The DR650 thread

[R650R]

Brother took his bike into the shop today. Looks like another warranty job. That's 2 warranty claims in 3 months on a 1year old bike. Musta come off the production line on a Friday.

This is what he said:

Right took her in. They did a crack test etc. Sent pics of suzuki. It's a warranty job. So once we get sign off from suzuki we order the part in as none are in the country and replace it. I'm riding her still. Just keeping an eye on it. They don't have any working loaners as everyone's wrecked them. Once sign off part will take 10-15 days to get here.

Did Suzuki sign off promptly??? both warranty issues I had on other bikes they took their time....

[speights_bud]

Yea they were pretty quick to put it right. What took the longest was shipping in the parts from Japan (the usual 3weeks).

I wasn't going to mention the shop, but he's been dealing with Boyds which is where he also bought it new. I have to say that from what I've heard their service has been really good. Though I've never been there myself.

[Denniso]

Selling my DR , I think one of you lot need it more than me . It's in the bike trader section .

[Scubbo]

nah i'd just buy a new one for an extra 2k...

[Denniso]

Or you could make an offer , I've not sold a bike yet for what I wanted , so might as well start high

[MarkH]

I took my DR650 for a wee ride today - Morrinsville to Morrinsville via Raglan.
One thing I was wanting to do was try out my Doubletake mirrors and I thought I'd share my thoughts here.
As received they are about a 6/10 - not bad mirrors with really really easy adjustability, but noticeable vibration and really bad at holding the position I set.
As modified they are about a 9/10 (maybe even 9.5/10) - vibration seems less, not too sure why and they stay nicely where I set them.

My mod:
Remove mirror arms from RAM socket arm, put some heat shrink tubing over the ball end of the mirror arms, shrink the heat-shrink, trim any excess heat-shrink that looks to be unneeded for it to work, put that ball end with heat-shrink tubing into the RAM socket arm, position & tighten.
This mod doesn't take anything away from the system, still super easy to adjust or to move out of the way when riding off-road.
The original problem was that unlike the rubber ball you screw into where the stock mirrors used to be, the ball on the mirror arm is a hard plastic which the RAM socket arm doesn't grip onto very well.

Anyway, I really like my Doubletake mirrors now, so much better than the stock ones. With a little heat-shrink tubing these are really good.

[R650R]

I took my DR650 for a wee ride today - Morrinsville to Morrinsville via Raglan.
One thing I was wanting to do was try out my Doubletake mirrors and I thought I'd share my thoughts here.
As received they are about a 6/10 - not bad mirrors with really really easy adjustability, but noticeable vibration and really bad at holding the position I set.
As modified they are about a 9/10 (maybe even 9.5/10) - vibration seems less, not too sure why and they stay nicely where I set them.

My mod:
Remove mirror arms from RAM socket arm, put some heat shrink tubing over the ball end of the mirror arms, shrink the heat-shrink, trim any excess heat-shrink that looks to be unneeded for it to work, put that ball end with heat-shrink tubing into the RAM socket arm, position & tighten.
This mod doesn't take anything away from the system, still super easy to adjust or to move out of the way when riding off-road.
The original problem was that unlike the rubber ball you screw into where the stock mirrors used to be, the ball on the mirror arm is a hard plastic which the RAM socket arm doesn't grip onto very well.

Anyway, I really like my Doubletake mirrors now, so much better than the stock ones. With a little heat-shrink tubing these are really good.

What was wrong with the stock ones???? Mine are vibe free, have good view and have survived several offs and trimming roadside verges. Unlike the mirrors on a very expensive KTM thingy that were fine until you switched on the engine. Suppose on a KTM you never need look in your mirrors anyway :P

[Shadowjack]

What was wrong with the stock ones????

I fitted the Procycle extenders to mine, because, well, apart from the KTM thing, I could see nowt but the inside of my elbows.

[Transalper]

....The original problem was that unlike the rubber ball you screw into where the stock mirrors used to be, the ball on the mirror arm is a hard plastic which the RAM socket arm doesn't grip onto very well.

Anyway, I really like my Doubletake mirrors now, so much better than the stock ones. With a little heat-shrink tubing these are really good.

That's a bloody good idea, I used cycle inner tube with mine but heatshrink would be a lot neater and maybe more effective, I'll get on to that before my next ride.
They have a new shape out now too.... the mirror at Motomox link.
I heard something along the lines of the doubletake people are not allowed to rubberise the mirror ball due to copyrights or what ever it is called for that kind of thing.

[MarkH]

What was wrong with the stock ones????

Stock: I'd tighten up the RAM arm until I got worried that any more and it would break, then as I rode the air would push the mirror and I couldn't see behind me.
With heat-shrink: I tightened the RAM arm until snug, rode 180kms - no issues!

The vibration wasn't all that bad, I could have lived with that - I still don't know why it seems to be less with the heat-shrink.
But what is the the point of easy to adjust mirrors if the air can push them around so they aren't correctly adjusted for very long?
I have a box full of assorted heat-shrink, using a little of the correct sized stuff effectively cost me nothing - cheap & effective solution IMO.

[MarkH]

I heard something along the lines of the doubletake people are not allowed to rubberise the mirror ball due to copyrights or what ever it is called for that kind of thing.

I don't know anything, but my suspicion is that the one piece zytel arm would be cheap to manufacture, but to rubberise the ball would add cost and that extra cost would put off some buyers. Maybe they should include a piece of heat-shrink tubing and put instructions that if problems getting the mirror to stay where you put it then put the heat-shrink over the ball and shrink it.
They could also just have a brass insert on the end of the mirror arm and you could screw in a RAM ball, but again that would add more cost.
Using some heat-shrink tubing has to be the cheapest solution and IMO a really effective one.

[Brainflex]

Torpedo 7 have a 320mm disc n adaptor on special at $180.
I don't know how long for so if you want one, they're there.

[NordieBoy]

Will they fit on a DR?

[Brainflex]

Yep, they have em for Drs, just click the drop box n select. Silver for calliper bracket.

[NordieBoy]

The one I could find says Kawasaki/Suzuki/DRZ. A bracket for a DRZ wouldn't fit a DR650? The DRZ disc is 250mm stock and the DR650 is 290mm stock.

I need a new disc soon, 140,000km of braking is wearing it out