I am looking for another DS bike... I've had a DRZSM converted to S. I've also had an 08 wr250x with DS tires... I am now looking into another DRZ, but an S probably brand new with intentions of installing the ACT WR gears...which are expensive and involve removing the motor. I love the extra power of the DRZ so I am leaning towards this. However I was asking myself- "self, is it a better idea to get a WR and install big bore later, or get the DRZ and install gears later?" Both cost a good amount of money and involve a significant amount of work which I'd most likely be doing myself... can I get some opinions here? I don't think this is a typical DRZ vs WRR thread and I did search... if I have missed something please point me in the right direction... I love the DRZ for simplicity and reliablility and mmmm power. I love the WR for technology(kinda scary though) lighter feel, and it just looks the business. What say the group???????????
66 views, and no opinions? I have been on ADVrider for long enough to know this place is full of opinions!!! hahahaha... Kinda leaning towards DRZ more and more...
my frank opinion? Search for a bike that already has either of these done. There are plenty of high HP bikes with 6 speeds. Widen your search and spare yourself the cost prohibitive mods such as a big bore or transmission swap, seems like a ton of work when you could just buy it from a different manufacturer (ala ktm or WR450f or ...? ).
Once you buy either the WRR or DRZ and then complete the mod's you suggest, you're starting to get into KTM price territory. Rather than try to turn a WRR or DRZ into something it isn't, I'd just get the KTM or similar and be done. That's just me though.
I am with the others, above. I wouldn't spend a pile of money on an OK bike, when I could spend the same money and get an excellent one. Get one of these instead: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=834105&highlight=neduro
get a plated E model drz [if you want a more powerful drz] and then gear it 15/44 or get one of those orange bikes... those are your best options.I have owned both bikes and would own them again but I would look at a HUSABERG maybe for next bike cause I like the color blue.
The only reason I have hesitation going towards husky or KTM is maintenance and reliability man honestly. And coming up with all that money at once upon purchase is the other. I can buy the DRZ and do the gear change a year from now. or the wrr and do the big bore later... I wouldn't feel comfortable riding a ktm 500 down hwy 1 from san francisco to san diego ya know?
I agree with everyone else. I have a GSXR600, and I was doing a trackday at my local track, and a buddy of mine let me take his DRZSM for a session. I had a BLAST, instantly fell in love with SM's. But, the DRZ topped out on the back straight at about 95mph. I was getting passed like I was standing still, really fast guys can hit 150 plus on the back straight. I talked to him about it, and he's quite a bit smaller then I am (I'm 6'4" 230) and he was frustrated with the available power too and was talking about big bore kits etc. I priced a DRZ, with a bore kit, and a few other things, and ended up going out and buying a bone stock KTM 625SMC. I've done a ton of trackdays on it, and it'll walk a lot of other SM's (I did a day at Barber with two friends on 450's, one a CRF, one a WR, and walked them both on the front straight, they promptly passed me in T2, but you can;t win them all). My buddy ended up buying the big bore, blowing it up, rebuilding it, blowing it up again, and then getting a KTM. Little different then your story, because I was looking for different things out of the DRZ, but similar enough to help make a point I hope.
i find generally speaking that wide ratio trans are frustrating when getting in the trails. It always seems out of the powerband. I ride a WR250Rand would prefer a close ratio with a taller 6th.
you never said anything about hwy travel -we thought around town or linking trail kind of bike..i hate thumpers for hwy use - i ride a litre bike for that..maybe you should get two bikes then [thats what i did] i might even get a third bike like a 250/300 two stroke for gnarly singletrack...is weight a problem for your choice? because a hwy dual sport is a heavy option....
high five is selling his wr290r. he's got about $10K in the bike he literally has done all the mods plus some so it's ready to roll. http://advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=20062098&postcount=31557
The extent of modifications you discuss would compromise reliability also. Many would argue against it, but opening the cases of either to that level is going to compromise reliability versus a bone stock drz or wrr. psst... you wont feel that way on either of those bikes or most plated dirt bikes
I saved the "which type of dual sport" for other threads. My question was regarding the 2 bikes stated, and anyone who has done the big bore on the wr, as the gearing is good, or the gearing on the DRZ because the power is already adequate for me. What the DRZ lacks for my riding is wider ratio trans, and what the wr lacks for me is down right power and torque.
these are good points... comfortable is a relative term :) I would have had no problem slapping my 38 tooth rear on the DRZ and heading south for 500 miles, and similarly with stock gearing on the WRX. A KTM or husky (unless a 610) not so much... If I could find a nice used te610 I'd throw the other two out, but they just are not available in my area.
I don't think I'd do WR gears on a DRZ--doesn't really have the gutts to pull wider gears imo. By the time you build the motor to pull them and buy the gears you could have bought a TE or ktm or something that's a lot better from the start--and that's what I'd do. If you like simplicity a carb'd TE610 should suit you quite well. If you want FI there's the injected TE610, TE630 and KTM690--all of which have nice wide 6spds and are great bikes. KTM 500 isn't the one you want for lots of road work, but the 690 and the TE610-630 make rather ok street bikes. Probably less hassle to keep them running than to keep a tricked out WR or DRZ running. Between the WR and DRZ I'd probably do a forced induction WR
My ideal DS bike would def be a ktm 690 enduro R... but alas, the price tag cancels that out till my kids are out of college :)
If the DRZ has the power you like, maybe get an autoclutch? Or just change sprockets for different rides. I used to change sprockets on my XR400 - could go from 14T to 16T with the same chain. Personally I'm liking the stock WR250R. The hop-ups don't improve low rpm torque that much.
I vote for a used Husqvarna TE-610. Spend 3-5K and be done with it. 3000 mile oil. changes, 55hp, geared for trails and highway. Very reliable...
I just found one but it's a 6 hour drive away from me! I'll see if I can swing it, otherwise I found an 07 drzSM right down the street, and there's a guy across town selling a set of S wheels for 200 bucks! I like the SM front end much better even offroad than the soft springy S front end.