the DR650 thread

[The Rizz]

I posted this as a WTB in flea market, but this is a better audience. I'm looking to buy a set of Intiminators, new or used. Thanks!

[Josh_TN]

Originally Posted by newone

Hi guys! I want to put 18 inch wheels on the back for winter driving, we have a large selection of tires of this diameter. Unfortunately we have hard to find a wheel assembly at a low price. Suitability for the DR wheels from other bikes?

Find a used DR350 rear wheel. All you will need is a DR650 brake rotor. That is what I use for my dirt set up. I paid $400 for a rear 18" with a new D606, and a 21" front with a new D606. Good luck.

[Rusty Rocket]

Originally Posted by Josh_TN

Find a used DR350 rear wheel. All you will need is a DR650 brake rotor. That is what I use for my dirt set up. I paid $400 for a rear 18" with a new D606, and a 21" front with a new D606. Good luck.

Are the DR350/250 front wheels the same as a 650 wheel also?

[vintagespeed]

Originally Posted by plugeye

after you sell or swap, would you mind writing up a comparison?

he'll need a sumo'd DR to make a proper comparison.



mine is not for sale however....

[procycle]

Originally Posted by Rusty Rocket

Are the DR350/250 front wheels the same as a 650 wheel also?

Nope. Nothing else shares the DR650 front hub.

[acesandeights]

Mr Procycle:

Is the DR400 rear license plate bracket and turn signals a fit for the DR650? Looks like the DR400 kit includes smaller turn signals than factory?

[goodcat8]

Originally Posted by plugeye

after you sell or swap, would you mind writing up a comparison?

No problem. I had a DR650 before so I could start that comparison any time really

Im taking the 400 to Calico ghost town for an overnight camp/dirt adventure w/ friends this 15th. After I get a good dirt outing I'll write something up.

My previous DR love.....

[Adv Grifter]

Originally Posted by SprintST

I'm currently in Des Moines Iowa, a thousand miles from home in Ontario Canada on my way to Tierre Del Feugo wondering how much I'll use the camping gear I'm hauling along. I enjoy camping but the stuff takes up awful lot of room, not to mention the weight. One of the reasons I changed to a DR from a KLR is the lighter weight. Now I find myself loading up on the poundage again.

Accommodation costs in the U.S. are manageable in the short term (kinda) but how much would I really be camping once outside of the States? Safety is a concern since I'm traveling alone. I'm hoping to do some couchsurfing along the way and stay in motels and hostels in the cheaper areas.

For those of you who have already done Central or South America and taken camping gear along would you do it again or forego the camping altogether?

So, do I leave the camp gear at a friends and just enjoy the ride a lot more or what? HELP? Would love to hear other peoples take on my dilemma.

Originally Posted by TRAVELGUY

Having done that trip as far as the Panama border and now livng in Costa Rica I would leave the camping gear up north.

TravelGuy

I agree with Travel Guy. But it really depends on your travel style, your pace and energy level. IMHO, it takes more energy and effort to camp everyday. Cooking adds more effort/time, plus packing stove, fuel and food to cook. Riding days end up being shorter and morning take off times end up being later when camping/cooking. Setting up camp in the dark and rain not much fun.

But plenty do camping and love it ... and just build it in to the schedule. If you read reports over on Horizon's Unlimited you get many more Euro camping types there.

To me, camping can isolate you from local people and slows your integration of culture and language. Not camping means more time spent in towns, eating in restaurants. Good and bad aspects to this. Many aren't doing the ride to "integrate" with local culture, and just yell louder in English to be understood. For them, it's all about them and furthering their Adventure career (film, book, website) ... and collecting stickers on the panniers and stamps in passport are of paramount importance. These are the "achievers".

Camping
Parts of Mexico are good camping ... but use caution in picking your spot. Beaches are NOT the best idea unless an organized pay site. Robberies are common.

Most of Cent. America is not camping friendly. Too dense, too many people, too many villages. Yes, it can be done ... you'll need to look around.

The best camping would be in Southern Chile and Argentina. I camped there in the 70's ... but had sent home my sleeping bag/gear long before that. (I borrowed camping gear in Argentina)

You can check out several great ride reports from travelers with differing ideas regards camping. Check out:
Jammin Jay (Camper)
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...n+Global+South
Jay did a combo of Couch Surfing and Camping. Check out Jay's DR650 to see a very overloaded bike ... a lot of this is camping/cooking gear and food ... but he still made it over the Salar de Uyuni.

Misery Goat (some camping)
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...ht=Misery+Goat
Mark mostly stays in Hotels but camps on occasion when stuck up in the Andes.

Crashmaster (some camping) EDIT .... Correction
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...ighlight=Fumar
From his ride report I thought he never camped ... but he says he did. Can't recall even one pic of his campsite or tent set up. Vince really knows how to travel light. Learn from him. Read his report. It's awesome.

Not camping means your planning has to be well worked out and should include a bail out plan, a place you can find a bed/food/shelter. In remote areas this can be dicey. Always carry enough water/snacks to survive a couple days with no food available.

Expect to eat what is available: I stayed with local families once in a while and was put to work. Once I was charged to grab (from cage), kill, clean and cook Qui in Ecuador and Peru'. Goat head soup was another local favorite, complete with eyeballs and jaw bone. Add to this various intestinal treats, Feet and other unmentionable innards. I ate it all ... and more. I nearly died of flu and dysentery on a couple occasions.

Some camp and cook just for this reason: local food will sometimes make you sick until your acclimated ... or not.

Not camping means better research and better local knowledge must be had. In my seven years in Latin America (on and off bikes) I learned to talk to locals for best and current info ... other travelers are a great source too of course.

Now, with the internet this is made easier ... and more reliable. I took extensive notes on everything I learned from other travelers along the way. But as always: CONSIDER THE SOURCE. Not everyone is in their right mind.

[clocklaw]

Originally Posted by Xracer

..........put in a new seal using a dab of yamabond on the outer surface to keep it in place in the cases......

It's amazing how a little Yamaha will make the Suzuki all that much better

[Rusty Rocket]

Originally Posted by clocklaw

It's amazing how a little Yamaha will make the Suzuki all that much better

[asrvivor]

Hey you guys! I'm on a 3 day adventure over here in Oregon. So I just replaced all wheel bearings Cush bearing and reassembled. 100 miles into this and I had to adjust the chain from 3.2 to the 4.5 mark. Does that sound right? Chain looks good sprockets look good, chain is lubed and in good shape. Wtf it seems like too much. Ideas. Oh yah new cush rubber too

[GISdood]

Originally Posted by lonewolf97

I put led turn signal lites on my 97 dr 650 now all 4 lites blink fast when I try right or left. got the lites from Virtual village .com I don't want to add resisters. is there a relay kit that works?

A flasher relay will fix the high-speed blink rate. Any generic 2-pin electronic flasher relay can be made to work with the DR. The factory relay is located under the seat near the battery box.

You'll need a diode kit to cure the 4-way flasher syndrome. The problem is that the indicator light on the dash is wired to two positive leads - one from the left signal and one from the right. One of these will fix you right up. You wire the two 'Y' ends of the diode kit to the two positive signal leads, the joined end of the Y to one of the indicator bulb leads, and then pick up a ground from somewhere inside the headlight shell for the other terminal of the indicator bulb.

Or... just unplug the indicator bulb :)

[Adv Grifter]

Originally Posted by asrvivor

Hey you guys! I'm on a 3 day adventure over here in Oregon. So I just replaced all wheel bearings Cush bearing and reassembled. 100 miles into this and I had to adjust the chain from 3.2 to the 4.5 mark. Does that sound right? Chain looks good sprockets look good, chain is lubed and in good shape. Wtf it seems like too much. Ideas. Oh yah new cush rubber too

Sounds like you failed to move the axle ALL THE WAY FORWARD before setting chain adjustment and tightening axle nut ... or the axle nut was not torque'd down all the way and axle slipped when power applied.

Start over:
1. Loosen axle nut ... just a bit loose, don't take it off.

2. Make sure chain slack is mostly on under side of swing arm, not above. If all above, pull chain and move back a tooth on rear sprocket. Most chain slack should show on under side of swingarm.

3. set chain slack adjustment using snail adjusters. Even on both sides?

NOW ... move axle full forward until snail adjusters are tight against stop pins. Make sure they are equal on both sides and that axle is fully seated.

Snug axle nut ... spin wheel to make sure all is well. Smooth? Quiet?
A bit of brake drag is OK ... but you can spread pads to eliminate it if you'd like. (just for the "smooth" test)

Torque axle nut to some unGodly value (Gut undt tight) Spin wheel again.
All good?

This should hold it ... and chain slack should remain constant for thousands of miles.

Only other thought is that if a new bearing was not installed correctly and not fully seated ... it may have collapsed. Seems unlikely. Good luck!

[TRAVELGUY]

Very well written and accurate! I just didn't have time to say all that.

TravelGuy

Originally Posted by Adv Grifter

I agree with Travel Guy. But it really depends on your travel style, your pace and energy level. IMHO, it takes more energy and effort to camp everyday. Cooking adds more effort/time, plus packing stove, fuel and food to cook. Riding days end up being shorter and morning take off times end up being later when camping/cooking. Setting up camp in the dark and rain not much fun.

But plenty do camping and love it ... and just build it in to the schedule. If you read reports over on Horizon's Unlimited you get many more Euro camping types there.

To me, camping can isolate you from local people and slows your integration of culture and language. Not camping means more time spent in towns, eating in restaurants. Good and bad aspects to this. Many aren't doing the ride to "integrate" with local culture, and just yell louder in English to be understood. For them, it's all about them and furthering their Adventure career (film, book, website) ... and collecting stickers on the panniers and stamps in passport are of paramount importance. These are the "achievers".

Camping
Parts of Mexico are good camping ... but use caution in picking your spot. Beaches are NOT the best idea unless an organized pay site. Robberies are common.

Most of Cent. America is not camping friendly. Too dense, too many people, too many villages. Yes, it can be done ... you'll need to look around.

The best camping would be in Southern Chile and Argentina. I camped there in the 70's ... but had sent home my sleeping bag/gear long before that. (I borrowed camping gear in Argentina)

You can check out several great ride reports from travelers with differing ideas regards camping. Check out:
Jammin Jay (Camper)
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...n+Global+South
Jay did a combo of Couch Surfing and Camping. Check out Jay's DR650 to see a very overloaded bike ... a lot of this is camping/cooking gear and food ... but he still made it over the Salar de Uyuni.

Misery Goat (some camping)
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...ht=Misery+Goat
Mark mostly stays in Hotels but camps on occasion when stuck up in the Andes.

Crashmaster (no camp)
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...ighlight=Fumar
No camping for Vince, IIRC, and Vince really knows how to travel light. Learn from him. Read his report. It's awesome.

Not camping means your planning has to be well worked out and should include a bail out plan, a place you can find a bed/food/shelter. In remote areas this can be dicey. Always carry enough water/snacks to survive a couple days with no food available.

Expect to eat what is available: I stayed with local families once in a while and was put to work. Once I was charged to grab (from cage), kill, clean and cook Qui in Ecuador and Peru'. Goat head soup was another local favorite, complete with eyeballs and jaw bone. Add to this various intestinal treats, Feet and other unmentionable innards. I ate it all ... and more. I nearly died of flu and dysentery on a couple occasions.

Some camp and cook just for this reason: local food will sometimes make you sick until your acclimate ... or not.

Not camping means better research and better local knowledge must be had. In my seven years in Latin America (on and off bikes) I learned to talk to locals for best and current info ... other travelers are a great source too of course.

Now, with the internet this is made easier ... and more reliable. I took extensive notes on everything I learned from other travelers along the way. But as always: CONSIDER THE SOURCE. Not everyone is in their right mind.

[upweekis]

Originally Posted by TRAVELGUY

Very well written and accurate! I just didn't have time to say all that.

TravelGuy

My 2-cents.
Never been South of Mexico, but it seems to me that food and lodging is cheap enough there to forget camping. Hell, if I'm going down there I want a cold cerveza and some company!