Buying adv bike sight unseen?

**SlowHand** · 7th July 2009, 18:53

So I finally decided what Im going to do with my moolah, and seems there aren't too many bikes around Auckland..

Watchlist contains DR350, DRZ400, XR600, DT230, and gas gas pampera 400. Under 5k

Don't want it snowballing into an expensive machine, and worried more about road manners since dirt will be foreign enough anyway. I don't expect a mile muncher or a coroGP scratcher. Capable is what I'm looking for.

Should I do what I did with my previous 2 bikes and buy it unseen? After getting a shop to check it out of course. Feeling a bit reserved this time since the 2 I did buy were from KB members, and quite new.

Can some DT230 owners shed some light on their bikes? Had an RG150 as 1st bike, and used to cost me $80+ in gas and 2 stroke oil around coro, which I don't want to repeat.

Thanks team!!

**Motu** · 7th July 2009, 20:58

The DT230 would have the lowest seat height (865 from memory),but don't know about the Pampera....the 250 Pampera was a 2 stroke and had a low seat.I got about 170km to reserve,about 10 litres,and the oil tank lasts 900km or so,but depends on how hard you push it.The DT230 will sit at 100 to 120kph happily....but you might not be too happy doing long rides on it.But it's an adventure bike,there will be lots of corners and stuff - good for that,but pretty aggressive.

The DR350 would be the best road bike,worst dirt bike,followed by the XR600.DT230 and Pampera will be better off road,lighter and better suspn.Given your choice - I'd go for the Pampera,then the DT230.The DR350 and XR600 will be pigs off road...but others will think they are better.

**junkmanjoe** · 7th July 2009, 21:42

i had a XR600R and mate, if you couldnt get the start bit sorted it was a bitch to kick.
i spent 20mins one morn, was late for work as well... sold it, electric start now....

**marks** · 7th July 2009, 21:44

the DT230 feels like a 'little bike' (identical dimensions to DT125) but has plenty of power. It doesn't really like constant speed and is happiest 'on the gas' - typical 2 stroke.

I've ridden mine some reasonable distances (Molesworth/Rainbow/Porika etc) and its tiring but quite capable. Best economy 200km tank - worst 100km tank.

Its quite ok as a mild trail bike and has good smooth low speed torque.

I'll be selling my one sometime this year as my other bikes do a better job in their own areas. If I could only have one bike and was on limited funds the DT230 would fit the bill nicely.

**Motu** · 7th July 2009, 22:05

Cutting back to one road bike,I was very tempted to keep the DT230 - it's the most fun bike I've had in years,and so much more capable as a road bike than I thought.And yeah,it's on gas all the time! Not hard to do,but hard to stop doing.But I wanted to do something completely different,and am pleased I did.

**SlowHand** · 8th July 2009, 00:58

Sounds like there are DT230 lovers. TBH I've wanted one for a while, reading Motu's posts from while back inc the pic of the motard. Are the oil and fuel figures for the DT Motu? Pampera it seems has 7.5L tank, which wouldn't leave much room in my camel back for water..

The whole point of switching from sportsbikes is to further my bike skills, and have more fun away from the influx of traffic cops, so aggressive 2 smoker interests me, may regret that as bruises and bills increase!

Main concern is plasticy(?) looks and not being a mainstream bike vs my noob skills. Am I just paranoid? And how does the drz400 compare? Only marginally better than the 350?

**CrazyFrog** · 8th July 2009, 07:09

DRZ400 will be far superior to DR350. Weight is similar, better in every other way. They're reliable, bulletproof, cheap to maintain, search the thread forums for DRZ and there's plenty of info out there.
I got mine (road legal too) for $3500, with only 2500km on it, bought on TradeMe, sight unseen. The key is, BUY IN WINTER! You should be able to find one around for less than $5000 if you're prepared to shop around. I just asked the right questions, and trusted the guys word. Ask a few general maintenance questions and generally you can get an idea if the seller knows what he's doing or talking about, and if he's looked after it.
I've bought 4 bikes now, sight unseen, and they've all been good. One bike was owned by a chick, and that was the only one that was slightly misrepresented, delivered dirty and a crack in one fairing panel. Mechanically it was sweet, the price was right tho and hell, cleaning a bike is easy.
The internet is your friend brother!

**Skinny_Birdman** · 8th July 2009, 08:40

For what it's worth, I'd be inclined to try hard to find one locally to test ride before you buy, (even if you intend to buy a different one - and I know I'm going to hell for suggesting that) or find a friendly local KB'er who'll give you a go on theirs. While I won't comment either way on the wisdom of buying sight unseen, it is a total piss-off owning a bike you don't get on with. I wasted $5000 on my BMW to discover this truth.

BTW Slowhand, I love your avatar - classic jelly-mould in the colour scheme described in the Haynes Manual as the "Bennetton colour-box explosion". Now there was a bike I got on with!

**warewolf** · 8th July 2009, 09:02

Originally Posted by SlowHand

And how does the drz400 compare? Only marginally better than the 350?

Better... hmm yes, as the 400 is the all-new next-generation bike.

However, the DR350 would make a better noob adv bike in some ways. The 400 is pretty tall in the saddle and has radiators to break; it's definitely the more capable off-road bike which is not your stated aim, and can be read as the less capable adv bike. Parts-wise the DR350 and DR250 (and DR-Z250 which was only a name change not a new bike) have a lot of similarity dating back to 1990 or so.

**NordieBoy** · 8th July 2009, 09:18

And the DR350 can be taken out to 441cc for $500us later on

I want a DR350 as my small adv bike and cross country weapon.

**Willdat?** · 8th July 2009, 16:45

There seems to be quite a few tidy DR350s around trademe at the moment...

**Waihou Thumper** · 8th July 2009, 17:19

Originally Posted by CrazyFrog

I've bought 4 bikes now, sight unseen, and they've all been good. One bike was owned by a chick, and that was the only one that was slightly misrepresented, delivered dirty and a crack in one fairing panel. Mechanically it was sweet, the price was right tho and hell, cleaning a bike is easy.
The internet is your friend brother!

AND, one of them was off me.....I wasn't the chick either...Glad you enjoyed the purchase...
I would not hesitate buying sight unseen either. It seems that this is the way we do things now given the power of the Internet...
As CrazyFrog states, Internet is your friend out there, use it...AS long as you ask the right questions and you get good vibes, go for it!

**SlowHand** · 8th July 2009, 18:03

Thanks guys!

Yes definately noticing the influx of dr350s for sale. Wonder where they were before I took myself off the road.

Going to have a look at these 3 in auck, then maybe couple in te awamutu

DRZ400 - http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=228519063
XR600 - http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=226536339
DR650 - http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=227284117

Te Awamutu:
DT230 - http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=228629279
DR350 - http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=227001751

Hopefully I really like one of the Auckland ones and don't need to go too far!

Skinny Birdman - It is awesome. I saw it on trademe for sale a while back. Ice cream explosion.

**merv** · 8th July 2009, 18:07

DR350 has a six speed gearbox while the DRZ400 is a five speed and with a better spread of gears certainly helps the road/off-road equation in the one bike.

Too late to buy the DR350SE I had for sale http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ad.php?t=95766 because Pampera bought it.

**warewolf** · 8th July 2009, 18:22

Originally Posted by merv

DR350 has a six speed gearbox while the DRZ400 is a five speed and with a better spread of gears certainly helps the road/off-road equation in the one bike.

Which one has the better spread of gears... the DR350?

I gather it's better than the DR250 box which you thought was a bit narrow?