Impulse bought a thing

"atfsgeoff" (atfsgeoff) 08/02/2020 at 00:55 • Filed to: None

12

18

On Wednesday night I spotted a clean-looking, low mileage 2004 Kawasaki KLR650 on the lehigh valley craigslist site, asking $2300. I thought to myself, “Well, that sucks because it’s gonna be gone and sold before I get home.”

So I got home from Nebraska on Friday night, and out of sheer curiosity I decided to check and see if the ad was still up. It was, but no phone number provided. Just an email forward address. I decided “what the heck” and sent an email inquiring about it, leaving my cell number .

To my shock and amazement, the seller texed me around 11:30am today (Saturday), stating if I’m still interested that he would be around all day. Interested? Hell yes. But it’s Saturday, the banks close at noon, gotta get cash fast!

After waiting in line for a half hour at the drive-through teller, I finally got cash out around 12:15. Texted the seller I was on my way, only for him to say he had another interested party showing up at 1 and to hang back. So I decided to run some errands and hook up a battery charger to the Volvo since it’s been sitting for nearly a month and it wouldn’t turn over. Got a call from a former client in NJ who needed some help with his PC (fried power supply) and I decided to take the FJR1300 over there, but since this KLR guy was situated due north of route 33 (a highway I had to pass by on my way into NJ), I sent him another text since it was now nearly 1:30 when I was passing by route 33. To my astonishment, the 1:00 guy had decided not to bite instantly so it was still up for grabs. 25 minute detour and I went to look at the bike.

This thing is friggin MINT. You could eat off the engine. 15k miles. No leaks or surprises, everything works as it should, new rubber front & rear. I deliberated for about 5 minutes about where I would park it, then handed over the cash. Took the keys and left it in front of seller’s house to retrieve later.

Rode it home later on in the evening after getting a front flat on the FJR on my return from NJ (cliff notes: limped it home 25 miles on the flat, managed not to destroy the rim by keeping it around 30 mph and sitting way back on the pillion seat to keep weight off the front end. Tire held up surprisingly well but it’s worn enough to need replacing anyway ).

I still don’t really know what I’m gonna do with the KLR but it’s such a versatile and indestructible bike that I’m sure I’ll think of something.

Oh and yes I did take a look at and test drove that 2018 Mustang GT in the lead photo today while I was in NJ. LOUD , very loud. Has a short-throw shifter already installed. Ride was surprisingly tolerable for a lowered car. Big issue is the exhaust, not only is it loud but it drones pretty bad at 60-70 mph. That will probably get old very quickly. Drove pretty nice otherwise , managed to leave the dealer without signing my soul away for 5 years. It does still have the factory warranty till February of next year. Gotta contemplate if it’s worth big monthlies till I’m 40. Will make a decision by Monday on that.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > atfsgeoff 08/02/2020 at 01:00

1

 Is the loud exhaust on the mustang stock? There are a bunch of really obnoxiously loud exhausts out there these days. as in painfully loud. I don't know why anybody would choose to make their car sound that way. And the really dumb part is that it's all catalytic converter back so it's not even a performance exhaust it's just a loud exhaust

atfsgeoff > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 08/02/2020 at 01:09

2

This particular car has a flowmaster system installed. So I assume louder than stock. I listened to a different Mustang GT and it sounded just as loud but it could also have had exhaust work done (I’m seeing a pattern here). Started up a Shelby GT350 they had in their multistory parking deck, and that car was actually quieter than either GT. This dealership is quite interesting in that they have FOURTEEN Mustangs of various flavors in stock, and they’re not even a Ford dealer. I think 12 of them are V8s. They just specialize in sports cars.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > atfsgeoff 08/02/2020 at 01:15

1

Dont know much about the bike but that seems like a good price for something in as you said basically factory condition. 

atfsgeoff > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 08/02/2020 at 01:16

1

Around here, KLRs run at least $4000 for ones in good running condition. If I can’t think of anything else to do with it, I can flip it easily for about 1k profit.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > atfsgeoff 08/02/2020 at 01:17

0

Isn't 15k miles not super low for a bike though? Not very high, but just average?

atfsgeoff > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 08/02/2020 at 01:19

1

To me it’s low mileage, the FJR is about to tick over 100k!

I actually like that it has some miles on it, being 16 years old. Stuff deteriorates worse when it sits.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > atfsgeoff 08/02/2020 at 01:42

0

Yes, that seems like about the right condition for a good bike to ride. 

notsomethingstructural > atfsgeoff 08/02/2020 at 02:09

1

Every car I’ve ever heard with a flow master exhaust sounds like absolute dogshit. They make cheap exhausts and well if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck...

Dead_Elvis, Inc. > atfsgeoff 08/02/2020 at 02:27

0

Damn, nice score!

Has it had the doohickey fixed?

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > atfsgeoff 08/02/2020 at 09:28

1

Th t looks nice and is definitely a good deal for a newer one. Nice color too. It’s rare to find a red one that hasn’t turned pink. 

3 Jeeps and a Mazda wants a Fiata > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 08/02/2020 at 10:09

1

I have borla s-type axlebacks on mine, its just the right amount of loud that should have came from the factory (Borla also makes the Ford performance parts choices). Flowmasters have always sounded too loud for my taste, once you add in catless downpipe or long tube headers it just becomes headache inducing at every rpm. 

shop-teacher > atfsgeoff 08/02/2020 at 10:24

2

Wow! What a score! I'm very jealous!

atfsgeoff > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 08/02/2020 at 12:04

1

The plastics have faded a little bit, but they’re not quite to the pink stage yet lol

atfsgeoff > Dead_Elvis, Inc. 08/02/2020 at 12:08

1

You know, I didn’t think to ask. I’ll have to look into that.

atfsgeoff > notsomethingstructural 08/02/2020 at 13:28

0

I think with some additional resonators or something to tone down that drone, it would be perfectly livable.

notsomethingstructural > atfsgeoff 08/02/2020 at 14:17

0

Sure, but then you have a custom exhaust, and by the time you pay to retrofit it and make something custom  you could have bought a real exhaust in the first place

atfsgeoff > notsomethingstructural 08/02/2020 at 16:06

0

Or the idiot who installed it could have just left it stock.

notsomethingstructural > atfsgeoff 08/02/2020 at 21:00

0

Now we’re getting somewhere