I'm the lucky owner of a new (to me) 2006 DR650. The deal was just too good
to pass up. The bike came with 4.9 gal. IMS tank, FMF Q2 pipe, Corbin seat,
stock rack, TT engine case protector plates, Utah skid plate, extra new sprockets, all stock parts (never used), license plate mod done, air screw drilled, added, charger, all this and only 733 miles showing on the clock. Truly showroom condition and of course it was a good bargain.

So now begins the task of fitting some decent mods. I'm starting with jetting
as the bike was a bit lean and popping badly on de-cel. This will be ongoing.

I'm also thinking about luggage. Soft or Hard? I like soft bags for their narrow, small quality, but that hot pipe will have to be dealt with. I'm working on building a stand off. I'm looking at tank panniers as well but worry about adding weight up front when off road in deep sand.

Thoughts on this?

I've seen the Pelikans but they seem quite large, GIVI's too.

Also thinking about putting the bike on a major diet without compromising
comfort, utility or safety.

So far I have removed:
Passenger pegs.
Rear license plate light and assembly
helmet lock (ground clean off frame)

I will going though and replacing some bolts with Aluminium in unstressed
locations. There are several places on the bike with thick steel brackets
and way over sized steel bolts that I intend to remove or study.

I may re-do the entire headlight assembly, losing the speedo, stock light,
front subframe and going with a tri beam Acerbis off road light, Panoram speedo. Thoughts?

I also intend to remove the HUGE turn signals and go with small ones on
flexible rubber stocks.

I need frame guards of some kind. Anyone do this? My boots will quickly make
a mess of the frame rails.

I may replace the tail light with the off road, low profile one. The stock one
is a bit vulnerable but very bright. (bright is good)

Enough for now, pics to follow.

Patrick


The Virgin

__________________
Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

put small indicators on only if you dont want anyone to see them. their there for a reason, ok they may break in a fall but atleast you wont get knocked off turning .
whats your plans for the bike, mud sand gravel long distance short trails.
these bikes are pretty good stock so you wont have to do much but remember for every tuning engine mod you may sacrifice some reliability.
alloy bolts in steel frame sound like youll be rounding them off constatly. the different metals are likely to sieze more easilly especially if your getting it wet and dirty, which i hope you intend to.

i was always led to believe popping on decel was due to richness not leanness, therefore i would guess your pilot jets too big and your main is too small. does it start really easy from cold with no choke?? a sign that its rich on pilot jet. dont just start changing stuff and drilling out jets till you know what your doing and the effects of the changes you make.
Adjust one part of the carb at a time, eg main jet, then pilot and then needle clip. or before long youll end up with a bike that doesnt run at all.

Thanks for the tips.

Actually, popping on de-cell is definitley the result of a lean condition.

A long time friend owns Factory Pro, they know a bit about tuning and have
help me out on several singles I've owned.... Since my XL600R back in 1987.
Actually, they kind of "invented" jet kits and dyno tuning...or re-invented it?
Check it out.
http://www.factorypro.com/

BTW, swapping out to a larger pilot eliminated the popping of decell completely. Sorted. The bike runs perfect, much better than stock.
I'm hoping the fuel economy will still be over 50 mpg.

You are correct about mixing of disimiliar metals. As a former A&P mechanic
(aircraft) I am well versed in electrolosis and the results of same. A good heads up nonetheless. I think there are a couple nonstressed points on the DR where fasteners are overbuilt. Its these I will focus on.

I'll be riding in mixed conditions but lots of rough pavement, dirt roads, pot
holes and such. No motocrossing or desert racing mind you. I have a race
bike for that.

I'm working on Stand offs to protect soft luggage from the hot pipe.
I have a proto type, will post pics at some point.

Cheers,

Patrick

__________________
Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

Fuel economy/range is important to me at times, so I left the bike stock. That 4.9 doesn't last long if you're at speed, sucking fuel. Maybe with an 8.9 gal Aqualine....

I wouldn't want to loose the odo. It's very useful when trying to follow maps in furrin countries....no signs, etc.

I like the BBQ rear rack, now renamed 'Diamondback' rack.

The chain rollers should be upgraded, from what I've read. Still need to do mine.

I added an inline fuel filter. They're cheap, available at all major auto pats stores....made for lawn mowers. By using stiffer automotive fuel line, the filter is well supported and doesn't require clamps. The 1/4" line can be pushed over 5/16" inlets/outlets. You know as well as anyone here what can come out of barrel gas. Clean carbs save trips...

My DR isn't a dirt bike, but a light(er) touring bike...that can get me into trouble if I choose that path.

Also, Suzuki offers their extended warranty for up to 4 or 5 years....with no limits on mileage. It's available to the original and 2nd owners, if purchased before the factory warranty expires. I will be a customer of this extended warranty as I plan to exceed 50k miles in the 1st year. Also valuable when selling the bike.

Congrats on the new bike Patrick,

FWIW, my KLR pops out the exhaust on decel here in the mountains of Ecuador, when I am closer to sea level it doesn{t. Naturally it runs stinking rich at high altitude, so don{t assume your bike is lean. Friends of mine that have used jet kits that richen the mixtures have had trouble at altitude.

Peruvian border tomorrow!

__________________
Andy Tiegs
https://new.horizonsunlimited.com/ts...lsouth-america

Hi Andy,
Man, you are covering some ground! Be careful out there man! Drink some
Chicha for me (Aymara !), have a Saltena, Ricoto Relleno's and enjoy
the Chefa's in Lima.

I must be mixed up...I could have sworn backfiring was a sign of lean-ness....
what you've said and my testing tday reveals that you are right and I'm wrong!!

My apologies to Smokin Rider. I'll look into this. Thanks for the heads up.
Damn, one thing for sure....don't get old.

__________________
Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

Exploring my back yard on the Blue Virgin Today!


Rode my new DR for about 150 miles today.
Wow, this bike is weird. But fun. Even though I had a testbike DR last year for over a month I'd totally forgotten the "nature" of the bike.
But fun and pretty nimble, very easy to ride. I really enjoy slow cruising on it. Still, my Vstrom would murder it everywhere at the limit on all
but the tightest roads or dirt..... and with better comfort to boot. Oh well, I think I'm going through a "Period of Adjustment".

The suspension lacks damping and sophistication. I can fix that.

That Diamond back rack is interesting. You can carry a LOT of stuff on
there. Wonder how the sub frame will handle the weight?

The Corbin passes a LOT of vibes to the riders butt and must weigh 30 lbs. Nice flat platform if not a bit firm....I think the compadres down in Hollister must be using dried Horse Shit to stuff that seat with...and lead.

Any chance the DR mill will smooth out with miles? (mine has about 800 miles on it now) My KTM Duke really smoothed out after about 2000 miles.

I succeeded in eliminating the power surge. The bike runs well but isn't blazingly fast. More jetting changes to follow, but bottom line is that it has to
get at least 45 MPG on the highway at 70mph. I think I can achieve this.

I plan to run some sort of ODO and may just stick with the stock set up
and headlight. You can run all kinds of bicycle odo's that have multiple trip meters. The DR has a crummy odo which goes only to 100 miles, same as my XR250. How can this be? Its mechanical and heavy. A nice digi Panoram might be nice. Then you can lose the cable and a lot of useless crap.

I've heard about the chain rollers. The stockers really are poor quality. I wonder how they let that slip by for so long? On my list.

Fuel filter is a great idea. I'll check out the auto parts store. Also, I think its probably a good idea to pull out that IMS petcock from time to time for a cleaning... what do you think?

Thanks for the heads up on the extended warranty. How much is it? Sounds like a plan. I too intend to do some miles but no where near 50K in a YEAR!!! That's a serious commitment! Go for it. I'll be lucky to make 10K this year.

Patrick


These roads are part of the Sunday morning ride in Marin County
along US Highway One. Perfect venue for the DR! Just don't screw up or
you'll need a parachute!

__________________
Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

no problem, its just the plug on my dr is black as your hat and it pops like a chinees firework factory on fire. it looks great though when it spits flames out. the poppings due to the unburnt fuel ignighting in the hot exhaust.

you seem to know your stuff so i wont drone on,
do a plug chop and check the plug colour, adjust main jet as required,
set the tickover up then fiddle with the pilot screw( Jesse @ keintech might be able to get you a t screw one of these so you dont have to keep taking the carb off to get to it) to get the highest rpm on tick over then readjust the tickover screw to get that set to the right rpm. ride it and depending on how it feels up or down on the needle to get it smooth.

My odo reads to 999.9 which is plenty for my needs.

The BBQ rack is the only one I've found of substantial size and it handles a large MotoFizz style bag very well.

To achieve your goal of 45mpg you can't run at high speeds. I've gotten as low as the high 20s at 90mph for extended miles, around 50 at 65-70mph and around town riding, low 40s at 75mph or so. Pushing wind sucks the fuel fast.

I'm using a tall Parabellum wind screen which is great for highway travel., but dangerous for dirt work. Using wingnuts and thumb screws, I can remove it within a couple of minutes and store it under a net on the rear. I prefer the nekkid bike and will leave it that way when not traveling high speeds for long miles.

I'll probably only clean the petcock if it becomes blocked. Blowing air thru the fuel hose, back thru the tank, might clear ir...dunno.

What Andy typed about the high altitudes and jetting was good. That's another reason I wanted to retain the stock setup. At 14,000 ft, I'm not sure if I'd have the energy to even change a plug.

The warranty is pretty cheap, imo. Something like $540 for 4 or 5 years extended. Just over $100 per year, you pick the numder of years. It's offered thru the dealers.

Having raced two stroke enduro bikes I know about plug chops.
Yesterday I did exactly as you described above and the idle cleaned
right up beautifully, very smooth.

I still think I may be just a tad rich so I'm going back to the stock pilot (42.5 on US 49 state model) I've got a 45 in there with two shim on the stock needle. It actually runs very well, no jumps in power, smooth linear. But overall power, I think could be better.

It starts from cold with no choke, so maybe its a bit rich?

Cheers!


Patrick

__________________
Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

You're totally right on the ODO, my mistake, I'm still learning this bike!

My buddy Bob tested a big MotoFizz mounted on his Tiger on our last Mex. trip. Its huge, maybe too complicated. I have a Wolfman, a Cor-tec and the new Nelson Rig. The Nelson Rig is the best but small for a RTW bag. Perfect weekend bag though. It's stiff and stays supported and like the Fizz, every compartment is expandable but easier to use, IMO.

Great tips, thanks. I tried different cruising speeds yesterday. 70 to 75 seems
fine for me, and on nice roads I'm slowing down more to take in the scenery.
Must be getting senile

Great! I agree about preferring the naked bike but a screen is a must for the long hauls. I'm looking at screens. Are they all handlebar mounted?

By the time I'm done fiddling with jetting my bike will be as lean and economical as stock. Guaranteed. Since the bike is going on a serious weight reduction program, part of that is getting rid of the stock boat anchor pipe which is unbelievably heavy. So basically I'm jetting for the FMF. Once thats
done....I'm done and it should run well at altitude.....but nothing is going to do well at 14K ft!!

I am going to talk to Suzuki about this. Cheap insurance indeed!

I saw your stuff for sale on ADV. When are you heading out? November
if I recall? Perfect timing! Hope you'll post more ride reports or link your
videos somewhere.

Patrick

__________________
Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

It mounts to the forks and handle bars. It's big, comfy on-highway...and I can always leave it somewhere if it becomes tiresome to carry on back. It actually gives me more protection than the AeroFlow did on the big GS.

I'll be curious to see how your jetting, etc comes along. I was originally planning the airbox, pipe and dyno kit mods, but after hearing about the loss of fuel economy decided against it. I'd also like to ditch some weight.

The speedo reads 5mph fast.

Yes, you do gets some strong vibes thru the seat.
I recently installed some new foam grips on the bars and should know how well they do or don't work within a week.

Late Nov departure...

getting shot of the stock pipe in favour of a good aftermarket one is a good way of saving a fair bit of weight as well as letting it breathe better which will increase its poke. obviously youll have to go back to square one ishe and rejet to suit the pipe. a few 1" holes in the top of the air box should also help it breathe better.
check out www.keintech.com very helpful with jetting queries an mods for all dr's. if its been done jesse there will probably know about it. may also be able to advise on your suspension setup.

Also.........

You might find the side stand too long, especially when loaded.
I need to remove 1/2-3/4" from mine.

The odo is spot-on.

Yea, I've already noticed the side stand is a bit long. Just have to find some
place right to park. Loaded this may be a hassle. I may go for an stiffer spring
at some point....not sure yet. Anyone know the ideal sag on the DR? Most
Dual sport and dirt bikes like about 3" to 3.5"

I'll be testing air box and jetting mods in the next couple weeks. I've got the
FMF which is too loud and requires repacking way too often. If you ignore repacking it gets REALLY LOUD. The FMF is light weight and beautiful but it may be going on the block. Remus require NO repacking, are quieter and made of Titanium...stronger and better wear than Aluminium. I have had a set on
my Vstrom since 2002. Best pipes I've ever owned.

Jesse is on my to call list.

I am shopping shields too. Post some pics of yours, I'd like to check it out.

On the seat....do you have a Corbin? or stock? Other? I'm thinking maybe its
partly the Corbin letting the vibes get through. Wonder if the stock one is
the same?

Tonight I installed ProTapers....its never easy!!

Also a trick LED license plate light, the PO eliminated the entire license holder and light. Next I swapped out the HUGE and ugly stock signals for small (and cheap) turn signals that look much better and are nearly as bright as stock.

I found three unused 12 volt switched plugs available too. Nice. One up in the headlight, another above the shock and a third on the right near the CDI box.

Anyone know for certain the alternator output of this bike? I heard 200 watts,
is that right?

I custom made gromets to allow the use of my stock bar ends on the ProTaper bars. I got the Protapers in a trade from a guy on the Vstrom list.
I've had them for over a year....finally got something to use them on.
The mounting kit cost $40 They look great...I will post pics next
week.

I'm building a custom tool kit for the DR as well. I've also found a trick place to stash my two 9 inch tire irons down in the skid plate (Utah) on the right side along the frame rail, zipped tied in. Wrapped in inner tube, they are secure, won't vibrate or do damage. Perfect.

This weekend I'm pump shopping at bicycle shops. Need a trick tiny one. I could go with an electric pump or CO'2's, but in the end a pump always seems
to be best. Not much storage space on a DR, not like the cavernous Vstrom.
On the Strom I've got stuff stashed in the fairings, side panels and the huge
area under the seat. Great bike for storage.

I've ordered the countershaft sprocket spacer for the 15 tooth sprocket to get rid of the "clicking" sound. Also Iridium dual element plugs and a replacement for the lower chain roller which is prone to failure.

The stock chain is a low spec 525 DID O ring. A good chain but if I were heading to Central America I'd get the DID 525 VM X-ring. It will last double of the stocker or longer.

I may also sell off the IMS 4.9 gallon tank. The quality is crap, the finish
junk and I don't need that much fuel. Acerbis make a 4 gallon tank that looks
and feels much smaller. This for the future.

Additional mods :

1. I'm hoping Fast Way will do pegs for the DR. If not then I'll go with IMS pro
series wide pegs. I've got them on my XR, had them on two other dirt bikes.
Really reduces fatigue while standing for hours dirt riding.

2. Wrap header pipe. Engine runs cooler, will get better mileage.

3. Shield of some kind....no idea which.

4. Experimenting with soft bags but may end up with hard bags.

5. Tires. Mefo and other endurance tires.

6. Heated Symtec grips.

7. Louder horn. (relay)

Should keep my busy for a while.

Patrick

__________________
Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!