DR 650 project: It's now a Beast!

[DRjoe]

I overtook a ktm 65 the other day does that count?

Mate i think your taking my ktm killer comment a bit to seriously, even given the fact ktms a re buckets of crap i still wouldnt have been able to build a bike that could actualy kill one.
Even if we ignore the fact that bikes arent living things my bike doesnt have arms so it could never ring a ktm's neck

[WILL_S]

Geez mate joe's built a few killer ktm's
so ktm killer would be a walk in the park
that other dr he chopped rides like its on rails
but i believe all this time in the aussie sun has had a effect on on his humour
back to normal programming

[kellymac530]

I have had 3 KTMs in 12 years, NONE of them was crap. Sure they required a bit of set up to get them right, but once that effort was made, they were fantastic. The only bikes I have liked better have been my race YZs.

I have had 2 REALLY bad Kawasakis, total CRAP. I was racing MX then and had a shop give me 2 to race and after that year of racing them I CHOSE to PAY for Yamahas so I could finish a race. Hell twice I did not even get to start the race because they were crap.

I also had 2 Suzuki RMs in the late 90s that would buck you off for NO reason, Just random frame flex would kick sideways and spit you in whoops no matter who or how the shock was set up the frame just flexed like a noodle.
Never had that in a KTM. By FAR the best set up street legal dirtbikes on the market!!!! NOT perfect. BUT BY FAR the best we have now.

KTM bashing always cracks me up. Jealousy is an ugly beast. Bergs and Huskys are of course in the running with KTM for great DS bikes, but there is NO Asian bike out there that even comes close or is in the same market as as these Euro bikes.

If you want a good "middle weight" twin DS bike, get a BMW F800GS. That is a decent bike, still far from great.

The "perfect" bike does NOT exist and I do not see one anytime in the future. You just can not engineer a bike that turns like a CR450R, is stable like a YZ450 in the rough, street legal like a KTM, reliable like a DR {VERY unproven according to this thread}, comfortable like a BMW RT, long haul like Goldwing, Range like GSA, fast like a GSXR or a Ducati, and CHEAP to purchase...it is not there, not possible to build in this age of tech yet. Maybe in the future but not now.

PLEASE prove me wrong, I want one if it does come around. But NOW, and for the forseeable future, ALL bikes are a compromise on many aspects. A person needs to prioritize what he wants to do the most of and what he is willing to give up, then pick the closest bike to that he can find.

I am far from wealthy. I am just a carpenter that works for a company. agerage middle class family man. I LOVE MX, I raced it for MANY years and that is my riding style. I want an MX bike that has a plate on it. I have a BMW RT for my street touring and that is fine, but the KTM 450/525/530/new 500 is THE bikes for me. I change bikes every 2-3 years always looking for that next great bike that will fit more of my needs, it just is not there yet. Bikes are a priority to me and I ususally buy new because I want to ride and not have problems, it gets very expensive, but my ride time is valuable so crindgingly spend the money for new or newer good bikes.

Have fun, I really am not a dick here, just sharing my feelings. GO PROVE ME WRONG and build a 275lb MX bike that is plated for street and can comfortably tour for 500 miles a day back to back and get 300 miles out of a tank of fuel....PLEASE.

[LukasM]

Kelly...

KTM bashing? Jealousy? You just don't get the humor here.

Joe - amongst other bikes - has a very trick built up KTM EXC rally bike (he built his own subframe tank, nav tower, composites fairing etc), and gets to work and improve his customers bike every day, among them 950 SE, 690 Rally etc. When he says he would throw time and money at those he means it.


Just let it go now, follow along if you want, or maybe stop by in a few years to see if Joe will actually build a bike that could kill a KTM. I'm still doubting that myself to be honest.

[DRjoe]

I think we're going to need a bigger boat.

[kellymac530]

Lukas,
I have let it go...

I am HOPING Joe actuall CAN and DOES reinvent the wheel here and build a better bike for less money.

I am the first guy to put my deposit down on his first production bike that accomplishes the task at hand.

Build on Joe

[NordieBoy]

Originally Posted by DRjoe

I think we're going to need a bigger boat.

Bait's working well...

[DRjoe]

Originally Posted by kellymac530

Lukas,
I have let it go...

I am HOPING Joe actuall CAN and DOES reinvent the wheel here and build a better bike for less money.

I am the first guy to put my deposit down on his first production bike that accomplishes the task at hand.

Build on Joe

Hi Kelly lets put an end to this bull plop shall we.

Just for your clarification ill explain what the design brief was/is for the bike.

Firstly all I wanted to do was build my version of the dr650 and at no point did I believe it was going to be better than any other bike other than a stock dog rooter.
The ktm killer name tag was a joke, now humour seems to be a forren concept to you so I forgive you for going off the deep end about the ktm killer remark.

Once that engine went pop I decided I'd rather put a different engine in the frame, if you read back through the thread you will see that one of the requirements of the new engine was it had to be a low tech air cooled motor.
A few people suggested the gs500 motor because of it reliability and similar weight and power.
After trying to fit the gs motor to the dr frame I realised to many compromises had to be made so I decided I would can that idea and do some learning so that i can build my own frame.
The bike I want out if this is a light(ish) simple, air cooled, fuel efficient and good handling adv bike that I can take to the dessert with some gear on the back.

At no point did I ever seriously say that I was going to build a bike better than everything else out there (that project is for a different thread).

And you are correct about ktm's I actually spotted a real one yesterday from a distance and it looked ok.

And just so you know the point of this thread and bike build is the point is you don't have to get the point only I do.
Get the point now?

Have a nice day

Joe

[WILL_S]

Originally Posted by DRjoe

Hi Kelly lets put an end to this bull plop shall we.

Just for your clarification ill explain what the design brief was/is for the bike.

Firstly all I wanted to do was build my version of the dr650 and at no point did I believe it was going to be better than any other bike other than a stock dog rooter.
The ktm killer name tag was a joke, now humour seems to be a forren concept to you so I forgive you for going off the deep end about the ktm killer remark.

Once that engine went pop I decided I'd rather put a different engine in the frame, if you read back through the thread you will see that one of the requirements of the new engine was it had to be a low tech air cooled motor.
A few people suggested the gs500 motor because of it reliability and similar weight and power.
After trying to fit the gs motor to the dr frame I realised to many compromises had to be made so I decided I would can that idea and do some learning so that i can build my own frame.
The bike I want out if this is a light(ish) simple, air cooled, fuel efficient and good handling adv bike that I can take to the dessert with some gear on the back.

At no point did I ever seriously say that I was going to build a bike better than everything else out there (that project is for a different thread).

And you are correct about ktm's I actually spotted a real one yesterday from a distance and it looked ok.

And just so you know the point of this thread and bike build is the point is you don't have to get the point only I do.
Get the point now?

Have a nice day

Joe

Look out joes just had a cup of tea.
Watch out if has a long lie down ,way to much sense coming .

[kellymac530]

I am all good here. I do get alot of your humor and have not been offended. I do realize that you are just hassling us orange koolaide guys. I am just hassling you guys back more than actually having my panties in a bunch.

I have been on discussion boards way too long to get my feelings hurt of online differences...seriously, If I ever get down to Oz I will look you up and buy you a beer.

I want to ride whatever it is you build....I better plan my trip there for a few years down the road though then ehh...

I hope that if you went back and looked at my posts here imaging that I am laughing as I read and type you might see a funnier side...you are poking...I am poking...it is all good.

I am DEAD serious here, if you end up building something really cool I want to ride and maybe buy one...

Build away oh Wizard of Oz.

[Thunderhart8]

Bring back the thread it has been so awesome until as of late. Bump!!

[doug s.]

drjoe, i saw this pic posted over at the drriders forum, and i thought of you...

ya, it is not a dr650, but...


doug s.

[DRjoe]

Originally Posted by Thunderhart8

Bring back the thread it has been so awesome until as of late. Bump!!

Ok seen as you asked so nicely I will recomence the build shortly.

[DRjoe]

Originally Posted by doug s.

drjoe, i saw this pic posted over at the drriders forum, and i thought of you...

ya, it is not a dr650, but...


doug s.

Cool pic doug an that "old tech air cooled twin is a mediocore chassis" that should be able to slaughter a few katooms.

[WILL_S]

Is it true
Drjoe heard saying i need more power this dr is gutless
yet it nailed a modern fuel injected bike
Inspirational