The official "exotic bike" club

[slimtrader]

Ok, I know I drive a DRZ but with everyone jumping ship to KTM and Husky I think KC and I can now qualify and call our bikes exotic or exclusive.

Just wanted to say with all the rideing talk I did some wrenching on my bike yesterday to get it ready for spring riding. I want to be ready when someone makes the call for school creek riding area for our spring warm ride before April. I have the front wheel and new front tire down in my basement where it's warm so I can put some fresh knobbies on the front to keep my front end from washing out like I did in the mud this summer in MN. It was a long day of picking up the blue pig that I don't want to repeat again. What's everyone else doing to thier bikes?

Overall happy with the DRZ but would like to get something lighter w/better suspension in the future. I am forcing myself to pay off the home equity loan before any big purchases. In another year there may be some used Husky 450's available after inexperienced riders scare themselves or get injured. Troy, I'm not trying to jinx you; hopefully you got it out of your system last year and will stay injury free.

I also took the YZ-80 out in the snow today and it was a blast! I put both feet out on the ground for stability and let it rip. We have about 6" here I must have looked like a cloud of powder.

[Kware]

Well, I have been doing some basic upgrades to my DRZ. Did the DynoJet carb kit and 3X3 air box mod last week. Decided today to go ahead and get an FMF pipe.
Also ordered a skid plate and rear rack. Bark busters are the next item on the list.
Got my last Lumbar Epidural injection today and the Doc says that's all he can do for me now. He said, "go ahead to do what you do normally and we will just have to see how long the injection last before doing another procedure to repair the disc further".
So I should be ready for a late winter warm up.

[david h]

Kevin sounds like things are going well and thats great. Slimtrader, at least for now I still have my Green Suzuki ( KLX 400s) so I get to join a couple of these new clubs. I think the new DRZ400 club is a good idea. We just might want to tweak the name a bit. Like maybe the "Neurotic bike club" All these new high powered bikes have me scared

I only have a few miles on the Husky so the jury is still out. The KLX 400 served me well and will be hard to part with, if I ever do.

Hope to see you all soon, David H

[KC]

My DRZ is not looking very exotic right now:


I started stripping her down last weekend when the weather was BEAUTIFUL, but my enthusiasm disappeared early in the day. Have to get my new wheel bearings installed before the rear locks up on me. Also going to take the skid plate to a welding shop to "de-stupid" it... you know, the left side doesn't cover the engine case adequately so I need to bring it up and out about 3/4 of an inch. I need to check/change my fork oil but have never done it before. I have the Clymer manual that explains it in detail but I am not very excited about doing it. I am think'n about sending them off to get worked over and re-valved for my weight. Anybody up around K.C. do this?? Jim Foley maybe??

Well, I have been doing some basic upgrades to my DRZ. Did the DynoJet carb kit and 3X3 air box mod last week. Decided today to go ahead and get an FMF pipe.
Also ordered a skid plate and rear rack. Bark busters are the next item on the list.

I had forgotten about you picking up a DRZ, Kevin, I am curious about what the FMF pipe will do for your power/sound. I am running the $50 Power Tip on mine and am really happy with it but my stock header pipe won't last forever.

[Hank Moody]

For suspension work try Leigh at LetKo. He did mine and I'm happy with it.

[safiri]

I know Tracy had some guy in Newton or Halstead fix up a rear shock a few years back. Not sure specifics, but that would be closer. Hopefully he weighs in on this.

[Kware]

KC, I ordered the same, "FMF Quiet Core 4" that I had on my XR and that I currently have on my DRZ250. Not sure if you remember what it sounded like from our trip to Milford, along time along. There is a quiet core insert that does reduce the sound quite a bit with out cutting back the air flow too much. I like the sound of the pipe without the quiet core, but I put it in most of the time. It is currently in my DRZ250, but I will put it in the new pipe for the 400.

[safiri]

I need to check/change my fork oil but have never done it before. I have the Clymer manual that explains it in detail but I am not very excited about doing it.

Very easy to do. My F650 has conventional forks, so I have done that type.

A seal driver is nice, but you can make one out of PVC pipe ... saw off a 6 inch peice that is close to the outside diameter of the fork leg. Make sure the business end is cut off square. Debur it. If slightly small, cut a slot down the entire length of the peice so that it can expand and slide over the inner fork leg.

The BMW conventional forks call for a specific amount of oil, so measurement can be done with a cheapo measuring cup from WalMart. In fact the F650 forks have a drain bolt near the bottom.

As to revalving, you have some cheapo options that might help:
- increase the amount of oil to stiffen. This reduces the air in the top of the fork. That air acts as a spring. Don't go too far over OEM, as you might blow out the seals.
- decrease oil to make softer.
- use a heavier weight oil to stiffen up / slow response. lighter to soften / quicken response.
- change internal spacer

Take a look at this F650 image (I assume DRZ forks are similar):


#5 is a spacer tube. Nothing special. Kind of looks like electrical conduit that was cut to length. If you lengthen that, then you stiffen up the fork. Too much length and the fork will bottom out. Shorten it and the fork gets softer. Too short and the front end will sag.

On my F650 I went with progressive springs and heavier oil. Tracy talked me into both. Very nice change. Although I might have been happy with just heavier weight oil.

[KC]

#5 is a spacer tube. Nothing special. Kind of looks like electrical conduit that was cut to length. If you lengthen that, then you stiffen up the fork. Too much length and the fork will bottom out. Shorten it and the fork gets softer. Too short and the front end will sag.

On my F650 I went with progressive springs and heavier oil. Tracy talked me into both. Very nice change. Although I might have been happy with just heavier weight oil.Safiri Mike
01-LC4E-400-Grey
01-F650 GS D - Red/White/Blue
safiri

Posts: 415
Joined: Thu Nov 30, 2006 11:07 pm
Location: Overland Park, KS
Website

Thanks, Safiri. The exploded diagram of the F650 fork looks very similar to the DRZ. I will go w/ a heavier oil and look into machining a longer spacer once I get the forks apart. That should do me nicely I just need the front suspension a little more beefy to soak up bigger bumps and jumps and I will be satisfied w/out spending $100s of dollars on a bike that will be replaced next year!

[slimtrader]

Well, I have been doing some basic upgrades to my DRZ. Did the DynoJet carb kit and 3X3 air box mod last week. Decided today to go ahead and get an FMF pipe.

The Dynojet and 3x3 mod is well worth it. I think you'll be surprised by how much it wakes up the engine for little $$. I have a stock pipe but I hear most are happy with the upgrade. It will also shave some weight that the DRZ carries up high.

I have an 01 S model so I don't have the cartridge forks that the later models have. I hear emulators could help but I haven't looked into it. Anyone have experience with emulators?

KC- Why do you say you will only be riding your DRZ for another year? You are way too young to quit riding. Why retire. I need to replace some wheel bearing also, did you get them at the dealer or order online?

[KC]

KC- Why do you say you will only be riding your DRZ for another year? You are way too young to quit riding. Why retire. I need to replace some wheel bearing also, did you get them at the dealer or order online?

I believe the imparative word was "replace"! Funny you say that though; I should have used "retire" because I don't think I will sell the DRZ when I buy my next bike. My next bike will be the street-legal, fuel-injected Honda CRF450L....I'm going to try and will it into existence for '09!

Troy bought my bearings from an online vendor, we'll have to ask him who.

[safiri]

Troy bought my bearings from an online vendor, we'll have to ask him who.

Actually, I put together that order. I used two sources, both listed below. Great experiences with both on multiple occastions.

For individual bearings, single or multi pack: http://www.vxb.com/
Best price I have found for All Balls Bearing and Seal sets, seals, other parts: http://www.psep.biz/

Usually the manufacturer (Suzuki, etc) bearing PN has the generic bearing PN in it .. 6002RS or something similar.

[Hayden]

I had Dans Cycle in Hesston rebuild my Honda shock. Thats what Mike was talking about. It was just a stock rear shock and I had them put new seals, Bushings, and recharge it with gas and oil. They did a pretty good job and it was reasonably priced. I didnt want to take a chance of it blowin in Moab and it was a new bike to me at the time.


Hayden

[KC]

Thanks Trace, I'm going to pull my forks off and go for it, I'll give Dan's a call if the repair doesn't go my way! I don't trust M.A.P. to work on my bike, don't really have a reason other than I haven't met anybody I like up there.

Sorry Slim, I hijacked your post and turned it into "Kyle's technical help page"....So, what are we gonna call our little exclusive club??

"The Z Riders" ?
"Club 400" ?

Of course, we'll have to come up with our own "secret" handshake as well.

[The Harm]

I've had lot of work done at Dan's Cycle there in Hesston and have never had a complaint abouth their service department. They put a new stator on my old 87 goldwing a few years ago. That was the most major work they've done for me. Their prices are reasonable and all of their techs ride dirt bikes and some even ride trials bikes so they're pretty up on things.

[srhooter762]

In the Wichita area, you might try Speed Tech at 316-262-7223. The guy's been doing shocks and forks as long as I can remember. He's done three of my CO riding buddie's shocks and forks, recently. I'm about to have my forks and shock on the 2002 ktm 640adv R&R there, soon.

Wil

[slimtrader]

Sorry Slim, I hijacked your post and turned it into "Kyle's technical help page"....So, what are we gonna call our little exclusive club??

"The Z Riders" ?
"Club 400" ?

Of course, we'll have to come up with our own "secret" handshake as well.

Don't worry about it. I just started the thread for fun anyhow. I would like to add "chubby chasers" as a name given the drz is 300lbs.

Hey, I just changed my front tire and I must have been confused as to what side the brake rotor is on because I installed the directional tire backwards. Is it worth changing back or is it no big deal?

[srhooter762]

I've run a d606 backwards [inadvertantly] and it worked better in sand so, I did that on a karoo front as well. Worked good, too. I believe that directional thing may have greater effect when doing something like a ton or over the tires speed rating, anyway.

[KC]

In the Wichita area, you might try Speed Tech at 316-262-7223. The guy's been doing shocks and forks as long as I can remember. He's done three of my CO riding buddie's shocks and forks, recently. I'm about to have my forks and shock on the 2002 ktm 640adv R&R there, soon.

Wil

THANKS!! didn't know there was a shop like that around here. I will keep their info on tap for later.

I finished intalling the new wheel bearings in plenty of time this afternoon so I skimmed through the fork service section in the manual again. Piece of cake! I popped the forks off and drained out the old oil. Results: [Left fork = 7 ounces low + Right fork = 8 ounces low] = clunky front end ! Don't see any sign of leakage from the seals so I'm filling up with some 10 weight Showa fork oil and stick'n em back on. Come on, Winter, I'm ready to ride!

[KC]

Hey, I just changed my front tire and I must have been confused as to what side the brake rotor is on because I installed the directional tire backwards. Is it worth changing back or is it no big deal?

I did the same thing by accident with a Pirelli Scorpion I was running on the front. I examined the tread pattern afterwards and couldn't make out any real difference so I left it that way. Didn't have any complaints about the handling/traction but the tire was shot after about 800 miles! The knobbies were coming off in chunks. I'm thinking it would be worth the time to give it a 180.