the DR200 thread

[Klay]

I'm on at least my fourth set of front brake pads at 14,665 miles. But it's been eleven years and an enormous number of duty cycles...a lot of stop-and-go and short trips. Plus some off-road and some touring.

[Sateev]

Originally Posted by FlyingFinn

If someone wants to try that cam, I have an unused one sitting on the shelf.
Can send pictures if you want. Lets say $50 shipped con US.
Send me a PM if interested.

Mikko

Damn, I'd buy another DR, just to get that deal...

[Joelness]

Wow Klay, you're hard on pads. At 9k I just replaced mine.

[Ladybug0048]

Brake pads haven't needed to be change yet on my bike so I must not be doing much stopping.

It looks like normal wear and tear is all the rest of you are experiencing. I guess I just got "lucky" with my DR200. All my other bikes it's just been normal wear and tear stuff so havning things beyond that needing repaired with this bike has thrown me off a bit.

If I didn't like this bike so much I would just sell it and call it a day but instead I'm going to get the starter clutch replaced and hope that's the last of issues with it. When I think about the money I have put into it with farkles, upgraded stator, tuned suspension, a new clutch and soon a new starter clutch I have about as much into it as I have into my BMW What's with that?

I prefer riding my DR200 over my F650 because it's just more fun so for me the money is worth it. Of course if I want to get somewhere I little faster the 650 is needed and when the weather get cold the 650 is better at running the electric. The 650 is a better street bike and it does fine on forest service road but the 200 is one heck of a lot more fun on forest service roads and a lot easier to go exploring with.

Any one else want to tell us about their favorite DR200?

[bross]

Originally Posted by Ladybug0048

Any one else want to tell us about their favorite DR200?

Jodie has more fun on her DR200 than she does on her Street Triple R, especially on these roads...



9,000kms with just regular maintenance, original brake pads, 3rd battery though. OEM battery lasted 4 years then Jodie killed it on a 4 day ride running her heated vest all day every day for the 4 days and it was slow riding on trails. Killed the battery on the last day. Replaced with a new Shorai but it started to act up so just installed a new regular battery. The bike has been super easy to bump start any time she killed the battery, even when cold.

[poppawheelie]

Originally Posted by bross

9,000kms with just regular maintenance, original brake pads, 3rd battery though. OEM battery lasted 4 years then Jodie killed it on a 4 day ride running her heated vest all day every day for the 4 days and it was slow riding on trails. Killed the battery on the last day. Replaced with a new Shorai but it started to act up so just installed a new regular battery. The bike has been super easy to bump start any time she killed the battery, even when cold.

When you say the Shorai acted up, can you elaborate?

[poppawheelie]

Originally Posted by Wallrat

I keep saying this but it keeps coming up in this thread. If you're ever riding the little DR and think "I just wish this had more oomph for offroad", the DR650 is the last bike you should be looking at. Its underpowered and overweight - a tragically bad combo when offroad. I'd put it in the same class as the KLR650 - fine for cross country highway riding with some fire roads mixed in, but an absolute bear if you hit even mildly technical terrain.

4678 pages of DR650 thread would disagree with this. http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...5295&page=4678 Minimal modifications provide more than enough power to a DR650. There is a HUGE difference from a KLR650. Just got back from riding Alaska on one and I have ridden South America on one. The difference is, personally, I cannot pick up the KLR650. I can pick up my DR650. After years of riding each - DR200, DR650, KLR650 - each has it's own advantages. The KLR is most comfortable on the highway and good on dirt roads. The DR650 is powerful enough to carry a load down the Interstate and do very well off road, light enough to pick up or drag out when in a tight single track situation. The DR200 is just plain fun, very light to pick up in the rough. Just enough power to climb anything.

[Wallrat]

I hoped on a mostly stock DR650 offroad and it felt like a sluggish pig. I've ridden an XRL650 and it was fairly modded, but still felt really heavy. Unlike the DR however, there's a ton of R parts that you can easily swap out to really shed the weight. Either would be fine in stock form for easy offroad terrain, but anything challenging would be a lot more fun on a bike that wasn't so heavy. For comparison I've also ridden a plate-able XR650R, which was really nice for pretty much any terrain, but definately excelled when you could open it up. Here's the specs I pulled online:

KLR650 - 42.15HP // 432 lbs // 10.25 lbs per HP
DR650 - 43HP // 357 lbs // 8.30 lbs per HP
XR650L - 41.5HP // 348 lbs // 8.39 lbs per HP
XR650R - 61.2HP // 304 lbs // 4.97 lbs per HP

and just for grins

DR200SE - 15HP // 249lbs // 16.6 lbs per HP


I think the issue is what you and I qualify as off road. On climbs, I run out of skill long before my XR400 runs out of power, and it has 10hp less than the DR650. You could ride a Goldwing on most normal trails, its when those trails turn into nothing but ruts and boulders that's when the extra weight really kills.

[bross]

Originally Posted by Wallrat

. You could ride a Goldwing on most normal trails, its when those trails turn into nothing but ruts and boulders that's when the extra weight really kills.

If you're regularly running into ruts and boulders you should be on a real dirt bike anyway, none of these bikes are going to be much good in truly knarly terrain. Maybe a WR250?

[Wallrat]

I'm on an XR400 so it handles anything I'm brave/stupid enough to attempt. Not the most comfortable ride on freeways and such but I didn't get a dual sport so that I could ride roads all day. Just put some Rigid LED's on it tonight for some better off-hwy lighting. Wiring and blinker position is still temporary. Need a few small parts to finalize everything. Couldn't get a shot of the lighting on the road since I've got some workers using my very bright garage lights to see their truck. Would estimate I've got at least 4x the coverage I had with just the DOT lights.

[vivid dadas]

Tires for DR 200

I forgot about this thread until just now, I ordered new tires for my DR 200 last night, I think it still has the original tires, (Trail Wing F 70/100 21 44 p/R 100/90 18 56 P,) on and they are about shot.

I ordered Shinko 520's, but couldn't get the exact size, the Shinko's are F 80/100 21 and R 110/100 18 so they are a little bigger. Got them from Bike Bandit so I can send them back, are they going to fit?

[Joelness]

I have bigger than that Kendas on mine right now so they should. I've had up to a 120 on the rear without any trouble. I would say that any bigger would be cutting it a little close though.

[Wallrat]

Originally Posted by vivid dadas

Tires for DR 200

I forgot about this thread until just now, I ordered new tires for my DR 200 last night, I think it still has the original tires, (Trail Wing F 70/100 21 44 p/R 100/90 18 56 P,) on and they are about shot.

I ordered Shinko 520's, but couldn't get the exact size, the Shinko's are F 80/100 21 and R 110/100 18 so they are a little bigger. Got them from Bike Bandit so I can send them back, are they going to fit?

They'll fit no problem.

[Motardo]

I have Kenda challengers, 130/90-18 on mine. I had to move the wheel back to the #2 mark on the chain adjusters to keep it from rubbing the swingarm.

Originally Posted by Joelness

I have bigger than that Kendas on mine right now so they should. I've had up to a 120 on the rear without any trouble. I would say that any bigger would be cutting it a little close though.

[vivid dadas]

I have Kenda challengers, 130/90-18 on mine. I had to move the wheel back to the #2 mark on the chain adjusters to keep it from rubbing the swingarm.

It looks badass.