DL650's lament

[TheIglu]

What do you mean, "what if"? Some things are just assumed to be true.

[Rossco]

I love my Weestrom. Are there other bikes that are better? Yes, but they all seem to cost significantly more (at least in the used market).
The engine works well for me, although it definitely shows it's weakness when going with a passenger.
FWIW, I've never owned a bike with more then 1000cc/100hp. Also my other bike is a 39hp metric cruiser with shit brakes and hardly any suspension so it makes my DL650 feel like a Panigale.

[feralchimp]

In terms of power and handling, the best bike I've ever ridden with a passenger was a ZRX1100. Put in some preload and the thing just did not break a sweat. OTOH that made it perhaps a little too easy to spook one's passenger, but that's a problem curable through aging or otherwise learning to keep it in one's pants.

[Stromper]

Supposedly the dl650 responds very well to getting gold valves

[feralchimp]

I can confirm that. I think Clayton added something else interesting to the forks to prevent ratchet-down on rough roads also.

[nhbubba]

Gold valves (~$115) + springs to suit (~$85) + fresh oil (~$20) and the front end is good 'nuf. Scrape the interwebz for baseline tuning advice, or use the RT guidelines. Adjust if you care.

Sadly the rear takes a decent chunk of $1k to make right.

[Garandman]

Had an ELKA 3 way on mine, it was terrific and I was able to sell it on eBay for half or more. Pete Kates rebuilt it and recharged it at the track for $60.

Is Sasquatch still doing his stock shock upgrades? That was a lower cost option.

If you weigh more than 170 lbs new fork springs is advisable. Tried the Ricor Intiminator on mine, and believe the Gold valves are better.

[cdovego]

Gold valves (~$115) + springs to suit (~$85) + fresh oil (~$20) and the front end is good 'nuf. Scrape the interwebz for baseline tuning advice, or use the RT guidelines. Adjust if you care.

Sadly the rear takes a decent chunk of $1k to make right.

The soul in my S4Rs came with all that sorted, ymmv.

[nhbubba]

The soul in my S4Rs came with all that sorted, ymmv.

At a cost. And still not tuned to you. Although if you are a standard format human it is probably less of an issue. Some of us oversized types spend all that money and still have to go back for right-sized springs.

#soulcostsextra

I said it, sextra.

All that said, a Ducati Monster SR2 could fit well in my garage. It's no DL650 though!

[nhbubba]

Is Sasquatch still doing his stock shock upgrades? That was a lower cost option.

Never understood that option. Might as well hack in a sport-bike or DL1k shock. All that money and it's still pressed together, still isn't properly rebuildable, still isn't up to the quality of the aftermarket, and still doesn't have the adjustments.

The front end adjustments aren't easily adjustable either. But at least they are cheap.


Anyway. The DL is a fine bike that can be made even moar fine with a small bit of cash thrown at it. That makes it a sweet package in my book. /point

[gregp]

I have been searching the web for examples of cases where someone has hacked in a sport bike shock into a DL-650 ('12+, '11-, Does it matter?), and have not been able to find any...

[cdovego]

At a cost. And still not tuned to you. Although if you are a standard format human it is probably less of an issue. Some of us oversized types spend all that money and still have to go back for right-sized springs.

#soulcostsextra

I said it, sextra.

All that said, a Ducati Monster SR2 could fit well in my garage. It's no DL650 though!

You laid my point out very nicely. Money buys "soul" and typically it's the frugal crowd yelling the loudest that bikes don't have soul.

[Imbeek]

There are no boring bikes only boring riders

If that were true, riders that claimed boredom on any bike would never find one they like.

Exhibit one: the "flying brick" '85 bmw k100rs I owned for many years zzzzzzzzzzzz

[nhbubba]

I have been searching the web for examples of cases where someone has hacked in a sport bike shock into a DL-650 ('12+, '11-, Does it matter?), and have not been able to find any...

I'm probably confusing SV and DL stories. I have both. I bit the bullet and upgraded the DL shock years ago.
I do remember that swapping a DL1000 shock in was a hot thing to do. Can't remember the fine details of what the pros/cons looked like.
At one point my cheapass was going to buy a used DL1k takeoff and send that out for service. My conclusion was the factory DL650 shock was not worth investing in.
In the end I decided the Elka 3-way was money well spent. In practice it was money very well spent.
Although truth told some of that might have been availability. DL1k shocks can be hard to come by. A new Elka was just a couple clicks away.

[gregp]

OK. Thanks for responding. I am one of those guys who usually tries to cheap out, and then ends up going all in after I get frustrated enough. The thing with the DL shock is that the remote pre-load adjuster is just so nice to have, that I hate to sub in (hack in?) a shock that does not have that feature. A Progressive with RPA is a bit less than an Elka with RPA, but I am open to experimenting with a $50 ZX/GSXR/RX shock if I had the chance.
One of these days, I will pull the shock out and take the critical measurements, and start shopping...
Someone here had a used Elka for sale a while ago, and I should have jumped on it.

[breakdirt916]

seems like a good bike for me!! mediocre

[Stromper]

2 years ago I asked racetech and they said they would tune and revalve the stock VEE shock for 300
400 with a new spring for my fat ass

Susquatch is out of jail 2 years ago and was rebuilding under a different name maybe check stromtrooper

An ok progressive shock is under 400 and the adjusable preload 700

Another guy put in an alleged "better" stock BMW shock I think from a GS cost him like a 100

[RandyO]

I don't even want to admit what I paid for my WP Suspension shock, but it's an awesome shock

[Garandman]

OK. Thanks for responding. I am one of those guys who usually tries to cheap out, and then ends up going all in after I get frustrated enough. The thing with the DL shock is that the remote pre-load adjuster is just so nice to have, that I hate to sub in (hack in?) a shock that does not have that feature. A Progressive with RPA is a bit less than an Elka with RPA, but I am open to experimenting with a $50 ZX/GSXR/RX shock if I had the chance.

This guy substituted a BMW shock.

[breakdirt916]

so uh...a vstorm 650 rental is $65/day

so it's uh...good for commuting/touring (long rides)/adequate in canyons/and can take a kiss of off-road?

the question then - is how much off road?

like this?



how about rocks this?

[TheIglu]

It is not home there.

[nhbubba]

I'd hit it.
More about the tires. The rock climb would be a dice roll without a plate. Lots of vitals down low.
That sandy fire road is no sweat. Not 4th gear pinned like a proper dirt machine. But it'll get you through if you use your head.

[breakdirt916]

responses 50/50...looks like I'll just rent and see for myself

I keep contemplating if I can downsize to 1 ugly bike to do all my riding...and I may add I'm getting a bit old for the torture dirt rides up steep, rocky uphills. Had a XR650L and thumper 650's are not highway friendly enough for me.

I'll rent and go from there...otherwise FZR600/YZ250 seems to be the best combo for me for now (maybe forever?)

[Chippertheripper]

A bit old?!
Maybe you're just not cut out for the grizzly off-road stuff. And that's ok.
Stick to what's fun and you can handle.

[nhbubba]

responses 50/50...looks like I'll just rent and see for myself

I felt like Iglu and I were saying about the same thing. I just used more words.