The Pelikans look good....and I can tell your girls adore you....you are very lucky!

The head torch idea I have not written down but will do so NOW! These things are the bomb. Question is: Where can I find one at a reasonable price? REI (fancy outdoor store here in USA) has them for like $50 or more!!!

Nothing more indispensable for camping and doing roadside repairs. Thanks for the reminder.

Patrick

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Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

I got my headtorch from ebay (two of them) for about £10 each (about $20).
They are the "Energizer" brand (same as the battery brand) which I think is from the US but now made in China (like most other things nowadays!). Never let me down and the batteries go for ever.

As I mentioned, I still carry a mini maglite though.

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Dave

Thanks for the heads up Dave. I'll start perusing on line to see what I can find.

Patrick

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Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

How long's the haul, Pat? What's the plan? Good to see you getting back on the road again...

Suerte, Dan

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Que el cielo exista, aunque mi lugar sea el infierno...

Not quite on the road yet...still prepping and turning things upside down.
Hope to do a little round-a-bout in Mex and Cent. Am. Working out routes now.
Any tips?

Patrick

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Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

Finally got to the suspension on the fairly soft DR650. In stock form the bike is not too bad with a light load, even on dirt....abeit on the soft side. Good in slow rocky going however. As you add weight fork dive increased dramatically
and bike bike would wallow around some too. With full battle load the boingers were simply overwhelmed.

How much weight on the bike?
Including the weight of GIVI cases themselves, side racks, rear rack, soft top bag, tools, contents of bags, lock, books, spare tubes, and all other crap I've managed to collect....I'm carrying just about 100 lbs. (45 kgs.). This is over my target weight of 90 lbs. but close enough. The GIVI bags are just under their limit of 11 kgs. each, so I've done well there. I'm hoping the Italians gave a conservative estimate on this rating because I know on rough washboard all systems will be severly tested.

Suspension:
Like most DR650 riders I've gone through Jesse Kientz KienTech Engineering
for my Eibach springs. Based on my weight...about 200 lbs. (with riding gear)....and the weight of my luggage...we came up with a compromise number that will have the bike working well fully loaded but won't be too over sprung for solo, unloaded riding.

Stock DR650 progressive fork springs are rated at .40 kgs. I've gone up to .47 kgs. straight rate springs. The stock progressive rear spring is 6.5 kgs., the new Eibach straight rate is 7.6 kgs.

I've taken the bike out on some trails, dirt roads and twisty paved roads and overall the transformation is rather astounding. Hitting "whoop dee doo" type bumps is where I notice the difference most. Far more composed. The bike turns better as the rear end is not dragging its' ass around now. Much crisper turning yet still very stable at 100 mph. (yes, I tested it). Also, much to my delight, small bumps and road stutter are almost GONE. Before the bike handled this type of stuff well...now its even better. NICE

I have preload on the rear cranked up about half way. So more to go if needed. Plenty of preload left to add up front but so far its very close.

Only problem is the lack of BRAKES with all this weight. Not much to be done here. The new EBC pads aren't fully scrubbed in yet...so I'm hoping for a tad
more braking power soon.

Other stuff in the last two weeks:
New DID 525 X-Ring VM-2 chain
JT Sprockets, front /rear
Sealed spoke nipples on front wheel to slow air loss.
New brake pads frnt/rear (EBC sintered)
Brake systems flushed...all new fluid. I do this twice a year.

Patrick
The stock items and spokes still unsealed

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Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

Mollydog/Patrick...

I've tried to wade through all of this - and one thing is for certain (I've said it before) you are fab resource for any and everything relating to the DR650...and supplemented perfectly by other guys posting on this thread.

Thing is - it needs a feminine touch..! There's so much brilliant information on here, but sometimes a bit hard to find...

Permission to collate and collect and put in a simple/organised format which even girls can follow? (I wouldn't DARE ask you to do it - since you're too busy sorting the bike out... and getting the trip together...!)

(I'll probably have to do it anyways, for myself - so maybe when I'm done, you can have a lookie over and it can be published here - or wherever)

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