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Drz Or Xr400r Drz Or Xr400r
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Which Bike? Comments and Questions on what is the best bike for YOU, for YOUR trip. Note that we believe that ANY bike will do, so please remember that it's all down to PERSONAL OPINION. Technical Questions for all brands go in their own forum.
Photo by Ellen Delis, Lagunas Ojos del Campo, Antofalla, Catamarca

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Ellen Delis,
Lagunas Ojos del Campo,
Antofalla, Catamarca



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  #1  
Old 7 Sep 2008
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Drz Or Xr400r
Hi all, looking for a new steed, i have narrowed it down to these 2! probably!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. It will not be used as a round Europe bike (yet) It will be used 75% road 25% trail. What do you consider a better bike. The XR is very basic and crude, but i suppose inevitably more reliable. The Suzy more powerfull and adaptable. It will b doing about 7-8k a year at the mo. Your help and idea's much appreciated atb Floyd.
P.S Forgot only £1500 in the pot.
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  #2  
Old 7 Sep 2008
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The XR is very light (116kg dry), and not as crude as all that, having one myself. For £1500 you can pick up a,low mileage 2002-03, perhaps, so they are good value too.

The DR is more powerful, but with a dry weight of 132kg dry (S model) perhaps the difference in power may not be so noticeable. The E model seems a lot lighter (120kg)?. Advantage of the DR is an electric start (all models?).

If you go for the XR, I recommend a spare @rse or some sort of new/re-worked seat: standard seat is a killer!! Can't comment on the DR-Z as I've never ridden one.

However, no matter what advice you get on here, don't choose without having a good, healthy test-ride on both, preferably not too long apart. Its the only way to know which is likely best for you!
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  #3  
Old 7 Sep 2008
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I have an option on a below average XR, 98 with 8k kilometres on the clock FOR £875. O ne area which is weak thought is the output for the lights, seems they can only power the lights on the bike with no upgrades for anything else. As you have one what do you think. By the way your written English is very good for someone from Estonia or is that a trick? atb Floyd
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  #4  
Old 7 Sep 2008
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as a daily driver take the electrical start..drz
as a sur5all bike the xr
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  #5  
Old 7 Sep 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by floyd View Post
Hi all, looking for a new steed, i have narrowed it down to these 2! probably!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. It will not be used as a round Europe bike (yet) It will be used 75% road 25% trail. What do you consider a better bike. The XR is very basic and crude, but i suppose inevitably more reliable. The Suzy more powerfull and adaptable. It will b doing about 7-8k a year at the mo. Your help and idea's much appreciated atb Floyd.
P.S Forgot only £1500 in the pot.
Powerwise there's scarecly any difference between the 2 bikes, ride them back to back and see. I think the XR is better off road and a little worse on road, the XR more reliable without a doubt. The lack of standard e start is an issue though. Check out this Japanese registered XR seen at my local supermarket in the Portuguese interior just last week, e start, CRF forks but a standard seat. Ouch. If the owner is on the site perhaps he could elucidate on how the XR has fared after travelling half way round the world.
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Old 7 Sep 2008
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Originally Posted by floyd View Post
O ne area which is weak thought is the output for the lights, seems they can only power the lights on the bike with no upgrades for anything else.

I bought a secondhand KMX200/125 headlight (55W/60W H4 bulb). It fits the brackets of the XR perfectly. Wired up the earth Hi and Lo and the bike lights it up fine. Dims at tickover, but once the revs go up its way more powerful than the standard 35W/35W.

Total cost of upgrade? About £25...

I know that you can buy an electric start kit for the XR too, but its not going to be cheap (about £600 IIRR). Really depends if you have your heart set on an XR and if the kick start bothers you. For me, I've learnt to live with it. Its not hard to start from cold, but it can lead to embarrassing moments if you stall when it goes to amber!!
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Old 7 Sep 2008
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Hi Warty, i need to decide by tomorrow!!! how about a trip to Estonia!!!!! what's the weather like at the end of the year? Would the stator run a sat nat aswell? atvb Floyd
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Old 7 Sep 2008
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The DR is more powerful,
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Old 7 Sep 2008
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I have to disagree about the reliability issue.
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Old 8 Sep 2008
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Hi Warty, i need to decide by tomorrow!!! how about a trip to Estonia!!!!! what's the weather like at the end of the year? Would the stator run a sat nat aswell? atvb Floyd
Just joking!
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Old 8 Sep 2008
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Hi Warty, i need to decide by tomorrow!!! how about a trip to Estonia!!!!! what's the weather like at the end of the year? Would the stator run a sat nat aswell? atvb Floyd
Sat nav? I would imagine so. Mine runs the H4 upgrade and a Trailtech computer off the standard alternator.

As for a trip to Estonia, you can only be joking if you plan to do it on the standard seat. If you keep the standard seat, impregnate all your underpants with lidocaine: its the only alternative. Hook of Holand to Rostock in one day at 50-60mph on the XR was not a comfortable experience. Still love it though it puts a smile on my face.
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Old 8 Sep 2008
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Beautiful bike! I have to disagree about the reliability issue. Both are reliable but the DRZ will clearly out distance the XR in the long run. I don't how many DRZ-S bikes you see in the UK or Portugal but in the USA Suzuki has sold tens of thousands of them and it still remains today the most popular and widely used dual sport bike. (not travel bike). Feed back on reliability is excellent over all. The DRZ lasts a long long time.

Only the very first year had a cam chain tensioner issue which Suzuki dealt with. Other than that, these bikes are just incredible, take a lot of abuse and can be run all day at 80 mph, day after day in 35C temps. Try that on an XR and see how long the top end goes for!

I would also dispute the statement that the XR is better off road. While I have not ridden the DRZ-S that much off road, I have done some knarly stuff on one a day or two here and there. Like here in the Mojave:

I owned the E model and an XR400, and in that case the DRZ-E wins walking away. But a properly set up and modified XR can be very good.

Travel bike? Toss up. Read my previous post.

Cheers!

Patrick
Hi Patrick, stop sitting on the fence, tee hee. Which one then?. The Xr in the uk is off road but they can be registered for the road and lots have been. Obviously you can't carry a passenger. Which would be handy. Do you know of any high milers in either bike?. I like the mojave, crikey we don't get that in blighty, well i suppose Scotland could have, much cooler though and a fair ride. $3000 for your trips, i can get a good deal in Portugal 3 nights no food and 2 days on bike for £360 or about $700 how about that. Many thanks for your replies so far atvb FLoyd
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Old 8 Sep 2008
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Originally Posted by Warthog View Post
Sat nav? I would imagine so. Mine runs the H4 upgrade and a Trailtech computer off the standard alternator.

As for a trip to Estonia, you can only be joking if you plan to do it on the standard seat. If you keep the standard seat, impregnate all your underpants with lidocaine: its the only alternative. Hook of Holand to Rostock in one day at 50-60mph on the XR was not a comfortable experience. Still love it though it puts a smile on my face.
Whats the weather like? and where is rostock?. I think i am slowly going the Drz way. I think the Xr is a bit bare bones, the Drz is a bit more adaptable atb
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Old 8 Sep 2008
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Ere Molly, i know where there is a low mileage BMW F650, 1995 15K FOR £900 ARE YOU SAYING YOU PREFER A BEEMER?
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Old 8 Sep 2008
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Well Floyd, its the unknowns about the UK version of the XR that has me confused.
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