Ducati Monster Forum

I've been looking at picking up a dual sport while i figure out what I'm going to do with the monster (trying to get rid of the motor/ecu first). I know some of you guys have dual sports so speak up with what you prefer!

I'm looking for something that can cross the country and is easy to service. Everything seems to point to a DR-650 for me but id like to get some other ideas. I'm a big fan of huskys (they are sooooooo perrrrrtyyyyy) but ive heard they are a NIGHTMARE in terms of service intervals. Id like it to be a little on the shorter side (ive got a 32" in inseam and dont mind riding something thats taller than me, but i have to atleast be able to single leg one side and have my foot dangling on the other) for the sake of comfort. Those 37+ inch Hondas are ridiculously tall so they are out of the question.

Any preferences? I know there arent many dirt roads around here, but the bike im intending to get is going to replace the monster completely i think. I can't seem to find the right multi right now, the market is DRY!, and even if I do, i dont think i can live with having the older DS1000 motor or even DS1100 motor again.... and the new multi....well. $$BLING BLING$$ that i dont have!

What do you mean cross the country? If you plan on going long distance down a highway don't get a single. Look at some parallel twins or something. We went on a trip to Idaho last summer with a KLR 650 and it didn't really want to slab at much more than 60 which was a pain in the rear for the rest of us on twins and fours.

It did just great off the pavement though.

Check out The Honda NC700

http://powersports.honda.com/2014/nc700x.aspx (http://powersports.honda.com/2014/nc700x.aspx) 

The gas tank is a big trunk large enough for a whole helmet.

And of course the Stroms.

The Wee is better if you are going "off-road" because is is lighter, while I prefer the Vee if slab is involved (I also ride two-up a lot).  The Vee doesn't have much more top end (if any) than a 2v Duc, but the torque is satisfactory.

I find it less engaging than a Duc, but it doesn't do too bad when the need to hoon arises. 

Choose your tires wisely if going for a big DS/ADV bike, though.

Gran Canyon?

Love my DR650.  They do need some help to make the most of 'em though.  But cheap, honest reliable, basic DS fun  [thumbsup]

Some more stuff here  >>  http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=46656.0 (http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=46656.0)

Hyperstrada maybe?

... didn't someone say that Ducati makes a Hypermotard? 

If you're going to see a lot of pavement but want a some off-road capability, have you considered the Tiger?  I've heard a lot of good about it, and depending on what rubber you fit it with, it can be pretty capable off road.  I would consider it in the same category as a V-Strom or Versys, but with more motor.  Don't forget the BMW F-series bikes either.  They also had a nice 650 single BUT it's crazy tall.  I've got the same inseam as you and I just don't think I would want to ride it off road.

For me (my area is quite different than yours for getting to trails and off-pavement paths etc) I would wind up getting more of a street legal dirt bike for a dual sport.  I would actually be happy on an plated XR650R (not to be confused with the L model) a Husky 610 or similar.  Granted, I'm talking a 10-15 minute ride to some nice dirt, forestry service areas, rough gravel, pig trails etc.

JM

I never heard that. Probably just a rumor.

that has some teeth to that idea...you could put the Monster power plant in a Gran Canyon and have a beast of a bike....and I happen to wanting to part ways with my Gran Canyon....

Good link! Should of used the search!

I'm more prone to a bike that is bias towards street but will handle offroad. People have mentioned the versys but thats too street to me.

THe super Tenere would be a DREAM bike on paper, but that thing weighs a ton! I wouldnt even be able to ditch my pack and ride it up a hill.

Does anyone own a husky here? Whats the maintenance like on that thing and would you pout 10k+ miles with only an oil change?

Gran Canyon...defintely not. I'm not trusting my duc motor to go away for an extended amount of time without a whole slew of tools!

I was just looking up the XR650. Man! that thing looks like a beast! though its way too tall  :(. I cant imagine the fuel in frame being that durable though! what if you crack the frame or go down on the frame???

Frames are hollow anyway, wether there is fuel in them or not. (look at your monster frame) The frame should be tougher than most gas tanks. And if you go down hard enough to compromise the fuel holding ability of the frame, you might have bigger problems than having enough gas to get home.

What if you crack the frame on a regular bike? Is it safe to ride?

The oil is in the frame, not the gas on an xr650. I have not heard of it being a problem, but I'm sure there's always a chance. A good skid plate would probably be good insurance.

An xr650r would be a good choice IMO. With a supermoto set up for track days  [evil]

what about the KTM...a 950 or 990 Adventure ?!?!?!

 i mean OIL* i am thinking of buell for some reason (tghey have fuel in swingarm!)

If i crack the frame, it can still be ridden, abiet slowly to a repair station, if you crack the frame and it holds oil, you loose your oil and you cant ride anywhere even if you were to mend the frame. Also, its not weldable because the metal is contaminated. youd have to clean it, and then weld it, before refueling (if it were just bare metal a simple grinder would work just fine.. thats why it seems like a bad idea for a real off the grid bike.

With the KTM and husky bikes it becomes a question of reliability, and matienance. i want something that i can maintain on the road with just some simple tools. Ive not looked at KTM since there  arent that many to look at around here. I tried going to a dealership to look at some bikes, but dualsports are not popular.

Well check out that Honda. It looks like a pretty good bike. If I had extra Money for a Bike I would seriously consider that one.

2012 Honda NC700X Review - Big fun at a small price (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiLXTC8DzbA#)

sorry about the Ad.

If you want a single, hands down the KTM 690 Enduro.

I've been looking a lot at the BMW F650 GS and F8000 GS. The Dakar would be sweet, but they're on the tall side. They all get great mileage, have a huge after-market parts selection, and can be had used for a reasonable amount.

 Tall bikes can sometimes be lowered. Butt that might deviate from stock, and no one here would ever think of doing such a thing, would they??

I agree.

And I also dont agree.

If you want it for what is the factor IMO.

I started there....  KTM 690 Enduro was top of my list.  Costs over twice as much as the humble DR650 I ended up with, but that's not why I ruled the superior KTM out.   For my needs, riding alone in places not that remote but still with high likelihood of seeing no other humanity maybe for a day or two....  what I wanted above all was simplicity.  I wanted to know that if it broke, that there'd be a reasonable chance I could bodge together a get-me-home fix.  Least amount of electronics.  So sophisticated machines like the KTM I ruled out.  DR has no fuel injection, so no fuel pump to fail.  Can be started if its battery is dead....  valves need no shims or anything more complex than a small spanner and screw turner.  No watercooling, no water pump to break, no coolant lines to get damaged in an off.  And there will be offs.  But it does have shortcomings.  The stock suspension is crap.  Its carby-fed fueling is imprecise and relatively thirsty compared to modern fuel injected machines.  It's stock seat is a torture rack.  I know Australian prices are irrelevant to you.... but I spent $5000 buying the bike..... and probably another $4000 making it be the best DS for MY needs.  Some say I've spent too much money making a silk purse from a sow's ear.... but I'm very happy with the end result.

On the DR I'm happy cruising all day at 110km/h on the highway, and just as happy riding dirt trails.  It's my ideal do everything compromise bike.  Brilliant at nothing, competent at everything.  

Better distance tourers around?  Sure.  Much better other choices.

Better off road machines?  Easily outclassed by almost everything else with purely dirty intent.

BUT....  sounds to me like you're not really looking for a thumper?

800cc BMW parallel twins, XC800 Triumph... maybe even the V-Strom...  are all more road biased machines with dirt back road ability.

Get a Husky you will love it  [evil]

I bought one myself several months ago ... a new left over 2011 TE 630. This past month I've been commuting on it every day and only commute on the monster about once a week.

Anyway, I bought the TE630 cause I want to have a DS bike or an adventure bike for touring and dual sport riding. The bikes that were on my list were: Hypermotard 821, Tiger 800 XC, F800GS, Sertao 650 and Husky TR650. The TE630 wasn't even on my list cause I thought it was no longer available. As for Japanese dual sport or adv bikes, they are not available here.

The T800XC and F800GS I found to be too big and too heavy. I ride alone ...so I want a bike that is light and easy to lift when dropped. A bike that can be easily lifted by myself alone when I'm tired after a long ride. The few times I dropped my bike it happened when I was tired after a long ride. So I scratched the T800XC and F8GS. I then test rode the Hyperstrada, but was not impressed.

There's still Sertao 650 and Tr650 on my list. I visited the Husky dealership again, which is also the BMW dealership here, to try those two bikes. Not test ride them but just to sit on them cause I read that those two bikes are tall, and I'm about 32" inseam.

Anyway I got there and saw this TE630 ... I didn't see it when I was there previously. The salesperson told me that they're selling it at a discount, cause it's a 2011 left over. I sat and all three bikes and told the sales to hold the TE630 while I do some research on the bike.

After reading the TE630 threads on ADV rider forum, I decided to buy it cause from I what read, it's a solid bike, a reliable bike with no probllem  ...and after the discount it's half the price of a Terra or Sertao.  ;D I had my concerns about parts availability since it's a discontinued bike and the KTM take over, but I figure I'll deal with that when it happens. That's why I need two bikes ... if one is broken I can ride the other one  ;D

So, after a month commuting on it, I really like it. I worried about the height of the bike ... It's a tall bike and I can only flat foot on one foot (32'' inseam) but turns out that's not a problem at all. It handles really great. Riding at slow speed, filtering through traffic jam is really easy. I find the balance is really good. It's good on road.

I haven't taken it for a long ride yet, but now that I'm familiar with how the bike handles I plan to do a long ride next weekend. It's good on road and I'm sure it will be as good off road.

Well I recently had a chance to put a couple of hundred country miles on a late-model Multistrada and thus to discover that my Monster felt much more comfortable and engaging over distance. Which did not conflict with my experience of other big new dual-sports tried over the past year or so, which I had thought might replace the Monster. So my suggestion is ... be careful what you wish for. At least see if you can borrow a bike of this sort and see if it is really what you want.

Now my bike has a 15mm taller, custom built touring seat, which makes an enormous difference to comfort. And custom valving in the shock, which makes a similarly enormous difference. 'Bars and footpegs are stock.

What I have realised is, the forward upper-body lean that you get on a Monster is much more comfortable over hours on the bike than the upright postures of typical dual-sports.

Your spine is stretched in an arc, rather than compressed, and bumps coming up through the seat act at a tangent to that arc rather than vertically up the spine and compressing it further.

And you ride balanced on the breeze, with your helmet in clear air.

Anyway, just a thought. I know you've had disappointments with Ducati engineering.

One other thing that bothers me tho: if you're worried an 1100 DS motor will feel like a let-down, I can't see you loving a Japanese big single or vee. Nice as those are in their own ways.

Yeah, the Vee with the added weight doesn't feel much faster than the baby S2R in a straight line.  It doesn't seem as fazed by going two-up.  The Wee definitely left something on the table compared to my monster (except for comfort in the pillion seat).

I usually run the Vee with a shorty windshield so the wind can be windy.  I find the stock one to be terrible for the helmet buffeting, but it helps keep the cold off.

I am going to end up with two bikes in the end, one will be the faster more fun bike and the other is the slower but reliable bike. I dont expect my dual sport to be fast, i expect it to be reliable.

In regards to the monster, ive ridden it quite far and had no problems with comfort. I do agree with you on the posture. it keeps my back in a good shape, but it really puts a strain on your lower back after a few thousand miles of riding. Usually ill switch my cruise control on and stretch my back a bit without much issue.

I dont want to jump off topic, so black on topic!



^This is where I am going at. the DR650 is bomb proof on paper and people tend to repeat this over and over again. The KTM 690 and the Husky T610 are two of my favorites, but i need to know how reliable the electricals are on it. if i dump drop the bike into a shallow river by accident, will it still run sort of deal. Can i put really shirt grade fuel in it and still run? (or rather is it a high compression engine?)

The NC looks really cool! I am going to look into it, but i dont think itll really fit the bill, it seems more like a try all be all bike that might end up not being good at anything really.

I wanted reliability and economy and finally chose the KLR over the DR because the consensus on the various forums was that it is the better choice for on road work.  It cruises the slab easily at 70 and will be easier still when I get a 17T sprocket on the front this spring.  I have been really happy with it, I put on a Sargent seat (mandatory) and lowered 1" front and rear as my leg length is the same as the OPs and I can now flat foot it.  Took a chunk out of the side stand, that's really all it needed.  Can't beat the cost, economy and simplicity and it is super comfortable even for long days.  Put 8K touring miles on it this year and planning more than that next year.  There are certain simply resolved caveats:  see KLR650 forums for years of collective wisdom!  Great community, almost as good as this one  ;)

i looked into the KLR650, i dont think its the bike for me. I keep going back to the DR650 for its simplicity.


Ironically, as much as I want to look at one, all 4 of the ones i am interested in (within an hour of NYC) will not respond to their emails. Im not sure if my email is going to their spam box or what but it really sucks cause im ready to buy NOW.

I've long been a Suzuki guy, and would choose a DR650 if I was buying a big thumper.  I would choose it over the XR650L.  I know there is a HUGE difference between a 650L and a 650R.  The R isn't street legal unless someone has made it that way and lighter and more powerful. 

Parts are very plentiful, big knowledge base etc. with the DR650. The modern KLR is great, BUT if I went with a KLR, I would have to go prior to them getting the big bikini fairing.  The DR650 is a very simple machine, and can be easily field serviced if you're prepared with the appropriate tools and spares.

Go do some reading on Thumpertalk, they have a section just for the DR bikes.

JM

So i finally got a chance to go and take a look at a DR650 today until the dude says he wont be back till 7pm cause his family get together just threw in an extra event.(its dark out by then). its 45 and the roads are wet. Neither of which really bother me since ive been there and done that many times before. Its only 1 hour from my house on a sunday when theres little drivers and its calm.

The issue is, its going to be wet and 45-50 for the next week or two during the times i have time to go.

Should I go now? or later.

BTW its a 2007 DR650 with 9.5k miles and some mods, exhaust, skid plate, carbs rejetted, and vapor trail tach.

Sounds like a pretty nicely sorted DR, I would certainly look at it.  I would go sooner than later.

JM

I was on the edge to go or not to go and i just called my buddy who was going to drive me out to pick it up and no answer. :P

Sort of annoyed, so I called up my buddy who has access to a tall van (those sprints) so tomorrow imma go out there and roll that pregnant dog into the back and haul her home instead of riding. ITs gonna be dark but imma bring a few torches to light her up and finger bang her.

Price is pretty good at $2500. Gonna try and haggle it down to $2000, but settling at $2300.

It also has a 42L top case. I guess these area all the things that DS and adventure riders call "farkles"! lol

2007 with 9500 miles for ~$2300....  almost can't go wrong  [thumbsup].

Few things to check:

No nasty noises when running in 3rd gear.

That the neutral indicator light works when its supposed to (ask the owner if he's done the NSU mod - he should know what you mean if he has any clue about his DR).

Check for excessive lateral movement on the rear sprocket (sprocket carrier bearings have been known to fail, not common but nasty if it happens).

That the base gasket has this visible metal tab...
(http://er70s-2.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Motorcycling/i-RjNdtk4/0/M/Metal%20Head%20Gasket-M.jpg)
... I think by 2007 Suzuki was already fitting this base gasket, but worth checking anyway.

Make sure there isn't a nasty hole in the frame where the upper chain roller should be...
http://www.thumpertalk.com/topic/1018896-looking-at-buying-a-dr650/#entry10724199 (http://www.thumpertalk.com/topic/1018896-looking-at-buying-a-dr650/#entry10724199)

Other than the few things above they're hard to break  [thumbsup].

Good luck with it  [thumbsup] [popcorn]

Nice!  Can turn that DR650 into a 790 with the big bore kit. 

http://drriders.com/topic10578.html (http://drriders.com/topic10578.html)

ive seen that 790 its a dream!!


anyway, i didnt go sunday, i wanted to, but everyone who would drive me bailed on me.

And then.... the dudes wife out of no where says she wants to give the bike to her brother.

So.... that means I kicking myself in the ass for not getting the bike.

Not meant to be.  There will be others.

I really wouldnt bother. 

If you want more power, buy a KTM.

ok two choices.

2007 black DR650 with 10k miles. bone stock $2700 listed ($2400 possible)

2003 yellow dr650 with 31k miles (apparently the top end was rebuilt at 15k for unknown reason) $2200 listed, but i spoke to him and he said hes willing to go down to $1650. I said im more like $1000-1500 before id even look at it.

safe to say that it will be around $1500.

its about a 1k difference, and i know the motors are bullet proof, but is it worth the $1k savings for farkles and such?

No contest IMO.  Go for the 2007.

I'm good at spending your money, eh.  But...... you were ready to spend ~$2400 on the one that got away.

Yup, I'd go the bone stock machine, you know what you're starting with.

But... if you decide to go look at the 2003... be sure to check all the things I mentioned previously.... especially the base gasket.

Worth taking a look at the motor's underside to make sure there's been no damage.   If it has a skid plate, have it removed so you can check to make sure it's not there to hide anything nasty. 

I agree with Ung.  The 2007, less miles and not messed with.  The top-end rebuild bugs me a little, makes me think the bike was mistreated.

JM

I got talking to the 2003 guy, he turns out to be a kid but I am still weary of the mileage. The 2007 gave me his number earlier in the week and now will not respond to txt or phone calls. I am having very very bad luck with this. People are not serious about selling, so why bother. Putting up an ad???

Suppose the motor was solid, but would you take a vstrom 650 or 1000? There are way more on road then off road trails along say a south America or even an rtw trip. So the extra power to cruise seems like a big benefit. I'm used to riding at 85-90mph on the super slab. And 70-75 on the Dr isn't that big of a problem at all,  but I though id give a DL  a though since its fregggin possible to find a DR right now.

A DL with proper dirt rubber is a fine fire-road bike type bike.  I wouldn't want the weight and extra and more expensive parts to damage if I was doing much more than fire roads and decently packed/maintained trails.  You're not going to want to have a DL where you're going to have to pick it up several times a ride.

Here is what dualies are going for locally, just to try to help you reference a good deal or not.  They're hard to find used here too.

Only found 1 DR nearby:
'99 DR650 w/ 15,000 miles - $2000

Others:
'01 DRZ400S unlisted mileage - $3000
'93 DR350 4,800 miles - $1500
'08 XR650L 1,800 mmiles - $4000

JM

Do you think its the time of year? Or is it just difficult to find? Where are u from?

DS bikes are in prime time for the market  right now....in the late spring people will start unloading them like street bikes get unloaded in Oct/Nov timeframe

So you mean they aren't in their prime till late spring. I know sport bikes go on fire sale in Sept. Its like someone had a bucket list and said, I rode!!... For one season!!!!

well....DS and dirt bikes run on the opposite season of sales popularity from the street bikes generally speaking....so now is prime time for a seller per say, whereas April/May will be prime time for the buyer....

I see. I think the prices are quite stable when there's a influx of bikes on the market. I rather have more options than having great deals on bikes setup otherwise. Also, being in the NYC area, most bikes are street oriented and I'm far more likely to buy a used stock than a good deal supermoto setup. Either way, I hope you're right about April. My garage needs a project.

 the 2007 bike owner backed out of selling it. Maybe i should look far far away and consider shipping...

cough... Xr650l Cough....
I freaking went to NC to get  a sweet deal.  Its seems here they are few and prices are high. Though I did see a 84 xr600 go for 700 or less with carbs needing work. dc

I found another 2006 10k miles bone stock for $2900.

but the 2003 30K dr650 dude is offering to sell it to me for $1300!!!  thats a big difference in price that can really bump up the motor!

I think  I fixed it for ya.

haah, apparently the bike is in solid running condition who knows. either way the other guy with the 10k '06 is backing out of the sale....thats three in a row. :-\

He Man - I'm in western NC, in the mountains, right at the south end of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The good thing, if the $1300 DR turns out to have issues, there is a HUGE knowledge base and plenty of replacement parts available.  It's mostly unchanged for a number of years.

JM

A DR650 is on my short list for next bike.....good luck finding one!

how much is a replacement motor for a DR650?....maybe it is worth it based on buying a 2nd motor right out of the gate....even if just to have at the ready!

already tried this, i rather build up my own than buy one, but the motors are non existent.

this may be for 2 reasons

1) when they fail, they fail to the ponint where they are not worth recovering
2) they dont fail often.

Still have 5 brand new 2013 DR650's here in the Irvine shop.

That seems odd, are you nitpicking at issues on the bikes and trying to lowball the price?

I don't think it's him. 

I've been through the same thing and I'm not that picky.

It might be the season?

I think so personally....

Heres my bare minimum requirements

2006+ DR650 in any color.
Target mileage and price, 5k @3200, 10k@2800. Bone stock. Farkles will be base on if they fit me or not. Obviously im not going to buy a $4500 DR650 supermoto mod even if its worth it. Im going to spend so much time trying to sell half the stuff.

Things that make me not want to buy it, dirt and rust all over the bike.

thatsa bout it.

i was on bikefinds.com and only 30 DR650s are being sold across the country! thatsi t!

http://quadcities.craigslist.org/mcy/4241252750.html (http://quadcities.craigslist.org/mcy/4241252750.html)

http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/mcd/4270767602.html (http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/mcd/4270767602.html)

http://rmn.craigslist.org/mcy/4244523739.html (http://rmn.craigslist.org/mcy/4244523739.html)

http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/mcy/4252275866.html (http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/mcy/4252275866.html)

http://saginaw.craigslist.org/mcy/4283632975.html (http://saginaw.craigslist.org/mcy/4283632975.html)

http://clarksville.craigslist.org/mcd/4297590145.html (http://clarksville.craigslist.org/mcd/4297590145.html)

I'm bored...

are you trying to say i should buy one of em? cause they are all over 1,000+ miles from me...one of them even has 30,000 miles, and most of them are over a month old.

Actually emailed one of them in Minneapolis (uship price is about$800 to ship it to me). but with unlisted mileage.


if you're really that bored, go take a look at it for me and ride it half way to me in this weather.  ;)

Give these guys a call.

www.keyboardmotorcycleshipping.com (http://)

They seem to have reasonable shipping rates.

This one's above your mentioned price range, but it's only the 2nd one I found used in NY.  It's in Long Island.

http://www.cycletrader.com/listing/2012-Suzuki-DR650SE-111545179 (http://www.cycletrader.com/listing/2012-Suzuki-DR650SE-111545179)

JM

This one looks good in New Rochelle for 35 (plus it's "never been felt")  :D
http://newyork.craigslist.org/brx/mcy/4270805393.html (http://newyork.craigslist.org/brx/mcy/4270805393.html)

Im trying to avoid stealerships. Most dealers in the city are SCUM.

I did contact the guy in new rochelle a few weeks back. never heard from him. ( i txted him)

i found this one http://newjersey.craigslist.org/sno/4302419018.html (http://newjersey.craigslist.org/sno/4302419018.html)

BUT, the dude txted me back with pics and the tank probably has a scratch or missing splotch of paint every 2 inches, the poor pics looks like the rims dented in several places, and the fork protectors are missing chunks, but he swears its never been down or abused. :P

If someone wants to sell something, you'd think they do the best effort to sell it.

I know I'm just complaint now, but I'm sharing cause its just funny at this point. I found a nice clean one about 6 hr drive. Had a nice chat via txt, then when I asked for more pics cause I'm not too local, they decided that they don't want to sell the bike to someone from another state. Really???

I don't believe you mentioned how far you're willing to travel to get the one you want. I like to use www.searchtempest.com (http://) (http://) to search craigslist because it starts with the closest listings to your zip, then expands from there. Maybe you should try for your area.

Personally I don't think I'd sell a pristine, stock, DR650 with 10,000 miles for less than $3000.

I wish I had the time and money on my hands to take you up on the offer of meeting halfway, that would be great.

I found a few on ebay...   this one isnt bad...

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Suzuki-DR-650-SE-2008-Model-/151217679598?pt=AU_Motorcycles&hash=item233546acee (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Suzuki-DR-650-SE-2008-Model-/151217679598?pt=AU_Motorcycles&hash=item233546acee)

but you're not gonna like the prices or the shipping costs  ;) :-\

Im willing to travel up to 6 hours to haul one away.

Prestine 10k@ $3000 is perfect. I was looking at 2800 for something wasnt prestine.

One guy said his was perfectly maintained, saw some pics, chain was kinked rusted, rims bent, fork covers torn up, engine had sand and dust all over it, and it only had 2500 miles? yea ok. wouldnt go lower than 2800 (and i would spend over $300 in gas and tolls to go get it).

Its all relative in the end.

i do use searchtempest.com ( i put range at 400 miles and search DR650 and DR 650). Also use bikefinds.com

http://www.cycletrader.com/New-or-Used-Suzuki-Dr-650-Motorcycles-for-sale-in-Alexandria-Alabama/search-results?type=356953&make=Suzuki%257C2320128&model=Dr+650%257C764948733&trim=650%257C3247&year=2005:2009&modelkeyword=1&zip=36250&radius=any&sort=featured:desc (http://www.cycletrader.com/New-or-Used-Suzuki-Dr-650-Motorcycles-for-sale-in-Alexandria-Alabama/search-results?type=356953&make=Suzuki%257C2320128&model=Dr+650%257C764948733&trim=650%257C3247&year=2005:2009&modelkeyword=1&zip=36250&radius=any&sort=featured:desc)

I found one on adv rider in Charleston SC. (http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=948159 (http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=948159))

I also checked out some uship bids from Greensboro NC, about $350+ uship fees will get er up to me.

Anyone in Charleston able to take a look at a bike for me? ( PMed the guy but havent gotten a response yet).

adv rider has a really nicely set up 2005 with lower miles, but theres a 3rd gear issue that i just want to stay away from. Its supposely fixed in 2006+


If i buy from a dealer am i required to pay their local tax? (im assuming no since the DMV is the one charging the tax).

If i buy from a private seller i can avoid the $400 tax for a $4000 bike, which means im willing to get the bike shipped and get a better deal.

No

 ???

Sales tax is paid in the state where you reside at time of registration and is calculated based on the selling price on the invoice or bill of sale. They "could" hit you for a temp plate..., but not if you show up with a truck.  ;D

The dealer can usually calculate the tax where you live and send the payment to them, or you could do it yourself.

If you end up buying out of state and want to ride it home (may be riding season by the time you find one!) you may be able to get an interstate travel/plate permit for $3 and good for 30 days. At least you can here in VT (not sure about other states).

http://dmv.vermont.gov/registrations/drivers/plates/intransit (http://dmv.vermont.gov/registrations/drivers/plates/intransit)

Nothing a seller likes more than a keen buyer in a hurry.... willing to travel miles...

Just be patient, good DRs will show up.

In my experience, you don't pay the tax for the current state if you're taking it to another state.  You will pay your state tax when you register the bike you your state.  I know this from buying both cars and bikes out of state.

No need for a temp plate regardless.  I've driven more than one vehicle home sans license plate.  Just be sure you have a bill of sale with you.

JM

JM

A dealer in one state has no mechanism for collecting tax for another state and to pay it without things getting lost. In the rare cases where we needed to plate a car in another state, we used a tag agent in that state who could do all that for us. It was only necessary in cases where the bank or lessor demanded a title and registration before we could be paid for the vehicle. Fortunately that was damned rare and I recall Connecticut being a HUGE problem with any USED vehicle. Damn N*zis!

WE only became liable for tax IF the buyer had a residence in OUR state or source of income in our state, so we made damn sure the buyer didn't while doing the credit check. Even several years later we sometimes got tax bills and had to PROVE our client was in the clear... Another bureaucratic PITA!!!

I think ill end up buying out of state (but from private buyer), for the sheer fact that most of the good ones arent near me.

heres tone that im looking at currently.
http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=950224&highlight=dr650 (http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=950224&highlight=dr650)

Put the deposit down. got an awesome quote to ship the bike up here ($250!) from North Carolina to NYC, and will be dual sporting soon!!!!  [Dolph]

Congrats!

Nice!

I think you found yourself a nicely sorted example there He Man  [thumbsup]

Some good "farkles" on that one.  I can tell you that the TM40 pumper carb is a huge... like night and day.. improvement over the stock carb.

Do you get the stock exhaust?

congrats....I just found and was going to post a suggestive DR350 that is unmolested in Baltimore

http://baltimore.craigslist.org/mcy/4306170422.html (http://baltimore.craigslist.org/mcy/4306170422.html)

I think he is a little high, but not seriously out of range of talking down to a reasonable figure with cash.

Yup, i get teh stock exhaust, but the bracket cracked and needs a weld. I also get the stock carb. Im not sure how the TM40 works in 10,000+ feet. I plan on riding cross country on my vacation this month (Eastern half on roads, and the western half from CO, UT,NV and CA offroad). ANd will be spending the bulk of the time in CO and UT.

Who did you use to ship the bike? 

There's one of those on the local CL, It's a good thing I don't have any extra money at the moment!

JM

some dude on uship.com with decent reviews.

probably one of them dudes from Shipping Wars....LOL

LOL. NOOOOOOOO!!!!

Funny.  Since you started this thread...  Three great dual sports popped up locally on CL...

An XR250R, a TT600, a two DR350s.  If I had money, one of the DR350s would be in my garage!

JM

Its a sign.... TAT 2014 DMF style!

Bam. in the garage. havent ridden it yet though, got it last night. Will try her out this weekend.  [evil]

(http://imageshack.com/a/img543/116/ak83.jpg)

Congratulations!

 Now you need a Ducati decal for the tank!

Congrats..Finally!!   [thumbsup]

Think I may have the Mrs. convinced that I need a new '14 DR650 instead of another Duc right now. 

Where are you ending your cross country trip?  Let me know if you're down in Orange County. 

I will be ending up in San Diego (first stop in CA is San Francisco) since i have a buddy there that i can leave the bike with and have a shipper come and pick it up.

Nice!  Here's to many smiles [beer]

 [thumbsup] [thumbsup]

When we starting the suspension mods?   [evil]

 [popcorn]

The shock has a proaction sticker on it (on my phone, but if u google it, its pretty cool) so I'm not sure if it gas the shock done already.

up front...im pretty sure is stock. I'm thinking about the cogent ddc.... What do you have?

I have an Elka rear shock and had YSS emulator valves and progressive springs in the front end.  The common DR650 wisdom is Cogent stuff at both ends.  But I often like to roll my own way. 

Resprung and valved made a big difference to the soggy front end.... but still didnt do anything for flex and twist.  You'll know what I mean when you're wallowing your way around a long sweeping curve.  I ended up dumping the front end entirely.  Fitted RMZ450 USD forks.  Much better, but not exactly necessary and probably not worth all the trouble (except that I enjoy playing around anyway).  Rear end needed a raise too to compensate.  Its pretty tall now... a bit too tall for my short arse  [laugh]

I guess you already know about Procycle as a vender of everything DR650.

How much work is the front end swap? I've been looking at an rmz fork swap since I've been thinking of buying the dr650. It seems ill need to swap wheels, or hubs at the very least, including a full tripple swap.

Its a fair bit of work.  The major part is easy enough.... its the small details that take the time and effort to get right... y'know the stuff you dont think about when the tear-down begins  [laugh] [bang]. 

I've seen conversions where the original DR650 front wheel has been retained....  custom spacers, bushings and disc rotor relocation bracket... etc.   I had an RMZ hub laced to a 1.85 (same as DR) front rim.  If I was gonna do it again I'd use a Honda CR/CRF450 Showas and front hub.  The Honda uses exactly same Showa forks as RMZ450, but the Honda's brake rotor is a 6 bolt mount.  RMZ is only 4 bolt.... no big deal, but I still think given the choice the Honda hub is a better option for the conversion.

I used Emig triple clamps  >>  http://www.emigracing.com/ (http://www.emigracing.com/)  <<   Stock RMZ450 triples will bolt straight on though, but there's no place to mount the ignition/steering head lock and you have to fab up steering stops.  I have a good set of RMZ stock triples I have no use for, yours if you can use 'em (just cost you some postage is all).

Here's my setup >> http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=46656.msg1168096#msg1168096 (http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=46656.msg1168096#msg1168096)

But seriously, ride your DR as is.  Get to know it first....

And if you do end up thinking you wanna do the RMZ fork swap...  get back to me, happy to share what I learned along the way FWIW.

sounds like what some guys have talked about in terms of conversion learning when "adapting" KTM front ends onto Gran Canyons...

Rode the bike for the first time yesterday. HOLY CRAP. talk about torque, this thing pulls like a mule ( though it pulls nowhere fast lol). Im guessing the bike without the pumper carb is really really weak. This thing is an aboslute BLAST to ride. The front is really soft though and the rear, the rebound is extremely slow. Almost 2 full seconds to reach 90% of its original position. I try dialing out the the rebound valve. No good. I am going to pick up the Cogent DDC for the front and the rear....well im not sure yet. I might send it out to cogent, or pick up another shock entirely. Ive heard they do a really good job and modifying hte stock shock. How much was your shock?

Is there a difference between the RMZ150,250,450 forks? Theres a huge price difference.  Do they need to be revalve/resprung? (i am only 150lbs, but i expect the loaded weight of the bike to be my weight + about 80lbs of gear max.

What a great post and useful information for those of us who already tour on our Monsters and are thinking the grass might be greener on a Multi. [clap]  That settles it.  I'm going to sink some dough into my suspension and love the one I'm with.

My RMZ450 Showas have been resprung (DR650 is a fat pig compared to RMZ).  Difference between RMZ models?  This any help?  >>  http://www.advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16665578&postcount=195 (http://www.advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16665578&postcount=195)

;D

Elka shock?  It was $$$....  You have more options that I do...   The stock rear shock is very soft and soggy.  I'd spend your money there before you worry about the (also soft and soggy) front end.

IMO, the forks from the RMZ150 would likely not be a best option.  The 250 forks are probably similar to the 450, but either Ung mentioned would need to be resprung.  The RMZ250 & 450 are featherweights compared to the DR.

My reasoning on avoiding the 150 forks is the 250 and 450 are designed to deal with quite a bit more abuse than the 150.

JM

id like to do the fork swap if its under $500. It seems like i can snag some forks off of ebay for around $200-$300 for the RMZ450s. and a wheel can be had for aronud $150. I can deal with all the other stuff, its a non issue. Nothing a TIG cant solve.

The shock REALLY needs to get some work though. I find it strange how you said that hte rear matters more than the front ( usually its the other way around!). The rebound on it is flat out just terrible. I think a hardtail is better!

Racetech makes a kit for the shock, as sold by procycle, but cogent also has a option to sell you all the stuff and you pretty much put it together yourself. Unfortunately, finding a place that will charge up the shock with nitrogen is a handful. No one will do it. My last shock rebuild, i literally filled it with air. Its ultimately a moisture issue.

Cogent is a local company that does good stuff, so anything from them should be top notch.  I can't help with the nitrogen issue though.  A rear shock does more than a lot think.  I've got one on my M750 that is well past its service time, and even with a good spring, you'd be surprised at the wallowing I get when I'm pushing the suspension hard.

JM

Also a combustion issue.

Combustion? Whats fueling the flames? ( not sure if hydrualic fluid is combustible.

I know that the moisture can increase in volume up to the point where it becomes explosive if thats what you mean.

whoop! apparently aluminum can burst into flames when exposed to nitrogen under high pressure. [laugh] :o

A few lab results are citing pressures in the 300MPA range (40,000+PSI), though the increased temp in the system when its worked could reduce that threshold!

Yes, it's the shock oil that can combust in the presence of Oxygen.

The shock manufacturers don't spec Nitrogen just to be a pain in the ass or because they don't know any better.

The unforeseen costs have a way of sneaking the spend up higher...  Like I said before, plenty of people are happy enough improving the performance of the stock forks by dropping in Cogent (or other) goodness.  I just went the RMZ front end coz I thought it would be fun to do.  What I really didnt expect was just how much better the result ended up.  I figured that I wouldnt be a good enough rider to notice any improvement from the fork swap.  Wrong, it was surprisingly obvious even to a dirt-riding numpty like me.

The stock front end is old tech damper-rod.... lots of sag... soft and cushy... first time you fall off (you will fall off), you'll discover just how ...um... rigid... the front end isnt when you "realign" it by tweakin' it straight..... between your knees  [laugh].  BUT.... the front end is Ohlins goodness compared to the wallow and weave inducing truly horrible rear shock.  I mean... sit on the bike and see how much it would benefit from some preload  [laugh]... and then go boil an egg while you wait for it to... um... rebound.  

No wonder it corners like a Merry-go-round horse.

So yup, I say start at the back end.  If you do the RMZ front end you're gonna HAVE to do something with the back end... or your DR will have the geometry of a chopper.

Keep in mind, if you have to upgrade the springs, if the size difference is big enough you can overpower the existing valving. Meaning you might have to get the valving done. Ran into this issue with my KTM. Put dirtbike forks onto the enduro. spring size went from a .42 to .52 and valving needed to be redone to compensate for the larger spring.

So the rear needs work for sure. I can kill its travel completely with just cargo and my own weight, let a lone a bump.

Do you guys know what spring is correct for a total weight of 250lbs (rider 150, cargo 100) I dont actually expect to be carrying 100lbs of cargo, but i think its a conservative estimate.

Heres some photos that i finnaly took of her.

(http://kuixihe.com/mygallery/DR650/slides/WP_20140315_001.jpg)

(http://kuixihe.com/mygallery/DR650/slides/WP_20140315_003.jpg)

(http://kuixihe.com/mygallery/DR650/slides/WP_20140315_004.jpg)

(http://kuixihe.com/mygallery/DR650/slides/WP_20140315_005.jpg)

(http://kuixihe.com/mygallery/DR650/slides/WP_20140315_006.jpg)

(http://kuixihe.com/mygallery/DR650/slides/WP_20140315_007.jpg)

I figure you have more or less 2 choices. Go down to the dealership and get the heavier spring which is going to require removing the reservoir and thus taking the shock in to the shop to get it recharged.

Or call race tech, tell them what you need and ship it off to them. They will take care of it for you and it will be all smiles when you get your shock back.

What carb is that, oem?

The spring can't be changed without removing the reservoir??? I thought it was as simple as compressing the spring and popping off the collar and doing a swing swap like most shocks.

cogent sells a drop in kit for $400 vs them doing it for u completely for $700. I think I'm going to head that route.

koko, its a tm40 pumper carb from a Harley. I have the oem one as well.

Doesn't it have a remote reservoir that attaches above the spring? If not then great, you don't have to open the system.

Just out of curiosity, but what motorcycle shock doesn't have the resovoir hose above the spring or is cast in place?

The motor will love it. That makes a good deal even better.
I raced against big bore supermonos and the guys raved about the difference a good flatslide made to those single cylinder big bore motors. Think I'll pm Ung for some tuning tips (I got two TM 38s for an E750 I'm eyeing off).

I have no idea, but there is more than one way to skin a cat so you never know. Its been my experience with dirt bike shocks that the spring comes off on the top and removal of the reservoir hose is necessary, before removal of the hose, you have to bleed off the nitrogen on the reservoir. But if thats not the case with yours then it makes things easier.

Yup.  Big improvement. 

http://www.innovatemotorsports.com/products/MTXL.php (http://www.innovatemotorsports.com/products/MTXL.php)   ;D

Big win today.

so i called up pro action, they said that if the sticker says VALVING on it, then it has the 3stage valving system (similar to racetechs, buthas high mid and low speed shim stacks and oil orfices).

Great, so the main reason why the rebound was bad was well. obvious now, the temperature, i was testing it in 10 degree weather and it rebounding like a dead horse. Which mean i just need the correct spring for my intended weight. Ill probably still send the shock over to them so they can do a rebuild on it for $100 and a spring for $112, rather than spring $625  for a new shock!

I just need to open up the front and take a look at whats in there, will probably do springs front and back.

If i could just find someone to do nitrogen recharges in NYC, id do it myself...my school has it, but they dont have a compatible valve system with their 4000PSI tank to a normal valve ( i have a special tool to charge up the bladder and shut off the gate before removing the hose).

Pic of the shock sticker here
(http://kuixihe.com/mygallery/Blog%20Trips/RTW/DR650/index.html#WP_20140315_005.jpg)

 and Proaction website:

http://pro-action.com/suspension.html (http://pro-action.com/suspension.html)

If you send it over to them they can do the nitrogen after the rebuild. I think you will be satisfied once you get it back from them.

Yes, I know they will recharge it after rebuilding it. I can rebuild it myself, I just can't get nitrogen.

Not a single thing wrong with the DR650 but I struggle to work out how it ended up being a 'Dual Sport Bike' [roll]?

Why ride a Thumper if you can have two pots of that size in a Dual Sport Bike that makes the Triumph and Yamaha competition look pedestrian and the R1200GS seem like a pregnant Moose, while you can keep up with real Sports Bikes any other day of the week should you want to?  No need for simple Japanese Mechanicals if you have proven (read legendary) KTM Electronics – 13 consequitative Dakar Wins on the trot and counting  ;).  1190 Adventure.

Umm. Unless you gonna buy me a KTM, then maybe you shouldn't tell  someone to buy one bike over another.

He Man, he isnt gonna buy you a KTM, I'm not gonna buy you a KTM either.  You dont need it.  I could buy me a KTM to do the dual sport job, but I choose for me a more suitable ride.

Why isn't it?  [roll]  Goes anywhere the big boys can go, no tears shed when it falls over  [thumbsup]

Why?  Coz its cheap.  Why?  Coz its uncomplicated, basic, simple design have advantages.  Why?  Coz when you're spending hours changing your oil I'll be out riding.  Why? Coz when you drop yours and damage the water-works, I'll be kicking mine straight and riding on with a smile.  

Enjoy your sophisticated toy mate.  It sounds like it suits you well   [thumbsup] [thumbsup].

Me?  I define dual sport.... differently.

Each to their own  :-*

There's people with the skills & money who can ride like this:  [bow_down]
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWIZfYQhgMc (http://)

Most of us couldn't manage that with a 125...  :'(  [laugh]

I 'clicked' with my 990 Adventure the moment I sat on it, it's awesome, but I can't ride it like a thumper and the one time I tried, here's what happened (spoiler I got stuck and had to turn around):

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yj7nPRHFIpY (http://)



On the other side I'll take my F650GS through a bog

www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9ICqHLpg_A (http://)

on in the snow

www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwzXK0bPc_0 (http://)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gJ9JsyIzA8 (http://)

and not worry about it. I've bent handlebars, crashbars, footpeg brackets, beat up the stock bashplate and cracked a carbon-kevlar one. And every time I just pick it back up and ride.  [Dolph]

My post never intended to rag the DR650 or any of its Owners.  I do not even rag Massey-Ferguson Riders  ;D.*  But having just taken delivery of an 1190 Adventure (and it will be doing two-up with full luggage 95% of the time when it runs), I thought this thread might feature its only worthy adversary IMHO, a MTS1200.  It didn’t.  So nevertheless, after having read all of it, and having had experienced the entire journey down to the last page, I thought it would be OK to leave a Tourist’s Remark in the Register.  Obviously it wasn't.

All of us men are generally plagued by fragile egos – it’s in our genes, we cannot change that.  But it helps to play the ball, not the man, and to never lose the ability to break a grin rather than a jawbone.  No need to pass me your hanky  :).  Enjoy those DR650s.  I cannot quite picture you kicking yours though; http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=46656.msg1168096#msg1168096, (http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=46656.msg1168096#msg1168096,) or any of your Bikes, ever, for that matter.  BTW, I am still not strong enough to discuss any cricket yet  ;).
 
* not so sure of that Brand Name, it could well be Darley-Havidson  [roll].


The Bike that you are talking about here is the 1190 Adventure R.  I bought the Plain Jane 'street version' - the 1190 Adventure (without the R).

Two completely different Bikes, also when you ride them.  Mine is a Street Bike that I can hit gravel roads with, on weekends with the wife.  I would never do that with the Monster - go off tarmac or take a pillion along.

True, each to their own  [thumbsup].  Keep on smiling!

Of course you're entitled to participate!  MTS1200 may well be your machine's most worthy competitor, I wouldn't regard the MTS as a dual sport ride though.  Nice touring machine, but too complex/expensive/road biased to fit my definition of dual sport.  YMMV.

Really?  Coz this came across slightly  "mine's better than yours is"  Trollish IMO....You have fine motorcycle  [thumbsup].  You coulda just shared that, posted up some pictures, rather than asserting superiority over the OP's choice of simple Japanese thumper.

Spare me  [roll]

You're right.  No way I would be kicking just any of my bikes.  But I'm not here talking about any of my bikes.  I'm talking about my dual sport ride which I consider cheap and basic enough that I can it kick straight when the need arises.

You asked why a simple thumper when more powerful, more sophisticated choices are available.  I put forward my reasons  :).

;D

I need to get my hands on a stock DR650 to figure out what the stock suspension feels like.

The rear shock only has adjustable compression damping. Rebound is still slow, and Proaction says its only tuneable with the shimstacks.

I bounced teh front end around and it seems like its a linear spring in there already. Gonna have to open her up and figure out whats inside.

You're missing out.  Although my wife doesn't really appreciate unpaved roads... [thumbsup]

I have been kind of busy lately and not getting to the forums...
Hmm.  Still can't work out how boasting about my new Ride becomes deriding yours, but let's leave it there... :(.
OK.  You've been spared :).
I have not had the pleasure to lay eyes on the new Ride myself yet.  For now ‘taken delivery’ means that it has been unboxed, PDI’d and delivered to my home.  I will probably be back there in a week’s time ;D.
(http://i1070.photobucket.com/albums/u487/Estoma58/1__zps16c58ff0.jpg)
(http://i1070.photobucket.com/albums/u487/Estoma58/2__zps6d640705.jpg)
(http://i1070.photobucket.com/albums/u487/Estoma58/3__zps4590e011.jpg)
(http://i1070.photobucket.com/albums/u487/Estoma58/4__zpsbe30ca17.jpg)

Estoma...in regards to Ung's reply to you, keep in mind that some may read things without the benefit of your voice tonality to temper a response in how it might have been meant, so there is a bit of a perceptive judgement you have to consider...just something to consider...

in regards to the 1190, nice machine, and I hope you have your 1st set of replacement tires on order, as those Conti's probably won't last very long...

Very nice  [thumbsup] [thumbsup]

Too nice to fit my definition of "dual sport".  Maybe I'm looking for more duel and less sport  ;)

I made an offer on an 88 E750 Bifaro in ELF colours! So excited! :D
I have the pipe, TM38s, coils, etc. Cmon man say yes!

Thanks for the heads-up on the Tires.

No offense taken and none intended either.  We are all passionate about our Rides, which is why you (we) take the time to ramble on about it online – a lot safer than in the pub anyway :).  And it also helps that there is lots of water to cross between Oz and Sarfefica, in most directions for that matter ;D.

I’ve been following this Forum, and its Post Wh0res, for years.  Nothing but respect for you bunch of Spaghetti Centrale-inspired two-piston Nuts.  I would probably never have joined though, had it not been for that utterly fugly 1200S.  See!  There I just managed to get myself in trouble again :o.

At least it shocked me into managing to lay my hands on literally the last 1100 evo in Africa [thumbsup].  Would have preferred a 1100S, but c'est la vie.

Congrats!  Love the twin headlights.

Anything I've said here, I'd say to your face.  You bring the Castle lager and I'll bring the Coopers Sparkling  [beer]

See?

I knew you had good taste underneath it all ;D [thumbsup] [thumbsup]

Great.  So let’s get back to where all of this started.

I cannot work out why you lot* refer to these Big Thumpers as Dual Sport Bikes.  They are Scramblers.  You might be able to ride on the road (tarmac) with them; in varying degrees of discomfort, distressing the motor and looking lost to whomever passes you (on the tarmac).  You might, in the same way, ride on a gravel road with a Streetfighter [coffee].

The 1190 Adventure I just bought is a Dual Sport Bike.  I can pack it like a Mule, add my wife as well, easily do a ton-up dressed out like that, lean it into corners almost as deep in (well not quite) as my Monster and hit any gravel road with it – nothing remotely suitable to Scramblers I dare say.  It’s brother, the 1190 Adventure R, is an Adventure Bike.  You can drive across Africa with it, like the crow flies - in the right hands of course.  BMW sells the same two versions, the R1200GS and the R1200GS Adventure.

I will never take my Monster all over where I will the 1190.  And I will most certainly never take my Dual Sport Bike where you take your Scrambler.

Maybe I am showing my age?

*most respectfully meaning you more serious off-road trial-riding sleeping-out-in-the-sticks eating-barbequed-snakes types ;D.

My first Ride was also a Honda SS50 :).  1973.

We're just going around in circles with this now.  I've given reasons why for me my thumper is my ideal dual sport bike. I suggested that YMMV (and clearly it does).

You're showing your opinion.  Everybody has one.  Enjoy your KTM [thumbsup].

It's not just peoples opinion on what bike falls into the 'Dual Sport' category but where people are willing and want to take it as well. If I had to have just one bike to ride and it had to go everywhere then it would be the smallest, lightest and most simple of all which there are very few bikes that fit this criteria! KLR, DR, NX, XT and even the earlier KTM 640 and Husqvarna TE 610 (there are probably more).

I chose the Honda NX 650 Dominator as it fit the bill for me, went everywhere I wanted it to go and still put a smile on my face! And I have owned a shed load of Honda's so a little biased. Some of the treks we have in Australia aren't suited to the big heavy multi-cylinder machines just purely because of their size and weight. Not saying you can't take one...many people do. And fuel capacity is another factor, the beauty of the above mentioned machines is you can chuck on a 25+ litre of the shelf fuel tank and that gets you a long way when your next fuel stop is a long way!

I have ridden the KTM 990 Adventure, Triumph Tiger 800 xc and while there road manners are certainly better (depending on tyres) would I go where I took my Dominator.......no. There are people out there who can ride the big Adventure bikes like a 125 as people have stated but can I....no. I had a dirt bike for that. I like the fact I could own my monster, a DR or the like and a dirt bike for less then one KTM 1190 Adventure.

Simple choice but again that is my opinion.

Does that make my M750 a Dual-Sport or a Scrambler?

(http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/the_journeyman/Molly/DSC_0037-1200.jpg)

(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7371/10126886073_6e3107bdbf.jpg)

JM

The first photo: You’ve got Clip-ons fitted :o.  I am guessing that that was as far as you needed to go to find a private dumping spot ;).  If not, we would need to define an entire new Bike Class to describe this application [shot].

The second photo: Another time it seems – no Clip-ons fitted then.  That is as far as my Monster would veer off tarmac, ever.

It that the original Yellow?  Flovely.

this is retarded.

Aside from whatever dumb shit classification Estoma is trying to do,

My "dual whatever the make the beast with two backs" does what I want it to do. Which is be road legal and ride dirt tracks, fit my budget and gets 50mpg, oh and its $35 a year to insure.

Yea, the bars are different, I changed them last winter. 

The first pic is older and was the result of following a map connecting two different back roads.  The map showed this connection, but it didn't tell me it was several miles of what we call 'pig trail' to get there.

The second one is on a road that I frequent.  There are quite a few miles of very nice twisties, but unless you want to backtrack about 30 miles, you run this 5ish miles of gravel to get to the other side of the ridge.

I've actually considered putting Avon Distanzias on because here in the rural NC mountains, I do a lot of gravel and dirt connecting the fun roads.

JM

JM, you really should buy a 1200cc KTM.

Or learn to enjoy BBQ snake like me and He Man  [laugh]

I'll at least give BBQ snake a try!  I'm pretty adventurous when it comes to food.  Ive I ever get to Australia, we'll take a ride and find something to BBQ!

JM

I'm sorry 'long time post whore observer', but did you say 'dual sport'?  :-*


(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa91/chiflado/3c0f92bdb57c5e6896f42ac810a37aac.jpg)

(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa91/chiflado/b5a302ac85092d7dfc59aeef5582e0c1.jpg)

I want to go to there.


Took the DR for a 200miler today. Wow this thing is FAST.... NOT!!!

Some things i noticed

Its SCREAMING at 85mph, i mean litterally balls off the wall.
It does 70 pretty much all day though.
I REALLY need a windscreen.
It turns very strangely due to the tires and their different size, it sort of feels like its on rails until you're off that squared tire edge and on the corner. It has a fine line of predictability and not. And I haven't gotten used to knowing exactly where that point is.
It gets 53.7mpg on the highway at 75mph.
Its sort of uncomfortable if you dont remind yourself ot scoot forward, but scooting forward is the only way to get 85mph and to get out of the windstream, the windscreen should fix that.
Gas tank is really small, I need an acerbis.
Vibrates a bit more than Im used to.
ITs really freaking tall.
I hate the mirrors cause it makes lane splitting very difficult.

I am going to buy this surfboard mount so i can slip my board and ride to the beach!

It's a whole other animal riding these on the street at speed in that upright position. My KTM will start to float the front wheel if I don't keep moving forward on the seat. I enjoy the game myself, keeps me focused.  ;)

He Man, have you looked at the sprockets? I'm sure if you change out the front to a sprocket with one less tooth it will help with the top speed.  But you'll lose some low speed grunt.

Kop, have you tried to work on the front fender?

http://youtu.be/ihyBZASnn00 (http://youtu.be/ihyBZASnn00)

(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa91/chiflado/3993d628e296badb15305942c4b33561.jpg)

Oh,  :(

Good luck.

At 7000 RPMs its Mean Piston Speed is just over 19m/s. You could ride it like that all day for years on end and it would be fine. That thing is so overbuilt, it's ridiculous.

No, you're really freaking short. Go sit on a DRZ400.  [laugh]