The DR is in

[Shorty]

Good for you Shorty, I had a DR350 25 yrs ago,  dirt model, great bike. The DR 650 is on my should get one list.

Hi Bill! Long time no see...  I also owned a DR350. It was a bear to start sometimes. I have had to move on to an electric leg in my dotage, lol.

[Roebling3]

My son had a growth spurt.
At  8 yrs. I gave him an 80cc Kawasaki. 6 years later - tall- muscular; he was ogling a DR370. You know:With the window to check piston position.  Forgetting he read all my magazines. The bike had not sold or run in 3 years. Thinking I'm fairly safe I said if you can start it I'll buy it for you. Great bike.  R3~

[joe-dean]

don't bother with links.   the shock at the bottom has two bolt positions change that and suzuki sells a shorter side stand.

that is the factory lowering kit.  did that to mine drops it about 2 inches. then slide up the fork tubes

[Perazzimx14]

The forks are woefully under sprung you'll notice this evetime you touch the front brakes and the front end nose dives 7 inches. progressive springs,  Ricor Intimidators and a fork brace go a long way in making the front end tolerable.


Keep an eye out on the big Adv site. These items pop up from time to time. I got used Ricors and HD springs for something like $100. I also put gold valves and heavier springs in what is now the tug for the pups sidecar. The GVs are better off pavement whereas the Ricors are better on pavement. Either are better than stock.

[LesP]

LesP,

I would like to hear more of the details of your DR650 (s?).  White one has DRZ400SM forks I assume?  53hp/50ft-lbs is using the ProCycle 790cc kit?

thanks in advance!

Its the same bike with a brand new white take off fuel tank for $120 (2008 Metallic Blue originally and still like new having had the 30+ litre tank most of its life, I went through three of them after the first two leaked)

Its still sitting neglected, I need to make a new mid pipe for the Two Brothers C5 muffler I brought back on my last trip to New Zealand.

Its a 780.
Procycle big valve and seat kit (Kibblewhite) , I got Phil Tainton Racing to do the machining and installation of it.
WEB #190 camshaft.
FMP pipe.
TM40 carburettor.
Every wear item in the engine is new besides the rod kit.

Those forks replace the previous set which were also RMZ450 (These ones are brand new from a 2011 bike that got Ohlins forks from new, I have a set of Ohlin's cartridges to go into them)

Head light brackets are DRZ400SM but I did those mods back in 2010.

Rear shock is an Ohlin's I got from that bum in NZ to do long ago.
New dash is a Vapor digital with a HDB/USA billet surround and associated switches.

Wheels are Procycle 17's with new Road 4's and big brake that I got back in 2009, I have a radial master cylinder in the mail and 4 piston 40 mm mount Brembo to install... The Brembo rear caliper I have will not fit unless I get an offset rotor for spoke clearance.
About the only thing stock is the frame and swing arm.

I would not sell it for a million dollars.
#
Suzuki never did much about the 3rd gear failures (They seem to be made from some form of powdered metal) where the gear simply fractures into multiple pieces even at low speed and constant throttle.
I guess they figured the fail ratio to bikes made was OK.

They did rotate the spline to dog position but that did not stop it.
As posted before (I think) back in 2012 (iirc) I sent my original gear box clusters and shafts to Nova Racing Transmissions in the UK and they designed the billet gear from that (I got the first set)

Even those have not fixed the problem 100% and last I read one of the Aussie long time riders worked with Nova to get a complete new cluster/shaft set made with optional ratio's, but that would not be for the average owner cost wise. 

I would guess DR650SE's are one of the main adventure bikes in this country due to their reputation and general robustness (The 3rd gear thing is sporadic enough to not bother most people but of course a decent failure all but destroys the engine)

2021 might be the last year for the DR650 but shows you can turn out the same unchanged bike for decades and they will sell (1996 to present, colour/color and decal changes only)


 

[PeteS]

That head is a thing of beauty. It deserves its own display case.

Pete

[LowRyter]

Good lord Shorty, what a can of worms you kicked over.

I'm not sure that anyone will mention getting a new bike here again.  I've ridden one.  It's a cool bike and will get you down the road.  I hope you enjoy it. 

https://youtu.be/vDGorIWYz-A

The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys. 


(It just seems to fit.)

[Shorty]

I sold the Bonneville to a nice British gent.  He rode it home in the rain.     There is a song in there somewhere.  That frees up floor space to give the DR the once over.   

Thanks for the nice evening tune, John.

[oldbike54]

 Pretty neat trick hiding an NSU inside that Suzuki , those Japanese are certainly innovative .

 Dusty

[Shorty]

Pretty neat trick hiding an NSU inside that Suzuki , those Japanese are certainly innovative .

 Dusty

THAT would be a neat replica kit: 

[LowRyter]

Shorty 

[SIR REAL ED]

Thanks for the info LesP.

My bike:

790cc kit.  first attempt was a 790 piston with a cylinder bored for the 780 piston.  Pro-Cycle cleared that up quick.  They are great people!
TM-40 Mikuni pumper carb.
Heavier springs and gold valves.
Cycle Concepts seat cover
Clarke 4.0 gal tank and aftermarket body work.
Trailtech instrument.
2004 GSXR 1000 muffler (IIRC 2 liters more volume than the coveted 2000-2002 GSXR muffler)
oversize head pipe
Jesse Kientz mid pipe
Dyno'd at 44hp/40ft-lbs with rich jetting.  After mounting a AF sensor, I went down 2 sizes on the main jet and opened up the airbag a bit.
Butt Buddy passenger seat + lower passenger pegs.
Givi tail trunk, I forget the rack manufacturer.
Modified SV650 supermoto style wheels.

Lots of minor other stuff.

[SIR REAL ED]

I broke down and bought a DR 650. It's 90 pounds lighter than the Bonneville I'm selling later today.    But, the ergos on the Suzuki allow me to ride a little longer than the Bonnie...  I'm gonna lower it down a couple inches, then ride it awhile to see if any further mods are needed. It's got an aftermarket seat. Bone stock otherwise. Power is no problem with the DR, it has torque out the wazoo.    There is a healthy aftermarket for most anything you would want or need. I will probably end up putting street tires on it.

 

Shorty,

Don't click on this link:
https://procycle.us/index.php/model/suzuki/dr650

You will be assimilated!

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

Well, I posted my DR on advrider for sale at $4200 and had a dozen people hit me up in under 2 hrs, sold it sight unseen at full asking price by the end of the day! 
SO i learned:
1. People really love these things and my experience is not typical
2. I should have asked for $4,500!

[SIR REAL ED]

Well, I posted my DR on advrider for sale at $4200 and had a dozen people hit me up in under 2 hrs, sold it sight unseen at full asking price by the end of the day! 
SO i learned:
1. People really love these things and my experience is not typical
2. I should have asked for $4,500!

I told you so!  I didn't want to insult you by lowballing you.

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

I told you so!  I didn't want to insult you by lowballing you.

a guy emailed me at 7:45 am, said he had seen the add...  he said he's give me $5k for it and he could be here in 3hrs to pick it up if I screwed over the guy who gave me a deposit... errr.... no, buddy I'm not going to do that lol

[Shorty]

Thanks, Mayor! Sounds like I did OK buying my 2017 .

[guzzler]

https://youtu.be/spAq8JuXVUY

Great video !!
Yep if were after an adventure bike it would be one of these !
Cheers Guzzler

[SIR REAL ED]

a guy emailed me at 7:45 am, said he had seen the add...  he said he's give me $5k for it and he could be here in 3hrs to pick it up if I screwed over the guy who gave me a deposit... errr.... no, buddy I'm not going to do that lol

Yeah.  I've the same.  Cost me about $1100 on one deal, but hey, keeping your word is keeping your word.

[Shorty]

Shorty,

Don't click on this link:
https://procycle.us/index.php/model/suzuki/dr650

You will be assimilated!

That's a lotta goodies, thanks!

[Shorty]

I lowered the suspension using the factory method. I have wider footpegs coming, ordering tires,  and I'm gonna raise the handlebars one inch or so. I see that someone has removed the top of the airbox, so the carb has probably been modded already. The bike is a hoot. Pulls nice. I do notice some low amplitude vibration. I think it is way too heavy to do anything off road, but it is fine on dirt and gravel roads. It cruises nicely about 65mph where the XT250 is starting to gasp a little.   

[SIR REAL ED]

I lowered the suspension using the factory method. I have wider footpegs coming, ordering tires,  and I'm gonna raise the handlebars one inch or so. I see that someone has removed the top of the airbox, so the carb has probably been modded already. The bike is a hoot. Pulls nice. I do notice some low amplitude vibration. I think it is way to heavy too do anything off road, but it is fine on dirt and gravel roads. It cruises nicely about 65mph where the XT250 is starting to gasp a little. 

As long as it does not feel like it is running out of gas at steady speed, the jetting has probably been modified.  Stock plugs CR10's IIRC are super cold.  I run CR8's.

If you plan to only use it for a street/back road bike, don't hesitate to gear it up.  I am running a countershaft sprocket that is 2 teeth bigger than standard.  It will pull just fine.