Suzuki DR 350 - Any experiences?

[Richtea]

Anyone had a DR 350?

One for sale locally and I really like the look of it. Still have the GS500F but finding it a bit, for want of a better word, Boring!

I'm really only using the bike for commuting at the moment, and I just fancy something to spice up the 30/40 limit roads into work.

I've always liked the dirt bike style but have been put off a bit by the intensive service intervals on some bikes. However, does the DR350 fall into this category? Will it make a good commuter?

Any advice appreciated as always!

Thanks.
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2005 Honda Varadero 125xl > 2005 GS500F > 2007 DRZ400 SM > 600 Bandit & Yamaha YP250

[stinkwheel]

Dry sump motor. Oil in frame. It doesn't hold much oil in the first place.

Light and responsive to the throttle at low speeds. Basic engine. High seating position. Good road presence, easy to handle, bars come above the car mirrors. Air cooled so unlikely to have overheating issues in town.

I whanged about on one on a holiday in the Canary Isles and I'd say it would make a brilliant urban commuter. I rather enjoyed riding it, it was small enough to not get out of hand if you make a mistake but poky enough to get you out of trouble. (by that I mean hitting a drain cover and sliding would be easily recoverable and with enough grunt to pick up and get the wheels back under you having done so)

Just two issues:
1) It's a suzuki so I don't know how well it'll respond to use through the winter in terms of corrosion.

2) It's a fairly small "dirt bike" and so will act like a magnet for theiving little shits.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Fizzer Thou]

A few people that I know have had them.But the original DR350S had a tendancy to not want to start on the kick and some put this down to the CV carb.
My brother had an electric start version,which was great until it was drowned in a deep section of a river crossing up in Wales.The extra weight was a hindrance at times when green laning,but was stable on the road.

Many moons ago I read an article in Trail Bike Magazine ( www.trailbikemag.com ) and they said that it was a shame that the Honda XR400R was so much better - which was what I ended up buying and still own.

Also have a look at www.xrv.org.uk as there is a section for Suzukis there.
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Just talk bikes.What else is there?

Always have a 'Plan B'

[garth]

Run them low on oil and they much camshafts and destroy the heads in the process.

Haven't owned one but did have a Goose, same engine with minor differences.

[r1_lad]

[T0MMY]

Dirt bikes are good fun round town but horrible on the open road in my opinion so if you need to do any of that I wouldn't get it.

As mentioned above, they get nicked all the time too so I'd not want to commute on one unless I had secure parking.

Finally I'd definitely want an electric boot model...people talk about kickstarts with great fondness but the second you have some minor problem with it that makes it hard to start you will be cursing the bloody thing by the 30th kick. Alternatively buy my CRM250...much easier to kick over and faster than a DR
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ZX6R + CBR600RR

[Richtea]

[tatters]

There are 3 types of DR350, The DR350 (enduro) and DR350SE plus a SP model with upside down forks which is quite rare.

excellent tough engines if serviced and not ran low on oil.


The best models is the DR350 which is often used for traveling such as by Nath and Mondeo enduro: Kick start only, no clocks or warning lights only a simple speedo, no battery and lights run straight of the stator plus a plastic fuel tank but they are much lighter and have better supension and a pumper carb, they are not hard to kick start at all if they have been serviced in fact compaired to most enduros there very easy to kick start.
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Past:NRG50,AF1125(x2),NSR125RR,ZZR250,CX500,VFR400,KR1S,ZZR600(x2),CB400N,YZF1000(x2),KH125,Z200,FX400R,CBR954RR(x2)GPZ500S,GT550,VFR750F(x2),RD350N,XR650R,CBR600F,CB250,KDX250,YZF750R,CRM250,400EXC,KLR650,TTR600RE,DR350S,R100GSPD,RGV250,VMAX1200,DL650,KZ750 Present:G650XC,C12,CRF450X,1190ADV

[T0MMY]

[Richtea]

Yeah, I know what your saying, the green-laners do seem to command a premium. I like the 400 DRZ as well but again they seem to be very expensive.

And trying to find a road legal 'dirt' bike is difficult too. Just have to keep looking.

Out of interest, is your CRM250 road legal?
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2005 Honda Varadero 125xl > 2005 GS500F > 2007 DRZ400 SM > 600 Bandit & Yamaha YP250

[T0MMY]

[andys675]

I had a DR350SE-X the last year they made them

ended up wishing I'd bought a DR650SE eventually

couldn't get insured for theft with most brokers, ended up insuring it with NU

statistically 7 times more likely to be stolen than a standard type of bike, and always drew the wrong type of interest from sly looking sink hole estate types

was a bit tall for me, good job I did all those kickboxing classes otherwise I'd of had trouble getting on it

sold it just before the prices slumped
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Some people feel the rain, others just get wet.

[robocog]

I have a DR250 - essentially the same bike but with smaller piston and shorter conrod

Simple reliable machine that is quite capable (see Mondo Enduro)

Bought mine and it made funky noises under load and was a bitch to start (kick only)
(video here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hG8BEs5PFkU )

Turns out the oil line from the frame got severed whilst out greenlaning and wasn't spotted till the bike locked up (and then sold on to me without being disclosed!)
I found out the full horror story on my first greenlaning outing
Looking at the sump guard it was a bit of a one off fluke for it to happen - but there is a hole in the sumpguard just where the line runs (a piece of alloy ziptied or self tappered could solve that)

Even though it did run like this (and went greenlaning and commuting)the noise under load was a worry and the hard starting was quite annoying after a while

I had a look and my cam/journals in the head and rockers had pretty much been eaten away to nothing and I was shocked it ran at all with that ammount of wear (converted itself into a low lift long duration cam..LOL)
I ended up opening the engine to see what other damage had been done pretty much everything that relied on oil to stay the shape it was designed to be had been eaten
The piston and bore was also completely mullered and beyond repair
(pics of the carnage have been posted here and are on my website)

I managed to get another complete engine - and had to replace expensive and not so readliy available parts to get that in running order

Other parts of the machine I got were also bodged or not working as they should - so in all I possibly spent far too much to get it into reasonable working order that its actually worth
Pretty much the only original parts are the frame and swingarm and wheels and a few nuts n bolts..LOL

Not all parts are readily available as its an older machine and some seem OTT priced for what they are
Mine had quirky upside down forks which would not hold oil - couldn't see them on the fiches to try and replace the worn parts so I have ended up putting Dr350 conventional forks on there

I didn't go greenlaning as often as I thought I would so got some GS500 wheels and managed to graft them onto the bike to try and encourage me to use it more often for the commute

Although it is a fun machine to ride and more capable than I am when taken off road when the knobblies are on - I could possibly have got a lot more machine for my money if I had looked harder

Off road mine got dropped a lot and they seem pretty tough machines with little to break/bend- though I did try pretty hard - I only manged to bend the handlebars

Bombproof - hmm
tough- yes

As a commuter
Knobblies felt a bit wibbly/nervous to me
With 17" wheels and BT45's- much more fun and much more confidence inspiring- but underpowered for any sumo hoolignaism (on my 250)
handles great though and makes me grin

Leaving it unattended and not bolted to something substantial- possibly not a great idea as they do seem to attract unwanted attention (although touch wood mine to my knowledge has not been attempted ..yet)

Service intervals - it doesn't hold much oil (even with the optional oil cooler) and filters are common and inexpensive
(also worth checking the gauze/filter in the frame for debris/dirt)
Mine has a re-usable air filter - so its only the cost of washing it and re-oiling it

Oil level checks a bit of a PITA as it involves running the bike up to temp and then cheking after a minute to let things settle
checking when engine is stoney cold results in nothing showing on the dipstick

I kick it over a good few times with the decomp lever in and ignition off just try and encourage oil to the top end before even thinking about trying to start it
Starts within a couple of kicks as long as I remember to turn the fuel and ignition on

Grease nipples on the major moving parts of the rear suspension which is a nice touch and should save replacing the expensive bearings and bushes down there (as long as someone has bothered to use a grease gun)

I did try and sell mine - but it developed an issue the week I advertised it
Bitch to start and stalling randomly
I eventually traced it to a spark plug with a hairline crack in it (after rebuilding the carbs a dozen times or more and replacing yet more parts that didn't actually need replacing)

Simple machine and I completely overlooked the damned obvious and least expensive/easiest part to replace

Now its starting and running 100% reliable again I just can't bring myself to get rid of it - despite having a buyer lined up

It's been an absurd moneypit of a machine for what it is - possiby the most impetuous and worst purchase I have ever made - for the money I have spent V miles actually covered I could have been chauffered door to door cheaper and just hired a bike for greenlaning - yet it does have something about it that means I just can't let it go

Look very carefully at the one you have seen and don't feel rushed into handing money over like I was
If it makes noises like mine did under load in that vid - don't walk away...run

Regards
Rob
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Needs a bigger garage...

[Richtea]

Rob,
Thanks for the really comprehensive info.

I'll probably take a look at the bike at the weekend, but will not be rushing into anything. As I said before, I'm no mechanic and I don't want to end up with a 15 year old money pit.

I'll let you know how I get on

Rich
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2005 Honda Varadero 125xl > 2005 GS500F > 2007 DRZ400 SM > 600 Bandit & Yamaha YP250

[Fizzer Thou]

This is not what to do with a DR350

https://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv23/WiNot_Rhencullen/Dirt%20bikes/MitchDorkingAbout2.jpg

The airbox filled up with water and it took ages to dry it out.

But the bike ended up being dumped in a shed and left for ages until I made Mitch a seriously silly offer of £250 and he accepted,having just bought himself a DRZ400S where the bike shop would not take the DR in part exchange.All the bike needed was the manual decompresser cable adjusting and it was good to go.
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Just talk bikes.What else is there?

Always have a 'Plan B'

[yen_powell]

Brilliant bikes, I've had two. The hard to start model and my current electric start version. I'd definitely only have an electric start version now. When you're stalled pointing uphill at 45 degrees and no where to put your left foot, being able to press a button makes your day a lot nicer.
https://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b165/yen_powell/iceme2.jpg
They work on ice.
You can ride them up stairs.
https://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b165/yen_powell/fourteenpark016.jpg
Ride through clag, they sometimes don't even need a side stand.
https://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b165/yen_powell/croppeddoodah2.jpg
Here you see my mate's one which has cut out in the water. All I had to do to make it restart was scrape the mud off the spark plug cap/porcelain of the plug.
https://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b165/yen_powell/P1020228sm.jpg
They don't mind the water usually.
https://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b165/yen_powell/IMG_0035sm.jpg
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Blackmail is a nasty word........but not as nasty as phlegm!
XT1200Z and a DR350 in bits

[Richtea]

Brilliant pictures !!

Certainly seem able to tackle the rough stuff.
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2005 Honda Varadero 125xl > 2005 GS500F > 2007 DRZ400 SM > 600 Bandit & Yamaha YP250

[yen_powell]

I'm trying to remember the things I've had to fix over the years, had a DR since about 1996 when I got my first, a J reg kickstart. Got my electric start one about 2001, a 97 electric start model.

I went through a lot of rear wheel bearings until I learnt to remove the rubber seal and add more grease before fitting.

Some brake pads would wear out in one day's green laning (about 80 miles of mixed roads). The clay here used to eat them. I started using motocross types and that was much better.

Had one fork seal go on the electric start model.

The small ball joint at the bottom of the shock used to wear out every few years, it's not an item you can grease, you just replace it.

The suspension bearings lasted for ages due to the grease nipples on them. One or two need replacing now.

I used to use a front sprocket one tooth smaller as it made paddling through really bad mud doable without slipping the clutch.

That's it really. I only really did green laning on it, changed the oil once a year, put a new chain and sprockets on occasionally and replaced the MT21 tyres when they made me fall off more than usual.
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Blackmail is a nasty word........but not as nasty as phlegm!
XT1200Z and a DR350 in bits

[delvey91]

Get the Enduro version as they are the best! I had one which i ran low on oil and seized up! My own fault. But it was the best bike i ever owned! Such a nice bike to ride. Put 12k miles on it in 8 months

https://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/564368_10151146543021679_186217923_n.jpg

Started 1st kick!
https://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/292611_10150397790996679_30172_n.jpg

They do work 2's up
https://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/375239_10150667254041679_1874663737_n.jpg

https://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/374734_10150631120491679_1202090358_n.jpg

https://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/37716_468726341678_5473973_n.jpg
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2016 Honda Africa Twin
2006 KTM 200 EXC