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DR 200 Needs more power

Started by flexlarson, September 26, 2010, 12:26:50 PM

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flexlarson

I got this lil cute DR 200. Its fun on the street and flat or rolling singletrack but on long steep rocky hill climbs its a pooch. Seems like it bogs down. Any thoughts or Ideas?
I searched online. Im not real experienced with Carb mods. But they say change jets, buy a 300 fmf pipe etc etc .
Can I just open up the exhaust (pull stuff out). Put in a bigger pilot jet and drop a tooth in the front?

Thoughts on this guys.
how do I determine jet size?
What do I have to do to needle?

Anyone in the Hills here consider themselves an expert? Interested in helpin?  Will pay with beer and Cigars



"Twenty years from now you'll be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. do it.
... it gets harder before it gets hard.... Get up here..

Hank

I wouldn't think you'd want bigger jets being in the hills, its likely running a bit rich already.  Maybe at sea level bigger jets would help with a pipe, but I bet at elevation an aftermarket pipe and stock jets might be a good combo?

Not sure if gutting the can would do much for you either, but I'm sure it would ruin the spark arrestor.

I'm just guessin' though.

I think you should graft in a CR500 motor then everything will be fine :)

Hank

The procedure for determine your jetting, if you think you want to mess with it, generally involves running WOT, immediately shutting down and doing a plug reading - checking the color of the insulator on the electrode.  This is for the main jet (top end).   I'm sure there is oodles of documentation out there.

Don't know if the DR has an adjustable needle (clip on it you can move up or down).  If not you can maybe shim it up to make it richer in the mid range.  This might be the wrong way at higher elevation though.
If it's a clip type (adjustable) just try moving it a notch and see if it runs better or worse.  Again the needle is generally partial throttle settings / mid range.

Sometimes a non-adjustable needle has a spacer under the top of the needle, and you can pull that out to drop the needle - leaner in midrange.  This is what I did to my DRZ before my last ride out there and it ran MUCH better above 4K feet, and also got better highway mileage running out.

I'm no expert though either, but if I was out there I'd come try for beer and cigars!

Dr Psyko

Have to state the obvious, but I'm sure there's a website somewhere where they discuss this to death. Personally, every bike I've had over the last 20 years benefited from an adjustment to the factory carb settings. Factories will sacrifice the last 5-15% of performance for a "safe" and/or EPA approved setting every time. I think most are too lean, particulaily if there are any other changes to exhaust and/or intake (dirty air filter?). A very different example (from your Suzuki) is my Harley. When I changed the exhaust and air filter to breathe better, the thing would barely run with the factory carb settings. Later when I added a cam and ignition upgrades, the carb needed another tweak. Carbs seem daunting, but with a basic Dynojet (or other) carb upgrade kit, it's really easy if you take your time and follow the directions. Biggest hassle is getting the carb out.

When we raced Karts, we had the carb out for adjustment/cleaning several times a weekend. Lot of performance potential usually missed.
11th Commandment: Thou shalt not slide through life.

plumber mike

If you were offering coke and hookers I might think about it......but beer and cigars ???


jacin theis

"new" coke or classic? Hooker headers went out in the 70s man. beside for us it FMF pipes..... I think he just need to buy another bike. we don't work on anything in America anymore! Its a disposable nation. :D
Whos in for a big trip? Alsaka? Moab (again)? Baja?
1100 GS

Lee Bruns

STOP the truck.
The FIRST thing you do with any DR suzuki is remove the headpipe and make sure they don't have a big ring of weld slag left in there from when they welded the flange onto the end of the pipe. Get a pencil grinder or dremel and blend the ID of the pipe to match the flange. Very few DR's are welded nice from the factory. Its a problem on DR200, DR400, DR250, DR650 etc.
   Take care of that FIRST before tinkering with any jetting.

Hank

Good point!   I was told of this issue and pulled the header on my 400, but I must be lucky as mine was clean as a whistle.

plumber mike

Quote from: Lee Bruns on November 05, 2010, 06:07:54 PM
STOP the truck.
The FIRST thing you do with any DR suzuki is remove the headpipe and make sure they don't have a big ring of weld slag left in there from when they welded the flange onto the end of the pipe. Get a pencil grinder or dremel and blend the ID of the pipe to match the flange. Very few DR's are welded nice from the factory. Its a problem on DR200, DR400, DR250, DR650 etc.
   Take care of that FIRST before tinkering with any jetting.

That sounds like good advice for any bike ???No?

Lee Bruns

probably is a good idea to check any bike, but KRIKEy are the Suzuki's ever prone to weld slag in there. Grind the ID so it matches the pipe ID.