DRZ400 Safari & Across Australia build

Sometimes you get an idea in your head that just won't let go.

For years my dumb idea was to compete in the Australian Safari (by the time I actually got to do it in 2009, it was renamed the Australasian Safari)

Anyway, at the completion of the 2009 Safari my wife said to me..."Ok. You've done FINKE, the 24 Hour Reliability Trial, and the Australasian Safari..... What's next?"

I had to think about it for a while, but the decision has been made. COAST TO COAST, UNSUPPORTED.

In this forum I will outline what I've done to the DRZ since I brought it home like this:


Via This:



To This:




At this point I would like to refer to a few links that I regularly pondered in the later parts of this build.
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=456858

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=586609&highlight=australasian+safari+2010


INDEX.......... NEW ADDITION: September 2012:

Page 1: · Introduction. · First mods: Remove junk. 17lt Safari tank · Proposed trip. · Brief fairing discussion<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
Page 2: · Logistics of trip. · Motor mods.
Page 3: · Canning discussion · Fuel ratings · 24 Hour Reliability Trial<o></o>
Page 4: · Fairing · Fuel consumption · Suspension · Back in the early days. Bike protection. Header/muffler<o></o>
Page 5: · Jim, Doc, Kipo · Incoming Question: How many K&#8217;s out of a DRZ?<o></o>
Page 6 · Interesting weekend. RR with Wild0 · Back in the early days again. Triple clamps, bars, light.<o></o>
Page 7 · Finke discussion · How many riders? · InertiaDRZ400 offer · Header pics<o></o>
Page 8 · Nav tower/fairing build · Fairing build for 17lt tank · Highway pegs<o></o>
Page 9 · Gearing · Seat Concepts · Fuel capacity · Luggage set-up · HID woes · Fairing production?? · 28lt tank fairing cut-down<o></o>
<o></o>
Page 10 · Tyre discussion (brief) · Plans to get fairing mold made · Tentative ride dates<o></o>
Page 11 · 24 Hour Reliability Trial 2012 discussion · Handguards/ Moose Weathershields · SPOT Connect arrival · MITAS E-09 Dakar tyres ordered · &#8216;Spare Safari bike&#8217; back in the shed to help with fairing mods<o></o>
Page 12 · January 2012: · Bike dropped off for fairing modifications · SPOT Connect · Mitas E-09 Dakar tyres · MAPS/Choices -Steep Point to Alice Springs<o></o>
<o></o>
Page 13 · West to East/ East to West discussion · Timing of the ride? · Still waiting on the fairing.<o></o>
Page 14 · A spanner in the works (planning_) · Some slight progress on the fairing · New shock set up for ADV weight. · Loaded bike Shakedown ride. · Ride report- To Mildura on a wet night.<o></o>
Page 15 · Mildura run RR with photos. · Safari tank questions · RIDE POSTPONED · Fairing- slow progress · Seat Concepts update<o></o>
Page 16 · Salt lakes riding · Fairing · Wild-0, mud lovin fool & Gadget678- Sunset Desert Ride<o></o>
Page 17 · Seat Concepts · Interesting- Taking the Nav tower off. (5 bolts, 4 wires) · Mention of 59Den&#8217;s loaded up DRZ · Compression down? Noisy big end?<o></o>
Page 18 · Discussions with 59Den · PULL IT&#8217;S HEART OUT · General rebuild info.<o></o>
Page 19 · Running again · Trying to co-ordinate a ride<o></o>
Page 20 · Farmers 6 Hour Enduro · Working on the new panniers
Page 21· Android phone- copy & paste images · Working on the new panniers
<o>Page 22 · Pannier discussions- Why hard? Hijack- bike colors. Fairing deadline given.</o>
<o>Page 23 · Color discussion continues. Suspension & seat suggestions. Progress-fairing mold has been made.</o>
<o>Page 24 · Fairing mold ready· Lights · Mtbbker- Could've cheated
Page 25 · 1st Casting of fairing · Lights discussion- DOT relevance ·
Page 26 · Lights still · Polisport fitted to fairing ·
Page 27 · Fairing in position· Mounting possibilities · Dash
Page 28 · Fairing brackets· Change in fairing design.<o>· Pannier rack. </o>
<o></o><o>Page 29 · Racks, Panniers, Fairing & the Kitchen sink.</o>
<o>P</o><o>age30 · Rack changes · Fairing:- 2 steps forward, one step back (or is it two back, one forward?)</o>
</o>

looking good
Will be watching with interest

also following thread.

Hands up who doesn't already know me. (Or at least my bike)

Anyway: My postings are likely to skip from 'what it is' to what it was' to 'what it shall be'... so if there's anything specific you want to know, just shout out.


My DRZ started life as a 2005 model DRZ400E. I bought it in Nov 2007 with under 800km on it.

My intention for this bike had alway to be compete in the Australasian Safari, and being a fan of Tony Kirby's writings in Sidetrack Magazine, I had a fair idea of where to start.

The bike already had Barkbuster ego's and a B&B Bashplate... bonus!

First: Get rid of the junk.
The rear guard extender, excess plastics (near chain guard) and stock mirrors were the first to go. Over a reasonably short period, the stock headlight (all 3kg), speedo & helmet holder went too.


I was in credit with Robin Box (Safari Tanks) as he sold my TTR250 tank for me... So the Translucent 17lt Safari tank was on within the first week.
I hated the standard black muffler, but couldn't afford the replacement for a while, so I just painted it silver.



Aren't they shiny when they're new???

subscribed! Love your work Gadget

Now with pictures you can actually see.........

Im rather interested in this build. Hope you keep this tread active :)

I'm planning on it. It will probably take a while to go through what I've done to the bike already, but a lot of that happened in a fairly short time frame, so I'm likely to leave some stuff out. If you see anything on the bike that isn't standard (let's face it- that's a lot) that you want to know about just post your question.

At this point, my plan is to ride COAST TO COAST about this time next year. So there'll be a lot to sort out between now and then.

For those that don't know:
Byron Bay is the Eastern most point of Australia... 5300km away (roughly) is Steep Point, The Western most point of Australia. So that's mainly what I want to do. On top of that run however, I have to get to the starting point, then get home again..... I figure I'll just ride those too. So my trip will look something like this! (When I get a better map I'll post it- but don't expect anything soon!)

Hi, is tassie is still part of Australia ?

By that map it is!!!
But it's interesting that the southernmost point is listed as Wilsons Prom, not in Tassie.

Gadget, that is one very sweet ride! love that fairing, is that a Gadget custom design?

Yep. It's rough as guts if you get close though. BUT... when i fell off & ran into things on it's maiden ride, it didn't break. So I'm satisfied. I'll post some build pics at some stage- there are already a few on the DRZ thread.

My problem with getting the fairing done was the unique nature of the build. I looked at the Mecca systems (like below) & CPW fairings, but anything I got would have to be heavily modified, so I started from scratch.


(Anything look familiar here topo?)

My plan now is to take it all to a local plastic welder/fairing repairer/painter/cook to replicate it without the imperfections. ... and have one to match up with the 17lt Safari tank, and one to match the 28lt safari tank.

I found this one in the camera last night- gives an indication of overall height of the fairing.... no higher than what I had on the Safari, just a bit further forward & with no weight on the handlebars.

Ahhh!!, For whatever reason I assumed this was a post trip report.

Good thread so far, interesting to see what ideas people come up with for a build and why they made those choices.
Wilsons prom is the southernost point of the mainland, but what is the southernmost navigable point in Tassie?

Post Safari, Pre Across Australia.

While there was a lot of work done on the bike prior to the 2009 Safari, I'm finding that the needs for an unsupported trip across the centre of Oz are in a completely different ballpark.

A few of the 'issues' I'm looking into (which is part of the reason for starting this thread- to get some input) are:

• Finding others keen/stupid enough to do the ride with me. (My mechanic from the Safari was on-board at the first mention, but I'd like one or two more.)
• Distances between drinks for both my bike and I. Initial looks like there could be a few sections of approx 440km between refuels. So I'd like at least 500km range if that is the case.
• How much fuel will the bike burn in the sand when loaded (fortunately this one is a fun challenge that I can only do once I:
• Figure out how much I need to carry with me.
• Water is the main weight additive here. I've read a few recommendations:
  • 6-8 lt per person, per day, allowing for at least one day extra.
  • 1lt water for every lt of petrol.
• How to carry it all without killing myself or the bike.
• Suspension is a no-brainer for me.... load it up and take it to my tuner! Smarty has worked magic on my bike for years now... he can deal with it.

Communications (Just so no-one arcs up):

• We are planning on running bluetooth between bikes.
• Each rider having a UHF radio
• Between us carry
  • An EPIRB
  • A Sat-phone
  • A SPOT tracker

I'm sure there's lot's I've overlooked at the moment... but I'm going back out to the shed!!!

Cockle Creek...apparently

Gadget, biggest question for me if I was in your position is if the DRZ is the most suitable bike for the trip.

DR be a better base to start with?

Keen to see your build and progress on all of your setup and trip.