For all y'all fans of the DR.

Sierra1

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Nov 7, 2016
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15,024
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Joshua TX
Exterior look great for the miles/age. Is the gearbox a normal problem area? I would have thought other engine internals before that.
 

Cantab

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Mar 15, 2020
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483
Location
Christchurch NZ
Exterior look great for the miles/age. Is the gearbox a normal problem area? I would have thought other engine internals before that.
Third gear is a workhorse and is prone to wear or breakage and 5th (top) from lots of highway drone miles, i think
It has had a set of rings that i know of.
 

Madhatter

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Mar 25, 2013
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buda texas
they say 3rd is a problem ... it could be . I know quite a few DR owners with all kinds of years and milage , none have had a failure. but I wouldn't worry a moment about that .... the yellow bike looks stone stock , its going to be ok.
 

scott123007

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Jul 27, 2012
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Jupiter, Florida
@Madhatter
The issue was not about having a worry about the gearbox now, but the fact that the gearbox had been rebuilt already. At that point, Sierra asked if gearboxes were a problem with the DR, and others chimed in. (just thought you may have missed that dialog on the previous page)
 

magic

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Jul 6, 2015
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751
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WISCONSIN
There have been some gearbox failures. Kind of rare, but still a possible problem area. Some discussion about it on DRRIDERS and ADV RIDER forums. There seems to be 2 possible causes, one is a snap ring on one of the transmission shafts and the other being the hardening of some of the gears. There have been several owners that have found broken pieces of snap rings and gears on their magnetic drain plug prior to gearbox failure, sometimes locking up the transmission and rear wheel. I have 10,000 miles on mine without any problems yet. PROCYCLE sells a replacement gear set with some optional gear ratios available made by NOVA for about $2000. The different gear ratios would be a nice improvement, but I'm not sure if I would stick another $2000 into the bike.
 

Madhatter

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Mar 25, 2013
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buda texas
well guys its a DR650 , had a 2009 and now a 2023 , same bike . never had an issue . doesn't mean it cant but not my experience . just wonder if those that break are being ridden hard or maybe its just a Friday afternoon build at the factory and some one didn't do there jobs . if some fail and some don't then there is no rhyme or reason to this . poor quality control ? a 1500 dollar bike , ride it till it fails and if it fails , I doubt that it will , leave it in the ditch and move on, if it runs good and stops good the risk is not high for financial loss . its a 1500.00 bike .
 

Berg_Donk

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Jun 26, 2013
Messages
157
Location
Snowy Mts Oz
The DR's gearbox fails are random and likely the result of an under designed gearbox. Nova reckons the gears are too small for a 650 single and as such any QC issues are critical. The shafts are too close together and the cases too narrow. Sometimes its a 3rd failure, sometimes its something else. The circlip/snapring fails seem to be limited to a few years only, maybe 2018/19. The tooth pitting is usually from oil film breakdown, you have to use good quality oil in the DR, one that holds its viscosity at high temperatures.

The Nova story as it evolved is here FWIW; https://drriders.com/new-wide-ratio-gearbox-t18311.html
 

Cantab

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Mar 15, 2020
Messages
483
Location
Christchurch NZ
The DR's gearbox fails are random and likely the result of an under designed gearbox. Nova reckons the gears are too small for a 650 single and as such any QC issues are critical. The shafts are too close together and the cases too narrow. Sometimes its a 3rd failure, sometimes its something else. The circlip/snapring fails seem to be limited to a few years only, maybe 2018/19. The tooth pitting is usually from oil film breakdown, you have to use good quality oil in the DR, one that holds its viscosity at high temperatures.

The Nova story as it evolved is here FWIW; https://drriders.com/new-wide-ratio-gearbox-t18311.html
Great info all up cheers BD ;)

I have the shafts and gears ,3rd looks worn it was whining apparently 5th is busted.

As Madhatter says 15 Hundy aint alot of coin to stress much over on the DR :cool:
 

Sierra1

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Nov 7, 2016
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15,024
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Joshua TX
Don't forget the coyotes. They're healthy around here. I thought there was a pack of Shepard one morning until I realized they weren't Shepards. :oops: I call them my "night crew". I shoot the squirrels during the day, and they dispose of them after dark.
 

Sierra1

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Nov 7, 2016
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15,024
Location
Joshua TX
The problem is that the squirrels have learned to stay out the yard. (I could hit them a few yards down the road, but I'm not sure how the neighbors would feel about that. :rolleyes: ) 'Cuz, without the squirrels, apparently they start going after smaller dogs. Apparently, Corgis are a coyote delicacy. Because there sure are a lot of lost Corgi signs on the stop signs.
 

DamMechanic

Active Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2015
Messages
280
Location
Lewis County, WA.
Joined the DR club today. A friend bought it in 12 and parked it in 18’ with 3.2k miles on it.
The carb float works but will only run on either.
Drained the gas through the carb and the first quart was green and then went to sink brown.

Figure I might as well get a jet kit and a slip-on exhaust.
KTM 640e is headed out the door with 12k on it if anyone is looking. IMG_0739.jpeg
 

Madhatter

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Mar 25, 2013
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3,865
Location
buda texas
nice bike... rocky mountain has a Lexx slip on with mid pipe for 200.00 ,it is a nice unit for the price . spend the extra 15.00 more or less and get their Decibel killer ... it will have a nice sound with out being annoying . you will like it .
 
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cyclemike4

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Sep 18, 2016
Messages
827
Location
ky
My DR tried to eat my leg last night. I was headed down the hill to my drive and my leg snapped in on the frame and just kept pulling. I clutched the bike and rolled my ankle out to try and hold the pressure pulling on my leg. I got stopped and some how my pants leg was stuck in the counter shaft sprocket. it went in behind the chain cover. I could not get off the bike and I could not roll it backwards being I was on a steep hill faced down. I let it roll on to the bottom and paddled the bike backwards with my right leg. I my pants came out looking like a mean dog got them. One thing is for sure the chain was clean as a whistle! don't think I will clean it like that any more! haha.
 

thughes317

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May 27, 2018
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1,072
Location
The Bluegrass, KY
My DR tried to eat my leg last night. I was headed down the hill to my drive and my leg snapped in on the frame and just kept pulling. I clutched the bike and rolled my ankle out to try and hold the pressure pulling on my leg. I got stopped and some how my pants leg was stuck in the counter shaft sprocket. it went in behind the chain cover. I could not get off the bike and I could not roll it backwards being I was on a steep hill faced down. I let it roll on to the bottom and paddled the bike backwards with my right leg. I my pants came out looking like a mean dog got them. One thing is for sure the chain was clean as a whistle! don't think I will clean it like that any more! haha.
I warned you about those new riding pants!

il_fullxfull.171505432.jpg
 
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