Got any DR650 bits lying about ?

[far queue]

I’m after some bits for a DR650 … left rear indicator, left grab rail, and left L bracket for Ventura pack rack. I’m waiting for Sportzone to get back to me with some prices and will be ringing round the wreckers, but thought I’d give you guys a shot too. I’ve already checked Trademe – nothing there. I’m waiting to hear back from Dold Industries on whether I can get just a left hand bracket off them.

If you want to know what happened see below – it’s nothing dramatic …

I went for a ride off road at the Waimak river on Saturday to try out the new tyres I’d just had fitted. Towards the end of the ride I noticed that the bits mentioned above had fallen off. This lot had all been held on by two bolts, but the bracket that the rear bolt screws to had broken off where it was welded to the frame and the front bolt had come out. All I was left with was a broken wire dangling down that used to be attached to an indicator and the plastic chain guard was also broken. I didn't bother going back to look for the bits as it's not likely I would've remembered everywhere I’d been in the 110km I’d done to that point in and out of bush and riverbed. Also, I reckon the missing assembly has hit the back wheel as it dropped off, and been fired off into the bush, which was quite dense in a number of places, breaking the chain guard on its way, and ripping the indicator wire off.

I never came off or hit anything on the ride so I can only assume that when I had a wee off on the Lees valley ride a fortnight ago I cracked the weld on the bracket, then fatigue took over and finished the job on Saturday. At least it didn't break at the March Hare or I would've been stuffed for getting all my gear back. It was probably the load of that trip which contributed to the failure, although it was rock steady when unloading on the Sunday afternoon. I don’t really know what’s happened.

So anyway I’m now after some replacement parts and will have to make a new bracket to weld on. I’ve measured, drawn, and taken photos of the broken off bracket on a new DR at Sportzone and it wont be too hard to make a new one.

[laRIKin]

How are you getting on finding the parts?
Was looking at a DR today (maybe for SDU) and looked at the bracket that you are missing.
It will be easy to make and weld on.
PM me when you are ready to get the bracket welded on.
Will only take 10 minutes to make one, if you want me to make one as well.

[far queue]

Yeah, it's a simple bracket isn't it. I went down to sportzone on Monday and had a look at the DR's they've got there - I traced around the bracket on their bike, and photographed and measured it. As you say, it should be easy to make a new one. I had a rat around in the workshop today for a suitable bit of steel to make one from with no luck. Have you got a bit of steel lying about I could use? Around 50x75mm will be enough. The original looks like it's only 18g but I'd rather go for 16g or 12g. I can make it, but I'll need your services to weld it on.

As for the other bits, I'm still waiting for Sportzone to get back to me about prices. I went in Monday and they were to ring me back, chased them up on Weds and they'd done nothing and said they'd be back to me by Thurs - I've still heard nothing so will have to hassel them again on Monday - poor service, as I'm used to from them.

I emailed Dold about the pack rack L bracket, but they wont sell me a left hand one only, so I'll have to buy a pair at $130

I rung a few wreckers but haven't found one with any DR bits yet. I'll finish ringing around this week and order the bits, probably new unfortunately, and probably not from Sportzone.

[BEAMER89]

Bugger Far-q !! l hope its not 2 costly to fix.

[laRIKin]

I was going to make the bracket out of 2-3 mm.
So can make it nice and strong, so it will not do it again.
I am not to sure why you want 50X75 mm of steel, at a glance it look like it was for one bolt and about 25X25 mm would do. (could be wrong only had a real quick look)

Tell you what to do.
Buy the DR 650 in at Eric Woods it has the parts you need and we will take the rest of the bike off your hands. (only if the price is right of course )
We are good like that.

[far queue]

The original bracket is 25x50mm, so a bit of 50x75 will give a bit of extra meat to hold on to in the vice for bending and cutting. That bend needs to be there for alignment and extra strength. I wouldn't want to the bracket any smaller either as there's a bit of weight hanging off it with the pack rack loaded up. 2-3mm is good, 12g is around 2mm.

Thanks for your offer RE the DR at Woods, but I think I'll pass on that. I'll be able to sell you a right hand pack rack L bracket when you buy the bike though - I'll do you good price, honest.

What year is the DR you're looking at? A couple of things to be aware of with them is ...

'98 & early '99 models were equipped with a solid idler gear that created a problem when the engine kicked back during shutdown, breaking out the gear bearing bosses due to its ridged design. 96 and 97 had the torque limiter gear that is designed to slip due to a preloaded slip clutch arrangement. They went back to this design in mid 99 after vin # X2100561. If it's one of the dodgy models you can get an aftermarket part to fix the problem

'02 & early '03 models were fitted with a faulty cylinder base gasket. The gasket starts leaking oil at around 5000km and was often replaced by the shops with the same faulty part as that's what the manual specified. This was fixed part way through '03 and on subsequent models by the use of a metal gasket. My bike came into the country in May '03 and has the new gasket. If you have a look at the back left corner of the cylinder under the bottom fin you'll see a tab of the metal gasket with a brass rivet in it. If it's not there, then it's got the leaky gasket. I don't know how far back this problem goes, but certainly '02 and early '03.

[laRIKin]

Thanks for the info on the DR's.
Its a 05 model with about 1500k's on the clock.
Traded in on a HD of all things.

The bracket looked different to your pic's.
But like I said I only had a real quick look.
Having another look on Tuesday with Sal to see if it is different.
I'll get some steel from work if I do not find some around the shed.
By the way 12g wire is just over 2mm but in steel sheet it is just over 2.5mm.
Why the difference? FIIK

[far queue]

mmm, nice, not even run in yet. Maybe he had some ploughing to do

The pics are off the brand new DR at sportzone which will be the same as mine as the bracket matchs the welds where mine used to be.

Yeah, I forgot sheet and wire use different standards, I was thinking of the wire gauge. Just like U.S. and Pom gauges are diferent :spudwhat:

[merv]

Having seen your post on this I looked at Mrs merv's DR today and must say that is a rather flimsy bracket they have on the left side. The right side is altogether stronger because its holding the muffler up. I guess I might have to strengthe that left side sometime.

What I did with her bike today was fit an alloy bash plate that I got from Sawyers. You've got one on yours I noticed in the Lees Valley ride pics. So I fit it today and then off for a ride and man talk about how it must be reflecting all the engine noise upwards, the bike now sounds like a whining bucket of bolts. Does yours have this same effect?

[laRIKin]

Merv if you want to kill some if not all of that extra noise.
Put some foam rubber between the frame and the bash plate.
They do make some special foam with the right properties to do the job properly.

[merv]

It came with foam at the back only, everywhere else it just touches the frame. I think its reflected noise though, like listening to a car parked above smooth concrete I reckon. Perhaps I should have bought the genuine Suzuki part bashplate that would fit on the proper mounts, but they were about $100 dearer. Main thing we wanted was to stop stone chipping of the crankcase on gravel roads.

[laRIKin]

I may have not explained my self clearly. (I good at that)
You basically get a sheet of foam the size of the bash plate.
Cut away only the bit that you have to and crush the foam between the plate motor and frame, so you end up filling all the gaps the sound can resonate from.
If you go to a insulating place like Foremans Insulating, they will more than likely give you amour flex type stuff (black foam used on pipes and sometimes on roof racks).

I think that you would find that all bash plates are bad for the noise.
No matter what one you buy or use, some bikes are just better or worse than others.

[far queue]

What I did with her bike today was fit an alloy bash plate that I got from Sawyers. You've got one on yours I noticed in the Lees Valley ride pics. So I fit it today and then off for a ride and man talk about how it must be reflecting all the engine noise upwards, the bike now sounds like a whining bucket of bolts. Does yours have this same effect?

I heard before I bought mine that they accentuated the sound that you heard and that you could add some foam to reduce it. I didn't bother with the foam and noticed an increase in engine whining but it's not too bad really, especially compared to some of the stories I've heard. Maybe the different shapes from different makers reflect the sound back differently. Mine is made by B&B in Oz.

One noise I do hear a lot is the clang of small rocks and so on ricocheting of it, and there's numerous small dings in it now, so it was money well spent.

I didn't bother with the Suzuki one as it's not a true bash plate only a skid plate and doesn't protect enough for my comfort. And as you say, you pay extra for the privilage. I've attached a pic it.

[far queue]

As for the other bits, I'm still waiting for Sportzone to get back to me about prices, so will have to hassel them again on Monday - poor service, as I'm used to from them.

Got some prices on the new bits from Sportzone ...
$110.68 for the grab rail, which is cheaper than I was bracing myself for.
$115.78 for 1 indicator - they can go fuck themselves there! I can buy 2 new aftermarket ones for at least half that. So, I'm now looking for a pair of small indicators, maybe some baby LED ones that'll tuck out of the way and so be less likely to get snagged on anything in the bush, etc.

Idea's, prices anyone?

[clint640]

KTM indicators are pretty cheap I've heard, (don't laugh! many of the bits on the orange pig are cheaper than the equivalent on a DR!) they also look cool & I haven't managed to break mine yet despite several attempts.

Cheers
Clint