However, by choice and common sense, I avoid riding the DL650 on roads worse than graded dirt and gravel. I have friends who do ride these roads on V-Stroms but they are half my age and don't have my bone density problem. But I like such roads and I'm not ready to give them up. I've been riding the rougher roads on lighter bikes such as the KLR650. I often ride alone into remote areas of eastern Utah desert, sometimes camping overnight. I need a bike I'm certain I can pick up. The KLR650 has served that purpose well, but the DR650, a little lighter than the KLR650 and more dirt-oriented seems to compliment the all-day comfort and multi-surface capabilities of the DL650 perfectly. I have considerable respect for Suzuki engineering, quality and reliability and that too has influenced my decision.

Since owning my first DR650 at age 61, I've discovered the immense satisfaction of fast pavement riding, owned several sport bikes, some insanely powerful, attended four track schools, and ridden another 140,000 miles. I'm a different rider now and consequently see the DR650 differently than I did the first time around. Now that I have the suspension of this DR sorted to suit my style, I'm thrilled by how much fun it is to ride fast on a favorite unpatrolled, light-traffic, paved mountain road. I like to ride fast on dirt and gravel roads, too. (To put this into perspective, when riding graded gravel or dirt roads, alone or with friends, I'm likely to see 85-90MPH on a KLR650 or DR650 and sometimes 100MPH on a DL650). I had forgotten how "planted" the DR feels on unpaved surfaces and that's with the unjustly-maligned Bridgestone Trailwings which I like fine on gravel roads and pavement both.

The Suzuki DR650 is an exemplary big-single dual sport motorcycle.

April 20, 2007, 9667 miles: Met Mike at 141 Diner for the usual excellent breakfast. We rode John Brown Canyon to Castle Valley, River Road to Moab Bridge, US191 to Deadhorse Canyon/Canyonlands road, out to Mineral Bottom, back to unpaved road northwest past Dubinky Well to Highline road and out to I-70. Very good ride.

April 16, 2007, 9058 miles: Oil & filter change, clean air filter, routine maintenance.

April 12, 2007, 8987 miles: Returned from 4th annual overnight camping trip at Muley Point.

March 26, 2007, 8004 miles: Buffed in the new tires on Black Mesa. Great ride in contrast to my March 19 Black Mesa ride on the Honda 599. The road was 90% cleaner now. The snow at the viewpoint near the top was all gone and I ate my lunch there. Of course, I like riding Black Mesa on the DR650. Sport bikes are only fun for me if I'm going fast which I don't do when the road is heavily sanded and graveled.

March 24, 2007, 7856 miles: Mounted and balanced two new Pirelli Scorpion AT tires.

February 17-18, 2007, 7211 miles: Saturday the 17th: lunch at 141 Diner, met Mike (DL650 V-Strom) and Ken (R1200GS Adventure), rode Dolores Canyon to Nucla, Naturita and back. Sunday the 18th, 379-mile loop from Cedaredge and back again: met Mike and Ken at Fruita, CO. Had lunch in Moab via river road from Cisco, continued on south via US191 to La Sal Junction, then UT46 and CO90 to Naturita and CO141 home. Good riders, good roads, good fun. The Bedrock Store in Paradox Valley is said to be the oldest continually operated business in Colorado.

January 11, 2007, 6456 miles: Lunch at 141 Diner, Dolores Canyon to Flume and back, saw Mike at 141 Diner, we rode Dolores Canyon to spring and back. Good ride, good visit.

December 21, 2006, 6183 miles: Valve clearance check, clean air filter, complete 6000 mile service partially done on December 12. All valve clearances spot on using the same two feeler gauges I set them with (I had removed these two gauges from the set and bent them to fit the tight space).

December 14-15, 2006, 6181 miles: Breakfast at 141 Diner, overnight trip to Bluff, UT via Butler Wash Road, return through Hovenweep and Canyon of the Ancients National Monuments with lunch at 141 Diner. I have nothing negative to say about the 8 gallon fuel tank, even when full on a sandy road. I can ride where I want now, not plan from gasoline station to gasoline station. I rode hard and fast on most of this 577 mile ride stopping for fuel only twice and arriving home with 2/3 tank. The seat is great, the windscreen an acceptable compromise. All in all, at this moment in time, this is my favorite big-single multi-purpose motorcycle. Dare I say it's a little faster than my long-favored KLR650's, better able to haul a heavy rider, Pelican cases and camping gear at 80-90MPH indicated despite our varying altitudes and frequent winds. Because it works so well, I even like the way it looks.

December 12, 2006, 5604 miles: Back from Davis Service Center. I thought I had stripped the oil drain threads on the last oil change so I took it in for examination. Verdict: the threads on the steel drain bolt were machined improperly. The threads in the sump were dressed and a new OEM drain plug installed along with fresh oil and filter. Suzuki paid for this under warranty. After getting the DR650 home, I replaced the well-worn rear tire with a barely-used Metzeler Tourance rear tire.

November 21, 2006, 5528 miles: Grand Junction, Cisco, Moab for lunch and back the same way. Thirty degrees at departure, used heated jacket liner and gloves with careful monitoring of charging indicator -- heated jacket and liner set at no more than 1/3 to 1/2 power and turning heated gear off at extended lower RPM such as riding in town. The big tank, great seat and adequate windshield made it comfortable and enjoyable riding the 160+ miles from Cedaredge to Moab (one way) non-stop.

November 18, 2006, 5205 miles: Unaweep canyon, Gateway for lunch, on through Nucla, Norwood, Ridgway, Montrose and home. Extended test of all mods described in Adventure Touring Setup. I'm very pleased with all changes, especially the tank and extended range but also the surprise success of my third and least expensive windshield. Beautiful day, good lunch, enjoyable ride.

The temperature was below 30 degrees at about 9:00 a.m. so this was a good time to test the DR650's ability to power my Gerbings heated jacket liner and heated gloves. When one uses heated accessories on motorcycles with questionable charging capabilities, it is essential to eliminate guesswork by installing a charging indicator. For this application, I chose a $24.95 Heads-up Voltage Indicator from Custom Dynamics. This device uses one small bulb with a combination of three colors and a flashing or steady light to indicate whether the system is overcharging, undercharging or within the correct range. Without this light I wouldn't have known the charging system was keeping up but only barely while traveling at speed with my heated gear on about 1/3 to 1/2 power. Idling or using turn signals or brake light would cause the light to indicate undercharging. With the indicator to keep me informed, I can live with this.

October 13-14, 2006, 4607 miles: Snow Flat ride. 656 mile round trip to Comb Ridge in southeastern Utah. My "cute" flyscreen caused excessive turbulent noise at my helmet in a strong headwind. I removed it. This ride and the "Nine-pass" ride below prove the seat works surperbly. Now I really need a larger fuel tank and a functional windshield.

September 14, 2006, 3717 miles: Great Ride! Third Annual Nine-unpaved-passes-in-one-day ride.

September 10, 2006: The flyscreen looks cute and causes no harm so I will keep it until I change my mind. It may be marginally useful. Riding with no windshield, I've shaken a dead bee and a wasp out of my jacket after riding. I've also been stung hard by some unseen insect. This flyscreen moves the airstream from my chest to my shoulders, perhaps high enough to keep bugs away from a partially unzipped jacket but not quite high enough to make noise around my helmet.

September 9, 2006, 3237 miles: Montrose via Black Mesa and home again. The new seat is a winner! I've yet to do an all-day ride but 160 miles, the first 109 without stopping, caused no discomfort. The windshield was still a loser -- too noisy to be bearable without ear plugs and ear plugs bother my ears with all the altitude changes I typically encounter. Back home, I removed the screen and cut it down to the width of the headlight shroud/number plate and only 5 inches above the number plate. Cut, sand & steel wool the edges, Novus products and now it's a fly screen. It looks great! Looks factory, not unlike other 650 singles with adventure-touring pretensions. Gives some esthetic balance to the Givi side cases. I hope it isn't high enough to do anything. It was hailing when I finished so no test ride.

September 8, 2006: Received and installed seat rebuilt by Renazco Racing. Materials look excellent with fine workmanship. The rebuilt seat is wider and flatter where I sit as I requested. Only a long ride will determine whether or not this rebuild meets my expectations. Remounted and repositioned my Cee Bailey's windscreen for the third time, then went to the hardware store for all new mounting hardware: longer nylon bolts, rubber grommets for the windshield bolt holes, black rubber tubing cut and slid over the bolts for spacers. Looks good now, like it belongs on the bike, but only a long ride with will tell me whether or not it does more than look good.

September 6, 2006, 3085 miles: Received and installed Cee Bailey's DR650 windshield and took a test ride. For me, there were several negative effects, nothing positive. I was expecting a compromise: minor turbulence and some wind noise in exchange for significantly reduced bugs on my face shield. Instead, I got serious turbulence, major noise and just as many bugs on my face shield as ever. I taped a three-inch cardboard extension to the top of the windshield, canted forward and that worked well but I had no material to make a clear plastic extension. A taller Cee Bailey windshield would be missing the "canted forward" feature and it already seems too close to my face. Using rubber spacers, I remounted the windshield tilted forward an inch or two more than they intended and that seems to help. I tried remounting it tilted even farther forward but the plastic number plate/headlight shroud is too flimsy if not reinforced by the shield itself, firmly attached. I've said it before: buying motorcycle windshields is the closest thing to gambling I ever do.

September 1, 2006, 2981 miles: Installed SW-Motech quick-detachable side racks with attachment hardware for Givi Monokey panniers. These racks are heavy but very well made and fit perfectly. I can now switch my E21 Givi cases between the DL650 and DR650. I'm still waiting for a gasoline container carrier that attaches to one of these side racks and a 2.6 gallon black plastic gasoline container; both are on back-order. I chose this range-extending option over a larger, plastic tank for two reasons. I like the look of the stock tank; my garage is heated and accessed from the kitchen, making gasoline fumes emitted from plastic tanks undesirable.

August 15, 2006, 2887 miles: Removed rubber intake snorkel from air box and adjusted steering head bearings. Rode Black Mesa both ways; rich main jet mostly corrected by increased air, head shake subdued. Ran strong, performed well.

August 13, 2006, (mileage not noted): Rode Black Mesa road both directions to test tires. No complaints on pavement gripping. Noticeable tendency to head shake over 80MPH (might be coincidental and not front tire). Now that the DR is broken in and I'm riding hard, it was very much over-rich on main jet at full throttle, higher altitudes.

August 10, 2006, 2472 miles: Installed new Pirelli Scorpian AT tires front 90/90 21 and rear 120/90 17. OEM tires not quite worn out but close enough.

July 22, 2006, 2188 miles: Short but interesting local ride: Tongue Creek

July 20, 2006, 2133 miles: up on Grand Mesa and down Land's End Road. Beautiful, cool morning. Rain last night. Zero dust.

July 15, 2006, 2037 miles: Cool and pretty early morning Black Mesa ride (CO92 along lower north side of Black Canyon). Davis Service Center visit. Home by 11:00 A.M. Already 94 degrees.

July 13, 2006, 1884 miles: The road from Dewey Bridge, Utah highway 128, to the Dolores River Overlook

July 1, 2006, 1411 miles: First valve-clearance check. All in middle of specifications, each pair the same. Cleaned air filter for first time even though it still didn't look dirty after several dusty rides.

June 22, 2006, 1290 miles: Moab via Unaweep Canyon, John Brown Canyon, La Sal Loop Road; return via La Sal Junction, Paradox Valley, Bedrock to Uravan shortcut, Dolores Canyon and Unaweep Canyon.

June 18, 2006, 804 miles: Baxter Pass

June 14, 2006, 445 miles: Oil & filter change.

June 13, 2006, 435 miles: Delta-Nucla roads up on the Uncompahgre Plateau, then Cottonwood road and other roads back to Delta -- from the mid-nineties heat of Delta at a little more than 5000 feet elevation to the coolness of Ponderosa and Aspen forests on the Uncompahgre Plateau at probably more than 8000 feet, all on a sparcely-traveled 100-mile loop from my house, at least 60 miles of which is graded gravel, some rock-strewn hard-pack and a little sand. The DR650 is a very competent motorcycle on these roads.

June 9, 2006: purchased new.

• Wolfman Enduro tank bag, small but well made and doesn't interfere with standing on the pegs.

• German made Sigma Sport BC 800 Bicycle Computer, an accurate (programmable by tire diameter) speedometer for riders who want to know they are not going as fast as they think they are. About $25 from several sources, including Aerostich.

While the term "multi-purpose" is sufficiently broad to include any number of motorcycles that some owner might want to use for more than one purpose, relatively few riders choose the DR650 for adventure touring. No surprise as there is almost no wind protection, the seat is too hard and the tank too small. The DR650 is a Dual Sport motorcycle; it says so on the tank. Since "sport" is generally defined as competition, I'm not sure what these two sports would be. It's too heavy for off-pavement competition, not powerful enough for Motard racing. If your idea of sport includes non-competitive trail riding and local public roads, then it's a dual sport. Whatever you call it, nothing diminishes it's value as a multi-purpose motorcycle capable of providing riders great pleasure on fast pavement and gravel as well as an agile, competent ride on moderate to rough trails at a less aggressive pace. The DR650 is reliable and fun as it comes from the factory.

There are a few riders who do choose to transform their DR650's into viable adventure touring motorcycles capable of all-day comfort on a variety of roads. Some people, myself included, believe that no matter how much better the bigger bikes are, and believe me they are better in many ways, the 650 single street-legal dirt-oriented dual sport motorcycle is just the right size and weight for all-around use with simplicity and modest cost an additional big plus. Some riders are content with local roads, trails and commuting. The 650 singles suit their purpose with minimal modification. Other riders either want to ride long distances or penetrate remote areas and these riders need big tanks, comfortable seats, luggage capacity and wind protection. The KLR650 has satisfied many of these riders for enough years to become a legend but some prefer the DR650 for it's tourqey engine, lighter feel, better suspension and apparent quality. I've had five KLR650's, this is my second DR650. I liked them all but for now I prefer the DR650 and my needs require adventure touring modifications. This web page reflects my current preferences and a few mistakes.

There are many ways to transform a DR650 from an attractive, short-range, naked dual sport motorcycle into an arguably ugly but all-day comfortable, wind protected, long-range, multipurpose motorcycle. I say "arguably ugly" because many people will think ugly but for us old "form follows function" guys, greatly enhanced long-distance capabilities have their own beauty.

When we modify our motorcycles, we each have ideas about what is important and how much we want to spend. First let me say I don't understand making any of these changes to a DR650 if one doesn't need them. If you never travel more than 200 or 300 miles in a day, the stock seat is adequate. If you never go where gasoline stations are more than 100 miles apart, then you don't need a bigger tank. If you never carry anything that won't fit in a Jacket pocket or small tank bag, you don't need side cases. If you never travel bad roads, get a DL650 (a DR650 with the modifications described below will cost nearly as much as a DL650). Presumably one owns a DR650 because one needs it and modifies the DR650 to better match how and where one rides.

I live in western Colorado and ride frequently into remote areas of the southeastern Utah desert where destinations can be many miles apart and towns are few. My needs are different from riders in more densely populated areas. I need a comfortable seat, a big fuel tank, adequate wind protection, side cases for overnight trips and a rear rack for camping gear. My objective here is to preserve the light weight and agile handling of the DR650 when the oversized tank is not full and luggage not aboard. While it may seem that the DL650 and a DR650 with modifications described below have similar purposes, there is a world of difference in reality. The DL650 is a powerful, luxurious multipurpose motorcycle for roads both paved and unpaved. The DR650 is nothing like that. Properly modified, it can be a functional all-day tourer but it is neither powerful nor luxurious. The DR650 comes into its own when the road turns bad. The DL650 and the DR650 are both Suzuki, both 650's, both multipurpose motorcycles but very different and each has its own virtues.

The least expensive way to get a motorcycle such as the DR650 I've modified would be to buy a KLR650 which already has an adequate seat, a 6.1 gallon tank, good wind protection, especially with the taller OEM screen, and a large rear rack. But the following changes are a reach toward specific-task perfection, not economy. I've had five KLR650's and, for various reasons explained elsewhere, there are several characteristics of the DR650 I prefer. Unfortunately, wind protection and range are not among those characteristics. Here follows what I chose to transform my DR650 into a machine suitable for extended rides and overnight trips into the Utah desert:

• Seat. No need to upgrade fuel tank and wind protection if one can't ride more than 200 or 300 miles anyway. Perhaps a Corbin would have been good enough but I wanted the best I could get. After an exchange of 17 emails pinning down particulars, the stock seat was shipped to Renazco Racing for a rebuild. Results: quality materials, beautiful workmanship and perhaps the ultimate in comfort for a dual sport/adventure touring motorcycle without changing the profile. See why I say so.

• Side Racks. German made SW-Motech quick-detachable side racks. Excellent quality and fit. Optional hardware kits for fitting several popular side cases. Don't be fooled by the modest price; these are arguably the best side racks on the market.

• Side Cases. Pelican cases are unusually well made, very tough, completely waterproof and an unbelievable bargain when compared to made-for-motorcycle cases. I certainly wasn't the first to use Pelican cases on a motorcycle but I did recognize a good idea. An idea made even better by the versatility of SW-Motech quick-detachable side racks. The Pelican Cases can be attached securely to the racks; the racks and bags can both be removed in seconds when necessary. Unfortunately, Pelican cases of a size appropriate for touring can be a bit heavy for light-weight motorcycles as compared to aluminum panniers or small Givi cases. I ordered a smaller size than I normally use for this application but they are too small to hide the rack plate. I had some old Pelican cases I've used on two or three motorcycles, drilling new mounting holes for each application. With so many holes, I had intended to throw them away but instead drilled yet more holes and mounted them on the DR650. Very functional and not really too big once they are properly mounted. I returned my too-small cases and may eventually order new 1520 cases to replace these old ones. I buy my Pelican cases, without the foam insert, at cases-4-less. For a description of these 1520 Pelican cases, see my V-Strom page.

• Rear Rack. If one carries a long duffle bag that requires wide-base support, there are several big racks available. I keep my load fairly compact and find the small OEM accessory rack a good choice.

• Windshield. Buying a bigger windscreen for a motorcycle is the closest I ever come to gambling. More often than not, the windshield I purchase does not work for me. My first windshield for the DR650 came from Cee Bailey, a company that often produces a good product. In my opinion, the windshield for the DR650 is a poor design. The idea of mounting a windshield to the headlamp cover is faulty. The headlamp cover is not nearly sturdy enough to support much of a windshield and, because of the angle, the windshield is raked too far back ending much too close to the riders face. I tried several variations of mounting this windshield, all unsuccessful. Eventually, I cut it down to an attractive little fly screen but this too was discarded the first time I suffered severe turbulence and noise while riding into a hard headwind.

Parabellum makes a big, wide windshield that attaches securely to lower triple clamp and handlebar mounts. The Parabellum costs more than twice as much as the Cee Baily and other options. It's big and ugly, a clear case of form following function, which I approve. I ordered the windshield online the evening of October 15 and received it the evening of October 23. I installed it with no real difficulty despite instructions that were little more than a parts drawing. The hardware looks like something assembled from someone's spare parts bin but the windshield has no visual distortion and the mounting is secure even if the hardware looks crude. I don't want to look through a windshield while riding with a normal relaxed slouch so, after measuring several times, I ordered 2 inches shorter than Parabellum's website recommended. I'm glad I did as the top of the windshield is exactly where I wanted it to be. It seems to work as I expected: a little turbulent noise if I sit up straight, fairly quiet if I duck a little. So far, the turbulent noise is no more than what I've long found acceptable on DL650's with stock windscreens and KLR650's with OEM tall windscreens. The lower mounting brackets touch the tank seam plastic trim simultaneously with turning stop to stop. It remains to be seen whether or not this windshield can coexist with a large Safari tank.

• Hand Guards. Dirt riders want hand guards to protect hands if they whack a tree or protect levers if the bike is dropped. Dual sport and adventure touring motorcycles usually come with hand guards that are more for looks than function although they do serve a useful purpose: they keep bugs off gloves and offer limited hand protection from cold air and rain. I don't intend to fall over so lever protection is not high on my priority list. The DR650 comes with flimsy plastic hand guards that attach only at the lever pivot posts. These are good enough for my purposes. However the optional OEM hand guards for the DL650 V-Strom, while having no metal reinforcement to protect levers, do attach to the end of the handlebars as well as the lever pivot post and have a much more integrated, purposeful look. No big deal. Mostly I like the look. I mounted mine with only a small amount of trimming where it won't show.

• Fuel Tank. On the Third Annual Nine-unpaved-passes-in-one-day ride, one section was more than 200 miles between gasoline stops. We rode hard and fast; fuel mileage suffered accordingly. I carried 2.1 gallons of extra gasoline in a plastic can in a pannier. I was on reserve when I added this fuel and on reserve again when I got to a gasoline station. A 4.9 gallon IMS tank would not have been enough. This was not the first time for such a range requirement nor will it be the last. Nothing but the expensive 30 liter (7.9+ gallon) Safari tank from Australia offers the range and peace of mind I want. I ordered mine October 15 from Sport Touring Accessories of Deals Gap, North Carolina. The tank is made by Safari Tanks, a division of RV Aqualine in Victoria, Australia. They must have long enduros down there. Meet Mick the tank builder.

Sport Touring Accessories had the Safari tank in stock but not the color I wanted. However, a blue Safari tank was on the way from Australia by boat when I ordered. Mine arrived here in western Colorado November 8, 2006, after traveling half way around the world.

Finished installing the big tank November 10. Big job, partly because the tank was a difficult fit over the rubber donuts on the center frame tube, partly because the tank, turn signals and windshield were all incompatible. Safari included brackets for moving the turn signals upward and angling them forward and up but I found this solution esthetically unacceptable. I moved the turn signals and cut the bottom of the windshield to fit thee times before finding a solution I liked. Went for a test drive and the windshield worked better than ever. Removing a few inches from the bottom of the shield actually smoothed the airflow and reduced turbulent noise. Back to the garage to park the bike, failed to get the side stand all the way forward, the bike fell into my workbench. The edge of my new-but-modified $200+ windshield took the brunt of the impact and the shield broke into two pieces.

I find nothing to dislike about the tank. The extra weight forward seems to improve fast pavement riding. Some might think it big and ugly but I see beautiful long rides ahead. As I have said elsewhere, function trumps form. In truth, I'm quite pleased with the shape, finding it to be a remarkably well thought out design.

• Windshield revisited: I ordered a new handlebar-mount Slipstreamer Spitfire at about 1/4 the Parabellum price with 1-click shopping on Amazon.com. What a surprise! On my initial 80 mile test ride it worked better than any windscreen I've tried, giving me smooth air without turbulent noise and with the air stream just above my helmet visor. A subsequent longer ride which included Unaweep canyon, a road with a consistently gusty headwind which can reveal the shortcomings of any windscreen, confirmed my initial impressions. However, before this is interpreted as saying the windscreen will work for everyone, let me explain. It's mostly luck and coincidence that my height, torso-length and posture put my head in just the right place (as a reference, I'm 5 feet 11+ inches tall with a 32/33 inch inseam). If I sit up straight, I'm entering the turbulent noise area. If I duck my head the noise increases as well. My normal slouch is just right. The airstream hits my helmet about the top of my visor but the flow is smooth. I presume it will keep maybe 90% of the bugs off my visor but that won't be confirmed until next spring. I have the windscreen as high as it can reasonablely be mounted. Anyone not fortunate enough to hit upon the right angle or anyone not the correct height and posture to be in this windscreen's sweet spot would likely find it unacceptable.

 
• Weight. Curious minds will want to know that this Adventure Touring DR650 weighs 406 pounds, wet and ready. That's 233 pounds on the rear and 173 pounds on the front.

Heavy? Maybe, but what am I weighing here? In addition to the DR650 which, like any motorcycle, weighs more than the specifications claim, I'm also weighing the big tank (8 lb. heavier than stock), about 5.5 gallons of gasoline, skid plate, luggage rack, side racks, Pelican cases with liners (11 pounds heavier than small Givi E21 cases), tank bag filled with my heavy tools (in addition to OEM tools), tire repair equipment and a heavier seat. That's pretty light for a fully-equipped Adventure Tourer.

Perspective:
I previously weighed a KLR650 with approx. 3 gallons of gasoline and skid plate but no side cases or racks at 387 pounds. The Curb weight of a bare KLR650 with a full tank has been reported elsewhere at 398 pounds.

My 2004 DL650 weighed 461 pounds ready to ride with 1/2 tank of fuel (3 bars showing on gauge) and without side cases and racks.

The original F650 had a claimed wet weight of 421 pounds with a 4.6 gallon tank and no accessories.

Motorcyclist magazine weighs an R1200GS at 544 pounds and a DL1000 at 530 pounds.

RATIONALIZATION: The DR650 will never be a KLR650 but it can be an all day ride. A 4.9 gallon IMS plastic tank is available in several colors. For riders traveling really remote areas, the Australian Aqualine Safari 7.9 gallon tank is available in blue, yellow, white and translucent. SW-Motech has quick-removable side racks with fittings for several brands of side cases. Most owners change the seat on any motorcycle and there are alternatives available for the DR650. Important items like racks, side cases and other luggage items are available from several sources, including Happy Trails and Twisted Throttle. An Internet search will reveal several wind protection options although in my experience, many cause more problems than they cure.