I'm going to stay with the 525 series. I don't plan to travel outside the US with the bike, and my riding venues will not get any more technically strenuous than what I'm doing now. Somewhere over the past three years I read of a 13-t counter-sprocket but I don't find it on the vendor sites I patronize. Maybe someone else will chime in with a supplier. Anyway, I agree the 14/45 and 16/45 seem to be the best pairing. On the low end a 14/45 puts it where a 13/42 would be, and on the top side a 16/45 is almost the same as the stock 15/42. Very likely it's where I'll head with it when I refresh the chain and sprockets.
FatChance did a very nice write up on gearing for the DR. He uses a 48T Rear and switches between 14, 15, and 16 in front, but he has to add a few links to his chain to do it. I think he also said that the stock chain was too short for a 15 or 16 front and the 45 rear. Here's his write up: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=569034 ..............shu (edit:I see that ER70S-2 already posted this link in post #15)
Thanks for the heads up on FatChance's write up. I'm embarrassed to admit I missed it earlier on the title. That's useful information.
I've a feeling a 13t front would make the chain gark up the top of the swingarm slider quite quickly. I use 14-15-16/46 in 112 link 520. Normally stay with 15/46 though unless doing long road or singletrack.
I think you're right on the 13T. On a dirt bike I used a too small front sprocket and it did just that. Swingarm rubber sliders wore out and ... it beat up the chain as well, wore it out in short order. The "experts" say a chain does not like to make such a sharp U turn, which happens with a very small front sprocket. In any case, I'm not sure anyone makes a 13T sprocket for the DR650. I've just replaced my front sprocket after my Baja trip. Towards the end of the 4000 mile ride things were feeling very "rough" under acceleration, like a bad clutch basket or bad bearing! :eek1:huh All kinds of weird thoughts go through your head when your on your bike day after day in the middle of nowhere! I "imagined" it was bad wheel bearings and had visions of ADV8's many burned up hub bearings danced in my head! Good news was oiling made it all go away ... temporarily anyway. Funny, the sprockets did not look that bad. But changing to a new one made the bike ride like a Rolls Royce! Honestly ... so smooth! I also checked my chain alignment ... it was a little out. So that probably helped too. This bike is a delight! Always seems to respond to good maintenance! A new (used actually) front sprocket is a small price to pay to make things like new again!
mx_rob posted this on TT about the motor sounding 'wrong' when rotated backwards a few degrees to get right on TDC. "Why you think you are screwed when that happens is the starter sprague clutch (bearing) is engaged as soon as you try to rotate the engine backwards. It takes a bit of effort to roll it backwards since you are having to spin the starter motor through all of the gearing reduction... and since you are turning the crank the reduction is backwards so the starter motor has to spin a lot of turns for a small amount of crank movement." http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=10866495&postcount=6
'Recently swapped to 16/46-520 from stock 15/42-525. I tried the rear 46t with the front 15t, but the DR was revving too high from 70MPH (indicated) and up. The 16/46 is just slightly lower than stock, letting the DR pull away from a stop a bit smoother with a passenger on back. Revs at 70MPH+ are still fine, the 520 chain is worn slightly slower than if using a smaller 520 CS sprocket, and the DR lugs along a little better in 1st.
I used 16/46 on the way down (400km) to an adventure ride. Ok for cruising but the wrong ratio for 50 & 70kph zones. Changed to 14/46 for the first 2 days (800km). Nice in the hills but crap on the open fire-roads and sealed sections. Used 15/46 for the 3rd day and the ride back home (1100km). Made more use of the DR's torque and still let me cruise at 100-110kph. Anything over 110kph here and you're getting a ticket. 15/46 is my day-to-day gearing.
When I bought my DR650, the p.o. indicated it had a (simple to fix) leak at the gear shift shaft. I pile of greasy mud, on the frame below the left rear of the motor, made it pretty easy to identify the location of the leak. After I stripped the DR to the frame (for powder coating), I de-greased the motor and discovered that the gasket under the gear shift linkage cover plate was leaking too. Both the gasket and the seal are easy to replace. If your DR's motor is still full of oil, lean the bike to the right so the oil pools elsewhere (since my motor was out of the frame, I simply set the motor on its right side). To replace the gasket, remove the six 8mm bolts. They have varying lengths (like the clutch cover) so be sure to note their locations. When pulling the cover off, use your thumb to push down on the shift shaft. Otherwise, the shift shaft may come off with the cover. This is not a disaster but there are other parts that may become displaced because of that. The shop manual is very vague (and the image is poor) when it comes to noting the proper location of those parts. Also, the shift shaft will (or should) have a circlip on it. That keeps the thrust washer properly located. Chances are, the thrust washer is 'stuck' to the cover plate (with motor oil). Pull the thrust washer off the cover and put it on the shaft. Now you won't have to worry about losing it. The old gasket should pop right off, especially if it was no longer sealing, like mine. Use a razor blade, or the like, to remove any remaining gasket material from both the engine case and the cover. Clean all gasket sealing surfaces with acetone, paint thinner, rubbing alcohol or the like. If you're replacing the shaft seal, now is the time to do it. Unlike wheel bearing dust seals, this seal does not need to be driven out of its bore. A small screw driver or hook pick will work just fine. Even if you're only replacing the seal, without removing the cover, a hook pick is the tool to use. Push the new seal into the bore with your thumb (honestly, it's that easy). Use a little wheel bearing grease to lubricate the seal (or the shift shaft). I prefer the Permatex "Ultra" line of RTV. All you need is a "haze" of RTV on the side of the gasket that will contact the engine case. Repeat the procedure with the cover. It's easier to apply the RTV to the cover, instead of the now in-place gasket, due to accessibility. Now, put the cover back in place and install the bolts, finger tight. Using a back-and-forth cross-zig-zag pattern tighten them with an 8mm socket and screwdriver handle (you don't need any more torque than that, a ratchet handle, even 1/4" drive, is too much). That's it, you're done.
Secured My NSU and Now My Clutch Doesn't Work Make sure the teeth on the horizontal splined shaft are pointing to the front when you put the cover on (first photo). It spins freely in the clutch but I'm not sure if the cover will even go back on if the splines are pointing the wrong way. Since the vertical splined shaft (in the cover) is machined 360* on both ends, it doesn't matter where it is when installed. That adjustment is made with the arm after the cover is on. Here are a few reference pics, I think they'll be close for most DR650s. Photo thanks to LukasM: Look at the clutch cover bolt in the background as a point of reference (arrow), easier to see in the next pics. In this photo I'm gently pressing the arm to the left, CCW (just to remove freeplay) and it's too far rearward. I've rotated the arm TWO splines forward and it's too far. I'm still gently pressing the arm CCW. Photo below: Rotating the arm back one spline and this time it's where it belongs, almost lining up with the cable end; but that's because it's on my bike and the cable is already set correctly. If your cable is unadjusted, go by the arm and cover bolt, then adjust the cable. Pic 4 is what you want: If your clutch worked before, adjust the arm to this position. Pic 4 and pic 5 are both on the same spline. In pic 5, I'm rotating the arm forward to show the freeplay of the vertical shaft. If you have the arm on the correct spline, it swings freely between pic 4 and 5. Pic 5:
Does anyone have a complete bearing list from SKF? For the whole engine, since I have it open I might as well do a complete replacement. When I opened the crankcase bearings seemed smooth, but after one week with the crankcase opened they don't feel that smooth anymore. Kind of like they have some sand in them. And seem like all of them do it now. I could get them out and clean them in gasoline real good but I could just change them all if they are not so expensive from SKF. Any link would be perfect. Thanks guys. Ah, almost forgot, the SKF ones, are they in different fitting standars? I think I can remember a discussion where you had to make sure to get the ones with the tightest tolerance. Is this the case with SKF ones or are they one size perfect fit?
Looking through old posts, I found this posted by Nibis in October 2009. Now all of us know what's in there.
I'm not sure where I got this list. I hope it's right. Original bearing........................................... .......SKF bearing Main bearing right NSK 6208 CN...... ......................SKF 6208 CN Main bearing left NSK 6209 CN............... ..............SKF 6209 CN Balanceshaft right HIC 83943A CN.........................SKF 63/22 CN Without the pin Balanceshaft left KOYO 6204RHR CN ......................SKF 6204 CN Transmission outgoing axle right NTN 6004L8 CN........ SKF 6004 CN with one sealing Transmission outgoing axle left KOYO 6305RUEDI CN.. SKF 6305 CN with one sealing Transmission secondaryside right KOYO 63/22 CN...... SKF 63/22 CN Transmission secondaryside left NSK 6203D A8 CN..... SKF 6203 CN with one sealing