will
Registered user
Thinking of getting Dakar want to make it as good off road as i can still needs to commute , Is 18" rear wheel possible ?? worth hassle , progressive fork springs ? single can , wider pegs , All suggestions welcome 
Dakar off road mods
- Thread starter will
- Start date
Spend a fortune and it'll still be shite offroad compared to a KTM
Forks are poor offroad, stiffer springs will help a little. There's plenty of threads on ADVrider re. fitting USD forks.
18" wheel only gives more tyre choice....be aware your scope for chain adjustment will be a more limited, changing the gearing radically is the best bet.
Single pipe saves weight and should give it a bit more 'pep'.
Downside to the Dakar as an offroader is the weight and fragile plastics.......as well as everything else.....but as a gentle 'green laner' they can be fun
Forks are poor offroad, stiffer springs will help a little. There's plenty of threads on ADVrider re. fitting USD forks.
18" wheel only gives more tyre choice....be aware your scope for chain adjustment will be a more limited, changing the gearing radically is the best bet.
Single pipe saves weight and should give it a bit more 'pep'.
Downside to the Dakar as an offroader is the weight and fragile plastics.......as well as everything else.....but as a gentle 'green laner' they can be fun
will
Registered user
That is worry but as i need to use on road as well exc is out can't run to 690 so 640 it would be and thats whole different can of worms !!!!!!!!!! 
so 640 it would be and thats whole different can of worms !!!!!!!!!!
Oh yes!!!!!
Thinking of getting Dakar want to make it as good off road as i can still needs to commute , Is 18" rear wheel possible ?? worth hassle , progressive fork springs ? single can , wider pegs , All suggestions welcome
Speak to Talon engineering in yeovil, they should be able to sort your wheel and footpeg issues.
Suspension- WP48mm forks up front, with hyperpro/ohlins/wilbers shock on the back.
Trouble is, you can spend a fortune on a standard bike and make significant improvements, or you could hunt around and find a pukka F650 Rallye (IIRC Timolgra is something of an expert on these)- which will have everything done and then some, for not a lot more than you'd pick up a basic bike for now
Will probably still be a heavy lump to ride on wet snotty trails in the middle of winter though...
hth
18" rear can be done. Don't bother with progressive springs and stick a yz250/400/426/450 front end on it. Have a look over on ADVrider for the massive thread on it. Wider pegs will also make off road riding easier. Change the OEM shock. 15T front sprocket. Where to stop...
As for never being as good as a katoom
As for never being as good as a katoom
As for never being as good as a katoom
You seriously disagree?
Even the full on Ex Dakar bike was only any good in wide open spaces.......
But the KTM is better is every department.....it just depends on how you define offroading
Get the 650 Dakar as light as an X Challenge and your half way there except it'll not have the power ....but I've ranted off topic now
since the OP wanted a commuter as well, so stick with the modded Dakarwill
Registered user
Thanks for all info should have said really just want to do some greenlaning not expecting enduro machine have done enduro's in past and been trail riding over 25 yeas now, i no there isn't a perfect bike out there just looking for one that works for me
have done enduro's in past and been trail riding over 25 yeas now, i no there isn't a perfect bike out there just looking for one that works for me 
I disagree to point Tim
My dakar was an exceptionally good all rounder. It was reliable, cheap to run, easy to maintain and very good to luggage up. I've toured Europe on it, chased road bikes around mountain passes and green laned some of the hardest lanes around Derbyshire without problems. OK it's no race machine, but as an all rounder, I think you'd be hard pushed to find a better bike.
They are a great bit of kit off road if you have the right bits attached. I was lucky that a friend offered me some of the choicest bits for the right money.
I do however agree that if you want a Dakar to perform well enough to even be within sniffing distance of the KTM off road, you really need to spend way too much and the KTM is a better option.
My dakar was an exceptionally good all rounder. It was reliable, cheap to run, easy to maintain and very good to luggage up. I've toured Europe on it, chased road bikes around mountain passes and green laned some of the hardest lanes around Derbyshire without problems. OK it's no race machine, but as an all rounder, I think you'd be hard pushed to find a better bike.
They are a great bit of kit off road if you have the right bits attached. I was lucky that a friend offered me some of the choicest bits for the right money.
I do however agree that if you want a Dakar to perform well enough to even be within sniffing distance of the KTM off road, you really need to spend way too much and the KTM is a better option.
As for never being as good as a katoom
You seriously disagree?
As an all rounder I think they're pretty good, but as a pure off road machine then the KTM's definitely have it. If I could have 2 bikes then one of them would be a 640/690 and I'm not sure the other one would be a BMW. But as I can only have one the 650 does the job just fine.
I think the only mod I made to mine that actually increased its off road rideability was fitting a pair of handlebar risers.
Pretty much perfect compromise road/green laner as it comes.
Pretty much perfect compromise road/green laner as it comes.
Fanum
Toubab
Spend a fortune and it'll still be shite offroad compared to a KTM
Forks are poor offroad, stiffer springs will help a little. There's plenty of threads on ADVrider re. fitting USD forks.
18" wheel only gives more tyre choice....be aware your scope for chain adjustment will be a more limited, changing the gearing radically is the best bet.
Single pipe saves weight and should give it a bit more 'pep'.
Downside to the Dakar as an offroader is the weight and fragile plastics.......as well as everything else.....but as a gentle 'green laner' they can be fun
will
Registered user
got bike now and fitted statune single can and some pivott pegs , and tkc tyres , wunderlich protection bars thats it for now saving for other mods and will use as is for while
saving for other mods and will use as is for while 
Any mapping or other adjustments needed once the Staintune was fitted?got bike now and fitted statune single can and some pivott pegs , and tkc tyres , wunderlich protection bars thats it for now
will
Registered user
No nothing to do i fitted and started bike don't touch throttle wait till fan comes on and turn off thats it it is bit loud but sounds lovely the baffle is only about 3 inches long might get longer one if it is to noisy on longer run there is one on ebay at moment
it is bit loud but sounds lovely the baffle is only about 3 inches long might get longer one if it is to noisy on longer run there is one on ebay at moment Yes I remember that, but have one guess at which bike Lordy bought AFTER that trip..........I'll give you a clue...LC4
I finished a trip from London to Cape Town on a 05 GS Dakar and it was brilliant. Comfortable on the long open roads and good enough in the really rough sandy and muddy stuff.
My friend was on a 640 Adv which numbed his butt and he fell off loads more times in the really rough stuff because the bike is so much taller then the GS Dakar and all the weight is on top. So for the shorter riders wanting to tackle some greenlaning it might get difficult.
I think some of us need to get realistic here and not just slag bikes off for the sake of it. All bikes have pro's and con's
Sure if you having an out and out race on rough terrain then the KTM is by far better because of the suspension.
Realistically though most of us want a comfortable ride with good off road handling and fuel consumption. The GS ticks all those boxes and I can assure you that it doesn't fall apart when it gets dropped.
So if you don't mind a rattly and hard ride and if you are tall enough then go for the KTM.
Otherwise just get the BM,
Also remember that in no way will the KTM engine last as long as The 650GS engine.
Anyway, stop slagging off other bikes when you can't look at things realistically. Not all of us race the Dakar rally every weekend ?
My friend was on a 640 Adv which numbed his butt and he fell off loads more times in the really rough stuff because the bike is so much taller then the GS Dakar and all the weight is on top. So for the shorter riders wanting to tackle some greenlaning it might get difficult.
I think some of us need to get realistic here and not just slag bikes off for the sake of it. All bikes have pro's and con's
Sure if you having an out and out race on rough terrain then the KTM is by far better because of the suspension.
Realistically though most of us want a comfortable ride with good off road handling and fuel consumption. The GS ticks all those boxes and I can assure you that it doesn't fall apart when it gets dropped.
So if you don't mind a rattly and hard ride and if you are tall enough then go for the KTM.
Otherwise just get the BM,
Also remember that in no way will the KTM engine last as long as The 650GS engine.
Anyway, stop slagging off other bikes when you can't look at things realistically. Not all of us race the Dakar rally every weekend ?
I finished a trip from London to Cape Town on a 05 GS Dakar and it was brilliant. Comfortable on the long open roads and good enough in the really rough sandy and muddy stuff.
My friend was on a 640 Adv which numbed his butt and he fell off loads more times in the really rough stuff because the bike is so much taller then the GS Dakar and all the weight is on top. So for the shorter riders wanting to tackle some greenlaning it might get difficult.
I think some of us need to get realistic here and not just slag bikes off for the sake of it. All bikes have pro's and con's
Sure if you having an out and out race on rough terrain then the KTM is by far better because of the suspension.
Realistically though most of us want a comfortable ride with good off road handling and fuel consumption. The GS ticks all those boxes and I can assure you that it doesn't fall apart when it gets dropped.
So if you don't mind a rattly and hard ride and if you are tall enough then go for the KTM.
Otherwise just get the BM,
Also remember that in no way will the KTM engine last as long as The 650GS engine.
Anyway, stop slagging off other bikes when you can't look at things realistically. Not all of us race the Dakar rally every weekend ?
Lighten up mate, no one's slagged the Dakar off and like you say it was good enough....
Lighten up mate, no one's slagged the Dakar off and like you say it was good enough....
Gotcha, just checking
will
Registered user
Nice one guys
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