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2012 KLR650 Prices and Buying Tips

This week I visited the local Kawi dealer to see and talk about the 2012 KLR. Imagine my surprise when I learned they were sold out. More bikes are on order, but the salesman could not say when they would arrive. So, I chatted with my friend who owns the dealership and came away with 4 important points to consider before putting down your money on this bike.....
  • Don't wait too long to buy: The new look is very popular and the bikes are selling well over the country. Dealers in larger markets will get more of them, but in a larger market, more people will be buying. With these bikes in short supply - and it's only February - get one while they are available in your area. Wait for a better price, and you may have to wait another year to get one. 
  • Bring your checkbook and do your homework before buying. MSRP is $6,300 and depending on your market, you may not get it for much less. I've heard of 2012s selling at $5,800 but most buyers will not get that price. My dealer friend said the 2012s will sell at, or very near, $6,300 because people like the new look and only the 2012 has it.
  • Simple economics: Short supply and high demand will make this a seller's market for the 2012. Gas prices are going up now, and are expected to rise more before summer. With their great gas mileage, street and trail capability, and cool new looks, more people will be shopping KLRs to save money at the pump. The dealer's know this and set prices accordingly.  
  • Be sure you want the 2012: Remember, the 2012 KLR has no significant technical or mechanical improvements over last year's model. It's the same bike with the exception of the blacked out rims and so on. If looks are less important to you, shop around for a deal on the leftover 2011s. If only the 2012 model will do, be prepared to pay for it. 

Eagle Mike Reply on Fork Brace

I am a big fan of Eagle Manufacturing and Engineering because of their first-rate customer service. You buy a part from them, have a question or concern, and they take care of you right away. By the way, I am not being paid to say this; just passing some solid information to my KLR brothers and sisters.

After my last post on the fork brace I emailed Eagle on my concerns over dirt entering the fork boot. A couple of hours later I received a reply from Eagle Mike and I am posting it here for everyone:

Lorenzo,
The holes are actually supposed to be open. On the pre-2008 they are open from the factory. The intent is to allow air to enter and leave as the fork compresses and extends. The application on the 2008 and later is a design flaw. Normal maintenance even with the boots is to push them up from time to time and use a small brush to LIGHTLY brush away the dirt. Every six months or so I suggest removing the outer clamp and doing this with the fork brace. Some people only do it as part of the annual maintenance. This depends on how much dirt riding is done. If proper maintenance is done there isn't any increased wear on the fork seals. On the other hand, I've seen seals go away in less than a year on a stock bike ridden a lot in the dirt with no maintenance done in this area. I hope this helps... (also, all fork braces work like this, unless they don't have any attachment for the boots, which is much worse.)
all the best,
Mike


That is a good enough answer for me. Get the Eagle M&E fork brace and you will be glad that you did. 

Eagle Mike Fork Brace

Among KLR riders there are two schools of thought about installing a fork brace. Most Gen 1 riders seem to agree a fork brace will benefit the thinner forks on those early models. The Gen 2 bikes have slightly larger fork tubes so installing a fork brace is less a necessity and more about preference. I decided to install one on my Gen 2 bike.

I ordered the Eagle Mike Fork Brace on-line from Eagle Manufacturing and Engineering, it arrived quickly. Right out of the box, I was very impressed by the quality. It installed in about 10 minutes with a set of metric allen wrenches and was well worth the effort.

The bike had always handled fine around town but was much better on the highway. The brace had eliminated any fork flex and the front wheel felt very solid and stable as all speeds. Unless you have ridden with a fork brace installed, you don't know how much the stock KLR's handling can be improved. I recommend this upgrade to all other KLR riders.

As with many things in life, solving one problem often creates another problem, and it is the same with the fork brace.

To mount the brace, the lower end of the fork boots must be moved up from the stock position. With the brace mounted, the boots slide down and fit over the fork brace. That's easy enough, but the vent holes at the bottom of both boots are exposed. This will allow dirt and sand into the forks where they will eat away at the fork seals.

The bottom line here is; the fork brace is a great upgrade, but the devil is in the details and something needs to be done about protecting the fork seals from foreign contaminates.


Click the image above to read the follow-up from Eagle Mike regarding this post.