Who has owned a DR650?

mtbeerwah Sun 14 Jun 2015, 9:21 pm

I`m thinking about getting rid of my DRZ400e, and getting the DR650.

I`m no crusty demon, and as for fire trails and the likes of, they both do that. And if your into serious jumping, then the DRZ isn`t the bike anyway.
I really like my DRZ, but I`ve got just over 100 acres of land, and town is about 50kms away, with 35kms of that is hi-way, and the little 400, with hi-way gearing, in my opinion, just doesn`t cut it, then if I want to go up some of the steep hills on my block, the gearing to high,
hence the thought of the 650....more torque!

So I think it would be the best of both worlds for my application...maybe?

Anyone got any experience with one?

2wheelsagain Mon 15 Jun 2015, 11:46 am

I'd love to motard a DRZ400 Smile

Chook Mon 15 Jun 2015, 11:59 am

2wheelsagain wrote:I'd love to motard a DRZ400

X 2

rolls Mon 15 Jun 2015, 1:21 pm

My cousin runs Adventure Motorcycle Equipment in Canberra. He runs adventure rides weekends, he and most of the punters ride DR650s. Rock solid and usually able to fix them in the bush or at a farmhouse. The sky's the limit as far as mods go.

I had a DR600 years ago. Same reliability. It went anywhere, in comfort too. I'm not small so weight wasn't an issue.

AME

Darin's DR650

Rolls.

mtbeerwah Mon 15 Jun 2015, 7:19 pm

2wheels & chook, I`ve had the bike for two years, and in that time I`ve been looking long and hard to find a nice second hand full kit.

18mths ago, I just missed out on one, but since then, they`ve been like hens teeth, or people want stupid prices for them, and I wont spend $2000+ for a kit for one. Some people put cbr 250 wheels on them, but I reckon they look pus. I like the spoked look.

rolls...how smooth, or not, was the 600?
This is probably my only concern on the 650!

I think the bike is right up my alley as a multi-purpose bike, and I will still be looking for a motard kit for it as well.

rolls Tue 16 Jun 2015, 6:57 am

mtbeerwa wrote:
rolls...how smooth, or not, was the 600?
This is probably my only concern on the 650!

I bought the 600 in 1989. It was the first bike I had after 3 YZ490 2 stroke MXs. Apart from the come down in power it was a true joy to still feel my hands after 30 minutes riding. Very smooth (compared to an open class MXer). I had some big tours on that one.

3 mates took their DR650s from Bathurst to Perth, put them in storage and flew back. They went back 3 months later and rode back through the center. They all own bigger mounts, 2 GS1200s and a KTM990, but reckon the DR was the best choice for a trip like that.

reddog Tue 16 Jun 2015, 8:11 am

I've had a drz motard and it was shit compared to the E. Why not regear the E for highway use? I run stock gearing and I've never had a problem with steep muddy hills. The seat however needs work for long highway runs

mtbeerwah Tue 16 Jun 2015, 1:55 pm

I have reddog,I don't think it works for the 400. I think it struggles.
So 650 will suit me down to the ground.

stu Thu 23 Jul 2015, 10:45 am

I've got a KLR650.

Looked at the Dr, but in the end the KLR suited me better, and I found a nicely modded one locally at a good price.

It's got an aftermarket taller screen on it, and a comfy seat so it's pretty good on the highway. Not as quick as the bandit obviously (!) but still great in traffic as well. Sits on 120 just fine.

As for off-road, currently it has two knobby tyres on it (that wear well onroad as well), seems to go up steep hills ok. Rider isn't great at steep downhills, but that's ok. Been on plenty of fire trails absolutely eats them; these "roads" are it's strength I reckon.

If you drop it, easy enough to pick up.
Plenty of room for bags.

Weakness is the excessive amounts of plastic panels on the front, but you can get crash bars that protect for that.

I find it's pretty easy to work on as well.

stu Thu 23 Jul 2015, 10:47 am

stu wrote:I've got a KLR650.

Looked at the Dr, but in the end the KLR suited me better, and I found a nicely modded one locally at a good price.

It's got an aftermarket taller screen on it, and a comfy seat so it's pretty good on the highway. Not as quick as the bandit obviously (!) but still great in traffic as well. Sits on 120 just fine (and it is smooth too).

As for off-road, currently it has two knobby tyres on it (that wear well onroad as well), seems to go up steep hills ok. Rider isn't great at steep downhills, but that's ok. Been on plenty of fire trails absolutely eats them; these "roads" are it's strength I reckon.

If you drop it, easy enough to pick up.
Plenty of room for bags.

Weakness is the excessive amounts of plastic panels on the front, but you can get crash bars that protect for that.

I find it's pretty easy to work on as well.

mtbeerwah Thu 23 Jul 2015, 12:13 pm

I rode a KLR, a LONG TIME AGO, maybe 15 yrs ago, and at the time, I didn`t like it.
To me its stepping away from what I`m after, and I don`t feel the need for a screen either. One of my Bandits is naked, and it doesn`t bother me on the Hi-way.

I think I`ve just found a new leash of love for my drz 400 as I`ve just put some sticky road tyres on it, that are surprisingly, very very good on dirt roads as I`ve just found out.
I only need 35hp for around town, and its my bike of choice for city riding, not the Bandit.
But in the end, I will get the DR650 as a duel purpose. Not much more HP than the 400, but more torque.

Thanks for the opinion anyway though stu. Its all positive feed back.

stu Mon 03 Aug 2015, 6:56 pm

mtbeerwah wrote:
I rode a KLR, a LONG TIME AGO, maybe 15 yrs ago, and at the time, I didn`t like it.
To me its stepping away from what I`m after, and I don`t feel the need for a screen either. One of my Bandits is naked, and it doesn`t bother me on the Hi-way.

I think I`ve just found a new leash of love for my drz 400 as I`ve just put some sticky road tyres on it, that are surprisingly, very very good on dirt roads as I`ve just found out.
I only need 35hp for around town, and its my bike of choice for city riding, not the Bandit.
But in the end, I will get the DR650 as a duel purpose. Not much more HP than the 400, but more torque.

Thanks for the opinion anyway though stu. Its all positive feed back.

No worries. I'm all about opinion....

If I had the cash, I'd be thinking of adding the DRZ to my garage as well... looks like heaps of fun. I'd like to take one out to the dirt trails around here... easier to pick up too, I bet...

Right now though I'm tempting myself into a Kawasaki GTR1400 cos the bandit doesn't seem quick enough, even with the dale walker mods... just ideas anyway...

(my KLR is a 700 these days; that and the staintune it's a way better bike. I was very lucky... apparently the first owner had way more money than sense, and spent thousands modifying it.... I scored it for an everyday price. That said, it burned oil like petrol hence the "reason" why it's now a 700)

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