HadesOmega
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2008
- Location
- San Jose
- Moto(s)
- Empulse TT (RIP),
ZR7 (Sold), DR650, KLR650, 750 Turbo, Light Bee MX, KLX140L
Super Cub
Redshift SM
- Name
- Merlin
As most know myself and the the Cactus Puncher DR650 attended the 2nd BARF Baja Adventure Ride. Before we get started with our epic adventure I'm going to post some stats and post adventure ride videos. I know I have a a whole buncha other ongoing ride reports, I'm going to try and get them all finished eventually. If anything its a good trip down memory lane.
So in between BARF Baja 2015 and 2016 I done a bunch of other dual sport adventure rides. I wanted to see how much my riding has improved between. One thing is for sure my memories of last years Baja ride are still pretty fresh in my mind. Here's the exprience I've racked up between them:
Big Sur Ride
Sheetiron 300
Yosemite and Tahoe Dual Sport Aventure
Japan Ride
I've learned I'm pretty good at travelling on a motorcycle. Anyway let's get to it.
So I'm going to go backwards then back to the beginning. Here is a After BARF Baja Ride Review I did on the DR650, it goes over how the bike did in Baja, the damages it took, and improvements I can make:
https://youtu.be/tcMmCOQSW-I
This is a video about my skidplate after Baja 2016. I've done a number on this poor piece of aluminum.
https://youtu.be/9mf0CJSldag
Here some pictures of my prepping the bike for BARF Baja 2016, I know everyone that went on this ride did a good amount of prep work to get their bike Baja ready:
Here is the old T63 tire. Yep that on has seen better days! On my last ride in Tahoe National Forest they were not performing too well because of how worn they were, so it was a must to put a brand new tire. Notice the Rotopax tool box, I like to use most of the trail tools I have so that I am proficient and know what I'm lacking should I ever need to do a repair on the trail. BTW that rotopax rox!
Spooning on a brand new Michelin T63 front tire. I highly recommend this tire for Baja! I also changed the front tube as well because when I was riding in Tahoe it was giving me trouble with holding pressure, it went away after I slimed it but its best to replace it with a new one now. I run a normal plain jane tube in the front and a HD tube in the rear. I'd like to note that this tire was a bitch to spoon on, it was really stiff, of course it's stiff though because its a tubeless tire. Also it took A LOT of weight to balance it. it was probably more than double the weight the T63 was usin. Maybe I just got a bad one.
Greasing the suspension linkages and swingarm. It started out with me doing the swingarm while I had the rear tire off. Then I said what the hell I'm already here might as well do em all. I've never greased these bearing ever since I got the bike. They weren't giving me problems but I did them anyway. A little peace of mind.
I spooned on a Shinko 805 tire in the rear. I'm going with a different tire this year than I did last year. Last year I used the Michelin T63, the same tire I just put on the front. However after burning through 3 T63s I have to say that while they're a solid dual sport tire especially in the desert because that's what they're made for they don't last very long. I heard the Shinko 805 lasts longer time to put that to the test. I was worried that they wouldn't perform well compared to the T63 but I was wrong they about as good. The design kinda of looks like a blocky sand paddle tire.
I would also like to note that I changed my throttle cables out for a motion pro cable. The bike has 19,000 miles so I wanted to replace it for maintenance. I don't really like the motion pro cables because some parts are plastic where they were metal in the OEM. But the throttle is much smoother now.
I also check my valves and did a compression test. Never done one since I've gotten the bike and it looks like I have some kind of headgasket leak, so I wanted to see if that was affecting the compression and it wasn't. I think the front nut wasn't tightened well that was causing the leak. Stock spec for a DR650SE is 120psi and mine blew a 150psi with a 10.5:1 hicomp piston. So I'd say it's pretty healthy. For a 10.5:1 it seems a little low but it's higher than stock is I'm hoping is good. Also notice I have another Voltage regulator on the bike. I bought one as a spare just in case mine craps out. It resides in the Rotopax
I actually made videos when I did the valve check and compression test. They're kind of lengthy and you'd probably not want to watch it unless you had a DR650
https://youtu.be/f8_0sWkrpkk
https://youtu.be/v6ntQN0HtIo
So in between BARF Baja 2015 and 2016 I done a bunch of other dual sport adventure rides. I wanted to see how much my riding has improved between. One thing is for sure my memories of last years Baja ride are still pretty fresh in my mind. Here's the exprience I've racked up between them:
Big Sur Ride
Sheetiron 300
Yosemite and Tahoe Dual Sport Aventure
Japan Ride
I've learned I'm pretty good at travelling on a motorcycle. Anyway let's get to it.
So I'm going to go backwards then back to the beginning. Here is a After BARF Baja Ride Review I did on the DR650, it goes over how the bike did in Baja, the damages it took, and improvements I can make:
https://youtu.be/tcMmCOQSW-I
This is a video about my skidplate after Baja 2016. I've done a number on this poor piece of aluminum.
https://youtu.be/9mf0CJSldag
Here some pictures of my prepping the bike for BARF Baja 2016, I know everyone that went on this ride did a good amount of prep work to get their bike Baja ready:
Here is the old T63 tire. Yep that on has seen better days! On my last ride in Tahoe National Forest they were not performing too well because of how worn they were, so it was a must to put a brand new tire. Notice the Rotopax tool box, I like to use most of the trail tools I have so that I am proficient and know what I'm lacking should I ever need to do a repair on the trail. BTW that rotopax rox!
Spooning on a brand new Michelin T63 front tire. I highly recommend this tire for Baja! I also changed the front tube as well because when I was riding in Tahoe it was giving me trouble with holding pressure, it went away after I slimed it but its best to replace it with a new one now. I run a normal plain jane tube in the front and a HD tube in the rear. I'd like to note that this tire was a bitch to spoon on, it was really stiff, of course it's stiff though because its a tubeless tire. Also it took A LOT of weight to balance it. it was probably more than double the weight the T63 was usin. Maybe I just got a bad one.
Greasing the suspension linkages and swingarm. It started out with me doing the swingarm while I had the rear tire off. Then I said what the hell I'm already here might as well do em all. I've never greased these bearing ever since I got the bike. They weren't giving me problems but I did them anyway. A little peace of mind.
I spooned on a Shinko 805 tire in the rear. I'm going with a different tire this year than I did last year. Last year I used the Michelin T63, the same tire I just put on the front. However after burning through 3 T63s I have to say that while they're a solid dual sport tire especially in the desert because that's what they're made for they don't last very long. I heard the Shinko 805 lasts longer time to put that to the test. I was worried that they wouldn't perform well compared to the T63 but I was wrong they about as good. The design kinda of looks like a blocky sand paddle tire.
I would also like to note that I changed my throttle cables out for a motion pro cable. The bike has 19,000 miles so I wanted to replace it for maintenance. I don't really like the motion pro cables because some parts are plastic where they were metal in the OEM. But the throttle is much smoother now.
I also check my valves and did a compression test. Never done one since I've gotten the bike and it looks like I have some kind of headgasket leak, so I wanted to see if that was affecting the compression and it wasn't. I think the front nut wasn't tightened well that was causing the leak. Stock spec for a DR650SE is 120psi and mine blew a 150psi with a 10.5:1 hicomp piston. So I'd say it's pretty healthy. For a 10.5:1 it seems a little low but it's higher than stock is I'm hoping is good. Also notice I have another Voltage regulator on the bike. I bought one as a spare just in case mine craps out. It resides in the Rotopax
I actually made videos when I did the valve check and compression test. They're kind of lengthy and you'd probably not want to watch it unless you had a DR650
https://youtu.be/f8_0sWkrpkk
https://youtu.be/v6ntQN0HtIo
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