Hi All

Ive been on this site in the background for a while as I was thinking of getting a Suzuki DL 650 last year after i finished uni but the old man was selling his Triumph Tiger 1050 at a good price so i bought it off him.

But Im wanting to get rid of the Tiger 1050 as it will make me loose my license some day and you cant really take it off road (ive tried, it worked ok but was very interesting and a few brown trouser moments)

Im looking at getting a pre 2012 (the new model) DL650 and really want a 21 inch front wheel to make it better at off roading.

So has anyone ever changed either the front 19" wheel to a 21"? How did you do it? what did you use?

Or the other option is completely change the front forks and front wheel with another set of forks that i can find/buy

Again has anyone done this? What forks did you use? etc

If i was going for the front forks i would like to try and keep the twin discs setup to keep the braking power as i normaly do a good bit of touring. I would more than likely put on a high front mud guard and place a big single head light and a small screen.

There's been a number of permutations on that theme over the years, probably the most common being either a full DR650 front end or DR upper tubes and DL sliders mated together. Makes the bike a little better in some ways, worse in others and in general isn't worth the time and money. At least that's the consensus of the people I've talked to who have done it. The Strom is not a dirt bike, and putting a 21" front on it isn't going to make it one.

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Rich Desmond
'07 DL650, '01 DR-Z400S, '99 SV650 (race bike), '80 GS1000S, '85 RZ350, '08 Ducati 848

Rich

It really depends as ive looked over here in the UK and for the front fairing, head light unit, front fairing hanger, screen, front forks and front wheel are big money on the second hand market as new ones from dealers are such big money as the pound has now gone to stupid money.

Other reason im looking is ive taken a DL650 out for a spin and although the 19inch front wheel had no issues on the road ive read quite alot that the 19inch front isnt the best for off roading.

I understand that the bike will never become a motoX bike but thats not what im looking, im looking a bike that will do the distance, look good, take luggage, no feel like having a pencial up my a**e, when i got where im going i can unpack and go for a spin around the less travelled roads including off roading. The other thing is i want a challenge, i use to own a Yamaha XT660R for 4 years and took it off roading a fare few times which i found handled better on the off roading i do than a yamaha WR250F as its size allowed me to have a massive imput into how the bike handled/felt off road. The WRF felt like it didnt matter what i did it would still get to the end (unless i forced it out of its comfort zone).

Also ive always had the idea of getting a DL 650, removing the fairing and putting on a front light and screen with bike high bars (ie an motoX feeling bike but twin cylinder and more comfort)

Hey, it's your time and money, so it's your choice.
I'm just saying that you're not the first person to try to go down that road, and that the people who've gone before you generally haven't been thrilled with the outcome. FWIW, YMMV, and all that.

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Rich Desmond
'07 DL650, '01 DR-Z400S, '99 SV650 (race bike), '80 GS1000S, '85 RZ350, '08 Ducati 848

Buy a DR650, hell of a lot easier.

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-Tom (DL650AL2) (KA1TOX) (E-I-E-I-O)

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Rich

Oh yes i would probably get the DL 650 and try it off road a few times but im defo taking the front fairing off to see what it feels like without the fairing (would still put some form of screen on though as im 6ft4). before i decide to go down the fork change route.

tmcgee

They dont make them any more over here, and the ones you can get are quiet old with high miles. That and i just think me and the dl suit each other, very refined about what it does, just keeps plugging away for hours and hours, just feed it some fuel, but best of all if you want to get a shimmy on its ready just drop it down a gear or two and wind the twist grip on

(no officer it wasnt me on the DL650 testing riding it at 110mph!!!!)

Well the other question maybe is to ask is has anyone changed the front 19" to a 21" front using the standard forks?

Any issues? What did you use as a donor 21" inch front? What bits di you have to change, mod etc?

perhaps post the question on ADVRIDER site will give u more chance getting the answer u want-

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Finally a bike like Strom i could have as a concubine and my wife doesnt object!

Have seen a few on ADV as well

Hi

have a look at my bike. its a work in progress but for me a great improvement on a stock Dl. I find the 19 inch the best compromise between on and off road handling. What the Dl needs is better suspension, front and back. I like what this guy did, but not enough info.Here is the link. Yet another long legged DL650 - ADVrider

Attached Images

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Current: 05 DL 650 slightly modified.
19" BMW GS front rim; 17" Honda Transalp 600 rear rim; Front forks lengthened by 10 cm; Backshock raised 10 cm; Cowley Exhaust; Bah BAh Black sheep skin cover; Carbon Fiber fairing; Vapor instrument panel.
Previous: 06 KLR 650; 98 Honda XR 600; 88 Honda XL 600; Yamaha XT 500; 82 Honda VF 750R