From: owner-dr350-digest@lists.xmission.com (dr350-digest) To: dr350-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: dr350-digest V1 #18 Reply-To: dr350-digest Sender: owner-dr350-digest@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-dr350-digest@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk dr350-digest Wednesday, April 14 1999 Volume 01 : Number 018 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 14 Apr 1999 00:37:13 -0400 From: Harald Glass Subject: Re: (dr350) Maintenance Weekend... Bryan Cowger wrote: > > Here's a tip I figured out this weekend for those who don't have the Special > Tool for the adjuster screw: Take a short (~1") square-drive (Jorgenson?) "Robertson" to be exact, now that the patent has run out, widely available outside of Canada (one of the handiest fasteners for the handyman--you can aim the driver in ANY direction, but you need special drivers or driverbits: the drivers are colour coded, yellow for the tiniest, over green, red to black for the largest). While we're on ingenious substitutes, I just found out that the OIL FILLER CAP from my old VW Diesel Beetle, with two minute venting holes drilled top and bottom, makes a very servicable alternative to the PITA factory lockable number. Well, as long as you live in a neigbourhood where people don't mess with your scooter AND you don't have the habit of riding Flying W style: the ridge on the cap might alter your libido a bit. cheers, hpg ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 13 Apr 1999 22:15:51 -0700 From: jessekientz Subject: Re: (dr350) dr 350 ideas? PATRICK ANDERSON wrote: > > I am new to this, but I will give it a try.. I have a 94 DR350es and I > am trying to give it a good work over before this summer. Aside form > general maintenance, I would like to get some tips on making it better > suited to trail riding. I live in the east, VA, (for now,) and in my > little bit of experience off road here, have found new things I am not > familiar with. I am originally from Nevada, and had areas to go riding > right outside my back door, wide open cruising, desert mountains, etc > etc... Now, I have to search hard for places to ride, and they are > usually wet wooded areas, with trees. At any rate, I still want to > ride the bike to work, and I dont want to spend eight billion dollars > on things like cylinders and engine mods. I would just like some > affordable tips on making it a better bike. Anything from tire > suggestions to handle bar tips. I hope I am not missing the aim of this > email ring thing, I hope I can get some good advice out of some > knowledgeable people. Thanks for your time, > Respectfully, > PJ Andersen > By the way: Anyone live around SE VA? Lets ride sometime! Patrick greetings from grants pass OR first put protapers and Applied top triple clamps {handle bars} you will like them. dont Know if you are riding on the highway if so you will have to get some dot approved Knobbys if not I run a dunlop K490 on the front and a michelin mp11 intermediate on the rear. if you can find a white brothers mega 4 and thier oversize header it will improve your power output but rejetting will be necessary up a couple sizes on the main and check your plug color should be chocolate brown.Boy do I carry on. If you want more info let me know always willing to help. Jesse ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 14 Apr 1999 07:13:35 EDT From: TCrowe1234@aol.com Subject: (dr350) Ohlins shocks Have any of your guy had any experence with Ohlins shocks Tony ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 14 Apr 1999 09:03:00 -0400 From: "Sperduto, Nick" Subject: RE: (dr350) dr 350 ideas? Here's a couple of relatively inexpensive tips for improving the dr for the east . Put in a k&n airfilter. Throw the stock handlebars out and get a set of 1991 honda cr250 aluminum high bend bars. They have a much better riding position and won't smach the top of your leg when your sitting on the bike and turn the handlebar all the way. Get a pair of Norm's kouba links (he's on the list) and if your more than about 180lbs, get a new set of front and rear springs. get a good set of knobbies and have some fun ---------- From: PATRICK ANDERSON To: dr350@lists.xmission.com Subject: (dr350) dr 350 ideas? Date: Tuesday, April 13, 1999 11:47PM I am new to this, but I will give it a try.. I have a 94 DR350es and I am trying to give it a good work over before this summer. Aside form general maintenance, I would like to get some tips on making it better suited to trail riding. I live in the east, VA, (for now,) and in my little bit of experience off road here, have found new things I am not familiar with. I am originally from Nevada, and had areas to go riding right outside my back door, wide open cruising, desert mountains, etc etc... Now, I have to search hard for places to ride, and they are usually wet wooded areas, with trees. At any rate, I still want to ride the bike to work, and I dont want to spend eight billion dollars on things like cylinders and engine mods. I would just like some affordable tips on making it a better bike. Anything from tire suggestions to handle bar tips. I hope I am not missing the aim of this email ring thing, I hope I can get some good advice out of some knowledgeable people. Thanks for your time, Respectfully, PJ Andersen By the way: Anyone live around SE VA? Lets ride sometime! ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 14 Apr 1999 09:07:03 PDT From: "Bryan Nolastname" Subject: (dr350) suspension upgrades; new handlebars & tripple clamp; K&N filter I'm considering sending my forks & shock to Thumper Raceing for their revalve/respring job. The total cost, excluding shipping, will be $435. Is this a good deal? While I've never been into a fork/shock in my life, I'm sure I could do most anything w/ good instructions....but would it be worth the hassel & would it be as good as what Thumper does? Also...Thumper sells the ProTaper bars & Answer triple clamp for around $230 total. Will a guy like me (little off road experience but getting more all the time; will do alot of DS touring) notice much better handling from this investment? Are there alternatives that are as good/better/less $$? Yesterday I got the K&N filter from Thumper, and their JX spring & needle they recommend for the carb. Installation of the spring & needle was a snap! But the freakin' filter!!!! I struggled with it for at least an hour before I finally decided that the wing-bolt was just too damn long to fit. I called them to complain that they sent me the wrong filter, & they said you had to take off the rubber boot from airbox to carb in order to reach in from the engine side of teh airbox to guide the wingbolt into the hole!!! What a drag! I dont know why they still recommend the K&N knowing the hassel its going to cause, or they should at least warn people that its not going to fit w/o taking the carb boot off! Bryan in Dallas 95 DR350se 98 ZX-6R (for sale $6K) _______________________________________________________________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 14 Apr 1999 10:22:38 -0600 From: "Pokluda, Gino F" Subject: RE: (dr350) suspension upgrades; new handlebars & tripple clamp; K&N filter >>Also...Thumper sells the ProTaper bars & Answer triple clamp for around $230 total. Will a guy like me (little off road experience but getting more all the time; will do alot of DS touring) notice much better handling from this investment? Are there alternatives that are as good/better/less $$?<< I just purchased Pro Tapers and the universal kit from Fred Hink for my 99 DR350se, which will remain stock, by the way ;-). I'll let you know how they work when I get them on. I'm a mediocre off-road rider who invariably picks the absolute worse line through rocky trails, so I figure the added strength of the Pro Tapers is a plus. Gino ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 14 Apr 1999 10:29:06 -0600 From: Michael Terrian Subject: RE: (dr350) suspension upgrades; new handlebars & tripple clamp; K&N filter Bryan: > Yesterday I got the K&N filter from Thumper, and their JX spring & > needle they recommend for the carb. Installation of the spring & > needle was a snap! But the freakin' filter!!!! I struggled with it > for at least an hour before I finally decided that the wing-bolt was > just too damn long to fit. I called them to complain that they sent > me the wrong filter, & they said you had to take off the rubber boot > from airbox to carb in order to reach in from the engine side of teh > airbox to guide the wingbolt into the hole!!! What a drag! I dont > know why they still recommend the K&N knowing the hassel its going to > cause, or they should at least warn people that its not going to fit > w/o taking the carb boot off! I don't think it's absolutely necessary to remove the carb boot to get the filter on. I ran a K&N for a while (I've replaced it with a Uni) and I got the bolt in without doing so. It just takes forever. It is a major hassle but it can be done by just "feeling" around with the end of the bolt. Persevere!! On Wednesday, April 14, 1999 10:07 AM, Bryan Nolastname [SMTP:vfrman@hotmail.com] wrote: > I'm considering sending my forks & shock to Thumper Raceing for their > revalve/respring job. The total cost, excluding shipping, will be > $435. Is this a good deal? While I've never been into a fork/shock > in my life, I'm sure I could do most anything w/ good > instructions....but would it be worth the hassel & would it be as > good as what Thumper does? I installed Race Tech's cartridge emulators and springs in my DR. It made a huge difference. Total cost was about $200. I'm still working on the read end. Bought an Eibach spring that I haven't had a chance to install yet. Paid approx $80 for it. So far, doing the labor myself, I'm up to $280. If I included the cost of a shock service, not to mention a revalve, I'd be pretty close to the $435. So, my point is, depending on what they plan to do, $435 may be pretty reasonable. > Also...Thumper sells the ProTaper bars & Answer triple clamp for > around $230 total. Will a guy like me (little off road experience > but getting more all the time; will do alot of DS touring) notice > much better handling from this investment? Are there alternatives > that are as good/better/less $$? If I were you, I'd just install some good bars (Renthals, for example) and save the difference. Others may not agree but I don't think you'll get much return on your investment with ProTaper and new triple clamps on the DR. At least, not for the kind of riding you describe. Mike Terrian terrian@ibm.net ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 14 Apr 1999 09:31:09 -0700 From: Subject: Re: (dr350) suspension upgrades; new handlebars & tripple clamp; K&N filter Bryan, Your year of DR does not have cartridge forks but rather the simpler damper rod design; there is very little room for improvement within. Up front, the best bang for your $ can be found with Race Tech emulators and stiffer springs (call them for info or check their web site). On the rear, go with the Kouba link and his recommended stiffer spring (7.6kg?) All of the aforementioned can be installed by anyone with a basic mechanical aptitude, for less than the $ you were quoted, with better ending results according to other DR owners. I had the Answer upper clamp and ProTapers on mine; seemed to stiffen up the front end somewhat, but not to the level I wanted for hard dirt work - sure drew the attention of friends, though. The bars are a very good investment; stronger yet not as rigid (some flex is intended) as the stockers. They make a bar and adopters where you can reuse your existing upper clamp. Gauze filters are not the hot ticket in dry, dusty conditions, like here in SoCal. I prefer a UNI foam unit. You might try removing the top of your air box, then remove the seat to have better access to the wing nut. John "Bryan Nolastname" on 04/14/99 09:07:03 AM Please respond to "Bryan Nolastname" To: dr350@lists.xmission.com cc: (bcc: John D Gill/RSS/Rockwell) Subject: (dr350) suspension upgrades; new handlebars & tripple clamp; K&N filter I'm considering sending my forks & shock to Thumper Raceing for their revalve/respring job. The total cost, excluding shipping, will be $435. Is this a good deal? While I've never been into a fork/shock in my life, I'm sure I could do most anything w/ good instructions....but would it be worth the hassel & would it be as good as what Thumper does? Also...Thumper sells the ProTaper bars & Answer triple clamp for around $230 total. Will a guy like me (little off road experience but getting more all the time; will do alot of DS touring) notice much better handling from this investment? Are there alternatives that are as good/better/less $$? Yesterday I got the K&N filter from Thumper, and their JX spring & needle they recommend for the carb. Installation of the spring & needle was a snap! But the freakin' filter!!!! I struggled with it for at least an hour before I finally decided that the wing-bolt was just too damn long to fit. I called them to complain that they sent me the wrong filter, & they said you had to take off the rubber boot from airbox to carb in order to reach in from the engine side of teh airbox to guide the wingbolt into the hole!!! What a drag! I dont know why they still recommend the K&N knowing the hassel its going to cause, or they should at least warn people that its not going to fit w/o taking the carb boot off! Bryan in Dallas 95 DR350se 98 ZX-6R (for sale $6K) _______________________________________________________________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 14 Apr 1999 14:51:00 -0400 From: "Sperduto, Nick" Subject: (dr350) pro taper bars Could someone explain the benefit of protaper bars to me. I've always took off stock bars and put on high bend aluminum bars, cut down to 30 inches. The woods here on the east coast are tight. Also, with no cross bar, where do you mount the route sheet holder and for my occasional enduro, the clock and electric odometer ? For a couple hundred bucks there should be some significant benefit. Anyone got any input ? Nick ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 14 Apr 1999 13:23:05 -0600 From: Michael Terrian Subject: RE: (dr350) pro taper bars According to a catalog in which Pro-Tapers are featured: "Made from Easton EA-70 ProGram aluminum with exclusive taper wall design. They are 30% lighter and 45% stronger than conventional aluminum bars due to patented oversize 1 1/8" bulge design. No slip 1.125" clamp area eliminates bar rotation. Pro-Taper bars flex more in an up and down motion, yet are stronger and more secure in forward and aft direction." Hope that helps. Mike Terrian '96 DR350SE On Wednesday, April 14, 1999 12:51 PM, Sperduto, Nick [SMTP:SperdutoN@dnb.com] wrote: > Could someone explain the benefit of protaper bars to me. I've always took > off stock bars and put on high bend aluminum bars, cut down to 30 inches. > The woods here on the east coast are tight. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 14 Apr 1999 16:38:49 EDT From: RAld277@aol.com Subject: Re: (dr350) suspension upgrades; new handlebars & tripple clamp; K&N filter I agree that the K&N filter is a b*tch to service but it does a great job of letting your bike breath easier. Try cutting out the top of your air box. You will have an easier time with the wing nut and you will gain a couple of ponies because of better air flow. As to your suspension try putting a set of Progressive springs on all three legs set to your weight and riding style. Save the re-valve until you need the seals replaced. By then you will a lot more about how you want your suspension to handle. The springs are about $180.00 for all three and not to difficult to change. Progressive's phone # 760-241-4012. I have not had a chance to try them yet but I hear great things about the Kouba links. Hope to have them on my bike soon. http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/2299/ I like the Pro Taper bars but if you are looking to get maximum return for your dollar you might think about putting your money into a good pipe and silencer. I can't really recommend a particular one for your SE because I have an off road only DR. My Big Gun might be a little to loud for street use :) I am told that Mike is working on a quitter silencer. You can give him a call and ask. Mike Young (909) 948-7029 or http://www.biggunexhaust.com/. Good luck with all of it. Mike A. Nashville Disclaimer: The above info is the opinion of just one idiot and not necessarily that of the other idiots. ------------------------------ End of dr350-digest V1 #18 **************************