the DR650 thread

Carolina distilled honey dew vine water with blue food coloring. One shot down and after that he'll sip without knowing the difference.

G’day all,
I’m after some honest opinions.
Since I have to split the cases and inspect gearbox to find where the broken circlip ends came from, I’m seriously thinking while everything is apart to install the 790 big bore kit.
The bike already has a Mikuni TM40 pumper carb and GSXR muffler and ran really well with that setup.
The DR is a 2015 model and has only done 24,000 klm’s
Those that have done the 790 kit, did you just use the stock head and valves and camshaft or did you mod the head and used a hotter cam, are the gains still good by just using the stock head and cam ?
The main thing that concerns me with the 790 kit is the reliability and durability and maybe increased engine temps, my DR is setup and only used for long distance touring in OZ and it doesn’t get thrashed therefore reliability is main priority, and does the kit increase fuel consumption by much.
What are your opinions from those that have fitted the 790 kit, any regrets or issues with it.


790 kit with big cam, love it, it's what manufacturers should be making sub 400 lb DS with ample power

I have a 19" front wheel on my DR. I just put the rear shock in the lowered position with the inverted spring collar. I intend to lower the front forks and put on a 21" front wheel. Any thoughts or cautions on riding with 19" wheel and lowered rear till I lower the front forks


I have a 19" front wheel, the bike handle better on and off road, I will not go back to the 21" pizza cutter

A great day!

Most likely the upper fork tubes just rotated a bit in the triples, pull up to a post/tree/retaining wall/vehicle bumper with your front tire and push the bars straight, the tubes will 'unrotate' - I've been doing that for 50 years. Odds are 98% that's all that happened.

This is the other possibility, the handlebar mounting hardware got tweaked - it may need to be loosened, realigned and retightened. There's a slim possibility that one of the two bolts going through the upper triple got bent and will need to be straightened but that's rare.

Didya get the 900's TM-40 to stop p!ssing all over ever thang?

I'm 6'2. 280. A stock bike is REALLY low for me as the springs sag out. Get the right springs front and rear, set sag correctly, and they sit reasonably high.

Lowering the pegs is a BIG deal for comfort.

to set sag, find a friend and have him measure from a point on the seat/frame above the rear axle shaft with you lifting up on the bike so the shock is topped out. Now stand and balance (I use a garage door frame on my shoulder) on the pegs and have him measure again. If you are that tall, I shoot for 3 to 3.5 inches of sag.

When you change the springs, you NEED to upgrade the shock and front fork hydraulics. Procycle and Cogent have good recomendations on all this for your weight and are as inexpensive as anything and really good.

Chains. I bought my bike with 16k and it had the original chain.
I switched to 520 EK style chain on it, and i think it went 8 to 10k miles.
Then I wore ouit 3 EK chains on it in 10k miles. each time I changed sprockets same time as teh chain.
I've tried magic lube on one chain. I tried chain lube in a can on one chain. Last chain I used chain saw bar oil because I HATE the smell of 90 weight.

Latest chain is about 2500 miles and stretching fast, and the back sprocket still looks good.

I guess I quit lubing it and try a different manufacturer?

Cogent suspension, tall Seat Concepts puts distance seat to ground at 37 inches. Added lower and 1 inch set back foot peg mounts from Procycle for my long legs. It works pretty well. Have to watch for stable footing in some locations, but overall, very happy.

I have a tandem USB charger with an illuminated ring installed on the bike. Two weeks of sitting seems to have no effect on the battery. The charger is plugged into my Battery Tender lead from the battery and can be unplugged in a second.

Haven't gotten into it yet, it's on the short list. Been going through the fleet, gonna thin the herd. Got my first KLX (the 300 not the 351) just about ready to go on the market.

When I pull up to a post/tree/retaining wall/vehicle bumper I tend to smash into them, but I’ll try your method.

This is why I won't switch to a 520 chain. Someone posted the difference in mileage they got between the 525 (stock) and the common replacement 520; it was nearly 8k miles less on the 520. Another huge difference is the varying quality of chains available - I prefer to bite the bullet up front and pay for the best DID available (EK is a quality chain but DID has the stellar reputation (and supplied stock)). I'm a smooth rider but use a lot of WFO in the lower rpm range (not lugging) - I get +/- 20,000 miles per chain. I lube after every ride (150-200 miles) using chain wax.

Maths: Chains don't stretch, they wear the load bearing pins. That load bearing surface is 1/4" on a 520 and 5/16" on a 525 - that's 25% more surface area on the 525 over the 520. The only reason I can see for using the 520 is if you're traveling in another country where the 520 if far more available than the 525. And the only reason that would matter is if your trip will be over the (theoretical) 20k mile range of the 525. Pay me now or pay me later.

Where chains wear.

+ whatever on zip ties when remounting wheel. I put the red cush dampers in and being new no way was everything going together. Took 6 zip ties, tight, but everything is good to go.

Only one pinch on rear tube, I'm getting better!

not just rotational wear on the pins, but also deformation (bending) which causes link to bind.
If you take the most expensive 520 chains the major manufacturers make (EK, RK, DID, Regina...matters little) and compare them to the same companies 525 chains, the mid-price 525 is stronger, and will last longer.
I’ve got a new EK SRX 525 waiting for me in Lima Peru along with new JT steel sprockets.
My current set has over 32,000 miles and is still operable, though getting sloppy. BTW, I use motor oil for lube. Whatever fling there is wipes right off. Chain lube sprays are expensive and not readily available on the road. And with the DRs oil capacity, I’m always carrying a partial liter in my bag. A small refillable dropper bottle used for application.
And also, no problems finding 525 chains wherever I’ve been.

Thanks, Danimal, for the real life experience.

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