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Motorcycle Forum / General / Sportbikes / August 2006On topic, non sportbike post...
Anyone ridden one of them DR-Z400S type Zooki's? Particularly on the highway? It looks like an off road bike mostly, so I assume its a better dirtroad bike than something like the KLR650, but how does it do for REAL highway work? I assume it isn't as good as a KLR, but lets say I was in a hotel, 10 miles from some cool dirt roads. Can it do 10 miles? 30 miles? 100 miles? While I bet I could find a way to ride a KLR650 for 500 miles in a day, the DRZ400 looks "dirty" enough to not be particularly pleasant over a long highway haul. Heres the theory, I had the Titan up four wheeling at about 10,000 altitude last weekend, and ran into a group of trucks which had hauled pure dirtbikes up into the boonies, and then they rode the dirtbikes further back in. On two occasions, I jammed the Titan so far back on ATV trails that I had to back out, 1/2 mile here or there, to get maneuvered around to drive back out the regular way. So, I figure I get a streetable bike, keep some decent knobbies on it, haul it back into to the middle of nowhere, then ride around to places you can't get in the truck, load it back up, move to another national forest, repeat as necessary until I have explored any and all jeep trails in the area. The KLR, when I did this type of stuff, was real tall, and way heavy up high, but it would still sorta do it. In exchange for its limitations, you could still ride it all day to the next jeep trail. While I would do that, I don't need a real "street" dualsport because I've got the mighty mite, so I can lean towards something more "dirty" this time around. > Anyone ridden one of them DR-Z400S type Zooki's? Particularly on the > highway? It looks like an off road bike mostly, so I assume its a better > dirtroad bike than something like the KLR650 I personally think it's a suck a.s dirt bike in that form. Too heavy. Not a bad desert ride, but not a woods-crusher by any means. OTOH, it's streetable. You should be able to manage 300 miles a day, no worries. Hell, I just put 225 miles on Bannon's Husky yesterday. The DR is like a barcalounger in comparison. Make that 400 miles a day! >-- Peckham 2003 GasGas TXT200 Pro 2002 GasGas TXT280 2001 GasGas TXT280 2000 Suzuki SV650 1983 Peugeot 103 SP 1981 Peugeot 103 SP > > Anyone ridden one of them DR-Z400S type Zooki's? Particularly on the > > highway? It looks like an off road bike mostly, so I assume its a better [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Not a bad desert ride, but not a woods-crusher by any means. OTOH, it's > streetable. You should be able to manage 300 miles a day, no worries. I see the DRZ 400's all the time in the woods. The riders complain about them constantly but they're out there. In the desert I think they work better, as Peckham says. They come street legal and work pretty well on pavement. They're cheap and reliable, heavy and under-powered. I see them all the time on the street too, those guys seem to have no complaints. For 99% street use I'd get a XR 650 L. > Hell, I just put 225 miles on Bannon's Husky yesterday. The DR is like > a barcalounger in comparison. Make that 400 miles a day! > Peckham Bannon I'll trade you mile for mile, the Husky & the KTM. I think you'd like it. Peckham you can ride the KTM all you like, I owe you big time. Greg Sumner Seattle, WA '98 XR 400 Dualsport '06 KTM 200 XC-W >I see the DRZ 400's all the time in the woods. The riders complain >about them constantly but they're out there. In the desert I think [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] >'98 XR 400 Dualsport >'06 KTM 200 XC-W "Cheap and reliable, heavy and underpowered." Yet loveable by many, we see. Two guys in my riding posse have (or had) these: for what it is, it seems to work OK. Clif sold his, with an eye for something more-raucous (TBD: KTM-Aprilia-Husqvarna, perhaps). From every review I've read your bike is exceptional on the trail (OK, I jest: one review, KTM 300 vs. the Gas Gas 300, not quite the same but close). I'd never talk smack about KTM, they were a finalist in the Supermoto quest past few months. Certainly great Seattle-local dealer support, too. BUT: I like dirt bikes fine, but care not for dirt riding. So there we go: know thyself. Might take you up on it, nonetheless, though yours ain't street legal and mine probably isn't trail legal ;-) > "Cheap and reliable, heavy and underpowered." Yet loveable by many, > we see. Two guys in my riding posse have (or had) these: for what it > is, it seems to work OK. Clif sold his, with an eye for something > more-raucous (TBD: KTM-Aprilia-Husqvarna, perhaps). As you recall I almost bought one. Most people dig them for a while, but sell them for something more focused. They make neither excellent trail bikes or street bikes, but get a solid grade in all areas. > From every review I've read your bike is exceptional on the trail (OK, > I jest: one review, KTM 300 vs. the Gas Gas 300, not quite the same > but close). I'd never talk smack about KTM, they were a finalist in > the Supermoto quest past few months. Certainly great Seattle-local > dealer support, too. The 300 and 200 are very different but both exceptional trail bikes. The 200 is quicker and lighter but the most common complaint is the motocross-like power hit. The 300 has a lot more torque but not so much quickness, and is heavier, and only comes in 5 speeds (the 200 has 6). The 200 is built on the 125 frame, while the 250's and 300's have a larger frame. I could go on and on, but this is the sport bike group right? Gas Gas is generally considered the best dirt bike you can get, but I think it's just splitting hairs at that point. And at my skill level it doesn't make much difference. > BUT: I like dirt bikes fine, but care not for dirt riding. So there > we go: know thyself. Might take you up on it, nonetheless, though > yours ain't street legal and mine probably isn't trail legal ;-) Mine isn't street legal but it has a license plate. Which only serves to scare away the forest rangers. It's no fun on the street anyway. Anyhow it's yours any time you wanna ride it. Greg Sumner Seattle, WA '98 XR 400 Dualsport '06 KTM 200 XC-W > The 200 is quicker and lighter but the most common complaint is the > motocross-like power hit. Easily solved. You need an 8 to 12 oz. flywheel weight. There are two ways to do this. The first is to send in yer flywheel in and have it machined. The second, and easier way, is to bolt on a flywheel weight. There is a company in Oregon that makes an excellent one. It transformed my CR into a great woods machine. > > The 200 is quicker and lighter but the most common complaint is the > > motocross-like power hit. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > There is a company in Oregon that makes an excellent one. It > transformed my CR into a great woods machine. That was the 1st thing I did, I added a 12oz weight. Not so much for the hit but so I'd quit stalling. After riding the "unstallable" XR I killed the KTM about 30 times on my first ride. Gotta keep the revs up on the 2-stroke. Anyhow back to Troy's original question, for putting around the woods off your pickup truck a DRZ400 would go anywhere you point it, no problem. For "serious all-dirt riding" most guys get a lighter bike, but for what you want it's probably perfect. > Anyhow back to Troy's original question, for putting around the woods > off your pickup truck a DRZ400 would go anywhere you point it, no > problem. For "serious all-dirt riding" most guys get a lighter bike, > but for what you want it's probably perfect. Thats what I was wondering. Jeep trails aren't anywhere near "dirt riding", I just want to zip on through a Jeep trail without an average speed of 2mph like they do. Zip back on the bike, look around, zip back to the truck, maybe down the road a little and try out another back road. > Thats what I was wondering. Jeep trails aren't anywhere near "dirt > riding", I just want to zip on through a Jeep trail without an average > speed of 2mph like they do. Zip back on the bike, look around, zip back to > the truck, maybe down the road a little and try out another back road. Troy, Seriously this is what you want: http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/products/modelhome/10/0/home.aspx I've ridden (mountain bike) and driven many of the trails in the Wasatch and Unitas, I think this bike would be excellent. On the other hand, I really think you should get an old Trail 90. There are many in excellent condition for about $1500. Bryan > Troy, > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Bryan You don't think I would find a REAL dual sport a little more interesting than just a small trailie? > You don't think I would find a REAL dual sport a little more interesting > than just a small trailie? Not really. I suggested the 200cc bike over the 90cc due to your experience, age and perceived weight. You suggested going faster than the jeeps, no problem on the trail 90 or theYamaha. Those trails in the Rockies can get nasty in second, a light bike with low seat height is a confidence builder. Falling off a taller bike on a narrow or weird rutted trail is much more painful than stepping off an old school trailie. You may want to try the dirt newsgroups, you'll get a whole new perspective. Bryan >> You don't think I would find a REAL dual sport a little more interesting >> than just a small trailie? > > Not really. I suggested the 200cc bike over the 90cc due to your > experience, age and perceived weight. Perceived weight...hehehe Troy and I have gravitational pull.  SignatureAndrew 00 Daytona 00 Speed Triple 71 Kawi H1 05 Toddler >>> You don't think I would find a REAL dual sport a little more interesting >>> than just a small trailie? [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Perceived weight...hehehe > Troy and I have gravitational pull. I like having gravitational pull. >>> You don't think I would find a REAL dual sport a little more >>> interesting than just a small trailie? [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Perceived weight...hehehe > Troy and I have gravitational pull. The polite phrase for that overhang is....'The verandah over the toy shop'........ > >>> You don't think I would find a REAL dual sport a little more > >>> interesting than just a small trailie? [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > The polite phrase for that overhang is....'The verandah over the toy > shop'........ How bout "a fuel tank for an ass-whoopin machine!" Greg >> Anyhow back to Troy's original question, for putting around the woods >> off your pickup truck a DRZ400 would go anywhere you point it, no [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >like they do. Zip back on the bike, look around, zip back to the truck, >maybe down the road a little and try out another back road. An Apriia RXV450 would make even shorter work of it. A wild ride, while it lasted! |
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