The DR650 thread

[dino3310]

i notice he didnt mention the Honda XR650L.... been the same clone since 93.

[NordieBoy]

i remember when paul owen's idea of the ultimate ride was a cbr400 over takaka hill

Warm summer evening, CBR400, Takaka Hill...

Not much wrong with that...

[bart]

I bought a bike mag the other day...kiwisomething, and I found it was full of ads. Even the bits that weren’t ads were ads. The write ups were just sales pitches. If that’s the case, this is actualy a bad write up because he doesn’t say anything good about the DR.

I find the DR is the best thing on gravel since the 1984 XL250 I had when I was a little fella. Every other bike I’ve had has been too twitchy with hard suspension and steep steering head angle.

Just saying...

[BMWST?]

I bought a bike mag the other day...kiwisomething, and I found it was full of ads. Even the bits that weren’t ads were ads. The write ups were just sales pitches. If that’s the case, this is actualy a bad write up because he doesn’t say anything good about the DR.

I find the DR is the best thing on gravel since the 1984 XL250 I had when I was a little fella. Every other bike I’ve had has been too twitchy with hard suspension and steep steering head angle.

Just saying...

And what were the other bikes,just as a reference for us that have no knowledge of dr 650s

[fridayflash]

Warm summer evening, CBR400, Takaka Hill...

Not much wrong with that...

yeah, i should add that it sounds pretty good to me too lol

[fridayflash]

I bought a bike mag the other day...kiwisomething, and I found it was full of ads. Even the bits that weren’t ads were ads. The write ups were just sales pitches. If that’s the case, this is actualy a bad write up because he doesn’t say anything good about the DR.

I find the DR is the best thing on gravel since the 1984 XL250 I had when I was a little fella. Every other bike I’ve had has been too twitchy with hard suspension and steep steering head angle.

Just saying...

i know what you mean about 'kiwisomething' magazine, i used to subscribe but not now..once or twice a year is enough. a bike test is one page
with a couple of sidebars or extra fluff thrown in for padding. bring back jon nic!

[Night Falcon]

I bought a bike mag the other day...kiwisomething, and I found it was full of ads. Even the bits that weren’t ads were ads. The write ups were just sales pitches. If that’s the case, this is actualy a bad write up because he doesn’t say anything good about the DR.

I find the DR is the best thing on gravel since the 1984 XL250 I had when I was a little fella. Every other bike I’ve had has been too twitchy with hard suspension and steep steering head angle.

Just saying...

high praise given your skill set on gravel Bart. I liked my DR on gravel but not as much as my 690 but then I didn't have access to those special high grip tyres that you use when I had my DR

[NordieBoy]

I find the DR is the best thing on gravel since the 1984 XL250 I had when I was a little fella. Every other bike I’ve had has been too twitchy with hard suspension and steep steering head angle.

Just saying...

Actually, beach racing the '79 XR250 was much more stable and fun than the DR650. The head angle of the DR was too steep and made it too twitchy

[fridayflash]

Actually, beach racing the '79 XR250 was much more stable and fun than the DR650. The head angle of the DR was too steep and made it too twitchy

21 or 23" front wheel nordie?

[NordieBoy]

21" front with YSS PD valves (emulators) and Works Performance rear shocks.

[fridayflash]

sounds like a hot setup!

[bart]

Actually, beach racing the '79 XR250 was much more stable and fun than the DR650. The head angle of the DR was too steep and made it too twitchy

It’s a weight thing. If you’re a heavy little lump like me, you sit back, load up the back wheel for traction which rakes out the front for stability. Win win.

When I had the XL250, I actualy had a matching 1984 XR250 (bored to 280). The XR was an absolute twitchy POS on gravel compared to the XL. Offroad, the XL was dangerous...

[bart]

And what were the other bikes,just as a reference for us that have no knowledge of dr 650s

I’ve had a heap of yellow ones, but they were farm bikes. A green one, a maroon one, a blue one, but they had smooth tyres. Black, white, red (yeah, a few of those), and currently a black one.

Perhaps I was a little bold with my statement, but from the bikes I’m familiar with, the DR for 9k is pretty bloody reasonable.

You’ll notice I’ve never owned an orange one. Something I need to change...one day.

[NordieBoy]

It’s a weight thing. If you’re a heavy little lump like me, you sit back, load up the back wheel for traction which rakes out the front for stability. Win win.

When I had the XL250, I actualy had a matching 1984 XR250 (bored to 280). The XR was an absolute twitchy POS on gravel compared to the XL. Offroad, the XL was dangerous...

Sit back - check ...



Just managing to hang on due to the mighty power output...

[R650R]

I bought a bike mag the other day...kiwisomething, and I found it was full of ads. Even the bits that weren’t ads were ads. The write ups were just sales pitches. If that’s the case, this is actualy a bad write up because he doesn’t say anything good about the DR.

I find the DR is the best thing on gravel since the 1984 XL250 I had when I was a little fella. Every other bike I’ve had has been too twitchy with hard suspension and steep steering head angle.

Just saying...

Fairfax don't pay much, I'd say it was probably ridden to the nearest gravel carpark for those shots. No talk about how it rode, just all specs... It's quite funny reading those herald and stuff bike reviews as they try to write how powerful bike x is without admitting to breaking laws..
Looked up the Euro4 thing too, my interpretation is the DR is good till beginning of 2017 manufacture date and able to be sold up to end of 2020 as of course dealers don't always sell out of stock straight away.
I'm sure there are plenty of other markets to keep the DR sales going especially when Suzuki must be well and truly freehold on the R&D/tooling by now...