KLX 300 Maintenance Guides from www.klxzone.co.uk Date: February 2003 Guide 7 : Adding a larger fuel tank Important: Please read carefully This guide is not intended to replace the User’s Manual – rather it is a pictorial guide to carrying out maintenance on the KLX300 and does not necessarily represent the Kawasaki approved methods. You should therefore realise that you use this guide at your own risk and neither www.klxzone.co.uk or the author will accept any responsibility for damage or injury caused as a direct or indirect result of using this guide. You use it at your own risk. There being no Haynes or equivalent manual available for the KLX300 and the official workshop manual costing around £60 I thought it may be useful for others to use if they have not carried out such tasks on their bike before. This may seem a bit like a “dummys guide” as I have taken pictures at almost every point. If you find it too tedious then simply skip past the easy or obvious bits. I wanted to make it as foolproof as possible and a picture is worth a thousand words. Tony Saunders

Bike Information: Kawasaki KLX300R 2002 Model. The standard KLX250 and 300 fuel tank holds 9.8 litres of fuel – which is about 2.0 UK Gallons or 2.6 US Gallons. This give an effective range with the KLX’s economic engine of between 100 to 120 miles. This is good and certainly far better than most bike’s fuel usage. If you want to do longer journeys though – there are alternatives to the standard fuel tank. Both IMS and ACERBIS make quality high capacity replacement fuel tanks that are easily fitted in about 20 minutes.

Tools Required: • • •

Sockets – 8mm, 10mm Ratchet An old paint roller tray or similar to keep all the bits in.

Procedure Removing the standard tank is not a difficult task. First remove the seat by undoing the two rear 10mm bolts as shown below: Figure 1: The Seat retaining bolts

The seat slides back from the retaining bolt on the fuel tank with a firm tug. Put the bolts in your bits tray and the seat to one side. The next job is to remove the radiator shrouds by using your 8mm socket to undo the three retaining bolts as shown in Figure 2. It is easier if you remove the one at the bottom first then the top two. Make sure you make a note of where they go. You won’t need to use them until you put your original tank back so store them safely in a plastic bag marked up with suitable notes. Remove the shrouds on both sides and store them safely so as not to scratch the graphics.

Figure 2: Removing the shrouds

One the shrouds are off – you will see the two retaining bolts holding the tank on (See Figure 3). These are removed with an 8mm socket. Figure 3: The Tank Retaining boilts shown here through the shrouds

Having removed the bolts – remove the tank retaining strap and store with your shroud bolts. You won’t need it with the new tank. Figure 4: The tank retaining strap

Now – before you forget – turn off the fuel tap and slide off the fuel pipe from the tap. Figure 5: The stock fuel tap in the off position.

The fuel tank can now be lifted clear and stored. The new tank simply slots into the same place – see the size difference… Figure 6: The Old and the New tank.

The only two retaining bolts I could connect the tank to the bike with are the two bolts at the side of the tank. Jiggle the tank into position and they should be easy to connect through the hole. Figure 7: The hole in the tank allowing access to fasten it on

Now – reconnect the fuel line and switch it to ON. The ACERBIS tank fuel cock looks like this… Figure 8: ACERBIS Fuel Cock with ON highlighted

Re-attach the seat after ensuring the tank is secure… Figure 9: The fitted tank from the side

The profile of the new tank is not too radical – see below: Figure 10: The OLD and the NEW Tank seen from the seat.

The new tank adds about am inch or so to the overall width. The convex nature makes it “feel” a bit fatter on the knees. The weight when full does tend to make it slightly top heavier than stock.

That’s It. Job’s a fish. Fill it up and take it for a spin. It (The ACERBIS) holds 14 litres which adds an extra UK gallon and another 50-60 miles range.