I recently bent my shift lever pretty badly at my first trail riding experience in Gorman, CA. I don't really want to get the OEM lever because it didn't seem too strong.

Does anyone know of any Tried and True shift levers for the 2009 KLX250s that are aftermarket? I saw some forums about people trying to find out but never saw a solution. Or should I just sack up and get the oem? I don't really care what brand, as long as it works for you.

 

Search shift lever on here
Here's a good one https://www.kawasakiforums.com/forum...ht=shift+lever

 

thanks for that! Just bought the MSR lever for the XR650L off ebay. Hopefully its a lot more bend resistant than the OEM shifter for the KLX.

 

let us now how the splines match up when you get it. I'll need a new one soon and was thinking of trying that xr650 lever

 

I will for sure let you all know. Supposedly its a little wider than you'd normally want for this bike so they said just some minor bending will make it perfect. But yeah I'm stoked.

 

Years ago I snapped the shift shaft off, right at the engine case, on my old KLR. Sure wish the lever would have bent instead. Careful what you hope for.

Look at these for bent lever prevention. Dan
https://www.kawasakiforums.com/forum...ht=brake+snake
https://www.kawasakiforums.com/forum...ht=brake+snake

 

dan is dead right on the potential consequences of too strong a lever. Some folks who really head into the wilderness on long haul epic trips even drill a hole in their shifter lever so it will break in a hard impact. A broken shift shaft is a nightmare scenario compared to a tweaked lever.

That said, I have that exact MSR lever on my KLX. The splines are the same. I did tweak the two bends a tiny bit to get a more preferred position, but that was easy. What I liked was the slightly extra length. The OEM lever was too short IMO.

 

The length of the stocker is a huge problem for my big goon of a son. Since raising the lever up a couple splines didn't work out I'm hoping the longer lever gives him some room to get his big foot underneath it easier.

 

Very good point.
I have bent my lever a few times now and read here somewhere that a bent lever may well be a good result.
Energy has to go somehere.

Errr, last time.


It is easily bent back once you get it in a vice.
I may weld a small brace over where it usually bends so it bends in a different place in the future.

I like the snake idea as it will transfer the load to the frame.

 

hey I basically did what you did in that picture except mine was like right above the peg basically haha but wow that is one crazy bend. Yeah I kind of do hope this MSR lever isn't TOO strong lol.