DR750 & DR800 owners thread

[Jack Rabbit]

MODERN MOTORCYCLING LTD.
2816 COMERCIAL DRIVE
VANCOUVER,BC,
V5N 4C6
PHONE {604} 876-0182
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[bluesman]

Originally Posted by Okta

I'd rather upgrade the front brakes...my idea is to use KLE500 front forks with wheels and brake.

Ahm....you sure anout KLE500 forks? They are horrible and soft like spaghetti and brakes are one of worst dualsport brakes I ever tried.
If you meant KLX650 then forks are OK, but brakes just offroad brakes.
If you want to upgrade DR750 forks easiest way to install KLX upside-downs. As for brakes - as you saw in tread I went through few upgrades, and only stock 4-piston caliper that will clear spokes on DR wheel really is Gilera Nordwest RC600 Grimeca caliper. Otherwise - as you saw I bought uber-powerful supermoto Braking 4 piston caliper and for stock or other DR forks it's perfect - just need adapter, but since it did not fit my WP Extremes well I put it up on sale and ordered Beringer 4-piston supermoto caliper and can confirm that Beringer as well fit DR forks with simple adapter. BTW you can fit easily Africa Twin forks and brakes. You will need AT front wheel, forks, brakes and tripple tree from DR800 SR43.
Of course you may as well just put in SR43 stock front - 43 mm forks, simple rod forks but for some reason I was totally happy with their performance (except hard braking with luggage and passenger on German autbahns, I can feel them twisting).
So - do not go KLE if you want it better and not worse :)

[Megamoto]

[quote=ray_rev]luggage question:

Gaspipe has alu panniers on his 750, and MegaMoto has a full luggage set-up.

Any tips on pannier frames, bags, etc?[/quote]

Kappa universal luggage, polisport handguards, custom seat from a guy in Newcastle - DP Leathers on Westgate Road. (dr base new foam and new cover). With the standard seat I could do about an hour, maybe 90 mins, now.................

17" front rim was fitted when I lived in Cyprus. Good roads ( thanks to European money) - good weather (thanks to the Gods) - good rubber (thanks to Pirelli Diablos).

I have never felt that I would loose the front end, in fact I would be using the front brake as I started to lean as I entered bends.

I know this is somewhat controversial but I had great confidence in the bike, the tyres and the roads.
But then again there are nuggets on ADV who don't use their back brake.........it's a brake, learn how to use it!

Sorry, a bit off topic there. I'm off my soap box now.

The footpegs and bellypan are from

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fussrastenanla...1%7C240%3A1318

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Bugspoiler-fue...1%7C240%3A1318

If you get the bellypan you WILL need the footpegs, the standard pegs don't fit with the bellypan. The Suzuki mounting for the rear brake will need modifying also.

Screen from

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Windscreen-Pui...1%7C240%3A1318

Enjoy.

PS. I've now got bluesman's Gilera 4 pot - anyone know of a good fork brace?

[bluesman]

We just looked at brace problem together with few grease monkeys friends :)
After analysis and building Autocad model of it we came to conclusion that very few aftermarket braces really do it well. But...if choice is down to aftermarket.
One brace that looks OK it Stefan Hessler brace.
Also one of guys in our "team" got his DR650 (last model line) with brace and it does look remarkably good, but we failed to find who and where made it. It certainly not self made.
Conclusion is: only aftermarket brace we could find specifically for DR is Hessler's item.
Only potential candidate from other bike - DR650 brace (same 43 forks) but we need to check distance between fork legs, it might be different. Working on it.
Also may be Africa Twin aftermarket brace would fit, but I do not have now access ot AT to measure distance between fork pipes.

[Letsgo21]

Originally Posted by bluesman

We just looked at brace problem together with few grease monkeys friends :)
After analysis and building Autocad model of it we came to conclusion that very few aftermarket braces really do it well. But...if choice is down to aftermarket.
One brace that looks OK it Stefan Hessler brace.
Also one of guys in our "team" got his DR650 (last model line) with brace and it does look remarkably good, but we failed to find who and where made it. It certainly not self made.
Conclusion is: only aftermarket brace we could find specifically for DR is Hessler's item.
Only potential candidate from other bike - DR650 brace (same 43 forks) but we need to check distance between fork legs, it might be different. Working on it.
Also may be Africa Twin aftermarket brace would fit, but I do not have now access ot AT to measure distance between fork pipes.

Isnt it an option to copy nave's work and look for crf450 forks and brakes? :-)
I just bumped in to a fork set from a 07 crf on ebay.

[morse]

Originally Posted by ppe172

I'll chime in with my two cents. I pretty much agree with what Jack Rabbit said, and disagree with a couple of other suggestions. This is how I start mine.

1: Turn on gas.

2: Pull choke out all the way (I don't see why this would make it harder to turn over, it's not like opening the throttle where you get more air volume and hence more compression, it just opens a passage to allow more fuel) and if it's cold it isn't going to start without the choke.

3: Pull in decompression lever and immediately let go. You don't need to hold it open, and I wouldn't think that holding it open would be good for it for a couple of reasons. (IMHO).

You got a point about the choke, I've been wondering myself too, but it really does make it harder to turn over, you can feel it with a dead battery.
I learned it from this german page, its under bump starting.
http://home.germany.net/avehrenb/DR800maintenance.html

Anyone has an idea just exactly how could a choke make it harder to turn the engine round.

Oh and your right about the deco, if the engine is in the right stroke, it's better to release the deco before starting.

[bluesman]

Originally Posted by Letsgo21

Isnt it an option to copy nave's work and look for crf450 forks and brakes? :-)
I just bumped in to a fork set from a 07 crf on ebay.

No question - CRF forks are excellent. I personally just did not want USD forks (remember my email? I like "sleepers") and I am not good enough to notice difference in how WP Extreme work vs. CRF forks.

But brakes...CRF brakes are offroad brakes. And all limitations of them are + point offroad and big problem on road. Stock CRF brake disk is tiny, you will need 300-320 disk. That means relocating caliper. That means making adaptor... So why would you need CRF brake if you can not bolt it directly to forks?
That's my reasons :)

[Letsgo21]

Originally Posted by bluesman

No question - CRF forks are excellent. I personally just did not want USD forks (remember my email? I like "sleepers") and I am not good enough to notice difference in how WP Extreme work vs. CRF forks.

But brakes...CRF brakes are offroad brakes. And all limitations of them are + point offroad and big problem on road. Stock CRF brake disk is tiny, you will need 300-320 disk. That means relocating caliper. That means making adaptor... So why would you need CRF brake if you can not bolt it directly to forks?
That's my reasons :)

My bad...i meant for offroad purpose.
When talking onroad i think its hard to beat the AT forks/brake setup (later models-if these will fit exactly?) I mean, there's no bike coming closer to the BIG then the AT...when talking dual sport...

[bluesman]

Originally Posted by Letsgo21

My bad...i meant for offroad purpose.
When talking onroad i think its hard to beat the AT forks/brake setup (later models-if these will fit exactly?) I mean, there's no bike coming closer to the BIG then the AT...when talking dual sport...

You absolutely right. AT front is easy to install on DR if you use SR43 forks. And you get twin-disk setup of AT.
But I still feel my current setup of WP forks and Beringer 4-pot (which is not as powerful as Braking, but very decent and predictable bite) + set of 17" wheels and set of my stock wheels with Pirelli MT21 I still have on them in combination with hydraulic lift makes DR highly "universal" device :) it's just so much work I am going to miss lot of spring riding.
On other hand...I can ride my VTR that stood still for quite a while and get DR ready in mean time.

[Letsgo21]

Originally Posted by bluesman

You absolutely right. AT front is easy to install on DR if you use SR43 forks. And you get twin-disk setup of AT.
But I still feel my current setup of WP forks and Beringer 4-pot (which is not as powerful as Braking, but very decent and predictable bite) + set of 17" wheels and set of my stock wheels with Pirelli MT21 I still have on them in combination with hydraulic lift makes DR highly "universal" device :) it's just so much work I am going to miss lot of spring riding.
On other hand...I can ride my VTR that stood still for quite a while and get DR ready in mean time.

You lucker

I will mis a lot of riding to, but hey, if i dont do the work now, i'll miss summer and the winter in a no-heated garage aint no fun place to be so...
Well, i only have the stock wheels with pirelli mt60's fitted and i was truly surprised with the amount of grip/handling both on/offroad.Front forks and especially brakes are terrible if yre used to ride sportbikes so i guess the search for upgrades begins I think i'd go with the AT-setup, combined with better set of springs.

[bluesman]

I have some bit of info for you :)

http://www.spooky.info/index2.html

Check Umbauten->SR43 mit Twin gabel

[NordieBoy]

Originally Posted by bluesman

As for brakes - as you saw in tread I went through few upgrades, and only stock 4-piston caliper that will clear spokes on DR wheel really is Gilera Nordwest RC600 Grimeca caliper.

Just a point...

Nordwest...


RC600...


Only the Nordwest has the sought after caliper.

[Letsgo21]

Originally Posted by bluesman

I have some bit of info for you :)

http://www.spooky.info/index2.html

Check Umbauten->SR43 mit Twin gabel

Unbelieveable, i bet google is yr middlename That's exactly the info i needed, tnx!!! Unfortunately the pdf's on his site are down, but still, great site!

[Ladder106]

Has anyone considered the forks from the Suzuki DRZ400.

I have had a special steering stem made to be able to use these forks on my Transalp/Africa Twin hybrid. Purchase of the DR750 has put this project temporarily on hold until I can afford the SM disc conversion and front brake mastercylinder and brake line. I have the forks, front wheel,axle and brake caliper.

I have a DRZ400 and like the front forks. They have huge (49mm) tubes and are a conventional (not USD) design. I still prefer a conventional fork. I have never felt the need for a fork brace using these forks. They are damper rod forks (after 2002) and have compression and rebound adjusters. They are available on US ebay quite often for reasonable prices.

Looking at the front wheels of the DR750 and DRZ400 I see some family traits. I don't know about axle diameters and steering head bearing sizes but I'd bet a swap would be within reason. One would most likely have to graft the triple clamps from the DRZ onto the DR frame since the DRZ fork tubes are too large to allow use of the stock DR clamps.

[robmoto]

Thanks for info regards. Rob