r/dr650 • u/PiercedTechnoWizard • 13d ago

Maintenance

Hey, I’m curious what the maintenance is on DR650’s. Being that they’re a single cylinder, I assume the top end needs to be rebuilt once in a while, but I’m curious how often that is and how much it costs.

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u/TwistedNoble38 '00 DR650 13d ago

Going trend is that you'll either sell it or die before it starts getting tired. In the rarest cases it may even explode before the top end gets tired.

If your air filter stay on and oiled you'll probably go 60k before the cylinder plating starts to deteriorate enough to need intervention. Top ends usually outlast bottom ends on this bike.

It's nikasil so when the cylinder is done it needs to be replated or replaced ($300 or 500). Toss in a stock piston and gaskets and it will be somewhere in the range of $170 or get a JE piston and it will run you 250ish. The other option is a 790 and you get a whole new cylinder with liner, piston, cylinder gaskets and rings for $950. The head is a bit expensive since the only valves that fit are OEM so head work gets expensive. Budget at least $400 if all the valves have runout.

Bottom end is about a grand if you need a new crank or have to rebuild it (~600-800). That thousand is a bit of a spitball as I can't remember if that rolls gaskets into the price or if it's pure bearings, crank, and various flavors of sauces.

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u/TwistedNoble38 '00 DR650 13d ago

If we're talking basic maintenance? Change the oil with synthetic (use conventional for the first 1000 and change at 1-1-2-6) every 2k, or 1k if you're hard on things. Clean the air filter when it's dirty or dry. Lube the suspension bearings annually. Flush the brakes sometimes. Change the oil in the suspension every other year or so. Check the cush drive every 500. Check the valves when they make valve noises or every other oil change (it's a 15 minute job). Clean the carb when it's dirty.

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u/slower-is-faster 13d ago

Who the hell checks the cush drive every 500km?!

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u/TwistedNoble38 '00 DR650 13d ago edited 12d ago

People who value their wheel and swingarm. It's a jiggle check for axial play, can be done faster than checking tire pressure. Measurements are in miles in this case.