I have been wondering why Kawasaki put a marginal cooling system on their top of the line
model. Here is what I think happened. The Prairie was fine as originally designed, but the Liability
Lawyers had the last word, Kawasaki had to detune it, and the easy way was to retard the timing,
which increased the amount of heat the cooling system had to deal with. Kawasaki didn't want to spend
the time or money to upgrade the cooling system, so they sold them like that.
If you install a good ignition advance you solve two problems at once.
More Power and less engine heat.

How many people think this is probably what happened????

 

thats how I see it too...WAM

 

It is exactly right. It has been proven. Those who have fixed their ignition have told us that their 650/700 runs much cooler with the ignition set right (alltoys and 1bearman).

I hope diamond G gets us a top end module soon.

 

I have another theory on why Kawasaki's cooling systems are lacking--their R&D team must be testing their bikes in the arctic. I have a KLR650 dual sport bike. This thing is a 650, yet the radiator looks like it came from a KX80. I'm not kidding. If this thing didn't have a fan, it wouldn't make it very far. Even with the fan, on a hot day, don't even think about lugging this thing around a technical trail.

I'm about to buy a Prairie 360 for my wife. I have to admit, the cooling issue weighs the most on my mind. The 360 is air cooled. Maybe it's better off that way. I don't know. She'll be riding this thing slowly through trails such as the Rubicon Jeep Trail. I hope it doesn't everheat.

 

she shouldn't have a problem with overheating.........my 650 runs hot but it has never overheated yet.....

does the DG Holeshot help any?

 

W.C. How do you like your KLR ???... I bought an '03 this spring... love the bike, but it's too small for a big guy like my self, & my wife... been looking at the BMW duel sport bike... it's really nice, but 3 times more expensive ... mine has never gotten hot, but I use it more as a gravel road bike than a trail rider

the hole shot module & unlimiter should both help reduce the overheating issues, as they remove the retard from the timing ( mine still got hot often, even with the hole shot though )...WAM

 

Park next to a P400 4X4 and look at the differences, the radiator looks like its the same size to me. I think that has something to do with it since they allready had a stock of P400 rads and they quit making them the same year..... Mine has never overheated, but does run hotter with oil Thicker than 10W40

 

NewBeatle, the KLR is a great bike. Don't get me wrong. I've had two. On my last one, I had 35,000 miles on it, crashed it into a deer at 55 mph, rebuilt it, and it still ran strong. The newer one has had some teething problems. Nothing major. Just everything seems to rattle loose eventually, and the forks needed new seals pretty early. I've taken several week long trips out to Death Valley and the surrounding desert. I bought the soft luggage, carry all my camp gear, and stay wherever I feel like. My brother-in-law rides a BMW 650 dual sport. It's heavier, and sits lower, but it's smoother, and definitely more refined. If you buy a BMW, invest in some soft luggage. The standard hard plastic boxes are poorly built and have been nothing but problems for him (they fly off, won't latch, etc). Maybe their newer aluminum boxes are better.

 

I also believe I read in one of the latest magazines that tested the P700 that the P700 has a new, larger, radiator than the P650 does.

I havent went to look at the parts diagrams but can anyone verify this or not?

 

KOD,

We talked about this over at HL. I measured my P700 and they matched the P650 specs someone else did. The best way would be to pull the two and see if the cores are different side by side.

To me it looks like the P700 rad is just painted different (silver). Maybe I will pull both, and compare, when I have my P700 apart this fall/winter.