Eddieb's DR build thread.

**Eddieb** · 21st February 2011, 21:03

As a lot of you have gathered I've gone and got a DR, in fact a very cheap and cheerful DR.

DR650.jpg DSCF3230sm.jpg

So what is it and what did I get for my money:

It's a '99 DR650
Purple frame has been powder coated yellow
Eibach stiffer rear spring
Ventura L brackets, rack and 2 bags
Pannier racks
Bash plate
Lever guards
GN250 center stand
Extra little screen
Service manual on CD
Service history
Other bits of paper I haven't looked at yet.
A random selection of basic tools.

The suspension is set on the low rider settings.

**Eddieb** · 21st February 2011, 21:08

So DR's are cool little bikes and can go lots of places as stock but now it's time to make this one mine, hopefully make it better, or possibly just change some things cause I can.

This isn't going to be a Phreaky Phil style serious do-over, mainly cause i don't have Phil's workshop, his awesome skilz, or his budget, though I'm not below pillaging his left over and reject parts. It's going to be cheap and cheerful like the bike cause it's bound to get dinged and scratched, and cause I'm of Scottish descent and it's built into my genes.

So what do I want to do with it? here's the wishlist.

Raise the suspension back to the high settings
FCR carb
GSXR or similar pipe
Bar risers
Footpegs lowered
Big tank, IMS or Safari
Top box on the back
Remodel the seat if I can find a spare to butcher.
Possibly front fork springs if over time I feel they are lacking
Possibly rear valving work.
If I win lotto, a 780 kit.
Anything else I think of as I go along.

As it happens I purchased a FCR carb off Trade Me last week. It needs setting up which includes a little drilling for the return cable and a needle and jet kit but at least I have the carb.
It also sounds like there's a left over pipe at Phils place I can pillage, it's off a TL so is pretty long but will get things moving once I have a mid pipe for it.
Bar risers can easily be obtained from any decent bike shop, though I'll do some research on whether there's any that seem preferred, I'd like to get at least 25mm or maybe 30mm.
Footpeg lowering, adapters can be easily purchased or Nordie has a pdf somewhere with the design that I can take to a engineer and see how much they are to make.

**gav24** · 21st February 2011, 21:28

Mine has the bar risers, well new clamps with fat bars, but the effect is the same, pipe and air filter with carb mods.
Not sure why people want to lower the pegs - especially with the soggy as suspension - seems like a recipe for broken toes off-road.
My next investment will be stiffer front springs and damping mods and a stiffer rear spring.
You will need the same, esp with that extra luggage capacity!
The carb would be nice - and so would the bigger tank, but maybe I have distant scottish ancestors as I keep thinking about the fuel consumption with the FCR carb and the 5 litre can bungied to the rear fender does the same job as an ims!

**Eddieb** · 21st February 2011, 21:39

Originally Posted by gav24

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Not sure why people want to lower the pegs - especially with the soggy as suspension - seems like a recipe for broken toes off-road.
My next investment will be stiffer front springs and damping mods and a stiffer rear spring.
You will need the same, esp with that extra luggage capacity!

I found it too cramped when standing, also lowering them with brackets normally also moves them back which I felt I needed going over the Maungatapu, all of that could be hangovers from the bikes I've been riding previously, who knows but I like to ride standing a lot and wasn't comfortable as it is.

The stiffer rear spring fitted to mine has made a huge difference, it's way less bouncy than stock ones I've ridden and preload is only at ~75%, I might actually back it off some more as it felt a bit harsh loaded up. I haven't figured out what rate spring it is yet.

I've had more issues with the front tyre than the forks so far, the tyre is poked and falls into corners really badly. When I get a moment I'll pull it of and replace it with one I have in the garage then see what it feels like.

The Ventura gear will probably come off. I took my Wolfman bags over with my weekends gear, gps, tank bag, tie downs etc in it, and the Ventura bags were already on it but they are empty. The Wolfman bags sit on the pannier racks perfectly.

**Eddieb** · 21st February 2011, 21:52

Let the farkling begin!

The first job started after riding over the Maungatapu, the previous owner had drilled 4 6mm holes in the rear of the stock exhaust, I've seen this on a few DR's, presumably to allow better flow.

The problem with this was that every time I let the throttle off it sounded like someone was letting off wet farts right behind me, a high pitched pfffft! whistle that was quite annoying.

Nordie has done a fair bit of experimentation on this and had the same result on his bike with 6mm holes. In his considered opinion 8mm was the best compromise between power and noise, so 30 seconds with a drill and the holes were enlarged to 8mm.

This made a considerable difference in that it removed the annoying whistle made the bike sound much quieter from the riders seat.

**bart** · 21st February 2011, 22:45

Nice one Eddie. I was very tempted to throw a bid on that bike also. Thought it might be good for spares at that price.

**Squiggles** · 21st February 2011, 23:52

Keen to see how the GN250 stand is mounted... happen to have 1 (or maybe 3?) under the house

**NordieBoy** · 22nd February 2011, 09:08

Originally Posted by gav24

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Not sure why people want to lower the pegs - especially with the soggy as suspension - seems like a recipe for broken toes off-road.

Un-sog the suspension then.
The pegs are still well above the frame rails.
I was going to lower mine a bit more but with the new Zeta SX3 very high bend fat bars, I don't need to lower the pegs any more. The bars are slightly (10mm or so) too high seated, but standing whilst on the flat, climbing or descending is brilliant. Just need to modify the seat slightly to make it a little more narrow a bit further back before it widens out.

Originally Posted by gav24

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The carb would be nice - and so would the bigger tank, but maybe I have distant scottish ancestors as I keep thinking about the fuel consumption with the FCR carb and the 5 litre can bungied to the rear fender does the same job as an ims!

I get 18-19km/L with the FCR.
However with the BST I was getting 18-20km/L.

The IMS handles better than the 5L on the back though.

**gav24** · 22nd February 2011, 12:14

Originally Posted by NordieBoy

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Un-sog the suspension then.
The pegs are still well above the frame rails.
I was going to lower mine a bit more but with the new Zeta SX3 very high bend fat bars, I don't need to lower the pegs any more. The bars are slightly (10mm or so) too high seated, but standing whilst on the flat, climbing or descending is brilliant. Just need to modify the seat slightly to make it a little more narrow a bit further back before it widens out.

I get 18-19km/L with the FCR.
However with the BST I was getting 18-20km/L.

The IMS handles better than the 5L on the back though.

Could be why I dont feel the need to lower the pegs with my high bend bars and 10mm higher clamps, also about 10mm forward from stock as well. Plus I'm only 5'9. I used "art trax" fat bar clamps and "Zeta" fat bars in a CR high bend. (There is also some awesome Renthal bends called Desert and Vintage. These are both real high and come in std dia. so wouldnt need the extra clamps, and the cross bar is useful for fitting future farkles.)

Glad to hear that the FCR doesnt make any real difference in km/L my wallet is loosening a little...

You're right about the handling - 5kgs + of extra weight does make my already soggy suspenders a bit more poo and put all the extra weight in the wrong place - especiallly just before you need the extra fuel when the main tank is getting low. Sketchy cornering at best on gravel

As for tyres I have been super pleased with my Michelin T63 - on offer from Cycletreads a while back, very round profile on rear for super quick turn in. Good value shipping as well.

**NordieBoy** · 22nd February 2011, 14:51

I run Renthal Classics on the '79 XR250.

**Eddieb** · 22nd February 2011, 15:26

Originally Posted by Squiggles

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Keen to see how the GN250 stand is mounted... happen to have 1 (or maybe 3?) under the house

If your lucky I'll take a pic. While I haven't crawled under it yet it appears to be mounted to a flat plate which is bolted on at the footpeg mounts.

There's no spring return holding it up, it uses a state of the art red stripey bungy that wraps around the stand leg and hooks onto the pillion peg bracket.

**dino3310** · 22nd February 2011, 19:43

Hind sight you should just have brought joes

**Waihou Thumper** · 22nd February 2011, 19:55

Originally Posted by dino3310

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Hind sight you should just have brought joes

Sssh! you bastard.....a lot of us might have considered that! It was set up wasn't it?

Back then, oh, almost two years ago now, the Dr's in the North weren't as trendy.....
Now, our cousins across the ditch, Nordie and Tugboat and Phil have decided that KTM's are too heavy, but Dr's can hack the distance and the pressures of the GAFA (Great Auaaie F..k all) will and have been conquered....
Wicked!

**Eddieb** · 22nd February 2011, 20:42

Pics of the GN centerstand.

1 thing to be aware of. My bike is currently on the low suspension settings and the center stand only just lifts the bike off the ground, I'm not aware of whether the stand has been shortened or not but I suspect once I lift the bike back up to it's normal height it will be redundant.

**NordieBoy** · 22nd February 2011, 20:46

Originally Posted by Eddieb

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Pics of the GN centerstand.

1 thing to be aware of. My bike is currently on the low suspension settings and the center stand only just lifts the bike off the ground, I'm not aware of whether the stand has been shortened or not but I suspect once I lift the bike back up to it's normal height it will be redundant.

Or that you need to extend the legs a bit...