Talk to me about DRZ/KLX 400s

[Woodman]

Shouldn't that be trading UP to a DRZ?

bart, he said no wanky comments. Do you think coming out of the closet is easy for him?

[bart]

bart, he said no wanky comments. Do you think coming out of the closet is easy for him?

So sorry there Wooders. Perhaps you will also see the light one day , and discover the awesomeness of Dog RooterZ. Ask me how much oil my DR's have gone through in the last few years (that's through the engine, not out the oil filter cover).

[Padmei]

Woodman is in complete denial. He is afraid to face the truth that his riding style would be better suited to a bike that could do his awesome skills justice.

If he was riding a CR500 the universe would split in two.

[Padmei]

Hi my names Padmei & I've got myself a KLX 400.



It is a 2005 & done around 8k. I bought it after looking around for a while however no road legal cheap ones came up that were worth what they were asking for them so I spent $4K & got a pretty original one.

It was also in Blenheim so the transportation costs were a bagel & flat white at the 3 bears cafe.

The battery is flat which caused a few laughs crash starting it & soon became a tad annoying when I dropped it in the forest many times.

The ergos are pretty good for me for a stock bike.I put on my 25mm or so risers. But still can do with a bit more height when standing. The seat is a tad on the harsh side (bad move swapping to Nordies' lazyboy seat halfway back from Blenheim so he could have a ride) however not really as bad as I expected.

Nordie & I went for a blast in the forest on Sunday on the lite bikes & it was very different style of riding.

I found it a very different style of riding. On steep ascents I haven't quite worked out where I should be on the bike. It will come it time tho.

The tyres are trailwings & I agree with Nordie that altho the tread style is deep the compound seems too hard & unforgiving.I really like having a 606 knobbly on the front & after dropping the front so many times on Sunday I can't wait to have something with a good side knob.

Now my first questions. I have fitted the 606 fromthe KLR on the front however the valve is skewed. Is there an easyish way to get the tube back into position. I have a rimlock but it isn't tightened nor the tube blown up.

[warewolf]

Nice one!

Now my first questions. I have fitted the 606 fromthe KLR on the front however the valve is skewed. Is there an easyish way to get the tube back into position. I have a rimlock but it isn't tightened nor the tube blown up.

You must break the bead off the rim again, turn the tyre relative to the rim until it is straight - sometimes can be hard with a rimlock. And/or put up with it. How skewed? Also, is it skewed on the safe side, or the bad side? ie braking forces are an issue at the front, are braking forces going to straighten the valve, or is it already past upright... if you get my drift? 'cos if it's the safe side, who cares if it's not straight.

[Crim]

or is it already past upright... if you get my drift? 'cos if it's the safe side, who cares if it's not straight.

you would need to read this in context, eh?

[Crim]

so I spent $4K & got a pretty original one.

How many bikes you got now, my man? Have you applied for your LMVD cert yet?
Good stuff on the purchase - be a bit lighter than gonzo to pick up I reckon!

[Taz]

I can't wait to have someone with a good knob.

Oh behave!!

Looks good. Fit a kickstart Probably cheaper for a new battery tho.

[marks]

what colour are you going to paint it?
(as its a trail bike you might need to use a smaller brush)

[NordieBoy]

The tyres are trailwings & I agree with Nordie that altho the tread style is deep the compound seems too hard & unforgiving.

IRC GP110

If the valve is pointing backwards a bit when at the bottom then no problem but as WW says, loosen the rimlock, push it in, push the bead in on both sides and turn the tyre a bit.

[ADVGD]

Hi my names Padmei & I've got myself a KLX 400.

Nice job mate, nothing better than a new toy Will be shooting down to Timaru this week to have a look at this one, had planned to go new but this one is close to it and already has the tank I was going to get

Is there an easyish way to get the tube back into position. I have a rimlock but it isn't tightened nor the tube blown up.

Lather, rinse, repeat

[Ocean1]

after dropping the front so many times on Sunday I can't wait to have something with a good side knob.

Good score, Identical to my old bike.

I had some issues with the front washing out even with full comp knobs. Best I found were Mich S12's but they don't wear well. I eventually dropped the forks almost all the way and let the back preload down more than the book said to rake it out a bit. It helped, but I'd still loose the front if I got so tired I wasn't moving forward enough.

I also put some high bars on mine, this was instead of the 1" risers I'd had on up to that point, can't remember the dimensions, (+2"?) but I had to order it in, wasn't a stock item.

Very crashproof, they are, but don't push your luck too far eh?

[ADVGD]

On half a dozen occasions the electric start played up on me on the last day of the trip just gone, I was solo, a long long way from help. Flipped out the kickstart, fired her into life, no problems

Not having a kickstart scares the crap out of me on solo or remote trips, trying to crash start a bike in bouldery/muddy sections is often simply not possible. Will definitely be putting a kickstart on the new girl for sure, the last time I researched this it was around the $800 mark, anyone else done this or have any other info regarding kickstart kits for the DRZ400/KLX400?

[Squiggles]

the last time I researched this it was around the $800 mark, anyone else done this or have any other info regarding kickstart kits for the DRZ400/KLX400?

$229.95US
http://www.procycle.us/bikepages/drz400.html

[ADVGD]

$229.95US
http://www.procycle.us/bikepages/drz400.html

Nice job Squiggles, that price makes it a no brainer to throw on a kickstart