I have a 2001 DRZ400e and it has been serving me well. My longest ride to date has been from Toronto to Cape Bretton, and a tour arround PEI and back. You WILL need a bigger tank. I have dual-sported the bike with a Baja designs kit, and I highly recomend them. Thier components are top notch, and the wiring is better than the factory wires.I have the 16 liter Acerbis tank, and I highly recomend it. I have mounted two 4.5 inch computer type fans on the left side radiator, wired to a switch to cool things down in stop and go traffic. I have a set of grip heaters installed for cold mornings, and I also use a heated vest. For a rack, I have made my own, but you can buy one from Baja designs, just remember that the "E" model does not have any subframe extending past the seat. I have tied my rach into the subframe. You can have a set off aluminum panneirs and mounts from
http://moto-sportpanniers.com
but they are not cheap. I have a JC Whitney tail trunk:
http://www.jcwhitney.com/productnoit...=123208&BQ=mot
Excellent quality (Comparable to GIVI), and cheap. It's a great place to lock up things (Like a Camera and tools) while you are away from the bike. I highly recomend this. I have a set of Givi voyager soft saddlebags, well built, and holds a lot of stuff, but you need to make up some sort of frame to keep bags away from the exhaust. I also use a Drysac strappped on top of the tail trunk to hole my sleeping bag, pillow, and pad. Up front I use a set of atv tank panneirs to hold food, and water, and a small snowmobile type tank bag to hold maps, gloves, and small items. For tires, a set of Bridgestone Trailwings like the ones that come stock on an "S" model work well. They are cheap, last long, and work good in rain, dry, and dirt roads (Not much good off-road though). On the road I use 15 - 44 gearing, you can cruse all day at 120km per hour, and pass at 145 if you need to. Whith this setup, and normal driving you can expect arround 250km (on an Acerbis tank) before hitting reserve.
If you havn't purchased the bike, I would sugjest getting the "S" model in stead. The fans, gearing, and full subframe are already there. The "S" model will also run on 87 octain fuel. The "E" model is supposed to be a Premium fuel only, but I have run on 87 when I had no choice without problems (Making sure not to lug the engine), but I now carry a can of octain boost just in case.
If you would like to see some pictures of my modifications, or would like some more information, feel free to email me.
email address removed by Grant - see
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/faq.shtml#notify for why.
[This message has been edited by Grant Johnson (edited 28 October 2002).]
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