The DR650 Highway Touring Thread

[EvanADV]

Originally Posted by Aleeoop70

My 2008 DR650SE as it looked a couple of weeks ago after a 2,800 mile round trip to Moab including a couple hundred miles of off road including the White Rim Trail.

I'd like to hear details on that topcase, the driving lights, the headlight, and the highway pegs!

[GypsyWriter]

Aleeoop, that is one nice looking DR! I'm totally digging the round front headlight, what's the dealio on it?

PS: Love the duct tape tankbag.

[planemanx15]

Originally Posted by c2c4c

I'd like to hear details on that topcase, the driving lights, the headlight, and the highway pegs!

Bump to all of those

[planemanx15]

When I first installed my vapor, I rebuild my dash to try and make it more pleasing to look at.. Well I'm no artist, and it came out like this:



After thinking about it, and how to change it, I went back to a modified stock look. Turns of the stock speedo bracket fits the vapor, just needed 2 holes drilled.



After holes drilled:







My final set up for now. Going to add a bracket connected to the plastic that will hold my Headlight kill switch, heated grips switch, 12v outlet, and eventually the aux light switch and the signal dynamics LED voltmeter (Half way down the page) (http://www.customdynamics.com/LED_battery_gauge.htm)




That Iphone case you see is excellent, for anybody looking to get something to use their Iphone as a GPS. Its waterproof, you can use the touchscreen, and does not move at all.

Finally, I removed the Fork boots, to get a cleaner look. Since I very rarely go off the pavement, I don't think it will be an issue (no pic of that).

[ADV8]

Originally Posted by c2c4c

Was it built into the transmission

Husqvarna had dual range in the 1960's.
8 speeds from a 4 speed transmission.
The primary drive had two gear sets with a lever on the handle bar moving the crankshaft gear in and out of the two ranges.






The TC Suzuki's were probably little different in concept.

[Aleeoop70]

Yes it does great on the highway and did very well off road on the White Rim Trail at Moab keeping in mind that we went slow enough to save the equipment knowing we had a 1,000K ride home.
Here are some of the mods and details front to back, top to bottom:
* Headlight: headlight bucket-cheapo Emgo w/carbon fiber look paint, mounting ears found to match-found through internet search, headlight itself is a 7" Euro Hella reflector and 55 W Hella bulb from rallylights.com. Headlight relay from Eastern Beaver. This thing puts out as much light as you can get for halogen and a stock alternator. About $100 invested.
* Daytime running lights are just that, just for visibility and don't help much with illumination but really help with visibility and to identify it as a motorcycle. They are LEDs from "Bling Lights" and use very little power. About $50 invested.
* Front and rear side LED visibility lights-LEDs. Very bright and use very little power. $40 invested.
* Flashing stop light module-$50.
* LED trailer tail/stop lights mounted on the rear of the Pelican cases. Very bright. $30 invested.
* Fabricated turn signal extensions.
* I've been hit twice by cagers, hence all the lights and I was careful not to overload the electrical system.
* Heated grips w/heat troller from Aerostich/Rider Warehouse.
* Trail Tech Vapor speedo/temp/tach/trip gauge.
* Fabricated dash with Vapor, battery condition gauge, power outlets and Heat troller knob mounted.
* Centech AP-2 Fuse block from Aerostich/Rider Warehouse.
* Battery tender pigtail.
* Kawasaki bend aluminum bars-1.5 inches taller than stock and a few degrees more back sweep.
* Brass anti vibe bar inserts $60.
* IMS tank
* Corbin seat
* Rear rack from a fabricator on ebay-excellent work.
* Moto-Sport pannier racks-no longer made.
* Pelican 1520 cases mounted with Happy Trail puck mount kit-5/8". Would recommend Pelican 1550s.
* Wolfman tank bag with large map window-most excellent.
* Excel 19" front wheel
* Avon Distanzia tires-Excellent on road and not bad off road, just don't push too hard in loose turns.
* Mirror extensions from Twisted throttle.
* Top case from Hardigg. They make them for Pelican and they are a little lighter and a little cheaper-excellent.
* Fabricated slide stops to keep the top case from sliding off the rack. It's mounted with Happy Trail puck kit-3/4".
* Center stand from Hepco-Becker/Twisted throttle. Good stand but needs stomp lever to aid in lifting,
* GSXR exhaust can.
* Ceramic coated stock header with inside weld ground down.
* 10.5 to 1 piston.
* Jesse Keintz airbox mods.
* Kehin FCR39 carb from mxrob.com
* Longer duration Cam from J & E
* Power is very similar to KTM640 Adventure
* Tie down loops added to top case-found on internet-mounted with pop rivets. Shock cord laced through them.
* Small waterproof side bags from REI mounted to top case for small items.
* Kolpin fuel cell and mount-mounted under rear rack with handcuff quality zip ties-very solid.
* Self inflating pillow doubles as backrest, held in place with elastic cargo net.
* Locking gas cap from Cycle-Pro.
* Skid plate from Moose Racing.
* Fabricated highway peg mount made from 1/2" mild steel tube and 1/16" plate.
* The peg mount worked well but one of the cheap pegs failed. Get good ones.
* Weld on type foot peg wideners from Cycle Pro.
* Ram mount for Garmin GPS
* Velcro mount on tank bag window for ipod.
* Cut down Maier windshield.
* Heavier than stock springs front and rear.
* Moose Racing handguards.
* Gearing is stock. Just used the clutch a lot off road. The pull is light and the clutch is good.
* Cheap Throttle holding device from Kuryakin-excellent.
* Tool tube from "Agri-whatever" company that makes the tube lots of people use.
* Fabricated a plastic mount for the tool tube from guitar pick guard material. Incredibly tough stuff.
I'm sure I've forgotten something but that's probably enough.

[Aleeoop70]

View of the dash. Two switches for the power outlets, one Euro/BMW and one SAE (lighter socket), Kuryakin Battery condition/volt meter, Heat-Troller electronic control for Oxford heated grips, Vapor speed, temp, tach, trip gauge. Dash is attached to an articulating Ram mount to the center of the handlebar.

[Aleeoop70]

Aleeoop's DR left side view. The Duct tape on the tank saddlebags became necessarry when the velcro mount failed after 100 miles of rain (leaving Seattle of course). Just one of many reasons to carry duct tape! The little turquoise bag holds 3/8" mil spec tiedown webbing and extra bunji cords. That's a Blackburn hydra pack hanging on the side of the Hardigg top case and collapsible water bags shock corded to the top and a pair of gloves sitting on top.

[vintagespeed]

i commute on my DR, rain grooved CA freeway, speeds here are 80mph and above or you're getting run down. i run 16/42 and get 50mpg average, i've got my vapor dialed in and the speeds are accurate.

i've found that my DR is most stable when the rear tire has worn down a bit and started to square. i've got Distanzias and i run the corners every week to knock the edges off. :) fresh tires love to follow the rain grooves and wobble.

i've been playing with jetting on the carb and currently my top speed is 98.7mph at around 6500rpm according to the vapor and i had plenty of throttle left. though i typically cruise at 85mph or so to keep ahead of the cagers.

[LostAussie]

Originally Posted by mickd

i got the sargent and very happy with it

+1 on the Sargent. I bought one used and love it!

[Aleeoop70]

Side view, before loading.

[Aleeoop70]

View of the hardigg case and Kolpin mount.

[Aleeoop70]

Kolpin mount, semi permanent because I don't need extra fuel all the time. A Safari tank would give you about as much as a 4.9 gal IMS tank and a 1.5 gal Kolpin fuel cell though.

[EvanADV]

Aleeoop70 i'm impressed.

A few questions...

did you wire turn signals/brake lights to the Pelican sidecases? or just reflectors? that's sweet.

does a helmet fit the top case?

and...

can you build me that dash cluster?!?!?!?!

PS: you are my new hero. I want to come to wherever you are and learn from you!

[eakins]

this might bear the same fruits as mxrob's bike
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=725795

Originally Posted by bigalsmith101

Hey man, this is what you are thinking about. Suzuki, Kawasaki, and Honda all had bike with dual range transmissions. I have a Suzuki TC90 at home that has a 4 speed dual range tranny. 35mph in 4th low, 70 (SEVENTY) in 4th high. (2 stroke)

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=737486




MxRob (http://mxrob.com/mxrob_004.htm) solved your wishes a year or more ago when he Fuel Injected his DR650 using a Micro Squirt unit. His bike idles at 1250rpm's, fuel shuts off on deceleration when throttle is closed and motor is about 2k rpm, his bike pulls like a horse, has 47hp, and delivers 50+mpg. Throw a 15th, and you've got LOW END grunt with no bogging, and high end power on the free way with the same HP as a carbed bike with less RPM

The condensed version: http://www.msruns.com/viewtopic.php?f=93&t=23004

The WHOLE version: http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/arc.../t-857903.html

It's next on my list when I get home. Though I'm sure it'll take a month or two!

--Alex