Possible supermoto convert-- But I need some guidance.

[Beer_Is_So_Awesome]

Hey all, I just joined the forum this afternoon after reading some threads on the WR250X and DRZ400SM.

I've been riding for about 8 years. I've owned a GS500, a ZRX1200R, a Honda F4, a BMW R1150R and a few problematic older bikes. During a rough patch I sold my BMW and went bikeless for 2 years of spotty employment, and a few months ago I was finally able to get back into a place where I could own a bike again.

So I bought an SV1000 in very nice shape with great suspension, and expensive intake/exhaust upgrades for a bargain price. It's reasonably handsome, sounds nice, lays down nearly 110hp at the rear wheel, and I'm not having much fun on it. I'm realizing it's just not a good fit, and I'm never using anything close to its full potential, and I'd rather ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow.

Enter the Supermoto. I've been researching the DRZ400SM and the WR250X and it seems that they're pretty much in the same class. The WR250 I understand has fresher tech, FI, more gears, is slightly lighter, while the DRZ400 has slightly dated tech but a gruntier engine, better fuel economy and is a great all-around package as well.

If I can sell the SV, I only anticipate being able to get $3,500 for it, which is what I'll have to work with. I ride daily around town, but also do 50-75 mile freeway jaunts to visit friends. I'd still like to be able to do the occasional 300-mile Sunday group ride (these usually include 50 total miles of expressway riding, the rest being twisty backroads and rural highways).

For solo riding and group rides in the twisties, I see no problem with owning one of these. I'm afraid I won't be able to keep up with the VFR's and Triumphs and Ducati on the highway portions, and also fear that the teensy gas tank won't last the 100 miles they usually go between filling stations.

TL;DR: What would you Supermoto guys do if you had $3,500 to spend and had to choose only one bike to do everything?

[01speed3]

Search is your friend, there are dozens of threads comparing these bikes.

But if you must ask, DRZ400sm.

[Beer_Is_So_Awesome]

I've read a number of them, but because they're being compared to one another (and are so similar) they tend not to tackle issues like long-distance comfort and compatibility with bigger bikes. I'm hoping for a frank summary from someone who usually finds himself the smallest bike on a group ride. Can these bikes REALLY replace a 400-lb streetbike as a do-it-all vehicle?

[jtiv19]

Buy a DRZ then upgrade the seat(seat concepts) and get a larger fuel tank.

[Spare Parts]

Replace? No. Out do? Sometimes. You'll beat most anyone on the twistys. A sport might beat you to 60 by a second, but 0-60 times aren't everything. A SM that is build right is an amazing machine. Don't expect to cook around at 100Mph, they don't do that. Expect to ride some wheelies, hop some curbs and shred some twistys.

Worried about fuel? Buy a bigger tank.

The DRZ is tried and true. More aftermarket parts as well.

[Bobbed06]

A modded DRZ makes 48-60 wheel HP

A modded WR makes about 30 Wheel HP

hmmmm....DRZ??

[Beer_Is_So_Awesome]

48-60? Is this with a bigger piston? That's a lot of power for a 400 single.

When I watch videos of people riding SM's I see wheelies on demand, and bikes that easily break the back wheel free and slide in corners. Is the DRZ sporty in this way? I get the impression that there's a difference between "track" SMs and "street" SMs.

[KyleOtto]

48-60? Is this with a bigger piston? That's a lot of power for a 400 single.

When I watch videos of people riding SM's I see wheelies on demand, and bikes that easily break the back wheel free and slide in corners. Is the DRZ sporty in this way? I get the impression that there's a difference between "track" SMs and "street" SMs.

around 50hp is bigbore cams bigger carb exhaust

60 is stroker+ bigbore and more aggressive carb+ cams

the drz deffinatly isnt one of those race bikes, but it can be made just as fun. check over on supermotojunkie.com as they will have more info for you. there is tons of info on this subject there

[motocrash6470]

Beer is awesome......!Your headed in the right direction.Heed the posts previous to mine and do a little homework.The DR-Z is great at what it does,bulletproof,agile and an ear to ear smile producer.You can get faster/quicker SM's but pay a toll in longevity and maintaining them.IMHO you can't go wrong with one,at least to see what SM's are all about.

[ohgood]

I wouldn't suggest a drz for you because of the distances you mentioned. You needa light bike sure, but unless u gear the piss out of the drz for the highway, its going to suck.

A dr650 would work much better with the amount of distance you're talking about on the highway. Distanzias would make for a very cheap and quick change from dirt wheels to sm type riding.

Edited September 27, 2011 by ohgood
fixered it

[bumtarder]

the 400SM will handle the highway part just fine with the other bikes on your day rides.your ass will hurt from the stiff dirt bike seat though unless you have an iron butt like me.you'll get 100-110 miles on a stock tank.you can go to a much larger aftermarket tank if needed to get more range.a stock SM makes about 32-34 hp.Mildly modded with a 39fcr carb and racing exhaust you can get 40hp or a little better.This is fine for most riders and keeps the bike fun and you can easily get 50mpg.a modern dohc liquid cooled 400cc single will produce about the same power as the older 600-650cc air cooled ohv singles.

[JCEN]

sent you a pm

[Oldhippie]

Neither bike is a expressway tourer. Never rode on or with the 250 but no matter what folks say I can't believe it will "cruise" at real 70+ freeway speeds over hill and dale. The drz will do it but I'm not gonna say fine. Riding solo with a seat concepts/corbin seat on a 3x3/jetted/geared/screened drz I have no problem keeping up and passing interstate traffic. But it is a light jittery thing out there and comfort isn't a strong suit. Stopping at 100 miles for fuel is a good thing. That said, it can be fun in town, in the hills/twistys and on some fire/dirt roads. But really I don't know what ya don't like about the sv1000? For the kind of riding you describe it seems like a good choice?

[fttam]

I love my DRZ, but in a million years I wouldn't take it on a 75 mile freeway ride or a 300 mile sporty ride. It's not that bike.

[a8ksh4]

There's a "sticky" thread on this exact comparison over at sm junkie:

http://www.supermotojunkie.com/forumdisplay.php?46-Street-Tarders&

[a8ksh4]

I love my DRZ, but in a million years I wouldn't take it on a 75 mile freeway ride or a 300 mile sporty ride. It's not that bike.

I don't think the DRZ is any worse than my sportbike ever was. It did great on an ~800 mile ride last fall. Just like any sporty bike, it requires moving around a bit on the seat to stay comfortable when the road straightens out. When it's twisty, comfort doesn't seem like much of an issue.

[Beer_Is_So_Awesome]

I don't think the DRZ is any worse than my sportbike ever was. It did great on an ~800 mile ride last fall. Just like any sporty bike, it requires moving around a bit on the seat to stay comfortable when the road straightens out. When it's twisty, comfort doesn't seem like much of an issue.

Wow, 800 miles? Yikes! Is this a single day? That's Iron Butt territory on any bike.

[Beer_Is_So_Awesome]

There's a "sticky" thread on this exact comparison over at sm junkie:

http://www.supermotojunkie.com/forumdisplay.php?46-Street-Tarders&

Thanks! This is exactly what I was looking for.

[djmomo24]

How 'bout you just ride that SV over here to Detroit and I'll send you home on my SM! Don't bother looking at the photos in "my garage" cuz it doesn't look anything like that anymore.

[Beer_Is_So_Awesome]

How 'bout you just ride that SV over here to Detroit and I'll send you home on my SM! Don't bother looking at the photos in "my garage" cuz it doesn't look anything like that anymore.

... and herein lies my problem: the SV, on its own, is badass. It has a liquid-cooled, 996cc 90-degree motor. It produces in the neighborhood of 105-110HP at the rear wheel-- this with an extremely flat torque curve that produces adequate horsepower from 2,000rpm on up. It has a 4.5-gallon tank, fuel injection, good suspension and great brakes. Plus it has the suspension and exhaust upgrades, Corbin seat, power commander.

But the resale value on them is crap. If I sold it, I would barely wind up with enough to buy a 2000-era Duke II, an well-used BMW F650GS. Maybe a supermoto/adventure bike just isn't in the cards until I have the financial means to afford a big all-day bike and a lightweight fun-bike.

In a straight-up trade, my bike would only be WORTH a used WR250X or DRZ400SM, despite the fact that it's a far more substantial, high-tech machine than either. I realize that they're different tools and cannot be compared dollar-for-dollar, but we're talking a single-cyl fuel injected (or carbureted, in the case of the DRZ) dirt-bike motor versus a short-stroke 996cc v-twin from racebike lineage. Not to mention the hydroformed aluminum frame, alloy wheels, sportbike rubber and other performance-oriented bits.