The DRZ400S is a good bike, a little heavy for single track trails but otherwise OK. It depends on what kind of off road / trail riding you want to do. As for the street it is OK as well, a little light on the highway around big trucks, but as long as you are ready for it it is not bad.

If you want something smaller engine wise go for the Yamaha WR250R instead of the Kawasaki KLX250R. The Yamaha has a FI engine and is good for the road and off road. The downside that it has to be revd above 5000 for the tight off road stuff.

I personaly road a DRZ400S for a number of years and just sold it and bought a '08 KTM 450EXC-R, but I mostly do off road, single track stuff and ride on the road to connect the trails.

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...If you don't go off at least once a season you are not trying hard enough...

KTM 950R, that is when your done with the rest.

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Neil McDaid
www.abhusanseo.com

Neil McDaid Wrote:
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> KTM 950R, that is when your done with the rest.
>
> Neil McDaid


eeer um let me emphasise the original poster's words:
"It'd be nice to have a bike that was a little more versatile than the scooter and there's some seriously awesome trail riding just outside my back door in the Rocky Mountains and specifically Rampart Range. I'd definitely want a dual sport as street legal, but trail capable is important to me"

Grant is a skinny ass guy and a KDX200 would suit him perfetly, especially since he wants a big to drive down TRAILS, not roads.

And a used KDX might be just a little more affordable than a KTM950.

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/2008 07:59AM by john vanlandingham.

The KTM 990 is a great bike but I paid less for my rally car, tow vehicle, daily driver, or DS bike. Heck I paid less for the rally car + DS bike + daily driver combined. It is also heavy, very tall, and very powerful. not for the small and inexperienced. KTM's tend to have shorter service intervals than other bikes. Plus I am convinced that orange paint costs much more to make than any other color based on KTM pricing verses other brands.

Grant and most would be better off on something smaller and less exotic. I like my BMW but am not going to recomend it to Grant for what he wants to do. The BMW is my compromise for my 30 mile slab comute with optional gravel detour. If I really wanted to compete in the dirt I would get something more dirt oriented. The bike performs well but is heavy and wears me out after a long day in the dirt.

The kdx200 is great (I almost bought one myself) but as a 2-stroke can not be made street legal in most places. The various 200 to 400 cc 4-stroke bikes can be alot of fun. The KLX250s is nice as is the DR200 and xt200. The KLX has the best suspension of these. The DRZ400 is a nice bike but I am always surprised by the price.

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Matt Smith

Racing in glorious black and red

My daily life is a Saab story (sold!)

This seems like a fitting place for this video.




Mark and Erika rode the Ruckii to the hill climb this weekend and went through some of the aforementioned sweet trails. Took them 6 hours to get there, but they said it was awesome, but would have been way better on something with some guts.

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Grant Hughes

Well I guess I just bought a dual sport a ts400 (turribleshit400) don't plan on going of road with but it should be a decent beginners bike to scoot around town in.

I'd been looking for a dual sport for a while and was considering the super moto's as well.

First I test rode the Suzuki DRZ400 SM (super moto) which is fun for around town and I had planned on just getting an extra set of rims with trail tires. It was a super fun bike, but with only 28HP and a top speed of just over 120KM/H it wasn't very suitable for the commute to the trails in my neck of the woods.

Next I tested the BMW 650 Super Moto, which was an incredible bike and the quality far surpassed the DRZ and the price tag was just $1500 more.

I settled on the BMW 650 X Country which is a single with 53HP and 44 lb./ft. of torque. It's top speed is 165 KM/h. The Canadian MSRP is $8200 and the DRZ400 is $7400. The BMW is much more bike and the 2007 model year has the Austrian built rotax and is built by Aprelia in Italy. The 2009 model year gets a lower seat, and the engine is made in China as is the motorcycle.

There are still a few new 2007's left in the US.

There was 1 in Canada... in London Ontario. I flew out from Vancouver last week and bought it and am currently on a 4500 KM+ road trip back to Vancouver with it. Yesterday I covered 1185KM with it from Upsala Ontario (150 KM North of Thunder Bay) to Regina Sask.

So far I've done 3700KM and am currently in Calgary Alberta. It handles well, has lots of torque, and is a joy to ride. I have only had it on forest service roads, which it handles well. However the Metzler tires it comes with are more street oriented than off road. On gravel they're fine, but in mud or wet grass there's a definite limitation.

All around, I'm very happy with it. Definately not the best bike for a cross country adventure, without any fairing, and although the balance shafts do a good job of calming the vibration of the big single cylinder it still transmits on long rides. After 600+ miles on the road a day, my body still "buzzes" 2+ hours after getting off the bike.

Incidently it get's better milage than the DRZ 400, has more power, more torque, and is all around more versatile.

With the cost of rallying vs. motorcycle touring, I think I'll put my money into touring the backroads for a while because it is so enjoyable !

I'd been looking for a dual sport for a while and was considering the super moto's as well.

First I test rode the Suzuki DRZ400 SM (super moto) which is fun for around town and I had planned on just getting an extra set of rims with trail tires. It was a super fun bike, but with only 28HP and a top speed of just over 120KM/H it wasn't very suitable for the commute to the trails in my neck of the woods.

Next I tested the BMW 650 Super Moto, which was

I bought myself a KLR650 last fall. It's cheap (I paid $4900 new), gets 55 mpg, and it's a blast to drive. It's more street friendly than trail friendly for sure, but it's a nice all around bike for me and it's not afraid to get dirty. However it handles asphalt very nicely. In fact I have to cut the pegs down since I tend to hit them so often cornering. Just rolled 7600 miles on it this week and changed to my first set of aftermarket tires (MEFO Explorers). Big improvement! If it wasn't so new I'd probably try Rallymoto with it.

Bob

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Opel is a 4-letter word...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10498579@N07/sets/

I'm going to get China Dual sport like a Lifan Gy-200 or Roketa. $1300 shipped to your door, totally solid.

MattJohnston Wrote:
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> I'm going to get China Dual sport like a Lifan
> Gy-200 or Roketa. $1300 shipped to your door,
> totally solid.

more than you ever cared to know about chinese dualsports.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=221549&highlight=chinese

I think most mountain bikes now have better quality suspension and brakes. I would rather spend the money on an ugly but reliable used KLR650

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Matt Smith

Racing in glorious black and red

My daily life is a Saab story (sold!)

Some friends have a Chinese Ruckus scooter knock off. It's a total blast to ride since it's 150 cc and weighs little. Brakes are quite good. That's about the only two things going for it. It's been wrecked 4 or 5 times by different people due to the crap suspension and the low kick stand, combined with trying to corner quickly.

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Grant Hughes

I'm in the process of signing papers on a



and should take deliver either at RWV or shortly thereafter.

Anders

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Grassroots rally. It's what I think about.

Nice. This is 2 hours from the house.


http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/fms/rec/20071204-fm-wambaw-cycle-trail.pdf

Of course there is plenty of unregulated trails within 5 minutes of the house.

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Matt Smith

Racing in glorious black and red

My daily life is a Saab story (sold!)

I forgot to add the required "a new rider shoudl not start out on a fast bike like that"

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Matt Smith

Racing in glorious black and red

My daily life is a Saab story (sold!)