11 months in you still enjoying bike, I just bought the 2024 yesterday haven’t got much of a chance to ride it yet but I think it’s going to be a good one even though I’m over 300lb it still feels good what little I’ve rode.
@@DR650-x2jYes, a carburetor is better than EFU for those who are mechanically inclined and want simplicity. No electric fuel pump, no EFI related sensors and software, no diagnostic specialty tools. One of the drawbacks is that a carb doesn't compensate for high altitude and you have to use the choke on cold starts.
@@juacartav3363also in theory you get less peak power from a carb than properly tuned efi but most bikes are neutered for emissions so you would have to flash the ecu to even get that benefit
One thing most people do not know about the DR is that the oil cooler is not just an afterthought, it is an integral part of the engine design. They built the DR engine with special oil passages that inject the cold oil under the piston skirt. So if you added an oil cooler to a Honda XRL it would not be as effective as the oil cooler on the DR.
I picked up a 2023 back in december and I think it's the unicorn off all bikes. You can supermoto it up, make it an ADV bike , or dirt bike it out. I've done the seat upgrade, larger tank, lowererd pegs, engine armor, rear rack, double take mirrors, and the D606/MT21 tire combo. No place this bike can't go in comfort. Enjoy!
Hey guys, i am thinking of getting the 23 model, but i have some doubts because online many people say you gotta loctite some nuts in the clutch and to do that i would have to void the warranty. And just as a brand new bike it sounds a bit concerning that you gotta work on the engine.
I'm on my second DR650 here. Had an '05 for many years, now have a '21. I'm also 5'10", fits great! I've always liked the DR650 over any other dual sport.
The handlebars w/riser and lowered foot peg kit from ProCycle was he single best investment and made the most difference in the comfort of my '21 DR. I'm '5"9 and that kit made standing up sooo much easier and with bad knees, made sitting hugely better due to the more relaxed leg angle. I also did the Acerbis 5.3 tank and Seat Concepts standard seat and those changes made my DR an easy 300 mile a day bike.
I bought a 2022 DR650 brand new. Coming off a 2005 GSXR-600. So far only "mod" is a an air hawk seat as the thing is a 2x4. Now in my 40s and older and fatter I dont need to be going 250kph anymore. So far I love the DR.
I bought a DR four years ago and for some reason I mistakenly sold it for a "better" bike. Now i'm in the market for another DR or a Honda XR650l. Thanks for the video!
I owned the DR, the XRL, and the KLR, and in my opinion, you made the right choice. The XRL is tall and top-heavy. Slightly better suspension off-road but it completely falls flat above 70 mph and on dirt roads gets very twitchy above 70 mph. The KLR is tall and heavy. And despite what people say about the KLR being a better bike on the street I disagree. The DR is smoother at 75 mph and more stable. The DR also runs up to 100 mph and does not feel like it bothers it. The DR has better cooling than the XRL but doesn’t have the radiators to break like the KLR. The only thing the KLR has going for. It is longer range and more comfortable seat which are both easily remedied on the DR. I find that the DR is very stable. I put high bend CR bars on it and I would stand up on the freeway doing 80 mph. On the dirt, both the KLR and the XLR get sketchy above 70 mph, but I passed a Toyota Tacoma pick up truck on the DR and I was doing 90, and it was stable. I actually had really good luck running the Kenda K270 tires on it. And oil changes are easy as are valve adjustments. Granted, it’s not an Enduro bike, but if you need to travel distances on the highway and your riding is going to be mostly dirt roads and jeep trails, the DR is excellent.
A seat concept will be a game changer. Change the front sprocket and tires. I went with a 150 jet/ air box mod and an aftermarket exhaust and the entire bike came to life.
I used to like tall bikes because I'm a little over 6 foot. But, for more challenging single track you want a shorter bike. I used to own a older Yamaha XT 500. I had a blast riding it.
My dad has the same bike. He loves it. A few mods he has done are a set of handlebar risers to make it easier to ride while standing up. He also did a fmf q4. Its louder, but sounds good and really woke the bike up. He cut a bunch of weight by doing the exhaust also.
I enjoy all of your content. After your DR 650 review, I just picked up my brand new 2024 DR today 2/21/2024. Same beautiful black/grey/orange color as yours. Rode it 50 hwy miles and yeah, this is the machine !! Its quite hatefull looking straight out of the box , powerful , fits me perfectly, and handles like a dream. Oh... I can flat foot it as well. Last month I bought a 2020 XT 250 with only 191 miles in showroom new condition. I found it to bee too small and cramped as well as under powered for my size. 6' and 210 lb. They are both side by side in my living room for comparison. The DR is a much larger bike ! So March 1st 2024 it will hit Myrtle Beach craigslist with 579 miles.
Hope for one day ill have enough saved up for a dr 650 off the show room floor. Never owned a brand new vehicle and id love for it to be the white dr650. Oh how bad i want one. Tm40 carb, concept seat, big bore kit, the kit to raise the handle bars, chnage the head light out completely, different mirrors, change the turn signalsto simething a little more to my likings, probably do a digital cluster swap thats got the gps and what not and do a few other things like i might have the frame repainted, custom stickers possibly, tank guard, jerry can mounts. In decking mine out, my dream bike other than the r6r
Good deal and at 4:45 is what I love about the DR650 as it's a " No Frills " time tested powerhouse bike that looks like it came out the late 1970's ! 👍 Thank you for taking us along for the ride !
@@precipiceofgrind It has something to do with like new vehicle's pollution laws, and the bike didn't meet these new rules so it got discontinued, I own the sister of the DR650 the XF650 Freewind, another Suzuki beauty!
I’m echoing everyone else, but I love my DR. I bought a 23 a year ago and have spent nearly as much as the bike itself modding it to make it mine. I’ve thought about getting another adv bike, but I’m keeping the DR. One of my favs. Definitely swap the seat, tires, tank, and to me … the suspension was soft. Gotta firm it up. Have fun with it!
Welcome to the DR club! DR-Z400sm owner here. seat stays that way. Most people get a seat concepts seat. also safari gas tank + fairing wil have er looking like a proper adventure machine
Congratulations on your new dr 650 good choice i bougt a 2021 xr650l 3500 miles and motor was burning oil very bad i took it to the dealer for warranty repair honda try to denied until i was ready to take them to court any way 3 months latter they fix it they change pistón cilinder top and everything i really took care of the bike during break in period no problem i took a 400 miles trip doing 80 mph burned 3 courter of a couter i got rid of it now i have klr 300sm no problems i took it on the freeway and i got 93 mph on flat im 275 pound from the xr i got 95 miles 1 time now days i think we can get similar perfomance on small motors like versys 300 or yamaha r3 300 cc but two pistón motors again congrats on your dr let us know how you like it thank you
Thank you very much and appreciate you watching! That sucks to hear about your experience with the Honda. I looked very hard at the XR650L and obviously went with the DR. Glad you were able to remedy the situation.
You had me when you said drop some money I bought a 20-23 650 I've got 1100 miles on mine now you're going to want to jet kit swap out that 15-20 lb exhaust get you a tail tidy kit clean everything up the turn's break off easy drop it one tooth in the front sprocket. Do the 3 by 3 get you some are going through the carb. Them deathwing tires any mud or lose it's no good. I've dropped mine down to just over 300 lbs. Strip it down get the fuel air-rite air and air out you can have it doing power Willie's in second gear.
@@precipiceofgrind thanks. I had a 2019 wr250r last year and I found for my use it was too buzzy and lacked the torque that I know the DR will bring. My group primarily goes on logging roads and back roads so the suspension will be fine. Have 2 tusk dsport adventures on the way to address the death wings (similar tires came on the wr)
Im going to get my 2023 DR this weekend picked up my wifes Himalayan a few weeks ago. I hope alot of good times on the horizon. it will be quite awhile before we get them out things are just now starting to thaw here snow ice and mud lots of muck Ill be watching you pretty close to see what you do. I already got the 805 and 806 for it tires will be scarce the closer to summer we get.
I got the same bike. Picked mine up in January. I absolutely love my DR650. I just hit 500 miles on it. I have added an Acerbis bash plate, Tusk hand guards, Tusk rear rack, double take mirrors, rear fender eliminator, and lowered the foot pegs. The seat is horrible and I am planning to get the Seat Concepts seat next. Agree with you about the tires. They are horrible as well. Hope you love your DR650 as much as I love mine. Long live the Bush Pig!
Great review. How nice is it that it comes stock with a tool tube, radiator guards, rear grab handles, hand wind protection, and I'm sure there's other stuff. Well thought out bike.
@@precipiceofgrind Yeah, when I heard you say you were going to be dropping a lot of money on accessories I was like 😬 👍. I know that feeling many times over. But it will be great 👍
Congratulations on the new DR650. I've been a sub for a few months and enjoy your videos. I'm especially excited you got this bike and look forward to your mods and riding videos. I bought a 2018 with most of the mods I was looking to do and 2400 mile last June. I've really enjoyed it and it just turned over 9k miles yesterday. I think it's running a little to rich with the carb mods the previous owner did, so plan on doing some fine tuning of the carb soon. I love it's light weight, versatility and simplicity since it's my primary transportation. Hope you enjoy yours as much as I'm enjoying mine!
Thank you very much for watching and supporting the channel! That was a big consideration when I was deciding on this bike, it's weight and simplicity.
@Precipice Of Grind I love my FZ6, but I needed a new daily after 15 years, and it was always turn key easy. My preferences changed, but still kept the FZ6 for spirited riding. The simplicity is a big factor in choice since I can't wait weeks or months to get it into a shop (scheduling). It's more frequent maintenance and some tinkering here and there to fix minor things. But if you are mechanically inclined, it's worth it. I've grown to enjoy a little wrenching.
I’m buying this exact bike. Have to get the lowering kit as I have short legs. I sold my xt250 in 2018 after I destroyed my shoulder. I’m all healed up now and was looking at the KLR or the DR. Heard nothing but good things about the DR. Go with the seat concepts forsure. Great bid bud. Miss that initial brap. Cheers bud!
Congratulations man! I am happy for you. The DR650 has not changed much in 20 years but the bike would get so much more attention if Suzuki did something simple like adding a digital dash with a combination like: speedometer, tachometer, odometer, gear display and fuel display. I am sure this would be technically feasible for the DR650 and a great improvement even if they left everything else alone.
Wish we could get these in Europe new, but nah............ one of the best RTW bikes going when modded up -a true 'adventure bike' not a marketing guys idea of one.
Im on a stock 2021 bought late that year. Got only about 4700kms of mainly pavement on it. Ive done some 300-400km rides. Front suspension is really soft under heavy breaking and low rpm fueling has some hesitation. Those are mods 2 and 1 in my opinion for pavement. Its fine on gravel roads too so id wear the tires right down before swapping them. Im cheap though. Im hoping to get some easy trail ride in in the coming months
As the owner of 5 DR650s, you can get a lot better throttle response and mileage with a pipe and reject but the real value is suspension get that right and it's a fun bike for offroad oh and change the pegs as soon as you can they suck
Nice bike. I have the same one. I really enjoy riding it. Can’t wait to see what you do to yours. Looking forward to more great riding videos on this bike.
Congrats on the new bike! The seat will slightly break in but for me it never felt good, easy to change I have the Procykle seat you can just change the foam and leather to the original seat saves money and makes a big difference and if you want more power there is easy mods for that too. If you decide to change the exhaust, I recommend Delkevic full stainless cheap and good quality. Greetings from Finland.
Changed the front tire almost right away (tkc80). Much better in soft terrain. Made due with the back until it was pretty much bald then installed a match on the rear.
Right!? Good point. They call the Bridgestones the death wings, but I learned to ride on them because they weren't as good and it helped me become better on the fire roads of Flagstaff.
Love the dr650 reminds me of the older Yamaha dual sports those that have been riding for a few years it's the perfect bike along with the drz400 you cannot go wrong with either bike if you have a few years of riding behind you. But if you're a newer rider you might or might not get it especially if your first bike was a computer run bike then you probably will not get this bike until you break down in the middle of nowhere.
Just found your channel. I agree 101%... love my 2023 DR650 ( white) . ...at 70, my riding is not as gonzo all those many years ago. But the DR is more fun than my other bikes. I have owned most styles and flavors. If I may make a few suggestions. Join DRRiders. Awesome guy and wealth of knowledge. Safety wise.... SKene P3 rear brake light and I bought the TUSK LED light from Rocky Mountain ATV. MAN that thing works so good. I will add Clearwater Darlas to the lower fork legs when I can afford. But that Tusk LED head light is just amazing. Ya done good with the Zuke! I love mine better than the previous BMW GS's, HD, GW, on and on and on! Sub'd and T-Up! BTW I put a sargent w/o the piping on the sides. All Day comfortable! They had a sale. If you ask, I have a feeling they will make you a good deal. Shinny side up and rubber side down. If you are ever Near Cajun Country in South Louisiana.... let's go ride! Unlike Utah, there are few off road offerings, but we have many scenic and wonderful back roads.... that seem to never end!
I know there isn't ONE bike that can do it all but I can't help the feeling after each ride on my DR that this bike may be pretty darn close to doing that. It very well may be the perfect dual sport for me! Appreciate you watching and supporting the channel and I would love to ride South Louisiana if I ever get the chance! Stay safe out there!
@@precipiceofgrind That is what I have found. Truly... the essence of two wheel travel. Back in 1967, I found a junk motor and mini-bike frame.... learned how to weld and do mechanic work, got it ridable, and had more fun on that than any BMW gs. The DR650, blesses with the same feeling! Engine and two wheels. A true motorcyclist needs nothing more!
Great review! Just bought my new used 2021 dr 650 up here in Canada I can only dream about riding now as we are still in the dead of winter but just picked up new D606’s and a composite bash plate. I’m having a hard time finding replacement adventure foot pegs any ideas? Love your videos and actually I almost bought a new XT 250 but I’m a bit bigger at 215 lbs so the extra power and size should serve me well on the DR. How’s the DR running now? You must have a bunch of miles on it? Have you ever ridden the older 600 Dakars? It was the last bike I owned and was my fav of over 10 motorcycles I have owned. Hope you keep up the great riding videos and come visit us up here in Canada endless wilderness vistas to explore and you may come across a bear or two or three on your rides up here.
Nice choice of bike, I own 2 DR 650s, a 2005 and a 2014, both bought brand new, the 2005 is still going great and has a ton of miles on the clock, well kilometres actually, I live in Australia. With a lot of mods I am on the fence to a point, big tank, yes, if you have to do the miles, bash plate, definitely, handlebars, depends but aftermarket fat bars are stronger, Barkbusters, definitely, exhaust, not really worth the money imho,stock is fine and the weight saving is not really noticeable, tyres, change when they wear out, for an average rider they are fine, not much good in mud but everything apart from full knobbiest are not much good. I have tried a seat concepts and a Procycle seat and for me I prefer the standard seat, I have the standard seat on both bikes but one has a gripper seat cover, as the expression goes, harden up princess. The DR will last you a long time if you treat it well and only modify things that you have an issue with, the fuel tank is good for 200 klms or 120 miles but bigger tanks come in various sizes, 19 litre IMS, 20 & 25 litre Arcerbis or the big daddy Safari 30 that can swell to 34 or 35. Safe travels and have fun. 👍👍👍👍👍
Appreciate your thoughts! I was curious about the range with the stock tank, variables excluded...I was hoping to get 100 miles out of a tank. I'll be putting on a larger tank and a seat swap in the future. Just put the bash plate on, crash guards are next. Awesome bike for sure!
I'm planning to buy this bike brand new while it's still avaliable in México. I'm planing on building a "light" advebture bike. I know there are lighter options but not at this price and considering I used to ride a GS1100 and GS1200, the DR650 feels very light.
Always loved the DR650, but I suspect a suspension-upgraded 300L would be the better bike for long distance travels, except above 70mph. Noraly isn't tall.
Curious why. I feel like that option at higher speeds is necessary in the US and many parts of Canada just to get to the places you want to ride. That goes for Washington State of even getting to the Dempster Hwy in Canada.
I’m excited about the videos to come! The KLR and DR were my top two choices for my first dual sport. The KLR won out barely, so I figure I’ll have them both eventually.
A big congratulations on the NEW SUZUKI. I guess I will mark that off my list since I was in the same dealership looking at it. Thanks Mike! 😊 Now don’t scratch it.
Congrats on the new ride and welcome to the DR club! I also didn't get the XR as they made it for giants 😂. BTW, don't jump the DR with the stock suspension! 😂 Enjoy!
Thank you very much! Yeah, I had the Honda and the Suzuki next to each other...needed a ladder to get on the Honda! Appreciate you watching and thanks for the advice on the stock suspension!
Not only is the XRL tall, but it’s kind of top-heavy. The DR is actually better at sliding around corners on the dirt because of a lower center of gravity. And although the XRL is torquey, the engine absolutely falls on its face above 70 mph. So out on the freeway it feels like a dog, while the DR just runs away.
Congratulations on the bike man! Love the look and the longevity of the DR's. Bare bones in my thing as well. I hope to have one in the future. Right now I am going towards an XT250. Would you recommend the XT250? Also, would the XT250 be sufficient enough for let's say Shafer Trail and out to Potash Rd in Moab? Looking for my first dual sport. Thank you for any info and Congratulations. Subscribed.
Thank you very much and appreciate you watching! Oh, I absolutely would recommend an XT250...fantastic bike. Love my XT, will not part with it! I've done a lot of videos on my XT250, I have not been gentle with that bike and it has not failed me. You can't go wrong with one. You might also want to check out a series of videos I did comparing the XT250 and the CRF300L.
I came across your Channel a few months ago and I really like your videos. I have an xt250 and actually just recently considering buying a dr650. I'm only 5 ft 5 130 lb but I actually think I can lower it and have a bike with more power then the XT. Keep the videos coming congrats on the new bike!!
Thanks for watching! I did a video specifically on the DR650 riding on the Hwy/Interstate at 70 mph. Here it is: th-cam.com/video/7_-uhZNcEBE/w-d-xo.html
Wife and I had a few of the DR650's and it is the very best for what your using it for. I pointed this out before but I was deleted. It is also teh very best for your wife after realigning the rear shock bottom mount to lower the suspension and opening up the forks to make the same 1.5" drop in the OEM forks per the service manual. That and a 1.5" lower seat (OEM Suzuki) will make it feel even lighter and mroe nimble for shorter people. The power is sufficient in stock format but can be increased with rejetting and a pipe and air box adjustments. Aside from these changes the bike is literally an hundred pounds less than the KLR or Himailayan. Because of that it feels more powerful than the KLR though I suspect the KLR may have 1 or 2 horsepower on the DR650. Just one size larger jet and a Dyno Jet needle will make it run every bit as cool as a water cooled bike.
Crazy my intruder 750 weighs like 400-420 feels tiny I want to trade for a 650 DR or XR butt. I'm afraid I might lose a lot of highway use but not really cuz the intruder has no windscreen and it only does like 100 but 65 70 is comfortable. I don't know how to 650 will be but at least I'll be able to do dirt and go off road and that makes up for it. Imo
Hello from your newest subscriber. I just bought a brand new DR 650 and like you, I have lots of plans for it once I do a few of the essential mods. I noticed that you mentioned replacing the foot pegs? I’m exactly the same height as you with also a 32” inseam. I’m curious what foot pegs you went with? Mostly my question is if you lowered the pegs? Thanks for the video and I look forward to seeing more!
Thank you very much for watching and supporting the channel!! I highly recommend the lowered foot pegs from Procycle. Those are what I went with and I've been very happy with them. I think I might have had to lower the shifter a notch after the install.
Thank you. I’m recovering at home from a foot surgery for another 3 months so I’m excited that I’ll have plenty of time to carefully check everything out and start moding. Have a nice holiday season!
I'm 66 and was looking at the XT 250. But it would necessitate a second bike for my more road orientated trips. . Was also thinking about the CRF300. It'll be interesting when you can give a review on the differences between the three bikes off road and on road. I hope the DR is a one and done type bike.
Out of ALL the bikes on the market, imho, the DR is more "one & done" than any other bike available....the reason I say that is because of its initial low cost, its claw-hammer like reliability, extremely simple and non-complicated, more mods available than you can shake a stick at, light weight, serious off-road chops and passable on road capability and lastly, a very large dealer net work, world-wide. I'm 63, short, fat and luckily very experienced and my DR suits me to a "T" I'm truly glad I passed on the XR650L and the T7 a year ago when buying this DR.
Don't even waste your time with the Seat Concepts seat. It is not worth the money for the little bit of advantage. I bought a very used, and older, Corbin seat from a guy off Craigslist. Went right on to my 2017 DR650. Day and night difference. I couldn't make 80 miles with the Seat Concepts. With the Corbin I can ride all day without feeling like I have been tortured.
That'd be an interesting comparison. The Honda is 6 speed, efi, liquid cooled, 309 lbs versus the Suzuki at 5 speed, carb, air cooled and 360 lbs. Seat height for both bikes roughly the same. Honda 27 HP, Suzuki 43 HP. Both bikes are awesome. You should test ride both if you can.
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11 months in you still enjoying bike, I just bought the 2024 yesterday haven’t got much of a chance to ride it yet but I think it’s going to be a good one even though I’m over 300lb it still feels good what little I’ve rode.
Air cooled, carburetted, min electronics, light weight with adequate power. The perfect motorcycle.
Is carburetor better than injector?
@@DR650-x2jYes, a carburetor is better than EFU for those who are mechanically inclined and want simplicity. No electric fuel pump, no EFI related sensors and software, no diagnostic specialty tools. One of the drawbacks is that a carb doesn't compensate for high altitude and you have to use the choke on cold starts.
@@juacartav3363also in theory you get less peak power from a carb than properly tuned efi but most bikes are neutered for emissions so you would have to flash the ecu to even get that benefit
Carbureted, so illegal for sale in Europe
Light weight? This mf is 400lb on a full tank bro
As the owner of a '86 Yamaha XT it makes me smile to see that people still enjoy those "no bs" bikes and buy them new. Ride safe 👍
Heard that!
@@precipiceofgrind Yamaha dropped the ball when it never imported the Yamaha XT 660. They could be still selling it.
One thing most people do not know about the DR is that the oil cooler is not just an afterthought, it is an integral part of the engine design. They built the DR engine with special oil passages that inject the cold oil under the piston skirt. So if you added an oil cooler to a Honda XRL it would not be as effective as the oil cooler on the DR.
I picked up a 2023 back in december and I think it's the unicorn off all bikes. You can supermoto it up, make it an ADV bike , or dirt bike it out. I've done the seat upgrade, larger tank, lowererd pegs, engine armor, rear rack, double take mirrors, and the D606/MT21 tire combo. No place this bike can't go in comfort. Enjoy!
Congrats on your DR650 and I agree! Thanks for watching!
Hey guys, i am thinking of getting the 23 model, but i have some doubts because online many people say you gotta loctite some nuts in the clutch and to do that i would have to void the warranty. And just as a brand new bike it sounds a bit concerning that you gotta work on the engine.
I currently own my 3rd Suzuki DR650. I am also 5'10 and it fits me perfectly. This bike amazing.
I'm on my second DR650 here. Had an '05 for many years, now have a '21. I'm also 5'10", fits great! I've always liked the DR650 over any other dual sport.
The handlebars w/riser and lowered foot peg kit from ProCycle was he single best investment and made the most difference in the comfort of my '21 DR. I'm '5"9 and that kit made standing up sooo much easier and with bad knees, made sitting hugely better due to the more relaxed leg angle. I also did the Acerbis 5.3 tank and Seat Concepts standard seat and those changes made my DR an easy 300 mile a day bike.
Very nice, I plan to do most of the mods you did.
What about 750+ miles per day? Can't ride it at 75mph for 10 hours?
Yeah buddy! You're going to dig that bike. It's so capable. So comfortable and it's going to feel a lot lighter than the KLR. ✌️✌️✌️✌️
I can verify that this comment is fact.
I bought a new DR back in 06. You really brought me back with this video. Thanks for sharing!
You're welcome, thanks for watching!
I bought a 2022 DR650 brand new. Coming off a 2005 GSXR-600. So far only "mod" is a an air hawk seat as the thing is a 2x4. Now in my 40s and older and fatter I dont need to be going 250kph anymore. So far I love the DR.
Indeed, my seat has got to go as soon as I swap out the gas tank! Enjoy your DR!
I bought a DR four years ago and for some reason I mistakenly sold it for a "better" bike. Now i'm in the market for another DR or a Honda XR650l. Thanks for the video!
I owned the DR, the XRL, and the KLR, and in my opinion, you made the right choice. The XRL is tall and top-heavy. Slightly better suspension off-road but it completely falls flat above 70 mph and on dirt roads gets very twitchy above 70 mph. The KLR is tall and heavy. And despite what people say about the KLR being a better bike on the street I disagree. The DR is smoother at 75 mph and more stable. The DR also runs up to 100 mph and does not feel like it bothers it. The DR has better cooling than the XRL but doesn’t have the radiators to break like the KLR. The only thing the KLR has going for. It is longer range and more comfortable seat which are both easily remedied on the DR. I find that the DR is very stable. I put high bend CR bars on it and I would stand up on the freeway doing 80 mph. On the dirt, both the KLR and the XLR get sketchy above 70 mph, but I passed a Toyota Tacoma pick up truck on the DR and I was doing 90, and it was stable. I actually had really good luck running the Kenda K270 tires on it. And oil changes are easy as are valve adjustments. Granted, it’s not an Enduro bike, but if you need to travel distances on the highway and your riding is going to be mostly dirt roads and jeep trails, the DR is excellent.
A seat concept will be a game changer. Change the front sprocket and tires. I went with a 150 jet/ air box mod and an aftermarket exhaust and the entire bike came to life.
I used to like tall bikes because I'm a little over 6 foot.
But, for more challenging single track you want a shorter bike.
I used to own a older Yamaha XT 500. I had a blast riding it.
Bet that XT500 was a hoot!
My dad has the same bike. He loves it. A few mods he has done are a set of handlebar risers to make it easier to ride while standing up. He also did a fmf q4. Its louder, but sounds good and really woke the bike up. He cut a bunch of weight by doing the exhaust also.
What a great bike...I just bought a Super Tenere, but I'm not selling the DR...the ST will be the touring bike, the DR will be the fun bike.
I enjoy all of your content. After your DR 650 review, I just picked up my brand new 2024 DR today 2/21/2024. Same beautiful black/grey/orange color as yours. Rode it 50 hwy miles and yeah, this is the machine !! Its quite hatefull looking straight out of the box , powerful , fits me perfectly, and handles like a dream. Oh... I can flat foot it as well.
Last month I bought a 2020 XT 250 with only 191 miles in showroom new condition. I found it to bee too small and cramped as well as under powered for my size. 6' and 210 lb.
They are both side by side in my living room for comparison. The DR is a much larger bike !
So March 1st 2024 it will hit Myrtle Beach craigslist with 579 miles.
Thank you very much for watching and congrats on your new DR650!
Gotta love the Dr650. Definately on the short list of new bikes I'd consider buying.
Hope for one day ill have enough saved up for a dr 650 off the show room floor. Never owned a brand new vehicle and id love for it to be the white dr650. Oh how bad i want one. Tm40 carb, concept seat, big bore kit, the kit to raise the handle bars, chnage the head light out completely, different mirrors, change the turn signalsto simething a little more to my likings, probably do a digital cluster swap thats got the gps and what not and do a few other things like i might have the frame repainted, custom stickers possibly, tank guard, jerry can mounts. In decking mine out, my dream bike other than the r6r
Sounds awesome, hope you get it soon amigo!
Fun that my 2008 dr650 rides and handles exactly like your new bike. Great machine. Seat is rotten ... added a Seat Concept last year, very nice.
Good deal and at 4:45 is what I love about the DR650 as it's a " No Frills " time tested powerhouse bike that looks like it came out the late 1970's ! 👍 Thank you for taking us along for the ride !
You're very welcome, appreciate you watching!!
Some 70s graphics in yellow brown orange would be sweet.
Great bike. On my list of favorites. Awesome starter kit to build it to suit your needs.
I had the DR650S 1992. I miss that bike and may look for one identical to this one you have now.
Safe rides to All!
St. George. Love that place. Great bike for that area!
In Colombia this would be like a holy grail, they got discontinued in 2021, so sad...Nice video! Congrats for the bike!
Thank you very much, appreciate you watching! Why was the DR650 discontinued in 2021?
@@precipiceofgrind It has something to do with like new vehicle's pollution laws, and the bike didn't meet these new rules so it got discontinued, I own the sister of the DR650 the XF650 Freewind, another Suzuki beauty!
Beautiful scenery for a ride
I’m echoing everyone else, but I love my DR. I bought a 23 a year ago and have spent nearly as much as the bike itself modding it to make it mine. I’ve thought about getting another adv bike, but I’m keeping the DR. One of my favs. Definitely swap the seat, tires, tank, and to me … the suspension was soft. Gotta firm it up. Have fun with it!
Great vid! Keep us posted on your progress!
You chose the most perfect dual sport!
Welcome to the DR club! DR-Z400sm owner here. seat stays that way. Most people get a seat concepts seat. also safari gas tank + fairing wil have er looking like a proper adventure machine
Congratulations on the Suzuki dr650 can't wait to see the final build-out
Congratulations on your new dr 650 good choice i bougt a 2021 xr650l 3500 miles and motor was burning oil very bad i took it to the dealer for warranty repair honda try to denied until i was ready to take them to court any way 3 months latter they fix it they change pistón cilinder top and everything i really took care of the bike during break in period no problem i took a 400 miles trip doing 80 mph burned 3 courter of a couter i got rid of it now i have klr 300sm no problems i took it on the freeway and i got 93 mph on flat im 275 pound from the xr i got 95 miles 1 time now days i think we can get similar perfomance on small motors like versys 300 or yamaha r3 300 cc but two pistón motors again congrats on your dr let us know how you like it thank you
Thank you very much and appreciate you watching! That sucks to hear about your experience with the Honda. I looked very hard at the XR650L and obviously went with the DR. Glad you were able to remedy the situation.
DR650 ftw!
It does need tires, footpegs, exhaust, and carb kit immediately though.
Nice,I have the same bike bought mine in January and love it.
Cool vid... picking one up this weekend
You had me when you said drop some money I bought a 20-23 650 I've got 1100 miles on mine now you're going to want to jet kit swap out that 15-20 lb exhaust get you a tail tidy kit clean everything up the turn's break off easy drop it one tooth in the front sprocket. Do the 3 by 3 get you some are going through the carb. Them deathwing tires any mud or lose it's no good. I've dropped mine down to just over 300 lbs. Strip it down get the fuel air-rite air and air out you can have it doing power Willie's in second gear.
Picking my 2023 up tomorrow. Let the mods begin
Congrats!
@@precipiceofgrind thanks. I had a 2019 wr250r last year and I found for my use it was too buzzy and lacked the torque that I know the DR will bring. My group primarily goes on logging roads and back roads so the suspension will be fine. Have 2 tusk dsport adventures on the way to address the death wings (similar tires came on the wr)
Im going to get my 2023 DR this weekend picked up my wifes Himalayan a few weeks ago. I hope alot of good times on the horizon. it will be quite awhile before we get them out things are just now starting to thaw here snow ice and mud lots of muck Ill be watching you pretty close to see what you do. I already got the 805 and 806 for it tires will be scarce the closer to summer we get.
Congrats on your new bikes! You will most certainly get plenty of adventure with the two of those!
I got the same bike. Picked mine up in January. I absolutely love my DR650. I just hit 500 miles on it. I have added an Acerbis bash plate, Tusk hand guards, Tusk rear rack, double take mirrors, rear fender eliminator, and lowered the foot pegs. The seat is horrible and I am planning to get the Seat Concepts seat next. Agree with you about the tires. They are horrible as well. Hope you love your DR650 as much as I love mine. Long live the Bush Pig!
Congrats on your bike, sounds like a sweet build!
Good honest review! ✌️
Great review. How nice is it that it comes stock with a tool tube, radiator guards, rear grab handles, hand wind protection, and I'm sure there's other stuff. Well thought out bike.
I'm very stoked with this bike, can't wait to get on the build or I should probably say that I can't wait to have money to get on the build.
@@precipiceofgrind Yeah, when I heard you say you were going to be dropping a lot of money on accessories I was like 😬 👍. I know that feeling many times over. But it will be great 👍
You had me sold when you said "oh yeah this bikes gonna definitely get me in trouble " 😂
Congratulations on the new DR650. I've been a sub for a few months and enjoy your videos.
I'm especially excited you got this bike and look forward to your mods and riding videos. I bought a 2018 with most of the mods I was looking to do and 2400 mile last June. I've really enjoyed it and it just turned over 9k miles yesterday. I think it's running a little to rich with the carb mods the previous owner did, so plan on doing some fine tuning of the carb soon. I love it's light weight, versatility and simplicity since it's my primary transportation.
Hope you enjoy yours as much as I'm enjoying mine!
Thank you very much for watching and supporting the channel! That was a big consideration when I was deciding on this bike, it's weight and simplicity.
@Precipice Of Grind I love my FZ6, but I needed a new daily after 15 years, and it was always turn key easy. My preferences changed, but still kept the FZ6 for spirited riding.
The simplicity is a big factor in choice since I can't wait weeks or months to get it into a shop (scheduling). It's more frequent maintenance and some tinkering here and there to fix minor things. But if you are mechanically inclined, it's worth it. I've grown to enjoy a little wrenching.
I’m buying this exact bike. Have to get the lowering kit as I have short legs. I sold my xt250 in 2018 after I destroyed my shoulder. I’m all healed up now and was looking at the KLR or the DR. Heard nothing but good things about the DR. Go with the seat concepts forsure. Great bid bud. Miss that initial brap. Cheers bud!
Thanks for the review, didn’t realize how much bigger the Honda was. I am a giant, so I’ll go check it out.
Congratulations man! I am happy for you. The DR650 has not changed much in 20 years but the bike would get so much more attention if Suzuki did something simple like adding a digital dash with a combination like: speedometer, tachometer, odometer, gear display and fuel display. I am sure this would be technically feasible for the DR650 and a great improvement even if they left everything else alone.
I have a 2009 XT250, and love it
Wish we could get these in Europe new, but nah............ one of the best RTW bikes going when modded up -a true 'adventure bike' not a marketing guys idea of one.
Congrats. I have been riding dr 650 since 2007. Also have 2014 model im riding every day
I own a fully modded 2020. IMO the three most important mods are Seat Concepts seat, rear rack & pelican type case and a Parabellm windshield.
Yeah, I did 60 miles on the Suzuki yesterday and that seat was no bueno...might have to get that changed sooner than I thought.
Im on a stock 2021 bought late that year. Got only about 4700kms of mainly pavement on it. Ive done some 300-400km rides. Front suspension is really soft under heavy breaking and low rpm fueling has some hesitation. Those are mods 2 and 1 in my opinion for pavement. Its fine on gravel roads too so id wear the tires right down before swapping them. Im cheap though. Im hoping to get some easy trail ride in in the coming months
As the owner of 5 DR650s, you can get a lot better throttle response and mileage with a pipe and reject but the real value is suspension get that right and it's a fun bike for offroad oh and change the pegs as soon as you can they suck
Nice bike. I have the same one. I really enjoy riding it. Can’t wait to see what you do to yours. Looking forward to more great riding videos on this bike.
Beautiful bike have fun God bless you. 😊👍🏼
Congrats on the new bike! The seat will slightly break in but for me it never felt good, easy to change I have the Procykle seat you can just change the foam and leather to the original seat saves money and makes a big difference and if you want more power there is easy mods for that too. If you decide to change the exhaust, I recommend Delkevic full stainless cheap and good quality. Greetings from Finland.
Thank you very much, appreciate you watching! Yeah, that stock seat I pretty rough...I intend to swap it out after I install a larger gas tank.
Looks like a great bike and an excellent platform to build a real monster
XT250 and DR650, two bikes that intrigue me. Good video
Those 2 bikes will do everything for you if you are going to be riding on highway i will go for the dr
@@franciscoavalos4659 I agree 👍 Seems the DR can do everything okay, kind of like a Swiss army knife
Changed the front tire almost right away (tkc80). Much better in soft terrain. Made due with the back until it was pretty much bald then installed a match on the rear.
Right!? Good point. They call the Bridgestones the death wings, but I learned to ride on them because they weren't as good and it helped me become better on the fire roads of Flagstaff.
I love my DR 650 from year 1995.
that intro was sick!
On the road or in the dirt you always feel like a boss on the dr. That seat is not going to get better though.
Love the dr650 reminds me of the older Yamaha dual sports those that have been riding for a few years it's the perfect bike along with the drz400 you cannot go wrong with either bike if you have a few years of riding behind you. But if you're a newer rider you might or might not get it especially if your first bike was a computer run bike then you probably will not get this bike until you break down in the middle of nowhere.
Just found your channel. I agree 101%... love my 2023 DR650 ( white) . ...at 70, my riding is not as gonzo all those many years ago. But the DR is more fun than my other bikes. I have owned most styles and flavors. If I may make a few suggestions. Join DRRiders. Awesome guy and wealth of knowledge.
Safety wise.... SKene P3 rear brake light and I bought the TUSK LED light from Rocky Mountain ATV. MAN that thing works so good. I will add Clearwater Darlas to the lower fork legs when I can afford. But that Tusk LED head light is just amazing. Ya done good with the Zuke! I love mine better than the previous BMW GS's, HD, GW, on and on and on! Sub'd and T-Up! BTW I put a sargent w/o the piping on the sides. All Day comfortable! They had a sale. If you ask, I have a feeling they will make you a good deal. Shinny side up and rubber side down. If you are ever Near Cajun Country in South Louisiana.... let's go ride! Unlike Utah, there are few off road offerings, but we have many scenic and wonderful back roads.... that seem to never end!
I know there isn't ONE bike that can do it all but I can't help the feeling after each ride on my DR that this bike may be pretty darn close to doing that. It very well may be the perfect dual sport for me! Appreciate you watching and supporting the channel and I would love to ride South Louisiana if I ever get the chance! Stay safe out there!
@@precipiceofgrind That is what I have found. Truly... the essence of two wheel travel. Back in 1967, I found a junk motor and mini-bike frame.... learned how to weld and do mechanic work, got it ridable, and had more fun on that than any BMW gs. The DR650, blesses with the same feeling! Engine and two wheels. A true motorcyclist needs nothing more!
Madstad makes an awesome windscreen for the DR650. See if they'll work with you on a review on your channel. Congrats on the new bike!
I wish the DRZ would get fuel injection and a bump and displacement and become a 450
Congratulations! Nice bike...
Thanks!
Now you have every bike I want! 😂 Like almost exactly. I’m wondering if the DR replaces the KLR or if they’re different applications.
I don't intend to part with the KLR, really do like that bike. The DR is going to be more off road oriented.
Good review 😊
I almost picked one of them up, but I made a mistake and chose a cfmoto over it. Realized I made the mistake the day after.
I miss my 2003 DR650!
Just bought a 2000 DR650, full cogent suspension 12K mi., not much differance in appearance than the new one at half the price 🙂
OMG, Sweet bike and such a beautiful area to ride! Can I ask what part of Utah is that??? Liked and subscribed!
Southwestern Utah, St George area. Appreciate the support!
Great review! Just bought my new used 2021 dr 650 up here in Canada I can only dream about riding now as we are still in the dead of winter but just picked up new D606’s and a composite bash plate. I’m having a hard time finding replacement adventure foot pegs any ideas? Love your videos and actually I almost bought a new XT 250 but I’m a bit bigger at 215 lbs so the extra power and size should serve me well on the DR. How’s the DR running now? You must have a bunch of miles on it? Have you ever ridden the older 600 Dakars? It was the last bike I owned and was my fav of over 10 motorcycles I have owned. Hope you keep up the great riding videos and come visit us up here in Canada endless wilderness vistas to explore and you may come across a bear or two or three on your rides up here.
Go for the Seat Concepts seat …. great product. ☮️
Nice choice of bike, I own 2 DR 650s, a 2005 and a 2014, both bought brand new, the 2005 is still going great and has a ton of miles on the clock, well kilometres actually, I live in Australia.
With a lot of mods I am on the fence to a point, big tank, yes, if you have to do the miles, bash plate, definitely, handlebars, depends but aftermarket fat bars are stronger, Barkbusters, definitely, exhaust, not really worth the money imho,stock is fine and the weight saving is not really noticeable, tyres, change when they wear out, for an average rider they are fine, not much good in mud but everything apart from full knobbiest are not much good.
I have tried a seat concepts and a Procycle seat and for me I prefer the standard seat, I have the standard seat on both bikes but one has a gripper seat cover, as the expression goes, harden up princess.
The DR will last you a long time if you treat it well and only modify things that you have an issue with, the fuel tank is good for 200 klms or 120 miles but bigger tanks come in various sizes, 19 litre IMS, 20 & 25 litre Arcerbis or the big daddy Safari 30 that can swell to 34 or 35.
Safe travels and have fun. 👍👍👍👍👍
Appreciate your thoughts! I was curious about the range with the stock tank, variables excluded...I was hoping to get 100 miles out of a tank. I'll be putting on a larger tank and a seat swap in the future. Just put the bash plate on, crash guards are next. Awesome bike for sure!
I'm planning to buy this bike brand new while it's still avaliable in México. I'm planing on building a "light" advebture bike. I know there are lighter options but not at this price and considering I used to ride a GS1100 and GS1200, the DR650 feels very light.
Compared to those bikes, very light. What's a new DR650 go for in Mexico?
Oh yeah and then put you some washers to stiffen up the foot pegs
Always loved the DR650, but I suspect a suspension-upgraded 300L would be the better bike for long distance travels, except above 70mph. Noraly isn't tall.
Curious why. I feel like that option at higher speeds is necessary in the US and many parts of Canada just to get to the places you want to ride. That goes for Washington State of even getting to the Dempster Hwy in Canada.
torque is expressed in force x length, not weight (pounds)
I’m excited about the videos to come! The KLR and DR were my top two choices for my first dual sport. The KLR won out barely, so I figure I’ll have them both eventually.
Yes!!! That is awesome. KLR for more highway, DR for nasty.
@@nothingman3542 Exactly!
A big congratulations on the NEW SUZUKI. I guess I will mark that off my list since I was in the same dealership looking at it. Thanks Mike! 😊 Now don’t scratch it.
Congrats on the new ride and welcome to the DR club! I also didn't get the XR as they made it for giants 😂. BTW, don't jump the DR with the stock suspension! 😂 Enjoy!
Thank you very much! Yeah, I had the Honda and the Suzuki next to each other...needed a ladder to get on the Honda! Appreciate you watching and thanks for the advice on the stock suspension!
Not only is the XRL tall, but it’s kind of top-heavy. The DR is actually better at sliding around corners on the dirt because of a lower center of gravity. And although the XRL is torquey, the engine absolutely falls on its face above 70 mph. So out on the freeway it feels like a dog, while the DR just runs away.
Congratulations on the bike man! Love the look and the longevity of the DR's. Bare bones in my thing as well. I hope to have one in the future. Right now I am going towards an XT250. Would you recommend the XT250? Also, would the XT250 be sufficient enough for let's say Shafer Trail and out to Potash Rd in Moab? Looking for my first dual sport. Thank you for any info and Congratulations. Subscribed.
I should have asked you about the CRF300L and RE Himalayan as well. I am also looking at the KLX300 as well. Thanks
Thank you very much and appreciate you watching! Oh, I absolutely would recommend an XT250...fantastic bike. Love my XT, will not part with it! I've done a lot of videos on my XT250, I have not been gentle with that bike and it has not failed me. You can't go wrong with one. You might also want to check out a series of videos I did comparing the XT250 and the CRF300L.
@@precipiceofgrindThank you for your reply. I will do that. Have a great day.
30L safari tank blocks A LOT of wind.
Yup, I was thinking the same thing!
I came across your Channel a few months ago and I really like your videos. I have an xt250 and actually just recently considering buying a dr650. I'm only 5 ft 5 130 lb but I actually think I can lower it and have a bike with more power then the XT. Keep the videos coming congrats on the new bike!!
Appreciate you watching and supporting the channel! Yup, you can most certainly lower the DR650!
I really enjoyed your review of the DR , I do wish you could have told me how it feels at 70 mph on the hiway ,thanks.
Thanks for watching! I did a video specifically on the DR650 riding on the Hwy/Interstate at 70 mph. Here it is: th-cam.com/video/7_-uhZNcEBE/w-d-xo.html
Wife and I had a few of the DR650's and it is the very best for what your using it for. I pointed this out before but I was deleted. It is also teh very best for your wife after realigning the rear shock bottom mount to lower the suspension and opening up the forks to make the same 1.5" drop in the OEM forks per the service manual. That and a 1.5" lower seat (OEM Suzuki) will make it feel even lighter and mroe nimble for shorter people. The power is sufficient in stock format but can be increased with rejetting and a pipe and air box adjustments. Aside from these changes the bike is literally an hundred pounds less than the KLR or Himailayan. Because of that it feels more powerful than the KLR though I suspect the KLR may have 1 or 2 horsepower on the DR650. Just one size larger jet and a Dyno Jet needle will make it run every bit as cool as a water cooled bike.
Crazy my intruder 750 weighs like 400-420 feels tiny I want to trade for a 650 DR or XR butt. I'm afraid I might lose a lot of highway use but not really cuz the intruder has no windscreen and it only does like 100 but 65 70 is comfortable. I don't know how to 650 will be but at least I'll be able to do dirt and go off road and that makes up for it. Imo
Great chose,
You don't need wind protection. The bike makes you feel alive
Nice!
Seat concepts comfort for the win. Factory lowered DR for Jenn.
Definitely a Seat Concepts but I think I want to put an Acerbis gas tank on first.
@Precipice Of Grind stock tank range 135 to 150, extra gallon rotopax get 185 to 200. Plenty for me but you might need more. All adds weight.
Does Suzuki factory lower their bikes?
@@donwatkins9769 Instructions in the owner's manual on how to lower front and rear. No cost except for shorter kickstand.
Hello from your newest subscriber.
I just bought a brand new DR 650 and like you, I have lots of plans for it once I do a few of the essential mods.
I noticed that you mentioned replacing the foot pegs? I’m exactly the same height as you with also a 32” inseam. I’m curious what foot pegs you went with? Mostly my question is if you lowered the pegs?
Thanks for the video and I look forward to seeing more!
Thank you very much for watching and supporting the channel!! I highly recommend the lowered foot pegs from Procycle. Those are what I went with and I've been very happy with them. I think I might have had to lower the shifter a notch after the install.
Thank you.
I’m recovering at home from a foot surgery for another 3 months so I’m excited that I’ll have plenty of time to carefully check everything out and start moding.
Have a nice holiday season!
I'm 66 and was looking at the XT 250. But it would necessitate a second bike for my more road orientated trips.
. Was also thinking about the CRF300. It'll be interesting when you can give a review on the differences between the three bikes off road and on road. I hope the DR is a one and done type bike.
Well the new CRF300LS (short model) should be something to consider if you were interested in the XT.
Out of ALL the bikes on the market, imho, the DR is more "one & done" than any other bike available....the reason I say that is because of its initial low cost, its claw-hammer like reliability, extremely simple and non-complicated, more mods available than you can shake a stick at, light weight, serious off-road chops and passable on road capability and lastly, a very large dealer net work, world-wide. I'm 63, short, fat and luckily very experienced and my DR suits me to a "T" I'm truly glad I passed on the XR650L and the T7 a year ago when buying this DR.
ahhh yes grasshopper..the MIGHTY DR650 is a crowd pleaser..
I had the Honda xr 650 L way too tall and top-heavy. Your 650 Suzuki looks like an easy going fun bike
What was the DR out the door ?
The XR650L needs a ladder! Got the Suzuki otd for $8500
Wow, I was surprised at the seat height. I didn’t think it would be lower then the dr400. That bike is 36.8
Interesting. I didn't realize the 400s seat height was that high.
Don't even waste your time with the Seat Concepts seat. It is not worth the money for the little bit of advantage. I bought a very used, and older, Corbin seat from a guy off Craigslist. Went right on to my 2017 DR650. Day and night difference. I couldn't make 80 miles with the Seat Concepts. With the Corbin I can ride all day without feeling like I have been tortured.
Interesting, I've heard good things about the Corbin seats. I'll have to have a look at those as well.
This is my next buy, for it's easy maintenance. At 14k miles per year I'm not buying someone else's neglected non registered, with back fees bike.
Can u do a comparison between the 300l and the Dr 650. I’m down to these two bikes. Don’t know which one to buy.
That'd be an interesting comparison. The Honda is 6 speed, efi, liquid cooled, 309 lbs versus the Suzuki at 5 speed, carb, air cooled and 360 lbs. Seat height for both bikes roughly the same. Honda 27 HP, Suzuki 43 HP. Both bikes are awesome. You should test ride both if you can.