the DR650 thread

[JMR]

What I would really like is a Hi-Low transfer case for my next dual sport. Like the old Honda Trail 90. (Turn a 5-speed into a 10-speed.) Wonder why none of them have one? Seems like having a much lower gearing would help in a lot in Trials-like riding circumstances.

[Kommando]

Originally Posted by JagLite

Actually model years for pre '96 DR's varied among themselves too.
Take a look at Zen Seeker's DR 650 History (scroll about half way down)
http://dr650.zenseeker.net/DR650History.htm
Keep in mind the weights are Suzuki DRY weight

So the New model '96 through present are a good bit lighter than the pre '96 bikes
Still, would be nice to lose a bunch more weight.
Under seat fuel tank, removable plastic subframe, better suspension quality...

You can shave some weight if you look around (GSXR muff, HDB mirrors, small LED signals, lighter bars, Trailtech headlight assy, removing un-used brackets, etc.), but you can keep the underseat tank for gimmicky streetbikes and full-on race enduros. I like being able to easily bolt on a simple long-range tank without having to carry extra containers all over the bike or having to sell a kidney. How many other slab-comfortable bikes can carry 400+ miles worth of fuel and still be well under 400lb...for around $500? How strong would a plastic subframe be too, and where could one get it repaired if it busted in BFE?

[ntm1973]

I nearly got stranded in the woods last weekend when my 1996 DR650 battery died.

At first, I thought, it's the stator not charging but then I had my riding partner help me jump the bike and it ran fine. So I thought, it is the battery but I brought the battery home charged it up and it seems to be holding a charge just fine. I thought it was the regulator/rectifier but that check out per the DR650 manual. I am at a loss of how to progress, here is what I did so far:

Battery leak test: Shows .80 volts, is this normal? When I take off the regulator, it drops to .03 volts. Is this normal? I've never had a bike with such a large leak.

Battery charging test: Bike running with the voltmeter attached, revved bike and it only reached 12.80 volts. Manual says it should be over 13 volts. This is a problem but what else could be an issue?

Stator test: 80+ volts accross all three wires on a/c scale, doesn't seem to be a problem.

Regulator/rectifier test: tested fine using the manual's resistance test but I also swapped it out with another bike (dr650 2003) regulator/rectifier and could not see any change. So either I have 2 bad regulators or I am missing something.

Crank tested the battery: Disconnected the spark plug wires and tried starting with the voltmeter on it. The volts dropped to 10.8 volts which seems to be ok.

I changed out the fuses and checked general wire conections but nothing stood out.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Has anyone else done a battery leak inspections? If so, what kind of numbers did you see, the manual doesn't state a spec.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Ben99r1]

Originally Posted by ntm1973

I nearly got stranded in the woods last weekend when my 1996 DR650 battery died.

At first, I thought, it's the stator not charging but then I had my riding partner help me jump the bike and it ran fine. So I thought, it is the battery but I brought the battery home charged it up and it seems to be holding a charge just fine. I thought it was the regulator/rectifier but that check out per the DR650 manual. I am at a loss of how to progress, here is what I did so far:

Battery leak test: Shows .80 volts, is this normal? When I take off the regulator, it drops to .03 volts. Is this normal? I've never had a bike with such a large leak.

Battery charging test: Bike running with the voltmeter attached, revved bike and it only reached 12.80 volts. Manual says it should be over 13 volts. This is a problem but what else could be an issue?

Stator test: 80+ volts accross all three wires on a/c scale, doesn't seem to be a problem.

Regulator/rectifier test: tested fine using the manual's resistance test but I also swapped it out with another bike (dr650 2003) regulator/rectifier and could not see any change. So either I have 2 bad regulators or I am missing something.

Crank tested the battery: Disconnected the spark plug wires and tried starting with the voltmeter on it. The volts dropped to 10.8 volts which seems to be ok.

I changed out the fuses and checked general wire conections but nothing stood out.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Has anyone else done a battery leak inspections? If so, what kind of numbers did you see, the manual doesn't state a spec.

Any help would be appreciated.

Check the CDI. Check the ground wires for rust and good connections. Make sure you don't have a wire that's touching metal and drawing power.

[Rusty Rocket]

Originally Posted by ntm1973

I nearly got stranded in the woods last weekend when my 1996 DR650 battery died.


Any help would be appreciated.

I have been through 2 battery replacements for my '96. about 3 years per.

When the battery goes bad, the bike cranks, but won't start. Then it goes dead. After a charge, it starts and seems fine. Then the next time I went to start it, usually at least a week later, same problem. I think a marginal battery, with just enough juice to turn the motor over, doesn't have enough extra to fire the sparkplugs. Just an opinion. If you can try someone elses battery, even a smaller one, you can probably prove it is the battery. If the battery is over 3 years old, it's probably the culprit.

[Albie]

Originally Posted by Sierra Thumper

And like someone also mentioned, some of those are dry weights, and some wet weights....another HUGE difference. Numbers can be VERY deceptive and subjective.....

All those numbers posted above are curb weight NOT dry weight. As for HP numbers, those are usually even more exaggerated by the manufacturers then weight is. These days actually, most manufacturers are fairly honest about the weight, even Honda.

You are right, numbers can be deceptive. Some bikes while actually lighter feel heavier in real world riding. Where that weight is on a bike makes a huge difference.

[Albie]

Originally Posted by SGrider

I rode a BMW X-Challenge and was shocked that it didn't seem to have much of a power advantage over my DR 650, both of them were stock and I ended up not buying the X-Challenge because it didn't seem that much better than the DR 650.

There's a reason there weren't very many X-Challenge's produced.

[Escaped]

Originally Posted by ntm1973

I nearly got stranded in the woods last weekend when my 1996 DR650 battery died.

Any help would be appreciated.

Just buy a new battery and save yourself a lot of trouble.

Sent from my MB520 using Tapatalk 2

[neo1piv014]

Originally Posted by Escaped

Just buy a new battery and save yourself a lot of trouble.

Sent from my MB520 using Tapatalk 2

+1. For as cheap as they are to replace, a new battery is a no brainer.

[ntm1973]

Originally Posted by neo1piv014

+1. For as cheap as they are to replace, a new battery is a no brainer.

I would be normally just replace the battery but........

1. The battery is a Truegel and less than a year old.

2. The battery is holding a charge.

3. The voltage drop when cranking the engine isn't low.

4. It still doesn't explain why there is voltage leakage or why I am not getting over 13 volts when the bike is revving.

Has anyone tried the voltage leak test on their DR650? Is .80 voltes normal??

[JagLite]

Originally Posted by Kommando

You can shave some weight if you look around (GSXR muff, HDB mirrors, small LED signals, lighter bars, Trailtech headlight assy, removing un-used brackets, etc.), but you can keep the underseat tank for gimmicky streetbikes and full-on race enduros. I like being able to easily bolt on a simple long-range tank without having to carry extra containers all over the bike or having to sell a kidney. How many other slab-comfortable bikes can carry 400+ miles worth of fuel and still be well under 400lb...for around $500? How strong would a plastic subframe be too, and where could one get it repaired if it busted in BFE?

I agree with you for the most part.
I like the simplicity of air/oil cooling and a carb for traveling outside the US. Or most places off main roads.
Since my traveling is limited to sunny day rides I would be happy to have fuel injection.
It is more complex but the magazine tests lately have been listing a carb as a negative.
On the rare test they might say the bike runs almost as well as one with FI...
I am happy I don't have any bikes that use points and condenser after all.
Even my '71 Triumph will get electronic ignition during the rebuild.

But, if I was designing an updated ADV DR650 I would make many changes.
As JMR posted, a DUAL RANGE tranny would be excellent, instead of a 6 speed, a 5 low and 5 high range!
Steel tube perimeter frame with one shock, no linkage, mounted on the left side of the swingarm/frame for easy access to the shock, lighter weight and with no linkage there is less expense and maintenance. And that opens up a lot of room for the fuel tank. Which is also the:

Removable subframe made of super plastic like the new, uh, Husaberg? Husky? KTM? somebody is doing it.
The fuel tank would be integral with the subframe for max capacity. However, I would also design a steel tube subframe with a separate (but still internal) fuel tank as an option for the hard core adventure travelers. Why not design for many options? Each buyer can set up their bike how they want. And, Suzuki makes the money by designing and building the optional parts. Racks, pannier mounts, GPS, etc.

The advantage of the under seat fuel tank is not a gimmick, it helps tremendously with lowering the cg of the bike and makes the bike feel so much lighter. A well designed underseat fuel tank, with the fuel fill neck going up under the false tank cover to the cap on the top rear of the tank cover could also add another gallon. I "think" it should be easy enough to get at least 5 gallons in an underseat tank that fills the area behind the cylinder, full width of the frame, and from the rear tire clearance up to the seat. With a side mounted shock and no airbox or electrics in that area it is actually quite a lot of space. On my Street Tracker DR I have no airbox or Electrics taking up that area, only the huge shock. That's what got me thinking about a side mounted, no linkage shock opening up room for a low cg fuel tank.

The engine would use a downdraft carb or FI throttle body so the straight shot down from the airbox (above the engine) opens up all the room behind the engine for the fuel tank. I would put all the electrics above the engine under the plastic "gas tank" cover and behind the steering head with a flip open cover for easy access. And install a LiPo battery of course. I would prefer the engine stay as air/oil cooled but with the emissions regs getting harder to meet, it might have to go to liquid cooling eventually. As long as possible I would want to keep it simple and not liquified.

I would use conventional forks, but with modern cartridge damping and dual adjusters.

Spoke wheels designed for tubeless tires too.

Lower seat height! with height adjust-ability.
Adjustable height foot pegs too.

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Ahhhhhh, how I love to imagineer!

I would bet that if Suzuki asked 500 of us to describe the perfect DR they would come up with many similarities but 500 different bikes.

Simplify and add lightness is the old Colin Chapman motto, it still holds true for me.

Now back to our regularly scheduled discussion of carb tuning and oil preference.
And tire choices....

[Tech23]

The new 2013 DR 650 is now on Suzuki's web site. It looks like it has an all new cartridge fork or the same misprint as last year...which ever way you want to look at it.

Tech23

[sandwash]

I'm just dying to see the new color.

[Tech23]

It's a new grey grey finish that appears to be darker at night.

Tech23

[LucasLeader]

"The bike has exceptional handling with technically advanced front forks." Heh...