My DR 650 is comming up on 25,000 miles. I'm just wondering what maintence problems others might of had and what I might expect?

I just replaced the power source coil. I found a place that could sell me the coil without the stater.

Head gasket leakage has been fixed. All new plastic, breakes are in good shape, new tires, new turn signals. Kept the bent bars, Kind of use to them! New chain and sprockets.

------------------
Rocket

I still drive my DR 650 SE without any Problems beyond the 52.000km mark. There is a construction problem with the cylinder gasket leeking: remove the aluminium conection between the cylinder head and the frame (chasie) (because to much vibration from the frame to the engine) and always take care at the clutch cable at the engine side always be shure that the nipple can twist easy thats it normaly. Good luck for the next 25.000 miles. Kules

What great bikes! I had forgotten that I posted this. Head gasket seems to be a constant and consistant problem with all the 96 thru 99 models. Had the header break a couple of weekends ago while in Death Valley. Wired it in and rode anothe 450 miles, just a little noisey.

Thanks for the heads up!

One other problem that can affect some big singles is the drive splines wearing on the output shaft that carries the front sprocket. I've had it twice on my DR600 (v.similar bike) in the past, once at 28,000m & again at 61,000m. Pain in the arse to sort out as it's a complete stripdown of everything because of the vertically split cases. You can see the wear on the driving edge of the spline faces. The first you know about it is a complete lack of drive, with the shaft spinning in the centre of the sprocket.

Should it happen, check out the condition of the kickstart shaft whilst you're in there. I did'nt the first timer & the kickstart shaft snapped a couple of months later, meaning another strip & re-build.

Steve

Steve
thats not the spline that the sproket itself attaches to is it? I was contemnplating it would be possible to spot weld the sproket on until you could aford the time / money to change the splined shaft. I anticipate grinding the sproket off if it wears out before proper attention!

I am getting dodgier and dodgier...its BMW ownership.

I am contemplating DR650 SE as I can get a newbie for 7000AUD/ 4000Euro the 1200GS 22000 AUD.

http://users.netlink.com.au/~asimpson

[This message has been edited by simmo (edited 27 May 2004).]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by simmo:
[B]Steve
thats not the spline that the sproket itself attaches to is it?

Yes it is! I've heard of it happening on early KLR's as well. Please note that I had swapped my front sprocket for an RD350 item (same spline pattern) to fit a bigger sprocket due to having fitted 17" wheels F&R. The Yamaha sprocket was retained by a circlip around the output shaft instead of the Suzuki's small plate & screws. I've often wondered whether this set-up allowed the sprocket to chatter & cause wear?

If you're planning to (electrically) weld the sprocket, don't forget to disconnect the battery & ignition boxes first. Also remove the fuel tank, probably a good idea to remove the battery as well thinking about it. I had one explode on me from angle grinder sparks....

Steve



[This message has been edited by Steve Pickford (edited 27 May 2004).]

The fix for the spline wear would seem to be a wider collar around the sprocket hole, where the teeth would be wider. This would increase the contact surface area and better distribute the load. I guess the problem could be that the output shaft does not protrude enough to accomodate this configuration?
An enterprising machinist could cut a "doughnut" out of a donor sprocket and weld it to the new sprocket, then maybe grind it down to fit....