the DR200 thread

[Bustabust]

First of all, thanks to the community here for all of the information that has been posted and shared. I've used this forum as a reference for all of my bike's needs in the past year or so. Now I've got a problem that I need some help with.

I was changing my oil in the garage last night on my 2003 DR200. All oil drained and then time to refill. I used a pair of channel lock pliers to unscrew the oil fill cap as I have done so many times in the past. The tab broke off! I tried to dremel a cross section to possibly fit in a flat-head screwdriver to break the screw loose but that didn't work so well. The metal is just too soft for that.

This really sucks. Any ideas?

[Klay]

I would use a vise-grip pliers on the outside edge of the cap. But take the bike for a ride first and make sure the engine cases are really hot. That should cause the plug hole to expand and make it easier to get the plug out.

Edit: Whoops, all the oil already out, can't ride the bike. You could add the oil back in by laying the bike on its side and adding via the drain plug or the oil filter access.

[Bustabust]

Thanks Klay, good ideas. I'll flatten out two sides of the plug as best as possible for the vice grips. I'll let y'all know how it goes.

[HeReTiK]

Originally Posted by Klay

I would use a vise-grip pliers on the outside edge of the cap. But take the bike for a ride first and make sure the engine cases are really hot. That should cause the plug hole to expand and make it easier to get the plug out.

Edit: Whoops, all the oil already out, can't ride the bike. You could add the oil back in by laying the bike on its side and adding via the drain plug or the oil filter access.

Like Klay said, use some vice grips. They are essential in any tool kit. That should come right off no problem.

Out of curiosity, were you over tightening that cap with the pliers?

On a side note, I tapped my oil drain threads but couldn't find the proper bolt size. However I realized that whole plate at the bottom came right out and I just ordered a new one for $8 which is better anyway. w00t.

[ben2go]

I have a cheap and easy fix,if you have the tools.

First,get the cap out using the vise grip method but be careful not to damage the cap.Put a towel on the cap before gripping it with vice grips.

Second,while the cap is off drill a 1/4 inch hole in the center of the cap.

Third,install a 1/4 inch toggle bolt up side down, so the toggle makes a new place to grab to remove.Use red loctite.

Forth,install a 1/4 inch nylock nut on top of the toggle.

Fifth,cut off the excess bolt threads even with the top of the nut.

Sixth,clean everything up before installing it.

Last time I did this I had about $3 in the whole set up.If you feel that you need more height on the toggle add a nut underneath the toggle.Most hardware stores have these in singles.Lowe's and Home Depot have them in packs.






I thought my first post should be helpful.

[canuck76]

Originally Posted by Sateev

Nicely done, Canuck76. I like the rack a lot.

How did you cut the side pieces so nicely? Looks like it was machined, or water jet cut. Primo.

A friend of mine offered to machine them, he is a "amateur" machinist. Before he offered, my original plan was to band-saw the perimeter and drill the bolt holes and lightening holes. His plan obviously won out. Kudos to him for the nice workmanship. Here's to Friends.

[ontargetnow]

I am considering purchasing a Suzuki dr 200 se manual part number 99500-41103-03 E. I just recently purchased a 2002 dr 200 se. Can anybody tell me if this is the correct manual for my machine? Thanks in advance for any insight. Dave

[Klay]

Originally Posted by ontargetnow

I am considering purchasing a Suzuki dr 200 se manual part number 99500-41103-03 E. I just recently purchased a 2002 dr 200 se. Can anybody tell me if this is the correct manual for my machine? Thanks in advance for any insight. Dave

That's the one I have. It's the right one. There haven't been any major changes to the DR200 for many years...probably just jetting changes to meet EPA requirements.

[Sateev]

Ok, so for the past couple of weeks my speedometer is slow waking up. It often won't get above 10KPH at 6AM, on our way to the park.

This is Thailand, where it NEVER gets below about 70 deg F, at least not at this time of year. But after riding it to the park, where it sits in the sun while we get our exercise, it seemed to be working fine on the way home.

So, I guessed it was some sticky oil residue in the works, or something like that. Took it home, disassembled it, found everything staked together, and pretty impossible to get apart. Clean inside, though...

So, I douched the area around the rotating magnet and shaft with our local equivalent of WD-40, got the needle moving freely (although it is plenty damped, takes a couple of seconds to settle back on the stop). After putting the whole thing together again, the first few minutes were disappointing, with the needle stuck about 15KPH. Then, after a few more minutes of riding, something miraculous occurred! I suddenly was going over 120KPH (according to the speedo), and not even out of 4th gear!

Amazing! I had discovered what all the jetting, sprocket-swapping, and fancy-muffler-installing could never do!

Then I woke up.

Of course, the WD-40-like crap was increasing the coupling between the rotating magnet and the needle armature (kind of like a torque-converter effect), and making it read high...

That was yesterday, and I figured that after the liquid dried up, a) the effect would go away, and b) leave me with a properly working speedo.

a) -right, b) -wrong. This morning, same problem as before, no indication on the speedo. And it's even worse than before, because it never really recovered. It's cloudy today, so maybe it's just not heating up enough. But I already have a phone with Google weather on it, in case I can't look up at the sky to see if it's clear. I don't need a speedo/weather indicator. I just want to know how fast I'm (not) going!

So:

a) has anybody fixed a DR200 speedo?
b) does anybody want to sell an old one?

I have seen a couple on eBay, very expensive. I may go that route, though, because I want to keep my bike as original as possible (no aftermarket, stick-on bicycle speedos).

The moral is yet to be determined, but one thing's for sure: you can impress the hell out of your passenger with just a quick spray of Zonax.

[Klay]

Just get a gps and wire it to the battery. Easy way out.

[Sateev]

Originally Posted by Klay

Just get a gps and wire it to the battery. Easy way out.

I have a GPS, and it IS wired to the battery, but I don't always leave it on the bike, and I'm also thinking about resale value. Plus, I HATE stuff not working.

But thanks for the thought...

[Johnny9finger]

So after a 1000 miles I decided to tweak my dr200. first much thanks to the DR God of KeinTech cause the carb mod is like night and day, so much more power. I also tried the DG slip on from Dnnis Kirk which I found from this thread, I cant comment on power though it seems to have more pull in the the upper gears but after the carb mod its a whole new ride. The sound however is much more like a dirt bike than a moped.

[canuck76]

Originally Posted by Johnny9finger

So after a 1000 miles I decided to tweak my dr200. first much thanks to the DR God of KeinTech cause the carb mod is like night and day, so much more power. I also tried the DG slip on from Dnnis Kirk which I found from this thread, I cant comment on power though it seems to have more pull in the the upper gears but after the carb mod its a whole new ride. The sound however is much more like a dirt bike than a moped.

Great info Johnny9finger, I was looking at these mods a week or so ago. Did you do just the carb mod to get these results or did you do the air box mod as well?

[Johnny9finger]

Originally Posted by canuck76

Great info Johnny9finger, I was looking at these mods a week or so ago. Did you do just the carb mod to get these results or did you do the air box mod as well?

I also did the air box mod, with out doing that I feared I would be choking the engine and running way to rich

[frdbronco8]

I went to start my Girlfriends DR200 today after charging the battery and was having trouble getting it to run right. Took the carb out to clean the jets and when I put it back I noticed the pool of gas in the air box, I had forgot to switch the pet cock from PRI to ON last time we ran it. I drained the air box, dried and reoiled the air filter and its running good. Except the idle is really high. When I turn the idle screw just a bit to lower it the idle lowers all the way down until it dies and I have to give it alot of gas to get it started again... To get it to stay running I just barely raise the idle screw and the idle shoots way up and stays really high again......

Any Ideas?