The DR650 Highway Touring Thread

[EvanADV]

Originally Posted by planemanx15

Anybody have a pic of a Givi E45 mounted as a top case on their DR650? I just bought one from an inmate, and wondering how big it will look hanging on to the rear..

is this one?

[planemanx15]

Originally Posted by c2c4c

is this one?

Sort if, that's probably the same size. The E45 looks like this:



Givi claims it to be more rugged, and built for dual sport use (lacks lights, and anything "fancy") I like it for the price point, and the volume. I had one on my V-Strom that was able to hold 2 full face helmets, and a jacket on top.

Nice set up btw

[EvanADV]

Originally Posted by planemanx15

Sort if, that's probably the same size. The E45 looks like this:



Givi claims it to be more rugged, and built for dual sport use (lacks lights, and anything "fancy") I like it for the price point, and the volume. I had one on my V-Strom that was able to hold 2 full face helmets, and a jacket on top.

Nice set up btw

Ah, okay. Not my bike, just searched dr650 givi on google and found that.

[Heavy]

That's an E46.

Originally Posted by c2c4c

is this one?

[NordieBoy]

Givi E45 on the Nordie...

[arcolamo]

Sarah, chances are quite high that the Beemer will be high maintenance and unreliable. Budget in the cost of AAA Premier Plus for the towing and a large calibre handgun to keep you company when you are in the middle of nowhere.... Four BMWs, four HDs, DR650 and DR200 in the garage. Always wonder when leaving home on a BMW, never a question on the HDs or DRs.

[ER70S-2]

Originally Posted by arcolamo

Sarah, chances are quite high that the Beemer will be high maintenance and unreliable. Budget in the cost of AAA Premier Plus for the towing and a large calibre handgun to keep you company when you are in the middle of nowhere.... Four BMWs, four HDs, DR650 and DR200 in the garage. Always wonder when leaving home on a BMW, never a question on the HDs or DRs.

Holy crap!! BMW should be real proud to finish after HD in reliability.

[eakins]

first order of biz before a tour...make sure you have a solid battery!
if it's questionable replace it asap. it's a $60 peace of mind.
http://www.tristatebattery.com/produ...roducts_id=973

[sagedrifter]

Originally Posted by c2c4c

is this one?

No thats my 52 liter, thats my Goldwing conversion...

Here is my old set up:



A bit more recent:



The GIVI is a back buster. I just use it around town and some times whe I ride with my friend on his ST1300.

My usual travel set up for DS rides is this, a pic on of my last GA trip:




Recently I've been running a Shinko 700 on the front and I'm sticking with the 705 on the rear. The bike has heated grips, a spit fire screen, corbin seat etc... and I carry lots of tools and enough gear to last months on the bike. I was carrying lots of camping gear in the above pic. That big bag carried the food, stoves, 3 man tent, butane, tarp, camp axe and.....

I've been doing a good bit of camping in AL, TN, GA, NC, KY and WV. The little DR is fine for touring, I actually like it better than my KTM 950. I'm 6'-4" tall so the bike feels small to me, very easy to pick up. I run the heavy springs and an extra tall corbin with Procycle's lowered pegs and their bar risers with Protaper Contour highs.

[ER70S-2]

Sarahp:
Here's a BMW thread to help with your decision.
http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=746592

[Adv Grifter]

Originally Posted by ER70S-2

Sarahp:
Here's a BMW thread to help with your decision.
http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=746592

Yea ... the old F bikes are notorious for all kinds of repeating problems. I used to read Horizon's (HUBB) in the mid 2000's and follow RTW trips. The F650's were very popular with the Euro's (and others), who had bought into the BMW fantasy of mythic reliability. (left over from the 70's ??)

The number of problems and issues reported was shocking. Reading ride reports here also shows a preponderance of issues on these F650 bikes ... especially from 2000 up to close of production in '07 (or thereabouts).

There is a "famous" BMW F650 rider called Bob Morely, AKA Smelly Biker. He used to sell GPS tracks to other ADV riders. He did RTW for about 5 or 6 years. His lists of problems and rebuilds of practically every system on the bike tops any I've seen. Worse than any old Brit bike or Bultaco I ever owned.

A common and repeating theme on MANY F650's seems to be bad wheel bearings, cooked batteries, bad fuel and water pumps ... the later causing some serious blow ups. (can you tell I was looking to buy a F650 Dakar? ... but around every corner I'd find another problem)

I hope for Sarah's sake the Loncin engineers have worked out some of these common F650 issues ... like front forks breaking clean off the bike for no good reason (there is a thread here about that issue)

I expect by now the Chinese engineers at Loncin have 100% deconstructed and reverse engineered BMW's & Rotax's designs ... and made it about 50% better ... and do it all for less money. That'll make it about Half as good as a DR650 ... for just twice the money!
Still ... a big improvement over past BMW singles ... and such nice gauges and switches!

[Klay]

Originally Posted by Adv Grifter

F650 issues ... like front forks breaking clean off the bike for no good reason (there is a thread here about that issue)

I was just looking for that thread. You don't happen to have a link? I remember the fork broke clean off for no reason on the Alaska highway and the rider broke her arm in the crash.

[NCJ]

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=371650

[Klay]

Originally Posted by NCJ

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=371650

Looks like it's still pretty current in faceplants.

[ER70S-2]

And then there's the exploding fork issue (at 95 miles on a new bike, lady rider), post 11. This was a problem 8 or 10 years ago, seems it hasn't been cured.

http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=700385

Not 205'd, another link.