Suzuki DR650 Build - Transformation to an Adventure Bike

How many miles did you do between last Thursday and Monday?[/QUOTE]

I would have more miles if it weren't for all the doggone paving of formerly interesting roads in these parts

Nice build.

Looks like you have a fan: LINK

Thanks Dave, that's what I was curious about.

DAVE,
Thank You for some inspiration on possible future project(DR650 for Baja and Central America trip). Did your welder make preformed cutouts of those subframe gussets or was it just eyeball. Asking if you/he has the forms with dimensions on them we might get a couple of photos of them when work allows.

Current project readying for Prudhoe Bay and D2D 2013(wr250r)


Paul

Paul -

I suggest that you use card stock (such as on the back of a pad of paper) to make each of the gusset templates. The material is cheap, you can mark it easily with a Sharpie pen for making each template and it transfers easily to steel plate. I don't have any dimensions, but the card stock will work great for making a very exacting template for each gusset you want to fabricate.

I really like your setup with your Yamaha WR250 - super tanker fuel tank & all ! Great stuff.

I rode solo to Prudhoe in 2009 and my Ride Report to Prudhoe is in my signature line if you want to look at the routes I took. I highly recommend taking the Campbell across the Yukon Territory, rather than take the Alaska Highway north out of Watson Lake where the Signpost Forest is located. The southern terminus of the Campbell is in Watson Lake.

The Campbell was mostly dirt and gravel when I went and they are gradually paving it -- ride it while it is still partially dirt and gravel. It is a very lightly traveled and remote road - a blast to ride it solo. Take the South Canol Road out of Ross River if it is open - I did not ride the South Canol when I went as I was advised there were one or more bridges washed out when I fueled / overnighted in Ross River. The South Canol ends at Carcross and you can then go north on the Alaska Highway towards Dawson City for the D2D party.

Anyway, you will long remember the ride north - it is a great ride and let me know if I can provide any input to you on planned routes or trip prep. The Milepost is a great resource for planning this ride. I always take too much !

Dave

Great thread! Very well equipped bike.

Here's a tip for you... I ended up replacing the stock locks on my Happy Trails panniers with the Southco locks below. The advantage is that you don't have to keep track of the padlocks and these locks don't bang on the boxes as you ride.

I used the PN# K4-2833-07 IIRC

http://www.southco.com/en-us/k2-k3-k4-k5?info=false&filters=

Great build so far!

Wow!!! This build came out amazing!!

No expense spared, my DR is jealous!!!

How has it felt offroad? Track well?

For proper frame stiffening a great resource is here. Tony is a great guy and very smart.

http://www.tonyfoale.com/Articles/Frame.mod/KawaMods.htm

Again well done!

Solo Lobo -

Thank you very much for the tip on the Southco latches. I found a local distributor that carried the Southco product line, and ordered a set of identically keyed latches for all the panniers and I have installed them. I used stainless steel machine screws and red Loctite on the keyed latch vs. the stock rivet setup. The latches are one hell of alot better than the padlocks; and faster to open & close with the single keyed set of locks / latches.

Here are a couple of pics of my finished panniers with the new keyed latches:


Side keyed latch on the extra large topbox:



Riding my DR650 on the Tail of the Dragon...with the old pannier padlocks flapping in the breeze:

I have been looking through the pictures posted on your build and was curious how you relocated the wire harness from behind the stock headlight. If you have any pictures or details it would be great. I have the same headlight on my dr650 and the wire cluster is held in place above the headlight plug. It would be nice to clean this area up.

Thanks-

Unfortunately I don't have any in-progress photos of how we disassembled the front wiring harness for the headlight and turn signals, which included circuits for the handlebar mounted switchgear.

We unwrapped the entire stock wiring harness and then bundled the circuits according to final location and then "re-packaged" and re-wrapped them on either side of the main frame spar and behind the headstock primary gusset - location as shown below in the disassembly photo of the area where we ultimately relocated the majority of the bulky (& ugly) front wiring harness.

The larger plastic IMS fuel tank also provided a little more space between the tank and the frame than the stock tank IIRC.



Hope that helps - Dave

A lesson learned the hard way.

If you are going to work with your wiring harness anyway on a DR650 move the wiring and clutch cable to the left hand side of the steering head. This makes things much easier for inspectors at border crossings and less chance of errors which can really bite you at the next crossing. Wasted about 1/2 hour the last time I was leaving Mexico due to the fact that the inspector couldn't get a clear photo of my vin number.

TravelGuy

I hear you on that , also give it less chance of rubbing through I took some old black garden hose that secured with a self tapping screw and used it as a loom guide after cutting a slice down one side and leaving a flap that the screw passed through. I then angled it up and through the LH side of my steering head. Sorry for the lack of pics as I am attending School on the mainland :huh

Updates????

1st Great read and info.

Shouldn't the siphoning(as mentioned before) of fuel by motor running negate most of the prob created by low fuel/pressure.
It has always bothered me to see when the fuel line drops below inlet but have seen many bikes (DR especially) running that way with no prob.

Really enjoying this build

Tukata -

Thanks for following the thread and for asking about the status of the build and the testing. The DR650 is slumbering comfortably during the cold & snowy winter up north in a garage while I am wintering in the south.

Unfortunately I am also awaiting knee surgery in the May time-frame to repair / remove torn cartilage, so my moto days are limited due to this fairly recent, but rather miserable, problem.

Seems like the Grim Reaper is lurking around & getting impatient.....!

Dave

I appreciate the extra time and attention you have put into documenting your project for us. Despite my trepidation, I'm inspired to overcome my fears and perfectionism and dig in to my long neglected DR. Her problems are ridiculously trivial, but intimidating to me, nonetheless.

Best of luck with your surgery!

I'm a fellow Ohioan (Ashland), keeping the faith that spring is on its way.

Quote :I'm a fellow Ohioan (Ashland), keeping the faith that spring is on its way. unquote

I'll yell when it is coming up I-70. lol


Sent using Tapatalk 2

Hi Ben -

The good thing about the DR650 is that it is a relatively simple motorcycle, and almost any mistake can be fixed by copious amounts of money and additional work time in the shop....

Good luck & dive right in - Dave

ps - I see yet another snow event is en route to Ohio.....

OUTSTANDING BUILD! I'm looking to add a DR650 to the garage and really enjoyed your build. Thanks and stay safe.