Help! Blown DR650 rear suspension in Peru

[Hemreuter]

Hey Guys,

I've been on the road six months now on my 2008 DR650. I started in Seattle with Alex Smith (RR: No Jobs, No Responsibilities) in April and now I've finally arrived in Cusco. The bike has performed admirably the entire 15,000 miles so far, although over the last week my rear end has absolutely given out. I carry a lot of gear, and I'm sure that has something to do with it. It also didn't help that I just covered 700 miles of dirt in ten days fully loaded from Huaraz to Cusco on the inland mountain roads. It was a blast, but now I'm paying for it.

Before we set off I replaced the stock spring with a 8.3kg/mm upgrade from Procycle. It stiffened everything up real nice but has since let me down. I'm 6'2" 185lbs; when I left on the trip I could only stand over the bike with my heels off the ground. Now I can sit on the seat flat footed with bent knees. It has sagged a lot. Furthermore, the shock must be gone because after every speed bump the bike bobs up and down three times before leveling out. It's not fun or safe to ride in the current state. From what I've gathered I need a new spring and a new shock.

I've searched the forums quite a bit over the last few days when I had internet, but I can't find what I'm looking for. What do you all recommend I do for a situation like this here in Cusco, Peru? I've already paid a Peruvian mechanic $60 who said he could rebuild it and he ripped me off. The bike sat higher for about ten miles before it sagged again. I was stupid to trust him anyway.

Are there other rear shocks that fit on the DR650 easily? Anyone know if a 2010 Yamaha Tenere stock shock would fit (my current riding partner Charlie has one in California we could ship down). They don't sell many big bikes here in Peru so replacements are hard to find.

Am I best off ordering a brand new Ricor Racing rear shock from Procycle.us and paying (and waiting) for the international shipping? Can anyone recommend an awesome replacement (I hear Cogent is the best, but I don't have time to send my busted piece home and wait)? I'm willing to spend a considerable chunk of cash to put this behind me and have the bike better off for it.

I arrived here Saturday evening which means most mechanic shops are closed tomorrow. I met a guy on a Harley today who knows a real mechanic so hopefully Monday I can go to him with all these questions as well. Any info you guys can offer before I get there would be great. I don't want to get ripped off again and I don't want some junk Peruvian replacement that will blow out another 1,000 miles down the road. Sorry for all the questions, it's just that most threads on this issue don't pertain to people in the third world. I've learned everything I know about motorcycles on this trip, so anything new you guys can teach me would be awesome.

Thanks in advance,

Tom