XR 650L vs DRZ 400

[Steve300xcw]

aftermarket what?

Reliability with lots of AfterMarket.

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

Because NOBODY uses any of these bikes in factory form. Bars, Risers, foot pegs.

Gas tanks for one. None of these bikes have a tank WAF. Weight reduction, slip on exhausts.

Why would anyone NOT want aftermarket options or support? From Toyotas to Tikkas

 

[Taudisio]

Because NOBODY uses any of these bikes in factory form. Bars, Risers, foot pegs.

Gas tanks for one. None of these bikes have a tank WAF. Weight reduction, slip on exhausts.

Why would anyone NOT want aftermarket options or support? From Toyotas to Tikkas

Just throwing this out there, I just ordered a 3.8gal tank for the klx300 on Monday, and the honda crf300l rally comes with 3.4gal.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Because NOBODY uses any of these bikes in factory form. Bars, Risers, foot pegs.

Gas tanks for one. None of these bikes have a tank WAF. Weight reduction, slip on exhausts.

Why would anyone NOT want aftermarket options or support? From Toyotas to Tikkas

Bars and risers? Thats pretty universal stuff. Will add though. The faster/better you get. The lower you'll want those bars....

Pegs... you just wanting options here? Whats wrong with factory?

Larger tanks I can understand.


The more I ride, and the better I get. The less things I find i want to change. Dial in your suspension. Dial in your gearing, comfy seat...dont touch nothin else

 

[RWT]

Yz450fx is a bad bitch. Pretty well thought of bike around here.

Detune with a sprocket change?

A smaller front sprocket or larger rear sprocket increases acceleration but decreases top speed, while a larger front sprocket or smaller rear sprocket does the opposite.

Put a larger front sprocket or smaller rear sprocket if you want to take the hard hit out of the throttle.

If you want more hit and bring your front end up by just giving it gas then do the opposite. You really only need to change the front sprocket in either direction to make a difference.

I raced a lot of hare scrambles growing up on an 87 YZ250. When you dropped the clutch and gassed it the instant hit was too much for the tight woods. Changing the front sprocket to 1 tooth larger mellowed it out and made the transition smoother.

This is the cheapest way to “detune” a bike that was to “jumpy” to ride fast.

 

[Mentholspliff]

Xr because it’s air cooled

 

[Steve300xcw]

A smaller front sprocket or larger rear sprocket increases acceleration but decreases top speed, while a larger front sprocket or smaller rear sprocket does the opposite.

Put a larger front sprocket or smaller rear sprocket if you want to take the hard hit out of the throttle.

If you want more hit and bring your front end up by just giving it gas then do the opposite. You really only need to change the front sprocket in either direction to make a difference.

I raced a lot of hare scrambles growing up on an 87 YZ250. When you dropped the clutch and gassed it the instant hit was too much for the tight woods. Changing the front sprocket to 1 tooth larger mellowed it out and made the transition smoother.

This is the cheapest way to “detune” a bike that was to “jumpy” to ride fast.

87 was a long time ago.....

Sprockets make a big difference for sure. Never heard of them being used to tone a bike down

 

[Steve300xcw]

Xr because it’s air cooled

An thats a plus?

 

[Bluefish]

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

I would go 500exc. Probably already plated, a capable dirt bike and slightly more road worthy than the 450. Imho the 230-300 4-st play bikes are heavier than the 450 exc you have and 30% less power.

I have not ridden a 650l, but it’s basically a street legal xr600, except Heavier because it has a steel tank. Old geometry, so you sit down in it instead of on top like a modern dirt bike. I have ridden a 650R and I think they are great dual sports, but they are now quite old (20 years or so). Also kick start only and harder to plate as there were not street legal from the factory.

 

[z987k]

RE: Yama WR450F......Never even looked or read. I will. Don't seem to "flow" in the circles of the same Honda/DRZ reliability tho. But I am late to the dirt bike game in life.

If you can get a plate for one, it's the way to go. It's pretty close to a YZFX. You can always uncork it and then it is. They also make aftermarket massive fuel tanks for them if you get the right year.

I still think peak plated dirkbike was the husky TE610.

 

[z987k]

A smaller front sprocket or larger rear sprocket increases acceleration but decreases top speed, while a larger front sprocket or smaller rear sprocket does the opposite.

Put a larger front sprocket or smaller rear sprocket if you want to take the hard hit out of the throttle.

If you want more hit and bring your front end up by just giving it gas then do the opposite. You really only need to change the front sprocket in either direction to make a difference.

I raced a lot of hare scrambles growing up on an 87 YZ250. When you dropped the clutch and gassed it the instant hit was too much for the tight woods. Changing the front sprocket to 1 tooth larger mellowed it out and made the transition smoother.

This is the cheapest way to “detune” a bike that was to “jumpy” to ride fast.

Now we just wifi to the ECU and map the fuel and timing to our liking.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Bike threads on this forum are always interesting.

No doubt theres good info being tossed out there. Also pretty clear that some of yall have not been on a bike in a while...

 

[Mentholspliff]

An thats a plus?

Air cooled-made to run hot and be abused. I’ve got 25kmi on a 98xr650l never done anything but adjust valves. Radiators just add another thing to go wrong, lay one down, bend a radiator, get one plugged up with grass seeds, poke a stick through one on and on. There are good things about water cooled but to me the less moving parts the better. Also the xr has not changed a single thing since 1993 so obviously it’s working

 

[Baddog]

Here’s the thing with dirt bikes or toys in general. Buy something you think you like, ride it and if after a couple months you don’t like it. Sell it and try a different one. Maybe you lose a couple bucks maybe you make a couple but having fun usually ain’t free.

 

[solarshooter]

Air cooled-made to run hot and be abused. I’ve got 25kmi on a 98xr650l never done anything but adjust valves. Radiators just add another thing to go wrong, lay one down, bend a radiator, get one plugged up with grass seeds, poke a stick through one on and on. There are good things about water cooled but to me the less moving parts the better. Also the xr has not changed a single thing since 1993 so obviously it’s working

Water cooled bikes are extremely reliable. Water cooling systems just don't go wrong often enough to be concerned with. I've cracked a radiator on a ride once, rode the bike out (gently) with 0 issues. Air cooled bikes can get so hot they stop running right - especially air cooled and carbureted. And water cooled bikes are lighter and make more power. Even trials bikes have all gone water cooled.

I would go 500exc. Probably already plated, a capable dirt bike and slightly more road worthy than the 450. Imho the 230-300 4-st play bikes are heavier than the 450 exc you have and 30% less power.

500s are great, but they are pushing 15k nowadays... And no 250lb single cylinder bike is going to be any good on the highway, if that's what you mean. The 250-300 "play bikes" are a bit heavier, 270 wet vs 250-260, but the CG is 1/2 to 2/3 shorter, and the rotating mass is less. Therefore the bike will feel much more nimble and flickable. As far as power differences, no one is using 100% of a 450 or 500 riding forest roads. Not even 50%. You might whack the throttle for a moment to impress your buddies or listen to the sound, but I would bet money that a talented rider on a 300F would smoke most of the people here on a 500 on any sort of technical terrain. Unless you are RACING motocross, desert, or doing big hill climbs, no one needs or really wants a 450/500. They suck on trails.

 

[Steve300xcw]

500s are great, but they are pushing 15k nowadays... And no 250lb single cylinder bike is going to be any good on the highway, if that's what you mean. The 250-300 "play bikes" are a bit heavier, 270 wet vs 250-260, but the CG is 1/2 to 2/3 shorter, and the rotating mass is less. Therefore the bike will feel much more nimble and flickable. As far as power differences, no one is using 100% of a 450 or 500 riding forest roads. Not even 50%. You might whack the throttle for a moment to impress your buddies or listen to the sound, but I would bet money that a talented rider on a 300F would smoke most of the people here on a 500 on any sort of technical terrain. Unless you are RACING motocross, desert, or doing big hill climbs, no one needs or really wants a 450/500. They suck on trails.

Didnt get the impression the OP was looking at new bikes. Nor doing any real trails or technical anything