Just another Versys getting the adv treatment

"No, It's a street bike. If you want a adv bike by a v-strom" you say.

So, I fell in love with this silly little bike in 2012. I rented one, a 2007 I think, from Mr. Mechanic. As you can imagine, it was ridden hard and put up wet every single time. Despite it's clapped out state of repair, the bike was FUN. That could of course have been influenced by the miles of flawless Chinese funded asphalt, complete and utter lack of any traffic laws, or the native <cough> wildlife.

I bought my 2011 versys in the middle of the 2013 riding season, and applied a heavy, yet (mostly) tastefully dose of farkle. Including an oversize 'it's the same diameter' front balloon of a tire. The agricultural tire makes the bike handle like a tractor, but it works. What doesn't work is the suspension. It's crap. Always was.

So I tore a few pages out of JDRock's dirt ninja cook book, and set off to build a versys that works at least as good as it looks.

EDIT: I've been at this for a little while, mostly shopping. So the first few posts are catch-up.

Before:

Trying to keep the budget in track. I started shopping. I've been shopping for a few months.

Took a chance on some 2001 "DIRT" drz forks. Lucky the seller knew the difference and got a set with the valves. An r1 shock and a few odds and ends.



The shocks were sold as 'needing' seals. I've never done fork seals, but it can't be that hard. I pulled them apart to make sure they were in fact 2001 E forks, and not the crappy version.



Low and behold - gold valves.



*BUT* I have no shim stack information, and no extra shims. It's another $50 to access the race tech calculator, and at $1.40 is a shim, it could easily, although not likely, another $50 to build a correct stack if what I have is not enough.

I also wanted to re-spring the forks. I know JDRocks has had a lot of success with the OEM spring rate (and he is a bit bigger than I am). However, what I hated most about the factory versys was how quickly and without effort I could cause it to bottom out. Lots of reading on the DRZ forums and threads and the internet is of the opinion that the drz is sprung too soft. I ran the race-tech calculator for the DRZ with a rider my weight @ 200lbs and it gave my .52kg. Given that the versys is heaver, and sadly so am I (thanksgiving was hard on my waist this year), I'll give it a go.


I dug, post by post in the dirt ninja builds, to find any other data.

JDRocks - Stock DRZ400
XCRider - Stock DRZ400
sanjoh - KTM Forks
4Play - .KTM/WP 43mm forks with .49 springs.
ktmklx - KLX 450 forks
mtothef - DRZ .50kg prings

I don't know what the KTM ADV fork rate that Sanjoh used. <s>but I figured that 4Play must be the genius of the group, 'cause he agrees with me.</s> Edit: He is still probably a genius, just not with DRZ forks. I plan to valve it soft. Once you've gone plush, you never go back - or something like that.


So I need springs, seals, valves, (or shims) and the inner bushings look a little worn. $300 later and I have a lot of race-tech stickers.

New shim stack.






Now the fun part. re-assembly.

Odd, I appear to be missing the damper rod springs. Both of them. I guess the PO forgot to install them. I bet he couldn't figure out why is compression clickers weren't working. Off to bike bandit to get some new ones. grabbed some axle pinch bolts while I was paying shipping.

3 days later. 2 brand new #21s




Jokes on me. I found 'em. I'm not going to dwell on this too much. Going to pretend it was due to material fatigue. Don't play with your clickers too much boys, might break your springs.




what they don't tell you in all the DIY instructions and youtube videos, is while you might be able to get the valve out of the bottom of the shock with an impact, you will NEVER get it tight. So an afternoon lost to tool R&D.



New legs assembled, and ready to go.

Now for the fun part.




Make some final measurements. Sketch it up and jump in with both feet. Keep in mind that this is the *FIRST* time I've used a lathe. You are looking at project 0.



There is several hours of playing with tool, tool angle, tool height, speed, etc. all while slowly whittling away and sneaking up on my measurements.



No picture of the initial test fit, but it's amazing what you can do with a $30 caliper if you take your time.

now to get rid of the bit I had in the chuck.



Just face it off, and into the tree.





Live a glove!


Now to cut the compression slot. Wasn't sure exactly how to do this, but often the simple solution is the correct one.



and success!!!

good start!

Looks like a cool project. I'm in!

Curious as to why you didn't just use a parting tool in the lathe to face it off?

Good question. Short answer is because I don't have a parting tool. I bought the lathe and mill last year w/out any tooling. I've been making some good progress, picking up things at auctions and enco 20% sales. I priced out a parting tool setup and it would have been just about as much as I gave for the 7x12 bandsaw. So it made more sense to get the saw.

Last update and we will be all caught up.

I took another ebay gamble. This time a DRZ front wheel. I had been striking out on DL1000 wheels, and this one popped up. I know the 21 is tall, but has been done. I do like the idea of a spoke wheel, and it was cheap. Of course we all know why it was so cheap. I gave it a quick look when it showed up on the big brown truck, it wasn't until much later when checking the spokes that I found the crack.. Not much to do now.. I'm more pissed about the DL1000 wheel I didn't buy then the money lost.

Anyway. It wouldn't be a good internet build without mockup pics.. So here are the forks installed, and on the DRZ wheel.







I did measure. The fork and rim combo raised the front 3". That is with 25/26mm of fork proud of the top tripple. I looks to me like I could get a bunch more, but I have to figure out the fork travel first.

So that's what it looks like right now. I'm back to square one with the wheels. It might take a few weeks to find something else that will work. But all is not lost, I have a few odds and ends to work on while the bike is on the lift.

Is hub or rim cracked? Rim and spokes aren't that much and you could go down to 19"

Great suggestion! That would give me a 19" spoke rim, if only I can do it for cost less expensive. Lots of reading to do, I guess.

Only found a crack on the rim. Didn't look that closely at the hub, I suspect it's fine. - I'm going to pull it tonight and give it a good look over before I do anything else..

I guess it'd be tough to do then! And, it isn't critical that the face of that piece be perpendicular to the bore, so there's no reason that the band saw wouldn't work. I just thought that parting it off while it was chucked up would have been the easiest route.


So, what's the little 2 stroke hiding under the bench?

Yeah.. and the south bend 3 jaw that came with this lathe either just sucks, or is worn out. It takes a good bit of "adjustment" to get material chucked up close to what I would call centered.

That was my grandfather's Benelli dyanmo. He used to give me rides on it when I was ~9. 65cc and I have a street title for it. (In his name, dealing with that now). I've had it in storage for 15 years, planning on restoring it to some degree after I get the versys of the table.

I'm spoiled. I've got a 6 jaw scroll chuck that our maintenance department ensures that it is always centered. Not as convenient having to drive to work to do any machining - but it'll work until I can get a lathe for my shop.

That's a cool little scoot.It's great to have something like that stay in the family. I've still got the mini-bike my brother and I learned to ride on. It'll get passed on to one of my boys or his.

Cool project. I'm in too.

I love these Versi build threads. One of these days I may take the plunge and do it too.

Hey, Max, check your mail. I sent you a PM.

thanks to Yella DR, I have a sudden urge to learn all about being a wheelright.


odd right?

Oh my- I've inspired more!

Now fellas- Sara may inspire a few dead kittens so try to resist...

Post a picture of the crack. A lot of rims have a seam that looks like a crack. It is also a place to crack the weld.


Don

Great topic, I have a 2008 Versys that I am working on over the winter.
Question, not related to your forks-- looks like you have the SW Motech skid plate?

It looks like the bottom surface of it is pretty horizontal (flat) to mate up to some blocking. My Versys came with a skid plate (also German made) but it's very 'curvilinear'-on the bottom, making it a pain to use on a jack as it is tippy as hell.

Oh, the tire gal is most 'curvilinear' as well.

I changed tire sizes from stock and have not gotten them mounted up yet. I went up a size (taller) and one size narrower in back (Distanzia). In front I went up one size taller and one size wider (Shinko 705). I have a new Distanzia as a backup in the stock size if the Shinko does not work out in front.