drz vs. klr

[desertlover]

Ok I admit I've been reading this forum too much! My question is I am going to get a bike and I can't decide between the drz 400s and the klr 650. I like the drz other than the seat is tall I'm 5'8", the tank is small and I'm wondering about the longivity of the engine. The klr is more street oriented has a big tank and weighs about 30lbs. more dry. I plan on commuting 50mi. rt, some single track, some dirt roads and some road trips.

My questions are?

-What can I expect for mileage between overhauls on drz's?

-How far can I ride it comfortably?

-How reliable is the speedo?

-Is it worth it to buy the bigger tank, better tires ect... or just get the klr.

The maing reason I like the Suzuki is it's a better off road bike but I plan on riding 60/40 street dirt.

Opinions and info? I go back and forth between these two bikes each week. ?

[dirty_south400s]

Hello, I also commute rt 50 miles everyday it doesn't rain and the drz does fine. As far as the gas tank goes, I experimented to see how far I could go before running out and I got 146 miles on it before running out. As far as the life of the engine I will have to step aside and allow the Big dogs step in. The seat height may have you consider either a gel seat or one from bill mayer. I am 5'10 and sit on it with my both sets of toes on the ground so I am comfortable with that but do plan on getting another seat for comfort reasons( I like to ride to the mountains so I will be in the saddle for a few hours on end). As far as going offroad on one of the two, I wouldn't even consider the klr unless it was just dirt roads. The zook seems lighter than my old xr200 and is really responsive and easy to slap around. I was considering the klr when I purchased the zook and after looking, the drz won hands down. The only thing the klr wins against the drz is comfort on a long road trip. Of course all of my opinions are just that but thought maybe I would get my $.02 in. Good luck on your choice and regardless of which one you choose, be safe.

[Spud786]

(((The only thing the klr wins against the drz is comfort on a long road trip)))

Yes , this is 100% correct IMO

A stock drz is capable of high 60's MPG, but trust me a few mods make it a much better bike.

If you were to say, your going to ride street , long trips and maybe a dirt road, go with the klr. Any agressive stuff whether dirt or street, DRZ country!

[RimLok]

If you are going to do 90% street and fire roads I would go KLR, they have adaquate power to get you to legal speed on any highway even two up. They do well on smooth or good condition dirt roads also, but when you want to single track ride they are a very heavy and awkward beast to get around on.

The KLR suspension is miserably soft and the brakes suck, they are a pure [@#$%&*!] in the soft stuff so be prepared to fall down.....ALOT. Oh and try picking one up a few times... You'll be wishin' you had a mule team handy.

There is too much gap between gears for easy single track riding, it's first or second gear most of the time and changing the counter shaft gear has very little affect when you need that boost of power.

The KLR sucks at bringing the front end up over holes or branches on the trail. The DRZ is much better at getting over the downed tree limbs and holes.

I have had a KLR, but I found it didn't do anything really well, it just kind of got there if ya know what I mean. They are not faster than the DRZ.... I have had two DRZ's and still have an '03 "S" model and it does most stuff off road very good, waaaay better than the KLR, but the seat sucks for long rides. KLR has a much better seat.

I would strongly suggest the DRZ over the KLR if you are doing more than 25-30% dirt riding since it is a much better and more up to date bike. The KLR is more than just 30 pounds heavier, I know what the specs say but I've had both and the KLR feels like a stumbling OX in the woods, the DRZ is like a fox , it just gets thru the stuff and never looks back. The brakes on the DRZ is worlds apart from the KLR, no joke. DRZ suspension is like riding a motocross bike compared to the KLR which easily bottoms out and bounce's around on the trail wallowing like it's drunk.

I encourage you to ride both before you make a decision and really focus on what type of riding you plan on doing. I now own a DRZ-S and a Suzuki V-Strom, the V-Strom does everything the KLR did but is way faster and light years more comfortable. My DRZ will do everything I need or want to do off road and the V-Strom will do the same for me on the street and fire roads. I've just about hit the big 5-0 and now it's time to "talk" about how fast I used to WAS and being the first one at the top .

Now I just want to get there and be comfy ?

[DaveI]

I've owned both...Bottom line is...

KLR better on the road/long haul machine

DRZ waaaaay better off-road machine...

Decide for your self which way you want to compromise...

I can say I'd never go back to the KLR after having a DRZ

but I don't ride much street anymore...

[EnviousDRZ]

I can say I'd never go back to the KLR after having a DRZ

? AGREED!

[kawidual]

My questions are?

-What can I expect for mileage between overhauls on drz's?

-How far can I ride it comfortably?

-How reliable is the speedo?

-Is it worth it to buy the bigger tank, better tires ect... or just get the klr.

I have put 18000 on my 03 KLX with no issues or overhauls, when the time comes

Ill upgrade it to a 440 or 450 at the same time.

Longest trip Ive done in one day was about 250 miles, didnt bother me a bit.

Speedo is about 10% high compared to my GPS reading.

Get the 4 gallon tank, I hit reserve about 170 now.

I was in the same place as you, debating the KLR or 400, Id say get the 650 if you

plan on doing high milage adventure trips, but the KLR is older tech, shorter travel,

and heavier for any real trail riding. I ride 80/20% street/dirt, but the 20% dirt I

ride would be much slower & less fun on a KLR IMO...

I commute about 250 miles a week on it and it does great in traffic, no worries there.

Its also pretty fun in the twisties once you get confident leaning it over. ?

[69t/a]

Own a 01'drz400s w/15k miles,boughtjune 02.90/10%street/dirt.Am 5'11"220lb 46yr old.No problem w/drz reliability, after jetting/yosh ti system test rode up past

100mph(on stock mi/odometer)not gps I might add.I test rode

KLR 650before DRZ purchase.Bike felt extremely top heavy,

shook @idle alot,not water cooled,old technology.I bought DRZ w/o test ride and have never looked back. ?

[GreenDRZ]

Up untill a couple of weeks ago I owned both a DRZ (kinda) and a KLR and am going to make a point not so much for the KLR as against the DRZ. If you set the DRZ up for dirt as far as gearing goes, there is NO WAY that you are going to be happy doing even 5 or 10 miles on any divided highway. Even with stock "s" gearing the highway is a verry busy and viby place for tht little 400cc engine. And that light weight that you'll love so much in the woods means that a passing Civic can blow you into the next lane. Two-up is a fantasy on the thing. The pegs are ther to please the government, not to be used by real people over the age of, oh, like 6. The stock seat is awefull and ther is NO "solution" as of yet, just work-arounds like replacement seats from different venders. Some work better than other for some people, but none are wider which is the key to long distance comfort on that thing! That being said I lost 20# over the winter and the DRZ seat is more comfortable this year than last. Of course, so is the KLR's. The are also "work arounds" for the lack of wind screening for the DRZ but, with the exception of one, they all look like a windshiel tacked onto a dirt bike. The KLR has many more options as far as wind protection goes, and they all look fairly natural since KLRs have wind shields designed into them. I get over 100 miles before reserve on the stock tank, so no worries there.

I have taken the KLR litteraly everywhere the DRZ went and it didn't suck that bad. I was limmited more by the fact that I only had a plastic, factory skid plate than any thing else. It will out pull a DRZ in low speed mode but, of course, the DRZ has more top end. I tend to ride about 80/20 street, BUT performing in that other 20% of the time is more important to me, so the KLR went and the DRZ stayed. Of course, I also have a street bike......

ken

[prairiedawg]

Also remember the KLR has a built in handgrenade. They call it a balancer. It's really just a very weak spring. They also have some issues with motormount bolts. They can be made dead reliable but you will never make an adequate dirt bike out of one. I'd go Suzuki DR650 myself and change the springs before I'd run a bike with a known problem that has blew up many a motor. prairiedawg ?

[GreenDRZ]

Also remember the KLR has a built in handgrenade. They call it a balancer. It's really just a very weak spring. They also have some issues with motormount bolts. They can be made dead reliable but you will never make an adequate dirt bike out of one. I'd go Suzuki DR650 myself and change the springs before I'd run a bike with a known problem that has blew up many a motor...

...like a disintegrating head gaske. Look, KLRs do NOT have "a built in handgrenade". There ARE instances of this part failing, but there a many, many many more istances of it never causing a problem and there are hundreds of thousands of KLR owners all over the world hat have no idea tha there is sucha thing in thier bike, never mind that it's subject to failure. I have had two KLRs, one 8 years old and the other 5 years old and niether one had a doohicky problem or replacement. You just have to adkust the tensioner bolt every ol change, just like it says in the owner's manual.

ken

[RandyC]

I have both bikes. The DRZ is better on the trails but I don't like it on the freeway. It is to light and it does get blown around a lot. Both get excellent gas milage 50-60 mpg. The biggest difference is the gas tank. KLR can go over 250 miles without filling gas tank, DRZ about 100. Longest trip on DRZ about 150 miles on back roads at 45-65. Longest trip on KLR about 500 miles 45-70 all kinds of roads. The engine is more responsive on DRZ but I don't feel comfortable much 0ver 65. The KLR is slow but it will cruise at 65-75 all day but again I don't feel comfortable past 75 on it. I got the DRZ because it is smaller and lighter and great to get around town on but I would not take it on an extended trip. Many in this forum have and have no complaints.

[HomerDRZ]

, like 6. The stock seat is awefull and ther is NO "solution" as of yet, just work-arounds like replacement seats from different venders. Some work better than other for some people, but none are wider which is the key to long distance comfort on that thing!

Try the Corbin seat for the DRZ - they are built wider towards the rear for long distance commute. I will probably get one next spring for mine.

[bmwhd]

I recently sold my KLR which I had set up WAY to much for the street. It was actually a reasonably good long distance bike. It sucked for any serious off road work, however.

Having said that, here's a link to a KLR being ridden very well on some difficult terrain. It can be done.

[levi1864]

Having recently ridden a KLR 650 off road, I have one thing to say. KLR's SUCK off road. It's got no power and is a pig.

My DR-Z S model is not that great on the highway but is a blast on 2 lane roads, back roads, fire roads yada yada. It also kicks a KLRs butt on trails. It's easily modified and is a blast to ride once you open up the air box and drop the gearing for off road. If u get a DR-Z, suggest adding an aftermarket exhaust too.