Need to choose one bike.

[Adv Grifter]

Originally Posted by Jeathrow Bowdean

Yes. The part about a bike being a way of life is true for some people, but KustomizingKid lives in Minneapolis, so this leads me to believe that he is not driving the bike as a way of life with the winter they are having up there, but stranger things have happened !!!

My next guess to this, is that he is in school as he said, and he is looking for a DRZ to replace his KLR so he can do a few trails better then what his KLR can not quite handle, and I did not see any thing about a KTM in his post !!!

Then he asked if the DRZ can do 25 000 miles, so this leads me to believe he wants a bike with real low miles, or something new so he dosen't have to rebuild it while he is in school, He wanted a dual sport bike and SM tires looking at his post, and this is his words!!!

I'm sure that KustomizingKid has checked out the DRZ forum that I told him about so he can get the info that he wants on the DRZ to see if it fits his catagory he is looking at. I my self totally like the bigger bikes like XR650L, DR650, KTM 690 and a few others including KLR, " " " But " " " KustomizingKid wanted info on DRZ's, so I provided the best info that I could find for him being that this is what he is looking for. I'm sure that Eddie Oh'Dell and Burns Cycle with DRZ will fill KustomizingKid in with all the info he needs to make a collective decision on the bike that he is looking at regarding his OP !!!

From Jeathrow Bowdean. PS But then, what would I know about this stuff !!! once he has his info, then he might change his mind and pick a diffrent bike. I'm sorry if my take is not spot on, but I tryied my best to answer what Kustomizing is asking so he can do his research ...

You're 100% right from a practical and logical point of view. Cost wise the switch to the DRZ makes the most sense. The KTM 690 would be the dream ride ... and in reality probably way beyond the OP's means.

I owned a DRZ400E for three years. Bought new in 2001. never missed a beat. I've also ridden the "S" model lot ... like cross country tours and through Mexico and Baja. Great do it all bikes ... but not for touring, 2 up and not great for daily commuting, IMO.

Guys in Minnesota probably have a 5 or 6 month riding season. How the OP gets round in Winter is anybody's guess. And the Summer's are so HOT and Sticky ... Yuck. We are just too spoiled out West.

I got through University on a Honda 50 step through with an NSU Prinz 1100 for weekend dates!

[Jeathrow Bowdean]

How true that is about the weather. I live in Western Canada and It is tough to go biking when it get into the -29c.
A few of the dudes were out last weekend in the +4c we had, but today would not be a gooder day. 80km winds with snow made for some slick hyws. Lots of wrecked cars, trucks, and big rigs every where in the centeral part of the Province.

Ha Ha. No biking for a few days !!!

[Jeathrow Bowdean]

These dudes went around the world on DRZ 400's with very little trouble. I'm sure that most folks on this forum seen it before.



http://toughmiles.com/

From Jeathrow Bowdean

[KustomizingKid]

This has been a very interesting thread... Came to life in its own regard with some good advice. Since everyone is dishing out advice I should probably give a little more background. I am 23 and will be finishing up school starting next year, took a bit of time off in the middle eh. I am also a very competent mechanic, and welder, and am currently working as a machinist to diversify the skillset. I am going to school for mechanical engineering if that surprises anyone.

The only reason service intervals are of a concern to me is that I have been putting down 15k+ miles a year since I started riding and mid season engine rebuilds are a real drag. I partial anticipate rebuilding any thumper every winer, or every other winter depending so that isn't a huge concern.

I guess I really just want a bike that excites me and has that soul, if that sounds crazy hahaha. When I got my first bike I was stoked to just be riding, and I rode that poor FZR straight into the ground. I bought the KLR because it was cheap and I wanted to try dual sporting and I fell in love after one short trip. But the KLR is just so fucking blahhhh and the amount of mods I feel that would be required to pep it up could put me on a better bike to begin with.

I guess I just want a bike that I really love to ride.

[dirtydeeds]

Originally Posted by ChromeSux

+1
The op should take it and go with it and never have a second thought, it may be funny to read what dirtydeeds said but like ole 10 Bears said in the movie The outlaw Josey Wales, your word carries iron.

In all honesty, my first thought was to tell him to get a 690 as well. My "go to" bike is a 640adv. It's a great machine. Just picked up sn SMT for street stuff. I've ridden a couple KLRs. The only way I would own one is if I were in school, flat broke and needed something ugly to smash beer bottles on and it was a great deal. (Apologies to the KLR faithful...)

I also remember being in school, working nights to pay bills and thinking that I wish I could afford a newer bike. I rolled into "P" parking lot on a smoking :), crashed and bent, leaky fork seal RZ350 with bald tires. It was a fun bike, it was what I could afford and I have some great memories. I remember it got much worse mileage than the Chevette that I drove in winter.

Sounds like the OP has some cash kicking around being that he's working in a trade. Schooling is typically a couple/3 months at a time. Easy to get through that amount of time. Another vote for the 690!

If you want a DRZ, go get one. The worst that happens is that you decide to sell it after a season.

[hayduke.klr07]

I am trying to become an Acronym Unit Leader (AUL) at work but what does SUMO trim mean? And sm tires?

[OrangeYZ]

Originally Posted by hayduke.klr07

I am trying to become an Acronym Unit Leader (AUL) at work but what does SUMO trim mean? And sm tires?

Super Moto. SM is the same thing.
Basically: Dirt bike + Street tires (on street sized rims, 19" and 17") - half the suspension + twice the brakes

[O'B]

Originally Posted by KustomizingKid

If my budget were higher I would be buying a WR250... And if it was even higher I wouldnt have made a thread and I would just buy the X Country for sale locally and been done with it.

The Xcountry or Xchallenge is a steal at the prices they are going for on the used market. Just a couple of weeks ago on Boise craigslist there was one with less than 2000 miles going for $4200. My second choice would be the DR650 with attencion to the suspension it would be golden. Any bike you get is going to cost money to sort out. If you are going to keep it for some time what is an extra $1000 in the sceem of things.

[O'B]

Originally Posted by dirtydeeds

This is how it will/should go down:

You sell the sport bike. They get outdated quicker than stereo equipment anyhow.

Keep the KLR. It's slow, heavy and ugly. It's yours though, its reliable and it'll be cheap. You need all that while in school.

At some point if not already, you'll meet some chick that you'll have to carry on a regular basis. The KLR is ok for that. At some point you're going to be at a kegger and some drunk douche nozzle is going to back over your bike. The KLR will be fine. You'll have to buck up $30 for new handlebars. That's it.

You'll lose the girl to some guy with a Harley. Don't worry. He's financing it. She gets knocked up and drops out. You're better off without her.

You'll finish school with a busted up but still running KLR with bald tires. Youll finally change the oil, put new tires on it and head out for a 6 month road trip. Maybe Argentina? When you get back you'll start some entry level job and advance quickly. Finishing top of your class has nothing to do with it. It's because your boss thinks you have great stories and wishes they would have done that when they were younger. Then you get to buy any and all the bikes you want. Also, the other language that you learned in your travels helps to pick up women.

I wish to hell that someone would have laid shit out like that back when I was starting out.

[NJ-Brett]

15,000 miles a year is nothing for a lot of bikes.
You hear about abused dr650's getting 80,000+ without motor work.
Some bikes have weak points that you can fix and forget, then they are good.

I think most Japanese bike engines will give long service if the oil is changed when its supposed to be.

Originally Posted by KustomizingKid

This has been a very interesting thread... Came to life in its own regard with some good advice. Since everyone is dishing out advice I should probably give a little more background. I am 23 and will be finishing up school starting next year, took a bit of time off in the middle eh. I am also a very competent mechanic, and welder, and am currently working as a machinist to diversify the skillset. I am going to school for mechanical engineering if that surprises anyone.

The only reason service intervals are of a concern to me is that I have been putting down 15k+ miles a year since I started riding and mid season engine rebuilds are a real drag. I partial anticipate rebuilding any thumper every winer, or every other winter depending so that isn't a huge concern.

I guess I really just want a bike that excites me and has that soul, if that sounds crazy hahaha. When I got my first bike I was stoked to just be riding, and I rode that poor FZR straight into the ground. I bought the KLR because it was cheap and I wanted to try dual sporting and I fell in love after one short trip. But the KLR is just so fucking blahhhh and the amount of mods I feel that would be required to pep it up could put me on a better bike to begin with.

I guess I just want a bike that I really love to ride.

[O'B]

Originally Posted by KustomizingKid

This has been a very interesting thread... Came to life in its own regard with some good advice. Since everyone is dishing out advice I should probably give a little more background. I am 23 and will be finishing up school starting next year, took a bit of time off in the middle eh. I am also a very competent mechanic, and welder, and am currently working as a machinist to diversify the skillset. I am going to school for mechanical engineering if that surprises anyone.

The only reason service intervals are of a concern to me is that I have been putting down 15k+ miles a year since I started riding and mid season engine rebuilds are a real drag. I partial anticipate rebuilding any thumper every winer, or every other winter depending so that isn't a huge concern.

I guess I really just want a bike that excites me and has that soul, if that sounds crazy hahaha. When I got my first bike I was stoked to just be riding, and I rode that poor FZR straight into the ground. I bought the KLR because it was cheap and I wanted to try dual sporting and I fell in love after one short trip. But the KLR is just so fucking blahhhh and the amount of mods I feel that would be required to pep it up could put me on a better bike to begin with.

I guess I just want a bike that I really love to ride.

Get an Xcountry. If you put a set of marzocchi forks and get the shock reworked or replace it with an aftermarket shock you will have a bike that will run with any ktm on the street and offroad probably be close. Plus on the street it will probably be a more comfortable ride if doing long tarmac trips. The little Beemer really does pretty well and they are getting harder to find now after being so thourghly trashed in the market for limited range, limited watts for electrical gear, funky batteries, but the BMW engineers provided a starting canvas with what the corporate bean counters would allow to finance the project and the buying public would accept as a price for a 650 thumper. I will go out on a limb here and I am not trying to ruffle anybodys feathers but I IMHO think that the X bikes would run circles around any F650 in any kind of off tarnac situation.

[KustomizingKid]

I really like the X Country... and I really like the KTM 640 Adventure. Unfortunately I feel like both of them are out of duget. Awesome bikes though! It would be awesome to put an X in the stable and buy myself an S1000rr to go with it after graduation.

[Adv Grifter]

Originally Posted by O'B

Get an Xcountry. If you put a set of marzocchi forks and get the shock reworked or replace it with an aftermarket shock you will have a bike that will run with any ktm on the street and offroad probably be close. Plus on the street it will probably be a more comfortable ride if doing long tarmac trips. The little Beemer really does pretty well and they are getting harder to find now after being so thourghly trashed in the market for limited range, limited watts for electrical gear, funky batteries, but the BMW engineers provided a starting canvas with what the corporate bean counters would allow to finance the project and the buying public would accept as a price for a 650 thumper. I will go out on a limb here and I am not trying to ruffle anybodys feathers but I IMHO think that the X bikes would run circles around any F650 in any kind of off tarnac situation.

Are the stock X Country and X Challenge forks the same skinny Showa ones used on previous Dakar 650's? If upgrading to Marzocchi .. well, that's a big hit, no? Like $500 to $1000?

And what about that funky Air Bladder rear damper? I believe both X bikes come stock with that. What's the cost to convert to conventional shock? Once again ... I'm GUESSING ... $500 to $1000 ... depending.

I've ridden a couple X Challenges ... as I nearly bought one. Rode a stone stock one with 750 miles Back To Back with my modified DR650. No contest. The DR650 Blew it away. Only advantage the X had was BETTER, MPG, Better front brake ... and a bit smoother on the highway at 80 mph.

But both X's are good starting points if someone really wants to build a very good bike. But won't be cheap. (few are) The X's are VERY NICE looking bikes with clocks, gauges, levers, controls far superior to the pedestrian items offered on the out dated and seemingly primitive Japanese bikes. But when it comes down to doing BIG miles and Hard use ... I honestly don't believe the BMW's can hang with the Japanese dual sports for long. Something will fail.

[Butters]

I'm not sure a DRZ would be my first choice for what you have described. If you're riding 15K per year, you're doing a lot of street and I assume a decent amount of highway miles. The DRZ really starts to suck as you get above 60mph. Moreover, it seems when I had mine and spent time on Thumpertalk, there were more than a few DRZs getting rebuilds at 20K or so. That may just be how they were ridden/treated, but i don't think the DRZ shares the DR's level of durability.

I'm not trying to imply a DRZ only lasts 20k or that it can't be ridden on longer trips - there are plenty of people that have done just that. I just don't think it is the best bike for it. I think a DR650 would be the better choice, but you already own a KLR so that's sort of a wash. On the lighter side, I personally would try the WR250 before I would go back to the DRZ. given that I went from a DRZ to an X-Challenge, it should be obvious how I think they compare. But mods aren't as cheap or plentiful and sometimes you need to fab your own. Although it sounds like that is your thing. But if you don't like the airshock, you're looking at $600+ for a decent aftermarket replacement. Not to mention $4500-5000 for the bike itself.

Maybe an older 640 Adventure is in your price range. I don't know much about them, but other than some of them being vibey (hit more miss), I was under the impression the LC4 engine is fairly durable with low maintenance intervals. I could be wrong on that though.

[fleshpiston]

Originally Posted by KustomizingKid

I am also a very competent mechanic, and welder, and am currently working as a machinist to diversify the skillset. I am going to school for mechanical engineering if that surprises anyone.

If I were you I'd be lookin at that KLR you already own as a blank canvas... make it want you want ... diversify your skill-set and all that


.