Oh how we love to tinker, modify and attempt to improve our ADV bikes. Out of the box, Suzuki’s venerable DR650 is a relatively pedestrian dual-sport, not particularly suited for RTWing or schlepping a rider with lots of gear across continents without some upgrades.

But with a little help from aftermarket upgrades and some wrenching skills, that can be remedied. So why consider a motorcycle that’s been more or less unchanged since 1990? ADVMoto keeps tabs on bikes that have made their way around the globe, and a good number of them are Suzuki DR650s—there must be a reason.

Put it down to a minimalist design that’s proven to be both highly functional and reliable: air-cooled, single cylinder, single-carb, mechanically simple and easy to repair (or bodger fix in a pinch) with easy access to new and used parts anywhere in the world, relatively lightweight, uses low octane fuel, gets ~50 mpg, sells for a bargain (~$6,000–$6,500 new and ~$3,500–$4,000 used), and is supported by a HUGE aftermarket.

And one more thing—it’s actually fun to ride on- and off-road. In some ways the DR650 is comparable to the ubiquitous Kawasaki KLR650, but its far more off-road worthy, and also has a reputation for being one of the most reliable bikes ever built in its class.

To some, simplicity is the bike’s strength, especially if the idea of dealing with a sophisticated onboard computer network isn’t your thing—not to mention the potential of costly repairs of a more complex bike that, alone, could easily eclipse the purchase of a DR. If there’s an issue with the DR650 it’s that it’s disguised as a dual-sport runabout that, at first blush, has little appeal to the adventure crowd.

You could say that the only thing wrong with the DR650 is that Suzuki never got around to re-packaging this extremely worthy machine for long distancing. Although that’s a pity, it’s also an opportunity. With such a brisk aftermarket making everything imaginable for this bike, you can easily ruggedize and customize the DR into one of the best general-purpose adventure bikes available anywhere—and still save a bundle.

• The Lowdown

The good folks at Suzuki HQ provided a stock donor for this project with the idea of ADVMoto transforming their dual-sport into an adventurer. However, we intentionally left the engine alone, and concentrated on strengthening the rest of bike for the roads of the world, long distance rider comfort and carrying capacity.

Although there are plenty of engine mods available, it’s so ridiculously reliable we didn’t see any need to alter it. We’d also like to thank Suzuki and our aftermarket sponsors who got behind using the project bike to increase awareness of Ron Grace’s Lost for a Reason (“LFAR”), the charity that’s so popular with North American adventure riders.

We ended up doing a lot more to the bike than was necessary to accomplish the goal of making it ADV worthy. However, this “kitchen sink” approach will at least give you some idea of the many upgrade options available.

• The Seat

No secret to DR650 riders is the necessity to replace the stock seat. Like most aftermarket parts for the DR, there are many options. We went with Seat Concepts because of their exceptional quality, inexpensive reskinning kit that transforms it into an all-dayer.

Where to Buy:

• Gas Tank & Fairing

The stocker gas tank holds about 4 U.S. gallons. That’s not bad, but typically runs dry before 200 miles. Amongst the upgrades available we liked Safari’s design the best because of its construction, weight distribution and capacity (~8 U.S. gallons).

Another reason is Safari’s rally fairing that bolts onto the tank, effectively moving weight off the handlebars and extending the windscreen farther away from the rider. The stock wind-screen is attached to the handlebars and too close to the rider, tending to “punch” the rider when standing.

Safari’s rally fairing also gives you a dash to add gadgets, aux lighting and controls, as well as room to mount a much more effective windscreen. And that’s where Madstad Engineering joined in, by custom designing a windscreen and mount, as well as etching the LFAR and ADVMoto logos onto it.

Madstad’s large windscreen upgrade significantly reduces wind/rain buffeting. Also stepping up to help get the word out on LFAR was LA Car Wrap. Safari’s fairing comes “in the white” and required a paint job. Our friends at LA Car Wrap gave it a very cool industrial-strength makeover while adding to the bike’s visibility.

Where to Buy:

http://safaritanksusa.com/

http://www.madstad.com

• Armor, Racks, and Luggage System

One of the big debates these days is whether to go with a hard or soft pannier option. We went with soft for several reasons: on a world trip the bike will often be dropped and soft bags make superior “landing cushions.”

Unlike aluminum panniers, they don’t need to be pounded back into shape when dented or crushed. And with the DR’s shorter frame, it’s easy to get an ankle wedged and mangled between a footpeg and an aluminum pannier.

We went with Wolfman Luggage because of many years of prior experience and the rugged versatility of their products. Because fuel capacity was covered, the other important liquid is water, especially for extended camping or long, hot climate rides.

For this, Wolfman included an adaptable rack bracket and the innovative RotopaX system—allowing one or two gallons of aqua to be easily stowed. The racks were another matter. It was difficult to find a well built and sturdy set.

Plus, we needed a system that would work well with Wolfman’s Rocky Mountain Saddlebags. Barrett Products in Australia impressed us with their armor-like quality that substantially strengthens the rear end of the bike. Another Australian firm, B&B Offroad supplied us with their tough and extremely well made skid plate, BIG rear rack and side frame armor.

Where to Buy:

Wolfman Rocky Mountain Saddlebag

• Suspension

Those who’ve followed my reviews in the past know my pet peeve. Until recently, most bikes came with spongy, soft, and pogo stick-like suspension that begs upgrading. 

We put out the word and EPM Performance Imports came to the rescue with their Hyperpro line of monoshocks and progressive fork springs. Their monoshock made all the difference in the world to rider comfort and the handling of the loaded bike. And a simple swap of the fork springs cured what ailed the front end, too.

Where to Buy:

EPM Hyperpro Monoshocks	Progressive Fork Spring

• Wheels and Brakes

Although stock wheels do the job, dented and warped rims, as well as broken spokes, are common on long trips. Tougher rims, bigger disc brakes and stronger spokes are expensive upgrades, but worth considering.

I’d never worked with Warp 9 Racing before, but I was duly impressed with their quality and craftsmanship. Warp 9 also supplied a brake and chain armor as well as other important components (see below).

The lesser known tire company, Vee Rubber, has been a loyal sponsor of ADVMoto since we returned to a print magazine a few years ago. They allowed us to sample several of their offerings to determine which tires would be best suited to the task ahead. From full knobbies to 80/20s they got us through some of the toughest environments that extensive testing in Death Valley could throw at us.

Where to Buy:

Warp9 Racing	Vee Rubber Tire:

 • Controls and Dash

I’m a tall rider, and was determined to work stand-up riding comfort into the redesign. Twisted Throttle, ProCycle, and Warp 9 joined in as solution providers. Bar risers were provided by Warp 9 and Rox Speed FX to push the standing height limit.

And we added Pro Moto Billets’ Fastway Adventure footpegs (prototyped on our bike), along with ProCycle’s footpeg mount lowering kit, to transform the DR into THE most relaxing and controllable bike imaginable for off-the-seat riding.

Twisted Throttle supplied Barkbusters VS handlebars and VPS handguards as well as a set of innovative AdMore LED turning light strips that attach to the handguards. We also adapted their Denali D2 winglights to the Safari fairing, providing an extra measure of night riding and oncoming car safety.

Meanwhile, we used Warp 9’s clutch and brake levers for a more comfortable feel and shorter throw. On the gadget front, Trail Tech supplied their Vapor gauge, replacing the rudimentary instruments of the stock bike. Beyond a speedo, the Vapor supplies other much-needed data such as tach, engine temps, and more. And Black Dog Cycle Works provided their rugged throttle control to ease hand cramping on those long slab riding days.

Where to Buy:

• Other Goodies

Anyone wanting to mod their DR needs to start their project with the guys at ProCycle. They’re DR specialists and THE resource for many invaluable upgrades to our project bike. See their list of components on the accompanying table. (ProCycle also supplied an industrial strength clutch and pumper carb to be the subject of a future review.)

A must-have component is the SuperBrace. It stabilizes the bike’s forks just above the fender and man, does it improve the bike’s ride! And, Twisted Throttle provided another option that I wouldn’t go without—a center-stand. Even though it adds weight and can get in the way offroad, it just makes maintenance and bike loading/unloading so much easier.

Racetech Electric’s resident genius, Evan Grist, rebuilt the DR’s stator and supplied a bigger regulator to support extra lighting, gadgets and heated clothing. The new dash provided room for adding switches, power ports and lights. But that also meant plenty of extra wires running everywhere (something we’re still trying to neaten up!).

Twisted Throttle’s PowerHub2 took a little finessing, but we squeezed it in under the seat. Without their hub the battery would be a rat’s nest of wires. Speaking of batteries, our longtime supporter Shorai, came through with a solid-state battery and a special computerized charger. I’m their No. 1 fan and have been using their batteries since they opened for business, and wouldn’t go back to a lead-acid style for any reason.

Barrett also supplied one of their substantially smaller and lightweight replacement exhaust canisters. Another option I won’t leave home without is Ned Suesse’s Doubletake Mirrors. JNS Engineering supplied a heavy-duty aluminum chain guard and welded-on sidestand foot enlarger—a no-brainer feature that should be on every adventure bike.

Motion Pro was their usual big help with miscellaneous components, including their high-end clutch and throttle cables, spring pulling tool, and braided fuel lines with connectors. And, DSA Concepts supplied new white plastics to replace the original “invisible” dark grey versions.

Where to Buy:

• Conclusion

If you’re looking for an inexpensive barebones machine that’s rugged, built to last, easy to fix, and can handle just about any terrain the planet can throw at it, look no further than Suzuki’s DR650. The upgrades we’ve shown in this article are our endorsed options, but if budget is an issue all you’d really need are a set of racks and luggage.

However, if your requirements call for a bike that’s better outfitted, then we recommend exploring what the aftermarket has to offer. The sampling provided here is the tip of the iceberg of what’s available, but these products are all tried and true. We’re not quite done with the project bike yet, so stay tuned for more product reviews in upcoming issues or on the ADVMoto website. Also note that the bike is slated to begin its multi-year world trip starting in the fall of 2015.

Look for the ADVMoto “Lost for a Reason” DR650 Project Bike at events around North America. SuzukiCycles.com, LostforaReason.org

Extra Special Thanks goes out to those who went beyond the call of duty to help make the ADVMoto “Lost for a Reason” DR650 project bike possible. Honorable mention goes to: Eric Hougen of Wolfman, Kevin Tanis of Warp 9, Gary Latimer of Vee Rubber, Kevin Nixon of Twisted Throttle, the incomparable Drum Evans of ProCycle, Wayne at Safari Fuel Tanks, Mark Stadnyk of Madstad Engineering, Ron Grace and his wonderful family for their relent-less efforts to aid the REZ families of “Lost for a Reason,” and Larry Vandiver, Jim “Capt’n” Kirkland, Steve Bortolenedi and Frankie Garcia of Suzuki for their support of this project.

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