quick shot of chain lube is better than nothing. 

Note: At this time Eagle Mfg is starting to modify the pivot shaft by adding a grease port to this part. Please contact Eagle Mfg list in the links page for more info. 

Elden believes the side stand to be the fastest  wearing part on a motorcycle. Ideally, it should be taken apart and greased, however a quick shot of chain lube is better than nothing. (See swing arm lube procedure to see what happens if this is not done.) Elden lubes his side stand each time he lubes his chain.

Once the rear wheel has been properly aligned, Elden adjusts chain slack after preloading the chain adjusters with a slight amount of torque (4-5 ft lbs) on the rear axle nut. The adjuster nut has six sides so move both adjusters 1/6th turn at a time for accurate settings. At this time it is also a good idea to upgrade the adjuster nuts by replacing the small jam nut with a larger 14mm OD nut, 8mm lock washer between the 2 nuts and using blue loctite on the jam nut. (See known issues)  Elden went to this system after having too many adjustments vibrate loose even while using self locking jam nuts. He has seen very few KLR's with secure chain adjusters and insists that the above system is the only one he can depend on.

Another upgrade Elden uses is to replace the stock rear axle nut with one from a Honda XR400 which is self locking (for awhile). The nut is thin enough to allow the use of a "P" clip instead of a cotter key. This upgrade also allows for a more accurate torque setting since the nut doesn't have to be indexed. 

Note: This modification is recommended for off road use only. (Although Elden as never had a properly torqued axle nut come loose in his almost 50 years of riding)