Drz or Dr

[jimkat]

Probably been done to death but could those that have them give a reason why one is better then the the other. Is one better on fuel? is one more reliable? etc etc.
I have all but bought a drz but in the back of my mind I am thinking dr

[ADVJake]

DR - comfy, soft, slow, torquey.. think cruiser of the bush.
DRZ - likes to rev, tall, light, faster.

Both are very reliable. if you're riding a fair way to get to the fun stuff, and for big touring, the DR is better.

DRZ if you want to have more fun in the dirt, and the open stuff is boring to you.

[ozbikedude]

Originally Posted by jimkat

Probably been done to death but could those that have them give a reason why one is better then the the other. Is one better on fuel? is one more reliable? etc etc.
I have all but bought a drz but in the back of my mind I am thinking dr

drz=water cooled,taller,lighter,fuel??,cruise at ??
dr=oil cooled,lower,bit heaver,5.5-6l/100km,cruise on 110km all day

[Dr AT]

Dr is your transalp with a bit less power / weight/ technology. It'll get you there in reasonable comfort, but when you get there you'll possibly wish you were on something else.

Drz is a dirt bike. You'll hate the tansports but love the good bits.

If you're serious about the csr / anne beadell etc you've got some decisions to make, comfort on the transports or enjoy the fun stuff? Or find a good second hand xchallenge / 640 adv / sorted 690 ( is that one still at the sale yamaha dealer?)

[Tiggs]

I can't comment on the DR because I haven't owned one, but the DRZ400E is a great bike, heaps of fun and super reliable!
I changed the gearing to the 'S' model standard gearing so that it could sit on 110kph quite comfortably. I got between 5-6l/100km out of it consistently and I don't ride slowly. I also had a screen fitted for extra road comfort. I had a Safari Tank and Seat Concepts seat planned, but I sold mine before I completed the Adv set-up and only because a ktm640 was calling me. I do sometimes regret my decision to sell it but there are always plenty for sale at anytime.

Go and road test both and see what you think.

[XRman]

I own a DRZ400E that I have set up for adventure riding. Mine is similar to Tiggs' in set up plus a seat concepts seat.

I rode a mate's Vince Strang modified DR650 in the Flinders (on an easy road section) and in comparison, the DRZ felt like it steered better and vibrated less. The DRZ felt more like a modern dirt bike (more like my Yamaha WRF290).

DRZ upsides;
1) weight
2) suspension performance
3) 18 inch rear wheel give a broader choice of tyres and more likely to find one in a remote area if needed.
4) purchase price $7400 is about the same as the DR650 and you get a 10L plastic tank! By the time I get the suspension and gearbox sorted ; add $3K

The down sides of the DRZ are:

1) It is a tall bike and if your inside leg measurement is <30 inches ( 750 mm ?) you will be struggling to get your feet on the ground. You can modify this by internal shock shimming to reduce travel (better option) or a lowering link(not so good for geometry) and slide the forks through the triple clamps to get it level.

2) Unless you are < 80 kg and you ride slowly you will probably need stiffer springs and a revalve to get good fore aft balance. To get similar performance in the DR you would need different forks totally. You have to add about 20 KG for safari tank fuel load and say 20 kg for luggage when calculating your desired spring rate ( 80 + 40 =120 kg)

3) Gearbox ratios are close. Great for dirt riding acceleration but you have to gear the bike up for Adventure touring. Standard sprockets are 14/47. At present I am running 15/45 which is fine for 100-110 speeds, but I have to use first gear going up any steep stuff. This is not ideal as you can run out of gears as you hit any difficult sections and you have to abuse the clutch to keep going. There is a fix for this but it is not cheap. Nova have a wide ration gear box cluster that has a higher 2-5 th ratios, so you have the standard 1st and a overdrive 5th. Vince Strang has these for $2000 plus about an estimated 6 hours labour. Another option is the Advanced Clutch technology wide ratios which is about $800, including modified shift forks , plus labour.

Westy has used his Nova gear set for 16000km and no problems, the ACT set is new kid on the block, but the comany has a good reputation in the USA. I am going to try the ACT set.

I have not heard of gear box issues with the standard DRZ cogs. The DR650 does have an issue of 3rd and 2nd gears disintegrating without warning. There is a thread somewhere on here about this, or is it on TT? Can't recall.

If costs come into it and you are not wnating to buy new check out Kipos DR for sale in the " for sale " section on this forum. Bargain!

[DR Steve]

Originally Posted by XRman

I own a DRZ400E that I have set up for adventure riding. Mine is similar to Tiggs' in set up plus a seat concepts seat.

I rode a mate's Vince Strang modified DR650 in the Flinders (on an easy road section) and in comparison, the DRZ felt like it steered better and vibrated less. The DRZ felt more like a modern dirt bike (more like my Yamaha WRF290).

DRZ upsides;
1) weight
2) suspension performance
3) 18 inch rear wheel give a broader choice of tyres and more likely to find one in a remote area if needed.
4) purchase price $7400 is about the same as the DR650 and you get a 10L plastic tank! By the time I get the suspension and gearbox sorted ; add $3K

The down sides of the DRZ are:

1) It is a tall bike and if your inside leg measurement is <30 inches ( 750 mm ?) you will be struggling to get your feet on the ground. You can modify this by internal shock shimming to reduce travel (better option) or a lowering link(not so good for geometry) and slide the forks through the triple clamps to get it level.

2) Unless you are < 80 kg and you ride slowly you will probably need stiffer springs and a revalve to get good fore aft balance. To get similar performance in the DR you would need different forks totally. You have to add about 20 KG for safari tank fuel load and say 20 kg for luggage when calculating your desired spring rate ( 80 + 40 =120 kg)

3) Gearbox ratios are close. Great for dirt riding acceleration but you have to gear the bike up for Adventure touring. Standard sprockets are 14/47. At present I am running 15/45 which is fine for 100-110 speeds, but I have to use first gear going up any steep stuff. This is not ideal as you can run out of gears as you hit any difficult sections and you have to abuse the clutch to keep going. There is a fix for this but it is not cheap. Nova have a wide ration gear box cluster that has a higher 2-5 th ratios, so you have the standard 1st and a overdrive 5th. Vince Strang has these for $2000 plus about an estimated 6 hours labour. Another option is the Advanced Clutch technology wide ratios which is about $800, including modified shift forks , plus labour.

Westy has used his Nova gear set for 16000km and no problems, the ACT set is new kid on the block, but the comany has a good reputation in the USA. I am going to try the ACT set.

I have not heard of gear box issues with the standard DRZ cogs. The DR650 does have an issue of 3rd and 2nd gears disintegrating without warning. There is a thread somewhere on here about this, or is it on TT? Can't recall.

XRman's post points out one of the biggest differences between the two bikes - gearing.

I have owned both and the DRZ gearbox sucks for any road riding - tar or gravel. The ratios are just too close together for a 4 stroke with a good amount of torque. The DRZ box would be more siuted to 2 stroke power delivery.

The DR gears are well spaced, but an extra cog would make it perfect for adventure riding.

The DR needs more mods to make it 'fun' compared to the DRZ, but it will always be 30kg heavier and old technology which you will definetely feel when the going gets tough.
If it's at all possible, try to spend some seat time on both - preferably several hours or more.

When I bought my DR I didn't really know what to expect, or have a particular riding plan in mind, but even though it's turned out to be the heaviest, least powerful bike I've owned, it's also the most versatile and enjoyable ride I've owned too. I think that's more about the riding the DR has opened up to me than the bike itself.

[DR-DRZ]

The thing about DRZ/DR's is cheap to purchase.
The catch is a lot of owners, me included spend more money making the bike we want it to be.
Had we spent the extra to start with and gone orange, we would be in asimilar position and have a 6 speed as standard.

[DR Steve]

Originally Posted by DR-DRZ

The thing about DRZ/DR's is cheap to purchase.
The catch is a lot of owners, me included spend more money making the bike we want it to be.
Had we spent the extra to start with and gone orange, we would be in asimilar position and have a 6 speed as standard.

Agreed, even more so with the DR as there is more room for improvement than on the DRZ.

[coolsafari]

I've owned both, I still have the DR. If you like to ride up to say 300 kms a day, mostly dirt with a bit of single trail, tight and twisty tar, but not too much, then the DRZ is your weapon. If on the other hand you prefer longer rides, even multi day long hauls virtually anywhere except long motorway sections then go the DR. I actually found while I owned both at the same time, the DRZ wasnt getting used so sold it. You will need to modify both bikes depending on intended use. I do agree you could spend a lot more on the Dr than the DRZ to get it where you want it, I spent around 5Kon the DR and 2K on the DRZ.

[ozbikedude]

660 tenere

[ADVJake]

Originally Posted by ozbikedude

660 tenere

Expensive, heavy.. not a suzuki

[duckslider]

2010 DR 650.........''The Black Pearl''.

[gordonmichaellee]

I grew up on Motocross bikes so I love the way you can tackle the hard stuff on a DRZ with a bit of pace if required and the suspension is up to the job. The DR only ever leaves you with the option of using the tourqe to get up or through something.


The DR is much better on road.

So if you are the type of rider who likes to strap on a small tent and a bit of food then the DRZ is probably the way to go, if you want to bring everything with you including the kitchen sink and are happy sacrifice some off road ability for the extra torque, and comfort of the DR then that is the bike for you.

Another thing to bear in mind is that the DRZ is MUCH more fun for a high speed Saturday afternoon in the forest with your mates, on the DR you would be left behind ( along way ).

Cheers Gordo'

[kipo]

I have a DRZ 400 and a DR 650. I've come to the realisation that the 650 is not your arse or your elbow. The DR is heavy in the tight stuff but still won't run with the big bore bikes on long distance rides, it does neither task particularly well. I've done the suspension on the DRZ and it needs upgrading on the DR plus I was going to lace up an 18" rim to the back of the DR for better tyre choice. So rather than spend another $1,500 to $2,000 on the DR 650 and have 2 regos and 2 insurances I've decided to sell the DR and invest some more money into the DRZ so I can convert it into a bit more of an adventure bike when needed. I just got another set of wheels off ebay, one set will have low gearing and mousse tubes for competetion (road trials) and the other set will have tubes, less aggressive dirt tyres and taller gearing for the longer miles, big tank (already got a 17 lt but might buy a 28 lt) and some Giant Loop luggage, a few hours in the shed and the DRZ can be turned from a single track bike to a longer distance bike.

Sorry but my long winded point is the DRZ while not an ideal enduro bike or adventure bike it will do both jobs reasonably well. I know the argument is the DRZ won't run with the big KTM's or Beema's (but neither will a DR 650) and my logic is where I ride I don't want to hit a roo at 140 plus and the police don't like it much either.

Just my 2 cents worth.