DRZ400 questions....................
Discussion
I have been umm'ing and rrrr'ing for some time over getting a suitable 4 stroke bike for some light green laning around Salisbury Plain, as I live in the middle of it after all. Surfing 'the bay' I narrowed it down to WR250's and TTR250's. Now the WR's are reported to be a bit low on power and the TTR's are getting a bit long in the tooth these days.
Last week I did go and see a TTR. This was a '94 model which appeared tidy in the ad but headlight had packed up/rear shock and rocker were leaking and maintenance was iffy. So didn't bid and another bidder also pulled out. In the end that went for £1k.
So I then come around to the ubiqitous DRZ400. Fits the bill and a lot of you guys rave about it and from what I can see the praise is well deserved. Narrowed it down to either the E or S model. OK the E is a bit lighter, has a bit more power but all probably have had a good bit of use. The S will hopefully have had a lighter life and just needs a set of Maxxis?
One issue is lights and instruments on the E model. Does this have a basic front and ear light? Does it have a speedo? Basically all I need to ensure I can get it road registered if it isn't already?
Cost is always an issue and I could maybe stretch to £1.5k ready to roll.
Last week I did go and see a TTR. This was a '94 model which appeared tidy in the ad but headlight had packed up/rear shock and rocker were leaking and maintenance was iffy. So didn't bid and another bidder also pulled out. In the end that went for £1k.
So I then come around to the ubiqitous DRZ400. Fits the bill and a lot of you guys rave about it and from what I can see the praise is well deserved. Narrowed it down to either the E or S model. OK the E is a bit lighter, has a bit more power but all probably have had a good bit of use. The S will hopefully have had a lighter life and just needs a set of Maxxis?
One issue is lights and instruments on the E model. Does this have a basic front and ear light? Does it have a speedo? Basically all I need to ensure I can get it road registered if it isn't already?
Cost is always an issue and I could maybe stretch to £1.5k ready to roll.
Edited by Marlin45 on Tuesday 27th March 11:28
Edited by Marlin45 on Tuesday 27th March 14:20
I have just sold my 2003 DRZ400s (and replaced it with a KTM525). The DRZ is an excellent green lane bike, the fact that service intervals are quite long means that it is always in the garage ready to go without having to do a quick oil/filter change first.
I have not ridden an E model but it may be worth considering...
1/ Getting something road registered will be time/money, which would be better spent on the bike itself.
2/ If the E is keyless then this will limit what you can do with the bike, E.g. I would ride the DRZ to work and then green lane on the way home, the KTM is keyless so I don't.
In terms of price, I sold my 2003 with 9000 miles for £2000, which I thought was quite strong money. Though it was just serviced, had the larger bash plate, hand guards, a new pair of AC10's, and I also included a pair of Kouba links.
I have not ridden an E model but it may be worth considering...
1/ Getting something road registered will be time/money, which would be better spent on the bike itself.
2/ If the E is keyless then this will limit what you can do with the bike, E.g. I would ride the DRZ to work and then green lane on the way home, the KTM is keyless so I don't.
In terms of price, I sold my 2003 with 9000 miles for £2000, which I thought was quite strong money. Though it was just serviced, had the larger bash plate, hand guards, a new pair of AC10's, and I also included a pair of Kouba links.
The E is road legal too - just better. Bigger/less restrictive downpipe, plastic tank and a few things as stock that you need to mod on a DRZ400S to make them good off road.
Like Moulder, I sold a 2002 DRZ400S for a KTM 525EXC.
I loved my DRZ, but unless you are happy with plodding off road, they are a bit of an anchor. Superb bike though.
If you can find a DRZ400E, go for that.
Like Moulder, I sold a 2002 DRZ400S for a KTM 525EXC.
I loved my DRZ, but unless you are happy with plodding off road, they are a bit of an anchor. Superb bike though.
If you can find a DRZ400E, go for that.
Marlin45 said:
Hi Pete. I thought you would pop your head up here at some point 
Did the DRZ/E or does the DRZ/E come with a speedo or just a km/mile counter?
All the ones I am keeping my eye on are DRZ/E
Hi - unless you find one that's not been road registered, then they come with all the road legal bits inc speedo etc.Did the DRZ/E or does the DRZ/E come with a speedo or just a km/mile counter?
All the ones I am keeping my eye on are DRZ/E
There are not many about though and the DRZ S is not far off in performance, just takes a few more mods that are time rather than money to sort. You're also more likely to find an S that has never been off roaded before too - which is generally a plus.
I'm seeing loads of SM's on autotrader at the mo. How much money/faff is it to change the wheels over for off road knobblies?
Also has anyone of substantial build ever tried green laning on a 125cc? Only ask cos there are loads of traily type 125s out there which are tempting, but I reckon they'd struggle to shift me and my 15 stone of chuckiness up hill and down dale!
Also has anyone of substantial build ever tried green laning on a 125cc? Only ask cos there are loads of traily type 125s out there which are tempting, but I reckon they'd struggle to shift me and my 15 stone of chuckiness up hill and down dale!
paps said:
I'm seeing loads of SM's on autotrader at the mo. How much money/faff is it to change the wheels over for off road knobblies?
Also has anyone of substantial build ever tried green laning on a 125cc? Only ask cos there are loads of traily type 125s out there which are tempting, but I reckon they'd struggle to shift me and my 15 stone of chuckiness up hill and down dale!
Of road, power is not a limiting factor. A 125 is more likely to struggle a bit on the linking lanes. A KTM for expample produces a peak power not much down on the 250 four strokes and nearly twice what a learner 125 does.Also has anyone of substantial build ever tried green laning on a 125cc? Only ask cos there are loads of traily type 125s out there which are tempting, but I reckon they'd struggle to shift me and my 15 stone of chuckiness up hill and down dale!
There seems to be a lot of value in KTM 200EXCs that are effectively bored and stroked 125 engines in a 125 chassis.
As for SM conversion - it varies from bike to bike in difficulty, but usually involves wheels, tyres, side stand, chain, sprockets, front disc and caliper carrier, speedo drive gear thing, front mudguard. The suspension is also set too firmly for off road generally. It's not cheap to do to be honest.
3doorPete said:
As for SM conversion - it varies from bike to bike in difficulty, but usually involves wheels, tyres, side stand, chain, sprockets, front disc and caliper carrier, speedo drive gear thing, front mudguard. The suspension is also set too firmly for off road generally. It's not cheap to do to be honest.
Seems like a lot of faff to be honest.May look at the 125s then
3doorPete said:
Hi - unless you find one that's not been road registered, then they come with all the road legal bits inc speedo etc.
There are not many about though and the DRZ S is not far off in performance, just takes a few more mods that are time rather than money to sort. You're also more likely to find an S that has never been off roaded before too - which is generally a plus.
As you say the DRZ400E in std trim has no speedo but a front and rear light. The common mod is a bicyle mag speedo or something a bit more HiTech such as a GPS based system or a Garmin Endurance on the bars (~£100). I have a Garmin Etrek and a a Medion hand held PC running Memory Map so either would be a fill in for now.There are not many about though and the DRZ S is not far off in performance, just takes a few more mods that are time rather than money to sort. You're also more likely to find an S that has never been off roaded before too - which is generally a plus.
All the DRZ/E's I have bookmarked are not currently UK road reg'd so what would I need to do to get this done if I wanted to go down this route? What do I need to do to the bike so it will pass a road MOT?
I realise I will need to insure against the frame No. and then MOT. Then I can apply for reg and plates ~£90?
Edited by Marlin45 on Tuesday 27th March 20:01
Marlin45 said:
As you say the DRZ400E in std trim has no speedo but a front and rear light. The common mod is a bicyle mag speedo or something a bit more HiTech such as a GPS based system or a Garmin Endurance on the bars (~£100). I have a Garmin Etrek and a a Medion hand held PC running Memory Map so either would be a fill in for now.
All the DRZ/E's I have bookmarked are not currently UK road reg'd so what would I need to do to get this done if I wanted to go down this route? What do I need to do to the bike so it will pass a road MOT?
I realise I will need to insure against the frame No. and then MOT. Then I can apply for reg and plates ~£90?
I have no idea I'm afraid. The E's I looked at were already road registered and I bought an S. Never bought a bike that needs registering before other than brand new ones!All the DRZ/E's I have bookmarked are not currently UK road reg'd so what would I need to do to get this done if I wanted to go down this route? What do I need to do to the bike so it will pass a road MOT?
I realise I will need to insure against the frame No. and then MOT. Then I can apply for reg and plates ~£90?
Edited by Marlin45 on Tuesday 27th March 20:01
Well I am still looking for a good one and a basket case of a 52 plate DRZ/E went for £1600 after I walked away when he offered it to me for £1500 today. It seems now is the time for high demand for DRZ's? Maybe the thinking is that these are more fuel frugal than 4 wheels or is it just that sun shine is on the horizon? Tidy 'S' models are going for +£2k on an 02-03 plate!
Now sniffing around auctions that never ended successfully and maybe then I will get a bargain? Had one dreamer that thought he could get £2.8k for a clean '02 plate S. Dealer may be but private
Now sniffing around auctions that never ended successfully and maybe then I will get a bargain? Had one dreamer that thought he could get £2.8k for a clean '02 plate S. Dealer may be but private
Edited by Marlin45 on Monday 2nd April 21:58
Well this long weekend should see a DRZ400 in my garage and ready for fettlin' 
I have two to see with prices ballparked on both in advance (ebay) and cash ready to go so tomorrow....
First,
2004 (54) DRZ400E - 13k, daytime MOT, new rear, barkbusters, speedo cable is iffy, long MOT and 6 months tax. If that one doesn't pan out then....
..then maybe,
2004 (54) DRZ400S - 5k, 4 months MOT no tax, same family from new & looks tidy.
Suspension wise there is little in it between the two. OK a few more horses and a plastic tank on the 'E' but an intermittant speedo (so how genuine are those miles?) and he has modded the rear can. This is also the cheaper bike at £300 less than the low miles 'S'.
I have two to see with prices ballparked on both in advance (ebay) and cash ready to go so tomorrow....
First,
2004 (54) DRZ400E - 13k, daytime MOT, new rear, barkbusters, speedo cable is iffy, long MOT and 6 months tax. If that one doesn't pan out then....
..then maybe,
2004 (54) DRZ400S - 5k, 4 months MOT no tax, same family from new & looks tidy.
Suspension wise there is little in it between the two. OK a few more horses and a plastic tank on the 'E' but an intermittant speedo (so how genuine are those miles?) and he has modded the rear can. This is also the cheaper bike at £300 less than the low miles 'S'.
^^ Good luck. Not sure how much advice you want/need but hope this helps.
The chassis are pretty bullet proof, but as with any off roader, check the chassis bearings (head bearing, wheel, shock linkage and swingarm bearings) are all ok and tight. Just adjust price if not.
Condition of fork seals and chrome are difficult to check with gaitors in place, but look for any signs of oil that he's wiped away around the bottom of the gators and give the forks a good old bounce to check for damping and noises.
As for the engines, camchain rattles are common, but fixable. DRZ's use no oil, so any exhaust smoke - walk away. Water pump seals are a common fault so look for water/oil leaks around the water pump.
Also - take a small pointed phillips screw driver to release the security grub screw on the radiator cap and check the radiator coolant for any mayonnaise.
Oil level is notoriously hard to check on them, but leave it ticking over a couple of minutes, then shut off - wait a minute and check the dipstick for level/colour of oil.
Check the wheels are straight and there are no knackered/loose spokes as well. Second hand DRZ wheels are very expensive.
Otherwise it's just the normal bits and bobs you check on any bike.
The chassis are pretty bullet proof, but as with any off roader, check the chassis bearings (head bearing, wheel, shock linkage and swingarm bearings) are all ok and tight. Just adjust price if not.
Condition of fork seals and chrome are difficult to check with gaitors in place, but look for any signs of oil that he's wiped away around the bottom of the gators and give the forks a good old bounce to check for damping and noises.
As for the engines, camchain rattles are common, but fixable. DRZ's use no oil, so any exhaust smoke - walk away. Water pump seals are a common fault so look for water/oil leaks around the water pump.
Also - take a small pointed phillips screw driver to release the security grub screw on the radiator cap and check the radiator coolant for any mayonnaise.
Oil level is notoriously hard to check on them, but leave it ticking over a couple of minutes, then shut off - wait a minute and check the dipstick for level/colour of oil.
Check the wheels are straight and there are no knackered/loose spokes as well. Second hand DRZ wheels are very expensive.
Otherwise it's just the normal bits and bobs you check on any bike.
Cheers for that Pete.
After the snotter I looked at last weekend anything should be better than that! I will bare in mind the bits you highlighted above. If I buy it I then have to ride it home 60 miles on knobblies. The only time I have been on those is once around an industrial estate
After the snotter I looked at last weekend anything should be better than that! I will bare in mind the bits you highlighted above. If I buy it I then have to ride it home 60 miles on knobblies. The only time I have been on those is once around an industrial estate
Knobblies s
t you up the first time you use them on tarmac, but depending on the brand they can actually range from being pretty good in the dry, to downright dangerous in the wet.
They all weave about on knobblies at higher speeds, but it never turns into a terminal wobble so just ride it out and keep your grip loose
t you up the first time you use them on tarmac, but depending on the brand they can actually range from being pretty good in the dry, to downright dangerous in the wet.They all weave about on knobblies at higher speeds, but it never turns into a terminal wobble so just ride it out and keep your grip loose
Forcast for the South West is dry tomorrow so fingers crossed.
In an ideal world I would be using a bike trailer but can I find one locally - can I fk!.....unless I want to rent at a weekend rate of £60-80. My alternative is use my log trailer after removing front and rear wheels (the bike will then fit) and bung the round bits in the back of the car 
In an ideal world I would be using a bike trailer but can I find one locally - can I f
k!.....unless I want to rent at a weekend rate of £60-80. My alternative is use my log trailer after removing front and rear wheels (the bike will then fit) and bung the round bits in the back of the car 3doorPete said:
^^ Good luck. Not sure how much advice you want/need but hope this helps.
The chassis are pretty bullet proof, but as with any off roader, check the chassis bearings (head bearing, wheel, shock linkage and swingarm bearings) are all ok and tight. Just adjust price if not.
Condition of fork seals and chrome are difficult to check with gaitors in place, but look for any signs of oil that he's wiped away around the bottom of the gators and give the forks a good old bounce to check for damping and noises.
As for the engines, camchain rattles are common, but fixable. DRZ's use no oil, so any exhaust smoke - walk away. Water pump seals are a common fault so look for water/oil leaks around the water pump.
Also - take a small pointed phillips screw driver to release the security grub screw on the radiator cap and check the radiator coolant for any mayonnaise.
Oil level is notoriously hard to check on them, but leave it ticking over a couple of minutes, then shut off - wait a minute and check the dipstick for level/colour of oil.
Check the wheels are straight and there are no knackered/loose spokes as well. Second hand DRZ wheels are very expensive.
Otherwise it's just the normal bits and bobs you check on any bike.
Has anyone mentioned the Front Sprocket spacer corrosion issues yet? The chassis are pretty bullet proof, but as with any off roader, check the chassis bearings (head bearing, wheel, shock linkage and swingarm bearings) are all ok and tight. Just adjust price if not.
Condition of fork seals and chrome are difficult to check with gaitors in place, but look for any signs of oil that he's wiped away around the bottom of the gators and give the forks a good old bounce to check for damping and noises.
As for the engines, camchain rattles are common, but fixable. DRZ's use no oil, so any exhaust smoke - walk away. Water pump seals are a common fault so look for water/oil leaks around the water pump.
Also - take a small pointed phillips screw driver to release the security grub screw on the radiator cap and check the radiator coolant for any mayonnaise.
Oil level is notoriously hard to check on them, but leave it ticking over a couple of minutes, then shut off - wait a minute and check the dipstick for level/colour of oil.
Check the wheels are straight and there are no knackered/loose spokes as well. Second hand DRZ wheels are very expensive.
Otherwise it's just the normal bits and bobs you check on any bike.
The spacer behind front sprocket is made of mild steel, this corrodes taking out oil seal..... as there is no oil light you need to keep a eye on the oil level and the area around the front sprocket for oiliness.
I replaced the one on my DRZ400S for a Stainless Steel one when it was PDI'd
OP There are a few other well know issues (i don't have time to post in depth at the moment) have a look on Thumpertalk. http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/8-suzuki/
Edited by y2blade on Thursday 5th April 13:30
y2blade said:
Has anyone mentioned the Front Sprocket spacer corrosion issues yet?
The spacer behind front sprocket is made of mild steel, this corrodes taking out oil seal..... as there is no oil light you need to keep a eye on the oil level and the area around the front sprocket for oiliness.
I replaced the one on my DRZ400S for a Stainless Steel one when it was PDI'd
OP have a look on Thumpertalk. http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/8-suzuki/
I just kept mine well protected with lashings of GT85/ACF50.The spacer behind front sprocket is made of mild steel, this corrodes taking out oil seal..... as there is no oil light you need to keep a eye on the oil level and the area around the front sprocket for oiliness.
I replaced the one on my DRZ400S for a Stainless Steel one when it was PDI'd
OP have a look on Thumpertalk. http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/8-suzuki/
One other point is that DRZ front sprockets retaining nuts like to undo themselves - especially if you like wheelieing. Check around the area for any potential damage - most people off roading take the plastic cover off anyway as they collect mud.
Some retards weld the nut/sprocket on, but really they just need some thread lock.
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