The 'No Pissin and Moanin' DR650 Thread

[plugeye]

Originally Posted by AST236

Plugeye, what is the fender and headlight on the earlier version?

stock fender trimmed of course. i used aluminum straps to locate it.
the 7" headlight was all i had other than the weak stock trapezoid. it was from an H-D FXRP cop bike.

[ShadyRascal]

Ah, the DR, if there was ever a bike to not piss and moan about, that's it. And, really, one tonot brag about in the same respect. After having a couple dirt bikes as a young man, then staying off 2 wheels for a loooong time (not because I wasn't interested), I re-entered the modasickle world some years back. Given my locale and needs, I wanted the most universal dual sport I could find that would fit the bill and be cheap. Researched it to death. June of 2007, it happened.



An '03 with 2500 miles I brought home for 3300 bucks. Passenger cost me much more.

Coulda rode it forever stock. Didn't. The clunky suspension I moderately improved with Eibach springs for a couple hunnerd bucks. The motor I woke up with a Gixxer can, airbox holes and properly set Dynojet system. Few hunnerd more.

Put some big bars on risers, Screensforbikes, handguards and other little accessories on. Sargent seat the day they came out. Recently went to Wolfman side racks (awesome quality) and Seahorses.



It's not great at anything except doing everything good enough. In that respect it's great. No the suspension will never be really good. It's not going to make 55 smooth horsepower. The wind blows it around on the highway.

But I've explored 15,000 miles of Montana, Idaho and Washington on it with no intention of slowing down. I have 4 bikes in the garage now and this is just the go-to. I never, ever question whether it will start and go. There are no mysteries or unsolveabe gremlins in the system.

Yeah I could have a cool, expensive bike with great suspension and cutting edge technology. But I'm not really interested in fishing through the toolbox for a multi angle u-joint torx head extendable Austrian special order driver bit to reach the third chamber under the gas tank to drain the last quarter liter of oil to do a 2 hour fluid change.

I take out one bolt and drain it with the DR. I'm 51 and don't have time nor patience for headaches.

Yep, it's an 80% bike compared to the cutting edge. 80% the horsepower, suspension, quality, comfort, technology (maybe 60% there), yadda yadda. But it works, I don't bitch, it doesn't strand me, and a clutch lever doesn't cost 24 bucks because of a German pedigree.

I don't bitch, I don't brag, I don't piss and moan, I just ride the damn thing and it works.

[AST236]

Great lookin' bike ShadyRascal.

Are those the Seahorse 520's?

[TrophyHunter]

Originally Posted by drmv62

1st adv bike was ktm 640 adventure-horrible on the street, 2nd was dakar 650-horrible in the dirt. Here is my dr650, just right!

Did a ride that included Schnebly Hill Rd. Took my wife back a couple of years later. Beautiful area.

[HappyCRNA]

Originally Posted by bobnoxious67

Really? You need another DR650 specific thread?

You DR guys sure do like to toot your own horn and take yourselves a bit too seriously

Maybe we don't NEED another thread, but it'll be nice to try to find something specific without having to peruse 4000+ pages! If you don't like it, just ignore it!

[HappyCRNA]

Originally Posted by ShadyRascal

Ah, the DR, if there was ever a bike to not piss and moan about, that's it. I don't bitch, I don't brag, I don't piss and moan, I just ride the damn thing and it works.

+1 !

[AST236]

Originally Posted by HappyCRNA

+1 !

Hit me up when you're in Mobile. I'm a hundred miles north of there.

Just got back from an hour long back/dirt road mental health ride in Conecuh County.

[HappyCRNA]

Originally Posted by AST236

Hit me up when you're in Mobile. I'm a hundred miles north of there.

Just got back from an hour long back/dirt road mental health ride in Conecuh County.

Will do...I'm overdue for a trip home and I need to bring something back from there so my plan is to ride the DR down and a U-Haul or my sister's truck back up. I usually pass near your area (Egreen, right?) coming down I-65. Will probably try to avoid the superslab if I'm on the bike tho!

L

[AST236]

Originally Posted by HappyCRNA

Will do...I'm overdue for a trip home and I need to bring something back from there so my plan is to ride the DR down and a U-Haul or my sister's truck back up. I usually pass near your area (Egreen, right?) coming down I-65. Will probably try to avoid the superslab if I'm on the bike tho!

L

Yep, I'm in Evergreen, and the ride down Hwy 31 is great. From Evergreen to the 164 exit just south of Montgomery, there is one stop sign and a couple of red lights. Not much traffic and nice views. It's a great ride and only adds about 10 minutes to the Montgomery ride.

Hwy 31 from Evergreen to Mobile is good too. Not much traffic and an easy ride through some nice country........

[ShadyRascal]

Originally Posted by AST236

Great lookin' bike ShadyRascal.

Are those the Seahorse 520's?

Yes. I love them. They are small enough to leave on all the time and not feel luggaged up, big enough to make the bike very useful on quick runs to town. Great quality and inexpensive.

[vintagespeed]

Originally Posted by bobnoxious67

....you DR guys take yourselves far too seriously

yeah, take a look at bob's previous posts. he's one of those guys that did his research, chose the wrong bike and now he's lashing out like a 5yr old who lost his binky.

it's ok bob, you'll out-grow yourself one day.

so how he just follows the DR guys around and shits on their threads for his own entertainment. troll basically.

[vintagespeed]

Originally Posted by ShadyRascal

Ah, the DR......it works, I don't bitch, it doesn't strand me, and a clutch lever doesn't cost 24 bucks because of a German pedigree.....I just ride the damn thing and it works.

i like this guy!

[Rusty Rocket]

Originally Posted by bobnoxious67

Really? You need another DR650 specific thread?

You DR guys sure do like to toot your own horn and take yourselves a bit too seriously

My swing arm never fell off

[bobnoxious67]

Originally Posted by vintagespeed

yeah, take a look at bob's previous posts. he's one of those guys that did his research, chose the wrong bike and now he's lashing out like a 5yr old who lost his binky.

it's ok bob, you'll out-grow yourself one day.

so how he just follows the DR guys around and shits on their threads for his own entertainment. troll basically.

You're gonna dictate what threads I'm allowed to see, read, and participate in now? Really?

And presume to have intimate knowledge of my experiences so far with my bikes?

Some of you DR650 guys sure do take yourselves too seriously

Don't worry, the 610 thread has some too...we just get over it and continue on our merry way

[AST236]

Originally Posted by bobnoxious67

You're gonna dictate what threads I'm allowed to see, read, and participate in now? Really?

And presume to have intimate knowledge of my experiences so far with my bikes?

Some of you DR650 guys sure do take yourselves too seriously

Don't worry, the 610 thread has some too...we just get over it and continue on our merry way

Welcome Bob.

You're a motorcycle guy and an ADV guy. I'll buy you a cold drink at the end of the ride and offer assistance if you need it.

And quite honestly, I couldn't care less what you ride as long as you like it.

.........and if you really think we are taking this thread too seriously, I invite you to go back and read the first post. I created this as the 'we don't take ourselves so seriously that we waste a week's worth of time publically griping and complaining thread'.

This is a public forum and all are welcome. Remember though, if you purposely poke the beehive, it pisses off the bees...........