DR650 project: common mods, issues and solutions!︱Cross Training Adventure

In our first vid we talked about how the DR650 is great value for money and provides such a solid base for adventure riding, dual sport or commuting. But unfortunately they can't do a serious update of the bike as otherwise they'll have to do a major overhaul to meet new emission requirements, and it won't be a cheap bike anymore. So Suzuki just does minimal updates. This is a summary of everything that we think needs attention and will be addressed through this DR650 video series. Some of these issues have been fixed in recent DR650 models. Just pause to read the detailed info. Dodgy little fuel filter: Suzuki have put a tiny little sock fuel filter here. It takes very little to clog this up, so if your bike is ever starving for fuel check this before anything else. We recommend removing it and putting a decent one in like this. NSU bolts: Sitting under the clutch is a little black plastic plate called the neutral sending unit. It senses when the bike is in neutral and triggers that green light on your dashboard. These screws can work loose over time, drop into your crankcase and potentially ruin your gearbox. I have been informed these have been loctited since 2012. Some guys just fit longer screws and Loctite them, others wire them safely. If your DR650 neutral light ever flashes or disappears, stop riding immediately and check it isn't these bolts at fault! You will often hear a weird sound as the loose screws vibrate. Wheel bearings: The Suzuki accountants thought they could save three cents on each bike by only having seals on one side of the wheel bearings. This isn't a huge issue, but if you'll be doing deep creek crossings we'd recommend fitting bearings with two seals immediately... otherwise just put decent bearings in when the originals wear out. Rubber mounted pegs: This is just bizarre. Whenever you stand on the DR650 these pegs bend and it feels as if your boots will slip off, which they might if there's plenty of mud. At the very least get some wider washers which will bypass the rubber grommets and let you stand like a man should, whether he's riding an adventure bike or pissing in the toilet. We suppose this is meant to reduce vibration but couldn't feel any difference after fixing the pegs in place. DR650 Upper chain roller: There is some debate on this, but most feel this is completely unnecessary and is likely to snap off eventually when the rear suspension takes a big hit. It then leaves a hole which can allow water and mud through to rust your frame from within. Remove it and fit a 8mm-1.25 thread set screw. I have removed it on some bikes, left it on other times. It's never caused me problems. Counter shaft seal retainer: Surprise surprise, this is a known issue Suzuki actually fixed, and it only took them 17 years to do so. The countershaft seal can pop out, then you lose most of your engine oil, potentially on to the rear tyre to get you sliding around speedway style on the road. There is a cheap aftermarket DR650 plate available, definitely get one of these as cheap insurance against seizing your engine. These were finally fitted as standard on 2013 models onward. Stock part is 24751-32E00
Let us know if we used your music in other vids but forgot to credit you. Many thanks to the following artists for their copyright free music in various vids:
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Music: audionautix.com/
Music by Tobu: tobu.io
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Music: soundimage.org

[@williamzoom]

Suzuki's are like a fine wine, they get better very slowly and at some point there will be headaches and vomiting involved!

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+William Zoom glad they aren't like rum then lol

[@JK-ep9bz]

or like kawasakis and yamahas lol @@crosstrainingadventure

[@charlesdouglas6888]

I love the disclaimer, very funny, the video was great for improving ones Dr650 and giving a heads up on possible problems in the field.

[@villeikonen6221]

Very well made videos with the right attitude and spot on tech info. The best and most informative vids I´ve seen so far. Cheers from Finland!

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+Ville Ikonen kiitos sir!

[@SmoshuaJith]

Just bought my first DR650. An '06, one owner. The guy stated he did a couple of these common problem fixes already. But im definitely going to double check!

[@macca6188]

you are doing really good with the bike, I love watching your videos cause you teach me so much things that I never new about bikes and the engines and things like that, you have taught me alot, keep up you awesome work

[@billbonu1639]

Dude can ride too!!

[@bradjacobs1844]

Best DR650 video I’ve seen yet. Thanks for all the tips for keeping your DR650 alive!

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Our pleasure Brad!

[@MaxwellBenson80]

Your channel is an excellent resource for dr650 owners! Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience with us all!!

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Our pleasure Phil!

[@Desertduleler_88]

Great series, I just happen to meet an owner of one outside a Caltex service station and were talking about the positives of this bike for the money.

[@drdan3914]

Another great video oz! Man I wish my friends realize how great this bike is when we ride women try to stop me to impregnate them because of the 650!

[@matbowman9650]

Great series of videos! Really appreciated!

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Thanks Mat, had a lot of fun putting these vids together. And it's great to know they are useful!

[@wpala]

LOL to your disclaimer best one I have ever seen!!

[@TWaz-ys5fb]

I bloody love your DR videos!

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+Terry Warren cheers terry, we have a lot of fun churning them out :)

[@danfield5605]

ADVENTURE OZ. I am looking at moving up to dr from my drz for more highway use. How serious is the third gear issue? I would buy a new 2017. How do they do on the highway for extended trips stock?

[@dugsbigfish]

Thanks ! enjoy your Videos. Can't wait for more ....

[@nickhellen6303]

You guys are as funny as I think I am. Love the acerbic wit.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

I try to keep a lid on it, Nick... but not very successfully lol.

[@iamandreja]

Great guide, keep rocking!

[@MM-cr7dq]

Love It ... great info ... keep it coming. Did a lot of distance on my '91 650R in North West Aus (on and off road) ...yeah , not a jumper but will eat km's all day long.. preferred rock to sand .. Whats a starter motor :o)

[@tomolic9708]

I have personally seen one of these bikes, where the owner bought it when 3 years old (2005 from memory) It has covered a total of 130,000 kms of trail, ADV & commuter riding in that time. The owner told me he got it with about 8,000km on it. Since then all he did was NSU fix by lockwire, seal cover, drilled out the rear suspension dogbones & tubes for grease nipples/zerks. Replaced the seat, EVERYTHING else on the bike is stock. No other aftermarket bits! (Always used Suzuki parts for things like clutches etc) Oil changes every 5-6k, filter every second change & only using cheap-nothing special BS (but always to specification) oil. I'm sold on their bulletproof reliability.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

I can't find the link anymore, but I did read about an Australian rider who had over half a million km on his. If I remember correctly, he was doing his third set of rings and second piston. He was wondering whether to get the bore done as it showed wear but was still in spec!

[@bm7760]

Thanks very much. All jobs I can do without recourse to a dealership's computer to diagnose or reset anything.

[@Brian-ie2un]

My mate Clive just brought one of these he's going to be a busy boy for a while.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

ALL DR650 PROJECT VIDS (& updates further down!) Introduction to the DR650 kzbin.info/www/bejne/a2nZc2BrqteWgKs Power mods overview kzbin.info/www/bejne/sGiqlIGaoamqms0 Transforming the carburetor kzbin.info/www/bejne/l3-UkohmfJmMh6c GSXR exhaust mod kzbin.info/www/bejne/e56ZhK2Diatoibs DR650 known issues kzbin.info/www/bejne/qISxc5RsaLqKrpo Basic suspension mods kzbin.info/www/bejne/l4W8cqp_d71sl7M Protection for the DR kzbin.info/www/bejne/hILGiZmFf9h_ia8 Ergos: pegs, bars & seats kzbin.info/www/bejne/nZavg2irbdiAnqs Weight reduction kzbin.info/www/bejne/nmfJnWB9jMmIiM0 Best suspension mods kzbin.info/www/bejne/qXjHfaBvqL2tmtE Fixing noisy starter motors kzbin.info/www/bejne/bIGXn2tme6-DZ5o Headlight upgrades kzbin.info/www/bejne/fWObeKKvjNVpgqs Steg Pegz review kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZ-skKOcoNqEqck IMPORTANT UPDATES SINCE MAKING THIS VIDEO! 3RD GEAR FAILURES: I've spoken with a Suzuki mechanic who confirmed the failure rate is extremely low, he personally doubted there is a known issue. He said the few cases he came across oer the years were actually due to a bent selector rod from aggressive gear changes. Years ago a DR650 owner began compiling cases - about 30 which many felt was not very significant given the thousands of bikes out there. We do know Suzuki changed the part number for third gear between 2006 and 2008. Some argue the failure rate fell after that, others debate this. 3RD GEAR WHINE: A pronounced whine in 3rd gear can occur when the hardening wears off or with a badly cut gear. It seems to have no real connection with actual third gear failures. Many continue to ride with this annoying sound with no other problems. The 3rd gear cog is under load in 3rd, 4th and 5th gears and is the hardest working of the cogs. If you are going to have the cases apart for any reason, for peace of mind it would pay to replace both the drive and driven 3rd gear cogs... but it's gonna be expensive! NSU BOLTS: Apparently these started to have Loctite applied somewhere during the 2017 production run and should not present a problem anymore. EVERY BIKE HAS KNOWN ISSUES! If you dig deep enough you''ll come up with a pile of potential issues on any bike, but particularly older models. Just look at our known issue vids for other bikes. Don't be deterred, the DR650 is still an great bike in our books. 😊

[@richmoto1]

Great video. Very informative...and funny!

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+richmoto1 thanks richmoto, i figure there are plenty of serious vids out there already plus it's fun to be a bit of idiot occasionally :)

[@1motomanic]

I have an 09 and have pretty much heard of or addressed all these issues except for the counter shaft seal, first time hearing of that one.

[@MothershipVideos]

Another awesome video. You certainly put a lot of effort into them. There is a thread on "ADV Rider" regarding third gear blow-ups which suggests although the part No. changed the actual part didn't. So nothing was fixed. I like the new accent by the way.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+Mothership Videos yes i don't know what the truth is there. some claim they changed nothing, others think there have been less failures. thankfully in either case it's very low numbers but there are so many DRs around you do hear about this. the very reliable KLR650 has its achilles heel too, seized engines. again, very small percentage but word gets around when so many own them.

[@TortureTestMagazine]

Best build guide!

[@joelcromwell5983]

Good advice on the neutral light failing as an indicator for those screws backing off. I'm picking up a new 2020, I hope most of the catastrophic issues have been sorted.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

The loctite seems to be working so far, Joel.... but possibly as the years go by we may hear of cases where the screws still eventually came loose.

[@astonebrook91]

I have a 2021 DR650... Great bike, Hopefully it lasts forever!, although I started reading about the gears failing, 3rd gear in particular, hopefully Suzuki fixed the issue!

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Nobody has any statistics but it looks as though it's very rare. But it happens enough that everyone became aware of it over time due to internet forums. I remember asking Suzuki Australia about it. They said they spoke to their services manager who allegedly had never heard about it lol.

[@spartan8390]

But what a joy after these fixes! I removed my entire NSU to prevent this issue.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+Spartan ADV that is always an option hey?

[@spartan8390]

+ADVENTURE OZ No Neutral light, but no issue either. Did make for a couple of funny moments in the beginning.

[@spartan8390]

Couple of years ago, shortly after this post, my 3rd gear detonated. March 2016 was when she died. 2001 DR650, 3rd gear failure and total loss.

[@65elcamino283]

man am i glad you're on a dr again. love all your vids, and especially lucky that you do dr vids again now too.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+65elcamino283 i feel like such a dick, i took my new you beaut camera mounts out yesterday on the DR and left the bloody gopro behind. it must be dementia... :) yeah i'm loving the DR again, it's even fun on our regular dirt tracks now the suspension is starting to work well.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+65elcamino283 i can't wait for knobby tires too, then she'll be a complete hoot off road! and not sure if i mentioned it but when FFRC do the final suspension mods they'll get their sponsored mx guys to see how far and fast they can jump it on the track. should make for some wild footage!

[@65elcamino283]

+ADVENTURE OZ that's right! you're still on the deathwings! oh holy hell that is amazing! i ate it a few times offroad on those tires (but that was probably my complete newbness to riding offroad, not the tire so much, although that tire does suck offroad-my opinion-it scares me to this day) and it felt like i was riding on marbles. i was a scared little girl(no offense meant to little girls-scared or not) on those and you've been ripping it up out there! mad prop's(bowing down to my DaRk overlord-but just a one knee'd bow-cause, you know, on both knees in front of another guy..... it can be taken wrongly to someone just walking into the room) Hot damn can't wait to see the shit you get into with proper knobs affixed. You going with the d606 again? I absolutely loved that tire, and loved the fact that it was totally safe and ridable completely flat if emergency dictates. well, i also recall you saying that you wish you could run a vacuum in those, and i agree; that rear 606 could use a few negative psi in the slow rough technical terrain. i ran my rear at 5psi(with bead lock) and front at 7psi and wished for less, but had to protect my rims and tubes a bit i guess. I wanna see that jump footage for sure! i often contemplate how high/far a properly suspended dr can jump and land safely, but that is currently beyond my testicle size and composition(re: giant brass balls required). i'm hoping that the bike doesn't break in half though if they really mx it for really really, cause, you know, 370lbs and mild steel frame and all-regardless of the ground up samurai testicles. sorry for the damn novel. i just drank my coffee. :-)

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+65elcamino283 there was one moment i needed diapers, the front wheel slipped out for about three yards on a higher speed corner but gripped again thankfully.... phew. i like the challenge of riding on crap tires just to push the whole traction issue a bit, plus being a tight arse and not wanting to throw away a set of tires. :) i think i'll pass on the D606 rear and MT21 front combo this time, i can barely get 1600 miles out of the rear with careful riding. i met lyndon poskitt on his round the world race n ride trip recently, he raved about the goldentyre GT723E rally raid tires as he's getting 2500 miles out of a rear knobby doing 80mph on very hot summer baked highways down the middle of australia to make his next meeting spot. thinking of getting the DR rear wheel relaced to an 18 inch rim to access this and other much better tires. re: the jumps, i did tell the guys the frames can crack when the big girl is pushed hard! i don't think they just break in half but i suggested checking the frame in between each big jump - at least they'll have light young mx riders on board, not some heavy middle aged dude who can't jump anyway lol! even after ingesting samurai testicles....

[@65elcamino283]

+ADVENTURE OZ i've been awed by the shit you're riding on those tires (even if you had knobbies mounted, i'd still be awed) and yup, all of my downs were when the front stepped out on me. one of the most helpless feelings there is, and your heart dropping along with the tire (although my heart dropping into my stomach DID fortunately dislodge one of my ascended testicles from a previous close one. see, there you go again causing me much jealousy with having those goldentyres available to you. first with the front fatty, and now about a long lasting knobby rear? dude! rub my nose in it already! jeeze! i can't find goldentyre out here to save my life. websites list them on searches, but come up with nothing available. gaaa!! hmmm, i knew that the frames had the samurai testies smelted in for strength, but now that you mention ingesting for jump ability, i might just have to look into.....

[@andypandy.]

pretty amazing that these issues are soo well known but Suzuki haven't done anything to fix them, even if it raised the price of the bike I think people would still buy it if they didn't need to fit extras and do work on it for it to be able to get into the more technical adventure places. Love the work so far with these vids, I know it will come in handy in the future :-)

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+Andy Pandy Motovlogs the pity is andy they could dramatically improve most facets of the bike with very little extra cost, such as fitting DRZ400 suspension with stiffer springs... i think all the japanese manufacturers have dropped the ball the past decade or two sadly in many respects.

[@billbonu1639]

Rather than fix them they'll probably get tired of people moaning about it and just discontinue it altogether.

[@h.d.mech.mortenson2098]

Great video thanks !

[@davidquinn5430]

I put 14000 km on mine sins February,I only done the seat concept.and the oil changes every 2500.rottella t4. to busy riding,I feel like I should really do some maintenance on my bike but all I found wrong right now it's that it needs a good wash,the rear tire is almost gone again and my seat is getting ware out. HEY!! From Vancouver island..on my way to Haida Gwaii for more riding... 60%road40%trail and gravel.

[@toruko-ishibravo2zulu679]

My adventure rides involve karst explorations in temperate rain forest. Recently shifted focus from alpine ascents to lowland wooded areas. Will lower front and rear one inch when new knobby is added. Assist off-road adventures of the B.C. Speleological Federation and also USA National Speleological Society in California. Yes, I do stop for a hole in the ground.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

I love that karst topology. We came across it a lot as shown in the recent Vietnam vids.

[@roverman985]

I really appreciate your howto videos.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Glad you like them, Roverman! I have bought another DR650 recently so I might go over some of the same stuff where there have been updates.

[@maxnelson-thomson4898]

A video like this would be grate for a klr 650

[@JamesNewton-tm1vj]

As legendary as this bike It’s painful to think about what bike this could have been if they just advanced and changed a few things over the years but never did…

[@alan36753]

great video

[@desertghost3056]

looking forward to future videos on the DR, especially the suspension. Recently picked up my first project bike..A 96 DR 350. fun bike but suspension's terrible.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+desertghost yep, damn these rod forks! emulators or intiminators will transform the forks but are expensive for what they are. i'm hoping FFRC might create a range of them at a more realistic price.

[@JoeJoeMoto]

Loving this series, even though I don't have my DR650 anymore. Yep, had my starter motor replaced under warranty on my DR650 and it was most likely due to that reason! 3:06 - Should say 2013, not 2103, don't you hate those little mistakes once you have already uploaded!

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+JoeJoe Moto i need a proof reader joe, that's for sure! by the time you've stared at the screen for a few hours you miss the most basic stuff lol.

[@JoeJoeMoto]

+ADVENTURE OZ Yep! Tell me about it. I spend hours and hours on some of my edits and it's so easy to miss stuff.

[@65elcamino283]

+JoeJoe Moto no, no. Barry was correct at 2103. you see, he got that bike from a time traveler from the year 2103 who bought it new, but the mrs made him sell it right away because he didn't ask her permission first. notice too that in typical suzuki dr fashion, nothing has been updated or changed on the bike... thanks suzuki! i was hoping for something in my lifetime. i'll quit holding my breath.

[@JoeJoeMoto]

+65elcamino283 - hahaha yeah, I could imagine that the 2103 model will be no different too! LOL

[@nickx8411]

Bros, to bypass the sidestand safety system, just go to the clutch switch, and look under it... see the small catch tab? Push it in with a small screwdriver, pull the clutch switch out of it's place, and ziptie it to the handlebar or wiring right where it's at. it's a 5-second fix.

[@juancv3700]

Wonderful.

[@gncc1race]

Yikes! Pity the poor DR650 owners who don't have the benefit of advice like this. Whoah! I've owned quite a few bikes in my time and I don't recall any that had so many built in booby traps. Not everyone will agree, but my experience with Suzuki dirt bikes (RM 2-strokes of various sizes) is that while they are generally designed to perform well (you know, except for the DR650), they were not built to last. A mid-90's RM80 that was among the family hand-me-downs my boys learned to ride on did not have sealed wheel bearings! That's right, dust covers, no bearing seals, front or rear. And none were available at the time, either from Suzuki or from the aftermarket. Oddly, the rear bearings lasted pretty well, but not the front. Thank you Mr. Morris for another informative and entertaining video!

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+gncc1race it's probably a slightly longer list than other bikes, but i must admit many will do 100,000km without a single issue occurring... it's just that a small percentage will do a gearbox or seize without mods to counter suzuki's laziness. :) i remember those RM80s, what a wild bike after the honda XR75 we doodled around on lol!

[@brandtagone8487]

+ADVENTURE OZ better than my Yamaha 60 too

[@gncc1race]

+ADVENTURE OZ You have a point there, about the low frequency of occurrence. But it is a shame that even the few succumb. I would agree that many bikes probably have at least a few "fixes" (cf KTM 250/300 EXC's, even the sweet Beta 250/300 RR's). But it seems the DR650 has an inordinate number of potentially catastrophic failures lurking. I will say that the KLR650 is known for a few fatal issues as well. The difference is that Kawasaki (if I recall correctly anyhow) fixed all or the worst of them. Speaking of the KLR, is it available down under?

[@brandtagone8487]

+gncc1race Well now a gamma goat has very few issues, fewer than a KLR but I would not want to take it where the dr goes!

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+gncc1race yes the trusty old KLR sells here but not as well as the DR, just a bit too road-inclined for most of us :D

[@toby7504]

I love this bike...petty they dont sell it in norway anymore....

[@jaybourbon8608]

I just picked up an 07 and I have 3rd gear whining. Suzuki supposedly corrected the issues with the gears after "06 and 08".. What about 07? and 09+? I am finding after coming across many posts that they obviously did not correct the issue. I have 11k miles and it runs great but there is the 3rd gear while..How concerned should I be about this 3rd gear whine?

[@RideAMAP]

love it! keep them coming. I'd love to hear what you think of the DR vs the DRZ 400. you've had it on your other channel a few times

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+Ride AMAP (As Much As Possible) it's an interesting comparison and probably deserves a video one day. i think there's quite a bit of overlap between them... personally i prefer the DR650 as an adventure bike with its long legs on the open stretches, but if you wanted to also do some easy dirt riding as well then the DRZ weighs 20kg less which makes a big difference.

[@RideAMAP]

I'd look forward to that video. I've owned a 400 and sold it for a lighter bike for the dirt and am now looking for a bike with longer legs than the 400 for some adventure riding. Thanks for always replying to my questions.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+Ride AMAP (As Much As Possible) personally what i would love to see is the DRZ bored and stroked to a 500 or possibly a 550... no more top end as they'd need to beep up the internals, but just to give it some grunt, then put a bigger tank and comfortable seat on it. it would sell like hotcakes as a light weight adv bike!

[@RideAMAP]

Don't forget the fuel injection and the sixth gear

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+Ride AMAP (As Much As Possible) yes, the dream list would include those, along with RMZ suspension!

[@bradsanders6954]

Chain roller still on mine. Dont tighten the chain too tight,that's my story. I also hate not having the rubber footpeg mounts working. Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz on the feet on road.

[@Biglug8888]

You're videos are great. Very informative and funny as hell! It seems that the bean counters at Kawasaki are just as cheap, KLR's don't come with grease either.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Bizarre isn't it, Lou? How many cents are they saving per bike?

[@billbonu1639]

Any ideas on rigging a small fan you can switch off and on for the oil cooler that won't overload the charging system or if you think it would be worth it?

[@crosstrainingadventure]

I haven't heard of this being done, Bill.

[@pleaserespond]

pre 2103 DR's Thats only like 107 years right

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+pleaserespond they still won't have changed anything other than the colour by then lol

[@pleaserespond]

+ADVENTURE OZ i mean at 3:07, the top caption reads pre-2103's maybe in 2103 they might have added some loctite to the NSU screws

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+pleaserespond yep i i figured that's what you meant. :) it will probably take them that long to add loctite... the japanese have become incredibly lazy with their bikes, very sad to see.

[@ryanrott5917]

I know these videos are old but please I would love to know how much you weigh making the bike ride like that please and thank you

[@alphaetomega]

My 3/2013 built DR650 did not have the countershaft seal retainer... You have been warned.

[@lifeofbryan3098]

One of the guys on our local forum had a third-gear blow up. He had the bike from new and I think it blew at 30 000km. it was a relatively new model, 2009 I think. He took good care of it (he had his own thread going when it blew), so I think it's just bad luck. Very expensive bad luck though

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+BBQ Rider it would be good to have exact stats on it, a lot of bikes have an achilles heel like this but it just doesn't get publicised i guess. it's definitely rare, but is a known issue and of course the problem is the more you hear about it the more it sounds as though it's very likely. the DR's close cousin, the KLR650, has a similar issue with the top ends self destructing but again in very small numbers and very few know about it. happened to a mate of mine though. suzuki should pull their finger out, get it sorted AND let everyone know it's sorted.

[@lifeofbryan3098]

ADVENTURE OZ I agree. Luckily it's such a rare issue, I don't really worry about it. Between the dozens of DR's on our forum there's well over a million km's without this issue. It would be nice if Suzuki could update their bikes every now and then, wouldn't it?

[@donbraham411]

Rag on the KLR some now. Jeeeesh

[@matthewludstrom4602]

My 2009 third gear went off like a grenade punching holes in the case front and rear....less than 20000km .

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Bummer. It seems to be rare but incredibly frustrating when it happens at relatively low mileage, Matt. The part number changed quite a few years ago so some assumed they beefed up the third gear cog, but others say nothing has changed. I'd love to know what the actual failure rate is... e.g. 1% of bikes with 50000km? 3%?

[@AfroSnackey]

Got the 2020 model is the NSU still a problem?

[@crosstrainingadventure]

i heard on the grapevine they started putting loctite on the bolts. if it's true i don't know if it's been a good solution or not.

[@johnnytest55]

Please Help someone! I just got a 2014dr650, problem started while riding...it just turned off on me. Figured out it had a bad battery so I got a new one but the same problem persists. The bike will turn on...eventually but only stays on for about a minute then turns off. Also when it's on and I press on the throttle it seems as though it wants to turn off, when I close the throttle it goes back to normal.

[@andygeorge6065]

Take a close... close look at the fuel filter... Its not very big so as it gets clogged up with tank rubbish, and the bike starts demanding fuel from the tank, it cant get the extra fuel and dies... Experiment :- Try running it up and revving it lightly with the fuel cap off (this prevents the tank forming a vacuum, and inhibits fuel flow to the carb)... See if it starts behaving itself... Get back to me...

[@billbonu1639]

What kind of grease for head bearings? you would have to clean all of the factory grease out in order to just grab some off the shelf and put in because you can't mix different greases, it'll gum up worse than no grease.wonder what grease the factory uses.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Good point. I don't know. I found this reliable source. Can different types of grease be mixed? If the base oils are of the same type (such as petroleum lubricating oils or other same base oils), greases made from different soap bases or thickeners should generally not be simply mixed. For some types of lipids, such as calcium-based grease and sodium-based grease, or lithium-based grease and complex lithium-based grease, etc., they can be mixed with each other and generally do not cause much change in performance and do not affect the use. However, extreme pressure greases, because they contain various active ingredients, will cause the additives to dry stir when mixed with each other, resulting in poor gel stability or mechanical stability of the grease, affecting its performance. Before mixing different types of fats with each other, the properties of the fats after mixing should be determined. Use only when there is no obvious effect.

[@billbonu1639]

@@crosstrainingadventure I learned the hard eon an old truck that I called myself re packing the bearings on.perfectly good bearings.i just slathered some stuff that was in the shed in there and a week later they were both roaring.took it apart and looked like bubblegum.now I clean them thoroughly with b22 chem tool before repacking.

[@sjbechet1111]

Goddammit I just bought a nearly new bushpig and it's all your fault. :-) Now for the learning curve.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Congrats! Is it for dual sport riding or getting into some serious adventure trips?

[@sjbechet1111]

@@crosstrainingadventure After 30 years road only going to start with the trails - camping etc and work up to some more serious stuff. Some of the best roads in NZ are metal book-ended with tar seal. Ive done a few on big sports touring bikes but it just aint no fun. I could have gone faster on my mountain bike :-)

[@DumpsterDolphin]

I just recently got one of these and it seems to be leaking after a couple rides. The shifter has oil around it. It's only a drip here and there but some times it won't go into 1st I got push it really hard to get it in. Anyone know how to fix those two problems? Other than that the bike is a blast.

[@richardbarnes455]

I had a sportster decades ago that acted similarly. I eventually learned to shift up into second and then down into first.

[@markmtbrider]

WOW looks like you are running some hard core trails that i have seen in your other vids with the bush pig! still running the death wing tires or did i miss that upgrade? maybe you will ride the wildrock with it this year.....

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+markmtbrider still on the deathwings, waiting for some goldentyre 723 knobbies to come through! not sure on wildwood, winding up in hospital with heat stroke last time really turned me off the event... and the 2500km drive to get there. :(

[@397coney7]

Recently someone told me that a popular thing people do is, when replacing clutch plates, to also replace the plastic oil pump gear. I’ve never heard of that, but will be replacing clutch plates soon………anyone know if it’s true?

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Not sure what the service interval for them is, but if they are cheap then it's probably a good idea once the clutch plates need replacing.

[@Chazzbeef]

Does anyone know how tall Barry is? I'm 6'7" and trying to gauge how this bike will fit.

[@nickx8411]

Bike will fit you perfectly.

[@halfbit]

Curious to see how much you end up spending on the bike + aftermarket parts and improvements.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+Kevin T. same here kevin. originally my plan was to see how much transformation you could achieve for $2000 which given the cheap price tag on the DR still means a cheap bike overall. but there's so much tempting stuff out there lol.

[@397coney7]

I just added up my upgrade from 2019……..$3890USD. The single most expensive thing was the rear shock at just over $1000.00USD for the Cogent. That was the last upgrade I made, because I had a tough time wrapping my head around the cost. Obviously there are less expensive ways to go, but…….I did get the DR650 used super cheap. A 2017 for $2100.

[@4x4junkie86]

this is very informative but wtf.. why dont they just get people like you to make the bikes in the first place since ya'll fix all the manufactures issues.. btw, id love to see a series like this on the KLR 650 since not everyone can afford a 25k africa twin..

[@donbraham411]

At least they still make the DR unlike the KLR

[@chexlemeneux8790]

Its sucks that you get charged import fees on procycle shipments, i order from other countries all the time and never have this extra charge. Only procycle for some reason , and it was $70 . They would have gotten thousands more but i can get the same products on ebay, cheaper price, cheaper shipping and No IMPORT FEE . Even though the packages are coming from the states into canada . It would have been $400 more for my last delivery if I ordered from procycle lol

[@josephpuisis7567]

Are you running stock sprockets? Looks like yours wheelie pretty good.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Stock gearing. Even before derestricting the engine I find it wheelies quite easily in third gear.

[@trollnapf1670]

Great video and is there an update on later models? Thank you.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

The tiny number of updates since 1996 were in this vid

[@trollnapf1670]

@@crosstrainingadventure Thank you and I should have phrased my question different. Your video was posted in 2016 and I just got a 2020 so I am wondering if there were issues you talked about in your video which were addressed by Suzuki in later models like mine. I just watched your other video where you took a stock DR for a spin after a year of not riding off road and it was great. This is my first dual sport so it is quite exciting for me. Thanks again.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Can't remember exact years, but a few years back they started putting on countershaft seal retainers. And they loctited the NSU bolts. That's it from memory.

[@MrAndrew1953]

Hmm since it’s a cheapish bike for what it is and I’m not a mechanic, I’d rather just get the required mods done as part of a package deal from new. Peter Stevens are selling these in Melbourne for about $10K with an Acerbis(?) plastic tank. Looks like there’s a fair bit of work required to get the suspension, foot pegs, fuel system up to a reasonable, reliable operating level. Your thoughts.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Discussed in the first episode, Andrew. A fun bike if you like tinkering on a project bike. But way too tedious for some. The SWM 650 is probably a great choice otherwise.

[@Sweetmanmoto]

Do we have anything approaching statistics for the NSU bolts? Or is this something that's happened 6 times and the facebook page has gone crazy?

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+Sweetman there is a thread out there with reports from guys saying the state of theirs when they checked, just google around. it happens often enough to be worth checking as you get close to the end of the warranty period imho.

[@Sweetmanmoto]

ok I guess I'll get off my arse and do the job. Great video of the WTF factors of the bike

[@josearenisbaez958]

hola amigos. deberían subtitular al español seria genial... porque los arreglos que le hacen a las dr son muy buenos

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Necesito un traductor español! ¿Conoces traductores? :)

[@josearenisbaez958]

ADVENTURE OZ ya me pongo en eso a buscar un traductor q te pueda servir 👍👌

[@OrdinaryLatvian]

ADVENTURE OZ I speak both English and Spanish fluently (native Spanish, family's from 'murica) but I've got no idea how to translate for KZbin. Hit me up if you need any help with translations, I love your videos.

[@josearenisbaez958]

astropapi1 Gracias le agradezco por el dato

[@DownUnderDualSport]

I'm looking at buying one these bush pigs. I recently found one on bike sales and the bike has the 30l safari tank, aftermarket bars, windscreen, ETC. But the bike has 45,000kms would you know any common problems with DR's with high kms?

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+DownUnderDualSport if it's looked after then 45000km isn't high, a mate of mine has 110,000km on his and its still running great, no smoke and no engine work as yet.

[@DownUnderDualSport]

Oh wow they really do just last forever.

[@lifeofbryan3098]

+DownUnderDualSport Mine has 60 000km on it and it just needs a wash and new tyres every now and then

[@feliperuiz7559]

Hey man how tall are you ? Just so I have an idea if I will have to change the handle bar position with mine when I get it.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

around six four, felipe. if you plan to stand on the pegs much then the handlebar position will be weird for almost anyone i think.

[@feliperuiz7559]

CROSS TRAINING ADVENTURE cool we are about the same height so Ill have to do the modification also. Thanks for the tips dude God bless.

[@IISHEEVAII]

what oil do you recommend? sintetyc? semi sintetic? mineral? and how many kilometers change it? greetings from mexico.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

hola desde australia! oil? for me, anything cheap that's meant for motorbikes. we did a vid about oil recommendation on our other channel that is slightly tongue in cheek.... kzbin.info/www/bejne/bGjTiJaliK2sZ8U

[@IISHEEVAII]

i saw your video ha ha ha ha, olive oil, canola hahahahaha.

[@IISHEEVAII]

Hello from Mexico, I have seen all your videos and they are really good, interesting and fun, but I still have the same question, what oil should I put on my bike? my user manual tells me to change my oil every 6000 kilometers but it does not indicate if it is mineral, semi synthetic, or full synthetic. my dr650 I use 90% for city and 10% offroad. thank you for your help.

[@donovansantana9977]

Can we get an update on things they’ve fixed on the 2020 model?

[@crosstrainingadventure]

the past few years they have put loctite on the NSU bolts and fitted a seal retainer on the countershaft. that's about it as far as i know.

[@donovansantana9977]

@@crosstrainingadventure Thank you for answering! appreciate it! currently looking for one in my area! can't wait!

[@martinoliver8536]

now for the Honda xr?

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+Martin Oliver if only they still sold them here in oz! most of us would much prefer the XR if it was the same price as a DR. :(

[@Enemiesexposed]

Mine stalls randomly.

[@andygeorge6065]

Is it likely that the upper chain roller is only there because Suzuki realises the rear shock is crap... and it needed to be resolved without having to junk bulk orders of the wrong shocks, at massive cost... So in a unique and poor resolve to a problem that shouldnt have happened in the first place, they put rollers in to tame the wild chain swinging and subsequent damage...?

[@jrbass62]

I did the NSU on my 14 V Strom 1000, It's easy..

[@Donkula23]

I wish I could wheelie my DR like you can wheelie yours....

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+Don2323 they are surprisingly easy once you've got the technique down, don kzbin.info/www/bejne/eILIfqCBqN6dnas

[@billbonu1639]

What's a cobby?

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Which part of the vid, Bill?

[@TheGuyWho3415]

countershaft seal pops out on pre 2103 dr650s!? Guess I'll wait another 86 years to get a fixed one.

[@kezzajohnson7563]

Nice. Your videos are very well done and reflect your passion and knowledge of the Big DR. I see that you have credited me for one of my photos of Starter Motor cavity drain hole. Good work. I am going to feature all of your videos on my new site that I am building @ justdr650.com. It's coming together slowly but surely.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+Kerry Johnson thanks kerry, that was a very useful photo. the site is looking good, i figure youv'e seen the DR wiki? lots of good info there too. :) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzuki_DR650

[@Brian-ie2un]

I wish you were into my brand and model of motorcycle.

[@thomasbecker7127]

but seriously the only issue i had was getting to the battery is to much work

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+Constable Cunning yeah a lot of guys will find they never hit any of these issues at all, but statistically the nasty ones can and do occur from time to time

[@petertaylor2148]

And could you please tell us if you know of another bike that is better so we can avoid all this hassle... Seriously 🤔 Because my god after making this video the question begs what's good about the DR.. Nonetheless your point is taken..

[@crosstrainingadventure]

once you get to know any bike you can compile a long list of known issues with it. i've done this with quite a few bikes and i often get guys saying well why buy it then?

[@redsquarejay]

I was planning on buying the 2019 DR650SE but after watching this it seems like the bike will destroy itself if I don’t modify it. I’d rather not modify a damn thing till the warranty expires.

[@ItsJakeTheBrake]

The bike is great and it'll run fine for a long time. This list is of things that CAN go wrong. You could have a similar list on every single bike out there. Heck, looking at the list of potential problems on a BMW GS would make you think that they are built to fail. Reality is that people ride them around the world with next to no problems.

[@andrewpeters7785]

A lot of these mods won't affect warranty (footpegs/seat etc), and the NSU screw issue/countershaft seal retainer are fixed on current models.

[@SpkStephen]

Hey! I thought I was the only one who pissed in the toilet that way.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+SpkStephen :)

[@Max-ps2ps]

2103 drs

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+Husqvarna enduro they still won't have changed anything by the time we get to that year lol

[@thomasbecker7127]

hehe first

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+Constable Cunning well done old chap!

[@grantmcdonald9881]

Getting lazy with the disclaimers there? I see you're copying previous ones ;)

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+grant mcdonald lol we are a nation of lazy convicts. i figure most of the adventure riders aren't subscribed to the enduro channel so may as well double up. :)

[@albertptran]

Weirdest peg mounts i've ever seen

[@crosstrainingadventure]

+Albert Tran who knows what suzuki was thinking :)

[@elvispusley3515]

I would rather buy a crf450rl, it just needs an ECU and then your good to go. Butt the upfront cost is more

[@galactictomato1434]

Those are very high maintenance.