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Very encouraging, thank you for sharing. I think one great aspect of motorcycle ownership, especially the simpler dual-sport and dirt bikes, is the confidence gained working on your own machine if you're into that.
I recently took my DR650 on my first trail ride. I have been riding on the road for 20 years so it's time for something new. There are several things I learned. The front forks are way too soft. I felt them bottom out over a dozen times. The trail was very steep and very rocky so that showed me I need the cogent or something for the forks. I also need to stand up more. It's a bad habit to sit down that I need to break but the stability is so much better when standing. The tusk d-sport front and motoz tractionator rear did very good. I was shocked at how much traction I had on rocks and dirt. Lastly momentum is very important. The faster I went where I still felt comfortable, the easier it was. When I slowed down I started losing control and going off my line and stalled the bike a couple of times as well.
Wow, you certainly picked that all up pretty quick! It took me a long time to realize all that, but once I did, it certainly made riding a lot more fun and much less scary! I think stiffer suspension is going to be a must for me as well, but I am looking forward to giving the stock suspension a good workout yet!
Swanky, you sure took nicely to those tools when doing that fork seal replacement. If you are needing some more content, my 1976 XL 100cc Honda is needing the same procedure. Please help!
Well done. I am surprised you did not change the springs while you were at it. Also you cpuld have changed the heavy spacers by slightly longer pvc pieces. I did it. It really helped with the diving and you save quite a bit in weight.
I had considered it, but wanted to test the stock suspension out completely first. Should be pretty easy to swap the springs right on the bike too I think, but I may try some PVC spacers first!
Dude! I'm stoked to see the DR getting some love! It's what I chose for ultra practicality (and oil cooler). I love your channel and look forward to future suzi content!
Personally, I would have changed out the bushings while in there. I know it’s debatable, but all the effort to get in there, I change everything… Good job though!!
Excellent video, and I approve of your music choice. Sturgill Simpson is excellent, and I’m not even a country music guy. When the music is that good, genre doesn’t matter.
Another excellent video. Very good how-to. Marking the nuts with a pen, keeping all the parts in order, and doing one side while leaving the other fork in place are all very good ideas. Once you start doing some mods on the DR I think you will like the bike.
Swank..wow..another great vid..can't wait to see the fork upgrades..maybe springs,,plex valves..ect..and get your take on the performance diff..thumbs up man :0)
Fork seals can seam like a daunting task, but once you done it a few times its really not too bad. Having the correct tools certainly make it easier. The fork seal and dust seal on my KLR C model forks are like your DR's. They are actually separate pieces but I think they 'fuse' together when they get pressed in. When I take my forks apart I usually wash all the metal parts with varsol or brake cleaner too. Fork boots should be washed in soap and water and a good idea to take the fork boots off before the start of the season to clean them and clean the dust off the fork tubes that gets trapped in there.
That's definitely some good advice! Yeah, it seems like a lot of work, and I suppose it sort of is. Yet, once you've done it, it seems a lot less dramatic. I'm looking forward to doing my spring upgrade after some more testing!
Excellent video. I like that you are giving yourself a chance to test the DR stock suspension first. That will put you in a much better position to evaluate the mods later. One bit of advice I would give for future mods is to consider the weight of everything you add to the bike. On my build I added 15lbs of stuff and removed 8lbs for a net gain of only 7lbs. Looking forward to watching your DR build videos.
Thanks! Yeah, it's not as exciting but I think it was the right choice. Now doing the spring upgrade, or what ever I decide on, should be much easier too. Mmm yeah, I probably should've weighed my XR before I started bolting parts on haha. Ooops! I'll just keep track of the heavy stuff and weight them after the builds are complete.
FYI there is a couple of things you can do before respringing or revalving stock forks. 1- Try a new heavier fork oil . e.g. going from 10W to 15W 2- Adding some pre-load washers as the springs typically are progressive. so get stiffer as they compress. After that then re valve and heavier springs suited to rider weight and gear. Companies like YSS, Racetech and Rally Raid will all calculate a correct spring for you if you give them the bike make model and weight plus your weight in riding gear Plus any luggage. two sets of bathroom scales will give you bikes weight as fueled up add both scale weights.
Good info thank you!!! I think I may try adding some preload to mine, possibly even while I'm out on the trails to help me better understand the difference it makes. I was thinking Race Tech springs after that, but we'll see!
Nice, you did a good job. I didn't catch in your video if you used a heavier fork oil or a lighter fork oil? My DR does the weird bottom out and top out in the same second, mid fork stroke on a G out. I have read that the fork emulators fix that issue. Hopefully, I can watch you do that front fork addition? You are still doing a great job. Texas on the prairie
Thanks! I just used the stock 10 oil for now. Once I get an idea of how the bike acts in stock form, I'll make a decision on the upgrades I'm going to try. Thinking just springs to start, but we'll see!
I went to 20 weight but I still had fork dive in hard braking but I'm a really big dude. Maybe be perfect for you, if that doesn't make you happy id suggest emulators
While ago I was trying to remove the fork seal covers on my super tenere to clean them, being dumb, I was using a flat head screwdriver to pry it open, it slipped and scratched the hell out of the fork tubes. Fortunately, I experienced 0 consequences for that somehow.
Ben, question about the Garmin Nuvi 40/50lm. Do these units accept tracks? GPX tracks? I know nothing about these units and I’m looking for something compatible with the Trans America Trail maps. The website states that the unit just needs the capability to accept tracks, and I’m assuming GPX is a type of file format? Not sure...
I think the 40 & 50 LM do not, but there are others that do. Garmin has a list of models that you can import files to though their basecamp app, on their website. I've never used it, but there should be videos on it.
@@SwankyCatProductions thanks, that’s the information I need. I don’t understand why companies make it so difficult and not tell you in the description when advertising a product if the unit is capable of importing files. I thought if a GPS had an SD card slot it would accept something like the TAT. Nope! This has turned into a rabbit hole...
Thanks for your video. On another topic, have you had any carburetor problems? My DR650 hesitates a lot at constant speed below 4500 rpm. Do you have any suggestions for this problem? Thanks, Alain
I'm glad you liked it! Looks like you've already got the answers I would suggest. Has to be either debris in the jets or carb breather/filter. If anyone's made mods to the bike, it could also be a fuel/air mixture issue.
Nice video, it was not that hard, kind of fun. Wait until you do the shock rebuild. Do new fork springs first. I can see the front diving too much on your camera. You will be amazed the difference heavier fork springs make. Do heavier weight oil and skip the drop in emulators. A cordless impact will make short work of the damper rod bolt. The red stuff in the fork tubes was ATF. Old cheap way of 'fixing' fork seals since ATF leaking out is cheaper than fork oil. Shame on previous owner.
Need to do some shopping & want to help support my content? Click a link below before you make a purchase & I'll earn a small commission, which helps me to continue making videos!
Rocky Mountain ATV: www.rockymountainatvmc.com/?ref=1042&
Amazon: amzn.to/3Jfbfkn
Car Play Nav Unit: carpuride.com/products/carpuride-w702-wireless-portable-dual-bluetooth-waterproof-ip67-motorcycle-stereo?ref=pcoxoocl
MotoCampNerd: motocampnerd.com/?ref=rAQ-OX06xBU2aq
10% Off First MotoCamp Purchase Code: SwankyCat
I revalved the rear shock and put an emulator on my old DR650. Totally changed the bike.
Nice! I'm not sure what I'll end up doing with the rear of mine. I'm thinking new springs up front for sure though!
Very encouraging, thank you for sharing.
I think one great aspect of motorcycle ownership, especially the simpler dual-sport and dirt bikes, is the confidence gained working on your own machine if you're into that.
Yeah! It certainly makes me feel like I know and understand my bike a lot better! Really helps cut down on both operation & upgrade costs as well!
I recently took my DR650 on my first trail ride. I have been riding on the road for 20 years so it's time for something new. There are several things I learned. The front forks are way too soft. I felt them bottom out over a dozen times. The trail was very steep and very rocky so that showed me I need the cogent or something for the forks. I also need to stand up more. It's a bad habit to sit down that I need to break but the stability is so much better when standing. The tusk d-sport front and motoz tractionator rear did very good. I was shocked at how much traction I had on rocks and dirt. Lastly momentum is very important. The faster I went where I still felt comfortable, the easier it was. When I slowed down I started losing control and going off my line and stalled the bike a couple of times as well.
Wow, you certainly picked that all up pretty quick! It took me a long time to realize all that, but once I did, it certainly made riding a lot more fun and much less scary! I think stiffer suspension is going to be a must for me as well, but I am looking forward to giving the stock suspension a good workout yet!
Great video! Cant wait to tear into my DR forks! Thanks
Thank you! I hope it goes well for you!
Swanky, you sure took nicely to those tools when doing that fork seal replacement. If you are needing some more content, my 1976 XL 100cc Honda is needing the same procedure. Please help!
Haha! Thanks man!
Well done. I am surprised you did not change the springs while you were at it. Also you cpuld have changed the heavy spacers by slightly longer pvc pieces. I did it. It really helped with the diving and you save quite a bit in weight.
I had considered it, but wanted to test the stock suspension out completely first. Should be pretty easy to swap the springs right on the bike too I think, but I may try some PVC spacers first!
Dude! I'm stoked to see the DR getting some love! It's what I chose for ultra practicality (and oil cooler). I love your channel and look forward to future suzi content!
Thanks man! Yeah I'm pretty excited to get some more seat time on it, finally!
Personally, I would have changed out the bushings while in there. I know it’s debatable, but all the effort to get in there, I change everything…
Good job though!!
Yeah, I think I would have to agree, unless your on a really tight budget it's probably always worth doing everything while your in there. Thanks!
Excellent video, and I approve of your music choice. Sturgill Simpson is excellent, and I’m not even a country music guy. When the music is that good, genre doesn’t matter.
Thank you! Agreed, Sturgill is just an amazing artist!
Another excellent video. Very good how-to. Marking the nuts with a pen, keeping all the parts in order, and doing one side while leaving the other fork in place are all very good ideas. Once you start doing some mods on the DR I think you will like the bike.
Thanks! Yeah, it all seemed to work out pretty well! I think you are correct! Just having it fully operational make it so much more fun already!
Swank..wow..another great vid..can't wait to see the fork upgrades..maybe springs,,plex valves..ect..and get your take on the performance diff..thumbs up man :0)
Thanks! Yeah, I'm looking forward to getting it tested as is and then seeing what some heavy springs will do!
Fork seals can seam like a daunting task, but once you done it a few times its really not too bad. Having the correct tools certainly make it easier. The fork seal and dust seal on my KLR C model forks are like your DR's. They are actually separate pieces but I think they 'fuse' together when they get pressed in. When I take my forks apart I usually wash all the metal parts with varsol or brake cleaner too. Fork boots should be washed in soap and water and a good idea to take the fork boots off before the start of the season to clean them and clean the dust off the fork tubes that gets trapped in there.
That's definitely some good advice! Yeah, it seems like a lot of work, and I suppose it sort of is. Yet, once you've done it, it seems a lot less dramatic. I'm looking forward to doing my spring upgrade after some more testing!
Excellent video. I like that you are giving yourself a chance to test the DR stock suspension first. That will put you in a much better position to evaluate the mods later. One bit of advice I would give for future mods is to consider the weight of everything you add to the bike. On my build I added 15lbs of stuff and removed 8lbs for a net gain of only 7lbs. Looking forward to watching your DR build videos.
Thanks! Yeah, it's not as exciting but I think it was the right choice. Now doing the spring upgrade, or what ever I decide on, should be much easier too. Mmm yeah, I probably should've weighed my XR before I started bolting parts on haha. Ooops! I'll just keep track of the heavy stuff and weight them after the builds are complete.
FYI there is a couple of things you can do before respringing or revalving stock forks.
1- Try a new heavier fork oil . e.g. going from 10W to 15W
2- Adding some pre-load washers as the springs typically are progressive. so get stiffer as they compress.
After that then re valve and heavier springs suited to rider weight and gear.
Companies like YSS, Racetech and Rally Raid will all calculate a correct spring for you if you give them the bike make model and weight plus your weight in riding gear Plus any luggage.
two sets of bathroom scales will give you bikes weight as fueled up add both scale weights.
Good info thank you!!! I think I may try adding some preload to mine, possibly even while I'm out on the trails to help me better understand the difference it makes. I was thinking Race Tech springs after that, but we'll see!
Nice, you did a good job. I didn't catch in your video if you used a heavier fork oil or a lighter fork oil? My DR does the weird bottom out and top out in the same second, mid fork stroke on a G out. I have read that the fork emulators fix that issue. Hopefully, I can watch you do that front fork addition?
You are still doing a great job.
Texas on the prairie
Thanks! I just used the stock 10 oil for now. Once I get an idea of how the bike acts in stock form, I'll make a decision on the upgrades I'm going to try. Thinking just springs to start, but we'll see!
I went to 20 weight but I still had fork dive in hard braking but I'm a really big dude. Maybe be perfect for you, if that doesn't make you happy id suggest emulators
While ago I was trying to remove the fork seal covers on my super tenere to clean them, being dumb, I was using a flat head screwdriver to pry it open, it slipped and scratched the hell out of the fork tubes. Fortunately, I experienced 0 consequences for that somehow.
Oh no, that would be scary! Glad it turned out alright!
Ben, question about the Garmin Nuvi 40/50lm. Do these units accept tracks? GPX tracks? I know nothing about these units and I’m looking for something compatible with the Trans America Trail maps. The website states that the unit just needs the capability to accept tracks, and I’m assuming GPX is a type of file format? Not sure...
I think the 40 & 50 LM do not, but there are others that do. Garmin has a list of models that you can import files to though their basecamp app, on their website. I've never used it, but there should be videos on it.
@@SwankyCatProductions thanks, that’s the information I need. I don’t understand why companies make it so difficult and not tell you in the description when advertising a product if the unit is capable of importing files. I thought if a GPS had an SD card slot it would accept something like the TAT. Nope! This has turned into a rabbit hole...
"Only took about an hour and a half" he says as he looks to the mystical time-telling thermometer on the wall
🤣 that was awesome!
Thanks for your video. On another topic, have you had any carburetor problems? My DR650 hesitates a lot at constant speed below 4500 rpm. Do you have any suggestions for this problem?
Thanks, Alain
Clean your carb
Clean the carb. Adjust the pilot screw and put one washer under the clip on the needle.
Try the Pro-Cycle carb kit. Also check your secondary air filter to see if it is dirty or plugged. Good luck.
I'm glad you liked it! Looks like you've already got the answers I would suggest. Has to be either debris in the jets or carb breather/filter. If anyone's made mods to the bike, it could also be a fuel/air mixture issue.
Nice video, it was not that hard, kind of fun. Wait until you do the shock rebuild. Do new fork springs first.
I can see the front diving too much on your camera. You will be amazed the difference heavier fork springs make. Do heavier weight oil and skip the drop in emulators.
A cordless impact will make short work of the damper rod bolt.
The red stuff in the fork tubes was ATF. Old cheap way of 'fixing' fork seals since ATF leaking out is cheaper than fork oil. Shame on previous owner.
Yeah, I'm really glad I finally gave it a try! Definitely looking forward to some new springs now!
Just do a fork swap 100% worth it
Haha, maybe someday!