Negative points about a DRZ400SM with dirt wheels?

[Ben_jamin]

Hey guys, so I'm seriously considering buying a 400sm and then buying a set of dirt wheels to have on the bike 95% of the time and using this bike as my daily driver and only vehicle. Are there any negative points to consider with having the 400sm permanently converted to dirt wheels?

[Drz400-driving]

Hey guys, so I'm seriously considering buying a 400sm and then buying a set of dirt wheels to have on the bike 95% of the time and using this bike as my daily driver and only vehicle. Are there any negative points to consider with having the 400sm permanently converted to dirt wheels?

no apart from it wont be as comfortable as it is with sn wheels. If you are using it highways your will notice

[Romie]

Do you have to use the 310mm disc with the dirt wheels on a SM? If so that is the only issue I could really think of.

[red5001]

You have to use the larger brake disc with the dirt wheels.  After riding my with and with out dirt wheels.  the SM wheels/tires are nice on road compare to the dirt wheel.  However the dirts do ok just gear it accordingly. 

[Mike in Fresno]

front n rear disc are different and larger on the SM. Dirt wheels easier to find used but then you have to buy larger SM sized rotors to fit the bike so it ups the $$$ spent. Im looking for stuff now.

[red5001]

front n rear disc are different and larger on the SM. Dirt wheels easier to find used but then you have to buy larger SM sized rotors to fit the bike so it ups the $$$ spent. Im looking for stuff now.

If he already has the SM he can just use the Discs he has on teh dirt wheels.  It works fine

[cal_tony]

Seems like a different thought. Most riders in your situation use both sets One for road use one for dirt. Posting from Australia might indicate that some or all of your commute is on dirt. If so, than it makes sense. As mentioned by most above there really is no problem with the SM suspension in dirt except that the front rotor cannot be replaced by a smaller one. If it's dirt roads ..not a problem. If it's actual off road riding there might be problems with the rotor catching rocks and debris. Suspension wise the "S" and "SM" are basically the same. The rear shock is interchangeable and the springs are the same. The front forks are basically the same except the SM has an upside down configuration like most all current Motocross bikes.

 

The bikes weight the same and with dirt tires and gearing the "SM" will feel just like a "S".

 

I had  an extra set of "SM" forks and I put them on my "S" because I just ride it on dirt roads and pavement. At over 50 mph I prefer the larger rotor and for dirt roads it hasn't been a problem.

 

Tony

Edited August 23, 2013 by cal_tony

[Mike in Fresno]

well, yes, you can swap rotors, but I don't like the idea of repetitively removing the small bolts from the rotor to the aluminum hub. In time, or the first time if not careful, you may strip the threads in the hub. I like the idea of a complete set-up so it is easier, quicker, less chance of damage. The other alternative is to just get dirt tires for the 17" wheels. But they are quite a bit more money than a set 0f 18-21 tires.

[cal_tony]

well, yes, you can swap rotors, but I don't like the idea of repetitively removing the small bolts from the rotor to the aluminum hub. In time, or the first time if not careful, you may strip the threads in the hub. I like the idea of a complete set-up so it is easier, quicker, less chance of damage. The other alternative is to just get dirt tires for the 17" wheels. But they are quite a bit more money than a set 0f 18-21 tires.

I think the above point was that he could make the one time switch of the 310mm rotor over to the 21" wheel.

You can make a bracket to use a 320 on a "SM" fork but it would be complicated and difficult to make a  bracket  for a stock or 280mm rotor.

 

Dirt tires on front 17" rims is always a recipe for an accident. {{Dont ask me how I know... or how many times I knew.}}

 

Tony

[barker14]

Hey guys, so I'm seriously considering buying a 400sm and then buying a set of dirt wheels to have on the bike 95% of the time and using this bike as my daily driver and only vehicle. Are there any negative points to consider with having the 400sm permanently converted to dirt wheels?

You'll probably want to throw out the 41 tooth sprocket from the sm wheels and pick up at least a 44 tooth for the s wheels. If you are commuting on the bike on the pavement you will have to compromise with the tires you choose. Tires meant for mainly off road will be great in the woods but will wear quickly on the pavement. Tires meant for the road will last longer but won't be very good off the pavement. I haven't experimented myself too much to find the "best" middle of the road tire but I'm sure you can do a search and find something. Personally, I run my sm wheels for the pavement and have quite aggressive knobbies on my s wheels that I try to keep off the tarmac as much as possible. It all depends on what kind of riding you want to do.

[Zeeno]

Couldn't you just get some dualsport tires for the SM wheels with decent tread?

[ohgood]

 

Hey guys, so I'm seriously considering buying a 400sm and then buying a set of dirt wheels to have on the bike 95% of the time and using this bike as my daily driver and only vehicle. Are there any negative points to consider with having the 400sm permanently converted to dirt wheels?

some say the larger 320mm front disk is vulnerable to rocks. 

 

the sm uses larger rotors for both front and rear, and they're generally not as easily found if/when you bend one. 

 

the sm generally costs more for whatever reason, wether it's wheels, rotors, calipers, or whatever. it's the same bike, with very insignificant differences. 

 

using 21/18" wheels on your sm is fine. you'll want to be careful not to scar the fork sliders on rocks/roots though as they are more exposed than the s/e forks are. 

 

if you choose to slap DS tires (shinko 244 is common) on the 17" wheels, be prepared for poor handling on the road, poor tread life, and very poor performance off road compared to proper knobbies on the larger front wheel. 

 

?

[cal_tony]

Couldn't you just get some dualsport tires for the SM wheels with decent tread?

You could but it's not so much the tire thread that's the problem. It's the 17" front wheel diameter that causes the problem.

 

That's why they have 21" wheels. The 17" rear isn't as much of a problem as the switch from 18" to 17"is not that dramatic.  It's the 17 to 21 front that causes the problem.

 

And when the front slides out you go down  face first.

 

Tony

[Zeeno]

I guess it depends on what kind of offroading he is doing. Some people are guessing just dirt roads which made me think he could just use more dirt oriented tires on the SM wheels. If its rocky mountain terrain then I suppose the larger wheels would be best

[cal_tony]

I guess it depends on what kind of offroading he is doing. Some people are guessing just dirt roads which made me think he could just use more dirt oriented tires on the SM wheels. If its rocky mountain terrain then I suppose the larger wheels would be best

Not to be argumentaive, but I did mention above :"Dirt tires on front 17" rims are always a recipe for an accident. {{Dont ask me how I know... or how many times I knew it .}}

 

And the worst part about how I knew was. I'd been riding off road and duel sport bikes for over 60 years and no mfg in that time ever sold a full sized DS with anything smaller than a 19" front wheel and it didn't take them that long to eliminate the 19 and switch to the 21 because even the 19 was iffy.

 

The problem with the 17 front is that on any dirt surface you have no steering control and if you turn sharper than just a little bit the front will slide out..sometimes without any notice.

 

I did some dirt road riding with a 17 DS tire and I always knew I could go down so I was especially careful and sometimes carefulo wasn't good enough.

 

Don't think I want to have to do that every day.

 

Lastly, and I should have mentiioned it earlier. DS tires expect 1.8 to 2.1 width rims. and theyr'e profiled for those sized rims. The DRZ SM rims are 3.5 and 4.5"   Most tires will respond by loosing their profiles completely. They'll look like car tires...flat.. and when you lean them over you at the very edge of the tire.

 

 

Tony

Edited August 23, 2013 by cal_tony

[buddoggin]

You could but it's not so much the tire thread that's the problem. It's the 17" front wheel diameter that causes the problem.

 

That's why they have 21" wheels. The 17" rear isn't as much of a problem as the switch from 18" to 17"is not that dramatic.  It's the 17 to 21 front that causes the problem.

 

And when the front slides out you go down  face first.

 

Tony

 

I ran knobbies on 17's for two years. Lot's of rocky trails and a little mud/snow. Never had a problem and never went down face first. Just use the right tires. I ran Kenda K270's and really liked them.

 

Edited August 24, 2013 by buddoggin

[cal_tony]

I ran knobbies on 17's for two years. Lot's of rocky trails and a little mud/snow. Never had a problem and never went down face first. Just use the right tires. I ran Kenda K270's and really liked them.

 

I wouldn't disagree with your comments at all. Youv'e  done it, so have I.

 

When it comes down to it, all I'm doing is listing the problems with a 17" front wheel. My feeling is that whatever you do in the dirt on a 17 it'll always be easier to do on a 21.

I've been on communal rides with otherDRZs that have 21s. I've been able to keep up but it's hard work and a 21 would have made it easy.

 

To regress to the absurd... you could race a MX with a 17" front but you would have either crashed a lot or not crashed and ended up in last place no matter how skillful you are.

 

Another way of saying this is you can have the most streetworthy  21 tire or the most dirtworthy 17 on pavement and I'd go with the 17.

 

Tony

[Ben_jamin]

Thanks for all of the replies, they give some good points to consider.

[mickeydee]

Hey guys, so I'm seriously considering buying a 400sm and then buying a set of dirt wheels to have on the bike 95% of the time and using this bike as my daily driver and only vehicle. Are there any negative points to consider with having the 400sm permanently converted to dirt wheels?

the only negative thing about converting to 18/21 is if you have a aggressive dirt tires on they will wear out quick.. If you get them balanced it will be better for the street but if in the dirt a lot then don't worry about balancing.i personally found the drz a little heavy for the tight stuff but in sm trim works very well for the street.youll also find that you'll be cleaning your bike a lot more

[ohgood]

I ran knobbies on 17's for two years. Lot's of rocky trails and a little mud/snow. Never had a problem and never went down face first. Just use the right tires. I ran Kenda K270's and really liked them.

 

 

 

i like pictures of bikes being used, just as much as the next guy. i've got to question the toughness of the trails (or are they just dirt roads?), if there is a gs with street tires in the picture. i know some capable riders that fly on doubletrack with big bikes, but real, offroading and singletrack TRAILS means the big bikes and 17" wheels stay at home.