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I'll throw in a 2x4. It'll be more comfortable than the stock seat.
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May 7, 2012 20:29
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| # ? May 14, 2024 00:56 |
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Olde Weird Tip posted:Dont think I didnt consider a fly-n-drive
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May 7, 2012 20:33
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What's cheaper insurance wise: DRZ400SM WR250X Ninja 250? Assuming that the rider is the same for all three motorcycles. I'm just curious as to whether or not the fact that the ninja is considered small displacement, if it's cheaper than either of the two intro type motards.
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May 7, 2012 22:40
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Ideal Paradigm posted:What's cheaper insurance wise:
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May 7, 2012 22:52
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None of those are even a concern man. Liability and comp for my DRZ was 200 a year with low deductibles. If you wreck, it's not worth having full coverage imo as everything really isn't that much to fix in most scenarios. Even full coverage on it was something reasonable if I remember correctly but honestly plastics are 125 a set or something and if you have bark busters and swing arm sliders it's probably fine in a low side situation. That being said, if you can get full coverage for cheaper than I can i.e. you're over 25 you might as well. All three of those choices are cheappp though.
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May 7, 2012 23:50
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Oh crap I've been reading this thread for the past 4 days (drat life in the military, letting threads get away from me), had a quick browse on eBay late one night and ran into this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/suzuki-drz400e-supermoto-enduro-swaps-/120907944915?pt=UK_Motorcycles&hash=item1c26acd3d3 That's a very cheap price for that bike (particularly because it's not even an auction, I could just offer the buy it now). I am stupidly tempted. I was already thinking about another bike, I'm sure I can persuade my sister there's enough space in her garage for another bike (there's 3 already) and I reckon I could get my brother-in-law to pass his full test if that was sat waiting. More reasons. Does it look OK? What sort of things would I be looking at if I went to look/buy? Persuade me CA. Let the group-think do it's thing
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May 7, 2012 23:52
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My WR250x was $17/mo for full coverage in california with state farm. I also had an auto and renter's policy though. YMMV. 26 years old with no points or at fault accidents.
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May 7, 2012 23:53
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Alright, so I'm scheduled to take the MSF Basic Rider Course soon. I'm going to be using one of their training motorcycles because I've never ridden before. I've been looking at what motorcycle that I would like to buy, and it essentially comes down to: Ninja 250R DRZ400SM I would like to buy a bike that is going to last a few years. I know that people say that you usually want to move up to a more powerful bike after a few years, or maybe one year. I'm really split down the middle, and I'm not sure which to get. The DRZ will offer more long lasting power, and a different style of riding in which I'm really interested. However, the Ninja 250 is cheaper and I can buy one now instead of waiting a few months (2-3 months). And lastly, I don't know how much this matters, I'm short, 5'7" or 170 cm, so I'm not sure how much height plays into riding a motorcycle comfortably. The DRZ's seat height is 35" or 89 cm and the Ninja is only 30" or 76 cm. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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May 8, 2012 00:17
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Ideal Paradigm posted:Alright, so I'm scheduled to take the MSF Basic Rider Course soon. I'm going to be using one of their training motorcycles because I've never ridden before. I've never had a ride on a DRZ, but as a fellow short person (5'8") I would be afraid of a bike (as my first bike) with a high seat height. For your first bike you will be loads more comfortable if you can flat foot with both feet. Which you can do on the ninja. Once you become more comfortable with handling a motorcycle at low speeds, don't worry about seat height as much. If I were you I'd get the ninja now, ride the poo poo out of it and then sell it for about my purchase price next year. https://www.cycle-ergo.com is a great place to check out your relative ability to flat foot. (its not 100% accurate but gives you a reasonable idea) e:confusing syntax Bloody Queef fucked around with this message at 00:27 on May 8, 2012 |
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May 8, 2012 00:24
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Keep in mind the DRZ sags more than a 250 will. That seat height measurement is unweighted. You can shave seat foam off either bike if you really needed to but you should just learn to keep one foot on the peg and one on the ground and you'll be fine. It's really not a big deal.
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May 8, 2012 00:49
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JP Money posted:Keep in mind the DRZ sags more than a 250 will. That seat height measurement is unweighted. You can shave seat foam off either bike if you really needed to but you should just learn to keep one foot on the peg and one on the ground and you'll be fine. It's really not a big deal. I maintain that if his first bike is one he can flatfoot there's a decent chance he'll never drop a bike in his lifetime. I'm an idiot klutz and have never dropped my bike while on it because my first bike I could flatfoot. If his first bike only allows him to have one foot on the ground, he will definitely drop the DRZ.
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May 8, 2012 00:56
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Bloody Queef posted:I maintain that if his first bike is one he can flatfoot there's a decent chance he'll never drop a bike in his lifetime. I'm an idiot klutz and have never dropped my bike while on it because my first bike I could flatfoot. If his first bike only allows him to have one foot on the ground, he will definitely drop the DRZ. Do you own a bike now that you flat foot on both feet? Or do you now ride a bike that you flat foot on one foot or not at all? And is there a big difference between flat footing one both vs. one foot?
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May 8, 2012 01:02
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I have both a Ninja 250 and a DRZ400SM. I started with the Ninja 250 and that's what I would recommend as a first bike. The Ninja 250 felt more forgiving and more useful. It had a longer range and was more comfortable on the highway as well, in case you'll be using it for commuting or longer rides. Plus the price is right, and if you can get in three extra months of riding this year... you should.
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May 8, 2012 01:09
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Ideal Paradigm posted:And is there a big difference between flat footing one both vs. one foot? Supermotos are light enough that planting both feet on the ground isn't really a big deal. I could understand if it was an SV650 or a cruiser, something north of 400lbs, but touching down on only one foot on a DRZ shouldn't be a deal breaker unless you are like 100lbs wet.
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May 8, 2012 01:12
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Gnaghi posted:Supermotos are light enough that planting both feet on the ground isn't really a big deal. I could understand if it was an SV650 or a cruiser, something north of 400lbs, but touching down on only one foot on a DRZ shouldn't be a deal breaker unless you are like 100lbs wet. Good point. I wasn't thinking about how light a DRZ is.
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May 8, 2012 01:14
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Resource posted:I have both a Ninja 250 and a DRZ400SM. I started with the Ninja 250 and that's what I would recommend as a first bike. The Ninja 250 felt more forgiving and more useful. It had a longer range and was more comfortable on the highway as well, in case you'll be using it for commuting or longer rides. Plus the price is right, and if you can get in three extra months of riding this year... you should. I've read a ton about the DRZ being great for commuting, but the Ninja 250 is better than the DRZ for commuting? I live and work in San Diego, so I would be able to ride year round, for the most part. Gnaghi posted:Supermotos are light enough that planting both feet on the ground isn't really a big deal. I could understand if it was an SV650 or a cruiser, something north of 400lbs, but touching down on only one foot on a DRZ shouldn't be a deal breaker unless you are like 100lbs wet. I'm 155 lbs, if that makes any difference. How much would a DRZ sag for me?
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May 8, 2012 01:52
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Bloody Queef posted:I maintain that if his first bike is one he can flatfoot there's a decent chance he'll never drop a bike in his lifetime. I'm an idiot klutz and have never dropped my bike while on it because my first bike I could flatfoot. If his first bike only allows him to have one foot on the ground, he will definitely drop the DRZ. He will definitely drop the DRZ once or twice, but if it has bark busters it will definitely suffer zero damage from the drop.
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May 8, 2012 02:19
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Ideal Paradigm posted:I'm 155 lbs, if that makes any difference. How much would a DRZ sag for me? Not a ton. I weigh about a hundred pounds more than you, and it didn't sag more than 4 or 5 inches when I sat on one. What's your inseam?
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May 8, 2012 02:21
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Safety Dance posted:Not a ton. I weigh about a hundred pounds more than you, and it didn't sag more than 4 or 5 inches when I sat on one. What's your inseam? Inseam is 29".
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May 8, 2012 02:24
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According to Cycle-Ergo.com, your weight will have to sag the suspension 4.75" to get both of your feet flat.
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May 8, 2012 03:19
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It's really not a big deal to go one footed... it's not as if a ninja 250 is going to be that much lower. I'm not much taller and I can tell you that you'll probably be tippy-toed no matter what bike you're on short of some 24in height cruiser or something. It's not really unsafe - I'd say the worst part of being short on a full size bike is backing it out or moving around. On the DRZ that's a non-issue - you can just pick the loving thing up and swing it around without a problem. Also like someone else said with bark busters on you would really have to try to damage it during a small drop. The ninja 250 or drz are both good starter choices with the DRZ winning out for the fun aspect imo. 250's get pretty slow realllll fast and don't have the advantage of being fun to mess around with at low speed / off road like the SM.
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May 8, 2012 03:26
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I have a challenge for y'all. I got Cool Kids, Inc. hooked on the idea of motorcycling. She's going to MSF it up here real soon now, and I made the terrible mistake of showing her a number of DRZ400SM videos, ranging from backing it in on the track to hauling rear end up Mulholland, to trail riding, to riding down stairs, to the famous long jump in SF. She REALLY likes the idea of ONE bike that she can commute on, go do some spirited riding around the track at IMI or Bandimere here in Denver, and go up into the mountains and go camping on, with some trail/fire road riding. Here's where it gets sticky. I'm 5'9", 30" inseam, and 235#/106kg, and I get enough sag that I can touch toes on both sides. She, on the other hand, is 5'4", Unknown-but-less-than-30" inseam, and I've got better than 50 pounds on her. She hopped on the DRZ this weekend, and there was no way she was going to touch the ground unless she slid off the side all the way to a knee. Recommendations? We stopped by the cycle shop on Saturday, and she did like the fit and feel of the TW200 (Seat is 6" lower, to start with)... I did a little digging and found some links to 17" wheelsets for the TeeDub. http://www.tw-parts.com/exklusives/images/17_05.jpg With 140/80R17's seem like a good fit... Alternately, Becktastic suggested a SuperSherpa. Thoughts?
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May 8, 2012 03:28
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Well the TW200 isn't anywhere near the same realm as the DRZ. It's really heavy and has almost no power or suspension. http://www.soupysperformance.com/catalog/item/4408900/7866867.htm Enjoy! Baller Witness Bro fucked around with this message at 03:39 on May 8, 2012 |
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May 8, 2012 03:37
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I've been riding for a little over a year and I'm looking to change up my bike. I have a VF500 that's so far been fun enough when it runs and a good learning experience when it constantly breaks. I'm looking to downsize, more specifically I want less complexity, although unreliable is fine as long as it's not a 7-hour job to clean the carbs. I was looking at 250-650cc bikes under $4k and saw a lot of Ninjas, some SVs, but what I really want is a no-frills thumper with a lovely seat and no power. My first thought was a pre-2006 WR450, which is easily made street legal with a set of wheels and some switches. I'm also considering the TTR230 and TTR250 (the 250 seems better overall but hard to find compared to the 230). I want to stick to Yamaha for reasons of parts, but I won't rule out anything Honda either. I'm also short and fat (5'8" 160lbs), ride like a granny, and in Chicago where everybody rides either a Harley or a gixxer finding options has been tough. So is my plan retarded and should I just get a GS500 and shut up?
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May 8, 2012 04:17
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Jabs posted:I have a challenge for y'all. Spend a bunch of time in a parking lot, let her drop the DRZ a bunch.
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May 8, 2012 05:24
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Ideal Paradigm posted:
I am 5'4 with an inseam of 28 inches and 125lbs, and I can use one foot on my toes with the DRZ-SM and not feel uncomfortable. With MX boots on it's a bit harder, but still manageable. The nice thing about the DRZ400 compared to my old dirtbike (XL250R~300lbs) and sportbike (VFR800~500lbs) is that it feels much lighter to hold upright. Like others have said, dropping the DRZ isn't that big of a deal compared to other bikes. I dropped my new to me DRZ at work the other day. Between the axle sliders and bar ends, nothing happened to it.
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May 8, 2012 05:30
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Does the DRZ have a rear linkage? Worth looking into lowering links or cutting down the seat?
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May 8, 2012 05:39
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You can get lowering links for the DRZ, they're like 4 posts up
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May 8, 2012 05:40
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Olde Weird Tip posted:You can get lowering links for the DRZ, they're like 4 posts up Yeah, just reread this last page and no mention of lowering links. My bad if they were, but I never saw it. For the links themselves, there's http://www.koubalink.com/drzinstall.html . I don't know how much work it would make to get the bike's geometry back stable, but it's worth thinking about for a shorter rider.
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May 8, 2012 06:05
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Jabs posted:We stopped by the cycle shop on Saturday, and she did like the fit and feel of the TW200 (Seat is 6" lower, to start with)... First of all, there is no goddamn reason to change out the wheels on a TW. The stock wheels and tires are plenty good to scrape every hard part on the bike, street or dirt. Second, I will agree that the TW200 is down on power. It is not, however, "really heavy." The TW200 is pretty much the perfect learner bike and it will go 65-70mph steady down the highway (minus headwinds and big hills) with the correct gearing. It has a Reagan-era 55mph speedo redline, but the engine RPM redline is well above that. It's not a real commute bike, and it buzzes like hell on the highway and needs ManicSalamander bar end weights to tame that, but it will get the job done. It is also the least intimidating motorcycle possible, and more fun than a barrel of monkeys. You can ride that bike like a minature pony at the county fair, or you can basically hold the throttle open ALL THE TIME and embarrass sportbikers in the corners (downhill preferable). MotoMind fucked around with this message at 06:32 on May 8, 2012 |
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May 8, 2012 06:29
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Guys How does this one look? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/suzuki-drz400e-supermoto-enduro-swaps-/120907944915?pt=UK_Motorcycles&hash=item1c26acd3d3 Is there anything specific to DRZs that I would need to poke or prod? Also, how is a 400SM different from a 400E that's been supermotoed?
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May 8, 2012 07:50
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Orange Someone posted:Guys I didnt know you could plate E models in the uk/ireland. The E has a better carb, more agggressive cam profile (pre 06 anyway) and a larger diameter header. So basically it has all the go-fast mods people do to their SMs already done out of the box. That one has a nice front brake upgrade done to it. I was looking at that bike last night, if it wasnt at the wrong side of england one of my mates was going to hop on the ferry to go get it. edit, I think the older non USD forks have a little less trail with the sumo wheels than the USDs on the newer models, making them slightly more twitchy, but there are lots of people riding around on them so it cant be that big of a deal. echomadman fucked around with this message at 13:03 on May 8, 2012 |
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May 8, 2012 12:59
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velocross posted:Yeah, just reread this last page and no mention of lowering links. My bad if they were, but I never saw it. For the links themselves, there's http://www.koubalink.com/drzinstall.html . I don't know how much work it would make to get the bike's geometry back stable, but it's worth thinking about for a shorter rider. drat son JP Money posted:Well the TW200 isn't anywhere near the same realm as the DRZ. It's really heavy and has almost no power or suspension.
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May 8, 2012 14:16
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echomadman posted:I didnt know you could plate E models in the uk/ireland. That's awesome to hear. And slightly terrifying. I can feel my willpower disappearing. Is there anything I would need to check closely on these bikes? I wouldn't have modded the bike if I owned one, but I'm not going to complain about more power. drat, I think I'm sold *edit* Also, thanks for replying. Even if my bank balance doesn't thank you
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May 8, 2012 17:01
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Orange Someone posted:That's awesome to hear. And slightly terrifying. I can feel my willpower disappearing. There is a list of recommended fixes that mostly center around loctite on things that can rattle loose. You can find that list on the DRZ section of the Thumpertalk forums. If it has the OEM cam chain tensioner, replace that with an aftermarket one. Other than that, there isnt much to watch on them
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May 8, 2012 17:24
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Welp, I rang my sister expecting her to be my conscience. She likes it it. I mentioned that there might not be enough space in the garage. She'd make space. I talk to my brother-in-law. He likes it. He'd make space in the garage. He'd even pass his test to ride it. If he had to. I phoned my best mate. He loves it. He thinks I should buy. I mentioned there might not be enough space with the rest of my bikes. He says he has space. Dammit people Guess I'll be joining your little club
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May 8, 2012 21:34
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What do you guys think about this bike for the price? I'm trying to find out what extras he has on it, so far he told me that it's been rejetted and it has a monster coil. http://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/mcy/2973812916.html Edit: This is what he says is on the bike uni air filter grip seat decals (I would probably remove these, since it's a black bike) just bought a brand new rear tire bigger front brake rotor red radiator hoses wider pegs MSR shift lever HID light heavy duty inner tubes pro taper handle bar clamps fatbar handlebars monster coil jetted carb fork seals and seal savers skid plate Ideal Paradigm fucked around with this message at 04:38 on May 9, 2012 |
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May 9, 2012 03:06
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I wouldn't pay $4500 for a DRZ unless it was nearly pristine. The mods add zero value and the owner obviously has the mental capacity of a snail.
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May 9, 2012 06:09
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Ideal Paradigm posted:http://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/mcy/2973812916.html What in the world is "no tattos"?
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May 9, 2012 11:34
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| # ? May 14, 2024 00:56 |
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Welp, I'm now a member of the club. Bike #1 XR125L Bike #2 1993 CB400 Bike #3 1993 CB400 (identical bike, bought for my best friend) Bike #4 ER-5 (My sister's bike) Bike #5 DR-Z400E(SM) Pick up is saturday, then 143 mile ride home. My best mate is coming with me, so we may be swapping bikes on the way back (not if I have anything to do with it).
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May 9, 2012 18:09
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