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Which Bike? Comments and Questions on what is the best bike for YOU, for YOUR trip. Note that we believe that ANY bike will do, so please remember that it's all down to PERSONAL OPINION. Technical Questions for all brands go in their own forum.
Photo by George Guille, It's going to be a long 300km... Bolivian Amazon

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by George Guille
It's going to be a long 300km...
Bolivian Amazon



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  #31  
Old 7 Feb 2008
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where to look
hi

i have found a DR650SE. it is 2004 make, but, registered on november 2006. so, it is virtually 1 year 3 months old. it has 28000KM (17000 m) on the clock and have 1 previous owner.

it is about 800km (500 m) away from where i live. i will have only one chance to look at it and a ride.

my question is, which is the delicate part of the bike? where should i pay attention? which parts are vital parts for DR650?

thanks..
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  #32  
Old 7 Feb 2008
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All this points to how the back was treated.
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  #33  
Old 7 Feb 2008
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thanks mollydog.

my options was XT600 and DR650. I wanna simple, light, reliable, non-electronic, non-injection bike. there is no bike which last forever. Turkish Suzuki importer does not import DR since 2004 so the latest model here in Turkiye is 2004 make.

i have heard that post-2000 make XT's are as not reliable as the pre-2000 ones. I dont want to own a bike which is 10 years old.

did you mean 18000 miles is too much for long distance bike? there is one more which is 2004 make and has only 4000 km (app 2500 miles) on the clock and it is really shiny. it is 600 km (375 miles) away from my home.

the first one cost 5900 USD and the second (one with 4000km on the clock) 7100 USD. i know they cost to much comparing to US price. I have checked the suzuki usa site and saw that brand new DR cost 5099 USD.

how should air filter look like? and how can i exemine the oil without drain it?

thanks a lot!
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  #34  
Old 7 Feb 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ozhanu View Post

how should air filter look like? and how can i exemine the oil without drain it?

thanks a lot!

Oz,
Mollydog is saying that the air filter should be clean and the oil should be the same, if the bike is well maintained - for the oil, just look at the dip stick or the sight window for the oil level.
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  #35  
Old 8 Feb 2008
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but not too many options?
Try to see the oil. meditate on it
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  #36  
Old 9 Feb 2008
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But I think xt600 is the best buy for long way. Be patient, anf looking for xt600, you will not be wrong!!!
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  #37  
Old 9 Feb 2008
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But I think xt600 is the best buy for long way. Be patient, anf looking for xt600, you will not be wrong!!!
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  #38  
Old 9 Feb 2008
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ummm.... again dilemma.. xt or dr...???

by the way i went to suzuki dealer here. he had a 2006 make DL650 V-Strom. it has 8000 km on the clock looks shiny and brand new.. a bit costy comparing to xt or dr but very very comfortable, powerfull and tempted. However, i am suspicious about the Africa leg of the tour. I think it (the dl) cant cope with Africa and remote places in S.America. But it is definately ideal bike for Turkiye and any other EU country (ok, Iran and USA too). Also, on this form, I haven't heard bad things or bad fault report about DL. bad points are: their are heavy, low graund clearance, delicate plastics, too much digital electronics, carbs and need a dealer to fix, especially the electronic bits!!!

it is really hard to make some choise. everyday you change your mind.. i've got couple of months. i'll wait and see.
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  #39  
Old 9 Feb 2008
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Wink Wait and See
Quote:
Originally Posted by ozhanu View Post
ummm.... again dilemma.. xt or dr...???


it is really hard to make some choise. everyday you change your mind.. i've got couple of months. i'll wait and see.

Welcome to the club!! Now you are into "Which Twin?"!
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  #40  
Old 9 Feb 2008
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thanks dave, but, i would like to hear (or read) more constructive ideas from an experianced member like you .

do i have to cross the dl over from the list and carry on looking for a clean xt or dl?
or do you think dl can handle Africa if i dont do too many offroad?

thanks
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  #41  
Old 9 Feb 2008
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However, i am suspicious about the Africa leg of the tour. I think it (the dl) cant cope with Africa and remote places in S.America.
It all depends of where you want to drive. People have made though Africa on scooters and bicycles. If you want to drive on main roads, no big problems. If you want to go off the beaten tracks then that is something different.
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  #42  
Old 9 Feb 2008
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Here is an expert that has ridden many bikes RTW and what is opinion is on the KLR.

Gregory Frazier

Good luck,

Randy
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  #43  
Old 9 Feb 2008
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Advice from an amateur long distance rider but long time owner of bikes.
Get a Yamaha! I have owned four so far in my life and the most reliable bike I ever had was a 1974 Yamaha XS 650 twin. I bought it in 1987 for US$500.00 and it just ran and ran.

My 1993 xt600 with 55K Kilometers does not leak or burn any oil. I bought it two years ago with 46K kilometers on it. Did a 3K trip on it recently with no problems. It runs great and I am planning on a 12,000 Kilometer trip one year from now. Buying bigger gas tank, softer seat, etc.

I rode my friends 97 Suzuki DR650 the other day, it was more comfortable than my xt but seemed wimpy to me. IMO
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  #44  
Old 9 Feb 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ozhanu View Post
thanks mollydog.



i have heard that post-2000 make XT's are as not reliable as the pre-2000 ones. I dont want to own a bike which is 10 years old.



how should air filter look like? and how can i exemine the oil without drain it?

thanks a lot!
I doubt it! Here in Brazil they have the same engine. They drive the XT600 everywhere here in Brazil pre and post year 2000. They even have a site dedicated to the xt. Página do Clube XT600!


Whichever one you pick, accept it and have fun!
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  #45  
Old 9 Feb 2008
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DL650 - TA - Versys thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by ozhanu View Post
do i have to cross the dl over from the list and carry on looking for a clean xt or dl?
or do you think dl can handle Africa if i dont do too many offroad?

thanks


Hi Ozhanu,

I don't want to take your thread too much! It's a good one for singles, as it is.

If you are interested in considering the DL650, then you could take a look at this thread:-
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...-twins-31992-2

Although it was aimed mainly at the 2008 TA, it has some info about the Wee Strom.
Of course there are plenty of other threads that deal with the bike and I believe there are lots of them travelling right now.
I think it is significant that no one has bad things to say about them.

Cheers,

ps The "balance" between off-road and on-road riding while travelling long distances needs to be thought about carefully - again, check back with earlier threads - once a bike is loaded up it is a handful for any type of dirt riding (and the serious dirt riders would laugh at such antics).
I guess it depends, in part, on what you want to get out of a particular trip - is riding dirt "for the sake of it" likely because many, many countries have some form of sealed road surface nowadays.
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