Drz250 Thread

[eakins]

Originally Posted by redleger

I am about to go outside and take my rear tire off and put on the new sprocket. I have a feeling I am going to need a new chain though since I have stock gears right now. If that is the case, do I need to end up spending money on any special tool to cut the chain down to size? Never done it before, I know I ask alot of questions, but I guess I had a shitty childhood and I am making up for it now. Thanks dad! I kid I kid, but no seriously, if I have to put on a new chain, how do I go about doing that?

unless you own the full pro/shop version of the motion pro chain break tool w/ the special hardened pins, you should always grind down the heads of the rivets 1st. harbor freight has a $10 light duty grinder. you need a chain tool to shorter any chain. there is no way around it, unless you buy the proper length to start with. harbor freight has an ok chain tool and there are better $50 ones out there.

[hudsen8]

So guess I'll just go ahead and introduce myself. Names Al, and I just picked up a new to me 04 DR-z250 Finally got to ride it today for about thirty min. Picked it up from a friend of mine for 1200 completely stock which seems to be the best deal I could find on anything within a 400 mile radius of me. I've done a lot of research on it and basically found this thread on Bing before I even found the forum. Anyways I'm very impressed with this bike. I've come down from riding on a XR650R street legal(wrecked) to a DR-z400(Stolen) and now this bike. As the power is not the same, it doesn't bother me as It's still a blast to ride. Here's a couple pics of it.




The previous owner is a good friend of mine whom has owned the bike since the showroom floor. Only problem with it is the graphics on the tank which are bubbling, but doesn't bother me, unless that should concern me. Unfortunately I'm keeping the bike at his place as I have no place to keep here at my apartment (where my last bike was stolen) plus he is housing it for free, nice guy he is.

Now on to the one thing I've read here recently, I noticed he had put a 52T rear sprocket on. As far as he can tell me it is the stock chain guide with no mods to it, so I don't know what the deal is or why others are having problems with it as it seems maybe I'm confused on something. Anyways sorry about leaving such a long post mates. Also is there anything I should know about this bike I might have missed in the past 117 pages? Right now its running so good, I'm thinking about delaying the uncorking process until I make it street legal

[tdrrally]

welcome aboard

[redleger]

Originally Posted by hudsen8

So guess I'll just go ahead and introduce myself. Names Al, and I just picked up a new to me 04 DR-z250 Finally got to ride it today for about thirty min. Picked it up from a friend of mine for 1200 completely stock which seems to be the best deal I could find on anything within a 400 mile radius of me. I've done a lot of research on it and basically found this thread on Bing before I even found the forum. Anyways I'm very impressed with this bike. I've come down from riding on a XR650R street legal(wrecked) to a DR-z400(Stolen) and now this bike. As the power is not the same, it doesn't bother me as It's still a blast to ride. Here's a couple pics of it.




The previous owner is a good friend of mine whom has owned the bike since the showroom floor. Only problem with it is the graphics on the tank which are bubbling, but doesn't bother me, unless that should concern me. Unfortunately I'm keeping the bike at his place as I have no place to keep here at my apartment (where my last bike was stolen) plus he is housing it for free, nice guy he is.

Now on to the one thing I've read here recently, I noticed he had put a 52T rear sprocket on. As far as he can tell me it is the stock chain guide with no mods to it, so I don't know what the deal is or why others are having problems with it as it seems maybe I'm confused on something. Anyways sorry about leaving such a long post mates. Also is there anything I should know about this bike I might have missed in the past 117 pages? Right now its running so good, I'm thinking about delaying the uncorking process until I make it street legal

Nice looking DRZ250. I really like the yellow side plastics as mine has white and I don't care for it. But that's at the bottom of a long list of planned projects.

[privateer2010]

Looked like this when I got it last year:


Then in adventure / race trim it looked like this:


Now ready for the 2013 race season with a slightly new paint scheme:

[JamesK]

Originally Posted by hudsen8

..........Now on to the one thing I've read here recently, I noticed he had put a 52T rear sprocket on. As far as he can tell me it is the stock chain guide with no mods to it, so I don't know what the deal is or why others are having problems with it as it seems maybe I'm confused on something. Anyways sorry about leaving such a long post mates. Also is there anything I should know about this bike I might have missed in the past 117 pages? Right now its running so good, I'm thinking about delaying the uncorking process until I make it street legal

All I can say is that when I tried to put the rear wheel back with a 51T sprocket it was hitting the bottom of the chain guard even without the chain on it and less than half way into where the wheel should be located.
Would be really good to find out from your friend what/how he did it

[hudsen8]

Thanks guys, look forward to some good stories and memories with this bike.

Redleger, that's funny you say that, as for some reason I kinda like the white side plastics with the yellow, just gives some extra contrast to the eyes for me but I go back and forth and doesn't bother me to much, like you said it's last on the list. You could always plasti-dip the pieces. My friend and I plan on doing that to the 250 what we did to my XR which turned out great. If you don't like it you can just rip it off and start over

Hey James, we are going for a ride this weekend. I will take a good look at it and snap some pics for you so really we can both get a better look at it. Maybe you all can spot something I may be overlooking. I mean he has had this bike since 04 so I wouldn't be surprised if he forgot some minor odds and ends he did to the bike. I won't complain though, I really like the set up he put on it and short jaunts down the at WOT makes the front really light hehe

[redleger]

Originally Posted by privateer2010

Looked like this when I got it last year:


Then in adventure / race trim it looked like this:


Now ready for the 2013 race season with a slightly new paint scheme:

Whatcha racing? I assume hair scrambles and the like? I have been thinking of something like that once I get to Oklahoma. How do you do with that good lookin' DRZ?

[privateer2010]

I got into racing HareScrambles middle of last season. Good times for sure, I am usually middle of the pack, that is because of my riding not the fault of the bike at all. Bike has all the power it needs and is geared so well that in a better riders hands I'm sure it would be top ten easy. If you get into a well run series the races are well organized and everyone is eager to help with any issues that come up. Highly recommended learn quite a lot.

[redleger]

you running stock gearing or off-road. I am running offroad, and I definately lose alot of top end vs when it was stock.

[privateer2010]

Everything is stock on it, I actually have not even done the uncorking process. Stock gearing is plenty and keeps enough top end for the straight stretches to wind it out.

[redleger]

so you would recommend stock for hair scrambles? I was thinking of just keeping 2 different chains and gear sets and changing them out depending on the situation. The trails I ride here in WA are rooted and nasty, so I have to be able to pull my front wheel up without using all my upper body strength and wearing myself out as fast. I am in good shape, but it does wear on you.

[privateer2010]

Yeah I guess if your terrain is that much more difficult I would go that route. Otherwise I have found stock to be plenty strong enough.

[hudsen8]

Alright got a question I seem to be having problems trying to find an answer to. What wheels fit the DR-z250? I would like to have two sets to switch out for riding the trails and riding the street/twisties. Now from my gathering of info, it is certain wheels from different bikes that will fit as far as supermoto style 17's will fit. Am I right? If so, which ones? Or am I better off trying to find a stock 21/18 set and lacing some 17 hoops on them? Can that be done? Or just keeping them 21/18 and putting some street tires on them? I'm not going full conversion and going crazy, just want a different set of wheels that I can run good street rubber and go hard on the twisty roads. Thanks in advance, any help or pointing in the right direction would be great because I seem to be running in circles.

[tdrrally]

dr250/350 all rear
dr350 98-99 front

dr250/350 up to 90-97 might work with wheel bearing spacers