Braps brappy Bois.

So, the other half decided she wants to get into motorcycles, and in true brap fashion I need a project. 

Welcome home a 95 DR250SE. One owner, 5,122mi fires on either and has a nice case of the sits. Been setting for 15 years. 

Pros: runs, is in decent shape, I adore dual sports. 

Cons: needs gone through, tank is super questionable, PO: said something was up with kill switch, so trying to find one, and that's becoming a challange. 

Little back story on me and two wheels. 

Been riding for around 14 years and stopped riding a few years back due to life. Since the other half wants to get into it, time to jump in head first.  

Have had a variety of 70s/80jap bikes and many dual sports. 

Needs: 

Clutch adjusted. 

Headlight 

Grips 

Tires

Tank plastics. 

First job, rear foot peg ectomy. 

before: 

After: 

Fired it on either last night and super charger. 

Got it stripped down to wash everything and work on getting it appart. The tank is pretty crusty, any good tips on cleaning out tanks before coating. 

Acetone and a length of metal chain. I tried the drywall screws but they didn't do squat and were difficult to remove. Coated mine with Red Kote and a year later all is still good.

In reply to ddavidv :

I was planning on red kote. I plan on grabbing some acetone tonight. Just put it in and shake it around? 

It has a metal gas tank?   I thought those bikes had plastic tanks.

In reply to stuart in mn :

The "street legal" bikes are metal, dirt are plastic. I got the winning bid on a plastic tank on eBay currently. 

I want a dual sport, these threads don't help.

In reply to Brett_Murphy (Forum Patrón) :

This is dual sport #15ish and still love em.

Have I ever said I love my ultrasonic cleaner. 

20min, dawn soap and 50°c water

​​​​Before

After:

In reply to Professor_Brap (Forum Supporter) :

Hahaha...small world! I packaged up your tank and shipped it out this morning! You will need to modify the front tank mounts as they are different between dual sport (metal peg on the frame that a rubber puck slips onto, crescent-shaped pocket on the tank) and the dirt model (metal weld-nut on the frame, tank has an aluminum bracket with a round rubber donut mount in the hole in the bracket.) Great mod to do as dirt tanks are lighter, larger capacity, and don't rust, plus also generally cheaper used.

 The DR's are fun bikes, and very user friendly! I've got a small fleet of them and lots of parts. Lemme know if you need something else, I might just have it!

In reply to ae86andkp61 (Forum Supporter) :

Small world! Do you by chance have a good write up for the conversion? 

I am auctally looking for a few things. Headlight, start/kill switch, and possibly a slip on. 

Tore down, waiting on parts  

Found a bolt head wedged between the skid plate and frame..... Looked up and found it was from oil filter housing. Left handed drill bit and a touch of head and spun right out  

all out and cleaned up. 

Fired it up just a bit ago. Idles nice boggs with any throttle input. 

Turn signals should be working tonight. 

New muffler clamp bolt  unknown junkyard bolt ftw. 

You get the kill switch sorted? There's (usually) basically two kinds, the kind where power runs though it and turning it off kills the power, and the kind where the kill switch grounds the ignition and stops spark. Once you figure out what kind your bike uses you can use a generic one that works that way. 

Neat bike. I want one too. 

In reply to mazdeuce - Seth :

I did, pulled it apart and cleaned the contacts and seems to be working fine. put 5 miles on it yesterday riding around the yard and back street.

Got everything working even down to the horn. I need to see why the speedo is jumpy, but that should not be to bad. 

Speedo seems to be working its self out. Gonna ride it a bit and see what happens. 

Got the carb tuned up decent. Now it doesn't bog down when grabbing throttle. The ol girl is crackly on deceleration. 

Need to order rear brake pads and clutch plates later.

Gonna leave the tires alone for now, they are old, still soft and no dry rot cracks. What the worst that can happen .

Got all the plastics on. Put 10 miles on it last night. Still has a weird dead spot mid rpm range more tuning needed 

Professor_Brap (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to ae86andkp61 (Forum Supporter) :

Small world! Do you by chance have a good write up for the conversion?

No writeup, but I did snap some photos last time I was out at the shop.

Here's the dual sport/SE/Electric start setup that you've got, with a cup on the inside of the tank partway back resting on a rubber puck that fits over the stud:

And here's the factory setup on a dirt/kickstart frame, with a bolt passing through the rubber donut on the tabs that protrude forward on the tank and into the nut/sleeve/threaded standoff thingie:

The fact that the factory centers both these things on circular features pressed into all versions of the frame makes it easy to replicate the position. Cut the stud off further back and weld a sleeve nut on further forward. The fact that the part that you are potentially grinding/welding on is the oil tank for the dry sump does add some complications. Use your own favorite cleaning, flushing, purging routine for proper safety precautions. I'm 95% sure the bolt is M8, but a quick test fit on the tank brackets will let you know. I think the factory had a little metal sleeve inside the rubber bushing, FWIW...part number should be 09180-08190, or #21 in the diagram:

In reply to ae86andkp61 (Forum Supporter) :

Awesome. I got a Dr dirtbike frame a friend gave me, so that helps. 

I appreciate the help.