Hi everyone,

Next spring I will be getting a DRZ400. That will be the bike for my next big trip.
Now, considering the sort of punishment it is going to get, and as I need to get it lowered considerably, I am a bit concerned about fitting a lowering link. That may cause problems, brake at worse moment ...

I am considering the option of replacing the rear shock, for one that would lower the bike. Is there a lot of choice there? Has anyone done this and which one is recommended?

Also, in addition, the cheap option would be to buy a handlebar raisers and slide the forks, but there is limited space.
Any suggestion regarding tha forks? Can we place shorter fork stanchions for example?

In addition to all that I will get the seat scooped out and gel seat inserted. I got that done few time on previous bikes and it works fine.

So in summary I am exploring expensives options to lower the bike.
If anyone has suggestions on this, please let me know.

Cheers.

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Maria

www.franglais-riders.com

Maria...

Stock shock will be fine with lowering links on. Mine was greenlaned HARD whilst lowered by the previous owner. Forks were also dropped though.

Consider the SM version. It seems to sit much lower than mine, even with the 21/18 wheels on it. Maybe the shock is different.

One thing I am HATING with mine right now is the gearing and fuel range.

I'll chat to you about gearing when I get back. You want to be looking hard for a 28L Aqualine Safari tank as the 15L Clark one only gives you 200 miles of highway.

Also, why not just travel on it AS a Supermoto (sm)... I wish I had (seriously)

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www.touringted.com

Hi Ted!
This is an interesting suggestion.

I did not know that in the SM version you could fit bigger wheels. But the SM is heavier (why?!The 2007 model is 134kg but the 2009 version is 146kg! Puzzling) and only marginally lower (35 inches vs 36.8 for the S).

By the time I fit the big wheels (and in dirt I would need at least a 19'' front 17 back at least?). Anyway this is something I could explore. As you know Alistair got the SM version and it makes sense for us to get the same model.

I am following your trip on your website! When are you coming back? Hope to catch up with you before I PX my Rieju for a DRZ! Interested to know about the gearing issue! Is it better on the SM? Is Neil riding an SM?

I look forward to read the next chapter on your blog!

Cheers,

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Maria

www.franglais-riders.com

Ill be back in Jan.. Hold fire until then.

Yeah, Neil has the SM converted ! The weight difference will be the wheels and the heavier forks..

The Wheels from an S and E model are all transferable between models. You can put the forks and a yoke off an S and E on it too. They're always going cheap on ebay.

You will HAVE to have a 21/18 combo but that it great when it comes to finding tyres.

Buying an SM will also mean it wont have been ragged to death offroad too and will give you a nice city bike when you're not travelling. You will love it..

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www.touringted.com

Ted thx for the advice.
I'll wait until you're back.
I hope you will be able to spend few days with us down south! We want to know everything about your trip and your bike!
Alistair is dying to see your bike!

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Maria

www.franglais-riders.com

If you put the SM shock in the standard bike it lowers it there are also lower seats available genuine Suzuki at around £230 and from America at
Low Gel Seat - Black DRZ-400 DRZ400SM ALL YEARS :: Suzuki DR :: Offroad & Dual Sport :: Oneida Suzuki Inc
also you can get various lowering links but these seem to be the best I have seen are these
suzuki drz400 lowering links, dr-z440 lowering kit, drz400 lowering kit, dr z400 lowering link

add all that together and push the forks through you can go down by about 5 1/2 inches according to my maths. I have been researching this for the last few weeks as the better half wants one.
A few DRZ freeks at
drz400uk.org • Index page

hope that helps in some way.

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Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do.

Not necessarily, a small capacity SM stands just as much chance of having thrashed at full throttle on tarmac due to the lower top speeds.

My partner's riding her lowered DRZ400S through South America at the moment. I fitted Talon lowereing links to the rear shock & pushed the forks through the yokes by about 20mm once 'bar risers were fitted. She's still using the 18/21 wheels. Don't bother buying a DRZ400E for an overland trip, they're taller & use more fuel.

We didn't bother with the Aqualine tank, she's using a 16 litre Clarke tank with a 5 litre fuel can incorporated in to the luggage racks plus she has a 10 litre fuel bladder if needed.

Check out the bike section on her 'blog:

Pumpernickel on Tour

Pics here: Steve's Photos : Travel

The DRZ is a good choice for an overland trip, they're reliable and the known faults all have fixes, most of which I've mentioned on her 'blog.

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My photos: www.possu.smugmug.com

Thanks guys this is excellent info.

I wondered if I could get the S, replace the shock by the SM one (shorter) and combine with a lowering link. The bike may handle like a dog but would lower considerably the beast! Adjusting the seat and forks would complete the crazy look.

I will also have a think about the SM, with big wheels. However, the SM is much heavier than the S, which was originally the reason we selected the DRZ400 rather than an XT! The S is only 134kg. Weight does matter.

I had a 130 kg bike in Vietnam and there was nothing stopping me through the awful road works recently. Never dropped the bike. I would not have managed 100 meters on my old 200kg BMW!

anyhow, few things to think about and investigate this winter!

Cheers.

Ted good luck you all for getting into Ethiopa!

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Maria

www.franglais-riders.com

Just be careful when comparing weights with them

there are three models E , S and SM only the E is much lighter mostly because it is an off road bike lacking lights clocks steering lock, rear sub frame(important if you are going to take panniers) etc that is at least from factory a lot of E's have had the bits added but of course they do weigh more then. Just so you know they also have more horse power (5hp) because of the carb and exhaust you can lose weight on the others by changing the exhaust.

weights are


E=262lbs

SM=295lbs

S=292lbs

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Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do.

Thx for the info TRix.
My husband has the S and he tells me it is very light. I can't check much as I cannot touch the ground at all if I sit on it.
I will check out both the S and SM.

I contacted the Soupy company as I was so amazed at their claim, and they comfirmed their standard lowering link for the dRZ400 can lower up to 4 inches.
Added with scooping the seat, if I get the S I would not need to change the shock. Might be cheaper than getting the SM and buy cheap dodgy wheels from ebay. (been there done that!)

I will definitely get the Soupy link! I hope it is as solid as they claim as the bike will have a very tough life once we set on our next big trip!

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Maria

www.franglais-riders.com

Hi Maria

I am also going to order the soupy links for my better halves DRZ so maybe we can combine the postage we are in Essex but the better half travels into london every day.

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Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do.

Hi Trix!
I sent you a pm!

Cheers,

__________________
Maria

www.franglais-riders.com

fyi, the genuine suzuki lower seat is meant to be AWFUL !!

Corbin or Renenzo (or something like that) are the best.... Id sell you my corbin but its specialyl made to be taller lol.

__________________
www.touringted.com

This is a good thread. I'm considering the SM having seen a few cool overlanding / rallye conversions.

Although this is a DRZ400E I like the tank configurations. That is a Safari 17 litre tank on the front and a 5lt on the back.


there is more info about how they did that on this link

That is essentially what I would like to do and create something like this



As Ted has pointed out the fuel range is just a bit short with the 15L Clark. I did a few calculations based on the different models and tank setups, their respective weights and ranges. Feel free to correct me if there are any inaccuracies. I was working on 50mpg with modest mixed riding. Incidentally I am 5' 7" so seat height has some bearing but not too much. I previously had an F800GS with a seat height of 850mm and had no bother with that.

drz seat height - 935mm wet weight 133kg
drz sm - 890mm
tenere - 895mm wet weight 206kg
f800gs - 850mm - wet weight 207kg


1litre petrol = .72kg

28lt = 20.16kg
17lt = 12.24kg
5lt = 3.6kg

stock metal tank 9.9= 7.12kg

option 1 28+5lt = 32.4kg
option 2 17+5lt = 15.84kg

wet weight stock, minus stock tank = 125.88kg

+option 1 = 158.28kg with 33lt capacity = 430 mile range
+option 2 = 141.72kg with 22lt capacity = 291 mile range

Luggage wise I think I would go down the Dave Lomax route of strapping a Giant Loop bag on the back and sawing my toothbrush in half

Hi Maria,

My wife and I rode a pair of DRZ400S machines from the UK to Kinshasa, DR Congo in 2007-8.

Linz is only 5'3" and didn't stand a chance with the DRZ in standard trim, so we fitted Talon links, dropped the forks as far as we could and got a custom seat made from the original (Motorcycleseatworks) for about £100.

We were on the road for a year and covered 25,000 miles. Lowering Linz's bike reduced it's off road ability, but then so did strapping a bunch of luggage to it.. regardless, it was still perfectly capable.

The S does have less power than the others, but for a long trip the lower stressed engine was important to us. We had Clarke 16 litre tanks which gave an easy 200+ mile range which was enough for West Africa. We had a single 5 litre jerry just in case, but only used it twice.

We ran 15/41 gearing and later 15/38 I think, which was good enough for cruising at 60mph, more than enough for the kind of trip we were doing, but something of a drag on some of the long straight days!

Hope this is useful info.

Dan