The DR-Z400 thread

**joel14** · 9th January 2013, 16:29

ok can someone shed some light on this.
iv just braught a 2010 drz400e with only head light and rear light on it as far as road gear .But im wanting to put this on the road
can anyone tell how im meant to go about this? or if its even possible at all..its never been on the road before but im guessing theres a way of getting around this

cheers joel

**rigley** · 9th January 2013, 16:43

Originally Posted by joel14

ok can someone shed some light on this.
iv just braught a 2010 drz400e with only head light and rear light on it as far as road gear .But im wanting to put this on the road
can anyone tell how im meant to go about this? or if its even possible at all..its never been on the road before but im guessing theres a way of getting around this

cheers joel

Hi Joel,

My bike is a DRZ400e, 2001, that has been put on the road, I bought it like that, with an after market road kit on, so it can be done, I just don't know how!
Hope this helps a little......

**joel14** · 9th January 2013, 16:45

Originally Posted by rigley

Hi Joel,

My bike is a DRZ400e, 2001, that has been put on the road, I bought it like that, with an after market road kit on, so it can be done, I just don't know how!
Hope this helps a little......

cheers mate.when i ring up and try put my frame number through vinz.they dont reconize it as a bike that should be on the road..so iv heard rumors that theres still a way around this also..

**Waipukbiker** · 9th January 2013, 17:25

Gday Joel, Sounds like your local VTNZ arnt being very helpfull, I gather your bike has not got a VIN Number, If it has then all it needs is to be upgraded to meet WOF requirements and then it can be Registed for the road.
In the last 2 years Ive managed to get a 1979 XR185 and a 1981 KL250 on the road and neither had any record in the "System". The requirements were, proof of sale in NZ from new, police check that they wearnt stolen, Brake shoes and drums measured by a bike dealer to make sure they wearnt over manufactureres wear limits, Meet all current WOF requirements and VTNZ were then happy to give them a VIN number, WOF and then I was able to register them. ( Some old bikes are exemt indicators etc and VTNZ have a list of these) .
Ide be inclined to visit a VTNZ stn in person and sort it out with someone.
Ive just done quick google, there are streel legal kits available for your bike.

Good luck with it.

**DR Girl** · 9th January 2013, 21:41

Ross, I had a 1979 XR185. Ordered it in brand new from Dave Whittaker Honda. Got the first one in the Bay according to him

**Waipukbiker** · 10th January 2013, 16:29

lol, might have been the same one.

**DR Girl** · 11th January 2013, 22:45

Would loved to have taken one for a ride again

I sold my one to Peter Hamelink locally.
Ross when did you get your XR185 & when did you sell it ?

**DR Girl** · 11th January 2013, 23:29

Back in 1980 at the Tukituki River a few months after saying a sad goodbye to my XL 175.

**Waipukbiker** · 12th January 2013, 08:32

Bit of a larrakin in your younger days Robin?? I rescued the XR185 off my cousins farm about 6 years ago where it had been lying on its side in a paddock for 3 years and a blackberry bush had just about grown right over it. It was pretty much complete, just in a mess, everything was worn out on it and a few bent bits after a tumble down a hill but the motor could still be turned over so I completely rebuilt it, bored it out to a 200, Used an XL185 at a wrecker to provide all the donor bits so it ended up as an XL200 with an XR motor. Got in Vinned, WOF and REG and with the 6 speed trans it was a little weapon around town. Sold it about 2 years ago to a friend in Welly and hes only a small bloke and he said its brilliant in traffic.

**bart** · 12th January 2013, 16:35

Originally Posted by joel14

ok can someone shed some light on this.
iv just braught a 2010 drz400e with only head light and rear light on it as far as road gear .But im wanting to put this on the road
can anyone tell how im meant to go about this? or if its even possible at all..its never been on the road before but im guessing theres a way of getting around this

cheers joel

2 models of the DRZ400'E' were brought in (not to be confused with the 'S' and 'SM' models). A road legal version and off road version. The road legal version has larger headlight (with dip, same as DR650), indicators and switch gear, tail piece for number plate/light/reflector, and a small tool bag on the back mudguard. The wiring loom is likely to be very different also, so yours may not be plug and play for the extra bits.

While it wouldn't be impossible to road leagalise an offroad version, it'd be a lot easier and cheaper to sell yours and buy another that is already registered. They usualy sell for about 1k more then the offroad versions. This is cheap when a new headlight alone costs around $400.

You could possibly bodge something up with parts from a wrecked bike, but getting it all through the system will cost plenty.

edit: forgot to mention speedo and all the extra bits required for that.

edit again: and tyres. No doubt the off road version won't have road legal tyres.

**DR Girl** · 14th January 2013, 17:02

Originally Posted by Waipukbiker

Bit of a larrakin in your younger days Robin?? I rescued the XR185 off my cousins farm about 6 years ago where it had been lying on its side in a paddock for 3 years and a blackberry bush had just about grown right over it. It was pretty much complete, just in a mess, everything was worn out on it and a few bent bits after a tumble down a hill but the motor could still be turned over so I completely rebuilt it, bored it out to a 200, Used an XL185 at a wrecker to provide all the donor bits so it ended up as an XL200 with an XR motor. Got in Vinned, WOF and REG and with the 6 speed trans it was a little weapon around town. Sold it about 2 years ago to a friend in Welly and hes only a small bloke and he said its brilliant in traffic.

Well done with that restoration

. . . . sure hope it wasn't my old bike abandoned in a paddock