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USMC Kawasaki KL650A SOLD on GL!

hndrsonj

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Missed that one. Would be cool for a museum ect. Somewhere I saw a very old triumph still in the crate just a few months ago.
 

Orionspath

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Harley Davidson Still Available!
Just think, For $1K more he whom purchased this Kawasaki could have had an American Built Harley Davidson! Still available and listed in the classifieds......!
 

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The Janiter

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NDT; they did this to a lot of 650s for the Marine corp. a little less power than the gas - the motor has been converted by a comp. in calif. I belive. Try the past Rider mag. for details or go to klr650.com and ask for the link.

there are several 650's in the GL auction in San Antonio in various stages of repair. except for the changes on the motor and gas tank most of this is over the counter - klr 650.com is a good source for parts. I have used them for years for my bike and they are vary helpfull. out of Spokane Wash.
 

mkcoen

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The parts bikes at Ft Sam sold about a month ago. The one in the crate was discussed at our MVPA meeting last night and the consensus seemed to be that it might have been run out of the box with no fluids (the way they are shipped) and seized the engine. While I'm sure a replacement motor would be fairly cheap, this buyer may not know exactly what they are getting.
 

djimmy31

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The parts bikes at Ft Sam sold about a month ago. The one in the crate was discussed at our MVPA meeting last night and the consensus seemed to be that it might have been run out of the box with no fluids (the way they are shipped) and seized the engine. While I'm sure a replacement motor would be fairly cheap, this buyer may not know exactly what they are getting.

Any reason why you guys would think it was run without fluids?
 

mkcoen

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It had more miles than the factory test would have put on it. Just seems kind of funny that a unit would get it on their books and then put less than 5 miles on it. Whether or not it is seized is just idle speculation. For the buyer's sake I certainly hope we're wrong.
 

JAYHAWK 1962

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Saw that one also. Was wondering why only 5 miles. I did not like the fact that it looked like coolant tank was open and empty. Hope it starts and runs.
 

m16ty

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Wheres all those "Jeep-in-a-crate" I keep hearing about? :lol:
While I've never seen a "Jeep-in-a crate" I have seen a MUTT on a pallet. The whole vehicle had been crushed into a cube and palced on a pallet.
 

BKubu

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I have said it before...the GL site encourages you to bid sight unseen with all of the nice pictures and descriptions. Yeah, they tell you to inspect, but they realize that most people will not inspect. Trust me, while I like to inspect before I bid, I have gambled in the past that a truck or other item was as pictured. I usually have been disappointed to some degree. I usually try to bid accordingly...translation=lower than I would had I inspected the item. However, I don't believe a lot of the newbie high bidders think that way. They go b*lls out to get a truck and assume all it needs is batteries. I, too, hope that motorcycle is fine for the buyer's sake.
 

The Janiter

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A brand new KLR 650 from the dealer - $5200. + =

If the engine is toast a motor would be cheep to replace (with gas)but the down side of this is not checking first, and not knowing the market for such an item.

A little lighter in the wallet - it takes 25 years to make an antique and then the value is up to the market

Mine shows a total investment of $2500. including a Corbin seat (i built the box's)

Travel a lot on it.

Some lessions may be Hard.
 

M813rc

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A brand new KLR 650 from the dealer - $5200. + =
But this is not just another KLR, it is an M1030B1. They are not common, therefore the value is what a collector puts on it.
You could try converting a standard KLR into an M1030, but good luck finding all the military specific parts, and even then you would just have a fake.

Sooo...:razz:

Cheers
 

Mike_Kendall

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Hello, The NSN listed on the auction was for the gas version from Hayes. Hayes is the company that not only mfg the diesel engine but does the militarization of the gas versions. Question, where is the MT500 in the classifieds here on this web page? I didn't even know there was a Harley MT500 and saw somewhere that Harley may still be making them, is that true? I would think the 500cc rotax engine would be a good one. I now they use the rotax engines in air boats with great success. Mike
 

sloryd

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Houston TX.
The engine used the the MT500 harley is the same motor that we used on flat track racking. Harley is high because of name. I think the bike was orginally the ATK that harley bought out. You cant go wrong with a rotax engine. It beats Kawasaki engine hands down.
 

Artillerydan

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Yes, my 2 cents on the price for the bike and a "new" one costing less. Obviously I have been on my soap box about "these bikes should be cheep... so why are they going for $$$$" Waaaa Waaa (sorry if I offend). The people buying these bikes or anything like them and paying more$ than a civilian counterpart are NOT users. Now what do I call a "user". A user is someone that just uses this army stuff cuz its big, tough, and does what they want without breaking. The people buying these historic military vehicles are collectors. People that have a passion for history and preserving the vehicles and equipment for what they stand for (first and foremost) over their off road ability or??? My first though was if I had won that bike it would have stayed in the crate and been for display in the crate. I would have loaned it to or donated it to one of the military museums (which was discussed earlier). I know for some this is hard to comprehend... spend 6 or 7K on a vehicle and never use it. I was willing to spend 6K and would have, but I just bought tracks for my tank :-D ,but :cry: no extra this month for a crate M1030B1. But I think the point is, these types of vehicles become "artifacts" that must be preserved. There are a large number of us who look at this stuff as "historical artifacts" and we are trying to do our part to save American military history. one vehicle at a time. :-D Of course still have fun with them when we can.

As a side not I know the USAF used some of the MT500s. GL auctions some 3 years ago or so out of the Wyoming or ????
 
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