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Setting up a DRZ 250 for Adventure Riding
If a list was created that contained all the different types of motorbikes people use for adventure riding, no doubt it would have a large number of unusual entries. A DRZ 250 may not spring to mind as the most ideal choice for an adventure bike, however it has many positive attributes that make it a very capable and valid candidate for an adventure riding bike.
If you are looking for a road-oriented adventure bike with fists full of explosive power then the DRZ250 won't be for you, but if you are looking for a bike that is reliable, can be ridden all day, is lightweight making technical off-road stuff a breeze and generally a very on-road and off-road capable bike, then the DRZ250 will certainly tick all those boxes for you.
DRZ 250 Pros
Price
From new it is a very affordable price, second hand even more so
Lightweight
At a curb (wet) weight of only 131kg it is one of the lightest ADV bike options on the market
Seat height
Low seat height
Reliability
A simple air/oil cooled engine, reliable and dependable
Maintenance
Very low cost bike to maintain. Can be maintained with basic tools
Parts
Low price parts readily available world wide
Dual start
Electric start plus kick start
Off-road capability
Originally designed for off-road so it performs well
On-road capability
Handles respectively on-road with a good set of dual purpose tyres
Fuel consumption
Low fuel consumption
Big bore kit
For those wanting a little more power a 300cc big bore kit is available
DRZ 250 Cons
Engine power
Although the engine has fairly good power from its revamped TSCC DOHC 250cc engine, and 100km/h is possible on the open road, a strong head wind can knock you back a bit. Riding in a group with riders on bigger bikes can leave you struggling to keep up on open road sections if they decide to open up
Open road riding
A lot of people make the comment that it is a very buzzy bike at 100kmph and in comparison to the likes of it's older brother the DR650 (and certainly smooth twin tourers) this is certainly true. Some days I happily clock up a few hundred K's and it doesn't bother me, other days I can feel it, it all comes down to your comfort expectations of a bike
Aftermarket accessories
A lack of aftermarket adventure riding accessories (eg panniers). A lot of fabrication is required if you want to deck it out fully
Large tank
No purpose built large fuel tank available for the DRZ250. One can however be adapted: installing a large tank on the DRZ250
Seat comfort
Not the most comfortable, but not the worst out there. An aftermarket seat, or a foam upgrade by an upholsterer, or an Airhawk seat cushion can help to overcome this
Headlight
Low output stock headlight, ideally requires auxiliary lighting for night riding off-road
Gearbox longevity
The gearbox has mixed reviews by owners around the globe. Many seem to be bulletproof and last forever, while others can experience the hardening coming off the gears when the bikes are overloaded with gear and pushed too hard.
Setting up the DRZ 250 for adventure riding
There was certainly a lot of hours involved to get the bike to the final completed stage, this was mainly due to lack of available accessories and having to design and fabricate many parts. Admittedly I got a bit over doing some of the time-consuming sections due to almost everything having to be fabricated.
A few weekends went by with perfect weather for riding, fishing and hunting but here I was banging away in the garage working on my bike. However, once the bike was complete I was certainly glad I had put in the time because the end product was a well set up adventure bike that allowed me to have many epic trips.
The finished product, was it worth it?
Being only 250 cc is a disadvantage. Generally, it will happily tick along at 100 km per hour, but a really strong head wind can still knock you back to fifth gear at 90 km per hour. This is not a huge issue as the bike has many other good attributes, and the head wind issue doesn't happen all that often.
The answer the initial question "was it worth it?" would be yes if you are happy with moderate power, and you value taking in scenery, rather than value bike performance.
Long-range fuel tank
The DRZ 250 doesn't have a purpose-built long range fuel tank so one had to be modified to fit. Full fitting instructions can be found here: DRZ 250 long range fuel tank
B&B bash plate
A couple of companies produce bash plates for the DRZ 250 but personally I liked the look of the B&B bash plate.
Panniers
Searching the net high and low I couldn't find panniers and mounting frames for the DRZ 250, so these had to be fabricated.
DRZ 250 windshield and head light grill
A windshield is a back and arm saver for extended periods of open road riding, and the head light grille is handy when following other bikes off-road, oncoming tree branches, etc. This is a fabricated item as there are very few options on the market for the DRZ250
DRZ 250 Bar raises
The DRZ 250 has a very low handlebar height from factory and forces you to lean over. It's not a very nice position for extended open road riding so I bumped my bars up 35 mm with bar raises which made a huge difference to posture comfort. I used ARTRAX raisers as they were available at my local bike shop but any brand would be fine.
Handlebar heaters
These are gold when riding through cold winter, rain and snow. To avoid increasing grip diameter, the ones installed are internal handlebar heaters with high and low settings. Worth every cent on those cold days!
White plastics
I wasn't a fan of the factory yellow, and once I put on the long-range fuel tank (only available in the colour white) the bike looked a bit fruit salady with yellow guards, white tank, and a blue seat.
A quick phone call to my local Suzuki shop and white plastics were ordered. The only part that couldn't be ordered in white was the head light surround for the K7 model (the one with the larger headlight). A white one can be sourced for the off road version with the small headlight but this light is very inefficient for adventure riding. I took my yellow headlight surround into a local spray painter and had it colour matched to the other white plastics.
Rifle and rod rack
A lot of time effort and research went in to developing this rack and I couldn't be happier with the way it turned out. The panniers were also fabricated to accommodate for this rifle/rod rack so in the case of a spill there is some protection.
Performance exhaust full system
A performance exhaust is a good option to aim for a comfortable 100kmph cruising speed.
AirHawk seat cushion
If you have ever used one, you'll know these are great for long trips. The seat on the DRZ 250 is pretty rough for long trips due to being so firm, but firing on an AirHawk makes the trips a bit more comfortable. You can see them here: Airhawk - Seat Cushions
