more DR
 

The MEFO's did very well for me in all conditions. Never so much as a hiccup. Other tires with a larger distance between blocks seem to work better for loose rocks and chunks of dirt but overall the stress my friend went through looking for a new tire after 3500 miles was way too much for the amount of dirt that we did. I am going to buy a new pair when these wear out and use my knobbies for local dirt. Highly recommended for the DR.


What was your route through Mexico? Baja too? Did you find much dirt riding
in Mainland Mexico?

We live in Seattle and we drove to Mexico from here using dirt from Bend, OR to Nevada and some sections in Nevada. Then Hermisillo (sorry if I am spelling these towns wrong), Creel, Batopilas, Los Mochis, El Fuerte, MZT, Durango, Zacatecas, Guanajuato, Morelia, the coast, DF, Houston. There is a lot of dirt to be done. My favorite part was Batopilas to Los Mochis but there were many, many times when I was glad for the ground clearance of the DR when finding camping spots, riding off through hardly used tracks for a good lunch spot or getting our bikes into hotel lobbies. With a little inginuity and patience, there are many dirt roads and lots of good camping in mainland Mexico. Beaches, desert, mountains- I was suprised at the diversity.

I think I am going for Happy Trails aluminums with the Wolfman 4 liter gas tank saddle bags to get some of the weight up front. We rode with some bikers from AZ and that system looks good on their KLR's. On hard dirt, my biggest problem was too much weight in the back (well, besides my inexperience). My front end would pop up when the road got really steep.


On a long mostly road trip a good shield is imperative IMO. Man, I hope you
were wearing EAR PLUGS!! :( If not, then yes, you HAVE damaged your hearing) I'm a sound mixer so I know about such things. :smartass:

I did wear earplugs all the time but it wasn't enough because my ears are still ringing 2 weeks later. It really wasn't that bad until the return trip when I was riding all day for 10 days. I tried many types of disposables as well- the best they had at Home Depo. I think the final straw for my ears was riding from Matamoros to Houston. There was a cold front with a wind gusting 50 mph and I was going 50 to 60. It was comming from the side of the bike so what little the screen did was circumvented. I never had a problem on my vfr or DL1000 so I was suprised. I am willing to spend whatever it takes and I don't care if my bike looks like the popemobile to do it. Any suggestions? What about professional musical earplugs?

How did the DR's do mechanically?

Flawless. Perfect. I love my DR. Just love it. I lost a chain clip and the chain broke. We were doing some rough stuff for days and I think I let the chain get too loose and it popped off. Bent the chain laterally when it went through the sprockets. I had spare master links but the chain was bent on 10 links or so. It limped until I could get a new one. I had a hard crash and bent the handlebars on the throttle. It was a little sticky.

I am new to the dirt aspect of things. I have been riding street for 10 years but just forest roads until now. You know what struck me? I am amazed at the constant abuse that I inflicted on my DR and how well it did. I just never thought that a bike could take that much. Wow. Especially crashes. And deep river crossings. I am glad I didn't have a bigger bike on those days. People tell me they can ride their BMW1200 adv on stuff like that and I just can't see how with all those big rocks.

Thanks for the report.

It is my pleasure- thank you for being interested in my trip.

[QUOTE=mrdnd]...............am willing to spend whatever it takes and I don't care if my bike looks like the popemobile to do it............... QUOTE]

I mounted a tall Parabellum shield and it actually gives more protection than the AeroFlow on my GS. It's very close to you and not for off road riding. Cuts the wind noise by 80-90%??
Using thumb screws/wing nuts/plastic knobs, etc to mount, it's quick and easy to remove. Stow it under a net on the rear, or something similar when not running fast or planning some dirt.
I do too many highway miles to not have a good shield.
I'm 5'10" and look over top of the shield.

A few new Farkles
 

I've done a few new things to the DR in the last week, thought I'd post a pic or two.

Patrick:scooter:


One thing I did was install heated grips. I have a pic of the grips switch zipped tied to Idiot light module. I bought a rubber sleeve for the toggle and made a a rubber "dam" out of inner tube to go over the switch itself.
http://patricksphotos.smugmug.com/ph...12618385-M.jpg
http://patricksphotos.smugmug.com/ph...12618380-M.jpg

I also thought a PVC pipe for tools would be good so I fabbed one up today.
Holds quite a bit of the heaviest items and then some. I used 3" HD PVC
about 10" across with a cap on one end and a rubber cap with a hose
clamp on the other. I could have used a threaded end but it was bulky.
http://patricksphotos.smugmug.com/ph...12618390-M.jpg
http://patricksphotos.smugmug.com/ph...12618405-M.jpg
Most of this stuff fits in. I don't carry the VOM in there or the glue and
patch stuff. The nut/bolt kit will have to someplace else. But the big tire iron
fits and all the hard tools.
http://patricksphotos.smugmug.com/ph...12618374-M.jpg

Thanks Lone Rider
 

I will try your windshield for this comming spring and summer. Thank you for directing me to a good product. -Mark

What's Left
 

The ATV hi-bend Protaper bars, gel grips, new sprockets, new x-ring chain, TKC 80 frt tire and hand guards will arrive this coming week. Aside from maybe a lower chain roller, spare clutch cable and maybe pegs...she's finished, personalized, and ready for a good trip.

I'll fill the bars with #9 lead shot and try to keep the stock hand shields with the new alum hand guards. The stock shields aren't the slickest looking, but do offer good weather protection.

The bike is now 3 months old with 9,800 miles. Due for another oil change in a few hundred, factory chain looks great, no discernable wear on the rear sprocket, but I can see some slight elongation and the beginings of hooking on the front. It's probably good for another 10k miles, but I'm unsure. The upcoming trip to Mexico and Central America might be a 10k deal. I hate not getting full use out of equipment/parts life and at the same time I don't want to haul an extra chain and sprockets along with me. Packing light is my method and mantra, but the video/photo gear is necessary and will be my handicap.

The bike gets new sprockets and a chain before I leave. :)

She will probably return with new shoes scavenged from some southern country, yet to be known.

I love mi moto... :)

It's the only wind screen manufacturer I've ever heard of that offers a 30 day money-back trial.

Sounds good! Ready to roll!:thumbup1:
At close to 10K on your stock chain I'd say changing it out is prudent. Based
on LeCap's comments regards stock DR chains and my own experience with sinlges, I'd guess the stocker is good for between 10k to 15K miles.

Here's the thing about chains.....and I wish you'd leave your original on so you could see this happen.....is that once they start to go....they go very quickly! :eek3:

Planning on posting any video clips on line anywhere? Have a great trip!

Patrick

:scooter:

On Blinkers (indicators)

There are some cheap small honda XR replacements around .. they come with 10 Watt globes .. you can get 23watt globe that fit (and don't melt the housing!) .. that means they are bright enough.

I blot the front ones under the handel bars .. using the mirror mounting .. behind the bark busters. This means they are less likely to get hit!

On the panniers .. I use the pelican 1550 .. but they are avalible in different sizes. Place the rear blinkers inside the panner line and they are safe.

The only advice I've had for DR650s is the starter motor can get crap in it .. may be a yearly clean out?

Thanks Frank,
Latest blinker I heard of that looks good are the GasGas trials bike turn signals. Same as the ones on the Buell. Small, bright, and supposedly very
inexpensive. Have to check them out.

Patrick

These are the ones I tried first. I switched them to the front. No pics of that.
http://patricksphotos.smugmug.com/ph...253022-M-1.jpg

Then I put these on the back. $16 pair at Cycle Gear. Diamond lights.
Bright enough, I made them flexible using rubber fuel hose.
http://patricksphotos.smugmug.com/ph...12260989-M.jpg

Smart thinking. :thumb

I haven't messed with the stock ones. If they get knocked off, I'll probably gaffer tape or zip-tie them to 'something'. I'm kinda big on hand signals even with blinkers.

Frank,
The Peli's are great boxes, but I'm staying away from hard luggage. Yeah, possibly losing some security in certain situations, I know.

BTW Patrick, the rear Mefo feels very planted on-road. The front Trail Wing is unreal - betting it would go over 13k of mostly high speed running- but I'll change it out later this week. I'm thinking it's the 21' frt keeping me from feeling so cozy just quickly plopping the bike over into a turn, like I felt on the GS. A learning thing...

Frank,
When are you exporting yourself and bike from that big island?

Patrick,

I like the idea about the Remus. Are you sure that they make one for the DR though? I looked on their website and couldnt find one. Maybe I will drive over there and see what fits, they are only 1 hour from where I live.

If you decide to sell the IMS or the Corbin let me know as I am probably going to pick up a stock 00 this weekend.

Lukas

I would call Knut (pronounced Kanoot) Wagner at Remus in SF.
He'll know for sure. The Remus can will fit, its the mid pipe they
probably do not have. Buts its possible Knut could order this
from Austria or have it made locally...ain't that big a deal.

The Ti cans are great but pricey...they also make Aluminum and
Carbon fiber cans, both cheaper (but NOT better) than Titanium.

Not selling anything anytime soon.

Patrick:scooter:

Spare clutch cable came in today and gets zip-tied on tomorrow. Plastic and gaffer tape over the ends.
The back ordered JT sprockets were finally shipped out on Monday.
The MSR brush guard adapters for the Protaper bars...and the plastic shields are somewhere in a Brown Truck..late.
Still haven't mounted the front TKC sitting on a table in the living area, but do fondle the knobs at least one time each day.
I really don't know what else to do for the bike right now except for riding it several times each day. :)

Maybe some spare levers to zip-tie underneath the rear rack....

Sounds like your ready to pull the trigger! :thumbup1:

I think levers are good, cheap insurance. OEM ones are only $8 or $9 from Ron Ayers. I've carried them on my dirt bikes in my tool kits for years.

Your MSR hand guards (bark busters) should protect the levers but sometimes they get snapped off. I leave the bolts on the perch caps just a bit loose so they rotate instead of breaking in a fall. Be sure to Loc-Tite the bolts. They should stay in place but if pushed on hard, should move.

I'd strap that TKC on the back and wear out your current front on the highway going south. It'll be gone soon enough.

I think Team Brown are having a melt down this year. Too much cost cutting(read profit taking) I expect. Everyone I've talked are complaining about UPS and FedEX. USPS seems to be doing great however.

Have a great trip!

Patrick:scooter:

I like the way you think. :)