Anyone have any experience with the Suzuki DRZ 400?

[Shaka]

I'm considering a dual-sport bike purchase and am looking for opinions. I'm also considering the WR 450 and the CRF 450. Whatever I get has to be street legal.

I'm more familiar with the Yamaha and Honda offerings as I have a motocross background but the DRZ has a lot of features I like while still retaining some dirt performance.

[statman]

My wife has told me in no uncertain terms that if I ever ride a motorcycle before she is in a coffin, I soon will be in one myself...

[Shaka]

My wife has told me in no uncertain terms that if I ever ride a motorcycle before she is in a coffin, I soon will be in one myself...

Lol. That's why I need one before I marry. Actually I've been riding nearly all my life. My current ride is a 1980 Yamaha DT 175 that had been sitting in a shed unused for nearly twenty years. Last summer I was able to aquire it from my father and spent some time restoring it. Didn't need much as it had less than 2000 miles on the clock. Original tires are hardly even worn. I had a great time on it last summer but I look like one of those fat guys on minibikes in Guinness riding it. I feel it's time to get something with a little more power.

[Scott R Nelson]

My son had a DR-Z400 and it's a decent dirt bike, but a bit weak on the street. You're talking about the S model that is a dual sport rather than the dirt only one, right?

Coming from a DT-175 (I owned three of those) it will feel big and powerful with a great suspension. It will also feel heavy.

The other two bikes that you mentioned are not street legal and can't even be made street legal in some states - like here in California. If you get one of those that has been modified to get it plated, you run the risk that at some point you won't be able to re-register it and you'll be stuck with a dirt-only bike.

The biggest thing you can do to the DR-Z400 is select tires that will either make it work better in the dirt or better on the street.

[RobinFinderson]

Shaka, why not the KLR? That bike has always made me drool.

[Shaka]

Scott, the DT 175 was simply a bike my dad bought to put around the hood and let my sisters ride when we were off at the dunes. I rode a YZ 250. The DT got stashed for twenty years when my mom succeeded in convincing my dad that motorcycles were too dangerous. I have had other bikes along the line as well but never a true dual sport. My only problem with the DRX is when I get the urge to take it off a double jump. At my age I shouldn't be doing that but......

Robin I love the KLR but they will not give me the dirt performance I seek. I love the fact I can go touring on them. In the next couple of years I would like to end up with a true adventure touring bike. BMW is my preference but the new Yamaha also lights my fire.

A wrench got thrown in the works yesterday when I looked at a KTM exc that has both dirt and motard setups.

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[FN Phat]

A wrench got thrown in the works yesterday when I looked at a KTM exc that has both dirt and motard setups.

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Exactly what my recommendation would have been. It looks bad ass.

[Scott R Nelson]

A friend of mine has a KTM 530EXC which may be the optimal dual sport, since it came from the factory street legal. He has a set of supermoto wheels, so it can be used for shredding the local canyon roads as well. With knobbies on it, the bike isn't much behind the true motocross bikes. I would have something like that if I were more serious about the dirt, but since I live so far from good dirt riding it just doesn't make sense for me, unless I wanted to haul it to the good riding areas.

I have an XR650L, which is generally a better dirt bike than the KLR650. The DR650 falls somewhere in the middle of those. All three are significantly heavier than a DR-Z400. The KTM is lighter than even the DR-Z and has more power than any of the 650's that I've mentioned. Other than cost, the other drawback is that it requires a lot more service to keep it going.

[Shaka]

Took a look at a 2002 DRZ today. It's the E version which is 30lbs lighter than the S. It has a street legal kit but is lacking the blinkers which I'd have to add. It's funny there is a local group of riders that share a set of blinkers for passing inspection only and these were mounted on the bike with zip ties. Bike was in very good shape and ran great. The best part is the price is really cheap. Hmmmm, I torn between it and the KTM.

[Surfah]

Exactly what my recommendation would have been. It looks bad ass.

A guy I work with commutes daily on that exact bike.

[clackamascoug]

Bump

[Shaka]

I'm still deciding. This is rough! I badly want the KTM but the Suzuki would probably meet my needs and is $3k less.

[Shaka]

Went with the DRZ. Rode it around for a while tonight...Fantastic!

[Tim]

My wife has told me in no uncertain terms that if I ever ride a motorcycle before she is in a coffin, I soon will be in one myself...

Don't worry... I don't think Subaru makes motorcycles anyway.

[Scott R Nelson]

Went with the DRZ. Rode it around for a while tonight...Fantastic!

We want photos.

Did you get a yellow one or blue?