best street motard

[rookie517]

i'm thinking to get a motard for daily usage

but also for occasional sm race
the SM DRZ i own previously was a S model
and had problem shaking away a 400EXC
not to mention the CRF450, YZF450 and the 525EXC

what bike do ya recommend?
i own a XR400 now, should i convert it to SM ?
:?:

[Wobbly]

XR is a fine bike, but will be slower than a DRZ-S. The DRZ seems to be one of the better street motards around if you can get/convert/change it into an E model rather than an S. We don't even get the S model down here, we get the E with the S subframe and wiring.

Other than that the huskies seem to be very good and come with a 2 year on road warranty. If you're looking for an out of the box motard I can't see going much beyond either one of those (450/510) or alternatively the LC4 based KTM. The EXC derived bikes, CRF, etc etc will likely be a lot more maintenance than any of the aforementioned bikes. If you go up in price then a berg might be nice as well, but also with a fairly intensive maintenance regime.

I guess it also comes down to the age old question .... how much $$$ to spend? :-k

[rookie517]

I guess it also comes down to the age old question .... how much $$$ to spend?

true, come to think of it
we do not have husqy and berg over here

:cry:

maybe the 625smc ?

[Wobbly]

The big katoom sounds like a pretty good thing. I'd recommend test riding one wth a few miles on it - a lot of people complain about the vibes, but then a lot of people have them so they can't be too concerned, and it sounds like they get better with age. A couple of guys here can probably opt in on the LC4 based KTMs......!

[dicky]

umm... that'd be me, right?

First impression of my 2002 KTM LC4 SM... it shakes so much that I can't focus!
This got better.
So much better that I don't notice any vibration unless I'm riding down the highway for hours on end.
The big LC4's really do shake when they're new, but they smooth out once run in.

I reckon they make a great street motard.
The stock Mikuni BST carb needs rejetting to get the best punch out of the engine, or you can replace it with a Kehin FCR.

dicky
<two cents poorer>

[Wobbly]

Hmm, is Rhys still hanging around here somewhere? :-k

[Rick]

Yep- I love my LC4sm.
I never noticed the shaking too much, but it depends what revs youre doing. They pretty much like to be lugged at low revs, and theres a little zone in the mid, where if youve got small throttle opening, it will vibrate sort of at a high frequency. -and you notice it in traffic, youve really gotta pick a gear for the speed.
They're a five speed, and they hate being in fourth doing 60, its revving just a little too high and vibrating, yet fifth is more suited to 70, so I just speed!
Nah they dont vibrate- you just gotta be in the right gear.

[rookie517]

thanks guys

sound like the 625 make a good choice.

;)