I hope you didn't interpret my post as a "difficult" post, because I don't find the DR350 difficult to do highway miles on. I've never fit a 16 tooth front sprocket (only gone as high as a 15 tooth). I really should give it a try some day and see if I can swap between 14, 15, and 16 with the same chain and a 41 tooth rear sprocket. It would be really nice if the DR350 could easily pull 80 - 85 MPH all day long. Those are the type of speeds I would really like to be able to run out here in the West with 75 MPH speed limits. Other machines do that sort of work much better...but then don't do the other stuff the DR350 does so well. Always a compromise...but I'm not going to bigger dual sport machine just to gain MPH for the highway. Regards, Gregory Bender
Finally found a pic. showing the neutral switch installed. And yes, it looks like mine. Just seems there should be some type of plastic cover over switch. Thanks for the help in pointing me in the correct direction.
I have run 14, 15, and 16 X 41 on my stock "98se with the original factory chain still on it. My impression is the 16 drops the RPMs, but I don't feel it pulls a higher speed any easier. If I was going to do a lot of pavement ( cross country trip ) I'd use it just to save some wear and tear. But I like the 15 just as well. I'd rather ride 50mph on small roads. No job, so no hurry.
Last night I was the garage trying to sort out my parking space for the winter. Durning the summer the garage gets piled up with bikes, camping gear, rafting gear...crap. But by winter I try to get two parking spaces free so that I can enjoy a relatively warm and snow free car in the morning. I got the Mrs spot cleared out about a month ago, and last night almost completed mine. Last night I was organizing my DR350spare parts bins and found something that I thought I would share. The DR250 comes with a large rear sprocket 49 IIRC. However it used the same stock chain guide as the DR350 fitting 41 or 43 sprockets (depending on the year). If you look at the guide and the sprok, you will notice very little clearance between the two. The way Zuks gets away with this is by fitting the guide to the swingarm via two differenent mounting plates. At first glance they might look the same. But upon further inspecttion the holes are set further back, making the guide sit further forward. What does this matter. Well you can use a stock chains guide for larger sprockets if you use a stock dr250 guide mounting plate. Yes not a very exciting post but somethign I found interseting and thought I would share. One of the few differnces between the 350 and its little brother. Cheers.
That is good to know. One of the reasons I have not fit a 16 tooth front sprocket is that I would have to remove the factory case saver in front of the countersprocket. With a 15 tooth front sprocket, I already had to grind a little off the case saver so the chain wouldn't rub. I don't know if this is any different on other years/models, but that was my experience on my 1993 dirt model. Regards, Gregory Bender
A couple of weeks ago, my rear wheel locked up doing about 30mph on a forest service road. I initially thought i slipped my boot off the peg and grabbed a whole lotta rear brake. I quickly realized that wasn't the issue as the bike ground to a halt. That really would have made for an interesting turn events if had happened in a sweeper on slab - but anyway...turns out my chain guide that mounts under the swing arm gave up and sacrificed itself into my rear sprocket. I likely threw a rock and cracked it but I have to say after that experience I really dislike the plastic design so here's my question: Has any fabbed or used something other than the factory oem piece? I'm riding without one now - but I really should have something back there... Thanks for any info...
When I bought my DR350, someone had already installed a chain guide from Fredette Racing Products. I replaced some parts on it after I got it and was pleased to learn that replacement parts were readily available from Fredette. I don't have experience with anything else, but I've been very happy the chain guide as it has given me no issues whatsoever. Regards, Gregory Bender
When I bought my DR350, someone had already installed a chain guide from Fredette Racing Products. I replaced some parts on it after I got it and was pleased to learn that replacement parts were readily available from Fredette. I don't have experience with anything else, but I've been very happy the chain guide as it has given me no issues whatsoever. Regards, Gregory Bender
Thanks Greg - I'll check them out. I'm almost tempted to fab one up with scrap plate aluminum I have - but I also know that I have a million little projects and probably would be better off just buying one.
Yeap - thx for that one too. I checked on Jesse's site earlier but I really wanted to keep this under $50 and the further the better and Jesse's is a little too much for me at the moment.
Hmmm...I might want to make a custom guard if I move to a 16 tooth countersprocket. That would probably be better for the long run, anyway. Regards, Gregory Bender
Would the guard still fit with the 16t sprocket? Seems like it should. Case savers are cheap if you need to find a replacement due to drinding them down too much. You can get them from bike bandit new OEM for $3 or so.
I tried this one but it did not work. Jesse swore that it should but the chain woudl rub the upper block. It was very close and I think that I had it adjusted properly (there were more than one set of holes that I could have mounted it with). I think that it was set up for the 43 tooth rear and I had the 41. I am sure that the chain would have rubbed itself free in a couple of rides and been fine. But this was the first thing I fixed on the bike, and I was reluctant to go that route. It was a high quality unit.
Yup. Everything fit like normal. I'm not too worried about it. Maybe just lucky, but never had a problem in that area.
thanks. I might consider this int he future if I every go on another tour with a lot of street riding. I have a 13,14,15 front and a 41,43 rear. I can run all combinations with the same chain. Have not messed with the 49 rear I jsut got. Right now I am riding the 13/43 and it has quite a bit of grunt and I can still do 65mph (gps). Have no idea what my RPMs are since I ditched my tach/speedo. IT is high though. I don't cruise for any length of time at that speed. I have even reach the low 70s on a short highway jaunt. From very non scientific experiamenting, each step in one front tooth or 2 rear teeth will change the RPMs about 400 +/-100 rpms. .
While we're on the topic of chains and sprockets, the mail came in today 15 front, 41 rear, 110 link 520 chain, valve adjustment tool, new clutch cable, and an emergency throttle cable set. Can't wait for my day off tomorrow so I can drink a few and put this back together... I've been having withdrawls from not riding (shakes, nervousness, irritability, slack jaw) since my clutch cable snapped monday morning and took me for a ride.
