salesman told me dr-z's have "notoriuous" head gasket issues?

[edgeparty]

i am new here but here goes......

i was at a dealership today and i made the mistake of talking to a salesman, and we got started on the subject of a KLR650 at $5300 plus tax and licensing, since i have been the proud owner of 2 dr-z's for the past three years (one is my wife's) i said "the prices are similar, how does it compare to the DRZ400?"

his response was:

"oh the dr-z's ALL have notorious head gasket problems, we had two in here and they both blew smoke.........."

i responded with "maybe that was a fluke......." and he said "well i owned one too...........on all dr-z's they go kaput once you go 90 mph"

so i responded with

" i have had two for the last three years with around 30,000 miles between them......no problems yet"

is this true? or are my suspicions that he is a crack-user correct? upon googling this question almost every result was from this site so i had to join up, it looks like there is a lot of dr-z info here

thanks

[ilsrwy27]

He must have confused the DRZ400 with the early model HVA SM610 ?

[MadMeador]

Stupid salesman:bonk:

[Wayward Son]

idiot

[oldmanb777]

I guess a first for everything. the KLR has had some ring problems, they blow smoke when they do. It's a known defect on KLR world. so I think he was mistaken or mixed up. He just graduated form being a "parts monkey to a sales monkey":bonk:

[GOF1]

The only thing "blowing smoke" is that salesman.

[bionic218]

A "decent" salesperson...if there is such a critter...would have used this as an opportunity to talk about the better passenger accomadations or the longer fuel range of his KLR, both of which are excellent points. However, they chose the path of least resistance, running down the DRZ. You know it's not true, but by mentioning you have two DRZs, you may have put him on defense. I find it best to say nothing of my experience, and let their actions and attitudes make or break them. Both of these are great bikes, in the markets they were designed for.

[edgeparty]

more and more it appears that dealerships are becoming useless wastes of time ?

[madera4x4]

I use to own a KLR (key word USE to)

KLR used 1 qt of oil every 500 miles no matter how I rode it even at 5000 miles. Exhaust fell off at 500 miles going down the freeway.

DRZ run the hell out of it everytime I ride it , no oil use, nothing has fell off of it:banana: .... well except me once on some tight single track:thumbsup:

Btw..I rode with a guy with a 2008 KLR last weekend...I wouldn't even call that monster a duelsport..I thought my 02 klr was a big bike.that thing looked more like that KTM 900cc monster they use for Paris to Dakar

[smrookie]

"oh the dr-z's ALL have notorious head gasket problems, we had two in here and they both blew smoke.........."

That is why he is only a salesman. Be thankful he's not the mechanic as well.

[iyaoyas98]

I have a '06 KLR. 18.8k miles without a hitch. Change the oil and go. I don't know of any ring problems on the KLR, but hell, I don't know a lot of things.

[kjpiel]

Rock goes 90mph with 13/47 gearing and he has not blown a head gasket ?

[kenr74]

i was at a dealership today

When you start like that it is only going to go downhill.

[PDBRacer]

most sales people that i bump into don't even ride.

My dealer just recently hired a girl who used to work at hooters. ? im scared to ask her questions about engine size.

My dealer has gone from sales people who ride often to women. Idk maybe it works for them. The parts guys are the guys i like to talk to.

But when i was doing promo work at the dealership a year or two ago, I had people start asking me questions and comparing them and they loved me, i told them more then they could ever imagine knowing. I was like wow I should do this. Then I was like nahhh don't get paid good enough.

[mickeydee]

should of asked him if they fixed the problem with the balancer chain tensioner on the new klr 650s

[AlexanderKeith]

I asked the parts guy around here for a bunch of crush washers for the case plug. He brought me an o-ring. I then asked him again for a bunch of crush washers and after 5 mins-10 mins he came back with one.? Thankfully I found the TT store.

[f2dog]

Think there are 2 breeds of sales people in the mc business ;

1 :People who's really into bikes ,and know their trade

2: People who's just need a job..

In my country ,these jobs doesn't pay much , I'll guess that sets the quality of the people in the shops (If they not are fanatics)

[ford7379trucks]

when dealers start lying to me i say good bye and go so where els.

[Ikuzus004]

Some salesmen are notorius for talking ?

[William1]

Remember, all salesmen are honest and your friend. They are also experts about motorcycles, engines and nuclear physics. If he told you they blow head gaskets, it must be true. Especially know as it is on the internet.

You ever notice, all salesmen own DRZ's?