drz 400

[Vetran]

Hey guys. My mate is looking at getting a new bike but he is not computer friendly. He knows on the drz 400sm you can change out the rims and tyres for offroad drz tyres as long as you have the sm brakes attached. He would like to use the a bike for about 80% onroad 20% off. He is wondering would it be better to get the sm and get a set of dirt rims or get the drz400 dual sport and buy some motard rims for it?? He is also wondering why the dual sport is 10k while the sm is 8k. Thanks in advance for your input guys.

[NordieBoy]

It'd probably be cheaper getting dirt wheels for the SM than the other way around.

The SM suspension wouldn't be great for proper off-road but sweet for adventuring.

[buggsubique]

although I think the SM forks are the RM upside downers aren't they? Google the "Hooligan mod". Basically it is swapping the offroad wheels on a DRZ for Suzuki GSR (or similar) 17" tri-spokes. My recommendation would be the E with a Keihin FCR rather than mikuni carb, but you might be lucky to get a street legal E for the price you can currently get the SM for - they're pretty well discounted.

[mazz1972]

Are the SM's not marketed in NZ anymore? They've disappeared from the Suzi NZ website. Maybe that's why they are being sold off cheaper?

In Oz recently and saw a couple of new street legal DRZ400 models in a shop....they were blue with metal tanks (pretty much like the 650 model). I see on the Suzi Oz website their street legal model is the S and is blue (although in the website pic it doesn't look like a metal tank). We don't seem to get that model here....both on and offroad models are the EK7 model in yellow. SM's are definately still for sale in Oz.

[HRT]

http://www.suzuki.co.nz/motorcycles/motorcycles.html

Click models, Sport/Road and it should be second on the list

[buggsubique]

Hmmm, not sure to be honest. I know there are a bunch of variants around the world for the varying local markets. I think from memory the S is a metal tank, has radiator fans and is a tad heavier than the E - a true "dual sport" more aimed at commuting, but the E is the offroad bike, ESL street legal. As I understand it the NZ market gets the "dregs" / leftovers in the E's, hence the mix of Keihin and Mukuni carbed E's.

Anyway, that's my wives tale for the evening - anyone else know any better?

[mazz1972]

http://www.suzuki.co.nz/motorcycles/motorcycles.html

Click models, Sport/Road and it should be second on the list

Thanks for that....couldn't see it for looking!

[mazz1972]

As I understand it the NZ market gets the "dregs" / leftovers in the E's, hence the mix of Keihin and Mukuni carbed E's.

Anyway, that's my wives tale for the evening - anyone else know any better?

Think you are right there. A friend of ours bought a new 400 model a few years ago for a very good price. He was told it was from a batch of excess bikes originally intended for the Canadian market. Something on them was different but can't remember what.

[Morcs]

Id personnally by both.

I should see the thou and buy a dual sport. lol

[deanohit]

Hmmm, not sure to be honest. I know there are a bunch of variants around the world for the varying local markets. I think from memory the S is a metal tank, has radiator fans and is a tad heavier than the E - a true "dual sport" more aimed at commuting,

The S also runs lower compression in some countries so it can cope with 87 fuel, instead of 91 or 95.