KLR600 Choke Cable Eliminator

The choke cable on my 1985 KLR600 has been a source of problems. I don't think it works...my dealer looked at it and sez it does. Basically, it is my impression that I get no noticeable difference between on and off positions, whether starting or running.

I'm fairly confident that the actual enricher on the CVK40 carburetor is operable, but the cable has either stretched or somehow bound to the point that it's not pulling the plunger. The sleeve is loose in the lever end of the assembly. You just can't tell with the stock set up.

So, as I now have the KLR600 all apart again working on the suspension, I've decided to take the opportunity to remove the choke cable altogether and replace it with a choke cable eliminator (about $30). 

This is a plug-n-play part. The cable and enricher components are removed and this is plugged into their place. The on off plunger is then located on the left side of the carburetor...

.....just like the old days!!! 😊

The lever side of the cable is on the left handle bar as shown in the photo. Unlike the later model KLR650s, the lever is in a very precarious position and is known to easily snap off in a fall.

The enricher is located on the left side of the carburetor.

The enricher is removed by sliding the dust cover back and "gently" turning a vinyl set nut. Some guidance has indicated that the carb needs to be removed. That's not the case. I had to move the coolant overflow tank and I lifted the fuel tank off to get to the cable. The real key is to find a gentle position in which to turn that vinyl set nut. I got it out with a pair of needle-nose pliers.

Since I'm replacing a vinyl engine part with a brass part I decided to apply a very small amount of medium locktite to the two threaded surfaces without letting any get on the enricher or plunger. 

The part did not come with instructions. While generally intuitive I believe that the smaller 10 mm nut adjusts the pull knob/plunger tension. Looser and the pull knob did not stay out. Tighter and the pull knob tightened equal to the pressure imparted.

Lastly on the mod is removing the cable and lever. As previously mentioned, the fuel tank had to be lifted to remove the cable. Then the single 5M bolt that holds the choke lever on the handlebar side of the cable is removed with a small 4mm hex key.

That's it. The cable is removed and the choke is now located down on the left side of the engine. This location shouldn't be too much of an inconvenience for people that aren't used to it. The enricher on the KLR is only needed for the cold start...i.e. when we first get rolling. I've rarely had to go to it subsequently on Gen2, Gen1 or the new-to-me old 600B1.

Update:

After a couple weeks, I can confirm that the cable eliminator is a good mod. Right out of the gate, I could tell that it worked during startup....which was my issue with the stock cable and stock lever. While my dealer was telling me the stock assembly worked, I just didn't think so. To now absolutely know that I have a working enricher leads me to the conclusion that I did, in fact, have an issue with the stock cable.

As to operation, it's a simple pull where the plunger stays in place during warm up. Once the warm up is complete the plunger is pushed back in and I'm off. Good mod!

KLR600 Rear Shock

I found very little information out there on the Interweb about the KLR600 suspension situation both front and rear. Things like measurements and spring rates would be helpful. However, the most important thing I did find was an outfit nearby that would do the rear shock rebuild for me.

So here is the stock rear shock absorber off of my 1985 Kawasaki KLR600. It is a KYB, nitrogen filled and oil dampened shock absorber with a (subsequently measured) spring rate of about 5.0 KG/MM (determined by rebuild vendor). The only specific markings are 40-05, presumably for the dampener diameter and spring rate. Otherwise:

• End to end, the total shock as pulled off the bike is 48.25 cm (19 inches)
• Eye to eye is 44.45 cm (17 1/2 inches)
• The dampener body diameter is 40 mm (1 1/2 inches)
• Sag was set at 70 mm

In addition to preload adjustment, the shock also provides a dampener adjustment with a four point clicker (higher is stronger dampening; 2 is the stock setting).

Back on the spring rates, I found it interesting that the first year 1987 KLR650 was equipped with a KYB Shock having a 5.0 KG/MM spring rate. While this "total" model is different (can't even buy the spring) the springs actually could be the same and, therefore, same spring rate. The shop that I took it to tested the spring rate at 5.0.

The spring rate calculator in RaceTech Springs puts my optimal spring rate at 7.72 KG/MM and the closest rates to that  calculation were the 7.6 and the 8.1. I went with the 7.6, P/N SRSP 552476.

Shock Removal

Removal of the shock abosorber was fairly simple. Essentially, the approach to removal was to separate the upper subframe allowing it to fall back on the rear tire and opening up a gap to disconnect the shock and pull it up and out.

Removal of the lower pin required that I drop half the dog bone to expose the pin. Then it just slid right out.

Good time to get a peek at the bearings in there and maybe replace (certainly grease) them.

Viola! Twenty minutes....

Off to the Shop

I was thinking about rebuilding this shock, but it's one of the things that really isn't in my wheelhouse and I've got so many other things going on right now with some property I'm developing. So I set out to find a shop that would do the rebuild for me. Well...that wasn't so easy.

Ultimately, the shop I found that was willing to rebuild a 35 year old shock absorber was Six12 Suspensions in Dade City Florida. I'll be dropping it off tomorrow.

Stay tuned...

June 14, 2019

I got the Rebuilt Shock back today. The closest spring rate to what I was looking for was RaceTech's 7.6 kg/mm spring rate, which is what got installed during the rebuild. Installation was uneventful; however, I noted that the manual required replacement of the cir-clips on the joint sleeves so I'll be purchasing and replacing those in the near future before I do any technical stuff....

.....which ain't going to be for awhile as I'm currently laid up for an accident earlier in the month. Bummer, missed The Hooch.

40 Stitches

One week out from The Hooch and I fell off a ladder while trimming tree branches and needed 40 stitches in the back of my thigh. Down and out for two weeks minimum. Snap!

Missing the Hooch two years in a row now.