XR 650L vs DRZ 400

[Jesse Jaymes]

Like the term "Overlanding" I think Adventure Bike is dumb. I have a dirt bike sickness. I am constantly trolling for bikes. I am somewhere between Novice and Intermediate rider. My "need" is very straight forward.

I have literally thousands of miles of USFS roads to ride and explore at the end of my driveway. That and shuttling myself on rafting float trips. I envision 90% dirt roads and trails and 10% pavement.

For sure wont be a new bike.

MacGruder Corridor very close to me. As are a plethora of very cool Idaho into Montana rides that are both way faster and way less punishment on my trucks.

Need bulletproof reliability. Central Idaho solo, BFE riding. Fly rod and tripod to roam and scout and explore. Possible overnights, but geesh...I see so many YT vids of many poor bikes loaded down with 80 lbs of schittt. Lightweight hammock and summer bag with a JetBoil? Ideal. 4 week BDR kit? Pass.

I was dead set on XR 650L. Missed a handful of just not having my $$$ in hand and pulled from the bank. I've watch countless hours of vids on Mods.

Enter the DRZ400. On factory scales I think it's 30lbs lighter? And that's before either bike stripped of factory non essentials. But the last part that really intrigued me is a report of the DRZ feeling "so much more light and nimble" vs the 650L.

I test road a mid 2000s DRZ a few years ago. Just a mile or two down the road, through a subdivision and back to the seller. Thought it was a pig, very boring and simply not for me. I've not yet swung a leg over a 650L.

Knowing the Honda is air cooled vs the Suzuki being liquid cooled......is there a "clear" winner between these two above simple popular opinion?

Think both are 5 speed bikes with a carb. If you were 90% dirt with some possible trails and rough 2 tracks....does a stripped DRZ feel THAT MUCH more like a dirt bike?

 

[Taudisio]

Like the term "Overlanding" I think Adventure Bike is dumb. I have a dirt bike sickness. I am constantly trolling for bikes. I am somewhere between Novice and Intermediate rider. My "need" is very straight forward.

I have literally thousands of miles of USFS roads to ride and explore at the end of my driveway. That and shuttling myself on rafting float trips. I envision 90% dirt roads and trails and 10% pavement.

For sure wont be a new bike.

MacGruder Corridor very close to me. As are a plethora of very cool Idaho into Montana rides that are both way faster and way less punishment on my trucks.

Need bulletproof reliability. Central Idaho solo, BFE riding. Fly rod and tripod to roam and scout and explore. Possible overnights, but geesh...I see so many YT vids of many poor bikes loaded down with 80 lbs of schittt. Lightweight hammock and summer bag with a JetBoil? Ideal. 4 week BDR kit? Pass.

I was dead set on XR 650L. Missed a handful of just not having my $$$ in hand and pulled from the bank. I've watch countless hours of vids on Mods.

Enter the DRZ400. On factory scales I think it's 30lbs lighter? And that's before either bike stripped of factory non essentials. But the last part that really intrigued me is a report of the DRZ feeling "so much more light and nimble" vs the 650L.

I test road a mid 2000s DRZ a few years ago. Just a mile or two down the road, through a subdivision and back to the seller. Thought it was a pig, very boring and simply not for me. I've not yet swung a leg over a 650L.

Knowing the Honda is air cooled vs the Suzuki being liquid cooled......is there a "clear" winner between these two above simple popular opinion?

Think both are 5 speed bikes with a carb. If you were 90% dirt with some possible trails and rough 2 tracks....does a stripped DRZ feel THAT MUCH more like a dirt bike?

Tagging in to see real world experiences.
I don’t have experience on either of those bikes. I have heard the xr has a very high seat height.

I was in the same boat as you, miles and miles of dirt roads right off the driveway. I sold a street bike because of the kids, so a dual sport with a top speed of 75ish mph was an easy sell to the wife. I picked up the klx300. I have a blast out scouting and save a ton on gas. I would not put it into the same league as the bigger bikes you are looking at, but for 55mph zones and any off-roading I want, it is a perfect match. I have been watching the dr650 and xr650’s in the classifieds even though I know I’ll push them on the pavement.

 

[Steve300xcw]

If you were 90% dirt with some possible trails and rough 2 tracks....does a stripped DRZ feel THAT MUCH more like a dirt bike?

dirt what? Mainly dirt road?


The bigger heavier bikes really come into their own at speed. If I was looking at 650's, I'd want a 650R. If I was throwing a bike around I'd take the 400 as its somethin like 30lbs lighter and thats huge!

Personally. If I wanted a bike to shred backroads and go make poor decisions on. Id be looking at a 500/501 or a tenere

 

[solarshooter]

I've had a bunch of XRs and ridden some DRZs. They are all fat pigs with terrible suspension and brakes, and not much power. I think I'd get a CRF300F if I wanted a trail bike these days. Peppy EFI motor, E start, 6 speed, decent suspension and brakes, 100lbs lighter than an XR and lower CG. Easy to plate, probably fine to ride in the boonies as is.

We could have a Rokslide style debate on displacement, but suffice it to say most people should be riding a smaller bike and learning proper technique.

 

[Steve300xcw]

most people should be riding a smaller bike and learning proper technique.

Lotta truth to that. Hard to make yourself do that though

Still...For eating up back road, and still having some bottom end snort, I dont want to be on a lil bike that'll be wound out all the time

 

[solarshooter]

Lotta truth to that. Hard to make yourself do that though

Still...For eating up back road, and still having some bottom end snort, I dont want to be on a lil bike that'll be wound out all the time

The newer EFI 250F and 300F motors are pretty stout. And most people aren't cruising faster than 20-30, at least not responsibly haha. I love ripping fire roads on my 300XC as much as the next guy but it's a good way to get into a head on collision with a jeep or SxS doing 30 the other way...

Should add the XR650L is really not that much power. Lot's of torque but it does not rev at all, just makes more noise and vibration. Add to that the bad suspension and breaks and I would definitely be faster on the CRF. And I'm a big guy, 6'3" 270lbs. The XR bars, pegs, tires, and gearing also suck out of the box and need changing.

 

[Steve300xcw]

See IMO 2strokes on the road just suck. I hate it

 

[solarshooter]

See IMO 2strokes on the road just suck. I hate it

Based on your username I'm guessing you know how good the modern 6 speed 300s are... I just don't ride forest roads much, other than to connect trails, so it's not something I've ever really tried to design for. Any real fully capable enduro bike won't have a comfortable seat or good gearing for fire roads. My XR650L had all the goodies, it was fine on fire roads but honestly just not that fast and too big and heavy for trails. And I'll give you a counter hot take, dual sports suck on the highway, at least any mildly offroad capable dual sport.

So, just depends on the application, but for cruising forest roads and mild trails 90% offroad like OP said I think the CRF300F can't be beat for it's price and reliability point.

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

Sat on a 300F. It's Dinky....but I get it. Dealer said he legally couldn't even sell me one. Factory recall? I think he was small town and FOS.

I'll add that I already own an XR 400 and a KTM 450 EXC.

My 400 is cool. Lots of mods. I simply don't trust it. Did a 40 mile loop two weeks ago. Stopped to look at a Mtn Goat and some mulies. Cold Starts, my technique is generally money. For some reason....just wouldn't fire. I almost alway stop at the TOP of a hill or higher point. Easy enough to coast down and dump the clutch in 2nd. Popped and got me home. I simply hate that schittt in the back of my head.

Love my EXC. It's old. Been whooped by probably 6 other dudes in it's lifetime. Hasn't failed me. Just don't really trust it for Day In, Day Out, 87 miles from home kinda rides.

I knew Steve would chime in. NFW am I buying a GD Tenere....

Like $5500 or under BackWoods wonder bike is the goal

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

RE: CRF 300F......no after market tanks for either the former 250F or new 300F. Major deal breaker. Other than that, I was pretty hip on them.

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

Handful of 650Rs around. Intriguing. But defeats the intent. I don't care how "reliable" a kick start can be tuned.....it's a turn off. Simply not interested in a kick start ONLY bike. Now having both....that would horn me up quite a bit. Very rare.

Some mid 2000's KTM had both. My EXC has both. Just charged the battery and washed it. I fugged something up. Torched my battery. Just kick started in 5 minutes ago rather easily.

My XR400 has a big bore 440 kit in it. A Mikuni Pumper carb. DeComp wired off. It's a challenge to hot start and a long way from factory, and all schittt I didn't do or mod it. Zero mechanical knowledge of what was changed.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Based on your username I'm guessing you know how good the modern 6 speed 300s are... I just don't ride forest roads much, other than to connect trails, so it's not something I've ever really tried to design for. Any real fully capable enduro bike won't have a comfortable seat or good gearing for fire roads. My XR650L had all the goodies, it was fine on fire roads but honestly just not that fast and too big and heavy for trails. And I'll give you a counter hot take, dual sports suck on the highway, at least any mildly offroad capable dual sport.

'13 300xcw awesome bombproof bike. Yet, even when it had round rims, it weren't bad but it weren't great on the roads.

'23 sherco 250. Motor is way smoother, but that damn seat isnt made for that sorta thing.

'23 150xcw. Weird lil gearbox in the thing. Swapped the 50t for a 52t. 6th gear would come on the pipe at about 36mph 50t actually cruised pretty well, but it felt like a toy and I made a lot of poor choices while riding it. Thing was almost as dangerous as a 50!

We always tried to stay on the single track so it was never really an issue. Kinda shocking how bad your bike is, when you do have to run the road for 5-10 miles though

Been kinda getting out of the single track. Starting to look into an all around bike that can do a bit of everything. The 500's and tenere's seem to be what everybody has that does that sorta stuff. Kinda like how everybody has a 300...

I dunno. I'm just window shopping right now.

 

[elkbowhuntr]

I have had both the Drz400 and the KLR650. I enjoyed the DRZ way more than the KLR, the KLR is bullet proof but man it's a tank. The DRZ400 has a ton of aftermarket accessories, and it is also bullet proof as well.

I have also owned the Kawasaki KLX 300, I would buy that over the KLR.