DR650 versatile cheapie or heavy dinosaur? 10 questions from ADV Pulse!︱Cross Training Adventure
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ม.ค. 2024
- Finally, our Suzuki DR650 review... kind of. A moto journalist from ADV Pulse recently asked me 10 questions about the DR650. They were keen to interview a DR650 owner with massive amounts of useful knowledge about the bush pig... and with great riding skills too. Welcome to Cross Training Adventure, we are into all things dual sport and adventure on the east coast of Australia. Those guys were all busy so they asked me instead. The DR650 is often modified for adventure riding and touring, but also more for a more dirt-oriented dual sport platform. Which options have you tried? Which one makes more sense to you? The old bush pig is certainly a flexible platform. In the past I did try setting up a DR650 for more dirt riding. Knobby tyres. The suspension definitely needs work for any spirited off-road riding. You can actually drop a lot of weight with simply removing items like the fork spacers, bar ends, pillion footpegs and so on. I've got a whole video dedicated to putting the bush pig on a diet. You should just buy that twin, or pay the big bucks for a Husky 701 or KTM 690. How do you think the DR650 could be reasonably improved by Suzuki without spending a bundle? Check out our reviews of various adventure bikes and dual sport bikes. The favourite topic of all DR650 owners! Quite a few mods would cost them nothing... This is only just scratching the surface of course. If you ever have trouble getting to sleep, just ask a DR650 owner about their suggestions for Suzuki's next DR650 model. If you like dual sport riding in Australia then you might like our adventure riding vids. It's still bloody heavy but it can be a respectable dual sport bike if you are into the old school! An adventure setup? It really depends on how much you want to spend. The basics are just a bigger fuel tank and a comfortable seat. And of course if you are prepared to sell your kids to raise funds there's an endless array of parts and mods. Keen on adventure riding in Australia? Check out our vids. Remember we've done a big 10 part series about the DR650 that covers much of this information in detail. And it may help you decide if the DR650 is the perfect bike for you... or one you will deeply regret buying. As to which makes more sense? Many riders have been happy with either setup. Given its weight though, I think the DR650 makes more sense as a budget adventure platform. The DR650 is now cancelled in Australia, but I'm sure plenty of them are still around. Does the aftermarket and Suzuki still seem interested in supporting this bike, or has popularity started to die off? All the usual aftermarket mobs are still going strong. Vince Strang Motorcycles is our Aussie equivalent of Procycle in the USA in terms of providing a huge array of DR650 parts. FFRC make the well known Plex Valves for the front forks. They report there are still plenty of orders for these, as well as DR650s brought in for complete suspension make overs. The Aussie DR650 groups certainly seem to indicate the community is strong. I think it will take years to see any drop in popularity. In the long-term will the DR650 will have the popularity equivalent to the Hilux and other classic 4x4 rigs? Or will it phase out quickly in favour of newer fuel-injected bikes? A very interesting question! Back in 2008 Honda made the stupid decision to stop importing the XR650L, a bike this arguably better than the DR650 for most Aussie riders. It has taken years, but it's now rare to see these around or find much in the way of parts and support due to natural attrition. This will undoubtedly happen with time for the DR650 as well. I don't know if the Suzuki will ever be regarded as a true classic in the wider community. But certainly plenty of DR owners see it this way. I know you've owned a few DR650s and ridden with lots of DR owners. Benefits? Cheap! Many of us love the old school technology with less things to go wrong. No fuel pump. No fuel injectors. No radiators. No ABS. A stock DR650 puts out about 35HP at the rear wheel. It doesn't sound like much but it has piles of torque in the mid range. Plenty of riders keep their bikes stock very happily. I often kept my DR650s stock for the first six months or so and they would still wheelie easily in third gear. What's the most miles you ever put on a single DR650 that you've owned? And what's the longest trip? Doh, this one will be a bit embarrassing! My highest mileage was only 28,000km. After two years I start to look at other models and think I will be happier with another model. But eventually I just buy another DR650. This has happened four times now so I'm currently on my fifth bush pig... sigh. Is the DR650 powerful enough for the street, considering how much jam the modern liquid-cooled twins have? It's a slug compared to most modern twins! If you want blistering acceleration the DR650 will disappoint on so many levels.
#crosstrainingadventure #dr650 #adventurebikes #dualsportriding
#suzukidr650
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Your channel is the major reason I bought a DR when I got back into the sport after a 35 year absence. No regrets! I've done most upgrades, except for the engine and exhaust, and am content to leave as is for now. But...I bought a much lighter bike (FE 350) a couple years back and find I am riding the DR less each year. Still, I don't think I will ever sell it.
I found the last few seconds of this video to be the most deeply insightful and informative video I may have ever witnessed
Second multipurpose bike, (Himalayan was first) and while I loved it, my DR650 is the first bike that I’ve back flipped and crashed, got back up, limped home, and road the next day. It’s the first bike that’s really got me off the pavement. I love it for exactly what it is. A cheap, capable, extremely modifiable bike that doesn’t way the weight of a modern adv. its streetable to be comfortable enough for street use, has classic 90s style, and good off-road.
DR650 is the magic unicorn albeit a slightly aged and overweight one but it will definitely go down in history as a legendary bike.
Never met anyone who regretted buying a DR. I love my 690. I also hate my 690. Wish I had bought a DR
Weight is always interesting point, a 690 weighs basically the same, a KLR 650 is a lot heavier, the RE Himalayan is a lot heavier, Yamaha XT 660 is a lot heavier, so in reality for what the DR is it is not that heavy, the original XR 650 was lighter but it was only kick start, so saving lots of kilos.
Great video Barry! Everything you mentioned is spot on. The DR is a great all round bike and with a few modifications, it will do what you want it to anywhere. Modding it is half the fun of owning one.
I have a 2017 Ktm 690 and it’s been a fantastic bike for me. Great fun both on and off-road and very reliable with routine maintenance. After years of owning this bike I still get a grin every time I throw a leg over it.
Love your videos and as a DRZ owner I can relate to some of the similarities with the old school ‘technology’, hard seats and soft suspension. I’m 50 yrs old but the child in me loves the fart sequence at the end!!! 👌
Definitely great, simple, reliable machines. Cheers for the upload 😎👍
Thanks for the laugh's, glad all the other Elite DR riders were busy.
A very good critique of the pros, cons, and possible add-ons for the DR 650. I subscribed and I liked.
Great video as always. It always makes me smile to watch you guys lofting big, effortless wheelies on your Bush Pigs…the kind of wheelies I struggle to manage on my 690 with nearly twice the power! Did somebody say ‘It’s not the bike, it’s the rider?’ 😂 Always worth watching.
Great video! I once had a 2001 DR650 that I kept bone stock during the six years that I had it. I mistakingly gave it to my brother in 2008. If I was to purchase a new (or new to me) DR, I definitely would not do any mods to the exhaust or fueling. My only mods would be larger fuel tank (maybe), beefing up the suspension springs to handle a bit of luggage (definitely), and a new seat (most definitely.) I would probably do a few petty mods like replacing the mirrors with Double Takes, etc. I never have, and I never would ride the DR like a full-blown enduro bike. I wouldn't mind having an XR650L, but I have no experience with that bike to make and comments. Both bikes are still available here in the U.S., but their days are numbered. I am truly surprised that they are both still available here.
bought myself a 2009 dr650 about 6 weeks ago. finally had the chance to take it on some rough fire trails and single track and holy it out performed my wr250 by 1000% i definitely thought the weight would make it limiting off road but i was so wrong. glides over everything and realistically isnt that hard to throw around. just takes some experience riding enduro. couldnt be more happy with it
Watched your channels for years mate, absolutely love your content and the way its delivered. Although i own a XR650 R and absolutely love it.. I rekon one test ride would convert the lot of you DR people 😉
Awesome content. Aussie dr, whatever they decide to launch, the old ones will always be my preferred. The carburator instead of fuel injection makes me choose it over modern bikes for riding remote areas. I got a modern bike, looking for a good condition old school one. Hard to find in Brazil.
Very interesting questions and answers.
Great video with valid points Barry.