I have discovered a new way to stop, shut off, and park my bike.
I was out in the woods yesterday...somewhere I should not have been...on a barely visible two track woods road, covered with last autumn's leaves. I had been having a better time then any almost 61 year old should have with a 400 lb. bike in the woods, and was feeling pretty good about some of the hills I climbed. Anyway, I was moving about 15 mph in 2nd. gear, along this nearly invisible track, and it turned left terracing the side of a hill, then it dipped and turned right up the hill. I was in the left track scoping out the uphill right, when I went through the dip, or I should say "nearly through the dip"..
I was out in the woods yesterday...somewhere I should not have been...on a barely visible two track woods road, covered with last autumn's leaves. I had been having a better time then any almost 61 year old should have with a 400 lb. bike in the woods, and was feeling pretty good about some of the hills I climbed. Anyway, I was moving about 15 mph in 2nd. gear, along this nearly invisible track, and it turned left terracing the side of a hill, then it dipped and turned right up the hill. I was in the left track scoping out the uphill right, when I went through the dip, or I should say "nearly through the dip"..
All of a sudden "Praying Mantis" slowed to a stop, stalled and just stood there in the mud. The consistency was like thick oatmeal, and I was in it up to the chain. I restarted and spun the wheel, but "forgetaboutit", just deeper in the mud. I dismounted and the bike just stood there, I couldn't have parked it nicer. By now I was hot from horsing the bike back and forth but getting no where. I pulled off my helmet, gloves, jacket and sunglasses, and just studied the situation while I rested. After a few minutes, I tried to lift the tail out of the muck...no go. I finally dug out from behind the rear wheel and was able to horse the bike back about ten feet to where the mud hardened up a bit and the bike surfaced. Of course at this point the bike fell over and was belly laughing at me as it lay there. After a few minutes rest, I was able to lift the bike to 45 degrees, and almost had a coronary getting it up all the way. I rode it home and hosed at least ten pounds of mud from everywhere, even my right side hand grip was full of mud. You would have been very proud of me.
All that to say this: From experience, this bike "ain't no mudder". You guys out west must not be riding in very deep mud in the woods. The KLR is a hard surface bike that requires an experienced able bodied (read young) person to throw it around, and frankly I don't believe most of what you guys claim. I think you are all a bunch of lying SOB's.
Ok, I feel better
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