the DR200 thread

[Klay]

Originally Posted by rocketkidd777

I just got a new battery ($55). Batteries for that bike last about a year for me. Leaving the light on now and then doesn't help, but that's rare. How long do your batteries last in the dr200, and what maintenance do you do to them, if any? I took my battery out for the winter. No battery tender.

The batteries in our (mine and my wife's) 200s are eight years old. I leave the batteries in the bikes but have SAE connectors wired to the terminals. I have one battery tender that I rotate through all the bikes, so they get a charge every week or two.

The best thing you can do for your battery in the wintertime is to leave it out in the cold with a battery tender on it. The worst thing you can do is bring it inside and not put a battery tender on it. Remember warmer temperatures speed up chemical reactions. So you hasten the death of a battery by bringing it inside without charging it.

Our oldest battery is in my wife's 1999 DR650. It's ten years old and going strong.

Remember the battery really needs charging if you don't ride the bike for a period of time in the summer. The battery deteriorates the fastest in the heat.

[aplscrambles]

39 tooth holy smokes! does it have enough power to get out of its on way?

[green hell]

Originally Posted by aplandscaping

39 tooth holy smokes! does it have enough power to get out of its on way?

if you are doing mostly highway speeds, 39T is acceptable.

42 teeth seems to be a good compromise.

the downside of a 39T is that you will definitely need to remove a couple/three links from the chain to make it work.

i'm running stock, and will probably stick to it. i was kind of nervous about it at first, but she can take the flogging.

[Klay]

I ended up leaving the gearing stock, too. It can take the rpm's.

[rocketkidd777]

Just grabbed a battery tender on Amazon for $25 shipped.

It is definitely a big change, but it is acceptable at highway speeds as Hell said. What RPM's can a bike like the dr200 handle without damaging the engine?

The only thing my mechanic didn't do is take enough chain links out. My tensioners are at 6 or so . Any ideas there?

[green hell]

Originally Posted by rocketkidd777

Just grabbed a battery tender on Amazon for $25 shipped.

It is definitely a big change, but it is acceptable at highway speeds as Hell said. What RPM's can a bike like the dr200 handle without damaging the engine?

The only thing my mechanic didn't do is take enough chain links out. My tensioners are at 6 or so . Any ideas there?

you can get a chain breaker for pretty cheap.

i did the math a while back and you could go top speed (wot) all day long and not be near the theoretical max. i don't have a rpm gauge thingy, and i could have made a mistake somewhere, but that engine is pretty low stress, even if it feels buzzy at high speeds.

i've done highway runs of (indicated) 60~65 mph for several hours.

[X-Wing]

Originally Posted by rocketkidd777

I just got a new battery ($55).

.....I just got my dr200 back from a great local mechanic. He installed a chain, 2 new sprockets and a new tube and tire totaling $230 including tax, parts, and labor.

My front sprocket is stock, but I took 6 teeth off the rear one, so it has 39. It's quite a drastic change from stock, but I like it as I ride mostly around town and on back roads in the country. Crusing at 55mph has never been so good on the dr200. Definitely need 4th gear more often on hills ;)

With your 15/39 and if you don’t mind, please comment on the following aspects:
-Your total on-bike weight?
-How is the bike’s roll-off when pulling away in first?
-How is the crawl speed, do you run out of RPM at the bottom end when you need to go slow (off-road terrain)?
-Is the chain when under load in contact with the swing arm protector near the engine?

Finding a 42T for the DR200 in South Africa is impossible it seems. Have however found a supplier that will machine a blank 42T (sprocket with teeth but no mounting holes) to fit the DR. How this works is you give them a DR sprocket to use as a template for machining the mounting holes ..... gave then my 47T that came with the bike and hope to have a 42T by tomorrow if all goes as promised.

Wonder if links would have to be removed from the standard 112 link chain to run 15/42??

[X-Wing]

For info .... searching for that illusive 42T sprocket for my DR, I’ve found the following online suppliers that stock 42T steel sprockets for the DR200. The Supersproxusa sprockets look very nice but are also hectically expensive compared to standard steel sprockets.

http://www.alpha-sports.com/view_other.php?part_number=M8S9/42

http://www.supersproxusa.com/products.php?cat=1330

[Littlesnuzuki]

Try a 16 tooth countershaft sprocket from a Suzuki TR250 at Sprocket Specialties for about $18 U.S. Gives you a 16/45 ratio. Stock is 15/45. Cruise speed is at 55 instead of 45mph. Downshift more on hills but you'll stop hunting for that elusive 6th gear. Don't have to cut links out of the chain (a pain w/stock o-ring chains) and don't have to change the rear sprocket (a pain). Countershaft sprocket replacement takes 30min at best. I'm very happy with the gearing change and I weight 200lbs. The replacement sprocket does not have a cush feature, so some of your shifts will be a bit "clunky", but I have over 3,000 miles on my sprocket and there has been to discenrable damage to the tranny.

Disconnect your clutch lever starter safety. First time you tip over in the dirt and bend the lever, you won't be able to start the bike (unless you have a downhill or are good at bump-starting the bike)

O.E.M. brake pads need replacement at 2,500 miles. Buy braided brake lines instead of O.E.M. and save $$$ and get better braking!

[CodyY]

Originally Posted by green hell

i did the math a while back and you could go top speed (wot) all day long and not be near the theoretical max. i don't have a rpm gauge thingy, and i could have made a mistake somewhere, but that engine is pretty low stress, even if it feels buzzy at high speeds.

Tachometer.

[Klay]

Originally Posted by CodyY

Tachometer.

Buzzkiller.

[CodyY]

Originally Posted by Klay

Buzzkiller.

Balance shaft?

[Klay]

Originally Posted by CodyY

Balance shaft?

It's just more fun to say rpm gauge thingy than tachometer.

[green hell]

Originally Posted by CodyY

Tachometer.

yeah, that!

tacky thingy.

[rocketkidd777]

Originally Posted by X-Wing

With your 15/39 and if you don’t mind, please comment on the following aspects:
-Your total on-bike weight?
-How is the bike’s roll-off when pulling away in first?
-How is the crawl speed, do you run out of RPM at the bottom end when you need to go slow (off-road terrain)?
-Is the chain when under load in contact with the swing arm protector near the engine?

Finding a 42T for the DR200 in South Africa is impossible it seems. Have however found a supplier that will machine a blank 42T (sprocket with teeth but no mounting holes) to fit the DR. How this works is you give them a DR sprocket to use as a template for machining the mounting holes ..... gave then my 47T that came with the bike and hope to have a 42T by tomorrow if all goes as promised.

Wonder if links would have to be removed from the standard 112 link chain to run 15/42??

- I weigh 155 nude. You do the math!
- The bike's roll off when pulling away in first isn't bad. It's definitely different and I ride the clutch a little bit more, but it's fine.
- I would have to say that you will run out of RPM's in off road terrain unless you don't mind downshifting a bit more often.
- The chain is JUST touching it I would say. I didn't get a good look at it, but I wouldn't say its a real concern.

I have ridden the bike about 75 miles with the new sprocket setup and totally LOVE it. Cruising in 55 has never felt so right. I hit some highway tonight, and pegged it 1st- 5th. I hit 55 (GPS verified) in 4th and went into 5th steadily climbing speed. I'll have to post when I find out what the top speed is for a 15/39 ratio.