DR350 Thread

[Greg Bender]

Originally Posted by Airvent

While am at it, here's the video of said get off. I don't normally crash, honestly.

Warning, a swear word or two.

I've *NEVER* done that more than a bunch of times :> :> :> :>

Regards,

Gregory Bender

[Greg Bender]

Originally Posted by VooDooDaddy

Hey Fellas,

Been awhile since I've visited this thread. Yeah, I know this topic about the 350 being hi-way capable comes up quite often, and more than once I've been fascinated at the responses of how other people's 350s have what seems like a hard time on the highway? I have a '99 DR350SE with Jessie's stock exhaust mod, a jet kit, cut air box and 16T front sprocket and my DR will run 70mph no-problem-o.

I guess I'm just surprised at all the responses about how 'difficult' it is to do highway speeds on these things? Maybe I'm not interpreting things the correct way? And my bike will do 70mph easily with 70lbs of weight behind me. Is it supremely comfortable?...No. Is it the best way to do highway miles?...No.

But its not difficult either.

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

[Timan]

Originally Posted by Timan

In my continuing effort to bring back a 1994 DR350 I need a little help. Going over the bike doing some cleaning I ran across a part I can't id. Just in front of the countershaft and above the gear lever is a piece with (6) little nibs and cable looking piece with a brass end about the size of a bb. I went over the parts fiche and never did find it. Looks like it should have a cover over it, with this bike it has no cover. Thanks in advance for help.

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.

[2bold2getold]

Originally Posted by Greg Bender

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

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.

[MrPulldown]

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.

[Greg Bender]

Originally Posted by 2bold2getold

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.

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

[AtlantaViking]

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...

[Greg Bender]

Originally Posted by AtlantaViking

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

[Greg Bender]

Originally Posted by AtlantaViking

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

[AtlantaViking]

Originally Posted by Greg 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.

[GaThumper]

Originally Posted by Greg 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

Jesse has a nice one as well.

http://www.kientech.com/DR350AdjustableChainGuide.htm

[AtlantaViking]

Originally Posted by GaThumper

Jesse has a nice one as well.

http://www.kientech.com/DR350AdjustableChainGuide.htm

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.

[2bold2getold]

Originally Posted by Greg Bender

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

Had a little left on the "98se, after I "clearanced" it.

[Greg Bender]

Originally Posted by 2bold2getold

Had a little left on the "98se, after I "clearanced" it.

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

[MrPulldown]

Originally Posted by 2bold2getold

Had a little left on the "98se, after I "clearanced" it.

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.