The Joy Of S..prings On A Kawasaki 250 Dtracker.

Biggles

0
Subscribed
Dec 11, 2012
92
30
18
Hello All

I’m kind of newish on here, an occasional writer who lives in CM. I dropped into Ian’s X Centre recently to ask him this question but unfortunately he was elsewhere. My question is for Ian Bungy & collective audience on GT Rider.

I’ve a DTracker 250 which by all reports (& from my own experience). seems to have good quality suspension units, but poor springing. At front its too hard initially, yet dives too much under brakes. On rear its just plain old hard. I’m about 71-74kg, depending on how much I’ve indulged in the usual sins. Does Ian or anyone know of anyone making or importing quality springs for front and rear MC suspension, or am I best advised to just source RaceTech, MotoPro or Eibach product by whatever means I can arrange from off shore?


The Project

Build a 310GS style bike, (dual sport / adventure), but faster, 30kg lighter, just as comfortable at half the price. With Adv. spec in mind I’ve fitted non standard 3” x 17” rear & 2.15” x 19” Alloy rims. Only issue is the limited 19” front tyre choice in TH. I want a slimmer trad. 90/80 but theres only 100/90 in quality adv. tyres.

Stock Kaw seat with horizontal top & vertical sides may be MX fashionable, but its dreadful on long rides. I removed its cover, lowered & reshaped its profile chamfering its sharp corners into curves, & replaced the cover. (Thanks YouTube). Its far better, with twice time before it gets painful, but still not a real solution.

With a new GS310 seat at THB12,000, I found a seat of similar style I can mod. to suit from another source. My background is MC industry & components so I like to do all I can myself. Real suspension quality, ride-ability and reliability is most important to me now.

If you are building something like this, drop me a message on here & we can pool info. The Kaw KLX / DTracker seems overshadowed in Thailand by the Honda CRF, a shame in many ways. For those with the inclination theres suspension & height, electronic mods, factory built in cam mods, 300cc (& more) kits to make a KLX or DTr. handle, go, climb with a rideability to challenge anything in its size / price bracket.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Eoin Christie
Sep 19, 2006
2,393
374
83
62
www.chiangmai-xcentre.com
You can get Both Ohlins and YSS Suspension for the D-Tracker. If You want a top grip Tire go for the Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR as fitted standard on the Ducati Desert sled and now quite a few other Adventure bikes are following. Best Tires I have had on a Bike. For Your seat, get one of those Net covers from Helmet to Home down opposite the Suriwong Book store. They really help, are cheap and made to fit each bike. For the Engine there is Keng, He used to be the Mechanic for Kawasaki and specialises in KLX / D-Trackers but also does CRF. Performance upgrades and Big Bore Kits. I found a decent air filter, full FMF Exhaust system and an EJK Fuel Programmer set properly is good enough for up here.
Your last statement about the KLX versus CRF is probably true but owning both I can tell You the CRF is much more refined and easier to Ride. If You jump off a CRF and straight onto a KLX it feels very Agricultural by comparison! Good Luck. I would like to see Your finished Bike. A New BMW 310 GS is a bargain in price now, You should take a look they were offering Mega Deals on them just recently?
 

Biggles

0
Subscribed
Dec 11, 2012
92
30
18
Thanks to Ian Bungy for all your kind help and advice. Either Ohlins and YSS Suspension would be great, but I’m trying to build this bike on a budget and complete it all up for less than 120K. I bought the bike about 18 months ago with 6000K on clock. With the new non standard rim sizes (as described above previously) Ive fitted a Pirelli Scorpion Trail II, 100/90 x 19 on front which feels good but a little tall (higher rotating mass) for chuck ability on this 250. (I saw a brand new Harleyesque Yamaha 950 in a dealer the other day with same size front tyre).
But that 100/90 is the lowest profile I can get in 19” in a quality dual sport tyre. I’d rather 100/80 or 90/80, but thats unobtainium. Maybe I’m just too old, but at 60YO I cut my teeth on bikes like Elsinore, Bultaco, Montessa, Benelli and many bevel & belt type Ducatis like SS, GT & TT2 in 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. Even now I still like bikes with more traditional tyre size for that chuckabilty. Rear on this bike is 120/70 x 17 Metzeler, to try to make most of the limited HP, and its not bad at all. I’ve already used those net seat covers, great to keep cats away, and reduce wet pants / bum getting on bike after rain, but I can sit on a Dream 125 for 4 x Longer than a DTracker without discomfort on a long days ride, and I used to do that on Dream 125’s in South Thailand. Longest was 440km, which is a challenge on such a small bike but seat made it possible. So, I want a seat I can do 6 hours on or more when needed. I’ve bought something I can make into a GS style seat, and it should be good, so I can swap that with my modded stock KLX/DTr seat depending on ride desired. I’ve been to Keng, and I’ll be sure to go back, he’s good & gave me great advice to re-use the stock spokes in the rear rim change as no cost & he said stronger than aftermarket ones. As the front ones for 19” rim are thin, I know Keng is right. Bike has OEM exhaust now, but OEM muffler is too heavy. The bike also came an Acrprovic Slip On, which is fine for a 1-2 hour blast, but too loud for me on a 6+ hour ride. I’ll check out the FMF exhaust, EJK Fuel Programmer and Air Filter suggestions thanks to you. The bike had ProTaper bars and risers but the angle and rise was not for me, so I put on stock bars OK but a tad wide so cut 25mm off each side, which suits my arms / hands / reach better, and cut deletes the weights fitted inside bars R & L OEM, which is good. I want to junk some of the plastic bodywork too, with some hand made bodywork, and perhaps swap the tank with something that has an EFI flange underneath from one of a few bike wreckers I’ve found, as 7.5 litres is a bit scary out in the sticks. But yes you can also carry a 1L container on each side, and that could also be a part of the bodywork mods. Thanks to you Ian!
 

canthai

0
Subscribed
Apr 8, 2015
449
232
43
For a custom seat try Narong. Not cheap, but quality.
He made me one for my CRF to fit my fat ass
Narong Seat shop.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Biggles
Sep 19, 2006
2,393
374
83
62
www.chiangmai-xcentre.com
For Your Exhaust, the header Pipe makes the Biggest Difference. I went up in size and put a power bomb in My KLX and it made a lot more difference and power compared to the Slip on! Also You can have a Baffle made for Your Slip on to cut down the Noise. There is a Great Exhaust shop out here can do the work. "Home Motor" If You can't find any where You are? For Tires, I would recommend keeping matched brands/models front and rear. Better Handling.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Biggles

canthai

0
Subscribed
Apr 8, 2015
449
232
43
Just got home from a shakedown run to test the new Ohlins on the CRF and the new wide seat Narong made for it.
8.5 total hours. Max 1.5 hiway. Rest up and down the mountains, twisting and turning.
Both excellent
 
  • Like
Reactions: Biggles

Biggles

0
Subscribed
Dec 11, 2012
92
30
18
Hello to Canthai & Ian Bungy. I’m so grateful for your kindness and advice on all this. Will write more soon.
 

Biggles

0
Subscribed
Dec 11, 2012
92
30
18
By the way Canthai, thanks so much for the map. Very kind. Also how does the thumbs up work. Just click through it as a thank you?
 

Biggles

0
Subscribed
Dec 11, 2012
92
30
18
S__29007876.jpg
I looked at Burning Co. Shock Shelf yesterday. Did not have my glasses with me, but through my not so clear eyes looks like about 18K-20K for Ohlins Rear for KLX/DTracker / CRF. Based on size and number of parts, my guess is 45-50K for Front Forks. Thats 65-70K total. So, I’m going to try RaceTech or similar springs initially I think, because I can spec the springs to my weight & ride style. A quick look says the stock units are Kayaba / KYB, and they do make good stuff, so maybe a re-valve if I can work out how to do so later on. (A few national class A grade race guys I knew in Oz that I was a small sponsor of were fitting Kayaba / Showa bits in the front & rear units of their Bears / Thunderbikes etc, with great results). Ian, thanks for the tip on Home Motor & Canthai, thanks again for the map. Heres a pic of the bike thus far.
 
Sep 19, 2006
2,393
374
83
62
www.chiangmai-xcentre.com
Front Suspension is cheaper than the Rear and Canthai is about right in Price? You can also check with CMS as they are the Agents for both Ohlins and YSS I believe? He can set them up for You also? For Your Thumbs up look at the bottom right of the Chats and there is a Row of Emojis. Just Click on which one You want.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Biggles
May 5, 2012
46
21
8
I just done ohlins rear shock and front fork spring on my CRF250L, rear shock, front spring and oil was 27k baht from moonsoon shop in nakhon panom, done the fitting myself, was straight forward and took a couple of hours to do front and rear, would think pricing would be similar for KLX.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Biggles

Biggles

0
Subscribed
Dec 11, 2012
92
30
18
Thanks Ian Bungy for the info re thumbs up (locale on page) info. My laptop has a problem with some images and colours in a weird way, making them faint and hard to see, and thats why I had the problem. Mai Hen Kup. Post Reply on my laptop is just a plain grey box. Now I see what you have explained. Thanks also to rudeboy and canthai for keeping this thread going with the best goss on who’s best to deal with.
 

DavidFL

0
Staff member
Subscribed
Jan 16, 2003
14,428
5,260
113
70
Chiang Khong
www.thegtrider.com
View attachment 133784 I looked at Burning Co. Shock Shelf yesterday. Did not have my glasses with me, but through my not so clear eyes looks like about 18K-20K for Ohlins Rear for KLX/DTracker / CRF. Based on size and number of parts, my guess is 45-50K for Front Forks. Thats 65-70K total. So, I’m going to try RaceTech or similar springs initially I think, because I can spec the springs to my weight & ride style. A quick look says the stock units are Kayaba / KYB, and they do make good stuff, so maybe a re-valve if I can work out how to do so later on. (A few national class A grade race guys I knew in Oz that I was a small sponsor of were fitting Kayaba / Showa bits in the front & rear units of their Bears / Thunderbikes etc, with great results). Ian, thanks for the tip on Home Motor & Canthai, thanks again for the map. Heres a pic of the bike thus far.

Hi Biggles
Curious, what did you end up doing?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ian Bungy