Size Isn't Everything You Know !!

[Wee Jack]

Well ? I would say that wouldn't I ?

You know !! over the last few months I've been having great fun on the Suzuki DRZ 400S I bought for "throwing about" off road. It's just great for that, and soaks up all the punishment I've been giving it , my daughter's boyfriend just bought an XR400R and we've been having a ball .

But you know it's so much more than that , there seems to be something very addictive about smaller capacity basic bikes that I'm starting to warm to. The DRZ is pretty good on the road - OK it's not going to take any speed records but for normal everyday riding , it's great. There is something very satisfying about riding about on a basic small capacity simple bike. I love the way you just undo a couple of screws , pull off the tank and a couple of plastic bits and it's all there to be worked on , easy peazy. It takes about an hour to get the plastics off the KTM !!!

It's got me thinking - A custom frame for my touratech panniers a big rear rack - it's already got a 13 litre Clarke tank , but they make bigger ones !! and it would be the perfect overland offroad adventure bike !!

And Suzuki still have the DRZ400 available new for around £4000 on the road - the perfect canvas to produce my ideal overlander. OK so it's the "E" (enduro) spec , but a change of sprockets would give it more road friendly gearing.

Anyone else addicted to smaller capacity simple bikes ??

[stuart]

If I'm just nipping someware I seem to find myself on the xr rather than the Stelvio, it just seems more "down to earth".

[raymo]

totally agree Jack we tend to think we need 800+ cc the power is nice but it comes with a price.. weight

was looking over lowflyers 350ES .. air cooled. even simpler.. very nice looked like fun.... I like my 600 but its kick start and about 30 Kg heavier which is ok .. but.....

[Rubberchicken]

It's got me thinking - A custom frame for my touratech panniers a big rear rack - it's already got a 13 litre Clarke tank , but they make bigger ones !! and it would be the perfect overland offroad adventure bike !!

I'd say. If I were going on a big trip like that I wouldn't bring some big computerised way overpowered anvil, something simple and light and just big enough like an XR400 or indeed DR400 seems far more fun and you won't sink into the bog as much as Charlie &Ewan did either.

For hooning around town "just big enough" seems to be the most fun as well. Something that you can just tear all the way open and have a blast without worrying as much about plod and gatso as with some 100bhp monster.

My NX is more fun to "just ride" than the GS. I wouldn't mind a little 400cc thumper, or even that yamaha tricker 250 to BMX around on. Flipside is that the GS is much more suited for comfy distances and riding 2 up.

[samwise]

I miss my Dommie more than I thought I would when I bought the AT - for my riding speeds and style, it wouldn't worry me to go back to one or even smaller like the CCM SR40, based on the DRZ



If my new self-employed status works for me, I could even do meets as far as I liked, coz I could take as many days as I could afford to get there and back

[tendays]

Funny you should say that wee jack, I totally agree. I've just been away on a weekend camping trip (organised by Hooky, see Rideouts forum) on my drz. All in, over 300 miles on road there and back and around 100 miles of trails. I was a bit concerned about how it would handle on the trails carrying all my camping kit but the extra weight wasn't too noticeable. Steady 75 mph indicated on the road is not a problem, but starts to use a bit of oil after that.

I've also got the Clarke tank, plus for luggage DirtBagz and the Suzuki rack with an Ortleib drybag strapped on top. And a homemade removeable windscreen.

I think its a great fun, versatile bike. Next step I hope will be to take it abroad for some longer distance trail riding. Ideas gratefully accepted...

[stuart]

yo tendays, where did you get the luggage from? the US or UK
cheers

[StumpyFingers]

I think the best bike I had was the XL250 it was economical and it could cope with the speeds, it was an art to load it properly but it was light enough to throw around.

[doglegdon]

Anyone else addicted to smaller capacity simple bikes ??

Guess my AT doesn't count as a smaller capacity bike then?!!!
Actually, I still fondly remember my old Honda MTX 125 in Western Thailand in the mid '80's and the fun we used to have doing runs into Burma, (before the Karen war vs the Burmese army). We also had a small motocross team that we used to sponsor using them, at Pattaya and in the southern Thailand. The bikes were hauled around by an original Willey's WW2 jeep and home made trailer! Wish I still had some photos. Offroad they were fantastic, especially in rainy season on deep mud trails! I'd give my left nut, to have one of those again.

[phil w]

Its horses for courses I guess and yes the single cyl bike is far better than any big huge thing in my eyes. When I open the garage the XR always gets first look but I wouldnt wanted to ride it to the HUMM. A DRZ would be better again than XR as it is better suited to road as well as doin the off road with aplomb. My Transalp only does 75 easily above that it too uses oil and gets all horrible if a DRZ does that too then its equal if not better