Suzy's Diary Heiner has asked me to give some info on the general maintenance of Suzy on this long trip for all you mechanical types.I have to admit that my record keeping in this respect is not so accurate but I will do my best. Not all the times I've fallen off
or oiled the chain are remembered! Suzy was aquired in Germany for me by Ralf Schaufale, the BMW expert in Kirchheim u. Teck. When he found her, after a long search she was in immaculate
condition, having only 11,500kms on the clock. She is a 1996 model DR650E and cost 2,500EThey found her in Spring 2004
and I went to Germany from Spain in July of that year to see her and try out the seat height. Ralf and Martin had lowered the fork yoke by 4cm, put the mono suspension unit on the lowest setting and cut some padding out of the front part of the seat (ouch) The result was that I could get my feet on the ground quite easily. They had also fitted an Acerbis 25litre tank.
Ralf had some 2nd hand aluminium panniers which were fitted and I also had a Scott oiler to put on. I asked them to put on a socket for charging the camera and phone batteries and one for the
tent light. The bike had standard gearing, which I left, and lever protectors. After riding up from Spain on my BMW in April 2005, I picked Suzy up after getting her
Esslingen plates and took her on a trip to Holland and Belgium for most of May to try her out. Getting used to the different gearing and riding technique and finding that she did about 25kms per litre.
In June on a trip to CZ, while waiting for my carnet, I had Mitas E8 enduro tyres fitted.(at 13,000kms) They are hard wearing but not so smooth to ride with. 5th July : After an oil change before I left Germany the next oil and filte rchange was in Solvakia, near Bratislavsa at 18,000km
23rd July:
Bodrun ,Turkey changed plugs as had a slight misfire, but just cleaned old ones for spares. 12th August:Istanbul, Turkey Had Slime put into inner tubes. Bought spare front sprocke, and brake pads . 19th August : Coastal village , Turkey , fell off first time when hit a car in traffic. Bent crash bar 28th August: Adana, Turkey. Fitted front brake pads and had crash bar straightened. 8th September: 27,000kms Lake Van Turkey . Did oil and filter change. 20th October: KKH Clutch cable failed. Fitted spare on roadside.Quetta, Pakistan, Bike cleaned! 6th October: Islamabad, Pakistan, Oil and filter change 35,000kms 13th October: Islamabad, checked tappets, cleaned pugs and air filter, adjusted chain. 17th October: Fell off in Swat valley and bent crash bars. 29th October: Skardu valley, Pakistan. bought Larry to alleviate sore bum. 31st October: KKH near Taxila, Pakistan. Fell off heavily when avoiding truck. No damage except crashbar even more bent. 2nd Nov: Islamabad: Had crash bar straigthened. November 25th:
Rishikesh, India. Frank Reiser had brought over from Germany two new Mitas tyres for me, also a rear sprocket and clutch cable and some more oil filters. Fred Klein helped me fit the tyres at 40,300kms
. there was still wear left in both of them, though not much in the back. Fred used the front tyre for his BM for several thousand more kms. 23rd December: Ahmendabad, Gugerat, Bike cleaned and we tried to fix the Scott oiler which had stopped working a long time ago. No success. 4th January 2006
: Gugerat. Puncture in front wheel fixed by local tyre wallah. 11th Jan; Pune, India oil and filter change at
45,000kms 15th Jan, Bombay. Back brake pads fitted.
13th March
, Bangalore. Adjusted steering bearings as they had tightened up. Topped up brake fluid. 23rd March: Rishikesh, Had stronger bracket welded on crash bars. 28th March. Uttar Anchal Puncture in Rear tyre. Fitted new tube. 29th March Uttar Anchal. Another punture, this time a nail, five holes. Put in old memded tube. April 11th - 19th. Pockhara, Nepal, 53,000kms
Left bike in Rajus shop to have new sprockets and chain fitted. Only 7 teeth left on old front sprocket! Oil and filter change and fork oil. Also new rear wheel bearings..Front brake pads relined. 2nd May:
Suzy flown to Bangkok from Katmandu by Thai Air, using Eagle Eyes Agent. 29th May: Chiang Mai, Thailand: Cleaned and oiled chain and changed spark plugs. 22nd June: Udon Thani, Thailand 58,000kms. Changed rear tyre.Only one available was Dunlop Enduro. Old rear tyre not completely worn out but was
going to Laos in the rainy season so thought better to get one before. 16th July:
Nong Khai: 60,000kms
Change oil and filter, clean and adjust chaina and clean spark plugs. General check over.
22nd Aug: at 65000 kms in
Kota Bharu, near the South China Sea. The battery went flat so I got it
charged and bought a new one the next day. 14th Sept: at 67.000kms
Steering head bearings and Michilin front tyre 27th Sept: at 67,300km
NewMichilin back tyre at Sunnys motorcycle . KL 29th Sept: at 67,500kms
New battery in Melaka 21st Oct: at 70,000km
Had to replace clutch lever on the road as old one had fractured near Bengkuku, West Sumatra - replaced with spare. Various chain oiling and adjustments between all these.... 27th October - Kalianda, Sumatra, spline is worn on gear lever so tightened it again. will need to replace in Darwin. |
