RMX Dual sport viability?

[Cliner56]

Hey all,

 

I am wondering if any of you have converted your RMX for road use and if it would even be a viable option to convert. I don't ride highways, and wouldn't expect the bike to travel on the highway, but with taller gearing and suspension adjustments could you get the RMX to be a true dual sport bike? I am interested in selling the DRZ as my riding has switched to more of an off road style, but I would miss riding my bike to work and such. (way better gas mileage than my truck) Let me know what you guys think, or if anyone has done a dual sport conversion. Cheers.

[suzukimx256]

Plated mine in California but I left it pretty much completely off road set up. I mostly ride desert so I did gear it up a little with a 47 rear sprocket, I also run DOT tires (Michelin AC10 are amazing for DOT approved off road tires, though planning to try their "desert race" tires next) other than that though, just turn signals, horn, mirror, brake light. I mostly use it off road but it's nice to be able to use the street out in the desert, or even at home if it has been sitting for a while.

Overall, it works fine for short distances. It's happy cruising up to about 55 before it starts really spinning, but it does feel like a race bike with all the engine vibration, tire knobby vibration, rock hard seat and pegs, etc. But I use it on the street sometimes anyway  ?

[Cliner56]

11 minutes ago, suzukimx256 said:

Plated mine in California but I left it pretty much completely off road set up. I mostly ride desert so I did gear it up a little with a 47 rear sprocket, I also run DOT tires (Michelin AC10 are amazing for DOT approved off road tires, though planning to try their "desert race" tires next) other than that though, just turn signals, horn, mirror, brake light. I mostly use it off road but it's nice to be able to use the street out in the desert, or even at home if it has been sitting for a while.

Overall, it works fine for short distances. It's happy cruising up to about 55 before it starts really spinning, but it does feel like a race bike with all the engine vibration, tire knobby vibration, rock hard seat and pegs, etc. But I use it on the street sometimes anyway  ?

Perfect! That's exactly what I want to do. I love my DRS but I'm ready for a more off road suited bike. What front sprocket do you have? 14? 

[suzukimx256]

Front sprocket is still stock 13 tooth. It would probably cruise 60 just fine with a 14 front and 47 rear, but for what I use it for I'm happy with just the 47 rear, mainly because in the tight stuff I don't want to have 1st any taller. They also make rear sprockets down to 40 tooth if you want to go more street with it, and I'm pretty sure the rear sprocket hub and bolt pattern is the same as the DRZ400's.

[suzukimx256]

On a related side note, does anyone know of a way to give the headlight a dual filament high/low beam bulb? I want to keep it looking as close to stock as possible. The RMX comes with an H8 bulb which is usually used as a fog light on cars, if that helps at all.

Edited October 14, 2017 by suzukimx256

[Cliner56]

On 10/14/2017 at 8:04 AM, suzukimx256 said:

On a related side note, does anyone know of a way to give the headlight a dual filament high/low beam bulb? I want to keep it looking as close to stock as possible. The RMX comes with an H8 bulb which is usually used as a fog light on cars, if that helps at all.

I bought a new headlight assembly for my DRZ and it came with a 35w bulb, and that is like using a small flashlight. What I did was modified the housing to fit the stock 55w bulb that the drz uses. You might be able to buy a bulb and booger it in the RMX housing. 

[suzukimx256]

Well brightness isn't my issue (there are plenty of hid/led options for 3000+ lumens) it's more that I actually want to have a low beam and a high beam to use, both for having an extra filament in case one burns out in the middle of nowhere and also so I can light up the desert yet not blind people in populated areas.

[Cliner56]

12 minutes ago, suzukimx256 said:

Well brightness isn't my issue (there are plenty of hid/led options for 3000+ lumens) it's more that I actually want to have a low beam and a high beam to use, both for having an extra filament in case one burns out in the middle of nowhere and also so I can light up the desert yet not blind people in populated areas.

The stock DRZ bulb comes with high and low, and for $30 you could get the Tusk Compact Control Switch With Headlight Options. Its plug and play for the bulb wiring. Might be worth looking at.

[zig06]

It's a great idea but there's one thing that needs to be considered.  The RMX doesn't have a cush drive rear hub and neither does the DRZ, but the DRZ gets around that by using a rubber cush countershaft sprocket.  These are used to protect the transmission, in the dirt the shock loads through the transmission are not as severe but on road it's a concern.  If your not doing a lot of riding on asphalt roads then ignore this.

[Cliner56]

53 minutes ago, zig06 said:

It's a great idea but there's one thing that needs to be considered.  The RMX doesn't have a cush drive rear hub and neither does the DRZ, but the DRZ gets around that by using a rubber cush countershaft sprocket.  These are used to protect the transmission, in the dirt the shock loads through the transmission are not as severe but on road it's a concern.  If your not doing a lot of riding on asphalt roads then ignore this.

This is good insight, I'll keep it in mind. Thanks friend. 

 

[danfarson]

On 10/18/2017 at 11:38 AM, zig06 said:

It's a great idea but there's one thing that needs to be considered.  The RMX doesn't have a cush drive rear hub and neither does the DRZ, but the DRZ gets around that by using a rubber cush countershaft sprocket.  These are used to protect the transmission, in the dirt the shock loads through the transmission are not as severe but on road it's a concern.  If your not doing a lot of riding on asphalt roads then ignore this.

I think you've made an incorrect assessment that the stock DRZ400S countershaft sprocket is a 'cush' sprocket.  For it to be a 'cush' sprocket, there would have to two separate pieces of metal, one with splines to fit the countershaft, the second piece with the teeth that engage the chain, separated by the rubber 'cushion'.   I have never seen such a countershaft sprocket for ANY motorcycle.  I swap back and forth between a 14T aftermarket sprocket and a 15T stock DRZ400S sprocket on my bike, and attest that  the 15T stock DRZ 'S' sprocket is one piece of steel with splines on the center hole and chain teeth on the outer circumference of the metal, with a rubber ring bonded to the outward-facing side of the sprocket.

Seems to me the rubber ring on the outward-facing side of the 15-tooth DRZ400S stock (one-piece, solid steel) sprocket serves as a noise-control feature in that the outward-facing side-plates of the chain first contact the rubber ring,  and then about 1 micro-second later the roller in the center of the chain link engages with a tooth on the countershaft sprocket.  Also seems to me this provides none of the 'cush' effect that a cushioned rear-wheel hub would provide.

[zig06]

14 minutes ago, danfarson said:

I think you've made an incorrect assessment that the stock DRZ400S countershaft sprocket is a 'cush' sprocket.  For it to be a 'cush' sprocket, there would have to two separate pieces of metal, one with splines to fit the countershaft, the second piece with the teeth that engage the chain, separated by the rubber 'cushion'.   I have never seen such a countershaft sprocket for ANY motorcycle.  I swap back and forth between a 14T aftermarket sprocket and a 15T stock DRZ400S sprocket on my bike, and attest that  the 15T stock DRZ 'S' sprocket is one piece of steel with splines on the center hole and chain teeth on the outer circumference of the metal, with a rubber ring bonded to the outward-facing side of the sprocket.

Seems to me the rubber ring on the outward-facing side of the 15-tooth DRZ400S stock (one-piece, solid steel) sprocket serves as a noise-control feature in that the outward-facing side-plates of the chain first contact the rubber ring,  and then about 1 micro-second later the roller in the center of the chain link engages with a tooth on the countershaft sprocket.  Also seems to me this provides none of the 'cush' effect that a cushioned rear-wheel hub would provide.

Here you go, an OEM DRZ400 countershaft sprocket for an S and SM model.  Look closely there's an inner and outer ring separated by a molded rubber joint that serves as a cush damper for the transmission.  It's not that fancy or sexy looking but it's still functions as a "cush hub".  Don't forget that the forces going through that sprocket are significantly higher that what you could exert by hand so you would need to get aggressive to see it flex. If you have a worn out one then get crazy and start cutting the rubber, it's actually a pretty ingenious device.

[shrubitup]

On ‎10‎/‎10‎/‎2017 at 9:50 AM, Cliner56 said:

but I would miss riding my bike to work and such

Yuck. I don't like riding dirt bikes on the street unless it's less than 45 MPH. Seems the RMX is a bit of a performance motor so logging high miles will likely result in frequent motor rebuilds. 

[danfarson]

On 10/28/2017 at 1:28 PM, zig06 said:

Here you go, an OEM DRZ400 countershaft sprocket for an S and SM model.  Look closely there's an inner and outer ring separated by a molded rubber joint that serves as a cush damper for the transmission.  It's not that fancy or sexy looking but it's still functions as a "cush hub".  Don't forget that the forces going through that sprocket are significantly higher that what you could exert by hand so you would need to get aggressive to see it flex. If you have a worn out one then get crazy and start cutting the rubber, it's actually a pretty ingenious device.

Mark Twain quotes comes to mind:  It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so.

I've been looking at these sprockets for years, but never closely enough to see that cush feature.   Nice.   It really is two pieces of metal with rubber in between them!!

[zig06]

The even funnier part is that there's people out there that are converting old DR350 SE rear wheels to DRZ's because they used a "real" cush...   

I'm not sure what years came with them, "mid 90's" is about the best that I can remember.

https://www.bikebandit.com/oem-parts/1995-suzuki-dr350se/o/m139256#sch245554

 

Edited November 2, 2017 by zig06

[danfarson]

On 11/1/2017 at 5:24 PM, danfarson said:

Mark Twain quotes comes to mind:  It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so.

I've been looking at these sprockets for years, but never closely enough to see that cush feature.   Nice.   It really is two pieces of metal with rubber in between them!!

After some more analysis, another famous quote is applicable:  Trust, but Verify!!!

I'm back to my original analysis.  The stock DRZ400S/SM sprocket is one piece of steel, with no cush feature.  The picture below clearly shows that.  The features that looked like they might be a cushion feature are in reality just eight weight reduction holes filled with rubber.

The rubber on the sides of the sprocket was probably designed to reduce the noise of each chain link engaging with the sprocket.

 

[Padilen]

Thanks for posting. As a new (used) DRZ owner, I had been checking into this. As my bike came with steel and I replaced with steel. I was actually just doing a part # search. I couldn't find any reverence to it be a cush. Now I don't have to continue my search.

[TX-SANDMAN]

Wow thank you for clearing this up with a grinder.

[Piney Woods]

And the price of DR350 wheels skyrocket!

[Chedda Rob]

On 10/10/2017 at 10:47 AM, suzukimx256 said:

Plated mine in California but I left it pretty much completely off road set up. I mostly ride desert so I did gear it up a little with a 47 rear sprocket, I also run DOT tires (Michelin AC10 are amazing for DOT approved off road tires, though planning to try their "desert race" tires next) other than that though, just turn signals, horn, mirror, brake light. I mostly use it off road but it's nice to be able to use the street out in the desert, or even at home if it has been sitting for a while.

Overall, it works fine for short distances. It's happy cruising up to about 55 before it starts really spinning, but it does feel like a race bike with all the engine vibration, tire knobby vibration, rock hard seat and pegs, etc. But I use it on the street sometimes anyway  ?

What year is your RMX? I’m trying to find out if a 2017 RMX is on-road emissions legal in CA. Does a sticker on the bike indicate anything?