Order of operation.

[corpsy600r]

Just picked this thing up.

It's slow,Kind lazy..coming off a drz 400 and a 1000cc rocket,not expecting anything close to that.. Just needs more.

Just ordered a thousand worth of armoured goodies.

In What order do I start bringing it more umph?

Pipe first?

[corpsy600r]

My poor mail lady is going to be jacked lugging around these parts.

[koolaukid]

I came off a DRZ with an Athena 440 kit and can give you some advice from someone who has tried many of the various modifications on the CRF.  A pipe and a EJK will improve things but just barely anything you'll notice.  To get any kind of respectable improvement you need a big bore kit.  I recommend against the Takegawa kit but think any of the other brands would work fine.  My buddy and I had really bad experiences, almost identical with Takegawa kits.  Nonetheless after my experience with a big bore on the DRZ I know they can be reliable.  

Edited July 11, 2017 by koolaukid
clean up language

[corpsy600r]

Figured the little things wouldn't do too much power wise.

Guess I'll ride it for a bit before stepping up the bore.

Would I need to pipe it before a EJK? if I decide to slap some smaller mods on anyway?

 

 

[gnath9]

What are your plans for riding this bike ?  If it is trails .... then I suggest tires, suspension, clutch and gearing first. Then maybe some protection like HDB hand guards and a skid plate, radiator guard and some good bars. Now that the bike can actually handle going fast you can go for a Bore kit and exhaust and also consider valves and porting etc ....  

 

Just some thoughts from a guy that has done almost everything .... I still need to get this bad boy installed ... 

 

Edited July 11, 2017 by gnath9

[Kompact]

1. 13/42-44 or 14/44-48 gearing

2. Upgrade the clutch to EBC 1313, barnett springs, remove judder springs

3. cbr300r engine swap or bbk

4. Full exhaust including ejk (don't bother doing just the exhaust or the ejk, do both or do neither)

 

[corpsy600r]

What are your plans for riding this bike ?  If it is trails .... then I suggest tires, suspension, clutch and gearing first. Then maybe some protection like HDB hand guards and a skid plate, radiator guard and some good bars. Now that the bike can actually handle going fast you can go for a Bore kit and exhaust and also consider valves and porting etc ....  

 

Just some thoughts from a guy that has done almost everything .... I still need to get this bad boy installed ... 

 

My plans are mostly trails but need a road legal to access.

Not looking to make a fire breathing 250 just want to make this bike feel a little more athletic and certainly don't mind putting some work and parts in to do it.

I like the idea of a better clutch, stock feels kinda mushy.

The bike really reminds my of an old xl as far as engine pep.

And would just some sprockets make 6th gear useable?

I like your head!

 

[Neilly]

36 minutes ago, corpsy600r said:

And would just some sprockets make 6th gear useable?

13t - 42t will let you pull 6th and keep the original chain length...and is much better off-road  ?

[corpsy600r]

13t - 42t will let you pull 6th and keep the original chain length...and is much better off-road  [emoji106]

Just what I was looking to hear!!

[Evan D]

And braided brake lines...

[alucard0822]

The CRF will never be "fast".  In the vast majority of cases with the vast majority of bikes, the cheapest and easiest way to get a significantly faster bike is to buy a faster bike.   It was also significantly changed for 2017, so many of tyhe '13-'16 mods won't work on the new model.  That being said, the CRF has a lot going for it, mainly comfort, low cost, easy to ride, easy maintenence, and reliability.  It's an awesome bike if you just want to jump on a bike, ride comfortably around town, or through a few trails, put it away, and repeat.  The further you want to stretch it's abilities, the more it will cost, and the more of it's positive stock attributes you give up.  Best thing is to ride it, it's a good bike out of the box, then evaluate what you want to change as time goes on.

Of course most can't leave a stock bike alone, myself included, and spending money in a smart way to make the bike fit you better is fun and rewarding.  As most will say, for an experienced rider the 3 areas most in need of work are the clutch, suspension and gearing.  The gearing is a simple fix, WAY too tall for offroad use, and even onroad you basically have a useable 5 speed with a 6th "cruising" gear that is so tall, the bike doesn't have enough power to maintain speed up hills in 6th, or get close to topping out.  A 13T front helps a great deal, and will basically make 6th gear useable, 13-42 is good all around, can go lower, and it will help offroad, but will start to lower top speed, and make life difficult on the highway.  The clutch uses a judder spring to slow engagement for beginners, and to smooth out clutch engagement, makes it really spongy and inconsistent for an experienced rider, ditching it in favor of a standard clutch with slightly heavier springs gives a "normal" clutch feel that engages predictably, and holds.  The suspension can be cheap or expensive, a full racetech setup is awesome, and really broadens the capability of the bike, only downside is it will sit higher, so shorter folk might not like that, and it costs around $1K in the US.  The stock suspension is under sprung for anyone over about 130lbs, could swap in heavier springs for a couple hundred, but if you are over about 160#, it will be under damped, so rebuilding the forks with a kit, and a replacement rear shock are needed, can get a cheaper overseas shock and save a couple hundred compared to Race tech.

Once the bike is set up for your weight, geared for your terrain, and the clutch is up to your skill level, then you can go further.  The stock exhaust is really quiet, some like it, I don't, can just add a slip-on for a couple hundred, and get a better tone with no increase in power(about 20HP stock), or get a header, muffler, EJK, and some minor mods to the airbox to gain a couple HP(22-24 typically), it's a noticeable improvement, but still short of a DRZ400 or WR250R's power.For a couple hundred more, you can swap in a CB/CBR 300 engine for about 27 reliable HP(a bit more with exhaust), or go for a big bore kit that may or may not be reliable.  There is no practical way to get  near the 40ish HP (or <250lb) of enduro based dual sports.  

There is plenty you can do for protection, comfort, or aesthetics.  First thing I did was ditch the monstrosity hanging off the rear fender with a DRC fender eliminator and installed LED turn signals to get rid of the Shrek ears.  Handguards offer good protection, and can help prevent damage if the bike is dropped, same with a bash plate and rad guard.  Braided brake lines and better rotors/pads can help if you feel the brakes lacking.  Some swap seats, but I like the stock one, comfortable enough, and versatile, could use more grip offroad, or a wider, more comfortable seat for long distance onroad.  The stock tires are probably 60 onroad-40 offroad, they handle well onroad with decent grip and moderate noise, and will handle dry offroad conditions well enough.  Can get tires better suited for the terrain you ride, or go for a supermoto kit for superior on-road handling and traction.  It's a popular bike, and they make thousands of other small aesthetic parts and accesories for it to improve looks or performance.

Edited July 11, 2017 by alucard0822

[mott555]

I'll say this, the DRZ400 would have been a slam-dunk for me if it was a few inches shorter and had a sixth gear...I had to "settle" for the CRF250L because I could reach the ground and the gearing was better for road/highway use.

[Evan D]

For me the DRZ is ok but it's downfall is a carburetor. My riding buddy has one and everytime he falls it's wrrrr...  wrrrr...wrrr...sputter cough hack... On mine it's hit the button and it roars to life.

As said this is no motocross bike. It is at best a trail bike stock, really a street bike made to look like a trail bike but with the pipe/ muffler/ EJK, airbox mods, better filter, better clutch plates/ springs and judder plate removal, proper gearing and stainless braided brake lines the performance is vastly improved. Add some knobbies and it's even motocross track worthy.

Get rid of the rear fender, seat strap, and turn signal, add a better set of bars and levers and, for some (I have not) add hand guards and a better bash plate and it really is a good dirt bike.

With all that I'm pretty happy, even happy enough to not increase C.C.'s.

 

28 minutes ago, mott555 said:

I'll say this, the DRZ400 would have been a slam-dunk for me if it was a few inches shorter and had a sixth gear...I had to "settle" for the CRF250L because I could reach the ground and the gearing was better for road/highway use.

 

 

Edited July 11, 2017 by Evan D

[gnath9]

7 hours ago, corpsy600r said:

My plans are mostly trails but need a road legal to access.

Not looking to make a fire breathing 250 just want to make this bike feel a little more athletic and certainly don't mind putting some work and parts in to do it.

I like the idea of a better clutch, stock feels kinda mushy.

The bike really reminds my of an old xl as far as engine pep.

And would just some sprockets make 6th gear useable?

I like your head!

 

Mine too !!!  ....  ? 

 

I wanted a bike that was a little more fun than just off road capable .... i wanted to play and do wheelies and small jumps etc ...  Full Race Tech suspension is a must on this bike as it makes the bike feel half the weight .... well untill you drop it or end up in some gnarly single track stuff .... ?  

 

As far as gearing goes from my experience I would suggest that you go a head and buy a new chain and go with 14/44's then after that you can put a 13 up front for off road and in town  Hooligan fun ...    then if you need to travel some distance or just want a little higher gearing you can toss the 14 back up front ...   

 

The clutch upgrade will blow your mind .... feels like the bike has a ton of added power.  Read this thread if you have not all ready. all of your part numbers and amazon links are in there ... I ahve even said if I would have done the clutch upgrade first I may have not even felt the need for the BB 305 kit but, after having the 305 I really would not want to be without it ... once you get this bike up to around 26hp she really gets fun to ride ... 

 

And here is my bike if you want to check it out ..... 

 

Edited July 11, 2017 by gnath9

[alucard0822]

Problem is for whatever reason, grandfathered emissions, lack of US profits, R&D cost or whatever, most Japanese dualsports are decades old designs, and are fading away while most other segments get new features or a redesign every couple years.  Seems Honda is about the only company that has brought out new stuff that is affordable.  With the WR going away it's really the only modern design left that isn't a $10,000+ enduro with plates.   I do like the DRZ, found one for a good deal, but the greater cost for older tech steered me twards the Honda.  I wanted an inexpensive and reliable bike that I could ride around town or explore dirt roads, and the occasional trail, and that is what I got.  

Edited July 11, 2017 by alucard0822

[corpsy600r]

Problem is for whatever reason, grandfathered emissions, lack of US profits, R&D cost or whatever, most Japanese dualsports are decades old designs, and are fading away while most other segments get new features or a redesign every couple years.  Seems Honda is about the only company that has brought out new stuff that is affordable.  With the WR going away it's really the only modern design left that isn't a $10,000+ enduro with plates.   I do like the DRZ, found one for a good deal, but the greater cost for older tech steered me twards the Honda.  I wanted an inexpensive and reliable bike that I could ride around town or explore dirt roads, and the occasional trail, and that is what I got.  

My thoughts exactly

[corpsy600r]

I notice this bike doesn't have a oil light.
Should I let this bother me?

[Kompact]

Why would you want one? Just have a quick peek at the sight glass as part of your pre ride inspection.

[alucard0822]

It has a good old Honda hydraulic cam tensioner, instead of a light, it will tick clang and bang to alert you if oil pressure is low?

Easy enough to check the oil level, would keep a close eye on the filter cover, and weep hole in front, if an o-ring or seal blows ou, it will leak quick.  Most any other cause of low pressure will probably be accompanied by painfully obvious symptoms and engine damage anyway, a light wouldn't change that.

Edited July 12, 2017 by alucard0822

[91kdx25088]

10 hours ago, mott555 said:

I'll say this, the DRZ400 would have been a slam-dunk for me if it was a few inches shorter and had a sixth gear...I had to "settle" for the CRF250L because I could reach the ground and the gearing was better for road/highway use.

getting the suspension lowered and changing the sprockets would have been easier and cheaper.