The DR650 thread

[GaZBur]

no info but my DR hates the Trelleborg front, it wobbles in gravel at speed and through most the sweepers on seal.
Is better with the fork brace installed.

Oh great!!!
Thanks for the warning. I will put up with it for the next 6 weeks then and consider what to do next time I need to set up for Adventure. Perhaps I should read the Tyre thread here - but the Trellborgs were what the bike came with when I bought it second hand. Funny I have never thought a fork brace was needed on the road and I have found swapping direction in S's no problem. I have heard fork braces mentioned for DR's before though and you obviously found it an improvement. Perhaps I should investigate.

OK sounds like most of us are going to being getting some Adventure over the next few weeks. I will but probably wont be having regular internet access. I hope we can all put up a few "What I did over the break" posts with pic's and route directions maybe.

Merry XMas all.
Gary B

[warewolf]

Off Road Tyres - well they are really designed for Off Road like they say. Had the crap scared out of me yesterday. ...
which means to me its understeering due to the tyres side slipping in the corners.

More throttle! It always feels weird swapping back to knobs, and it will be worse with a brand new one. It will bed in a bit.

I've used the IRC BR-99 fronts quite a bit, they look similar to the Trelleborg. More than enough grip to despatch the average sprotsbike. In fact it is the MT-21 rear that slides, usually under power though.

[Transalper]

.....Funny I have never thought a fork brace was needed on the road and I have found swapping direction in S's no problem. I have heard fork braces mentioned for DR's before though and you obviously found it an improvement. Perhaps I should investigate.....

Merry XMas all.
Gary B

yep Merry XMas etc etc to all.

The fork brace may make a subtle change to the handling much the same as a braded front brake line make only a small difference. Only with the Trelleborg did I feel a big difference with the brace, I think most people here would feel they have wasted their money if they bought a fork brace, on the other hand my partner J loves hers, said it transformed the bike for her.
If we ever end up at the same place at same time you're welcome to try the brace out for a bit.
As for tyre choices, I'm going with D606 front E09 rear as a more preferred combo when off the road tyres.

[cooneyr]

...............

What is this orange filth doing on a DR650 thread

Cheers R

[warewolf]

What is this orange filth doing on a DR650 thread

That tyre was originally on this:


Does that make you feel better?

[cooneyr]

....Does that make you feel better?

Better - right brand at least

[Transalper]

right colour too!

[GaZBur]

Ok. I have had bikes in the past that wheelied whenever you want (or in a couple of cases whenever you didn’t too)but have never really tried to make a study of it or needed to wheelie the DR650. In fact the opposite – have been trying to keep the front down. So now I want to and it’s not an easy bike to pick up the front.
So how do you guys do it? She is heavy on the front.
I found myself on a quiet road and managed a couple of good ones (and a dozen crap ones) yesterday by giving it a good rev in second gear and sliding the clutch while sitting a bit towards the back at 40k. It came up nice and high and slowly drifted down. Didn’t have the guts or skill to try to keep it up.(asking for a smart-ass comment with that one!)

So any tips on how to wheelie the TRUCK. No I am not good at wheeling any other bike so general tips would be useful too.

[NordieBoy]

Clutching it up.

My damn brother wheelied my DR with a bald tyre on wet clay about 10 secs after getting on it when Warewolf and I went with him on the Pig Valley Adventure and Pants Crapping Experience.
The video only shows sky as the camera was on the DR's handlebars.

I hate him...

[warewolf]

And it were beautiful to watch!! Both at the time and on film later

"It ain't the arrow, it's the Indian"

I'm pulling two-wheel slides it was so greasy, and I keep hearing "brrrrp!" and seeing the DR floating along on the back wheel.

Practice, practice, practice.

The Wheelie your LC4 thread on advrider might be helpful.

[Crisis management]

In the interests of scientific discovery I have tried to wheelie the Drongo.....lets just say that I have a bit to learn!
Using the 14 tooth countersprocket it comes up in first on the throtle (not very far as I have attacks of nanaitis) and on the odd occasion when I have tried clutching it up, my lack of balance / throttle control makes it a short lived experience.

I think I need somewhere with very soft ground and a couple of HTFU pills.

[GaZBur]

Ditto here! But I am determined to learn. It is so useful to be able to pick up the front over a soft or rutted bit of trac/road I would like to be able to do a quick lift at any speed. I would also like to be able to hold a balanced wheelie but that could be a while away. I will be trying to get a handle on it when I get off the roads in Jan. The idea of doing wheelies in front of the general public is not my thing, if you can do them you look like a show off tosser and if you cant you still look like a tosser!
Check out the link Warewolf posted. If like me your problem is lack of confidence the comments about keeping ready with the back brake seem important. Good luck.

[warewolf]

Oh, I thought you meant long balance-point wheelies? If all you want to do is loft the front, that is a lot easier - but still takes technique.

Greg Power teaches it as follows. Three parts, executed while standing:

1. bounce your weight down and forward to compress the front springs
2. crack the throttle to get a feel for when the power chimes in
3. pull up/back on the bars with your weight back

Do each action separately for a while until you get a feel for them. Yes, at his riding schools you get 20-30 people riding around bouncing on the front suspension for 5 mins, then going brrrp! brrrp! with the throttle, then a few mins of topping out the front

Lastly put all three together, approaching obstacles at walking pace in first. Effortless when you get it right, timing is everything which is why he teaches doing each part separately to get a feel for it. My wife barely rides but she was seen wheelying that day.

For dealing with obstacles, you don't have to have the front tyre completely clear of it. Having the front hovering, suspension topped out, little weight on it: all will help (good for crossing ruts at speed). Indeed bouncing the front off the obstacle is a way to easily get extra height.

[Crisis management]

Now that actually makes sense! Thanks Colin.

I'll report back later in the week..........

[Denniso]

Yes I know I'm preaching to the converted but yesterday while out on one of the local gravel roads met a milk tanker half way round a blind left hander ( was expecting it as it was that time of day so was staying well left ) the tankers fair fly on the gravel so throw a hell of a lot of dust up , as a result I could'nt see a dam thing , ended up in the ditch as the corner tightend up and I couldn't see jack . My point is that for the second time I picked up the bike and ride off , if that had been my SV or GSXR I'd have been looking for some more bodywork and paint , DR's are too much fun not to have