Crikeys, Mad Max looking bike there. People do some interesting things to bikes hey!
I also have a DRZ400. One of my best mates passed away about 6 months ago and left it to me, very sad but we had some good times together riding that's for sure!
I have to say I'm a much bigger fan of the TTR offroad than the DRZ. However I ride the DRZ to work everyday and its better on the road. The power is great, loads of low down torque. Too big and heavy for me off-road. I'm a lightweight at 70kg and it also has lowering link (my mate wasn't much bigger), find it top heavy and not confidence inspiring in the front end. Haven't played with it much though, mostly commuting on it. Easy to loft the front on these, like the ttr a bloody good allrounder.
great bikes....
suzuki need to put a wide ratio 6 speed in them
close ratio 5 speed is the biggest issue...
gear it for the dirt... screams it's ring off on the road..
gear for the road then first gear is to tall for anything gnarly...
My plan is to turn it into a light weight ADV bike, nice sturdy frame and geared for more open travel and a bit of trail work, I want to do a bit of touring around on it
there only 115kg wet, should be an interesting little project
about 6 grand with all the farkles
Cheap fun
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2004 TTR250 - Highway Dirtbike Hand Guards, 38mm Bar Risers, D606 Front & Rear, Opened up Airbox with Twin Air Filter, Re-jetted Carby, B+B Bash Plate & Frame Guards, DIY 3mm Alloy Tail Tidy, 14/47 Gearing.
I had many Honda's prior to the TTR, the last Honda was a XR400R & what a great bike that was, great power & bullet proof. I've had a TTR for over 3 yrs as I bought it new in 2013 & what a good bike but I too wanted more power.
I picked up a new WR250R on the weekend & what a hoot, bloody tall but more power, better brakes & a front end that's on rails.
I have a 1st rego (2013) one owner TTR for sale with 14k (kms) & not a mark on it, did a couple of videos yesterday on the WRR. Wish I could keep the TTR as well but the wife has other ideas.
Hope I can stay on this forum as I still have a love of the TTR, it's a pity Yamaha never up graded the engine in the TTR because the bike is a ripper.
I know it's off topic but here is a video of me running in the WR following the TTR
There's not really a "topic" here, just a ramble about my new project, feel free to ramble, I'll drag it back on topic as the need arises :D
The WR's really are tall aren't they, I had an op to follow one a while back, as you say the front end is really good but the rear isn't that much different from the TTR I think
It didn't really seem to be doing any better than my bike, maybe when the conditions get worse they just keep going straight ? also the other rider was a pretty ordinary rider.
I can say that because he'll never see this
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2004 TTR250 - Highway Dirtbike Hand Guards, 38mm Bar Risers, D606 Front & Rear, Opened up Airbox with Twin Air Filter, Re-jetted Carby, B+B Bash Plate & Frame Guards, DIY 3mm Alloy Tail Tidy, 14/47 Gearing.
Having reduced my small fleet to just two bikes, I have my trusty 325
and my "spare" bike is a WR250R
Although the WR250R is a great bike, I find that I always take the TTR out on trail rides - just something about it - character I guess
It is also useful to know that Steve also runs Totally WRs alongside Totally TTRs - see here
There is also a European WR250R forum here but I am sure Steve will welcome owners from further away
Brian
Yea the TTR is great & is in really good condition & would be a pity to loose it, the WR is different for sure & if I can get away with it will leave the TTR in the corner for as long as possible
I'll see how I go with Dr Zed, they are nice sturdy bikes, going to be good for ADV riding, if I go back to a 250 it will be a WR, water cooled and fuel injected sounds good to me
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as a side note, I found the hand controls to be rather crap on Dr Zed, quite poor design compared to the TTR, mine are quite worn and damaged so I'm going to replace them with TTR versions
the same with the foot brake, light weight aluminium of poor design, brake light switch in a stupid place under the frame, the switch is also busted and bent, going to replace it with the TTR
design, probably the gear lever as well, another light weight aluminium thing, going to see if the TTR lever will fit
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The rest of Dr Zed seems pretty solid, the battery is in a weird place though hanging under the sub frame on the LH side, the sub frame is nice and strong, great for carrying bags etc..
lots of support and gussets on the main frame, sturdy front forks, 46mm I think
anyway I'll get into it in a week or so, about half way through a big clean out and renovation in the workshop, have to stop collecting **** that may be useful "someday"
12.20 here, to for bed !
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2004 TTR250 - Highway Dirtbike Hand Guards, 38mm Bar Risers, D606 Front & Rear, Opened up Airbox with Twin Air Filter, Re-jetted Carby, B+B Bash Plate & Frame Guards, DIY 3mm Alloy Tail Tidy, 14/47 Gearing.
Thats exactly the same as my DRZ - black, well until you changed it, looks good. I think you made the right decision to buy a near new one like that. Mine had 3500k on it, now 10,000 and done nothing except oil changes and tyres and a front sprocket. I wonder of the DRZ and the TTR which is more reliable?
We will have to get Keith Richards to answer that as he and those bikes will probably outlive us all!!
I have to say its growing on me though, but I still love the ttr a lot more. Heading away for an adventure ride this weekend on the TTR, a mate is taking the Dizzer, as we call it. I keep dreaming of buying the bigger tank and fittings for the ttr from Steve, one day. Interestingly the DRZ uses almost the same amount of fuel as the TTR, and often a whisker less.
-- Edited by leigh on Friday 6th of January 2017 01:57:32 AM
I'm hooked on Dr Zed now, it's just such a pleasure to be able to pop the front wheel whenever you like
Did 320k's on it the other day and still some fuel left in the tank
Found the brake pedal way to low so adjusted it up as high as it would go, then had to make a custom return spring 12mm shorter than stock, it lifted the pedal 50mm higher
Did a few other small things but a few mods to go, rear top box, pannier racks etc...
So here it is, I like Dr Zed but I tell you I miss the TTR's 6th gear and the wider spread
The 2 bikes have a very similar feel but the suspension is better on Dr Zed, but that is easily fixed with some after market suspension mods.
Dr Zed is heavier, especially with the 17l tank but when your zipping along you don't notice the extra 20kg
All up I'm happy for now.
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2004 TTR250 - Highway Dirtbike Hand Guards, 38mm Bar Risers, D606 Front & Rear, Opened up Airbox with Twin Air Filter, Re-jetted Carby, B+B Bash Plate & Frame Guards, DIY 3mm Alloy Tail Tidy, 14/47 Gearing.
The lack of 6th gear & short gearing is the major drawback for both the XR400 & DRZ400, I had a XR & my brother in law has a DRZ but they are bulletproof.
I'm hooked on Dr Zed now, it's just such a pleasure to be able to pop the front wheel whenever you like
Did 320k's on it the other day and still some fuel left in the tank
Found the brake pedal way to low so adjusted it up as high as it would go, then had to make a custom return spring 12mm shorter than stock, it lifted the pedal 50mm higher
Did a few other small things but a few mods to go, rear top box, pannier racks etc...
So here it is, I like Dr Zed but I tell you I miss the TTR's 6th gear and the wider spread
The 2 bikes have a very similar feel but the suspension is better on Dr Zed, but that is easily fixed with some after market suspension mods.
Dr Zed is heavier, especially with the 17l tank but when your zipping along you don't notice the extra 20kg
All up I'm happy for now.
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Your DRZ looks cool.. Great Job.
I have a soft spot for the DRZ's. I rode a 2000 model kickstart only for 8 years till the gearbox let go. Was a gear selector that broke jamming the lot causing a bit of carnage. But that bike was raced pretty hard before a life of trail riding.
Gearboxes are the weakest link but actual motors are super reliable and can make good power. And they are a bit heavy for the tight technical riding i like.
I've got two DRZ400 motors in the shed, probably should start selling some stuff to pay for more projects like this one. Or maybe I should find a cheap high km motard and stuff a fresh engine in??? Mmm
I vaguely recall the gearing I was running in the desert up near Mildura. Locals up there love the DRZ's and all run high gearing. By memory it was stupid tall, to the point my mechanic reckoned it wouldn't pull it. But the motor did it, and in deep sand too. 1st was high had to slip the clutch to get going a bit more and it made each gear super long.
I think by memory I went from 13:50 for bush to 15:41 for high speed.. Massively different bike to ride.
For the DRZ I think the current 14/43 is going to be good. 15/41 sounds crazy, slow take offs but top speed will be fantasticIt'll pull it I would say.
If i'm using the TTR in the bush in technical stuff I run 14/52, that makes for a great use of the gears
in tight singles you can get into second from time to time without it lugging, top speed on the road of "maybe" 90kph comfortably.
steep down hills are great, the engine breaking is awesome downhill
Steep uphills are so much easier, some clutch slipping and you will climb just about anything.
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2004 TTR250 - Highway Dirtbike Hand Guards, 38mm Bar Risers, D606 Front & Rear, Opened up Airbox with Twin Air Filter, Re-jetted Carby, B+B Bash Plate & Frame Guards, DIY 3mm Alloy Tail Tidy, 14/47 Gearing.