Down at the doctor - Suzuki's DR Big

We sometimes forget how popular desert racing was at one time—or, to be more precise, the Paris-Dakar race.

suzuki dr800

With a specific motorcycle class, the obvious romance and appeal of the event seduced many motorcycle manufacturers, including Yamaha, BMW, Honda, and suzuki. Thanks to the efforts of legendary rider Gaston Rahier, who had been campaigning a suzuki single in the mid-'80s, the DR Big production machine was born, and forever after, it was referred to as "Dr Big."

And with some good cause, as you might very well suffer a hernia mounting the 876mm seat height of the original 727cc "750 S" that grew in 1990 to become the DR800, which, for some time, was the largest capacity single-cylinder machine in mass production.

Thanks to twin carbs, twin engine balancers, a twin plug head, and other engineering tweaks, the DR (standing for Dual Ride) did not vibrate like an old Brit's single as some would expect. A power output in the mid-50's horsepower plus an engine tune that favoured low to mid revs meant that the DR cantered rather than galloped along. But it could do so for a considerable distance thanks to a gargantuan 29-liter fuel tank, which was reduced to 27-liters for later models.

With no real vices, the DR800 S (and 750 S) had no significant engine issues and suffered the same ailments as many dirt bikes of the time, such as rusting wheel spokes, swinging arm corrosion, and "tired" suspension. That said, a DR is always going to draw a crowd thanks to its sheer scale and unapologetic looks.

So, if you desire a DR, then look at the CMSNL web site. We have masses of OE parts to help you ride and restore your desert sled—just what the Dr. ordered!