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Covert Ops Wizard posted:My 2 cents is while the DRZ is great for bigger guys, the power is lacking (compared to my 675) and the weight is really high up on the bike. However, I just bought it yesterday and dropped it at low speed today and there were no tears. I just picked it right up, waited half an hour (something had flooded I guess) and it was as if it never happened. It's gonna be the bike I learn to hoon on without worrying about breaking it too much. If the PO didnt already do it its worth taking a file or otherwise sanding down the back of the gear shift pedal, its ridiculously sharp and can puncture the engine casing in a fall if it gets hit the right way. Case protectors are a cheap way to get peace of mind about dropping the bike too. http://www.zenoverland.com/bikebits/cfc_offroad_drz.html
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May 16, 2013 12:16
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The Royal Nonesuch posted:I'm looking at a new bike in the next few months as I am rapidly outgrowing my starter. I'm thinking it's definitely going to be a sumo I'm 6'3" and 260 and the DRZ is fine for me. My riding schedule is very similar to yours, commute during the week, play on the weekends. Even with the stock carb and stock pipe it would wheelie in second over bumps with me on it. I live in a hilly area, but not "mountainous hilly", so I cant speak too much to that end. I can say that my DRZ is much quicker than my dads heritage softail was, not to mention the brakes and suspension are absolutely night and day compared to the Harley. You will want to put the correct springs in for your weight, as, like most japanese bikes, the DRZ is sprung for about 120lbs. You would want to do this no matter what bike you get though. Most people say you can get away with up to about 180lbs on the DRZ SM before the stock spring starts to show its shortcomings in the weight-holding area. Eibach sells springs rated for a rider weight up to like 320lbs, so you dont have anything to worry about. No doubt the 690 is faster than the DRZ, but in the end its about whats important to you. If you'd rather have a less expensive bike (purchase-wise and maintenance-wise) with much more available parts (OEM and aftermarket) everywhere, then get the DRZ. The DRZ is a very known quantity, there are no mysteries about it. People are still loving with the 690 fuel injection trying to get it right. That being said, if you need the horsepower above all else, get the 690.
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May 16, 2013 14:49
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The Royal Nonesuch posted:I have a terrible obsession with 690 SMCs There is nothing terrible about it, it's a perfectly healthy obsession. The suspension is pretty well set up for someone of your weight, you might want to bump up the rear pre-load a little but that's it. quote:These mountains have a fairly rapid elevation gain, and that's where my current bike (Sportster 883) is really beginning to lack - I'm scraping exhaust going downhill, but accelerating uphill sucks with my big rear end onboard. The 690 positively rips up my local hillclimb hill. I run out of traction long before I run out of power. quote:The reduced price and maintenance reqs on the DRZ appeal to me The maintenance requirements on the 690s are actually pretty minimal. The oil changes are more frequent at 3K miles, although if you do a lot of short journeys 2K would be more appropriate. There is two filters to change, but they're both cheap, standard cartridges. Valve checks are a breeze once you get the hang of removing the airbox and hoses. It's got a shim-in-stem single-cam twin-rocker setup that is super easy to change shims on. Many report valves in spec all the way out to 20k miles and more however. The spec on the KTM versus the DRZ makes up at least of the price difference for me. The equipment is great, the brakes are especially amazing, all braided lines and a huge 4 pot Brembo caliper on a 320mm disk makes for easy one-finger stoppies. The suspension components are excellent and the general fit and finish is really very good.
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May 16, 2013 15:31
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The Royal Nonesuch posted:I'm looking at a new bike in the next few months as I am rapidly outgrowing my starter. I'm thinking it's definitely going to be a sumo I'm a little taller and a little heavier (6'5" and maybe 220lbs) but I'd say a 690 is a good thing for you. I've never ridden a DRZ so I can't compare but the 690 SM I have is great for twisty mountain runs, it's also a great commuter.
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May 17, 2013 01:53
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Covert Ops Wizard posted:The 690 is a sexy, sexy bike and might be my next one if I have as much fun on my DRZ as I think I'm gonna have. Yeah I don't know what it is but drat, it's just a righteous looking bike. Jim Silly-Balls posted:I'm 6'3" and 260 and the DRZ is fine for me. My riding schedule is very similar to yours, commute during the week, play on the weekends. Even with the stock carb and stock pipe it would wheelie in second over bumps with me on it. I live in a hilly area, but not "mountainous hilly", so I cant speak too much to that end. I'm sure a DRZ would be more than adequate for general flatland running about. All the ones on craigslist I've seen around here are airbox /jet/Yoshi modded anyway, so it seems that's the status quo. I sat on a used one at the local bike shop and still may go that route when I get realistic about finances, but for now I'm looking at it as a pure hobby thing and I need that power son!  Excellent info, thanks! I talked to a coworker who's the resident biek guru and his ~280lbs roommate apparently tears up the local mountain roads on a 625 Enduro. I'm not too afraid of maintenance, I've got the tools and all so it's just a matter of learning and making the time. How often are you supposed to do valve checks?Aargh posted:I'm a little taller and a little heavier (6'5" and maybe 220lbs) but I'd say a 690 is a good thing for you. I've never ridden a DRZ so I can't compare but the 690 SM I have is great for twisty mountain runs, it's also a great commuter. Good, if you're comfortable on it then I will survive  Thanks for the tips dudes. They installed new speed bumps in the parking lot at work today which enraged me because I hate motherfucking speed bumps can I launch over them with a 690SMC y/n?
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May 17, 2013 03:23
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The Royal Nonesuch posted:
I think you already know the answer to that question
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May 17, 2013 04:46
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Someone tell me I Listing here: http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/mcy/3798599314.html Somebody in the dfw area please buy this so it will stop putting terrible ideas in my head. 
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May 17, 2013 06:33
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Paging korwen to the orange ktm phone.
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May 17, 2013 07:08
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velocross posted:Someone tell me I I'm sure someone's about to tell you it would rip your motherfucking face off, so I'll offer the following. It's not a good bike for a total beginner, not the worst either. I was still pretty green when I got mine; I learned to ride hacking around on a DT175 when I lived in Uganda, then when I got home I went bike shopping after about a year, went to the KTM dealership to get a 350 or something, and saw they had a great deal on the 690 range. The bad: The throttle is probably the biggest problem for a beginner, as a big, torquey fuel injected single it's very, very direct. Just a bump in the road and too much throttle will pretty much guarantee a wheelie. It does have a nerfed throttle map which reduces power and twitchiness, and I used this map while I got to grips with the bike. It was autumn when I got it, then when summer finally came I switched up to the normal map, and by the end of summer I was tearing it up on the performance setting. The good: The power is very linear, with no surprise "peaks" like you might find on a 600 supersport. The handling is fantastic, and the chassis is very forgiving. Several times now I have lost rear traction only to have the bike just sort itself out before I even had a chance to poo poo myself. When you drop it, bits are cheap.* When you drop it, you might not even need bits, they are very tough bikes.** When you drop it, it is light, and easy to pick up.*** Basically, if you're a sensible person with good impulse control, you might be OK, but you'd learn quicker and have more fun on a DRZ. * You're going to drop your first bike, you may think you're different but you're not. ** No really, you're going to drop it, or wash out the front grabbing too much brake, or something. *** Seriously, you're going to drop it. ReelBigLizard fucked around with this message at 09:00 on May 17, 2013 |
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May 17, 2013 08:56
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A 690 probably isnt the greatest learner bike for the aforementioned reasons. I know its got DEM HORSPOWERZ but you'll actually be faster on a DRZ.
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May 17, 2013 14:41
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Speaking of 690's, I'd like to take this time to show you I'm a cool kid too, I promise!  The dealer I got it from gives a 20% rebate if you order stuff from the Power parts catalog when you buy the bike. So I ordered sliders front and rear, the Akra titan silencer and the EVO 2 kit. I'm gonna die, ain't I?
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May 17, 2013 15:26
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Nidhg00670000 posted:I'm gonna die, ain't I? Only when I murder you for your delicious bike.
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May 17, 2013 18:24
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Nidhg00670000 posted:I'm gonna die, ain't I? A loud, glorious flaming black and orange death; A death they will whisper about around camp fires. "I hear he's damned to wheelie up and down the old mill road for all time, forever looping back on himself to find the license plate he shook off."
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May 17, 2013 18:30
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I'd probably stick to the time honored tradition of DRZ and then KTM. Mostly because the DRZ is great fun to flog and you never feel intimidated by what is going to happen when you hammer on the the throttle or go flying offroad on it, and they don't really devalue much. Ride the DRZ for a year, have a bunch of fun on it, and then buy the KTM when you get tired of having to clutch it up in 3rd gear. The KTM is pretty stiff and aggressively set up unless you're willing to flog the poo poo out of it, although that might be because I only weigh around 170 pounds, maybe if you're heavier the suspension works better at lower speeds.
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May 17, 2013 18:33
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Z3n posted:I'd probably stick to the time honored tradition of DRZ and then KTM. Mostly because the DRZ is great fun to flog and you never feel intimidated by what is going to happen when you hammer on the the throttle or go flying offroad on it, and they don't really devalue much. Ride the DRZ for a year, have a bunch of fun on it, and then buy the KTM when you get tired of having to clutch it up in 3rd gear. The KTM is pretty stiff and aggressively set up unless you're willing to flog the poo poo out of it, although that might be because I only weigh around 170 pounds, maybe if you're heavier the suspension works better at lower speeds. I find the DRZ pretty aggressive as well. I get a little annoyed on some lightly washboarded roads on my way to work, but it's a small price to pay for the directness in corners and around town. FWIW I'm in the 170 range as well; the previous owner was about 250 and he had no complaints about the suspension. I wish I'd gotten a DRZ earlier in my bike history.
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May 18, 2013 14:01
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I'm in a situation where I might be able to replace my '09 DRZ with an '07 SXV 550 with 5000km for very little money out of pocket. I know it won't be as reliable as my DRZ, but how terrible of an idea would this be? I have a VFR as well as a car, so it's not like I need a reliable daily ride, but I also don't want to break the bank on expensive Italian parts. I've seen the bike around town before and it sounds amazing with the akrapovic exhaust. Just before anyone asks, supermotos are virtually non-existent where I live, there are a few DRZ's and I think one 690, so my chances of finding a used KTM are 0. I'm not pressed to replace the DRZ, just seems like it might be fun to change it up. Thoughts?
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May 18, 2013 23:09
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I'd tend to err on the side of the entire internet in staying away from those unless you can afford to replace lots of expensive things. Owning one in the first year or so if it's under warranty is guaranteed to be awesome but personally there are too many reports of either of the Aprilia sumo's exploding for me to grab one. I was tempted by a rather cheap one as well and realized how dumb it would be to own one. If sumo's are that rare wherever you are that also means an Aprilia or Ktm dealer is also rare making it difficult to get work done or parts ordered. My vote (typical goon hivemind) is to keep the DRZ unless you find a big KTM somehow.
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May 18, 2013 23:16
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Niven posted:I'm in a situation where I might be able to replace my '09 DRZ with an '07 SXV 550 with 5000km for very little money out of pocket. 
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May 18, 2013 23:29
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^ That sums it up nicely.
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May 18, 2013 23:33
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Niven posted:I'm in a situation where I might be able to replace my '09 DRZ with an '07 SXV 550 with 5000km for very little money out of pocket. My roommate had one, really a fun bike the one time he started it in the year and a half I lived there. He was too afraid of it blowing up to ride the drat thing. It's a race bike with race bike type service intervals with the added bonus of being rare-ish and expensive to fix WHEN it blows up. If you want a race motard pick up a converted motorcross bike (CRF450R, KX450, etc). They will have the same rediculous service intervals, tons of power and be a lot of fun but when they blow up you can go to your local Honda/Kawasaki/Etc shop and have parts within a week. I had a CRF450R motard, I loved it but the concern that something would go wrong and I'd be out $1k for a new engine or something was always in the back of my mind. To quote myself... NitroSpazzz posted:I loved my DRZ and at times would take it over the CRF just to have a bike that I didn't have to think about to hop on and go ride. edit: holy poo poo I knew the SXV was bad but new pistons and valves at 9k...wow NitroSpazzz fucked around with this message at 12:40 on May 19, 2013 |
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May 19, 2013 12:37
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Yeah this right here is all I need to know. I'm going to go hug the DRZ now.
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May 19, 2013 23:18
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You know you're in for a treat when pistons and valves are listed as consumables like they were brake pads and oil
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May 20, 2013 00:54
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And that's 9k kilometers, which is only just shy of 5600 miles. Thank goodness for the old tech in the DRZ?
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May 20, 2013 12:43
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Velocross's guide for being a irresponsible man-child. 1. Take the msf course on the weekend. 2. Buy a 690 smc the next day. 3. ??? wheelies 4. Profit This thing is just stupid fun, for sure. I've read so much about this bike from this thread and the internet in general, but it's hard to describe how sweet this machine really is. I was definitely grinning like an idiot after the test ride. I've got a million little questions about it but I'll probably post them in the next day or two. I spent the entire day driving all over the dfw area, so I'm beat.
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May 20, 2013 23:54
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velocross posted:I've got a million little questions about it - No, there isn't a place for the tool roll. - Yes, they all make that noise.
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May 21, 2013 09:48
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velocross posted:I've got a million little pieces forming a trail wherever I go. Fixed.
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May 21, 2013 12:54
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ReelBigLizard posted:- Yes, they all make that noise. This. Mine is barely a week old from brand new and, with the stock exhaust, the rattle and ticking and clatter from the engine is louder than the exhaust at all speeds.
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May 21, 2013 13:31
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The clatter is mostly down to two things, the valve roller-rockers (which you can't do anything about) and the stock hydraulic cam chain tensioner (which you can).
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May 21, 2013 17:17
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My 09 KTM 530 EXC ate up about 150mL of oil on the trails last weekend. I've had it for a few months and this is the first time it's lost oil. I went down twice, briefly (logs  ), and I did clutch whore a lot for the first few miles. Oh yeah it was about thirty miles of really rough trails if that has anything to do with it. I stayed in high second to high third a lot of the time. What concerns me more is when I started it today I walked inside to grab the helmet and when I got back out and rolled the throttle a little, it let out a small but dense cloud of white smoke. Is this something to be concerned about? Also I'm looking at GoPros so maybe you will get to see the trails!
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May 22, 2013 00:58
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Regarding my 625 SMC popping a coolant line off: I checked that my radiator fan worked, that the temperature switch worked, and refilled my coolant over the weekend. I then let it idle with the cap off for several minutes while massaging the hoses to try and get any bubbles out. Lastly, I put the cap on and waited for the radiator fan to come on. However, I'm getting a little nervous after reading about other people having coolant hoses pop off of their vehicles. I'm wondering if I should order a new hose from the dealership and also replace the worm gear hose clamps, or if it's just something I should check for tightness every few hundred miles. The bike at this time has about 13k miles on it, and I can only assume that these parts are original.
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May 22, 2013 01:49
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MetaJew posted:Regarding my 625 SMC popping a coolant line off: I checked that my radiator fan worked, that the temperature switch worked, and refilled my coolant over the weekend. I then let it idle with the cap off for several minutes while massaging the hoses to try and get any bubbles out. Lastly, I put the cap on and waited for the radiator fan to come on. Do your rads not have bleed screws in the system? The drz has one right above the coolant inlet to the block and one at the top of the left radiator. Typically you fill the coolant up with both screws open til the bottom one spills fluid, close it then fill til the top left one leaks coolant, close that and run the bike for a bit to beat out all the bubbles. If you haven't done a coolant flush before now would be a good time to do so IMO. I'd probably trust the hose unless it looked really chewed up. I'd opt for a new worm clamp as those are cheap insurance. Having that hose pop off mid corner could be bad news. Might as well have peace of mind even if it costs a couple bucks.
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May 22, 2013 04:27
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I can't remember if it was here or on some other forum that someone talked about going 14/44 sprockets on the KTM? Was it you, lizard?
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May 23, 2013 20:16
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Can the drz250 get up to reasonable highway speeds? http://richmondin.craigslist.org/mcy/3745819695.html This one is near me and cheapish and was interested in it. E: theres also this but http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/mcy/3793515103.html not sure about all the mods.
Tenchrono fucked around with this message at 02:42 on May 24, 2013 |
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May 24, 2013 02:36
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Tenchrono posted:Can the drz250 get up to reasonable highway speeds? The 400 is OK on the highway, but has no guts up high and slow to stop. Also, the knobbies are awkward at speed anyway. I say get it, it'd be fun as poo poo but I'd stick to the back roads, like I do on my 400, as the 250 will be no where near comparable to the 400 or even the wr250. Back roads pretty much take me anywhere I want to go around here.
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May 24, 2013 02:46
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Nidhg00670000 posted:I can't remember if it was here or on some other forum that someone talked about going 14/44 sprockets on the KTM? Was it you, lizard? 15/44 (from the stock 16/42) seems to be a popular mod here in the UK. I'm going to give it a go when I next change the chain and sprockets. If it's too extreme I figure I can just swap one or the other back to stock for just the price of a sprocket.
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May 24, 2013 11:28
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The collection grows! I got to say that while the husky is awesome. The ducati is something entirely else. Although it feels like I cant take my curb hopping to reckless abandon with the oil filter sticking straight out from the bottom of the engine. Also any other supermoto goons about in San Diego?
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May 24, 2013 18:37
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Sirhc77 posted:The collection grows! Husqvarna Bestqvarna! I didn't love the Hypermotard when I took it for a test drive, but that's probably a Ducati thing.
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May 24, 2013 18:48
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Motherfucker. Local guy got this '10 690 with 3k miles for 5 grand from some dealer who had no idea what they had. Why the gently caress can't I find deals like this? I would've sold a kidney or something just to ride it for a while and flip it for 2+ grand.
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May 24, 2013 22:04
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Some quick questions on my 08' 690. From the reading through the manual and some googling it looks like I'm going to need unicorn tears, aka Motorex to change the oil. Looks like I need Motorex 10W60 "crosspower" oil, just being sure. I guess I'm not going to be able to run rotella and just change it more often, am I?  Regarding oil filters: Should I stick with oem ktm or is k&n/hi-flo alright? I would prefer oem, but I can't find a site that won't destroy me on shipping. Tire chat: I've got Shinko 009's on there right now, and the rear is due for a replacement. I know it's been discussed before for the 690, but i'll have to find it. What seems to be the recommended tires? Should I be replacing them as a set? The front seems to have quite a bit of tread left. Here's a noob question, how do I know when the tires are "warm"? I'm in Texas so 85-90 degrees seems to be the norm for now. How long should I ride before I start pushing the tires more? Another dumb question: Should the front brake lever be activating the rear brake light? I want to say yes, because you're braking but I have no idea. ^^^Jesus. Deal of the century.
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May 24, 2013 22:28
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You need a fully synth 10w60, but not necessarily the Motorex. I've used Rock Oil 10w60 for most of my bike's life. The second number is the most important when it comes to oil. I've always used the KTM OEM filters. Shop around or find out where the other guys get them from. I don't know what your dealers are like but I just buy my filters from the place I bought the bike and they just charge me the standard price. Don't forget to buy some copper washers for your drain plug. You will likely do two rear tyres for every front (insert wheelie joke here). Some people are pretty anal about matching tyres front and back on bikes but frankly for a supermoto I dont think it matters as much. My new favourite tyre for the SMC is the ContiAttack SM, it's just grippy as a motherfucker and looks to be wearing really well. I've also used: ContiForce SM - good grip but wore out too quick, better on smaller sumos Avon Distanzia - great if you're doing light off road too, very hard wearing Pirelli Dragon SuperCorsa (?) - which came with the bike, pretty much as good as the ContiAttack SM but more expensive. In your heat tyres will be up to temperature in minutes. Yes, the brake light works for both. EDIT: my only concern with leaving the Shinko on the front and putting something else on is you're pretty much guaranteed to have more grip in the new tyre, and having more grip at the back than the front is not a good idea (if you push too hard you want the back to step out first, as its much easier to recover). ReelBigLizard fucked around with this message at 22:52 on May 24, 2013 |
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May 24, 2013 22:44
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