The 650 Dakar Thread

[Gravel Seeker]

Originally Posted by Don Coyote

The only Touratech item i've bought yet is the 35L tank bag system. It has a 15L tankbag and 2 10L tank panniers that attach to a base plate. The theoretical engineering is pretty impressive. The panniers hold more and are shaped better than the other ones i've seen (Aerostich or Wolfman). The main problem i ran into is that an impact on the bags usually seems to destroy a zipper (which make the system more convenient than strapped ones otherwise) and leads to a pricey replacement. The main tank bag is very nice with a large, detachable map window, zipper to expand or contract to 15L capacity, and backpack straps for off the cycle.

It is an expensive system and although generally pleased with the design, i feel justified in airing some complaints based on the snarky response i got when i emailed their customer service department. The base plate covers up the oil chamber and ends up wearing off the decals on the fairing. I was fine with these items, but when i parked outside for a half year the base plate went from a black color to a faded purple and the velcro degraded to the point where i could no longer ride with just the map window and no tank bag, an advertised feature that would have been handy a few times if it hadn't turned out to be an engineering failure. The Touratech customer service rep advised to be content with all the 'road warrior cred' i would get for having a weather faded accessory on my ride, but i never botherd to point out how much of a poser i would look like to have a black tank bag zipped to a faded baseplate. I get the idea, backed up by most of what i've read here, that the TT folks don't actually get out that much to test their equipment...?

Regardless, if you don't mind the hassle of loosening the base plate to check oil, or find a deal on a used one, the TT tankbag is pretty nice.

Hey, I had that bag too and experienced the exact same thing; base faded, but the bag and panniers did not.
All zippers went belly up during my Australia trip and I snapped one of the pannier bottom straps. Like I've mentioned before; dental floss and a needle really comes in handy for all kinds of repairs and everything was sewn back on which meant I could only remove one of the panniers after a while. I found a couple of Life Venture waterproof roll up bags to use as inner bags and if I didn't know any better I'd think they were made for the panniers - made them 100% waterproof and easy to pack of the bike and just slip in there right before take off. I used the tank bag a lot without the panniers back home both before after the trip and knowing what I know now, I'd order another bag/ pannier (VP45 I believe it's called) before a new long trip and use camping sleeping matress and aknife to create dividers and rooms so it was a bit easier to stay organized on the road.

Just a picture to show the faded base with map sans the bag, but with panniers

[Gravel Seeker]

Originally Posted by GSBS

That picture is just so filthy I'm about to have an accident

[Gravel Seeker]

Originally Posted by herrhelmet

Bike is looking good. Like the dash/switch/mirror setup!



Bags not bad either.

That's ages ago and the dash has been reworked. The whole front actually.

The three button control is the remote for the IMO computer which keeps me occupied with its 12 pages of relevant information on those longer hauls.

The mirror extensions were born from necessity. Mirrors would be too far back twhen standing up so my for arms would bang into them all the time. I've angled them out now which looks a bit better and don't really notice them anymore. I was thinking about the HDB guards with mirrors, but I'm wide as it is splitlaning in and out of Oslo every day so I opted against those in the end.

The GPS RAM mount was ok when just touring asphalt, but with gravel and washboard the whole thing would shake violently and move up 2 inches so I had to go back to a standard U bolt RAM mount on the handlebars.

[Don Coyote]

Originally Posted by Gravel Seeker

I used the tank bag a lot without the panniers back home both before after the trip and knowing what I know now, I'd order another bag/ pannier (VP45 I believe it's called) before a new long trip and use camping sleeping matress and aknife to create dividers and rooms so it was a bit easier to stay organized on the road.

You're right, it is a VP45 and i misstated that the tank bag is 15L- it will actually hold 25 with the expansion zipper undone. The design of the bag works very well IMO, staying centered when fully expanded, zipped and full, or even empty, compressing down enough to lay on the faux tank while zooming on the superslab. It has never felt in the way, except when the side pockets are full they will hit the starter or horn with the bars fully turned, best to keep a few small things in them. The map window is nice and big and stood up to a fair amount of use so far.

[herrhelmet]

Originally Posted by Gravel Seeker

That's ages ago and the dash has been reworked. The whole front actually.

The three button control is the remote for the IMO computer which keeps me occupied with its 12 pages of relevant information on those longer hauls.

The mirror extensions were born from necessity. Mirrors would be too far back twhen standing up so my for arms would bang into them all the time. I've angled them out now which looks a bit better and don't really notice them anymore. I was thinking about the HDB guards with mirrors, but I'm wide as it is splitlaning in and out of Oslo every day so I opted against those in the end.

The GPS RAM mount was ok when just touring asphalt, but with gravel and washboard the whole thing would shake violently and move up 2 inches so I had to go back to a standard U bolt RAM mount on the handlebars.

Shows how far behind the posts I am... My bike only changes after something breaks off these days.

[nomad5326]

Looking to get a Garmin Montana but want to mount it above the guages and behind the windscreen. Anyone have theirs mounted this way and if so how? It looks like the screen screws may/may not be fixed stable enough to support. Thoughts? I have ram mounts for my Rhino now on the bars

[Nib]

Pretty sure I have the Dakar Manual on PDF at home - send me your e-mail and I will send it over.

Originally Posted by cocco78

I just picked up an 05 650 Dakar and am in need of an owners manual. I tried looking online for one to download but no luck finding anything for this "old" of a bike. I'd be happy with photo copies of a manual at this point, pdf would be fantastic though.

Is there a specific starting procedure for this bike? When cold it takes 3 tries for the bike to start, I thought that was odd for a fuel injected bike?

And lastly i'm looking for some stock hand guards, if anyone has a set left over from an upgrade i'd be interested.

Thanks!

[mattomoto]

Originally Posted by nomad5326

Looking to get a Garmin Montana but want to mount it above the guages and behind the windscreen. Anyone have theirs mounted this way and if so how? It looks like the screen screws may/may not be fixed stable enough to support. Thoughts? I have ram mounts for my Rhino now on the bars

Do a search in this thread if you have not yet- seems to me someone did that using those two mounting holes. I believe they made a bracket to hold a ram ball???

[Lupin 3rd]

Originally Posted by nomad5326

Looking to get a Garmin Montana but want to mount it above the guages and behind the windscreen. Anyone have theirs mounted this way and if so how? It looks like the screen screws may/may not be fixed stable enough to support. Thoughts? I have ram mounts for my Rhino now on the bars

My GPS mount:







Just replaced it with a RAM ball mount and GPS cradle, holds up just fine. I'm currently riding the snot out of my GS at the Shenny 500, I've bent both hand guards and cracked a hole in the bash plate, but my Garmin is fine.





I'm so lazy I couldn't be bothered to get off the toilet, so I sent this from my iPad using Tapatalk.

[herrhelmet]

So I can't beat the look of Kubiak's KTM 950 SM front fender so I joined him. Must say I like.



And this is my dash as it is now.


Of course I had to personalize my GPS greeting.....

[kubiak]

Originally Posted by herrhelmet

So I can't beat the look of Kubiak's KTM 950 SM front fender so I joined him. Must say I like.



And this is my dash as it is now.


Of course I had to personalize my GPS greeting.....

everything looks great including the front fender!

[Don Coyote]

Originally Posted by herrhelmet

So I can't beat the look of Kubiak's KTM 950 SM front fender so I joined him. Must say I like.

Does that fender provide better cover than the stock beak? Is it cheaper? (from KTM?!)

[Sparqq]

Went riding yesterday, first time I did a roadbook trip.

[herrhelmet]

Originally Posted by Don Coyote

Does that fender provide better cover than the stock beak? Is it cheaper? (from KTM?!)

So far it's better than just a beak, which was basically useless, not cheap $90 shipped but the first one I tried seemed to cover the radiator and had no venting. This is smaller, less floppy and just looks better.

[guavadude]

Just picked up a Wolfman Express tank bag and it's perfect.
Four strap mount and is a flat design, not larger at the rear.
I have it mounted at the front of the tank and it's not in my way at all when standing. Plenty of space for a camera and is zipper expandable.
My only complaint is that the map area is just a little too narrow for a Bulter sized map. They sell a larger map holder that I'll probably get.
Highly recommended.