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VINCE STRANG MOTORCYCLES YOUR DR 650 SPECIALISTS |
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SA RANGES RALLY This traditional motorcycle camping rally will be held on June 8 to 10 at Farina Campground - approximately 25 km north of Lyndhurst, SA For more information download the PDF SA Ranges Rally PDF |
THE VSM MARKET PLACE We are excited to announce the launch of our new feature, the Market Place. For a small monthly fee, you can advertise your bike, spare parts, riding gear etc.. on our website. All advertisements must be genuine and we will not accept any 'advertorials' or company advertising. Spare parts/accessories must be specific to Suzuki DR650 and DRZ400 models, and for a limited time we will accept advertising for other makes and models. Click here for more information and to take a look at our Market Place launch specials. |
VSM NEWSLETTER Issue 3 of our newsletter was sent out on 14th November. To those who have received it, we hope you like it and we welcome any feedback and comments. If you did not receive a newsletter and believe you should have, please let us know. You may need to add our email to your safe senders list, otherwise we may end up in your junk email folder. Please note, when you place an order with us we will automatically add you to our mailing list, however if you do not wish to receive the newsletter, please let us know. Just click on and forward the email to us and we will add you to our database. You may unsubscribe at any time by clicking |
MAY 2013: VINCES RIDE REPORT
On Saturday, 4th May, I set out on my DR650 with Dave Mason, Ned Skehan and my daughter Georgia who were all riding DRZ400's. We also had Bruce Tomlinson driving a support vehicle for us. It was a fairly long haul to Bollon, via Mosquito Creek and Crooble then along the Gil Gil Ck to Garah (there were alot of road works after Mungindi). The creek at Bollon is a great camping spot and there are hot artesian showers opposite the pub. On Sunday we set off on the Mitchell Rd but couldn't locate the right road/track and ended up missing our smoko/lunch appointment with Nev & Jo. Mac Haig rendezvoused with our group and we headed into the station tracks and made our way overland to Alroy Station near Yowah opal fields for a big outback roast with veggies. Monday was a little overcast so the conditions for riding were perfect as we tracked through the Mulga and Gidgi. We stopped at a number of artesian bores, most now being capped and ran to watering points via poly pipe. We rode around the border of Bindigolly Lake, quite a contrast to look over this vast expanse of water from the arid red of the surrounding countryside. We made our way to Bulloo Downs station passing by the resting place of Ludwig Becker who was a member of the Burke & Wills expedition. We made camp at the Bulloo Homestead and once again had the luxury of hot showers for the next two nights. It was river water the colour of coffee, but seemed to do wonders for the hair and skin and the big green frogs love it! Tuesday was spent exploring a little part of the vast track network on the station. At almost three million acres there is a lot of station roads and tracks, in the thousands of kilometres! Dave and I managed to hitch a ride in the station Cessna to check a couple of bore tanks and some of the wet lands where the Bulloo river finishes in a mass of swamps and water holes. That night we had a feast of fresh Yellow Belly caught and cooked up by the outback legend, the Thargominda Bull. Wednesday we farewelled our guides for the last few days, Outback Mac and the Bull, and headed out along a station track to the boundary, 80 odd kilometres to the South East, through another station till we joined a shire road and then into Hungerford for the first petrol bowser since leaving Bollon on Sunday (Mac had found fuel for us along the way). We continued on to Coomeroo Station and camped at their artesinan bore where there is a proper spa tub and unlimited supply of steaming water. Hosts Bruce & Chris bashed us up a camp oven stew and a big Pav. Sure is tough this outback touring these days! Thursday saw us stretching the fuel range on the bikes. Hungerford to Lightning Ride via Engonia and Gudooga is barren of fuel! I got 420kms out of the Acerbis on my 650 before deciding to give it a splash to make sure we got in. I got between 20 to 22km/litre for the trip. Our final night was spent east of Lightning Ridge and Bruce tried to use up the last of our food. The green curry was a taste sensation, but it could have lifted the head off an old Bulldog tractor!! |
 Go to Horizons Unlimited, the website that's all about motorcycle travel. Travellers Community, Bike Travel information on the Bulletin Board, free Monthly Motorcycle Travel E-zine, Travellers' Stories, and plenty of tips and info! |
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DR650 GALLERY Check out our new DR650 Gallery!. Feel free to email your photos to us at and we will add your photos to our gallery. |
A COUPLE OF TESTIMONIALS... Mark Gogarty sent us this email recently... "Hi Vince, Just thought I’d send you a pic of the bike with the sticker kit on it, looks great. Thanks again for all the help you and Pat gave me with my suspension upgrade, the bike feels great, it was well worth the dollars spent. I’m going to put a set of pivot pegs on it next and then I’ll be paying you another visit to have a steering damper and 12v socket fitted. Thanks again, Mark Gogarty" Sam Beckett now has 10000kms on his bike and emailed us again to let us know how much he loves his bike. He had this to say about a recent ride... "I commonly ride with three other DRs, none of which have suspension mods - one has a staintune pipe, and the others just stock bikes with big tanks - I've followed them down fast trails over mounds and through deep ruts etc, and you can see that they are wallowing and bouncing around - the suspension changes you made are a huge improvement, and completely change the character of the bike - it's always going to be a bit of a big heavy thing, but you can nevertheless ride it (almost) like a trail bike - some very steep and tight stuff in Talaganda NP on the weekend that I couldn't possibly have got through with the stock set up ..." "Hi Vince, All the bits turned up, and finally got around to getting them on. Just like to point out that steering damper is not just a gem but f***ing awesome, I would have bought this far earlier if I knew how good they were. Keep working on your web site, I wouldn't have done half what I did if it wasn't for your site. Your site is very helpful and you have helped turn a good bike into a great bike. I will be sure to visit your site first for any of my future needs. Thanks, Max Stevenson" "Vince recently upgraded my suspension. What a huge difference! The trip to Philip Island and back for the motogp was a real revelation. I came back through the Barry Way, loaded up with luggage, and the bike was just great to ride. Thanks, Greg Evans" "Vince, As time/miles go by, thought you might like to know that I just couldn't be happier with this bike. All the little mods are spot on - the suspension is just brilliant - rode a friend's DR650 the other day, and was astonished by the difference. Live in a great place for big trailies - by way of example, a nice day today (after a lot of wind and rain) and work was squared away, so took it out for a circuit through the Brindabellas - aside from 5 mins of tar as you cross the Barton H'way, all dirt roads - mix of open stuff through farmland where you can give it its head a bit, and some pretty steep gnarly/rocky trails as you get up into the mountains - several stream/river crossings - still snow around up there - approx 350km loop, with endless variants - will stay overnight in Wee Jasper one w/e, and explore some of the tracks toward Tumut - endless ... No complaints re' the big tank - a bit cumbersome at first, but you can get above it OK and I can't discern any handling issues - and the range it gives you just means you can take off for a day and completely forget about fuel - which is good when there isn't any ... Use a cheapie car satnav with Topo maps, and that works well - not lost yet, and travelling on roads (whole areas in fact) that I've never taken the car along ... Anyway, just perfect - got rid of the Dunlop 605 rear at about 2,700km, as the knobs were starting to split and I didn't want to be stranded in the middle of nowhere - 2 or 3mm tread left at that stage - now using a Mitas E09 - infinitely better - good suggestion - (probably pretty similar to a Dunlop 606) - some road noise when on the tar, but just rips up those hills and handles the scree on top of hard packed dirt roads beautifully - if it wears OK, will stick with these from here on in. There you go - great bike - couldn't be better. Cheers, Sam Beckett" |
VINCE'S PICKS Following the Simpson Desert Ride, Vince has picked his favourite modifications for his DR650. These mods really suited the hard going conditions out there. Not necessarily listed in order!
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*** NOW WRECKING *** ****** DR650 2001 MODEL, MANY PARTS AVAILABLE ****** ****** DR650 2008 MODEL, 8000km's, BLUE, SOME PARTS STILL AVAILABLE ****** *** PHONE STORM ON (02)67210610 *** or email him at |
A BIT ABOUT VSM AND DR650'S.... Vince Strang Motorcycles has been involved in improving SUZUKI'S DR650s ever since it was released in late 1996. IT'S EASY TO BUY FROM VSM, whether it's new grips to genuine Suzuki spares for your DR (or any other SUZUKI, CAN-AM or HONDA) just call us for personal help, we accept all the normal payment methods including money! Most goods can be sent same day. VSM ran and prepared the Suzuki DR650 team, which was very successful in the Australian Safari in 1996 and 1997. Vince Strang personally prepared the 5 bikes used during these events and all finished in the top ten outright and collect a 2nd overall in '96 and 3rd overall in'97. Since then VSM has consistently sold the big single adventure bike all over Australia. Buyers come to VSM because we have a vast knowledge and supply of improvement parts and we care. VSM staff and riders have been adventure touring with modified DR650s all over Australia and other parts of the world ever since. VSM will prepare a DR650 to your personal spec's and we can alter suspension, exhausts, sump guards, hand guards, fuel tank, racks, gearing, jetting, wheels, rider's position, grip heaters, cam shafts and more. So basically you can buy this reliable all rounder to your order with our guidance. We normally require about 10 days to complete your order. At the beginning of May we completed a display DR650 with most of our recommended products fitted. Vince then had to take a 2500kms test ride out to South Western Queensland, the DR was excellent but Vince felt there could be some more minor "mods" to the suspension to further improve its feel in low speed sandy creeks and loose washouts. Anyway the trip was awesome because of the bike, the good mates, the campfire cooking and just being outdoors! If you require more information on this servce please contact us at |
| Vince Strang Motorcycles & Power Equipment | Honda, Can-Am, Suzuki, and Husqvarna |