Author Topic: Input needed DRZ400 (Read 519 times)

Dirt Junkie · « **on:** March 05, 2020, 09:41:00 am »

Hi All
I'm thinking of buying a DRZ400 the plan is to use it mostly as a light weight adventure bike for a couple of months before buying a 701

My worries are reliability, power and comfort for a 350km trip p/day, also not sure what to look out for as I don't know these bikes

I've owned a KTM640adv and some KTM690's

Looking at this one Saturday not sure on the model and year, budget is R20k

IMG 20200303 WA0027" border="0

madmax · « **Reply #1 on:** March 05, 2020, 10:07:49 am »

love my drz ..if airbox mod done plenty power.. no issues with reliability ..350k in dirt no issue if u stand all day.. seat terrible and pain in ass but if u sit far back a bit better

the ruffian · « **Reply #2 on:** March 05, 2020, 10:10:25 am »

Buy it. Fantastic bikes. Easy to work on on. Ultra-reliable. No problem on the long road, if you ride at the sweet spot.

Ride it until your new bike, and then sell it to me...

LouisXander · « **Reply #3 on:** March 05, 2020, 10:45:38 am »

Kry n skaap velletjie om jou gat se probleme te sort. Long range tanks is net kark skaars vir hulle, anders is dit n ideale bike.

Vra vir Sidetrack.

GravelFox · « **Reply #4 on:** March 05, 2020, 01:30:21 pm »

Agree about the seat. Mine had a hard aftermarket type of seat cover and was like a “plank”. Further very nice.

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Ri · « **Reply #5 on:** March 05, 2020, 02:10:55 pm »

Met a guy in Namibia who rode from Switzerland down the West Coast of Africa to Cape Town on his lowered DRZ400. Was going to ship it home from Cape Town but decided neither he nor bike was tired, and rode back up to Switzerland via the East Coast of Africa. 14,000km later and no hassles. He tours it all over the world.

sidetrack · « **Reply #6 on:** March 05, 2020, 02:11:54 pm »

Weird mods on that one, rear light etc. Anyway great bikes, what reliability problems mine had almost 100 000km on it when I last saw it. Just check the oil often, dry sump baffles brains.

LouisXander · « **Reply #7 on:** March 05, 2020, 02:14:11 pm »

Waterpump impeller is one of the known issues aint it?

Dirt Junkie · « **Reply #8 on:** March 05, 2020, 02:21:20 pm »

Thanks for all the input so far

LouisXander · « **Reply #9 on:** March 05, 2020, 02:22:28 pm »

Im also contemplating selling the GSA for a DRz ...

GravelFox · « **Reply #10 on:** March 05, 2020, 02:22:49 pm »

Quote from: sidetrack on March 05, 2020, 02:11:54 pm

Weird mods on that one, rear light etc. Anyway great bikes, what reliability problems mine had almost 100 000km on it when I last saw it. Just check the oil often, dry sump baffles brains.

I think that tail light was an aftermarket kit to make the E model road legal. Mine had it on before I restored it back to normal.

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trevo · « **Reply #11 on:** March 05, 2020, 02:23:48 pm »

Quote from: LouisXander on March 05, 2020, 02:14:11 pm

Waterpump impeller is one of the known issues aint it?

Not to my knowledge, I got 3 of them, one for the past 14 years no water pump issues, only done shimming still runs fine, check the stator and clutch casings for damage from the levers, normally from falling over and cracks the casings, 1st farkel to add.

LouisXander · « **Reply #12 on:** March 05, 2020, 02:26:05 pm »

I have the aftermarket tail light i had on my DRz on my XR600 nowadays

LouisXander · « **Reply #13 on:** March 05, 2020, 02:28:07 pm »

Good to hear

GravelFox · « **Reply #14 on:** March 05, 2020, 02:29:33 pm »

Quote from: trevo on March 05, 2020, 02:23:48 pm

Quote from: LouisXander on March 05, 2020, 02:14:11 pm
Waterpump impeller is one of the known issues aint it?

Not to my knowledge, I got 3 of them, one for the past 14 years no water pump issues, only done shimming still runs fine, check the stator and clutch casings for damage from the levers, normally from falling over and cracks the casings, 1st farkel to add.

Sorry for the high jack...Trevo you are the one with the DRZ we normally met at the Graskop Grasren outside Heilbron?

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trevo · « **Reply #15 on:** March 05, 2020, 02:33:45 pm »

I still have the standard tail light available if required,

sidetrack · « **Reply #16 on:** March 05, 2020, 02:33:48 pm »

Quote from: GravelFox on March 05, 2020, 02:22:49 pm

Quote from: sidetrack on March 05, 2020, 02:11:54 pm
Weird mods on that one, rear light etc. Anyway great bikes, what reliability problems mine had almost 100 000km on it when I last saw it. Just check the oil often, dry sump baffles brains.
I think that tail light was an aftermarket kit to make the E model road legal. Mine had it on before I restored it back to normal.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The E we got in SA was the same as Aussie spec with proper Suzuki lights, flickers etc. The older off road E as you said did not have any additional lights, just be careful as a whilst back someone said they are difficult to register on the road as the Enatis might indicate off road only.

trevo · « **Reply #17 on:** March 05, 2020, 02:36:36 pm »

Quote from: GravelFox on March 05, 2020, 02:29:33 pm

Quote from: trevo on March 05, 2020, 02:23:48 pm
Quote from: LouisXander on March 05, 2020, 02:14:11 pm
Waterpump impeller is one of the known issues aint it?

Not to my knowledge, I got 3 of them, one for the past 14 years no water pump issues, only done shimming still runs fine, check the stator and clutch casings for damage from the levers, normally from falling over and cracks the casings, 1st farkel to add.

Sorry for the high jack...Trevo you are the one with the DRZ we normally met at the Graskop Grasren outside Heilbron?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Jip that`s me

GravelFox · « **Reply #18 on:** March 05, 2020, 02:41:28 pm »

Lekker man

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Dirt Junkie · « **Reply #19 on:** March 05, 2020, 03:02:23 pm »

Quote from: sidetrack on March 05, 2020, 02:33:48 pm

Quote from: GravelFox on March 05, 2020, 02:22:49 pm
Quote from: sidetrack on March 05, 2020, 02:11:54 pm
Weird mods on that one, rear light etc. Anyway great bikes, what reliability problems mine had almost 100 000km on it when I last saw it. Just check the oil often, dry sump baffles brains.
I think that tail light was an aftermarket kit to make the E model road legal. Mine had it on before I restored it back to normal.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The E we got in SA was the same as Aussie spec with proper Suzuki lights, flickers etc. The older off road E as you said did not have any additional lights, just be careful as a whilst back someone said they are difficult to register on the road as the Enatis might indicate off road only.

the bike is on the road and registered so no problem there