DR650 make over

kyle · Aug 15, 2007

after achill i decided that the dr needed some help in the weight and suspension department.
i got a spin on wills drz400e and was really impressed with how it just seemed to float over the rough stuff wereas my 650 was very hard work.
decided to look at hagon springs and maybe a new rear shock.
having taken out the shock i found it to be in perfect working condition but wound up very hard.obviously the previous owner never used it off road.sadly when i took out the shock i just kept on taking off more and more bits until i found myself down to the bare frame..
i had thought of getting the frame and swing arm powder coated but couldnt really justify spending the dough(same with the shock.hagon £255.00)
so have decided to smootherite it instead.
i blasted off all the loose paint and the worst of the rust so hope to paint the frame tomorrow.
the weight loss idea is not so much to do with perfomance as just to make it easier to pick up and haul out of mud etc.
the rear sub frame will definatley have to go also thinking of loosing the clocks
and the headlight assembly.these can be replaced with a digital bicycle speedo and a universal enduro frnt cowl and lights.
im also still on the look out for a dr350 rear wheel.missed one on ebay as was on my hols with the family.
anyhow wasnt going to bore you all with this but shinobi said i should.will take some pics tomorrow and update with any progress
cheers,kyle

forry · Aug 16, 2007

Will it ever go again :augie

You can get a wilber shock built to your spec for £230 i've got a hagon on my DR350 and it's not bad but the Ohlins on the GS are far better

kyle · Aug 16, 2007

forry said:
Will it ever go again

You can get a wilber shock built to your spec for £230 i've got a hagon on my DR350 and it's not bad but the Ohlins on the GS are far better

certainly hope so.

did the fork springs today,some difference in length from the stock springs

kyle · Aug 16, 2007

got the swing arm and the frame painted.
while i was at it i took out the swing arm bearings.some idiot had put the inner bearing ring into the middle if the swing arm pivot and used the spacer as the bearing race.as u can imagine the bearings and the inner rings were stuffed so new ones of them to get.decided to check the rear wheel and cush drive bearings. even though i had put new ones in in the autumn they were showing serious signs of wear,rough spots and a little play.i ask the guy at the bearing shop if this was typical for them to wear so quickly?he said it was for these bearings as they are korean and shite.he got me jap ones and reckons they will last much longer

for some reason i cant load any more piccies.but you all know what a swing arm and frame look like anyhow.

Nasty1 · Aug 16, 2007

kyle said:
certainly hope so.

did the fork springs today,some difference in length from the stock springs

You do know you don't fit the springs like that (shorter)?

Adie

kyle · Aug 17, 2007

Nasty1 said:
You do know you don't fit the springs like that (shorter)?

Adie

cheers adie,
the hagon progressive springs are the long ones.there was a seven inch spacer in with the stock springs which you dont replace.i think i'll notice some difference in the front end now

Timolgra · Aug 17, 2007

Hi Kyle, this is my DR650.

I also changed to Hagon progressive springs.

The standard rear shock was rebuilt by Kais with stiffer spring and revalved.

DR350 18" rear wheel to allow more choice of rear tyre.

CCM 644 front and rear sprockets with 525 chain. The sprockets fit and are the best way of altering your gearing.

K&N air filter with a Dynojet fitted.

Acerbis plastic tank.

Heavy duty clutch springs.

Seat recovered, gaiters changed to black and a KTM front mudguard fitted mainly for cosmetic reasons :ymca

Renthal bars fitted to Nippy Norman bar risers reversed to take the barsfurther forward. I just run the 'open' throttle cable and discarded the 'close' cable. Decent bark busters.

Timolgra · Aug 17, 2007

Bar risers

Timolgra · Aug 17, 2007

CCM/Talon sprockets

Timolgra · Aug 17, 2007

Rebuilt shock.
The Hagon fork springs although nowhere near as good as decent forks did transform the bike as did the rebuilt rear shock.

The bike handles quite well now, but push it on very ground and you soon find the limits, but much better than any GS 650 this side of £20k

Timolgra · Aug 17, 2007

I think it's a great bike, very much underrated and with a few fairly inexpensive mods can be become even better

I look forward to seeing yours when it's done

snoopy · Aug 17, 2007

Does the DR650 come with 6 gears? That's my only gripe about the 400 which I can't solve. I'm buying some supermoto wheels and running a low rear sprocket to allow for cruising. I intend to drop these off in southern Spain when I go back to Morocco.

I still occasionally check eBay for a cheap DR650 but nobody sells 'em.

On a plus note the stock DRZ suspension is equal to KTM's and light years ahead of the 650. :thumb2

Timolgra · Aug 17, 2007

The DR650 comes with 5 gears but on stock/street gearing the top speed is around 100mph which makes cruising at 80mph comparatively relaxed.

Yes, I know DRZ suspension is better than stock DR but I wouldn't ride my Husaberg to Morocco which is light years ahead of a DRZ :nenau

it's all about compromise.

BTW you can also remove the bar end weights from a DR without it destroying your bike and possessions

(alloy bars

)

snoopy · Aug 17, 2007

I've got the same Renthal 644's and the same Motrax grips on mine so the 400 likes to be viby. Did you ride your 650 down?

After that nightmare 2.5k ride I'm all too aware it's all about compromise.

Why don't you run the stop throttle cable?

kyle · Aug 17, 2007

timolgra said:
CCM 644 front and rear sprockets with 525 chain. The sprockets fit and are the best way of altering your gearing.

K&N air filter with a Dynojet fitted.

Acerbis plastic tank.

Heavy duty clutch springs.

.

hi tim,
im really trying to keep this all as cheap as poss.so as the rear shock is workin fine at the mo i will keep it as is.
i have a 13t on the front which gives good enough low speed power but if i want to go lower a 47t rear sprocket off a dr big fits atraight on.
might do the dyno jet thing in the future to be honest i thimnk the old girl has plenty of power as is.

im trying to make it a tad better off road rather than an adventure type bike.i know some will say why waste time doin this just go and get a drz.but this isa the bike i have along with the mortgage etc etc.so its a case of make do with what ive got.

i would lioke a plastic tank again purely for the weight saving.and am still on the look out for a 350 rear wheel.anybody got one clutterin up the shed

will soon be startin to put her back together

at the moment my shed looks like the crimbo decorations are up what with all the newly painted bits hanging up

Timolgra · Aug 17, 2007

I know what you mean about keeping the price down.

The Acerbis tank was £30 unused off ebay and the 350 wheel was £30, I only splashed out to have the shock rebuilt as the old one lost it's rebound damping suddenly and spat me off

I'll keep my eyes open for another cheap wheel, but your forks springs were a good idea

loads of info here
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=135295

kyle · Aug 17, 2007

snoopy said:
Does the DR650 come with 6 gears? That's my only gripe about the 400 which I can't solve. I'm buying some supermoto wheels and running a low rear sprocket to allow for cruising. I intend to drop these off in southern Spain when I go back to Morocco.

I still occasionally check eBay for a cheap DR650 but nobody sells 'em.

On a plus note the stock DRZ suspension is equal to KTM's and light years ahead of the 650.

snoopy if you are going to get one buy post 96.
the previous model (which sadly mine is)can be easily identified by the fact that the exhaust port is on the right rather than trhe left in the newer models.the newer one has a much smoother engine and you can get a workshop manual for it.the only manual i can source is the suzuki one at £55.00

Losttheplot · Aug 17, 2007

snoopy said:
I still occasionally check eBay for a cheap DR650 but nobody sells 'em.

On a plus note the stock DRZ suspension is equal to KTM's and light years ahead of the 650.

Snoopy, If your after an aircooled 650, have you looked at honda's xr 650l? It's an xr enduro chasis with a dominator engine in, and is available from USA and australia if you must have a new one (think around £3k).

Kyle, i've got in my posession a Whitepower rear shock off a TE350 husqvarna, not sure if this will fit (measure the centres between bolts holes on yours), and would probably require a strip and rebuild, but might work out cheaper than buying a new shock if it will fit and your interested?

nathan

snoopy · Aug 18, 2007

Looked at both before I settled on the DRZ. Both models you describe are in very short supply and high demand. I love the DRZ it just needs alot of work to make it "your" bike.

kyle · Aug 18, 2007

Losttheplot said:
Kyle, i've got in my posession a Whitepower rear shock off a TE350 husqvarna, not sure if this will fit (measure the centres between bolts holes on yours), and would probably require a strip and rebuild, but might work out cheaper than buying a new shock if it will fit and your interested?

nathan

cheers nathan,
will do some measuring and be in touch :thumb2

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