DR750 & DR800 owners thread

Just a bit confused about your problem. Can you describe why you are opening the left side in the first place? What are you trying to repair?

The stator(rotor) should separate from the large starter gear. It is only connected to the starter gear by a Sprague Clutch. This clutch will slip on the starter gear if spun in one direction and grab the starter gear (as it does when you start the bike) if spun in the other direction.

If your clutch is faulty, it may not be releasing from the starter gear. I'd try spinning it back and forth until it releases.

The gear will not come off the crankshaft until the Woodruff Key is removed from the shaft.

If the clutch is broken and will not release I think the only thing you can do it pull the stator with more force. If the is the problem you will likely have to replace it anyway. Hopefully it will not damage the starter gear when it finally releases

I hope I'm understanding your problem correctly, if not post again. I'm sure the group can help you.

Thanks for the reply. I knew it would be hard to explain something that presumably has never happened to anyone else
When you are pulling the rotor(stator) off with the rotor puller, what part comes off? According to the manual, it should be only the rotor, without the large starter gear in the back, right?
Well on my Big, it came off (only partially -it rotates freely on the shaft now, as the starter gear gets stuck on the woodruff bit) with the starter gear in one solid piece. My concern was, if I try to disconnect them with force whilst not knowing how they are connected in the first place with force - I can break something. The service manual is silent about this bit.
As for the starter sprague clutch - prior to disassembly it was all functional (at least it was until the exhaust rocker said bye-bye).

PS I'm trying to replace the balancer chain.

Unless the clutch is broken or something is jammed inside it, the rotor should separate from the starter gear by just slipping off.

Try rotating the starter gear on the rotor forward and backward. The gear should spin on the rotor in one direction but not the other.

If it does not spin at all, something is jamming the clutch mechanism. Bits from the broken rocker, maybe???

Thanks for the idea, I'll try that and will give an update.

Right. I'm switching between forums here (please don't tell me i'll have to copy my post to drbig.info too

There it is, the rotor and starter gear in a beautiful symbiosis:


I have tried my best to break them apart, nothing helped. Then I followed an advice I got from a parallel forum - use the rotor remover to keep removing them. Sadly the bolts were not made that long, and I had to improvise (used a wrench extension instead of the rotor fixation bolt that fitted right into the rotor hole). After a bit of torqueing the symbiosis started to move off the shaft. But not the way I was expecting it to.
Apparently the thing that keeps the starter gear from slipping away is the woodruff key hitting the needle bearing inside the starter gear. So whilst i was torqueing - the needle bearing (slightly knackered though) started to apear. And vuala, a few moments later it stayed there on the shaft. The symbiosis now being in my hands:

Yes you are right, the outer ring of the clutch "basket" looks like its been overheated (unless they are so from the factory).
So Ladder was right, starter clutch was gone and was blocking everything. But I don't understand how/why - as I said it was working (or at least I think it was working - how can one see a difference?) just before I broke down. It is so tight now that I am unwillingly thinking about this. Will try to disassemble these two beauties and inspect the damage in the near future. Will keep you guys posted.

HI,

Any suggestions for 2component glue etc. for covering stator coils? I'm about to rebuil stator.
Neeed to be resistant for DR's very hot oil...

-aapo

OK, I have managed to part the rotor from the starter gear using a lever fixed on a back bolt. It went quite easily as I was sure I was turning the gear in the right direction. After inspecting the starter clutch I did not find anything wrong with it, it was working as supposed to, no excessive wear. It must have blocked up during the moment of break down.

Hey guys..

I just wanted to let yo know that last sunday I sold my bike to a friend..:eek1


I'll miss her so much, here's she going away




I sold her for a good reason.. I'm getting a bike I wanted for some time know.. a BMW Xchallenge

It was all really sudden, a friend has one with some farkles, TT protection parts, ohlins shock, excel rims, leo vince exhaust and some other stuff .. 25k km on the oddometer.. He wasnt planning on selling it at all, but for personal reasons he needed the money and knew I was interested.

The price was a little steep, paid 13K USD (normally here in ARG they go around 10K, sold the DR for almost 7K)

I'm picking her up on friday, I'm 2000km away from home for work reasons and I'm flying back home Thu evening.. cant wait!

here are a couple of pics







So its farewell guys, I'll point my friend to this thread, but he's not too good with english.. guess he'll be more lurking than an active member..

I'd open that garage door a bit more, mate

I'd suggest an epoxi 2k resin like Araldit e.g.

Cheers,
Lars

Hey guys :)

still havn't found a good deal for a used fork to put on the DR Big ...
but I think I have something for the rear shock :)

I found a Buell XB12 Ulysse shock, brand as new, for 50 bucks ...
only problem, the Uly shock is 390mm long and the DR Big is 410mm long.

I'm wondering if that is a "big" problem, since the shock might be more progressive and might even make the DR keep the same balance ... as my shock is 80 000 kms old and never had any refurbishing.

it seems rather hard to find a used shock that is 410mm long? :huh

20mm is a long way to drop the arse. this will rake out the front end and make it handle like a wheelbarrow.
i used a shock from a 1992 husaberg. it needed some modifying though.
i cut off the reservoir and remote mounted it with a hose and used the heavy DR spring from hessler. cost me about $300 all up and a pretty good result.
your other option is the wilburs shock which from all reports is a very good bit of gear if you can afford it.

HI,

Has anyone put wide band lambda to exhaust system in DR big? Any good locations or component suggestions. I'll just try to get rid of speculations with lean / rich issues. (when i will get the engine back together)

-aapo

Hi,

I put these sensors in my headers as shown here:



Cheers,
Lars

If anybody is interested in my '91 DR800 then let me know by private message or email. I can send photo's or post them. Or you can check out the bike on Photobucket.
http://s571.photobucket.com/user/au...rt=3&o=2&_suid=136369197151505380788297214483
The bike has only done 8748kms since new. I have registration papers to prove it. I have also found out that it is the only registered DR800 in Western Australia. I want $6000 for it so if you're in Perth or W.A. and you want to check it out let me know.
Cheers.

Thanks! this is very informative picture. Was it difficult to weld? What plug or adapter did you use?

-aapo

I built this adaptor on my own, made out of 1.4301 stainless steel.
No probs with welding :)

Cheers,
Lars

Ok

-aapo

Hi everyone,

Its been months since I last posted as I've been away on a few trips and so on. Anyhow I thought that I would let you all know how the DR800 is going.

After a stay at Rob's place, the mechanicals are working very well; Rob did a great job fixing things due to age and also problems created by my own ignorance. I did have a small electrical problem develop but by following Rob's advice, I took the rhs tank off and found the short. Its now working well.

Went on a 250 km round trip up the highway and to a local biker cafe, The Bellbird Cafe in Kenilworth and the bike ran extremely well. Still some fine tuning to go such as some grip puppies to increase the diameter of the grips, perhaps some aftermarket levers; that sort of thing. I've lent the car to a friend for a month or so and will use this bike for a daily rider for two weeks and then swap with the V-Star for two weeks etc. Bottom line though, the 800 is great to ride and working well.