The DR650 thread

[Blou Zebu]

I've had DR 650 SEs for a number of years.

From 1996 till current (overseas) mechanically the same bike. Headlight shroud changed around 2000.

Condition and milage should be your concerns, and not year model

Spares can still be bought from Suzuki. Service parts are generic items.

You'll hardly need any body parts, as they crash well. Fit hand guards.

The 1998 and early 1999 models had a solid gear instead of the starter clutch. Easy to whip off the LH engine casing to inspect, but I doubt if you'll find many of that vintage still around.

Place a wanted notification in the for sale section, and let the WDs assist you in finding this great bike! 

They crash very well! That is one of the reasons I prefer it way over the KLR with all it's paltics!

BUT the right hand side exhaust cover has a design fault because I have had to buy 3 as the screw loosens itself and then the cover falls off!

[Spectaitor]

I've had DR 650 SEs for a number of years.

From 1996 till current (overseas) mechanically the same bike. Headlight shroud changed around 2000.

Condition and milage should be your concerns, and not year model

Spares can still be bought from Suzuki. Service parts are generic items.

You'll hardly need any body parts, as they crash well. Fit hand guards.

The 1998 and early 1999 models had a solid gear instead of the starter clutch. Easy to whip off the LH engine casing to inspect, but I doubt if you'll find many of that vintage still around.

Place a wanted notification in the for sale section, and let the WDs assist you in finding this great bike! 

Will definitely do so a bit later in the year. Way too excited for this but have to control the urge to do it right this second lol. I've seen a lot of bikes with huge mileage that still ride perfectly, seems such a gamble getting one that hasn't been neglected.

[Ri]

They are still manufactured and sold all over, very popular in Oz and NZ where they're called "Bush pigs".

But over here new models are no longer imported, because they exceed emission standards. The latest year model you'll find in South Africa is 2014. You can still import them at huge cost. If I ever win the lotto, I might do that.

Parts aren't really a problem because they don't really break. I've bent handlebars and levers. One of my DRs apparently had the 3rd gear blow out but it's the only bike I've ever heard of that that happened to. So admittedly when something goes wrong it might be catastrophic.

There is currently a notice in the WD For Sale section for a white 2014 Suzuki DR650 with less than 10,000 kms on it, last bid as far as I know was R45,000. You might also find some being advertised on Gumtree and elsewhere.

If you were located closer you could maybe have twisted my arm for one of mine

[Spectaitor]

They are still manufactured and sold all over, very popular in Oz and NZ where they're called "Bush pigs".

But over here new models are no longer imported, because they exceed emission standards. The latest year model you'll find in South Africa is 2014. You can still import them at huge cost. If I ever win the lotto, I might do that.

Parts aren't really a problem because they don't really break. I've bent handlebars and levers. One of my DRs apparently had the 3rd gear blow out but it's the only bike I've ever heard of that that happened to. So admittedly when something goes wrong it might be catastrophic.

There is currently a notice in the WD For Sale section for a white 2014 Suzuki DR650 with less than 10,000 kms on it, last bid as far as I know was R45,000. You might also find some being advertised on Gumtree and elsewhere.

If you were located closer you could maybe have twisted my arm for one of mine

I will certainly remember this haha, maybe closer to a convenient time I'll find the perfect deal. Would be nice to own such a fantastic bike that is no longer imported.

[Ri]

Oh the irony - my last DR650 came from KZN. Had a friend ride it down, he had a blast.

[LeonDude]

The reason why you don't find many DR's for sale is not that they are not common or sought after, but exactly the opposite. Those that have them cling onto them.
(Sometimes clinging on to four or five of them at a time - guilty ones will know who they are!)

[Spectaitor]

Hopefully people are feeling a little less hoardy in a couple months. The only other bike that has caught my attention is the Honda XR650L's.

[Blou Zebu]

The reason why you don't find many DR's for sale is not that they are not common or sought after, but exactly the opposite. Those that have them cling onto them.
(Sometimes clinging on to four or five of them at a time - guilty ones will know who they are!)

@LeonDude Please give us a friendly comparison of the DR and KLR seeing that you have the experience!

[Welsh]

One more year of DR production I believe. 

[Spectaitor]

http://www.abrbuzz.co.za/publications/2013/august/magazine/files/assets/downloads/page0052.pdf

[jdvisagie]

I am a fairly new DR650 owner - had my DR since December 2018. I'm convinced they are scares as people that own them keep them. I'll NEVER sell mine, period.

The DR650 is a unicorn - it does so many things well. It can handle a fairly gnarly off-road trail and behaves itself on the tar / gravel trips. It's a great platform to mod or just use "as is". It is "small" enough to pop to the shop and "big" enough to cross Africa. Sure, it not a specialised powerhouse - there is allot of other bikes that do specific riding better,  but a great all rounder. I use mine for karoo trips, hunting, commuting and fetching milk.

If you can only have 1 bike in the garage and like to do a bunch of different riding, the DR650 is a good option. If a good one comes along at a decent price you'll have to take it. I always keep an eye out for them (my brother wants one as well) and they don't come up often. Pic for attention..

Sorry, I probably made you even more impatient to get yours now

[Spectaitor]

You're killing me here haha. All those points above are exactly why I need this bike. Maybe my patience will pay off and I'll get a really good bike lol.

[LeonDude]

The reason why you don't find many DR's for sale is not that they are not common or sought after, but exactly the opposite. Those that have them cling onto them.
(Sometimes clinging on to four or five of them at a time - guilty ones will know who they are!)

@LeonDude Please give us a friendly comparison of the DR and KLR seeing that you have the experience!

BZ, you really cannot compare the two bikes. They were made to do different jobs, the fact that they are both 650 singles are co-insidence.
The KLR has  lot more low-down grunt, the DR needs more revs, but then the DR will take off like a rocket, where the KLR is a donkey. For touring, the KLR is much more comfortable, has a bigger fuel-tank and a much better seat. On the other hand the DR handles much easier and is much more responsive.
The KLR is heavier and difficult to handle in the rough stuff, but when touring, most dirt roads are not too bad. Don't think the KLR is not an extremely capable bike though, my Ride Reports have shown where a total newby can go on a KLR.
The big thing about the DR, the important thing, the thing that most people cannot understand, is how heavy it is on adrenaline. Kilometer for kilometer is uses more adrenaline than the KLR ever will.
And that is why we cling to them.

[Ri]

The reason why you don't find many DR's for sale is not that they are not common or sought after, but exactly the opposite. Those that have them cling onto them.
(Sometimes clinging on to four or five of them at a time - guilty ones will know who they are!)

  

To add some fuel to the fire...

[Spectaitor]

The reason why you don't find many DR's for sale is not that they are not common or sought after, but exactly the opposite. Those that have them cling onto them.
(Sometimes clinging on to four or five of them at a time - guilty ones will know who they are!)

@LeonDude Please give us a friendly comparison of the DR and KLR seeing that you have the experience!

BZ, you really cannot compare the two bikes. They were made to do different jobs, the fact that they are both 650 singles are co-insidence.
The KLR has  lot more low-down grunt, the DR needs more revs, but then the DR will take off like a rocket, where the KLR is a donkey. For touring, the KLR is much more comfortable, has a bigger fuel-tank and a much better seat. On the other hand the DR handles much easier and is much more responsive.
The KLR is heavier and difficult to handle in the rough stuff, but when touring, most dirt roads are not too bad. Don't think the KLR is not an extremely capable bike though, my Ride Reports have shown where a total newby can go on a KLR.
The big thing about the DR, the important thing, the thing that most people cannot understand, is how heavy it is on adrenaline. Kilometer for kilometer is uses more adrenaline than the KLR ever will.
And that is why we cling to them.

Pls elaborate, do you mean the KLR is more tamed?

[LeonDude]

The reason why you don't find many DR's for sale is not that they are not common or sought after, but exactly the opposite. Those that have them cling onto them.
(Sometimes clinging on to four or five of them at a time - guilty ones will know who they are!)

@LeonDude Please give us a friendly comparison of the DR and KLR seeing that you have the experience!

BZ, you really cannot compare the two bikes. They were made to do different jobs, the fact that they are both 650 singles are co-insidence.
The KLR has  lot more low-down grunt, the DR needs more revs, but then the DR will take off like a rocket, where the KLR is a donkey. For touring, the KLR is much more comfortable, has a bigger fuel-tank and a much better seat. On the other hand the DR handles much easier and is much more responsive.
The KLR is heavier and difficult to handle in the rough stuff, but when touring, most dirt roads are not too bad. Don't think the KLR is not an extremely capable bike though, my Ride Reports have shown where a total newby can go on a KLR.
The big thing about the DR, the important thing, the thing that most people cannot understand, is how heavy it is on adrenaline. Kilometer for kilometer is uses more adrenaline than the KLR ever will.
And that is why we cling to them.

Pls elaborate, do you mean the KLR is more tamed?

It is probably a weight/power ratio thing mostly, check the differences between the two. I also think there is a difference between the piston sizes, but I'm not an expert there, so cannot say for sure.

[the ruffian]

I think both the DR and the KLR are great old-school bikes.

I ride a DR but a lot of the backcountry gnarly multi-day trips i’ve Done in the last 18months have been with a mate on a KLR. While the DR is 25k lighter, and feels more nimble,the KLR will grunt its way through anything if it has a rider that’s prepared to wrestle the bike. On the slab the KLR has got longer legs and will cruise easier, at 115-120ks, whereas the sweet spot on my DR is at about 95kph (where I’ll average 22/23kpl)...

Both are easy to work on, but whereas my DR never uses a drop of oil, the KLR needs checking every 500 kays.

In an ideal world, one would own both , and use the DR for more technical trips, and the KLR on trips with long sections of slab/dirt highway...

[Hfx]

I have owned both the KLR and te DR (still have my '06) and must say I prefer the ride on the DR. The only gripe I have is the tank size, and the cost of a Long Range tank.

[Ri]

I have owned both the KLR and te DR (still have my '06) and must say I prefer the ride on the DR. The only gripe I have is the tank size, and the cost of a Long Range tank.

The long range tank is a once-off cost though. It pays off in additional range and enjoyment of your DR

[Hfx]

True, but I dont have a spare R7k lying around