Do anyone have a Leading link fork for a 2003 KLW 650?
Kenneth Winter
423-526-1328
I think you are barking up an empty tree. Or you want to pay a lot of money to have one made. There are some guys on this site that know more about this than I, but a small, dual purpose bike like the KLR doesn't lend itself to an Earls or a leading link.
Uber
I think the Penton's had them on 250cc Enduro bikes several years back and it worked for them.
Lonnie
The 250 Greeves had one also, nice thing about a LLF is they really plant the front wheel when the brake is applied.
Hi Ken!
As you know, Dauntless Motors makes leading links for the KLR. I have ridden both the 08 version and the older KLR models with Jay's leading links installed. Although they are expensive and are sprung a little softer than I like, they work very well both on and off pavement.
The advantage of the Dauntless forks is they were designed for the KLR and they work. Links won't help with the steering effort if they don't reduce the trail, and they will make the steering unpredictable if they reduce trail too much. While you could find used links from a Ural or other rig and they might work, without measurements and some forethought, you have no idea if they will improve your bike even if you can make them fit.
You can get some improvement by using raising links and a stiffer spring on the rear suspension, slipping the fork tubes up about an inch and a half thru the triple trees, putting a low profile tire on the front(or relacing to an 18" rim) and a tall knobby on the rear. Doing all of this reduces the trail and steering effort somewhat, but not as much as Jay's links.
