I don't know, but it may be possible to just bolt everything from the left side of the C to the left side of the R, everything from the center case mating surface out and the rotor on the crank along with whatever it takes for the e-start.

I do make the KLX650 kit, just email me, same price as the 250 was with maybe a bit more postage.

 

scubiedoo, you're confirming that the swingarm pivot goes throught the rear engine mount? That's interesting. That has me wondering if the cases for the original KLR600 are what Kaw used to make the KLX650 engine. There's no doubt that it would make the chassis and swingarm way more rigid with less weight, but this whole thing between the KLR and KLX big bores is fascinating to me.

Clearly the KLX650 engine had some critical differences...like the gear driven balancer instead of the KLR's somewhat problematic chain driven...among other changes. Still, it's odd what some of the motivations in those changes were for Kaw.

Going back to my previous comments, I still wish Kaw would have just bumped up the KLR600 engine to 650 and kept it in that original chassis. Cost, production, etc. would not have been an issue like it was with the KLX650, and they would still have had a superior DS model with good off road capability. They could have even offered a model with a better fork and shock, and it still would have been noticeably cheaper than the KLX650R or C.

Abandoning that original 600 chassis was a mistake IMO. You could still run a huge fuel tank, have a rear package rack...I put a KLR650 OEM rear rack on my 600 with hardly and fiddling...and you'd still have a lighter and probably stronger chassis.

 

i double checked since it wasn't in front of me last time. yes, a bolt does go through the frame, swing arm and engine.

i will be attempting the side cover swap to see what happens. in theory it should work, and by looking at the 2 side by side, it should work. guess theres only one way to find out. i will let you know what i find. im quite anxious to get it going.

also, since in here might as well ask about my 250..... in a nutshell, it doesnt want to start. leading up to this, the last few times i rode it would die out at stops lights or signs. then it took a little bit to get it back running. i rode it to work and after it didnt want to start. had a couple hiccups but thats it. i replaced the spark plug since thats easy, cheap, and really needed to be done. still no start. adjusted valve lash since compression was a little low and valve clearence was too tight. compression went up to about 80psi. spark seemed weak and erratic. tested the coil primary and secondary circuits, found they were out of spec so i replaced the coil. still no start. i used the diag tree in the service manual and things keep pointing at an ignitor. i do want to clean up the connectors and retest everything just to make sure. what are your thoughts on this? also, does anyone have a known good ignitor? i really dont want to spend the $400 on a new one and find out thats not the problem.

thanks all, this site has been very useful and helpful

 

On the possible electrical/ignitor issue, how did you determine the spark was weak? Did you lay a plug against the cylinder and crank it over as is the usual way? That way tells you that you have spark, but visually that's not a very good method to check for a weak spark.

Trying to diagnose some else's observations from afar on the internet is hard. However, I'm thinking fuel in your case. Has your carb been off and thoroughly cleaned and checked for fuel level and such? Usually the KLX's electrical/ignition system works or it doesn't. Because you're apparently seeing a spark when you tested it, that wouldn't be my first choice as your problem...though it's not out of the question completely. You said the bike would run at one point but then died...and then ran again but won't start now. I'm guessing carb and some crud in the float bowl and passages.

 

I agree with TNC when it comes to the carb. First you did change out to a new properly gapped plug. I had starting issues with my 650 one summer, had to bump it off to start and if you want to keep friends you don't have them pushing your bike around after one day of it. Plug "looked" okay, but a new one solved the problem entirely. As the electrode edges round off the plug has a harder time firing. The spark jumps from sharp edges where the charge will concentrate, the rounded edges actually create resistance to this concentration.

I got a late friend's XT225 a couple years back, hadn't run since 2013. I finally got enough time to put it right. I did a new coil, he had something bizarre stuck there under tha tank, and a new battery, plus I tore down the carb and soaked it in cleaner. The gas had evaporated away, the float bowl had a hard shell of whatever, it looked as if it was bronze plated on the inside. Put the carb together and installed. With trepidation, wondering what electrical gremlins (electrics are not my forte by any stretch, being partially color blind on reds and greens and variations with those shades in them) I crossed my fingers... well, not really.... turned the key on and hit the starter. Fired up near instantly and ran fine, with a slightly high float setting that needed adjusted.

One more thing - let it idle at a good level. Mine idles around 1200 rpm. No stalling on quick stops and it seems to get away from that lean cough that stalls out some singles (like my SR500) when the throttle is cracked open to start out from a stop. It certainly won't hurt anything and improved things for me. The carbed 250 idles around 1200 or so, as does my XSR700 with EFI so it can't be all wrong. Besides other than how cool a V-8 or a big V-twin sounds at a lumpy low idle, what good is it anyway.

 

I finally got the motivation to look at the 250 again and find the problem. it wasnt the carb, or even the ignition. it ended up being burnt exhaust valves and a hairline crack between the two. i was leaning more towards the ignition because i already cleaned the carb a few times and even shot some ether straight into the cylinder without it firing. the compression was a little low so i did a leak down test which it failed. took the head off and found some bad news bears. i can get a new OEM head, but thats close to $1000 by the time it goes on the bike (including SS valves etc). im thinking about upgrading to a 300 cylinder and head. does this make sense? how easy and cheap is it to find a 250 head?

TNC - have a spark tester that has a 1/2" gap. i know the spark plug on the block doesnt really do anything, the cylinder pressure changes the resistance to jump the gap. so its easier to jump the gap outside the engine. i did find some corrosion on a few connectors that i cleaned up and the ignition system does work well. carb was clean, but i put it in a carb dip just to make sure. it ended up being bad valves