We have a 93 dr 350 the dual sport model, anyways its in a little rough shape but I am wanting a project this summer after my graduation party so I'm restoring the dr. I plan on going through everything except the motor because it starts and runs great minus a carb rebuild. Anyways I plan on painting frame, polishing the pipe, checking bearings and replacing broken parts I am taking everything off the bike. I know a lot of you out there have restored your dr's do you have any tips or tricks for me.

No tips but just a couple posts down is this rebuild of a 650.
http://www.thumperta...trip-and-tease/

This is my current build.  No tips just what I am doing.

http://www.thumperta...r350se-rebuild/

Make sure you have fun.  Parts are pretty easy to find and for the most part not too expensive.

Powdercoated frames cost more, but last forever.  You usually get a break if you do all the prep work yourself.  Probably wouldn't hurt to coat the tank too, y'know, in case it ever falls over.  Or something.

crf 250x, on 21 May 2012 - 06:43 PM, said:

Strip it as if you were giving it someone else to rebuild who was not present when you stripped it. Handy if you have a break from rebuilding it at any point past half stripped. I stripped a dr125, engine, carb, the lot, and didnt rebuild until a few months later and didn't take notes, photos, videos, anything that would help another person to rebuild. Was not a clever thing to do to myself.


Enjoy the progress and dont rush it. nice and easy.

Stay away (unless really needed) from the workshop manual, apart from torque wrench values and things like that. You learn more and better. (Using manual is not the same as making your own notes)

Be organized. If you start on something, like taking apart a brake caliper and doing the works on it. do it till the end before moving on to something else. Otherwise your going to be scatered around the place with bits here and bits there and 2 hours goes by or 2 days and you look at these nuts, bolts, parts and think. 'Hang on... ERMmmmm!????'


If your not enjoying it. Stop. Wait. Restart when feeling good.

There's a good DR350 rebuild/restore thread over on ADV that I read a while back that would probably be pretty informative for you...

http://www.advrider....ad.php?t=528784

Whenever you get rushed, frustrated, or angry, wipe down your tools and put them away.  Distracted wrenching nearly always results in something getting broken...