The 650 Dakar Thread

[GSBS]

Originally Posted by WayneC1

Take care with the front pressures, at least when used with BMW rims, managed to spin the tyre on the rim without rim locks & pulled a valve. They dont fit as tightly to the rim as Conti's do & need higher pressures

These are Excel rims, but I never had any issues running either these or the similar Mefo Explorer 99s when I had the BMW front rim. And really I don't think 18 psi is "low pressure" for these tires. Now 8-10 psi I'd be using a rim lock!

[aufevermike]

What did you mount them too?

Originally Posted by twinrider

Just installed a set of Piaa 530 led driving lights I picked up on Amazon for about $200. Draw just 6 watts each, but put out very bright light. The led bulbs shine rearward toward the multireflector and the result is a precisely aimed beam that doesn't dazzle oncoming traffic like most led lights. Also have a 2-year warranty.
http://www.piaa.com/automotive-lamps/led-530.html

[Mr.Dabalina]

Just curious how quick everyone is riding? I know there are different types of gravel in different parts of the country. I'm not talking the baseball size rock roads. More the gravel that generally is about the stone size of a quarter. If you do ride fast, how fast until you are riding "on top" as they say? Also, on flat turns how quick is quick? Anyone able to drift flat turns like on smaller bikes? Or is it best to ride these machines off road like you would a muscle car. Hammer down, slow to a crawl on turns, and them hammer down when pointed straight again.

[TobyG]

Originally Posted by Mr.Dabalina

Just curious how quick everyone is riding? I know there are different types of gravel in different parts of the country. I'm not talking the baseball size rock roads. More the gravel that generally is about the stone size of a quarter. If you do ride fast, how fast until you are riding "on top" as they say? Also, on flat turns how quick is quick? Anyone able to drift flat turns like on smaller bikes? Or is it best to ride these machines off road like you would a muscle car. Hammer down, slow to a crawl on turns, and them hammer down when pointed straight again.

FYI: This is the view of a still noob-ish rider. I am only riding since April this year and just started getting into serious Enduro style offroading.
Plus my 650 GS is about 25 kg lighter than a stock one and I got WP forks and a WP shock.

However, on rather straight and rather flat gravel roads speeds up to 100 km/h are possible (appearently even 130 km/h and more are possible, as reported by a buddy who rode his 650 Rally in the Rally Dalmatia this year) , although I always keep in minds that I do have to be able to come to a stop rather quick. And I didnt start driving them that fast.

What exactly do you mean by riding "on top", though?

In general, drifting through turns IS possible, but I do prefer to just slow down and take it easy through turns. This might be due to my inexperience with drifting through turns, I am still training this.

Here's a pic of said buddy on the Rally Dalmatia drifting his 650 Rally through a turn with full tanks (28 Liters of gas in this very case, which results in ~195 kg bike):
Still, he's got a WP suspension, too.



All in all:
These things can go damn fast on gravel and they can drift through corners, depends on the rider's skill, of course (I am lacking some of that )



You should probably get some more opinions, though, as I am just a rather noob-ish driver and I can only refer to bikes with a non-stock suspension.

[twinrider]

Originally Posted by Mr.Dabalina

@twinrider. Looks good. What bulb do you have in the main headlight? Also, did you wire your driving lights into an existing switch or did you add one?

Bulb is a 1-Off Motorsports 55-watt bixenon HID bought through Sierra BMW. Looks like 1-Off is no longer in business though...

Originally Posted by aufevermike

What did you mount them too?

I'm using a homemade light bar that attaches to two bolt points under the beak.



But this Ezy-mount light bar would work just as well.
http://www.sierrabmwonline.com/produ...50gs-kit-p-120

[WayneC1]

I was thinking about it overnight and the pins in the Sidestand switch socket are the same as 0.1" spacing electronic connectors. You could go to any electronics store and get female connector pins to make a loop plug easily, you could also measure the pin spacing and get a complete connector to make a plug from rather than waste time and money on the BMW 3 pin connector. A loop plug to have under the seat in spares would not be a bad idea

[BeachGuy]

Need a little help here in the Seattle area. I had a chain failure today in Shoreline in the Seattle area. BMW shop was closed, its seems that they don't work on Mondays.

Can any local riders tell me where to buy a chain,front and rear sprockets tomorrow? Any help would be great.

[KG6BWS]

Originally Posted by BeachGuy

Need a little help here in the Seattle area. I had a chain failure today in Shoreline in the Seattle area. BMW shop was closed, its seems that they don't work on Mondays.

Can any local riders tell me where to buy a chain,front and rear sprockets tomorrow? Any help would be great.

Worse case, if your sprockets are still useable. Buy the cheapest chain you can find. Itll get you thru until you can get a new set. I got a non o-ring chain one time for something like $40, its actually still on my KLR, although not in very good shape at this point.

[michael1968]

Originally Posted by TobyG

However, on rather straight and rather flat gravel roads speeds up to 100 km/h are possible (appearently even 130 km/h and more are possible, as reported by a buddy who rode his 650 Rally in the Rally Dalmatia this year) , although I always keep in minds that I do have to be able to come to a stop rather quick. And I didnt start driving them that fast.

Yep, I had my Funduro at a top of 126km/h at a rally (Condo 750) in Australia, that was on a nice flat gravel road though. It would have given more, maybe 150km/h but I had jetting issues (and also I was shit scared).

For next years revent I'm going up one tooth on the CS sprocket, not really for the top speed but so it's not reving to hard at 110km/h and above.

As above, sliding in turns all depends on the skill of the rider.

[Mr.Dabalina]

Last time I rode dirt was on a 250 and j could do it all day. I just took it out on some metzlers for the first time and thought no way. I have some tkc80s in the garage waiting to be put on. It's just the first time I had taken this big of a bike offroad. With those tires I didn't feel comfortable at all.

[Barnman]

Originally Posted by WayneC1

I was thinking about it overnight and the pins in the Sidestand switch socket are the same as 0.1" spacing electronic connectors. You could go to any electronics store and get female connector pins to make a loop plug easily, you could also measure the pin spacing and get a complete connector to make a plug from rather than waste time and money on the BMW 3 pin connector. A loop plug to have under the seat in spares would not be a bad idea

Yes that is what I was planning, hence the reason for trying to identify the plug, so I could buy one from a auto electrics store. I was hoping that it was a generic one, and the BMW lead and switch wasn't needed.

The reason I want to do this, is because I have raised the lower frame for ground clearance and concerned the sidestand switch is very near the exhaust and may melt......and you know it will happen when in the middle of no where

[Barnman]

Originally Posted by Mr.Dabalina

Just curious how quick everyone is riding? I know there are different types of gravel in different parts of the country. I'm not talking the baseball size rock roads. More the gravel that generally is about the stone size of a quarter. If you do ride fast, how fast until you are riding "on top" as they say? Also, on flat turns how quick is quick? Anyone able to drift flat turns like on smaller bikes? Or is it best to ride these machines off road like you would a muscle car. Hammer down, slow to a crawl on turns, and them hammer down when pointed straight again.

In my case its the rider and not the bike that's the limiting factor

I have just undertaken a rally training course. On that type of of gravel track, I started with an entry sped of about 25-30mph after hard braking, and probably exited even slower before accelerating on the straight - muscle car style as you describe. By the end of the session I was drifting it around at 60mph! The tyre makes a massive difference, I needed to change from a worn Mitas E-09 on the front to a new Mitas C19 because my front would not grip when I was accelerating from the corner, because the drive from the rear was overcoming the available grip causing it to shake. The change of tyre resolved it instantly

Hers a pic of me part way through the day, not very impressive, although I did get better but no where near the instructor



Here is a pic of the instructor showing how it should be done - very impressive

[1911fan]

I need to go to one of those classes, I'm a chicken on gravel.


1911fan

[Barnman]

Originally Posted by 1911fan

I need to go to one of those classes, I'm a chicken on gravel.


1911fan

Worth its weight in gold - well recommended. The instructors were able to build so much confidence by slowly bring my technique on that the change over the day was amazing.

It doesn't get easier on the larger gravel either

Trying to get up these



ended up in this



Notice how my mate ensure he gets the photo first before checking Iam ok

[twinrider]

Originally Posted by 1911fan

I need to go to one of those classes, I'm a chicken on gravel.


1911fan

After reading this I don't think I'll be getting too aggressive on gravel.

http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=825368