the DR650 thread

This all harkens back to an old house paint commercial ... I can't afford a cheap product".

A contact lens solution bottle is my go to for chain oil, whatever is available.

that's what I WAS using, but the Hostal owner's dog in Guatape Colombia chewed it up (was full of oil too lol)
A trip to a local hardware store got me a small dropper bottle of 3 in 1 oil that works just as well.

Huh. I learned something and it didn't cost me!!! However, if the 525 lasts even 50 percent longer, then I will get 4500 miles.

I happily run 520 chains, mostly DID to date. My DR came with a 520 and its made sense to me to keep it for standardisation in my fleet, which is probably not the criteria it was. The one EK SRX I used didn't last very long. They were cheap on the day, but not cheap enough. I lube mine when I think about it, every day or so on a ride, maybe. My Dirt Tricks rear sprocket is on its second chain and looks like it'll go at least 3, maybe 4 chains. I swap out the CSS at <> 6-7k kms.

My chain spiel FWIW; https://drriders.com/chain-information-and-proper-adjustment-procedure-t23588.html

I love finding places like this. That's what it's all about. Bet a troll lives under that dam ...

If you're only getting 3000 miles out of a 520, you're doing something wrong, my guess would be over tightening (since there isn't much else that would cause that kind of wear ).

Need suggestions please.

Apparently I've got a pin hole or two right at the right tank locator. Nothing visible, some pics attempting to show.


Straight in from front, best pic.

My wife said maybe that’s where Bigfoot lives.

Used stock tanks are cheap and plentiful. There are several choices of larger capacity plastic tanks.

Thanks. Should have said, this is on hacked DR, upper bracket under tank limits aftermarket.

This being an rural area at least I've got plenty of JB Weld options, suggestions in that vein?

If you are determined to fix the existing tank use a fuel tank sealer.
IMO the best stuff comes from Eastwood but POR-15 makes some good stuff as well.
I would not try to patch it from the outside.

Thank you.

Anyone got a 2000 blue stock tank for sale? First choice...

I have been scouring the internet today- I cannot find anything about that dam.
It has to be old and it is quite isolated from any modern day activity. There is a much larger river just over a mile away. Why build it there?
From what I saw the brief time we were there isn't much held back from it, no lake. Water just runs over the top. Very curious.

EDIT- I believe I found the story on that small dam and the access door- A large dam and 6.2 mile tunnel was built along the Pigeon River creating the Waterville Lake. This was finished in 1930.
I found a 1938 map that shows the path of the tunnel- which seems to be hard to find on any modern maps.
This tunnel, from what I can tell passes directly under the small dam we came across.
I suspect that is some access point to the tunnel for maintenance.
Pretty cool!

The drop from the lake to the powerhouse is about 1000ft- I would suppose that much drop, with about 400psi, would spin the turbines quite well.
I'm going to keep digging for info.

Red circle is where we were




ADDITIONAL EDIT> found some more interesting info- that concrete structure is not a dam at all!

It encases and protects a 14ft diameter steel pipe the water passes through on it's way to the powerhouse.
The valley there, formed by Mt Sterling Creek, was deep enough they apparently did not want to go below it- so they went through it.
Below was captured from the July 14, 1929 edition of the Knoxville Journal.
Again red circle indicates the point we were at

Does anyone have the Clarke tank? Curious about the underside dimensions.
https://procycle.us/product/370-clarke-37-gallon-gas-tank

This is the issue, so curious how it relates to the stock tank.

Measure discharge? Power a sawmill and the pond has silted in? Mongle's ancestors water source for distilling honey dew vine water?

I must be missing something about chain construction here.

Why does the pin wear in 2 separate, side by side grooves?

That pin is covered by the outer roller, which is just a loose fitting sleeve, no?

..............shu

My old DR's chains in miles, all replacement chains were DID, except the 520, which I don't know what it was.
18517 OEM
10688 a 520
18300
18185
14546 was pretty much still OK but I put a new one on because I just did the engine work on it.
6302 currently running
new DR
16391.6 OEM
5256.5 currently running
And I sometimes oil them and even, on rare occasions, clean them!

Many designs have two grooves on the interior ID of the roller. To “hold” lubricants