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dr350-digest          Thursday, April 8 1999          Volume 01 : Number 011




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Date: Wed, 7 Apr 1999 18:06:17 -0500 (CDT)
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: (dr350) (dR350) Carb Info Request

On 04/07/99 17:02:04 you wrote:
>
>Good Day All!
>
>Has anyone messed around with the two air jets located on the intake bell
>of the carb?  My DR is the '94 SE model with the BST33? (vacuum actuated
>slide).  I'm wondering if those jets should be changed only if an
>aftermarket pipe is added or big-bore is added, I'm running the stock
>exhaust.  I'm running the XJ needle and spring, main jet 137.5, and a pilot
>jet of (can't remember), but its one size bigger than stock.  The bike runs
>great up to 3/4 throttle, but it tends to miss when cracked wide open.
> I've tried to richen the main to a 140 and have tried raising and lowering
>the needle with both the 137.5 and 140 mains, but can't get it perfect - it
>either runs a little rich or a little lean.
>Has anyone seen how they brace the DR's rear swingarm - I can have the unit
>welded at my workplace, but I'm curious how they protect the "spaceage"
>adhesive used between the rough aluminum casting and the bolted / glued
>extension arms from the heat, and to minimize warpage if the finished
>product.
>
>Has anyone played with the carb?
>
>Dan
>
>
>
>

Dan;  We have not had to change those air jets on the intake bell so am not
qualfied to comment on there function or the availabilty of different sizes.
We just took a 1000 mile trip into Baja on a 98 DR435SE with the thumper
racings recomended jetting and it run fine, except right off idle it may be
a little lean, but believe that can be adjusted with the fuel screw under
the little plug on the bottom in front of the slide. The only mods we made
were remove the airbox snorkle and the Thumper Racing 435cc kit with no mods
to the exhaust.  Their reccomended jetting is 127.5 main, 37.5 pilot,
jxneedle, jxspring.  We actually run a 132.5 main in Baja because of the
marginal gas, but it was plenty big.  Its possible your main is too large
and is causing it to 4 stroke on top.
When Welding the swing arm, build a tube spacer .125" longer than the width
of the wheel side spacers and brake mount, install the axel and tighten it
up just as if the wheel was there.  Then clamp it down to a heavy steel
welding table on at least the 4 corners and stand by with a wet towel to
cool the glued area when the welder gets close.  The inside plates are first
fit and spot welded in as many places as possible before the full length
welds are done.  Do not take the clamps off before the swing arm is
completly cool or uniformly the same temp. Hope this helps.  Norm

Suzuki DR Suspensions
DR. DR

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 07 Apr 1999 19:21:52 -0400
From: Darren Blin <[e-mail]>
Subject: (dr350) Seat height for short guys like me

Hey folks

This mailing list is a godsend! I have recently obtained my motorcycle
license after a long absence of not riding (I used to put around the
backwoods in 68 Yamaha mini-enduro when I was a young lad). Now, at the
age of thirty, having never owned a vehicle of any type, I am looking at
buying a DR350SE. My question is this: How comfortable is this bike with
people around my height (5'8")? Will I be on my tip-toes when I put my
feet out? How much can you adjust the "pre-load" to accommodate your
stature? Maybe some DR350SE bike owners out there who are around my
height could inform me.

Set me straight please.

Darren Blin
Bikeless in Toronto Canada

1998 Size 10 Airwalks

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 7 Apr 1999 14:53:29 -0700
From: <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Intro & questions {was: (dr350) to all you electric people

George,

The swingarms are the same; the shocks: different, not in o/a length when
extended but when compressed - the dirt version gains 1" net greater travel @
the rear axle.

Us non-elect., dirt-only folks will let you gladly keep your button; we like our
pumper carbs. I have to keep an eye on my DRS buds so they don't take that piece
of gold when I'm not looking.

John




George Kovacs <[e-mail]> on 04/07/99 10:23:13 AM

Please respond to George Kovacs <[e-mail]>

To:   Bryan Nolastname <[e-mail]>
cc:   [e-mail] (bcc: John D Gill/RSS/Rockwell)
Subject:  Re: Intro & questions {was: (dr350) to all you electric people




Hi Bryan.

I Just got a 99 DR350SEX , what the X stands for , i don't know.
The bike will do 80MPH, and holds pretty steady as far as handling , but
you must know that these bike are not designed for highway use. Like a
goldwing or so.
As far as difference between DR and DR-se yes lots of it.
Front forks are the same ,
Rear suspension , DR has a longer swing arm ,because of that has a longer
susp. travel 11.2 vs.10' on the SE.
SE has electric start ,a nice feature ( did you ever get a leg injury
riding?) ,try to kick start after that. + cold start and after dumping it
......... Hart to get it going.
On the other hand you will get less weight DR 249Lb --- SE 286Lb ( starter
+ battery +lights, ......)
DR has a different carb TM33SS ---- SE has BST33 ( air pollution , i
guess)
DR has a tall seat height 36.2"  if you shorter than 6' you will not be
able to put both feet to the groung at a traficlight. The SE is 35"
DR has a more knobby tire like a dirt bike , the SE has semi knobby so it
has some traction on the road.
As far as trans , i was told that it is geared different, but i don't know
if it is true. But i can tell that the DR has a larger rear sprocket.
The engine should be the same.
Oh Yes and the SE has lockable gas cap -----Sugar!!!!!
I have to ride on the street to  so i picked the SE . I like it.
I hope this will help to clear up some of your questions.

George

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 07 Apr 1999 18:18:25 -0700
From: Scott Aldrich <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (dr350) Introduction

Michael Terrian wrote:
>
> Scott:
>
> Enjoyed reading your message.
>
> You mentioned taking the "plug" out of the airbox. What "plug" are you
> referring to? My airbox had about a 2" circular opening in the top; no
> plug. I sawed the top of the air box out to within a half inch of its sides
> all around to let in a little more air. Is that what you did?

  Under the seat, in the top of the airbox is a rubber "plug" type
thing.  That's about as good as I can describe it.  I pulled it, and it
popped out.  This left a hole that is about 2 inches in diameter in the
top of the airbox.

  I contemplated cutting the entire top off, that's what I did for my
CR, and I think I will eventually.  I want to make sure that I can put
it back on for rain type riding (which I do a bit of).

A couple of other things I forgot to mention that I did to my bike:

*  I put on Works frame guards.  They look very nice, fit perfectly and
do the job of protecting the frame.

*  Put on the rear disk protector.  The one I put on is plastic and
looks like it will protect the disk from small rocks, but anything large
and it's history.

  I wanted to put on a front disk/fork guard, and I bought both the
Acerbis and Maier products that they listed as made for the '98 model,
but neither fit.  They were actually made for pre '98 models.  Has
anyone found a set that actually fit?

> I've got about 7,000 miles on my bike. I like it a lot. I spend a lot of
> time lurking in RMD and know that the DR is kinda' like the Rodney
> Dangerfield of dirt bikes. I even looked at an XR last year.

  <LOL>  Good one.  I know I spend a lot of time correcting the
misinformation that gets posted on RMD.  To tell the truth, I'm kind of
getting tired of it.

- --
Scott

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 07 Apr 1999 20:25:09 -0500
From: George Kovacs <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Intro & questions {was: (dr350) to all you electric people

Hi John

I saw a DR and aDRse next to each other , that swing arm sure looked longer to me ,

George

[e-mail] wrote:

> George,
>
> The swingarms are the same; the shocks: different, not in o/a length when
> extended but when compressed - the dirt version gains 1" net greater travel @
> the rear axle.
>
> Us non-elect., dirt-only folks will let you gladly keep your button; we like our
> pumper carbs. I have to keep an eye on my DRS buds so they don't take that piece
> of gold when I'm not looking.
>
> John
>
> George Kovacs <[e-mail]> on 04/07/99 10:23:13 AM
>
> Please respond to George Kovacs <[e-mail]>
>
> To:   Bryan Nolastname <[e-mail]>
> cc:   [e-mail] (bcc: John D Gill/RSS/Rockwell)
> Subject:  Re: Intro & questions {was: (dr350) to all you electric people
>
> Hi Bryan.
>
> I Just got a 99 DR350SEX , what the X stands for , i don't know.
> The bike will do 80MPH, and holds pretty steady as far as handling , but
> you must know that these bike are not designed for highway use. Like a
> goldwing or so.
> As far as difference between DR and DR-se yes lots of it.
> Front forks are the same ,
> Rear suspension , DR has a longer swing arm ,because of that has a longer
> susp. travel 11.2 vs.10' on the SE.
> SE has electric start ,a nice feature ( did you ever get a leg injury
> riding?) ,try to kick start after that. + cold start and after dumping it
> ......... Hart to get it going.
> On the other hand you will get less weight DR 249Lb --- SE 286Lb ( starter
> + battery +lights, ......)
> DR has a different carb TM33SS ---- SE has BST33 ( air pollution , i
> guess)
> DR has a tall seat height 36.2"  if you shorter than 6' you will not be
> able to put both feet to the groung at a traficlight. The SE is 35"
> DR has a more knobby tire like a dirt bike , the SE has semi knobby so it
> has some traction on the road.
> As far as trans , i was told that it is geared different, but i don't know
> if it is true. But i can tell that the DR has a larger rear sprocket.
> The engine should be the same.
> Oh Yes and the SE has lockable gas cap -----Sugar!!!!!
> I have to ride on the street to  so i picked the SE . I like it.
> I hope this will help to clear up some of your questions.
>
> George

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 07 Apr 1999 20:47:50 -0500
From: George Kovacs <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (dr350) Seat height for short guys like me

Hi Darren,

I am 5'8  195Lb , i can put both feet down , but not all the way to the
heel. It feels ok.
Do not buy a Honda XR650, otherwise you will need a shoe extention.

George

Darren Blin wrote:

> Hey folks
>
> This mailing list is a godsend! I have recently obtained my motorcycle
> license after a long absence of not riding (I used to put around the
> backwoods in 68 Yamaha mini-enduro when I was a young lad). Now, at the
> age of thirty, having never owned a vehicle of any type, I am looking at
> buying a DR350SE. My question is this: How comfortable is this bike with
> people around my height (5'8")? Will I be on my tip-toes when I put my
> feet out? How much can you adjust the "pre-load" to accommodate your
> stature? Maybe some DR350SE bike owners out there who are around my
> height could inform me.
>
> Set me straight please.
>
> Darren Blin
> Bikeless in Toronto Canada
>
> 1998 Size 10 Airwalks

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 07 Apr 1999 22:45:49 -0700
From: Brian Bucknam <[e-mail]>
Subject: (dr350) Introduction

I've been lurking on this list in digest mode for a couple weeks now --
probably time I introduced myself.

I've owned a 92 DR350S for almost a year now.  I bought it to go to Moab
last year with Gino and all of his KLR/KLX friends.  Now that Gino's got a
DR, I feel vindicated (or something :-)

I had some fun with my DR in Moab and in Colorado, where I lived until late
summer, when I moved to Portland, Oregon.  I've had fun riding in the OHV
areas in some of Oregon's many state forests.  Coming from Colorado, I
didn't understand what people meant when they said "That tire packs mud"
until I moved to Oregon.  It rains here.

My DR has the top cut out of the stock airbox.  Someone was just asking
"What is the 'plug' you guys are talking about?" -- 'the plug' is a flexible
rubber 1 inch diameter pipe that goes down from the hole in the top of your
airbox about 2 inches... it sounds like yours is already removed.

I also have MT-21's front and back.  They don't do so well in the mud, but
they stick surprisingly well on the street, and do well off-road until it
rains.  However, I'm not getting much mileage out of the rear tire -- I need
some kind of new plan or new tire if I continue riding the highway to get to
the forest...

I have Acerbis lever/hand guards and the White Brothers "bouncy rear turn
signal" mounts, and, like so many of you, the rear sub-fender has been
removed.  Otherwise the bike is stock.

I was really happy with the DR until I rode a friend's tricked out XR400...
but his suspension was expensively modified, so I'll have to try some stuff
on the DR.

I do like what I've seen so far on the list, and I like Kurt's plan to put
"NDR:" in the subject of off-topic posts.

If you're in the Seattle area, try subscribing to the "WetDirt" mailing list
for rides and general dirt-biking discussion (ask me for instructions).
It's supposed to be Pacific-Northwest, but it ends up being pretty
Seattle-centric.

If you're going riding around Portland, let me know :-)

Brian
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Brian Bucknam         [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 08 Apr 1999 04:58:17 PDT
From: "Bryan Nolastname" <[e-mail]>
Subject: (dr350) Finally found one!

Hallelujah!!!  I finally found a used DR!  Its a '95 SE w/ 3K miles, 1
owner, in what "sounds" to be very good condition.  Owner says he has
receipt showing the initial valve adj. was done by dealer.  I've
wrestled w/ myself over this issue (and nearly kicked my own ass in
process!) of whether to buy new or used.....thought I'd have to go new
because I just couldn't find any used DRs around.  I'm gonna have to
drive 6 hrs to get this baby, but at $2400, its exactly HALF of the
out-the-door price of a new 99 SE.  With the lower initial investment,
I figure I will be able to put alot more goodies on it without feeling
guilty about blowing more $ (wife factor)...maybe even a Thumper
big-bore kit!

FWIW...Yesterday I sent a fax to the 7 Suzuki dealers in the
Dallas/Ft. Worth area, stating that I had cash & wanted to buy a used
DR350 (dirt or dual sport), and would consider buying a new one if the
price was right.  3 of the 7 called me back w/ nobody having any used
ones (none could even remember having any used DRs recently), and the
best out the door price (including 6.25 tax & all BS fees) for a new
99 SE was $4751.  One seemingly honest dealer told me his invoice cost
on the 99 SE was $4006.

Now, I'm off to read the archives about aftermarket goodies to start
making my list!  I know there's alot of talk over which tank (IMS,
CLark, Acerbis) is best....anyone want to make a recommendation here?
 -which is largest capacity?

Finally, anyone know of any particular quirks on the 95 SE's that I
should pay special attention to when I go to see the bike tomorrow?

Take care-
Bryan in Dallas
95 DR-SE (just a day away!)
98 ZX-6R (for sale $6K, perfect cond)


_______________________________________________________________
Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 8 Apr 1999 08:03:16 EDT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: (dr350) (dR350) Carb Info Request

In a message dated 4/7/99 4:52:32 PM Central Daylight Time,
[e-mail] writes:

<< Has anyone seen how they brace the DR's rear swing arm - I can have the
unit
 welded at my workplace, but I'm curious how they protect the "spaceage"
 adhesive used between the rough aluminum casting and the bolted / glued
 extension arms from the heat, and to minimize warpage if the finished
 product. >>


Your best bet is to let Thumper Racing handle that chore.  They do a great
job and they even polish it all up nice n' perty.

Mike A.
Nashville

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 8 Apr 1999 08:13:44 EDT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: (dr350) Seat height for short guys like me

I ride a 96 DR350 which sets a little taller than the SE version (I am 5'
10'') and find it to be very comfortable. If for some reason you find the
bike to be a little tall you can install Kouba links to lower (or raise) the
ride height.

Mike A.
Nashville

------------------------------

End of dr350-digest V1 #11
**************************