I just flogged my DRZ-S as it was like riding a jack hammer on the roads. I just bought a bargain WR250R, my god what a difference! It's fantastic off-road and I can cruise on the road at 80mph. The suspension is fantastic and I've also got a Concept Seat fitted which is great on the ass!

That's great to know.... I may have to go and have a go on one of those. I've been reading a few reviews and it seems like a very capable bike. I've been hearing of cruising speeds more like 60-65mph than 80mph though. Unless you're talking in KM/H ?

Hows the economy ??? I hear there is a 3.5 Gallon (15L ish)Safari tank available giving about 180-220 miles miles of range, depending how you ride. ? That doesn't seem too great on fuel. I would expect much better economy from a fuel injected 250cc.

Ted

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

That's the WR's ace up it's sleeve. Put a screen on it and you can comfortably cruise in the 70 to 80mph zone. I should know having ridden one to Turkey at pretty much that speed the whole way.

70mpg is not great for a bog-stock 250 commuter. The WR IS a different beast- the responsiveness of the FI motor, the modern rush at higher revs but with the seemingly impossible trick of lugging at slow speed when required off road. How else do you have a bike that equals or betters the DRZ (really) in practically every way with 150cc less?

The other thing I find for long distance travel is that 200miles has been plenty adequate for North Asia and would have been for Africa W.Side too (I carried a fuel bladder for another 100mile range and it stayed empty until I got to Mongolia). What is really important though is that you can get that 200miles in a wide range of conditions! The WR will stubbornly do 70mpg+ in most conditions. The FI on this bike is practically infallible.

The WR makes all other dualsport 250s look and feel low tech as a package. It is a quality motorcycle and sadly it, when they were importing it, it cost more than most people were willing to pay for what they perceived to be 'only a 250', hence the poor UK sales. The way I see it, the WR is not a competitor of the DRZ, it is an evolution of it. Thinner, lighter, more practical FI, more sporty, better suspended, more dirtbike-like, more road-bike-like, higher quality, better maintainence etc. This doesn't make the DRZ less-relevant but as the owner of both in full travel guise, I know which one I'd want.

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Find out details of my 2011 trip to Siberia on a lightweight dirtbike:
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I just did Morocco on an XT600 and loved it but im really short and struggled off road with it , so on return I started to look for a replacement . I said I would never own BMW but I took a ride on a F650GS and I have to say its great, very light , and feels lighter than its weight due to tank being low down, good on the motorway (80 easy) does 80 mpg , luggage wise more options than I care to mention , if you read the forums they did have a problem with water pump seals but these have been addressed by BMW now and can be changed on the side of the road if required , I have owned a DRZ as well and riding wise the GS feels lighter and hardly any vibes . The downside I guess is they are not as simple. Needless to say I bought one £2150 03 model the FL (factory lowered) both feet flat on the ground and it has done 1800 miles from new , well worth a look in my opinion and thats from someone who said BMW, never.....

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Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do.

@*Touring Ted* - As what Ed said as it's his bike I bought!!

@ Ed - Have already done 400 miles since Friday, plus two valve rip outs on the front and rear! Lowering link arrived today and picking up bigger rear sprocket, Dakar High bars, Michelin front and Mitas CO2 for rear, heavy duty tubes and rim locks today. Am considering getting the Lynx headlight cowl with HID units, but will have to save a bit first!!

Harty - you need to buy a new front sprocket nut when you put a new front on. I have changed front sprockets three times with the one you have there and it should be changed by now.

The splines on the output shaft are actually bevelled and the sprocket is so thin (compared to bigger bikes) that you need to make sure you have a new nut so you can be sure that it is on tightly (there is no lock washer).

Harty - you've joined an exclusive 'club' - "People who know what a WR250R is really like". You can spot members by their grin!

Also - you should do an oil and filter change if you haven't already. It is the same oil I used to drive back from Moscow on.

Damn I'm gonna miss that bike..

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Find out details of my 2011 trip to Siberia on a lightweight dirtbike:
www.brighton2expeditions.co.uk

Hi Trix,

Out of interest, as I am in the midst of a 'what bike' dilemma, how tall are you and is your gs the standard or the dakar?

Cheers

F

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We're 16,000km (or more) into a trip from London to Australia on two DRZs, and they've been great. A guy we were riding with had a famous motto from a previous riding buddy "not once in this trip have I wished for a heavier bike with more power...". The only time I've wished for more power from the DRZ was on the European motorways, but that's not really what our trip has been about.

Although, having read this thread I would probably look at the WR250 for next time.

Let me know if you end up wishing for that heavier bike with more power (assuming you don't buy one!)

I second the above comment. We had DR650's and even though they were simple, light bikes, I wished I had the XT250 with some soft luggage. Oh well, it's all part of the learning curve for the next trip.

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Central America, South America & Africa on DR650's - BLOG

We get about 28km a litre out of our DRZs on 15/44 gearing at speeds of about 80-90km/h. They will happily go 100km/h, but 110 is a bit of a strain. I haven't been faster than that. I've got a 15 litre Clarke tank and it will happily do 320km on a tank (200 miles), and at a stretch would probably make 250 miles... just.

Not once on this trip have I longed for a heavier bike with more power!!

I'm wondering why is it so poor consuption on a 450cc? I get the same consumption out of my 14 years old R1100GS (1100cc), doing 90-100kph it gives me around the same economy - 4.6L/100km. If I cruise 70-80kph like those small bikes usually do I can get almost 800 kilometers out of a 32 liter tank (4L/100km).

Is there a 250-450cc EFI dual sport bike that gives better than 2-3L/100km going around 70-80kph like they're supposed to? I'm possibly looking one for my wife.

Aha, a bike for the wife ... :-)

What about the Diesel Enfield .... 1.7 liter/100km, but no dual sport though :-)

Greets Thomas

My 400 E only manages about 11 miles / litre (50mpg) which is pants.
(hoping to get more from the S)
My car will do well over 40 mpg at 80mph with four adults and luggage. Makes the economics of three of us hacking down to spain on the bikes seem a bit daft, doesn't it; we'd do it in a car for 1/3 of the fuel !!

what gearing to you have on it?

If it is geared low, then try different sprockets, although you'll compromise some of the low speed control.

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