Hi mate, I had a 2012 WeeStrom that did a little off-road, and currently have a well modded 2019 DR650 that does plenty of off-road, though as I get older I am less inclined to do the harder stuff, so its up for sale as I have a new DL800SE - in the future am going to stick to easier trails with less verticality..

Anyway, there is a fair spread on the spectrum between the two 650’s.… IMHO the VStrom 650 was always a road bike that could deal with a bit of “not too challenging“ dirt, and while I haven’t ridden the latest XT version, I’ve never looked at it and thought it would be significantly different. No escaping the fact you have a modest size road bike between your legs.

The DR650SE is quite different, an (albeit large) trail bike that is surprisingly comfortable and capable on the road (up to about 120 km/hr), but in doing that it will still feel like what it is when riding on the road - a slim trail bike with a large single cylinder engine, including all of the associated “character” that goes with it, rumbling along on knobby tyres…

Nonetheless, the off-road capabilities of the DR are way ahead of the DL650, it will do what a trail bike does very well, providing you develop your skills appropriately… You have to use the controls (weight shift, stand up skills, grip with legs and stay loose on the bars so as to precisely steer, selective braking, be unafraid of trusting the suspension and don’t get it too slow…) to make the large chassis do what you want (low effort) versus using your physical strength to muscle it around (high effort). Chugging up steep climbs, ripping along rough & rutted trails, deep water crossing, no worries… Still, it’s not an MX bike, so even with my modified suspension I don’t jump it if I can avoid doing so, though if you don’t get too much air it’s OK…

Lots of good websites around (particularly here in Australia) describing what you can do to improve a stock DR for a better off-road experience, many of the mods are simple, cheap and very worthwhile.

Hope that helps.

chrs, jc

 

Agree completely with your experience with both the DL and DR650. Have owned both in the past and took both into situations beyond their design and my riding capabilities. They are both surprisingly capable on rough trails, the DR much better there and the DL far superior on the highway. The DR is much easier to pick up when that steep hilly trail is steeper than you thought and you lose your nerve to stay on the throttle, which inevitably results in a tip over. My KLX250 was the right bike for those situations, for me. We all have different levels of experience and capabilities, so a good rough terrain bike for me may not be necessary for another. Take a dual-sport riders course with professional instruction and both learn better techniques and learn your limits in a safer environment. Money well spent IMHO. FWIW, at 72 I don't ride rough trails on my 2018 V-Strom, although some can comfortably, but use my my much smaller KLX230S for those situations. It labors on the highway but a delight on Forest Service and BLM roads and Jeep trails. 2 bikes is the best way if you can afford to do so.

 

I spent a lot of years racing off road and know well the difference between a machine biased for the road versus off road. I loved my Vstroms for the very reason that they made a vastly greater street bike than any of my single cylinder off road machines. The Wee is fine on a dirt road or for very mild trail use. But if you really want to ride off road get a machine that is made for that type of riding (and that weights much less than a Vstom). A good true off road bike is going to weight in the 250-275 pound range (dry). Many of my race bikes were even less than that. I always felt that if I couldn't pick up the bike and set it on its stand then it was too heavy for me to ride off road.
BTW: When I speak of off-road I am talking serious off-road. Mud, water crossings, jumps, going over logs and rocks, etc. Dirt roads are just unpaved roads, not true "off road".
Remember, "compromised" (a.k.a Dual-Sport) just means something is not specialized, its not a great street bike nor a good dirt bike.

 

I never owned a DR. However it's a porky beast for a dirt bike and on the multi-day rides I used to do (As much dirt as possible), the DR's were faster on the tight dirt sections than me on a DL, I was vastly faster on the more open dirt and a lot more comfortable on the seal connecting sections, the net result of that was that at the end of day I was in better shape than the younger and fitter riders on DR's. For that reason I don't think it's the unicorn you are looking for. We did occasional single track (road A to road B sort of thing), that was generally short enough that I coped on the DL, can't say it was always wonderful fun, but I coped.

If you want a significantly better bike you need lighter, and probably lighter than the DR. Everything is compromises and 'it depends' so a DR might be perfect for you.

Since you had a Ninja check out the Kawasaki 300, also not a real dirt bike, but lighter than a DR I think, or more serious dirt bikes like WR250, CRF250, KTM 390.

See if you can find a DR rider close by who'll let you ride one. Or better, if there's bike hire check out bikes that way. Way cheaper than buyers regret.

 

The DR650 and the Versys X300 are almost identical in weight, within just a few pounds, 10 or so. For and "all around" I'd go with the DR. I thought about a DR650, but wound up buying BOTH a Husaberg FE390 (251 lbs dry) for off road AND a Versys X300 for ADV use (not bad on Jeep trails in the mountains, but NOT as OFF road worthy as a DR650. If I could only have one bike, the DR650 would be high on my short list. (The Husaberg factory seat is a freaking 2x4 under a handkerchief - sore butt in 3 hours.. but I have ridden it on most of the TAT on it - up to 5 long days - with a sore butt - I keep putting more and more foam it! The Versys X300 is short on power, long on comfort and really is a small ADV bike, (also needs more seat foam) but I love it FOR ITS INTENDED PURPOSE. I now have added a 2017 Vstrom 650XT to the stable. Favorite bike I've ever owned, but NOT a dual sport as everyone knows, but IS a fantastic ADV bike up to mild gravel roads. I hope you find the unicorn you're looking for. Keep us posted.

 

I have a DR650 and a DL1000 currently. I had a DL650 prior to the 1000.

Sure people have ridden all kinds of bikes every where. It's just a matter of tolerance right?

Thing is riding a big heavy bike off-road can be dangerous not just uncomfortable.

Riding off road you will have to pick up the bike at some point. There's about 150 lb. difference between the DR and the Storms.

It's up to you if you can tolerate a more dirt focused bike on the road vs. a more road focused bike on the dirt.

Easy choice for me if headed for dirt, the DR. I grew up riding dirt bikes.

The Strom isn't going down anything more than a nice dry dirt road with me riding it!

 

A buddy of mine and I did a portion of the Continental Divide Ride from Wyoming to the Mexico border. I was riding my 2008 DR650 and he was on his 2004 V-Strom 650. He is a better off road rider than I so was able to deal with anything on his V-Strom that I handled with the DR. (I also had a VStrom back in the garage). My opinion for my off road skill level was the DR is a much better off road bike than the V-Strom. Set up properly, the DR650 will do it all. Our total mile trip was over 2000 miles in 9 days, with my return to Denver via I-25 Freeway. The best solution would to have both bikes, as neither is very expensive to own and operate. I agree with what has been said above . V-Strom leans more in the Adventure bike realm and the DR650 is more in the dirt bike realm. But they do cross over with the proper mods.

 

I have both and a Yamaha XT225. For all but the longer rides, the 225 is the better choice for dirt due to light weight and physical size. Wet weights for the 3 bikes - 270 pounds vs 370 vs 480+

I bought a very well set up DR650 two years ago for longer dual sport rides and love it. It has ALMOST become my go to bike over my Strom 650 for just daily riding or to take out for a quick spin. I generally commute on the Strom and longer road trips due to better luggage that locks. I have ridden the Strom on dirt, gravel and even a fair bit of mud. I would recommend the DR or 225 in all of those situations.

DR prices are easing down on the used market so a well outfitted one can be found for $4,000 or so. Can sell for all of the purchase price if you don't like it.
Great DR group on ADV Rider that can help with anything that comes up.
I would recommend getting one with most of the suspension and comfort mods like a good seat if you can.

 

So if I got proper forks and suspension as well as better tires suited for off-road I'm assuming the dl650 would do very well? My only complaint is I've been able to pay off my current bike and I've heard from several that the dr650 is not a highway bike. I can certainly say and agree with everyone at the vistram is a heavy bike with all of its weight up high. But on the other end of the spectrum if I were to buy a dr650 I would put a much bigger fuel tank on it as well as different lighting and better suspension upgrades. I do love touring and occasionally having to go on dirt or gravel roads which the V-Strom seems fine to handle. They're not a lot of places in Ohio that I know of where you can really go off off road... I primarily want to handle gravel a lot better as I have fell off my bike a lot while going on gravel and I'm very thankful that I have not been injured. Most of it was due to my clutch lever and my skill of not being a very good off road to begin with. I did see a video of a gentleman online that rode his V-Strom 650 through some very rough terrain like it was a dirt bike but that was also because of his skill level. I also have wide engine guards and handlebar guards as well as MX off-road boots in the event I would to fall over while riding which will prevent hyperextension as that's my biggest worry when riding on gravel or loose terrain. Also what has been your experience with the dr650 carburetor? I do know it has a choke but does it start well in 30° weather? I had a ninja 250 r that had a choke and it still took a while to heat up compared to my FI V-Strom which fires up every time.

 

I would also set up the dr650 for long touring rides and make it into a mini ADV bike but with the 7.9 gallon to fire fuel tank as well as adding luggage to it, wouldn't that raise the weight to almost the starting weight of a V-Strom? Again I'm pretty much new to all this stuff and I did a lot of research on so many other things but keep coming back to Suzuki as I guess at this point I'm just a fanboy lol.

I did want a Suzuki Burgman 650 at one point but that scooter does not do well on gravel or dirt roads.

 

I would also set up the dr650 for long touring rides and make it into a mini ADV bike but with the 7.9 gallon to fire fuel tank as well as adding luggage to it, wouldn't that raise the weight to almost the starting weight of a V-Strom? Again I'm pretty much new to all this stuff and I did a lot of research on so many other things but keep coming back to Suzuki as I guess at this point I'm just a fanboy lol.

I had a adventure set up DR650 before I got my '21 VStrom 650 XT. Here's my DR with bigger fuel tank, LED lights, upgraded comfort seat and controls, modern instruments, etc. Sort of the set up you have in mind.
Untitled by rogue_biker, on Flickr

The difference between the DR and the VStrom 650 on pavement performance and off road performance is almost night and day. The Strom has twice the power and massive amounts of wind protection. So cruising around at 80-85 mph is super easy and comfortable. Especially under demanding conditions, like hot or high, or high winds in hilly areas, the VStrom's extra power and wind protection makes that easy work. However, under normal conditions, and if you're happy cruising at 70-75 mph, the DR650 can be quite pleasant (set up properly for longer distance riding like mine). It's not slow. Just not fast. It's a ton of fun on backroads.

Off road the performance difference goes further. Terrain that will FORCE you to slow way down on the VStrom, the DR will simply plow over without trouble. Even a highly modified DR650 will easily be 100 lbs lighter than an equivalently equipped VStrom 650. The DR650 will be that much easier to control. The rougher the terrain, the bigger the difference. The VStrom 650 is really only good for easy off road. Anything moderate will hit the bottom of the bike often, and slam the suspension to their stops. You can do it if you slow way down, but you will be beating the living daylights out of the VStrom 650. However, if you're off road riding is on well graded Forest Service Roads and trails, the VStrom 650 will handle that with no issues. Again, just have to slow down.

So just be honest with yourself: Do you prefer off road and will you be off road a lot? Or will you be spending 90% of your time on pavement? If it's the latter, get the VStrom 650 XT and fit it with Dunlop Trailmax Mission Tires. Done and done. You will not regret it. The VStrom 650 XT is a great adventure touring bike that doubles as a sporty bike in the mountains. And if you just want to explore a dirt road here and there, the VStrom 650 will easily do that with confidence. OTOH, if you enjoy tackling rocky terrain, soft sand, rutted trails, single track, every other weekend, DR650 all the way.

 

If you are in a position to have two bikes I highly recommend that you take a look at the DRZ400 - I have a 2003 DRZ400 and a 2023 DL650XT. The two of them cover any situation I'm likely to encounter.

 

Unfortunately at this time I can only afford one as I'm still paying a bit on my car and was looking at something that is an all-around good bike and that is what the V-Strom certainly is. I also know that the V-Strom as a pretty high horsepower and top speed... At least for me and can comfortably cruise at 70 all day long without a problem.

But I don't know about the dr650 is how well it can handle the highway, how much pickup does it have on the highway, and how I would use a way to gauge the gas in the tank? I know the old method is just to use your trip odometer but if I put a 7.9 gas tank on the DR650, I don't know how much gas that would use until I would fully go out of gas. I'm assuming it has a reserve? So then when it goes and starts sputtering I just throw it into reserve?

Again all of the mods that I've done to my V-Strom were not cheap and I was able to pay them off recently... And I'm not so sure by buying the dr650 and all the mods that I want to do to it would be quite a lot of change.

Does anyone have experience with the dr650 on the highway and how well it compares doing long trips?

I do like the valve adjustable screws on the dr650 as well as adding an additional lighting kit to it for adding a bigger gas tank since it's so old school you can do all of that to it whereas the V-Strom you cannot.

 

My DR has the IMS 4.9 gallon tank and it is probably best overall size to not have to move turn signals. My tank is the translucent one, so you can see how much fuel remains. Yes it has 1 gallon reserve, so no running out of fuel issues. I get in the neighborhood of 200 miles on a tank depending on how I ride.

My DR has the TM40 pumper carb (accelerator pump) upgrade for more immediate response, but the stock carb is fine.
No problem cruising on the highway at 60 - 65 mph, especially with small windshield (Parabellum Rally). Plenty on tap for passing if needed, will run up to 90+ mph. With a Sargent seat, comfortable for several hours. Very torquey engine, but pulls pretty strong throughout.

We did the Smoky Mtn 500 in June over 3 days and I was comfortable on the ride and the 2 days of highway to get to the start/finish.

 

That was sortof my hint. The DR certainly is more capable offroad than a DL, but riders have said it, it still takes effort to muscle around and they were really painful at highway speeds compared to the large ADV bikes. I rode with quite a few DR/KLR riders over the years - distances to dirt were large here, maybe 200km and the large ADV bikes worked better over a long day of mostly dirt riding. I was probably the least fit of all the riders, most of whom were professionally fit people. (Paramedics, firemen) and the DL hit the sweet spot for me. I'm not saying my riding or fitness is like yours, just that the DR's/KLR's weren't day and night better, and on the long hauls (600km+/day of mostly roads over several days) didn't seem a win. Absolue best was a KTM 500, but without a cush hub it beat the hell out of the riders hands and ate a set of chain and sprockets roughly every second ride. That was definately lighter, capable of the speeds we did on seal and a real joy off road.

Uncomfortable cruising on a DR is 100kph, much over that and it takes real effort. It can do it, it just gets harder and harder.

Comment on the DRZ it's really ****ing tall . And with less gears in the box is also painful on the highway. Better than a DR if you have some skill (needs to be revved) and if you are tall, possibly not otherwise.

KTM 690 is possibly the best near unicorn now, that has problems as well. Expensive, needs lots of maintenance and I think they still break rockers now and then.

Also a comment. I knew a few riders who went from DL's to DR's. They tended to pick up injuries (broken legs/ankles mostly) after that. A DL always reminds you that it's really too heavy to be here so be cautious , the DR didn't until it suddenly wasn't and that caught people out.

 

Rally4: ”Does anyone have experience with the dr650 on the highway and how well it compares doing long trips?”

Yeah, I do a bit on mine.. Like I mentioned in my previous post, it feels like a trail bike, but a comfortable trail bike, until you get to 110-120 km/hr - but it’s not as comfortable as a roadbike. Your choice of tyres are a real factor here, and I will say my Seat Concepts seat is divine… Vibes become an issue above that speed, and you’ll need a better fairing than stock. It carries soft luggage OK…

The point about a DR650 is it’s about the minimum size and engine capacity that makes it passable for highway speeds and long trips, but that still translates to a big trail bike. Smaller bikes may be more capable on the trails but can be frustrating at highway speeds, I hated my DRZ400 on the road.. I’m 178cm and 85 kg, once you get used to controlling the DR650 rather than fighting it I was never that fussed about the size, except on the occasions when it fell over with the bars in a downhill direction and it had to be picked up from past the horizontal. Keep in mind that happens on tougher single track. Keeping it moving is the best idea. I find the DR very comfortable when ridden off-road, and long days at comfortable pace still leave me feeling pretty good.

My personal position on this question is that I ride the same off-road stuff on the DR650 as I did on the DL650, and I find the former easier by far, it’s more fun and I get less fatigued on long rides. Last ride out one of our regular fire trails had been widened to meet the upcoming (expected to be bad) season, and we were ripping down it 100 km/hr no worries.. I doubt I’d have felt as good on the WeeStrom, when things get out of shape you have more mass to control, and when the bump you hit at speed is bigger than you thought, you’ll notice there is more weight being managed by less suspension travel. I have modified the suspension on my DR to be better than stock, but in any case, there’s no doubt I find the DR easier at the same pace (or faster) on dirt.

However, if you only want to do “soft roads“ ie dirt or gravel roads and not head off them into too much stuff that is lumpy, a good set of tyres and maybe some suspension tweaks on the DL650 would keep you on a faster, more comfortable steed on the tarmac..

This is why I am impressed with my new DL800DE, it really seems to have a capable foot in each camp…

FWIW…

chrs, jc

 

I've had 4 DR650 and one DL650.

I've had two DR650's at the same time. Once was set up as my touring rig and the other was set up off-pavement. The touring rig DR650 once I got a DL650 was set up with a side car rig for the pup. The DL650 was not a long term bike and was sold within a year and the DR650's stuck around for a while longer. I did end up buying another DR650 (bone stock) last fall and sold it a month later as I was reminded off all it was and wasn't and did not want to spend the money on suspension, protection, seat etc to make the bike what I am used too.

Earlier this year I bought a DRZ400 and honestly, I like it better than the DR650's for several reasons. While it does not have as much torque as the DR650 its 40+ pounds lighter. The 5 speed transmission on both the DR and DRZ are hated by most but I don't mind them.

Either the DR or DRZ will do anything you want and are rock solid in reliability. Sure, they are not going to be as comfortable as a multi-cylinder touring rig or a lightweight eurotrash single tracker but that's not what they are. They are the last of the cost effective Dual Sport class of motorcycle, well that and the turdish KLR.

 

What it really boils down too is life is too short to have only one bike! There is no one bike does it all.

I can tell you from experience if you are going to do any serious off-road that even the DR is a big heavy pig. I did a couple MIchaux dual sports on mine and a 340lb a big fat pig plowing through the single track of rocks and fallen trees on the "B" sections. Glad I skipped the "A"sections. The guys on lightweight Euro's bouncing on top of the rocks and fallen trees whereas I was plowing through them leaving a trail of aluminum and steel from the skid plate, swingarm and foot pegs. Almost everyone of the Euro bike riders commented as they whizzed by I cannot believe you are riding that big bike through this. I replied had I known what this trail was like I wouldn't t have. But there was no turning around.

The DR was okay to pick up the 1st couple of times, by the end of the day that 340lbs felt like 34,000lbs trying to pick up.

I will say that if "off-road" to you means groomed fire break roads that a Honda Civic can maintain highway speeds the DL650 is fine, so is a Goldwing. BUt if you want to ride anything more aggressive even 2 track the limited ground clearance on the DL will be apparent and the weight will not be welcome. Heck I don't like taking my Hexhead GS on fire roads as it the same weight as the DL but with much more ground clearance, better suspension, better brakes and more power. But weight is weight. My DRZ is much more fun once the blacktop stops.

DR650 ground clearance - 10.4 inches / seat height 33 inches
DRZ4000 ground clearance - 10.24 inches / seat height 35.04 inches
DL650 ground clearance - 6.7 inches / seat height 32.9 inches

 

What it really boils down too is life is too short to have only one bike! There is no one bike does it all.

DR650 ground clearance - 10.4 inches / seat height 33 inches
DRZ4000 ground clearance - 10.24 inches / 35.04 inches
DL650 ground clearance - 6.7 inches / seat height 32.9 inches

I liked my modified DR650 a lot. I miss it's off road capabilities. If I could do it all over again, I'd get another new DR650, and just add a Cogent Suspension, comfortable Seat Concepts seat, LED lights, small windscreen. Done. Leave the motor alone. Use it for backroads exploration, off road Forest Service road riding, urban riding. My VStrom does the longer trips in total comfort.

I've ridden my VStrom 650 off road rough terrain up to the limits of its suspension travel and ground clearance. Did not enjoy it at all. Having said that, it's pretty good and easy to ride on well groomed trails/two tracks that doesn't have rocks or soft sand.

 

Love my K4 DL650 for road and very light gravel/flat dirt, if I wanted to ride off road again I'd pickup an old DR350 again, loved that bike with 6-speed tranny. much better than DR400's I've ridden.

 

Interesting where this thread is drifting.. I never got the impression the OP was asking about the end of the spectrum where the lightweight, higher spec ADV bikes reside, and sensibly asked about member thoughts about the incremental shift from a DL650 to a DR650.

I ride with others who have lighter, more off-road capable bikes. I’ve ridden those bikes and follow them around... I could easily have one if I so chose. I don’t. The DR is comfortable and stable on rough and rocky climbs and descents, chugs along at a pace that suits a lot of us (it’s known as the “Bush Pig” because of its unique sound and steady but unstoppable pace) and while unspectacular it just gets the job done. The guys I ride with love their bikes but are pretty complimentary about my humble steed and the ease at which it gets around the bush without stressing me. At age 63 I’m only selling it because I reckon I can give up 5-10% of the off-road riding I do by moving to the DL800SE, while still enjoying a good roadbike that has the suspension to soak up the bumps on my local tarred roads - fun & twisty but bumpy and hard on my delicate derrière…

There is no doubt you need to extensively modify the DR to get the best out of it - the list on my “for sale” ad is very long. But, it’s not that expensive and when you get it right it’s a sweet ride. I still chose to do that over the nice new T7 the local shop keeps trying to sell me, and I like it more in the difficult stuff than I did my DRZ400. I think, subconsciously, I might be quite pleased if I never sell it…

We all have preferences about where on this On-road/Off-road spectrum we wish to land… There is a big spread there and we cannot say an off-road or dirt bike is “only this…” to anyone except yourself.

I think the OP is making a sensible choice to suit his needs…

Anyway, enough from me!

chrs, jc

 

Interesting where this thread is drifting.. I never got the impression the OP was asking about the end of the spectrum where the lightweight, higher spec ADV bikes reside, and sensibly asked about member thoughts about the incremental shift from a DL650 to a DR650.

I ride with others who have lighter, more off-road capable bikes. I’ve ridden those bikes and follow them around... I could easily have one if I so chose. I don’t. The DR is comfortable and stable on rough and rocky climbs and descents, chugs along at a pace that suits a lot of us (it’s known as the “Bush Pig” because of its unique sound and steady but unstoppable pace) and while unspectacular it just gets the job done. The guys I ride with love their bikes but are pretty complimentary about my humble steed and the ease at which it gets around the bush without stressing me. At age 63 I’m only selling it because I reckon I can give up 5-10% of the off-road riding I do by moving to the DL800SE, while still enjoying a good roadbike that has the suspension to soak up the bumps on my local tarred roads - fun & twisty but bumpy and hard on my delicate derrière…

There is no doubt you need to extensively modify the DR to get the best out of it - the list on my “for sale” ad is very long. But, it’s not that expensive and when you get it right it’s a sweet ride. I still chose to do that over the nice new T7 the local shop keeps trying to sell me, and I like it more in the difficult stuff than I did my DRZ400. I think, subconsciously, I might be quite pleased if I never sell it…

We all have preferences about where on this On-road/Off-road spectrum we wish to land… There is a big spread there and we cannot say an off-road or dirt bike is “only this…” to anyone except yourself.

I think the OP is making a sensible choice to suit his needs…

Anyway, enough from me!

chrs, jc

I thank you very much for all of your information. I do believe it's in my best interest for now to just keep the dl650 and modified in certain areas to help accommodate where I can and then in the future if I can buy another bike then I'll look at a dr650 but I do not do the car rallies and I am just starting to get into the off-roading cool and do not want to injure myself going on hardcore stuff that I'm not even practiced on.

I also have fallen out of the phase of constantly modifying my bikes as it is extremely expensive at times depending on what you get. To me it's much easier for me to keep my dl650 and modify it in the suspension and tires instead of buying a whole nother bike and modifying it from scratch.

I do appreciate all the replies and this spring I will start practicing a little bit here and there on gravel roads to get my feet wet. I also have some really good MX boots to prevent hyperextension as that's one of my fears of going off road and dumping my bike.

 

Must have mods on a DR 650?

The bike is under sprung for sure unless your weigh 120 lbs. Couple of hundred bucks for springs. Mine is rideable without further suspension mods.

Seat yea probably. Another couple of hundred.

Skid plate of your going to bash it off road. $100 or so.

Bigger tank yea if you want/need.

That about it really. The carb jetting could use some help. The motor runs good stock. No need to replace the carb or exhaust. Minimal gains for the cost.

Thing is though most used DRs already have mods done to them. So the cost isn't really passed on to the new owner right?

 

Must have mods on a DR 650?

The bike is under sprung for sure unless your weigh 120 lbs. Couple of hundred bucks for springs. Mine is rideable without further suspension mods.

Seat yea probably. Another couple of hundred.

Bigger tank yea if you want/need.

That about it really. The carb jetting could use some help. The motor runs good stock. No need to replace the carb or exhaust. Minimal gains for the cost.

Thing is though most used DRs already have mods done to them. So the cost isn't really passed on to the new owner right?

The suspension on the stock DR650 blows. It is under spring and the spindly 70-year-old damper rod are a step up from a springer front end. The forks being so spindly flex like Arnold in Pumping Iron. Fork valves, springs stiffer than from a Bic pen, fork brace are must dos. The rear need at a very minimum a stiffer spring and it until you add some decent valving to the shock, you'll never realize how bad it is. In stock form the rear shock really chatters over bumps. I mean hit some washboard ripples on the road and it acutely feel like the bike is slowing down because the rear wheel is bounding. Hit the same spot of road with a reworked shock and it feel planted and like power is getting to the ground.

I've only ever met one person who could tolerate the stock DR seat for more than 30 minutes. I am not a seat snob, but the DR stock seat had me standing within 10 or 15 minutes.

Bigger tank is certainly subjective. All depends on if you want to stop for fuel every 80ish miles or extend it out. On ,my touring DR that eventually got a side car I ran a 5.3 gallon tank and liked the range. If I would have had the stock tank on the DR sidecar rig I'd have had to stop for fuel aout every 60 to 70 miles. The rig really drank fuel.

The stock BST needs reworked to make it tolerable. Tapering & shimming the needle, jetting and accessing & adjusting the A/F screw really help but no matter what you do a vacuum carb will never be as responsive as pumper carb.

The muffler accounts for about 1/3rd of the weight of the DR. It also horribly restrictive. There is a muffler cutaway on the internet and it's amazing how exhaust gas even escapes the labyrinth of passages.

I also do not like that there is no rear subframe on the DR650. The rear of the DR650 is a weak point and many have had frame break when loaded. If you are going to use a top case or put gear on rear rack its best to gusset the frame as a preventative measure.

One other niggle I had with the Dr650 is it has a lot of compression braking and a slipper clutch would have gone a long way in getting tires to last. I rand many different tired on the rear of the DR and never got over 2000 miles out of one. When riding even remotely aggressive down shifting the rear would lock momentarily every downshift grinding away at the rear tire. I also disliked the extra heft of the cush drive.

I know it sounds like I am downing the DR650 but I'm not. These are just my findings and as a whole I do really like the DR650 but after the DRZ400 I do like it less.

 

The Skids N Stuff guy has a pretty good take on DR mods.

 

These two bikes are chalk and cheese. The 650 tag that they share is totally misleading.
I've owned both a DR650 and a DRZ400.

The DL650 is a comfortable all roads touring bike that with the right tyres can handle loose dirt tracks etc.
Forget the BS of M/X riders taking to sand dunes and muddy trails on a V-Strom. That is advertising hype. Sure, it can be done by the skillful - for a challenge.
You can also leave your chainsaw in the shed and chop down a 4 foot diameter tree with an axe - but is that your best option?

On the other hand, the DR650 is a bike that can tackle trail riding but not as easily as a dedicated dirtbike.
It can also tour, but nowhere near as comfortably.

You need to decide where you want to feel most comfortable, or perhaps what type of riding you most wish to do.
The idea, if you can afford it, of two different bikes for different rides is worth considering.

 

You need to decide where you want to feel most comfortable, or perhaps what type of riding you most wish to do.
The idea, if you can afford it, of two different bikes for different rides is worth considering.

Agree 100% with everything you said. I've already gone down the deep end of adventure-izing my DR650. It can be done quite easily. But it still won't be as good as an Adventure Tourer as a VStrom or a Tenere or Africa Twin....etc. etc. But when the terrain gets rough and challenging, 100+ lbs. less weight and nearly 10" of suspension travel of a DR650 is so very nice to have on your side. The weight difference often makes it easy to save if the bike gets really sideways, and/or you get in deep trouble that you weren't expecting. Plus, you just work a lot less hard. With the 460 -500+ lbs Adventure bikes, don't even try saving them! Just get out of its way! If they're going to go down, let them go. Weight is everything off road. Suspension is second.

 

There is a difference. DR forks are several inches longer which equates to more flex and more annoyance from things like wind buffet from trucks.

 

A fork brace really went a long way on my DR's and the DL, bt the biggest problem with the stock DR650 fork is dive. I mean tap the front brakes and the front ends will compress 9 inches. HEck even pushing it in th edriveway if you hit the front brake it'll compress 5 or 6 inches. In one DR I had Gold Valve fork inserts and the other I had Ricor Intiminators both inserts coupled with straight rate springs matched to my weight and topped off with ATF and both setups made a huge big difference. When I hopped on the last DR650 I bought i had forgotten how mushy the front end was. But it all came rushing back the 1st time I applied the front brake and the front end dived like it was in the final round of the cutoffs for the Cliff Divers of the LA Quebrada championship.

 

A lowly WR250R will do 70 all day. Motor is 1/4 of the R1 Yamaha and has very long valve adjustment intervals. It's a pretty good dirt bike too. Does get blown around on the highway, and going that fast on Knobby tires is not that safe if you have to stop.

 

Have a 2011 DL650ABS and a 2006 DRZ400S. Both have internal suspension upgrades. The DRZ was lowered 2" internally, and the DL has Race Tech emulators and springs. The DL has Adventure Tech's 3/4" lowering links. Due to the ABS brake lines under the triple clamp and the fork brace, I could not lower the front forks. I installed a 13 tooth counter shaft sprocket on the DL. The mods to both allow me to do some "off road", but at near 75 years old, I do not mean true "off road". The weight of the DL limits my riding to gravel roads now, and I even find myself avoiding unknown two tracks I have not had prior riding on.

The DRZ is definitely superior to the DL anywhere off pavement. As I age, the DL will be the first to go. With the 41 rear sprocket, the DRZ is much improved on the pavement, and will do fine on most gravel/dirt roads. I do have the original 44 and a 47 if I am feeling frisky, but those days are fewer.

You might take a close look at the DRZ.

 

You might take a close look at the DRZ.

Problem with the DRZ400 is it's near 37" seat height.

 

This is my first post to this forum, and I’m a bit confused by how it works. So, if this response is in the wrong place, please advise me how to use this forum.

that said, this post about the DR/Vstrom 650 comparison resonated strongly with me. I recently bought a very clean 2006 650 Vstrom and, while I loved it’s on road demeanor, I found its abilities on unpaved roads lacking And it ability on roughish Forrest service and fire roads pretty dismal. The front end geometry is simply too steep. It wants to tuck whenever traction diminishes. I’ve owned. KLR in the past and have ridden DR 650’s. Neither of those two bikes has that annoying tendency to tuck the front. riding loose gravel is doable on a Vstrom, but it’s genuinely fun on a DR 650. This is why I’m in the market for one now. However, unlike the OP, I’m not selling my Vstrom, it’s simply too good at what it does well. And for non gnarly dirt roads, it’s good enough. The biggest thing for me was taming the stock bikes harshness over small bumps and gravel. I use minimum preload, a 50/50 mix of ss7/ss8 fork oil (effective 7.5 wt) and a radial shinko 705 at 30 lbs pressure. Sometimes 26-28 Lbs.

anyway, that’s my take.

also, how do I post an answer to the original question without responding to an individual post?

 

also, how do I post an answer to the original question without responding to an individual post?

Simply go underneath the last post of the thread where you will find the box "write your reply..."
Helpful 1st reply, BTW.

 

Had a question for all of you guys out there that ride off-road. With the v-strom's weight I have been struggling very hard this season to not only ride off road and attempt dirt tracks and gravel roads but because the bike is so tall and heavy I have found myself tipped over more times than upright. I have looked into getting a Dr650 and modding it with a bigger tank to be able to go longer places but if I can't tackle anything on the V-Strom, then why buy another bike that I am not accustomed to? Does anyone have a Dr650 and V-Strom 650 and can they chime in on which one would be better suited for off-road? I used to have a Ninja 250R that I modified for touring and worked really well. I enjoy going on highway runs and cruising at long stretches down the interstates but I also want to get my feet wet in off-road trails. I know that if I sold my V-Strom I could get a lot of money back for it but I want to make the right decision and I wanted advice from experienced riders.

I live in Canada. I have an 06 weeStrom on which I have put 150,000 km, mostly on good roads. I am a small guy, and for me, it is not suitable for off road. On most big trips, two up with luggage, I have at least one tip over, and that is on good roads. For a couple of years I had a DR650 parked in California. I thought it was a great bike for back road and off road. Not wild off road, it is not a motocross bike. On the highway, I could do 500 mile days at freeway speeds without pain. It worked well one up with some luggage and was Ok two up with no luggage, but couldn't accommodate two up with luggage. It got good fuel economy and compared to the Strom, was nice and flickable. I was thinking of the Continental Divide trail, and concluded it was a bike that I would be happy to ride to the trail head and happy with on the trail. I say for every motorcycle trip taken, ten are planned. The Continental Divide ride is one of the nine planned but not executed, and given that I am now in my mid 70s, seems unlikely to happen. I also had a bmw650GS twin. In my assessment, it was not nearly as good a packhorse as the Strom (two up with gear for a month on the road) but much better balance and handling in the rougher stuff. But it is in a different price league than the DR650, and for serious trail, I would prefer the DR, regardless of price. Bert

 

I live in Canada. I have an 06 weeStrom on which I have put 150,000 km, mostly on good roads. I am a small guy, and for me, it is not suitable for off road. On most big trips, two up with luggage, I have at least one tip over, and that is on good roads. For a couple of years I had a DR650 parked in California. I thought it was a great bike for back road and off road. Not wild off road, it is not a motocross bike. On the highway, I could do 500 mile days at freeway speeds without pain. It worked well one up with some luggage and was Ok two up with no luggage, but couldn't accommodate two up with luggage. It got good fuel economy and compared to the Strom, was nice and flickable. I was thinking of the Continental Divide trail, and concluded it was a bike that I would be happy to ride to the trail head and happy with on the trail. I say for every motorcycle trip taken, ten are planned. The Continental Divide ride is one of the nine planned but not executed, and given that I am now in my mid 70s, seems unlikely to happen. I also had a bmw650GS twin. In my assessment, it was not nearly as good a packhorse as the Strom (two up with gear for a month on the road) but much better balance and handling in the rougher stuff. But it is in a different price league than the DR650, and for serious trail, I would prefer the DR, regardless of price.

Bert