Planning mods for my DRZ400SM. Which pipe?

[m0tyrider]

Gday everyone.

I have purchased a brand new 2011 DRZ400SM....!! Wooo hoo!!

But.....Its on back order....with a 4 week wait to boot

So i have been going nuts planning my mods for her when she arrives?

Thinking 3x3, Jet kit (not sure which brand?) and of course, a full exhaust system.

Now i have done quite a bit of reading, and the clear winner is the MRD/SSW system.

BUT

what i was wondering, is that are there cheaper alternatives that produces the same power IF i do not big bore and stroke it.

The most mods i would ever plan to do would be, 3x3, FCR (Maybe...its expensive), Exhaust, maybe some E/Hot Cams?

The Big bore and stroking, porting and all that while im sure is awesome. Is just not cost effective in my eyes....rather buy a race machine and keep this as my fun bike.

So is it still worth me ordering a MRD/SSW full exhaust if i am only going to be going as far as say the FCR, Hotcams/E Cams and 3x3? (If i have missed a mod let me know..other then BB and other expensive extreme stuff)

I am a LITTLE worried about noise too, i have looked up countless youtube video's but I am trying to compare it something i know and have heard.

I have owned a 05 YZ250F with a stock system which i thought was quite loud, and the old mans TTR250 has a FMF Power Core IV slip on, which made it pretty much as loud as the 250F on idle i recken...maybe even a little louder.....is the MRD going to be similar to that? Everybody says its so LOUD LOUD LOUD...but realisticly, can i cruise around without annoying everybody? When i say cruise, i mean no WOT...just commuting lazy riding.

Hopefully this all makes sense as im going loopy thinking about it.......4 week wait on my DRZ...COME ON!! ??

Also i have read about lightening or getting a lighter flywheel...what exactly does this do..? Is it a cheap mod?

Edited May 16, 2011 by m0tyrider
Added Flywheel Question

[bikercat1]

The MRD is about the loudest pipe out there. But if you really don't plan on going full on with the mods, just get one you like the look and sound of.

The E header with a decent tail pipe won't drop you a whole lot of power with those mods.

Once you get up nearer 50HP the MRD comes into it's own, along with the yosh Ti. Both too loud for you from your post. With the FCR and cams, you wont get near 50 hp to worry

[m0tyrider]

Any chance of getting it to the 45HP mark without Big bore?

And thats a let down that the MRD is going to be too loud.. ?

[William1]

Not sure how deep your pockets are.

First, get a SSW FCR kit. Install it, ride the bike for a month.

Then get a set of actual E cams or Hot cams.

Next the pipe. If you are going to buy a pipe, get the SSW/MRD or the Yosh Ti.

At this point you will be at or close to 45 Hp.

Keeping the stock pipe on would leave you at about 40 forever, no matter what other mods you do.

Forget about the flywheel.

[m0tyrider]

SSW FCR Kit? Im confused.....is that just the carb with jets suited to thr mrd pipe?

Also how much do cams roughly cost? I would want to limit a budget around $1000 in engine mods...

[William1]

Both the TT store and Eddie (through his company, SSW) sell FCR kits. Eddies has the advantage of being completely pre-set up, making it easier for the less technical people. He can prejet it for the stock cams and pipe and then include the jets for the MRD pipe too. About as plug N play as it gets.

E cams can be found for a $100 a pair if you are lucky. Usually more though. You can ask Eddie if he has them. AFAIK, Hot cams are essentially the same cams.

You should be able to do the carb and cams well under a grand (perhaps $750 or so).

[m0tyrider]

So carb before pipe, ok.

Well eddie if you catch this thread, let me know if you have some e cams and the carb and ill grab them off you ?

Are cams hard to install? Most extensive thing i have done is a top end rebuild on my yz125...

[Flywalker]

SSW/MRD with the quiet insert is loud.... but can be ridden gently without shattering windows.

Pipe... $500

Carb... $500

Cams... $150(approx)

This is not including shipping to Oz or mechanic's time if you don't do it yourself. There's a used pipe in the Classifieds based in Taiwan for $300 or best offer including the quiet insert. Might be able to negotiate a better deal. Cams in the classifieds as well.

[m0tyrider]

Just had a quick look on ebay. Looks like a intake hotcam is around $150 shipped.

Whats the story with the cams? Do i need both the intake and exhaust, were they both neutured for the sm?

Hope thats not too dumb of a question....

[Flywalker]

lt's better performance/value to buy the set.... so l'd buy used E cams for the same money.

The SM stock is a gutless, overweight bike. Installing standard E parts like the cams and FCR along with ANY pipe that has a larger diameter header will dramatically change it for the better. l know you just bought a brand new bike but mint E cams can be found... and, for example, a bit of fine sand paper and polish on that used MRD and you have saved half the cash(or more) towards an FCR ?

[dark_knight]

MRD SSW.

Have '10 SM, did 3x3, rejetted stock carb, got mrd. It's not as loud when putting around as my mates E with a stock muffler without the baffle. It is hard to resist WOT though.

Hopefully doing the fcr/cams/base gasket/bb next (I think in that order)

[bikercat1]

Any chance of getting it to the 45HP mark without Big bore?

And thats a let down that the MRD is going to be too loud.. ?

No. You won't get there without the BB.

From experience, a well set up FCR hotcam MRD combo will get you about 42 max.

You can find Hotcams on ebay in the US for about $160-180 a set. Just look around a bit. A good used FCR off an E should be half the price of a FCR new, but you take chances unless you know what you are looking for.

If you know what you are doing, you could do the Base gasket mod, for reasonable cheap, but a shame to pull an engine apart and not BB it.

If you shop wisely, you can get the FCR/cams/decent pipe and BB for under the $1000. That will make 45 np

FCR/MRD/BB/hotcams gets you over the 45 easy.

[William1]

No, you will be at about 45 Hp with the FCR, Cams and SSW/MRD pipe. With a big bore, you'd be pushing close to 50 Hp.

[bikercat1]

Not from what I have seen. We got 42 with the standard size, and 48 with the Anthena BB kit. Obviously there are differences in Dynos, but I wouldn't expect to see 45hp on any dyno.

Same dyno, same day,Arrow race pipe, FCR E and E cams got 38 running rich. Would have liked to have had a Yosh Ti to compare.

From our experiences this side of the water, most decent race pipes struggle at the 48 hp mark. If you are not planning on a BB at all, then you don't really need the MRD, especially if you want a quieter system.

I do agree though, get the FCR first and see. I would give it 6 months and the OP will want a BB anyway, maybe more.

[Wayward Son]

i have made 45hp on a stock displacement.

if you want to make more than mid 40's hp at any point there are only 2 pipes capable of it.

[bikercat1]

i have made 45hp on a stock displacement.

.

I'm guessing that wasn't on a SM compression ratio?

[MutualBill]

i have made 45hp on a stock displacement.

if you want to make more than mid 40's hp at any point there are only 2 pipes capable of it.

Probably even more important is the fact that a SM rider tends to live in the high RPM range and that is where those 2 pipes make all the difference in the world.

[MutualBill]

Even a built bike falls on it's face in the high RPM range with the wrong pipe on it. I know from experience.

[EMX5636]

I'm guessing neither of those pipes is the Yosh RS-3 that's on my KLX? Is the Ti system that much bigger/better?

[Smias]

Any chance of getting it to the 45HP mark without Big bore?

And thats a let down that the MRD is going to be too loud.. ?

i have made 45hp on a stock displacement.

if you want to make more than mid 40's hp at any point there are only 2 pipes capable of it.

This is one bike very close to 45hp build by Eddie .