DRZ400 Safari & Across Australia build

[kipo]

Originally Posted by Gadget678

Thanks for the offer. I might just take you up on that.
As for the 24, do these look familiar?


I mucked up on that one though. I'd previously ridden the clubman, so loosly based my (rushed) prep on what I'd done with the TTR250. Due to work I didn't have the time on the bike to test the effectiveness and durability of what I'd set-up. I ended up with gearing that was way too tall for the tight stuff, and a driving light that kept turning left. As I hadn't had the electrics tweaked, the driving light was my high beam, while the standard light was my low beam.
Lesson one: there's no substitute to time on the bike, riding.

Yeah, I reckon that was you. Did you finish the 24 HR? I've done 3 and DNF'd all 3

No worries if you want to stay here. I'm a fellow DRZ owner with a well set up shed for any maintenance you might need.

[Gadget678]

Originally Posted by kipo

Yeah, I reckon that was you. Did you finish the 24 HR? I've done 3 and DNF'd all 3
Not that one. I realised I'd made a mistake with the set-up and wasn't in the mind-set to keep pushing... only did 250km. (First lap). In 2009 I went back again, but just wanted time on the bike before doing the Safari a few weeks later. For the second run on the DRZ, I had fitted a Trailtech X2 HID headlight. The bike was much better sorted- it felt great. The X2 was brilliant in the competatives, but was lacking on the road; I overshot at least 3 blind gravel road bends at the end of the first lap & start of the second. Some of the competatives were pretty rough though, and were giving my knee a pounding. I didn't want to risk a $5000 ride (Safari) because of a $150 ride, so I withdrew after about 350km.

My saving grace is that in 2006 I had a class win in the Clubman category on a TTR250... Plus I went on to finish 18th outright in the 2009 Australasian Safari.


What happened to your rides?

No worries if you want to stay here. I'm a fellow DRZ owner with a well set up shed for any maintenance you might need.
Any decent local rides that would be worth doing on the way through?

[kipo]

Originally Posted by Gadget678

My 3 X 24 HR DNF's:

1977 (probably before you were born) got lost and missed a control so pulled out, would have been disqualified anyway

2010: Did 3 laps (18 hours). Went to start 4th lap and had a rear flat. I was too knacked to fix it.

2011: Had a big off and hurt my leg so pulled out after 2 laps.

Oh well, try again next year (maybe)

Good riding in the Flinders we could shoot up there for a day if you want.

[topo]

Gadget,
loving your fairing, i knocked this one up over the last week or so


Sorry for the thread-jack but it's really great to see another DRZ being modified. Have you got a spot tracker so we can follow you progress?

Cheers,
TOPO

[Gadget678]

Originally Posted by topo

Gadget,
loving your fairing, i knocked this one up over the last week or so


Sorry for the thread-jack but it's really great to see another DRZ being modified. Have you got a spot tracker so we can follow you progress?

Cheers,
TOPO

Looking good.

I'm happy for you to post here- it was your thread that gave me some ideas anyway

Fibreglass is mongrel stuff to work with isn't it? Hard to get things symetrical too.

[topo]

It's mongrel stuff alright!

How much fuel do you think you'll need? will the 28ltr safari be sufficent or will you still need aux tanks or bladders?

[Gadget678]

Originally Posted by topo

It's mongrel stuff alright!

How much fuel do you think you'll need? will the 28ltr safari be sufficent or will you still need aux tanks or bladders?

My initial calculations: I'll need about 35lt.

My 17lt Safari tank now holds 21-22lt, so if the 28lt expands a bit as well.... bonus.

You may recall my 4lt Nomad tank on Safari. On a tar transport I rode 88km before it ran dry. With the same tank in a competitive section, I didn't even make 50km.

So what I do all depends on the fuel burn with a load. I'm planning on loading it to "worst case scenario" level, and run it in the sand to establish this.... then allow a few lt extra. My line of thinking here is that the Simpson crossing will have the bike at its heaviest, and will burn the most fuel.... I want to make sure I can come out the other side.

[Gadget678]

Originally Posted by Hill Billy

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=474161

SWEEEEET. Thanks for linking that report. I think my ride just got longer.

[Gadget678]

Originally Posted by kipo

Good riding in the Flinders we could shoot up there for a day if you want.

Absolutely- My plans are just really starting to get under-way, so I'll pencil in a day stop over in PA on the way through...

Originally Posted by Gadget678

I think my ride just got longer.

FYI: I was definately around when The King died, and Bat out of Hell was released!

[Gadget678]

Unfortunately, when I was setting my bike up, I didn't take too many photos of the new stuff before it went on... so some of these pics were taken later!

Once the excess parts had been removed I began to build the bike up.
An ACERBIS rear guard extender with LED light was on the scene very early. Along with some small indicators that I had lying around.


Protection is a priority for me. The bike already had Barkbuster Ego's, and a B&B bashplate. I added B&B Radiator guards:



Case guards, B&B Case Savers, B&B frame guards.



And a full Staintune header/muffler system.

[Wilmo]

I think you were the one that I gave my spare spark plug to at the 2009 Safari - I was riding a DRZ in the Moto Tour that year. Is it still going?

[Gadget678]

Originally Posted by Wilmo

I think you were the one that I gave my spare spark plug to at the 2009 Safari - I was riding a DRZ in the Moto Tour that year. Is it still going?

Yes, that was me. The problem, as it turns out, wasn't the plug at all... it was the plug lead arcing against the frame, but only under sustained high speeds. It happened again a few days later, but due to the red dust- you could see the scorch marks where the dust had settled on the lead. The plug is still going strong, thanks for your generosity. I never caught you at the presentation dinner to shout you a drink (I had trouble identifying anyone out of their riding gear after 7 days riding).

Progressing to the main event at some point?

[searchin oz]

Good looking bike you have there Gadget

What do you think of the work Smarty has done? I resprung mine last week but the valving is still standard. I was thinking about letting Smarty have a play, especially the forks....

[Gadget678]

Originally Posted by searchin oz

Good looking bike you have there Gadget

What do you think of the work Smarty has done? I resprung mine last week but the valving is still standard. I was thinking about letting Smarty have a play, especially the forks....

Probably the best money I've spent on the bike. The first time I met him, he was dialling in some juniors bikes at Boonoonar. (I was riding past with some of my mates who'd all had work done, so we dropped in). I'd already made a decision to let Smarty do the work so we had a quick chat about what I wanted to do with the bike. He asked my weight (72kg at the time) and cast his eyes over the bike... bounced on each end... looked at it again & said "this is too heavily sprung for you." This comment freaked me a bit. Every suspension mod you read about involves increasing the spring rates, but Smarty thinks differently. I had to do a lap around the test track so he could see how I rode. When I got back he asked how I wanted it set up.... buggered if I knew!! so I just told him what I wanted it to do "Half the riding I do is in the High Country, the other half is in the desert. I want it to be supple on the rocks, but to be able to deal with it if I hit something at speed." His response: "Just what I wanted to know"

I don't know what exactly he did, but the bike became so easy to ride. When we put the suspension back in he wanted to check the sag---no adjustment required.

There has been times with my riding- especially on the Safari- that I've braced for impact.... and felt nothing.

Rock up with your bike and have a chat with him, he'll soon let you know what can be done.

[GhostRiderFromHell]

Hi Gadget,

Loving the many faces of your DRZ. I recently rebuilt my KLX400(DRZ) to be a desert weapon that I raced in Finke this year. I have attached a couple of pics for reference as this bike was rebuilt from ground up (including the engine from crank up) to do nothing more than take on the desert. The pics were taken on the day of completion minus some new shoes and rim lock. If you or anyone else has any questions i'd be happy to answer them. The things not seen in the pics are the trailtech stealth vapor, MSC Titan underbar dampner with custom milled triples and risers and some renthal bars that i can't remember the bend at the moment as well as the trailtech X2 lights.

Anyway...sorry for the thread jack but DRZ get me excited





There are also some more pics and vids from Finke on fellow inmate drtrebors smug mug gallery HERE

Cheers

Ghosty