Sold the GS, bought a DRZ.. review

[Bateman]

The DRZ400 will do more than the GS. I think it's a belter, and I will never, ever, sell it.

Pro's:

Super fuel consumption
Less vibration
Half the weight
Stonking engine
More reliable
Less complicated
Great riding position
Less turbulance even without the screen.
Gearbox
Suspension
Cheaper tax
Cheap parts
1/3 the price to buy
Perfect light

That list of "pro's" also applies to my old Honda C90, and probably half of the bikes I have owned. But it doesn't make any of them a better bike than my GS for what I need. In fact, in that respect, a DRZ does a lot less than I "need" (or want). It won't take me 450 miles down to the Alps in 8 or 9 hours, it won't let me cruise at 90mph for 100 miles and it won't take me in comfort on a 200 mile day trip on a sunday.

But I would like on as a second bike and should I ever think about doing some adventure touring I may consider one.

I said i would "never, ever" sell any of the bikes I have owned and I think that was about 8 bikes ago.

 

[snoopy]

Stock gearing on the S is 15/44 and a 112 link chain.

Greg

Mine has lots of numbers and 45T which I presumed stood for 45 teeth. I'll try counting them tomorrow.

 

[rocks]

I have both..

I can certainly see where Snoopy is coming from.. I have a DRZ400S and a R1150GS. I love my GS, I have just taken it off road, but it is heavy and a little complex if things go majorly wrong.

The DRZ cost me a bit too much for an 02 model with 7k on it and its rusty as heck, but I hope to fix/sort that later in the year. Its great fun to ride, does the road well.

However for me, I am still happily able to justify having both. The GS is great on the road and will eat miles all day for me and i can play on some off road stuff (the bike will go many places, its just my skill and my lack of physical fitness that prevent me). The DRZ is ok on roads, but certainly not as fun as the GS on tarmac, but then it will happily eat trails at the level my skills are at now all day. Its not that light, but its certainly lighter than the GS and so I have the GS for general roads and occasional off road use and I have the DRZ for quick trips around town and greenlaining where i dont mind binning it into a hedge or gravel pile due to my lack of experience/skill in off road riding.

It sounds like for Snoopy, that your riding terrains are more offroad orientated and you like to explore a little more than some others. So yeh, I think the DRZ with a few mods would be agood choice.

I am a firm believe it doesnt matter what you ride as long as you enjoy it (harleys are excluded from this though.. ).

 

[Devon]

I think it's a belter, and I will never, ever, sell it.

QUOTE]

Snoopy, You are young...................................






You have much too learn.......................................

 

[Ash]

I think it's a belter, and I will never, ever, sell it.

QUOTE]

Snoopy, You are young...................................






You have much too learn.......................................

that made i larf
ride whatever floats your boat so long as you enjoy it.

 

[Piggers]

Depends on what you want to do on it

I have had a DRZ 400 in the past. They are great off road, better than any GS1150 or 1200, but on the road they are way off.
Likewise a proper Enduro will be better off road than your trailie, but worse on the road
So I would say you really need to look at what you are going to be riding on to decide which is the best.

With regards to the buffeting being better on the DRZ with no screen, you could have taken the screen off of your GS and got the same

Cheers, Piggers

 

[ktmmark]

Had the e & still have an s the best way to describe it is dependable the drz can be used as a road bike which you can put 30,000 miles on & still do club enduros , The ktm's are fantastic off road but will not take long road miles .Had a 525 exc supermoto was fun as long as i stayed local but by 7,000 miles i started to use oil & very noisy (it,s a full on race bike ) was fun though