Talk to me about motards!

[st00ji]

right! i'm looking to move on from my learner-mobile in 6 or so months, so i've started looking round at whats out there... and the more i read about motards, the more awesome they sound.

so im hoping the experts can make some recommendations for me. at the moment i use my bike as my primary transport, so i need something that will cut it as a commuter. one of the things i have noticed from my reading is that most motards appear to be quite WIDE, particularly in comparison to my 250 sports bike. how do people find them for splitting? not so much motorway stuff (though that to) but i've lost count of the number of times i've filtered past a bigger bike that cant squeeze through the narrow gaps between cars at lights etc.

second, i'd like something that can handle a spot of 2up from time to time. initially i was looking at DRZ's. but they dont seem to have any pillion pegs? more experienced riders seem to think they are a bit underpowered too, not that im particularly worried by that - im sure a DRZ would provide plenty of giggles in that dept after a peaky 250. i did have a look on trademe, and quite liked the look of some of the huskys - the 610SMs seem to be similar / cheaper price than DRZs for some reason, and also a 575cc? kinda handy for the whole rego debacle. moreso than a 610 anyway! plus they had pillion pegs too. what are they like for maintaining - availability of parts etc?

is it any cheaper to buy a dirt bike and get it road legal? rims etc... im reasonably handy with a spanner (car mechanic) so im sure i could manage most of it myself.

so please, share me your wisdom / experiences!

edit - should probably add that i was hoping to spend no more than 6k, though i guess thats always variable - can hang out for better deals / save more if its going to be the difference between a good bike and a great one

edit #2! - whats the story with second hand stuff? most motards seem to be four stroke, i presume that means they are capable of pretty decent kms before needing major work? how much is too much? i know alot of that depends on servicing and treatment by previous owners, but some basic guidelines would be handy.

[PirateJafa]

Put it this way: I've just gone from a 130hp+ Ninja to a 35hp motard.

No regrets. (Well, only a sliiiight regret, heh)

Don't cross the DR-Z off for no having pillion pegs - because mine certainly does! Plus it cruises and even overtakes along the motorway just fine, even when I have the missus on the back as well.

That said, have a good look around and try out as many as you can find first.

In the end, for me, it came down to a choice between the DR-Z400SM and the KTM 690SMC for me. Since the 690 only managed to do the exact same things that the 400 did (just at slightly higher speeds), yet everything from the purchase price to spares and servicing cost more, it was a easy choice in the end. It's far more fun to ride a slower bike fast than a faster bike slow. But I'll grant that it did sound gorgeous.

[meteor]

Look down the threads a bit... The one http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...out-a-DRZ400SM answers all your questions.

And the lane splitting is fine, bars go over most cars mirrors... they're not that wide anyway. Also they do have pillion pegs but if you double you'll fine the seat a bit short, so you'll have to get real close or rest your nuts on the tank.

[imac]

...... so you'll have to get real close or rest your nuts on the tank.

That's the funniest f***in thing I've read in a long time

[blackdog]

ktm's all the way!

depending on ya budget, look at the 690 dukes or sm's (super duke or 950sm if ya can stretch to it for that super-twin grunt you won't get sick of.

. ever)

[st00ji]

ktms huh! i do like the look of some of them, they seem expensve though. whats the reasoning behind choosing ktm over others?

[Gremlin]

Coz they iz fooken awesome.

Except I own one... so I'm biased. Take a DRZ400, give it steriods, increase its capacity, give it steriods, and you end up with a 999cc V-Twin, 7500km service intervals, fuel injected etc, that are fun to ride (this part is completely under-exaggerated). Except don't buy it after a 250cc. While it doesn't have the ridiculous speed of a sportsbike, it will lift the front at 15kph, loves easy wheelies in at least the first two gears (third as well at times) and you can still take it off road when you want.

Not cheap, but hell, its the best bike I have owned yet. Cape Reinga twice on day trips and two South Island tours later, I'm loving it

[george formby]

Coz they iz fooken awesome.

Except I own one... so I'm biased. Take a DRZ400, give it steriods, increase its capacity, give it steriods, and you end up with a 999cc V-Twin, 7500km service intervals, fuel injected etc, that are fun to ride (this part is completely under-exaggerated). Except don't buy it after a 250cc. While it doesn't have the ridiculous speed of a sportsbike, it will lift the front at 15kph, loves easy wheelies in at least the first two gears (third as well at times) and you can still take it off road when you want.

Not cheap, but hell, its the best bike I have owned yet. Cape Reinga twice on day trips and two South Island tours later, I'm loving it

Must be a hoot over the Mangamukas!

[Gremlin]

its pretty much a hoot everywhere except long straights, and they're always boring

[st00ji]

nice, build it up then tell me not to buy it :P

had a bit of a poke on TM the other night, the 990s were all well out of my price range anyway. are the smaller ones just as good? but slower obviously

no-one got an opinion on the huskys?

PS superdukes are sweet!

[blackdog]

PS superdukes are sweet!

the Lc4's are just as well worth it

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...-301141681.htm

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...-301983416.htm

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...-301983416.htm

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...-169037067.htm

[Gremlin]

yep, lc4 is fun too. I didn't get one as I stepped down from a ZX10R, so a 650cc was a bit too ring ding ding for me. Needed more grunt to not get bored.

[slowpoke]

Good second bike for hootin' round town/twisties, but unless you've got a big 'un, which doesn't really fit my definition of a motard anyway they are painful on the open road. Awesome on right bit of road but you soon realise how far apart the right bits of road are, especially if you ride with blokes on "normal" bikes.

The right combination of grunt vs weight is high maintenance, uncomfortable and low range, whereas the low maintenance stuff is heavy and underpowered. My 5cents worth anyway, after owning a Husaberg 650.

[Metastable]

Friend that has been riding for over 10 years bought a DRZ-sm and barely ever rides R1 anymore. He noticed a good power difference once he put on an after market exhaust, jet kit, and did the 4"X4" air box mod.

Warning - check all your nuts and bolts and safety wire the shift lever screw... he's lost his shift lever 3 times!!!!!

[Bulldog]

my advice is this. get the best back for buck now because you will always want more power on a motard. If you can stretch to one of the huskys do it or the ktmlc4 stuff. I've owned all three, drz400sm, ktm525sx, and now a husky 610sm. Husky is best of both worlds, bigger bang, better kit all round and looks horny as. Drz was great starter motard but I was seriously yearning more power. The KTM being the sx was really light and made heaps of power and was generally a monster on the road. I found it overkill.