SuzukiSavage.com - Riding Revelation

Dave

YaBB Moderator
ModSquad

Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 18099
Camp Springs, Kentucky
Gender: male

Re: Riding Revelation
Reply #15 - 12/29/16 at 05:01:22

Gary:

I am with you on the small HP.....my current project is the little 250 Ninja. The bigger engines make it nice for highway cruising speeds - but for the local back roads and mountain curves I like to ride....30-40 HP in a light nimble package is just fine.

Not being able to get the latest in high tech tires might be OK for most of us. For my Cafe' the only 3 choices are the Pirelli Sport Demons and the Bridgestone Battlax BT45, and the Avon RoadRider AM26 (I have not tried the Avons yet)....I get about 6,000 mile out of rear tire. (If I want to use the 100/90-18 front tire the BT45's are my only choice) - I have to switch to a 90/90-18 front tire for the other tires). I have talked to some of the sport bike guys that replace tires 2-3 times a summer. I have a friend with a Ducati who can wear out a set of tires in one 5 day trip to TN/NC (they ride pretty quickly).

I did a quick look for 19" tires....the only thing I found was for vintage bikes.....and the tires had tall sidewalls, narrow width, and they were made to fit narrow rims. I would imagine the tires made for dirt tracks are very soft and may not be any good for riding on pavement.

Back to top

Someday I will be old......But not today!

IP Logged

ohiomoto

Serious Thumper

Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 2772

Re: Riding Revelation
Reply #16 - 12/29/16 at 07:37:14

Gary_in_NJ wrote on 12/28/16 at 19:22:32:

LTZ and DR-z use the same engine. The Kawasaki KLX400 is the exact same bike as the Suzuki DR-z400. The Kawasaki is made by Suzuki. The KLX is a real oddball...and that's why I'll probably pick one of those up - there's no love for the KLX.

-------------------

I saw that bike and looked into it a bit. You probably want an S (street) model with the steal tank and instrument panel. The E (enduro or electric start) model isn't street legal without modifications and you'll have to get state approval or inspection to get it titled as such. The S has additional wiring and relays that I think you would want. The straight up 400 is a kick start and not street legal.

The pre-2002 E models had better forks than the S. Starting in 2002 the S got the same forks as the E. I would probably get a 2002 or newer S, though I hear the E has a more responsive carb.

Also, I was looking into a Suzuki Van Van tank. Not really sure if they will work or not and they aren't common in the US. Just an idea.

Back to top

IP Logged

ohiomoto Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 2772	Re: Riding Revelation Reply #17 - 12/29/16 at 08:00:40 Also, I think there were two KLX models. The R was not street legal and the SR which is. I think they only marketed them in the US a year or two.
Back to top	« Last Edit: 01/12/17 at 09:28:54 by ohiomoto » IP Logged

Gary_in_NJ Serious Thumper Offline LS650 Cafe Racer Posts: 2633 Amongst the Twisty Roads	Re: Riding Revelation Reply #18 - 12/29/16 at 18:40:48 Got my eye on a 2003 S model. Going to look at it Saturday. I'd actually like the kick start and have found a kit to make the necessary modification to add a kick starter while retaining the e-start.
Back to top	A life-time student of motorcycling. LS650 Cafe, DRZ400SM, FZ6N, SV650S, CB900C, Ducati ST2, CB550F-SS My LS650=> http://suzukisavage.com/yabb2.2/Attachments/Left.JPG IP Logged

zipidachimp Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 1417 surrey, b.c. Gender:	Re: Riding Revelation Reply #19 - 12/30/16 at 01:06:25 DR-650? Sell me that bike when you're done, very drool-worthy!!!
Back to top	« Last Edit: 12/31/16 at 03:13:25 by zipidachimp » IP Logged

Gary_in_NJ

Serious Thumper

Offline

LS650 Cafe Racer

Posts: 2633
Amongst the Twisty Roads

Re: Riding Revelation
Reply #20 - 01/06/17 at 05:44:31

I purchased a '03 KLX 400 that is in very good shape and low miles. I also scored an NOS tank from a 1978 TS-125C along with NOS cap, petcock and rubber mounts. The twin exhaust is also in hand. This build is happening and I'm on my way!

I'm gonna do this build a little different then last builds. Rather then discover what I need along the way, I'm gonna get as many parts on hand as possible, this way the actual build will have short duration. I'll get some photo's of the bike this weekend (has skull graphics that I hate...but it doesn't matter) and start a build thread.

Back to top

IMG_2696.JPG

« Last Edit: 01/06/17 at 08:32:22 by Gary_in_NJ »

A life-time student of motorcycling.
LS650 Cafe, DRZ400SM, FZ6N, SV650S, CB900C, Ducati ST2, CB550F-SS
My LS650=> http://suzukisavage.com/yabb2.2/Attachments/Left.JPG

IP Logged

ohiomoto Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 2772	Re: Riding Revelation Reply #21 - 01/06/17 at 07:30:06 Looking forward to this. I looked at a few different build ideas before I got my savage and dual sport bikes were ranked high on my list.
Back to top	IP Logged