DRZ400E

[VladTepes]

Been busy - just saw this thread/ Tony did you consider a second hand already decked out DR650 at all? What made you choose the DRZ over a DR?

[Irish in Oz]

I've been following this on Bakebook. Doing my 350 up and putting it on club plates.
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1CUZDW1T7z/

[Tony Nitrous]

Been busy - just saw this thread/ Tony did you consider a second hand already decked out DR650 at all? What made you choose the DRZ over a DR?

A priority was a brand new bike.  I'm forever working on stuff, replacing stuff, having stuff that's worn out. The Busa is now 3 years old and I do try and have 1 bike that's dealer serviced and under warranty. I just like new bikes.

I have dirt roads at the end of my driveway, I did 60k's to get a coffee and the same back this morning hardly touching the bitumen. Much as I love bigger bikes there's really no advantage for what I'm doing. If I was doing more bitumen / road miles on it then I wouldn't have picked the 400E.

The 400E is used by the cops, army, tour hire groups, farmers etc, they've sold 21,000 of them over 25 years and they are available new.

I'd certainly like a DR650, good bikes, but no advantages where I'm riding, in fact the opposite, the 650 is more road biased, the taller, liquid cooled 400 more dirt oriented.



Edit to add....
Quote:  "The DR650 is a heavier, simpler, air-cooled bike with more low-end torque, making it better for long-distance touring and highway riding. The DRZ400E is a lighter, more modern, liquid-cooled bike with better stock suspension, making it superior for aggressive off-road and technical trail riding. The choice depends on your priority: the DR650 for road-biased adventures and the DRZ400E for dirt-focused adventures."

[VladTepes]

Cool. Also I have just seen the pictures in this thread for the first time. It's VERY yellow...



Shall we call it Tweety?

[Tony Nitrous]

Cool. Also I have just seen the pictures in this thread for the first time. It's VERY yellow...



Shall we call it Tweety?

More so now, I just bought a Hi-Viz yellow crash helmet.

[Tony Nitrous]

It'll be revving its tits off as you approach highway speeds. It's common to switch to 15/44 gearing as a good all rounder. _[/attach]

Having spent most of this mornings 122K's in 5th gear I'm keen to do this.

A few folk have said you can't fit a 15 under the stock cover / case saver ?

[lurch]

Having spent most of this mornings 122K's in 5th gear I'm keen to do this.

A few folk have said you can't fit a 15 under the stock cover / case saver ?

It'll fit. There's some variation in sprocket tooth height between brands so you may have to choose one of the three options below however. 

1. Grind some of chain guide plate away to increase clearance. It hides behind the front sprocket cover.
2. Buy a chain guide plate to suit the motard version (factory fitted with 15T).
3. Buy an aftermarket stronger sprocket cover / case saver. I know the Aussie made B&B item works with a 15T, can't comment on others.

[Tony Nitrous]

Having spent most of this mornings 122K's in 5th gear I'm keen to do this.

A few folk have said you can't fit a 15 under the stock cover / case saver ?

It'll fit. There's some variation in sprocket tooth height between brands so you may have to choose one of the three options below however. 

1. Grind some of chain guide plate away to increase clearance. It hides behind the front sprocket cover.
2. Buy a chain guide plate to suit the motard version (factory fitted with 15T).
3. Buy an aftermarket stronger sprocket cover / case saver. I know the Aussie made B&B item works with a 15T, can't comment on others.

Thanks. I'll get the first service done at Elite, so I'll ask them if they've done any.  I did see the B&B one. I'll look up the SM one.

[Tony Nitrous]

Buy an aftermarket stronger sprocket cover / case saver. I know the Aussie made B&B item works with a 15T,

[Tony Nitrous]

Need to adjust the bars, levers and bark busters, I'll do it out on a ride. Never going to get in perfect in the shed. Close enough for now.

[Irish in Oz]

Be careful you don't scratch it. 

[Mr Gee]

Need to adjust the bars, levers and bark busters, I'll do it out on a ride. Never going to get in perfect in the shed. Close enough for now.

Bark busters?

Do you have a lot, of trouble with dogs barking at you.     

[Andre]

Would love to have me a DRZ (or something like it) BUT no legal place to ride it here and no interest to spend more travel time than fun time.

[Tony Nitrous]

Bark busters?

Do you have a lot, of trouble with dogs barking at you.     

Not much. He's too busy biting holes in my ute tyres, trying to remove the house front door frame and killing hares at the moment.

[Tony Nitrous]

Would love to have me a DRZ (or something like it) BUT no legal place to ride it here and no interest to spend more travel time than fun time.

Yeah, I get that. I wouldn't have bought a DRZ if I still lived in the city or suburbia, at best I'd have bought something more road based like an Adventure Bike. I don't enjoy the DRZ on the bitumen, it's something I do when I have too.

I now have dirt roads, pine forest haul roads, and many many miles of unsurfaced roads almost at my front gate. I can do a 100K loop with only a few hundred metres or so of bitumen.

I have looked at bigger more road based Dual Sport / Adventure Bikes, I wouldn't mind one, but that'd be as a different role, not a replacement for the DRZ.