Suzuki DR650 Build - Transformation to an Adventure Bike

[NC Scott]

Motodavid,

You mentioned the two known weaknesses of the DR engine/transmission. Did you address those issues as part of the transformation? Any internal engine work?

Scott

[LucasLeader]

Beautiful bike. Now stop posting so I don't spend anymore money.

[TRAVELGUY]

I meet Dave two years ago at a HU Rally. He is a true gentleman and I want to thank him for all his help the past two years.

Dave your build is fantastic as I knew it would be. Diffenately worth waiting on. Hope your SA travels go well and safe.

I just returned from five days riding in the Nicoya Region of CR. Great and beautiful country. In seven days I finish my first year of living here in Costa Rica. It's been great. Thanks for the shipping info for getting my bike here.

Tom Hottell
TravelGuy

[motodavid2000]

Originally Posted by G600

So - why did you choose the DR650 for this build? Do you feel that the DR650 is the best platform? Why?

Great question:

1) simple - has a carb, no Fuel Injection, reasonably light, good basic frame design

2) you can repair the DR650 in the field when in the boonies vs. my highly complex, computer assisted and fuel injected BMW GS/Adventure (although I have never had a problem, I don't want to in a 2nd or 3rd world country)

3) inexpensive - if I had to abandon the bike due to theft, or permit / customs violation it would not be the very end of the world vs. a $22,000 BMW

4) the DR650 engine has a very good reputation as being almost bullet-proof and it will not leave you stranded

For my South America trip I looked at everything from the new 800cc Tiger, to a BMW F800GS, to the KLR, XR650R (plated), XR650L, etc. Ultimately the DR650 was my choice for the raesons stated above.

Hope that answers your questions.

Dave

Originally Posted by NC Scott

Motodavid,

You mentioned the two known weaknesses of the DR engine/transmission. Did you address those issues as part of the transformation? Any internal engine work?

Scott

Yes, we removed the clutch and cleaned & Loctitied the NSU screws. while the clutch was out we replaced the fiber plates and installed heavier springs.

The 3rd gear failure problem is undetectable until it fails - low probability and not worth the effort to pull the engine apart, disassemble the transmission and install a new 3rd gear that may in all probability be just fine.

Dave

Originally Posted by LucasLeader

Beautiful bike. Now stop posting so I don't spend anymore money.

OK - I will try to keep all future posts to a minimum ! Thanks for looking at the thread.

Dave

[motodavid2000]

Originally Posted by TRAVELGUY

I meet Dave two years ago at a HU Rally. He is a true gentleman and I want to thank him for all his help the past two years. In seven days I finish my first year of living here in Costa Rica. It's been great. Thanks for the shipping info for getting my bike here.

Tom Hottell
TravelGuy

Tom -

As always, great to hear from you and happy that you are enjoying yourself in Costa Rica - it is tough NOT to enjoy time spent in Costa Rica riding a motorcycle. Almost 1 year there - fantastic !

Thanks for the compliment and I was happy to meet you at the Horizons Unlimited conference in 2009. Also happy that Marco was able to help get your bike out of Costa Rica customs, loaded onto his truck and off to your destination in-country. Happy to have helped a little with some shipping & transport ideas & contacts.

Also PM sent with a possible job opportunity in Costa Rica.

Best regards & take care - watch out for those Costa Rican bus drivers !

- Dave

[JagLite]

What a great build account!
Now if we could all get a great deal on new suspension...

Then I made the mistake of looking at your garage.

After reading through the many pages and learning more of your personality, your philosophy, and your ethics, you answered the question I had of why buy a used bike when you can obviously afford to buy the best, brand new.

It is great to see a nice guy can also do well by working hard and treating others respectfully.
One who works with his hands instead of just signing checks. I can just see you mowing your grass like most of us instead of paying others to keep the place looking perfect.

Oh, and someone who also pays cash for things instead of financing...

Keep us posted on the bike mods and the ride reports.

[sagedrifter]

Do you plan on adding the case protectors? I went with the full set from AMP. The oil filter cover makes me feel better way out in the sticks while on rocky roads..

http://www.motorcycleproducts.org/En...n-frameset.htm

[ShadyRascal]

Originally Posted by sagedrifter

Do you plan on adding the case protectors? I went with the full set from AMP. The oil filter cover makes me feel better way out in the sticks while on rocky roads..

http://www.motorcycleproducts.org/En...n-frameset.htm

+1 on Sage. Mine had a minor sidestand tipover (while I watched mutely from about 15 feet away) and the shifter poked a hole in the case.

[tobster9]

awesome work, it takes me hours to change a tire so looking at all the effort and detail thats gone into this is quite unreal. If I may be so bold as to make one crticism, its the lights on the bark busters, seems like it would be easy for a car to miss them being stuck out on the bars and if you were riding off road theyre toast. Just my 2c. Congrats for taking on the DR, I love mine but she is a big fat pig and handles like a small planet, I great to see someone iron out all the wrinkles. Your trip should be amazing

[BergDonk]

Lovely stuff.

On my KTM triple adaption I ended up machining up some shim spacers for the races and just use stock KTM bearings. I tried the mix and match without success.

The only other thing that should be OK, but I've seen some failures, is the swingarm. I reinforced mine as a preventative measure.

Details FWIW in my build thread.

Steve

[motodavid2000]

Steve -

Thank you for the comments & input.

I looked at your build carefully when I was thinking about embarking on this build. You did a fantastic job and it all obviously works together very well.

With respect to the DR650 headstock and KTM stem & bearings, I think that I am ultimately going to have to fabricate a new steering stem out of 6061 aluminum to fit the stock Suzuki bearings' ID and the press / interference fit in the lower triple clamp.

We have to do alot of other work to tune the suspension - we will look again at trail numbers with the combination of the Ohlins forks, and 18 inch rear wheel. Test riding it in my driveway tells me the trail is wrong and maybe a mixed issue with headstock bearing stiction / notchiness.

Obviously none of this required tuning / mods is unexpected given the mix & match of parts & what has been done. The Ohlins forks are 60 mm and are tapered, they required some very minor surgery of the KTM triple clamps to get them to work with the 60 mm tapered forks.

The swingarm cracking seems to be related to hard offroad riding - correct? I am going to take another look at the mods you have done to address the fractures / cracking. My DR650 will be loaded for sure - my primary routes will be paved, gravel and dirt roads; but may get into some tougher offroad riding. Just don't know yet.

I am going to be closely monitoring the cush drive bearing to see how it wears and will be carrying sealed spares.

Many thanks for looking and for the input & suggestions from someone who has a heavily modded DR650 with operational experience with the beast - sincerely appreciated .

regards - Dave

Originally Posted by BergDonk

Lovely stuff.

On my KTM triple adaption I ended up machining up some shim spacers for the races and just use stock KTM bearings. I tried the mix and match without success.

The only other thing that should be OK, but I've seen some failures, is the swingarm. I reinforced mine as a preventative measure.

Details FWIW in my build thread.

Steve

[motodavid2000]

Originally Posted by tobster9

If I may be so bold as to make one crticism, its the lights on the bark busters, seems like it would be easy for a car to miss them being stuck out on the bars and if you were riding off road theyre toast. Just my 2c.

Congrats for taking on the DR, I love mine but she is a big fat pig and handles like a small planet, I great to see someone iron out all the wrinkles. Your trip should be amazing

Thank you for looking and for the comments & input.

I hear you on the turnsignals on the bars / Barkbusters. My hope was that they would be more noticeable up high and outboard - also they are LEDs and are very bright. As you correctly point out, they are certainly more vulnerable to breakage however. I may add a set of small blinkers mounted closer to the forks in the traditional location.

The DR650 is a bit of pig, but remember that I became accustomed to riding my BMW GS/Adventure in deep loose gravel, mud and on dirt & gravel roads in the Yukon Territory and Alaska.

The DR650 feels like a dainty ballerina in comparison to my loaded GS/Adventure.

I never weighed the big girl but it has to be well north of 600 pounds when loaded. In the mud, stones & very deep gravel ? Ha, ha, ha - what a beast ! Enough to make me almost crap my pants a few times.

See below for my Big Pig and "planet-like handling":




I have a number of things yet to iron out and tune on the DR650, but we are getting closer to finishing.

Thanks again & regards - Dave

[motodavid2000]

Originally Posted by sagedrifter

Do you plan on adding the case protectors? I went with the full set from AMP. The oil filter cover makes me feel better way out in the sticks while on rocky roads..

http://www.motorcycleproducts.org/En...n-frameset.htm

Originally Posted by ShadyRascal

+1 on Sage. Mine had a minor sidestand tipover (while I watched mutely from about 15 feet away) and the shifter poked a hole in the case.

sagedrifter & ShadyRascal -

Thanks for the recommendations on the case protectors. I have a set, but have not yet installed them with the High Temp RTV. I want to thoroughly clean the cases and lightly rough them up so that I get a good bond between the case metal and the protectors.

I have a few other things to do such as add sound deadener to the skidpan (stop the metallic ringing) and add a wire strap to the foot operated brake lever to keep it from becoming a pretzel in an off, or if hooking on something while riding.

Lots of little details to address -- and a few big ones also.

Thanks for looking over the thread and for your input.

Best regards - Dave

[motodavid2000]

Originally Posted by farrington300

Maybe I didnt see it, but what did you coat the frame with?

farrington300 -

We lightly bead-blasted the bare frame, welded the stiffeners and then had it powdercoated at a local shop.

thanks - Dave

[Beez]

Why not just go with triple clamps for a Suzuki RM? I think that would eliminate the bearing issues. You could probably find stock ones on eBay or source aftermarket ones. That might fix your trail issue as well.

PS. Outstanding build!!!