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BMW G650 Moto vs Suzuki DRZ 400SM

V

vman

New member
Joined
Apr 24, 2008
Location
San Mateo
Moto(s)
Your mom.
Hi guys,

I have been looking at these toys lately. I can get a slightly used BMW G650 MOTO with ABS and tons of other goodies for $8K or a brand new DRZ 400SM for around $7K OTD. I am looking for a short-range easy to ride commuter that is reliable. I am about 6"1 @ 210lbs and most of my riding will be limited to the roads on the peninsula.

My major concerns about the BMW is that this model is not going to be imported to the U.S. any more. A guy at a dealership re-assured me that parts will still be available and the warranty will be honored. The thing that drives me to the Bimmer is the fact that it has ABS; they can be useful in urban setting :)

What would you do? I am new rider (~2K under the belt) and I have not owned an SM bike before.
 
vman said:
Hi guys,

I have been looking at these toys lately. I can get a slightly used BMW G650 MOTO with ABS and tons of other goodies for $8K or a brand new DRZ 400SM for around $7K OTD. I am looking for a short-range easy to ride commuter that is reliable. I am about 6"1 @ 210lbs and most of my riding will be limited to the roads on the peninsula.

My major concerns about the BMW is that this model is not going to be imported to the U.S. any more. A guy at a dealership re-assured me that parts will still be available and the warranty will be honored. The thing that drives me to the Bimmer is the fact that it has ABS; they can be useful in urban setting :)

What would you do? I am new rider (~2K under the belt) and I have not owned an SM bike before.
Click to expand...

I haven't ridden the bmw but I have ridden the drz. to me the drz was gutless. I am about the same height and weight as you are. I am 6'0'' and weight 195lbs. A good SM bike would be the husqvarna sm610, The maintenance is supposed to be easy, just change the oil and check the valves.

To me the bmw is too far from being a real sm bike it weighs 350lbs wet, that is a bit too much for it to be called a motard. My now considered old tech honda xr650r weighs about 300lbs wet and even that is considered a pig. but for me 300lbs wet feels very flickable.


but if you were set on either of those 2 models I'd have to go with a used drz. you can get one for about $5kish. they are a good bike to introduce you to motards, it is pretty forgiving but still fun. But if you want that extra grunt the drz just doesn't really have it.
 
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209manny,

Thanks for the feedback. Now, i am not a pro yet so the lack of power is not something that I am concerned about. I am looking for a flickable commuter :) From what I understand, there are only a few players in the field. What do you guys think of KTM LC4?

Regards,
/v
 
then if power is not a big concern and most of your riding will be around town. a drz sounds just right. It is flickable, longer service intervals. the KTM will require more maintenance.
 
DRZ is your best bet. Mods can be done to make more power. If you have a heavy wallet, it is not uncommon to have a bullet proof 45hp DRZ.

As for the LC4. Ride it first.. It's not for everyone.
 
Then ja, try a DR-Z. A big advantage is that there are so many available; you can get in on a used one for not much money, and if you decide it's not for you, you can sell it without too much trouble. There are enough mods to make it into pretty much whatever you want.
 
Roadstergal said:
Then ja, try a DR-Z. A big advantage is that there are so many available; you can get in on a used one for not much money, and if you decide it's not for you, you can sell it without too much trouble. There are enough mods to make it into pretty much whatever you want.
Click to expand...


+1. I just installed an FCR carb on my drz along with the full yosh system I already had and it is FAR from a gutless pig (but I agree it was one when I bought it lol). Sure it cost me $1000 in parts but the difference is night and day.

Find a used one with an exhaust system for 5k and your already ahead of the game. If you decide you don't like it you'll have an easier time selling it than the bmw imo.
 
there is one on sale new at san jose bmw for 8900.00 with abs!!! that would be my pick. Liked the way if felt under my arse
 
hapamoto said:
there is one on sale new at san jose bmw for 8900.00 with abs!!! that would be my pick. Liked the way if felt under my arse
Click to expand...

Yeah and I called them yesterday. Let me put it this way, there is no way in hell I am going there... When I asked the OTD price, a guy replied with "Do you think I carry those in my head or something?" Screw that. I found another deal somewhere else :)
 
get a used drz and spend the money you save on mods.
 
vman said:
Yeah and I called them yesterday. Let me put it this way, there is no way in hell I am going there... When I asked the OTD price, a guy replied with "Do you think I carry those in my head or something?" Screw that. I found another deal somewhere else :)
Click to expand...

well that sounds like great customer service:thumbdown
 
A brief interlude from "You should get this bike because..."

Supermotos are not great commuter bikes. If you are just zipping around town or have a brief five or ten mile stint on the freeway to get to work, then fine, get an SM. If you have thirty miles of freeway to and from work everyday, a big single thumper is not the weapon of choice. Wind buffeting, whining motor, and a 2x4 plank for a seat are just a few of the problems that are exacerbated by commuting. (Sorry for using exacerbated but I'm up writing exam papers.:teeth) That being said, SMs rock.
DRZs are the standard street motard, super reliable and sort of like the honda civic of supermotos: do everything pretty well and always get you home. The SM610 is more of Range Rover: pretty reliable, much hotter, and with a few more horses in the motor. The Beemer is slanted against on BARF because, well, not that many people have them. For more knowledge on the pros and cons of the 650 in its three configurations, head on over to ADVrider.com under Thumpers.

No matter what you get, you'll have fun. People here make too big a deal about the weight of some of the street legal supermotos. Yes they are heavier than converted 250 dirtbikes, but they are also much better suited to everyday riding situations.

Good luck.

PS. Take a look at the new KTM 690s, they are hot, fast, and supposedly pretty reliable.
 
i go with this one:

061011_bmw650sm01.jpg


it is more of an enduro.
actually has about the same specs as my mz

Horsepower 53 bhp @ 7000 rpm
Torque 44 lb/ft @ 5250 rpm

Weight - Dry 318 lbs.
Fuel Capacity 2.5 U.S. gallons including one gallon reserve


fuel capacity is a little on the low side, the drz you can get up to like a 5 - 8 gallon tank for, but the drz only puts out about 35 horses... not much for a 200 pound rider
 
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I agree with some of the folks on here: check out the DRZ. I was actually poking around a couple of weeks ago asking the same question: DRZ or XMoto. I rode an XMoto and it didn't really do it for me. A DRZ with minimal mods has enough power to pull my pretty well (I'm a 260lb fatty) and is surprisingly fun to ride. That said, if I had to be on the freeway for more than 10 miles I would definitely suggest another bike. Fortunately for me, I can take surface streets pretty much the whole way to work. I have a Duc Multistrada 1000S DS and it is nowhere near as fun for commuting. It is, of course, much better for long trips (might be why I have 60k miles on it...).

In short, give the DRZ a day in court. You might be pleasantly surprised.
 
Bonerov said:
I agree with some of the folks on here: check out the DRZ. I was actually poking around a couple of weeks ago asking the same question: DRZ or XMoto. I rode an XMoto and it didn't really do it for me. A DRZ with minimal mods has enough power to pull my pretty well (I'm a 260lb fatty) and is surprisingly fun to ride. That said, if I had to be on the freeway for more than 10 miles I would definitely suggest another bike. Fortunately for me, I can take surface streets pretty much the whole way to work. I have a Duc Multistrada 1000S DS and it is nowhere near as fun for commuting. It is, of course, much better for long trips (might be why I have 60k miles on it...).

In short, give the DRZ a day in court. You might be pleasantly surprised.
Click to expand...

i think that pretty much sums it up, are you going to be on the freeways often is the factor. the xmoto would be really fun in the southwestern deserts and northern forests... but it is not really a "supermoto" in the sense of being for races or stupid fun.
 
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