the DR650 thread

[smilin jack]

Originally Posted by Colorado Col Rider

I am meeting a friend in Iowa and wanted to take my bike to save $$$ on gas. It would be about 750 mile roadtrip eachway, pretty easy roads (eastern CO, Nebraska).

However, My 09 DR lives at 9600', has modified DJ and Airbox with a 155 and fuel screw and it's as much of a local dirt machine as I could make it. I've never ridden it more than 50 miles away from my CO playground.

I was going to put back on my nearly brand new TrailWings and go for it maybe rig something on the back to act as a temporary bag holder.

I'm looking for opinions on if this is a good idea or if I'm a glutton for punishment. I guess I'd be stopping for gas about every hour and that sucks, but are there any other disadvantages, am I going to have to change jets? I'm not really worried about the seat, I'm going to sioux city for a road bike race anyway. Believe me the DR stock seat feels like a plush Corbin when you've been on a tiny road bike with 150psi tires for a hundred miles or so. What do you guys think, is this going to be a pain in the ass and I should just take my truck. Suggestions/Opinions Welcome!

Don't see any problems, but the trip may take more than one day each way? Most I've done on my DR in a day was 450 and butt was tired. I do carry extra fuel (2.5 gallon plastic jug on a bracket that bolts to left passenger peg). See the photo of bracket.

My DR lives at 350 ft altitude and runs fine at 7000 ft in the local mountains (Cascade range of Oregon). The carb etc is all stock.

Dave

[smilin jack]

Here's the fuel can mounted on the DR out in the central Oregon desert. Went 450 miles that day to meet up with friends.

Yes, that center stand is from procycle and my best farkle so far.

Dave

[smilin jack]

Mounted an LED side marker on the back of the DR as an extra tail light. Commuting to work in the dark and wanting to be seen was the motivation.

The LED is much brighter than the stock tail light. Measured the amp draw and was 0.09 amps on the Fluke meter. Tapped into the license plate light wires under the seat and soldered in place and taped the heck out of the junctions.

The light was bolted to the fender below the license plate using 8-32 stainless with nylock nuts.

Dave

[Colorado Col Rider]

Originally Posted by smilin jack

Here's the fuel can mounted on the DR out in the central Oregon desert. Went 450 miles that day to meet up with friends.

Yes, that center stand is from procycle and my best farkle so far.

Dave

That's cool! Can you take the bracket off when you don't need the extra can? Does the extra weight on one side cause any problems?

Originally Posted by basketcase

Personally, if not planning to ride while there I'd take the truck and forget the bike.

I'm actually racing a road bike for 470 miles around Iowa, and the nice thing about the motorcycle is I can throw it in the team trailer and don't have to find my way back to the starting line to get my truck because the bike would be there when I'm done, PS the road bike's being shipped either way, not trying to give the community beverly hillbillish images of me with a road bike stuck to the back of my DR.

I'm curious about what distances I can expect. Smilin Jack said expect about 450 miles a day, Sounds right to me, what's the consensus with that?

[Adv Grifter]

The DR is pretty good on long, boring highway riding. You can cruise at 80 mph indicated (74 mph actual) all day. Carrying gas would be good if you can do it safely. If you can rig a BBQ rack on the back then you can probably carry a nice big duffel and wedge in a 2 gallon Fuel jug. Don't forget the GOOD EAR PLUGS. Use them! With the Two Gallon jug you should have about a 200 mile range. (mas o menos)

As a bicyclist your butt should handle the torture rack stock DR seat. Just get your head in the right space and keep on rolling. I did a 1000 mile day coming home from Baja (about 22 hours) and did 750 miles coming home from a rally in Colorado. (14 hours)

The trick is taking nice long breaks, stretching, eating light and drinking plenty of water. (Camel Back a MUST!) But as a bike racer I'm sure I don't have to tell you all this. You'll do fine, you guys are tough as nails. I'm 61 and can still do it so should be a cake walk for you. Have FUN!

I'm thinking your jetting should be OK. I'm running a 155, Jesse's cut air box, DJ needle 3rd position, and am at sea level. All good. Worst case would be to go richer on the needle clip (the needle covers cruising RPM from 1/2 to 3/4 throttle).

Your 155 main jet should be OK but the needle clip may need to richen up a tad for safe sea level running at high speed in high heat.

The Trail Wing rear will be finished by the end of the trip. Small price to pay. Clean and Oil chain once a day, run correct pressures in tires. For touring with T-Wings I'd run just slightly higher pressures. 24 front, 28 rear. No higher. Don't listen to the BMW guys on tire pressures ...
The DR is 324 lbs. dry, not a 630 lbs. GS.

(Suzuki recommends 22 front, 25 rear, perfect for day to day riding. But touring and carrying a load, you need to go up just a bit)

[TREE]

Originally Posted by smilin jack

Mounted an LED side marker on the back of the DR as an extra tail light. Commuting to work in the dark and wanting to be seen was the motivation. ......... Dave

Can you take a closer photo with the light turned off ? Would be nice to see the installation. Tnx.

[Colorado Col Rider]

Originally Posted by Adv Grifter

The DR is pretty good on long, boring highway riding. You can cruise at 80 mph indicated (74 mph actual) all day. Carrying gas would be good if you can do it safely. If you can rig a BBQ rack on the back then you can probably carry a nice big duffel and wedge in a 2 gallon Fuel jug. Don't forget the GOOD EAR PLUGS. Use them! With the Two Gallon jug you should have about a 200 mile range. (mas o menos)

As a bicyclist your butt should handle the torture rack stock DR seat. Just get your head in the right space and keep on rolling. I did a 1000 mile day coming home from Baja (about 22 hours) and did 750 miles coming home from a rally in Colorado. (14 hours)

The trick is taking nice long breaks, stretching, eating light and drinking plenty of water. (Camel Back a MUST!) But as a bike racer I'm sure I don't have to tell you all this. You'll do fine, you guys are tough as nails. I'm 61 and can still do it so should be a cake walk for you. Have FUN!

I'm thinking your jetting should be OK. I'm running a 155, Jesse's cut air box, DJ needle 3rd position, and am at sea level. All good. Worst case would be to go richer on the needle clip (the needle covers cruising RPM from 1/2 to 3/4 throttle).

Your 155 main jet should be OK but the needle clip may need to richen up a tad for safe sea level running at high speed in high heat.

The Trail Wing rear will be finished by the end of the trip. Small price to pay. Clean and Oil chain once a day, run correct pressures in tires. For touring with T-Wings I'd run just slightly higher pressures. 24 front, 28 rear. No higher. Don't listen to the BMW guys on tire pressures ...
The DR is 324 lbs. dry, not a 630 lbs. GS.

(Suzuki recommends 22 front, 25 rear, perfect for day to day riding. But touring and carrying a load, you need to go up just a bit)

thanks for the tips and the confidence, I think I'm in, the money I would save is a huge factor.

[tx_medic]

Originally Posted by Colorado Col Rider

thanks for the tips and the confidence, I think I'm in, the money I would save is a huge factor.

That's what these guys do best. They talked me into a DR650 just two days ago!

[Northyork]

It is raining around here, so I decided to update the chart with the latest info.

[Garak]

Originally Posted by Colorado Col Rider

I'm curious about what distances I can expect. Smilin Jack said expect about 450 miles a day, Sounds right to me, what's the consensus with that?

I've done 750 mile days on my DR, its a long haul on a bike like this. If you allow yourself 18 hours or so, its not bad, although I don't know that I'd feel like racing a bicycle the next day . That having been said, I don't often feel like racing a bicycle at all so YMMV.

[Keith]

Quick question for those with RAD hubs on their Supermoto setups. Is there a specific spacer for the disc side of the front hub? When I went to install my second hand supermoto set with my stock spacer, the tire is rubbing the left fork leg pretty good. Making me think that a longer than stock spacer is need to push the wheel over to the right a bit, so as to center everything up.

Idears?

[YnotJP?]

Colorado Col Rider, You do know that you will have to write a report on both of the rides, DR 650 and the Road Bike, and post it here, and pictures are always nice.

[procycle]

Originally Posted by Keith

Quick question for those with RAD hubs on their Supermoto setups. Is there a specific spacer for the disc side of the front hub? When I went to install my second hand supermoto set with my stock spacer, the tire is rubbing the left fork leg pretty good. Making me think that a longer than stock spacer is need to push the wheel over to the right a bit, so as to center everything up.Idears?

Nope. The RAD hubs use the stock spacers. They fit just like stock hubs.

[TrophyHunter]

Northyork - thing of beauty! Thanks for doing that. When I finally get around to opening the carb, I'll get the set up.

I'm currently in the middle of ProCycle's Shock Solution Kit with a heavier spring. Evidently, I'm not tall enough for my weight. ProCycle's instructions on their site help a lot and the Race Tech video (included) adds the finishing touch.

One tricky item but straight forward for a back yard mechanic.

It's all a puzzle, just get the pieces in the right place.

[Rusty Rocket]

Bike just shut off today. Moved the wiring harness around a little and was able to get it to start. Drove 100 yards and it quit again. No headlite no starter. Nothing. The wires that seemed to get it going when I moved them were the ones coming outta the keyswitch.