DR650S, AKA Big Suzy

[Redfish Hunter]

So I have been researching Dual Sport motorcycles for a while. A long while. The first one I really lusted after was the Yamaha 500 Enduro… So I am about due for one.

Today I drove to Satan's Armpit (New Orleans) with Pop and picked up a brand new, off the showroom floor, 2018 Suzuki DR650S. This is a Big Step for me.

I am proud to say that I have already dropped it, it is dirty, and it has violated some laws.

Jose the Salesman with the first victim of the day:



Big Suzy restrained:





Idling around in the yard:





Posing:

 

[escapefjrtist]

Nice looking skoot RFH, congrats!

~G

 

[Mihalis fjr]

It is beautiful Redfish,congratulations!

 

[Fred W]

Looks like there’s room on that trailer for another one.

 

[RossKean]

Looks like there’s room on that trailer for another one.

But do you get another one the same or go through the whole (painful) decision making process again to get something with a little different mission profile? i.e. More dirt, better highway, luggage capacity, more power (or less power).

Then you have to decide which one you are going to use for a specific ride...

Nice looking bike RFH. I'm sure it will get used (and abused) regularly.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

A couple things I have learned so far:

1. Regarding Dual Sport Bikes, the Best Bike opinions vary widely and the opinions are STRONG!

2. Everything I ride that is not an FJR makes me respect and admire my FJR even more.

3. Even a few miles off-road is a work out.

4. Wind blast against wide shoulders does wonders for the abs and is a constant "rowing exercise".

5. Dual Sport actually means- You can pick your bike up when it falls on pavement AND when it falls on dirt.

Who knew Bike Lifting was considered a Sport?

 

[Fred W]

Lifting Technique is key. Practice makes perfect, and youll have the opportunity to practice often, but make sure you are practicing with good technique. Back to the machine, grab handle bar with one hand and rear rack or fender frame in back with other, bend knees, lift with legs. Even with a lightweight dual sport.

One day you will be tested. My test was when I let Mr. Bill lead me on my ManStrom (500 lbs +) down a Jeep trail with a deep mud pit with my stock 90/10 tires on it still. Hit a submerged log that knocked the front wheel right, bike went down (softly into the mud) on its left side. I stayed upright and stepped off, so at least I didnt get a mud bath. Everyone else had already made it through so I didnt want to make them trudge back through the slop to help me lift it up. Used my previously learned technique and had it up again before they got off their bikes.

Shopping list:

Waterproof dual sport boots.

 

[Mr Bill]

Fred Fred Fred

I made a wrong turn! It was an expedition ride to scout out a way to Baily Hazen. I remember you picking that pig out of the swamp water more than once!

Glad I had knobby tires

 

[Fred W]

It was a scouting expedition, but I think we were technically on route still. I didn’t blame you for my bad judgement to follow you. :lol:

And you didn’t blame me when I said I wasn’t riding my porky Strom up that dry waterfall that was designated as an unmaintained road.

That was actually a great ride day as I recall.

 

[Mr Bill]

Yes we made the waterfall a hero section.

Too bad that has been gated

 

[garyahouse]

Congrats Fish, on that new ride. Looking sweet. I was just remembering how popular the street/trail bikes were many years ago. Seems like there were more of them in our school parking lot than there were road bikes. Yamaha owned the segment in those days and their DT250 was king. And ya gotta admit, one nice thing about those rascals was that every rider could actually reach the ground...

 

[bigjohnsd]

Looks good and Pops looked good on her. I predict a return to Satan's Armpit and another purchase in the not too distant future. JSNS

 

[Redfish Hunter]

Looks good and Pops looked good on her. I predict a return to Satan's Armpit and another purchase in the not too distant future. JSNS

I don't really think so. Pop really liked it but he keeps asking questions about KLRs and CRF250Ls. We are some confused folks down here.

But I am Very Happy with Big Suzy. I just have to spend some more money on her.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

So, I rode Big Suzy yesterday evening and did get her dirty. I had my First Drop! It was so liberating to know that I did not scratch and destroy my fairing, my mirrors, the fairing stay, and my side cases. I laughed like an ***** as I lifted her back up. A helluva lot lighter than the FJR I can tell you.

I did not realize I was going to get any decent pics yesterday so I left the camera at home. I still have not mastered cell phone pics to photobucket to here...

Big Suzy got some mud, some dust, some gravel, and some Mississippi River Silt. That "sand" is very fine and it kicked my butt. So far I have not found anything other than pavement that the Bridgestone Trail (Death) Wings seem to grip. They don't feel good on the pavement but Big Suzy is capable of decent cornering speeds. I am pleasantly surprised by this.

There are Issues.

See this pic? No storage, none. No place to put insurance card, registration, nothing.





Happily I still have my old Bilt $19.99 magnetic tank bag that I bought when I first started touring on my ST1300. It was covered in dust on a top shelf of my closet but it did the trick.



This morning I knocked the dust off Big Suzy with the water hose and took off for Pop's house. While I waited for him to get his gear I rode around in his back yard. He has a few small pine trees back there.







I should have gotten some pics of Pop riding Big Suzy. I followed him on his FJR and let him ride at his own pace for the few miles (less than 5) that we rode. His FJR is soooo nice... What a contrast from the DR650!

He got off the DR very confused. We have some decisions to make.

I wanted to ride some gravel roads that I found on Google Maps but they were all gated off. I decided against riding some pipelines because I know they are on leased hunting club land. I settled for riding a twisty section of broken nasty pavement that normally gives my FJR fits. This thing... I like it.

 

[BigOgre]

It sounds like you're well into stage 1 of Farklitis.

 

[Fred W]

Ha ha... yeah this ^

Getting bags fitted on the DR isnt difficult except choosing which ones. And that depends on what your intentions are with it.

Hardcore dual sport riders will want to have soft bags. There are pannier racks to hold the soft bags and keep them off the hot exhaust or moving bits underneath. The advantages of soft over hard is you wont bang up your legs on the soft bags when (not if) you have a get-off. They actually hold more than they look like they would, and the dry-bag constructed ones are as waterproof as any hard bag.

The disadvantage is they are not theft resistant in the least. If some soul-less miscreant likes your bags (or any of the stuff you have in them) more than you do they will be gone when your back is turned.

A big dual sport like the DR has lots of hard bag options. But you wouldnt want to put any sort of giant cases on it anyway IMO since you couldnt carry that much added load on the relatively lightweight bike anyway. There are several multi-use pannier racks available for the DR650 that can be used for a set of soft bags when you are feeling dirt adventurous, or for mounting a pair of Seahorse SE-720 cases on for knocking around town.

Seahorse cases are Pelican knock offs. Very rugged and slightly lighter than the Pelicans, and the best part is they are cheap. $75 ea., empty (no interior foam) with locking latches. You can get the locking latches or use padlocks to lock them. When the lid is locked they cant be removed from the racks, at least not without destroying the cases.

They are pretty slim, and have rounded corners, so not too much added danger of leg wacking. And they hold up to being banged around very well. I have a set on my Strom and they have been used as sidestands several times. You couldnt tell by looking at them.

They also hold a good amount of stuff. Ive taken week long ADV rides using them several times and dont need any additional storage unless it will involve camping. Then youll need some sort of a jumbo dry bag duffle to strap across the seat and panniers.

If you need any more help spending your money you can give me a ring any time.

 

[gregory]

Congrats! Looking forward to lots of DS RR's!

 

[Redfish Hunter]

Congrats! Looking forward to lots of DS RR's!

Sorry, I never actually go anywhere anymore.

 

[Fred W]

Heh, heh. Its funny isnt it? Dont go anywhere but it takes all day to get there. Thats when you know it was a really good day.