DR350 or DRz 400

[floyd fan]

I'm looking to buy a trail bike mainly for commuting but also for occasional laning in Wales. So I can either get a late DR350 or an early DRz 400, which in your oppinion is better? The 350 looks more comfy than the 400 and I think the seat height is slightly lower, this makes me think better for the commute. But the 400 is newer than the 350 and looks like it would be better off road.

Cheers ... FF ...

[AIRWOLF]

I'm looking to buy a trail bike mainly for commuting but also for occasional laning in Wales. So I can either get a late DR350 or an early DRz 400, which in your oppinion is better? The 350 looks more comfy than the 400 and I think the seat height is slightly lower, this makes me think better for the commute. But the 400 is newer than the 350 and looks like it would be better off road.

Cheers ... FF ...

A late 350 in good nick will be better for the money than a tired 400.

[phil w]

Hard one that.... Late DR 350 awesome bike with very important 6th gear for road cruising. Will cruise all day at 65, comfy seat and be great off road. Vs DRZ.. modern looking, very tunable and plenty of power, but needs lots of money spending on a standard S to make it a really nice bike.
Think about Beta alp4.0 same DR350 engine

[boboneleg]

My personal preference is the 350 (i'm on my fourth one) but the DRZ 400 is a cracking bike as well.

The 350 is much more comfortable but the 400 has a stonking engine, the 350 is nice and simple, air-cooled and easy to maintain but there is a lot more choice if you go for the 400.

Like Len says if you can find a late 350 with low mileage then you will have a bike that will last and last but they are becoming quite hard to find where as there are plenty of good 400's around.

Good luck with your search

[floyd fan]

Cheers Guys, I went to look at a 350 last night (ebay). Glad I did as I would have been so disapointed, nice comfy bike but quite battered and neglected. I think the 350 would suit me fine though, just about the right height for me similar to the XT350 I owned a couple of years back.

Cheers ... FF ...

[floyd fan]

Well just got myself a nice S reg DR350SEW only £900, rides realy nice. The only thing I could say was wrong is when I let the throttle off it bops quite a bit, think the carb may need setting up, like its running too rich. Besides that I'm chuffed to little bits.

Oh what is the significance of the W in seW?

Cheers ... FF ...

[boboneleg]

Oh what is the significance of the W in seW?

Cheers ... FF ...

S = Trail model (as opposed to the enduro version), E = electric start, the W just donates the model year, my latest one is a SEX

good info here........ http://www.suzukicycles.org/DR-series/DR350.shtml

cheers, Bob.

[416cc]

Several friends have had a number of DR350 bikes over the years. The first one that I came across was a 350S that had a CV carb that was difficult to start at times...especially if it had seen water...

This particular friend bought himself a DRZ400S, which is the 'soft' version, with all of the niceties of a commuter with indicators & a CV carb, as against the more trail riding DRZ400E enduro version with a straight pull carb.

One item that does give the DR350 a bit of a boost is to give it a rebore with a Wiseco 385cc piston kit when it's needed. It makes the engine more alive & more useable...so i've been told.
We had a guide up in Wales a few years ago who had a DR385E which is the enduroversion of the DR that comes with a straight pull carb & a plasic tank. He'd installed the 385 kit & many of us with XR400/600 in our group were pleased that it made the ride so much more 'fun' as his bike was much more useable where you needed the extra power in certain places.