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Thread: The DR650 thread

  1. #31
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    26th December 2006 - 20:57
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    Pure coolness...
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    I had a (near bald)Anakee on the front of mine,a bloody good tyre
    grips well wet or dry.
    Had a Michelin Sirac on the back,also a good tyre.wet or dry

    Would definatly run them if i still had the DR

    I have just put Michelins on the Harley,don't handle the wet as well
    as the Anakee or Siracs.
    Probably the xtra 400kgs or so of weight;I miss the DR650
    (well it feels like it)

  2. #32
    Join Date
    19th June 2007 - 21:30
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    2006 Suzuki DR650 & FZR1000 race bike
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    Quote Originally Posted by Crisis management View Post
    GazBur, I see you are considering BT45s for the DR, I ran them on my GSXR1100 and am not sure that if I had a choice I would do that again (I was limited by rim sizes on that bike).
    On the GSXR they were ok once well warmed up but certainly not as sticky as others, the rear slid fairly easily and you could break lose the front under braking if you tried.
    I feel they are a good touring / sports tyre rather than a sports / racing tyre.

    I would look to something stickier, particularly for the front as it is really lightly loaded.
    I am hoping it was the weight of the GSX that caused the problems under breaking as am trying a Bridgestone BT45 90/90-21 on the front. Doing this coz i was advised to either go for radials or ply tyres but not mix them. I decided against radials as I tend to like it a bit loose in the back. The BT45 has softer sidewalls and when on the Kart track I will be running lower than normal pressures - tyres get hot real quick on the Kart track. Have gone for a Pirelli Sport Demon 140/70-17 on the back - slightly oversize the 120 recommended in the manual but handling on the street is fantastic!!! What a difference getting off the block patterns.
    Will let you know track performance next week as there is a meeting on Sunday. I have to be good and a little less aggressive this week though coz my last Motard outing resulted in a few hours in Casualty.

  3. #33
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    15th February 2006 - 15:25
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    Looking forward to the write up then!

    Good luck with the racing and remember, that according to informed opinion on KB, the best way to crash is a lowside allowing you enough time to climb on the side of the bike as it slides along preventing any damage to yourself....



    I've never suceeded in achieving this myself, mind!

  4. #34
    Join Date
    19th June 2007 - 21:30
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    2006 Suzuki DR650 & FZR1000 race bike
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    Dunedin
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    Informed opinion is wrong!!!

    Quote Originally Posted by Crisis management View Post
    Looking forward to the write up then!

    ...that according to informed opinion on KB, the best way to crash is a lowside allowing you enough time to climb on the side of the bike as it slides along preventing any damage to yourself....
    I've never suceeded in achieving this myself, mind!
    Ha! So you did see that I replied on this forum. I have sat on a lowsided bike twice. The first time did result in no damage to me, the second landed me in the harbour (low tide thank god!), the last time i lowsided it was at motards last month and over before i knew was the #@%$ was going on. I wish I could have climbed back on and surfed it to a stop in style looking so cool - but my foot was stuck underneath getting scraped and tenderised and slightly mangled - so not such a cool look! Once again i thank the OMCC first aid people and the kind guys who trailered my bike home while I waited (forever) in the casualty dept.

  5. #35
    Join Date
    19th June 2007 - 21:30
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    2006 Suzuki DR650 & FZR1000 race bike
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    Setting up for Motard racing

    In case you are interested in what I do to the DR for going motarding. I am the only competitor who rides my bike to the meeting. So when i get there I whip off the mirrors and numberplate. Before that I have wired up all the things that can come loose and put the drain hoses into a container as needed. These are MNZ regulations. The extra small container you see is for the hose from the carbie bowl. You can see that is has a tiny bit of petrol in it! This usually drops in the middle of the bike in line with your back tyre, and yes it does drip occasionally. The rear footpegs and left rear indicator have been replaced with home made rubber protectors. Notice the both front and the left rear axle have rubber coverings on them. These are required by the Kart club so we don't scratch their beautiful track with our nasty scratchy sharp bits when we fall off. Notice the scrapes on the footpeg protectors and number, the duct tape I used for the black number background took a lot of punishment - saved most of the plastic. The handguards also take a lot of the punishment when you hit the tarmac. For the first time I also have decent road tyres on now, and a dynojet kit with the 155 main with standard muffler, I do have another muffler but it I will need to find somebody who can weld and bend pipes to fit it. Gearing is standard. I don't know if I should change down to a 14 in front. I will get better acceleration but will need to make several gearchanges that I currently don't need to. So I am open to suggestions - anybody see anything I can do to go faster then please do tell.
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  6. #36
    Join Date
    19th June 2007 - 21:30
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    Quote Originally Posted by Crisis management View Post
    Looking forward to the write up then!...
    Do I have to? tell? I made a complete idiot of myself
    I could tell you about my first three motard attempts that all had happy endings - smiles all round and skills learned, but today alas no.
    Well practice today went OK. The front stayed pointing in the right direction, the new back Pirelli Sport Demon was scuffing up quite rough and soft but would slide a bit when really pushed, which was not as good as I hoped but reasonably minor.
    After last months crash I had promised myself that I would be a conservative nana rider at the back befitting my age and non competition bike. Oh why didn't I listen to myself. First corner - First race I ended up a Kawasaki sandwich and clipped the outside bike as I had no space left, I am reasonably sure technically it was my fault too as he had an half bike overlap and was coming into the apex and i am very sorry coz we both came down. I don't mind crashing out by myself but its another thing entirely to involve another rider. Anyway the young (nice and understanding) rider was unhurt and bike undamaged thank god, but for me it was a big highside - very big indeed and I landed miles away on my back sholder and side. Thank goodness for MNZ rules about back protectors. Nothing broken but I am in a lot of pain. It was too painfull to consider fixing the bike and getting out again. The pain though is nothing compared to the embarrasement! There is also the pain in my wallet as my helmet got a paint chip and the officials told me to replace it.
    Next time - I really really really promise I will be the old guy off the back grid that follows the rest of the field around, honestly! Cross my heart ...

  7. #37
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    19th June 2007 - 21:30
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    DRS can take punishment

    Quote Originally Posted by GaZBur View Post
    It was too painfull to consider fixing the bike and getting out again....
    OK the bike is back on the road after last weeks highside. All it required was bending the radiator crash bar backwards so the radiator wouldn't restrict the front mudguard when the wheel turned. Required tools were a metre long 100x50 bit of wood and a huge hammer, and about 8 great whacks!!! Then gently by hand bend the radiator backwards. I didn't try to straigten the radiator itself - its got a nice scoop shape to it now. The last two times I have dropped the DR is has been very heavy both for me and the bike. The plastics take most of the punishment. If the plastic scuffs up you can remove the scuffed plastic with a sharp kraft knife and it appears undamaged. I am not sure what to do about the white pressure marks left when they bend though. The DR has gone up in my estimation for toughness. The highside was at about 70k and the drop the other day was somewhere around 85+k and the bike was straight and rideable after both dumps that would have seen a road bike in the shop with major dollars required and bent things. The tank is not even scratched yet. DR's can take the punishment.

  8. #38
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    2nd March 2004 - 13:00
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    So we now know it's tough so we don't need to drop ours.

    Thanks for all the hard work man.


    Hmmm...
    Wonder how the forks handle a t-bone at speed?

  9. #39
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    26th September 2005 - 21:14
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    Quote Originally Posted by NordieBoy View Post
    So we now know it's tough so we don't need to drop ours.

    Thanks for all the hard work man.


    Hmmm...
    Wonder how the forks handle a t-bone at speed?
    Weeeeelllllllllll - they can handle a muddy ditch t-bone at about somewhere between 60 and 80kph without damage. Pity I couldn't.

    Cheers R
    "The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools." - Herbert Spencer, English Philosopher (1820-1903)

  10. #40
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    15th February 2006 - 15:25
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    Well done GaZBur! I recall why I ride on the soft gravelly stuff now.....
    Good to hear your ok as well, I know that the older I get the more I dread the sound of me sliding down the road, it seems to take proportionally longer to recover the older I get.

    So, when's the next attempt to get past corner one?

  11. #41
    Join Date
    19th June 2007 - 21:30
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    Quote Originally Posted by Crisis management View Post
    Well done GaZBur! I recall why I ride on the soft gravelly stuff now.....
    Good to hear your ok as well, I know that the older I get the more I dread the sound of me sliding down the road, it seems to take proportionally longer to recover the older I get.

    So, when's the next attempt to get past corner one?
    Next attempt at getting past first corner is in a month time - time enough to recover with a bit of physio! Have choice of either Motards at Dunedin or the Southland Clubs 'Have a go' day at Teretonga both on 14th October. Probably do Teretonga so I can see how I will go for the Burt Munroe weekend in November.
    So probable (hopeful) calander for rest of this year is...
    14th Oct Teretonga Have a go day.
    27th Oct NZ Road Hillclimb (Otago Clubmans event)
    28th Oct NZ Standing Quarter mile (Otago Clubmans event)
    3rd Nov OMCC Have a go day Levels
    11th Nov Motards Dunedin
    24th Nov Teretonga Burt Munroe race
    25th Nov Wyndham Burt Munroe race
    16th Dec Teretonga Round One Summer series.
    So you can keep busy on DR can't ya! Come on guys - if I can do it anyone can.

  12. #42
    Join Date
    19th June 2007 - 21:30
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    DR650 racing

    Quote Originally Posted by GaZBur View Post
    Next attempt at getting past first corner ...
    14th Oct Teretonga Have a go day.
    27th Oct NZ Road Hillclimb (Otago Clubmans event)
    28th Oct NZ Standing Quarter mile (Otago Clubmans event)
    OK the weather was crap for the 14th so didn't race.
    Did the NZ Road Hillclimb on Saturday, over 600cc Class. Mixture of dry, rain and hail. The road was very tight and didn't suit the sports bikes as much as the motard stye. Think I got 4th but there was ony 7 in class so I can't puff the chest out on that one because of the conditions, although I managed to stay upright this time unlike a few others. Big range of bikes up to a ZX14 - wow can that thing move and heaps of 600 class bikes.
    NZ Standing Quarter mile was today (Sunday) - so as a matter of interest, stock DR650 with opened top airbox and 155 jet and needle from dynojet.
    Best timed run 13.880 seconds, i was quite pleased to break 14 seconds because to be honest I didnt expect to.
    Terminal speed 147.3 kph. The speedo was reading 155kph. So as a drag bike - she is a bit of a slug but thats not what a DR is about is it!
    Next week - Levels have a go day!!!

  13. #43
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    2nd March 2004 - 13:00
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    I was expecting around 14.0 for the 1/4 because of the torque but a 13.88 is sweet

  14. #44
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    19th June 2007 - 21:30
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    Yeah low to mid 14's should be right for a standard DR. I did 6 timed runs and slowly got quicker from 14.8 for the first run. The front came up too high so change into second had to wait till i dropped it down. I held the throttle pinned wide open the whole way and short clutched all the changes except the change between 1st and second so it's a good robust gearbox. There is obviously some sort of rev limiter on the bike as you cant get over 100k in second, and because of that had to change into top gear with just above 150k indicated on the speedo as the power flattened off in 4th there for some reason. On average I would say the KTM525's were a good second faster when they could keep the front down on the start which appeared to be the problem most of them were having.
    There was a sub 10 sec run done by (I think) a kawasaki ZX10? Not bad for a street bike eh!!!

  15. #45
    Join Date
    19th June 2007 - 21:30
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    2006 Suzuki DR650 & FZR1000 race bike
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    Maintenance Advice Please!

    I have been giving the old DR a hard time for a while – so now I figure it’s time to start looking after it. So time for a service.
    What’s the best oil to use? The bike is sometimes given a real hard time but not for sustained periods – maybe full throttle for 10 min sessions or less so should I go for expensive stuff.
    Should I buy standard brake pads or are better options available? Despite the weak looking brakes I have noticed no loss of braking power even when they are extremely hot.
    Are there any items not in the manual list I should be looking at for servicing?
    Any simple tricks to get the best out of a DR. I am not very skilled mechanically so give me simple answers if you can.

    By the way, thanks for the advice and tips in these forums Guys – these threads have been very helpful to me.

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