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DRZ400 Buildup & BS Thread

Discussion in 'Other Builds' started by TacomaJack09, Jul 31, 2014.

  1. Jul 31, 2014 at 8:35 AM
    #1
    TacomaJack09

    TacomaJack09 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Hi Folks!

    I thought I'd document my DRZ400 conversion for others to see. This is a 2004 DRZ400e which is just a regular ole dirt bike with electric start. You may have read or seen others convert these machines into street legal bikes, which is exactly what I am doing.

    The purpose of this build is to rip up the back roads but still be able to go on extended adventure trips with backpacking gear. Sorry, not going full tard here, maybe sometime down the line.

    Here it is when I first purchased the bike in Tampa, Fl. The guy I bought it from used it for extended trips that were strictly offroad. I bought it for about $1700 with about 2,500 miles. The seller threw in a few farkles and an extra back tire too! Woot!
    [​IMG]


    So to get this street legal here in the great state of Kentucky there are a few mods you have to do to a regular ole dirt bike. So I started ripping it apart (before I even rode it). You'll see another DRZ in the background, that's my step dads who is also converting to a street legal bike.
    [​IMG]

    So you may be wondering, why not just buy a street legal DRZ like the "S" or the "SM" model. Well I tell ya, I would've loved too, but they do go for a much steeper price than the "E". Also, the "E" model has a few components that are an upgrade to those with the "S" and "SM" model. For instance, its considerably lighter, has better suspension, I prefer a plastic tank, better carb, bigger stronger cam, and a few other things that have slipped my mind. The weight difference and carb alone make the "E" a much better performer than the others.

    Its maiden voyage to Kentucky!
    [​IMG]

    Back to the conversion, I bought a street legal kit from Tusk which comes complete with wiring harness, LED mini-stalk front turn signals, LED flush mount rear turn signals, flasher relay, horn, hydraulic brake switch, LED taillight/brake light, dual sport folding mirror, On/Off switch, and control switch. That's all the components I need to get it street legal in Kentucky BUT that's not where it stops. You have to document every step of your process. For instance, at 12pm on 7/29 I removed all the plastic panels and wired each light into the ignition switch so that they turn off/on with the key.

    That's just an example, ideally the more details the better. So, I have about 7 pages worth of notes to submit to the DMV. This must be notarized. You must keep all of your receipts and submit them with these notes. After its put back together, the county sheriff must provide a written statement that my DRZ now meets the state requirements for motorcycles IE turn signals, horn, mirror, etc. After I have all of those documents signed, I must apply for a rebuilt title. Once that is all done, I'll submit all of these documents to the DMV and walla! A plated dirtbike!! WOOT!
    tus_10_mot_end_lig_kit_1285760001_zpsf0b_127e59d0622246febae12b42f8e2a8b753909332.jpg

    The Tusk kit is just alright, to get it titled, its fine. But I have already decided that I want to upgrade a few things that came with this kit. The LED lights are great! They give this dated bike a modern look, and they are BRIGHT! Can't complain with that. The light control switch is cheap and I doubt it will last in the weather. So I bought the stock switch from a XR650, that should arrive this Friday 8/1. I'm also upgrading the mirror, because the plastic one they send you SUCKS!!! In order to actually use it, I sanded the ball so the clamp would grip it and cut up some old bike tubes to keep the clamp from slipping on the bars. Its a terrible mirror, only good for snorting blo... wait a minute! wrong thread!

    Here is the mirror I am thinking about, it keeps it in my line of vision and it can be tucked away for off road. Its a DRC offroad mirror.

    large_RNveyX8AAAEAAE6ZleQAAAAE-45176_zps_869892ea6798b126885734f480e48684edf436f8.jpg

    Here are the Honda XR650 controls that I'll hopefully install this weekend.
    _57_zps5ad6c158_9a0124fde05a81039952fa0d99b94efcf527781e.jpg

    Let's talk about some of the other stuff I installed to get the bike up to par.

    I went with the DOT approved Michelin T63 tires front & back. They're rated as a 40/60 tire I believe 40 street 60 off road. They do well on both, I've been very impressed with them on the road. You do feel the knobbies on turns but you can still drop a knee and dig deep. Also, at high speeds 55 - 70mph you can tell you're riding on the middle knobbies. Hard to explain, but I would describe them as agile at high speeds. I think I'll be able to get about 2,500 - 3,000 miles out of these. The dirt is where this tire really signs, its just like any other dirt bike tire, it grips and rips. I haven't ridden in wet conditions, that review to follow.
    michelin-t63-front-and-rear-tires_zps345_e45b7482069101e66d4b7faa62fdf3df15143313.jpg

    Next up: GPS Now I made a mistake here, not in what I purchased but how I purchased. I went through ebay and bid on the GPS with no intention to buy it. I know, I'm a terrible buyer. I bid on this GPS because it was priced very low, and I figured someone else would outbid me right away! WRONG! No one else bid and I ended up with a Garmin Oregon 300. Not a bad unit, but I have nothing to compare it to since its my first ever GPS. I needed a way to mount it, so I went with a Ram EZ strap mount. It gets ok reviews, many people complain about breaking the main strap. I haven't done this yet. Its a nice mount for the $$, I use it in my truck and on the bike so its nice to be able to remove it from the bars to the truck or vise versa with relative ease.
    _577_zps4fea6fe0_710bd8fac1bce543e6c4bb87e4b250bfec46a521.jpg

    EZ-Strap Handlebar Mount
    _12_zps494bf183_cd0ef467779debdf2b4c88415aa3558a30d814ab.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jul 31, 2014
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    #1
    thatprerunner and AR15xAR10 like this.
  2. Jul 31, 2014 at 10:04 AM
    #2
    TacomaJack09

    TacomaJack09 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Here are some pics from lastweekends ride. 200 miles around Northern Kentucky and Southern Ohio. We were cruising some back roads near the Licking River and saw a few off road trails. Got to love having a dual sport!
    [​IMG][​IMG]

    This is an old farm in Ohio that was abandoned a long time ago apparently.
    [​IMG]
     
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  3. Aug 1, 2014 at 9:25 AM
    #3
    TacomaJack09

    TacomaJack09 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I ended up buying the AFX FX-41 DS helmet because of the price and features. A full review to follow. First impressions: Super cool looking helmet, great vision, great ventilation & fit, SO MANY FEATURES!

    AFX_zpsbfabb4ac_3f0fa2adbab92e8abe57f3ab0a70ae7c796c31c8.jpg
     
    Last edited: Aug 1, 2014
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  4. Aug 4, 2014 at 6:51 AM
    #4
    TacomaJack09

    TacomaJack09 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Went to Shawnee State Park in Southern Ohio over the weekend. It has numerous forest roads and bulldozer track from the logging being done. It was a great mixture of pavement, dirt, and gravel. Perfect Dualsporting!

    This is a pic just entering Shawnee. They have designated water fording areas throughout the park.
    photo1_zpscb751de0_85f6acaf5071478dd571095a8abd059f4b81c055.jpg
    photo2_zpse99ac5e5_9845efc2d02eef4b29dd40f9c49f36adfd0a114e.jpg

    One of many overlooks.
    photo4_zps540d91f0_9ee6b680bf71b62407af8380c9ca51f6e50bb0b2.jpg
    photo3_zpsf6d1bf1a_302f65397ba40eb077023c62b8a33216608b11c9.jpg

    This is a good example of the forest roads they have. Super fun on the DS!
    photo5_zps5921557b_e2efb6c61800ed00014993993a572f8ef8eac50c.jpg
     
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  5. Aug 4, 2014 at 8:08 AM
    #5
    AR15xAR10

    AR15xAR10 AR10 is 5 ARs better

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    Please refer to build (click signature picture)
    Nice bike man! I'd love to do what you've done but every dirt model DRZ i find near me has had the absolute piss pounded out of it :(

    Sticking to S or SM model (whichever i can find with reasonable miles in my price range) :)
     
  6. Aug 4, 2014 at 9:21 AM
    #6
    TacomaJack09

    TacomaJack09 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Thanks!

    Yea its hard trusting used dirt bikes, they're definitely used and abused. They are like used Toyotas, beat the F up but still demanding premium prices haha

    You can't go wrong either way, once you're out there with a good group, brand, model, etc don't matter. Its all about BRAP haha
     
  7. Aug 5, 2014 at 6:21 AM
    #7
    TacomaJack09

    TacomaJack09 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Well my @$$ hurts from all of the riding I've been doing, so I've been looking into a few options.

    Seat Concepts is a reasonable choice for a custom seat option. They're much cheaper with the quality being comparable. I can either send in my seat pan and have them install, buy a complete unit, or I can DIY with there foam kit. Its nice to have options! $150 - $250

    Good looking seat too!
    102029151_zps7cfcaa8b_1361956689c7c642ba6ddf6a78743c0aa90043bf.jpg

    But being the poor guy I am, I will try the Wal-Mart special first! This is a Coleman ATV seat cover with gel pads. I'm hoping I can wrap my original seat with this and staple it to my seat pan to make it look "stock." We shall see. $17

    seat_zps3feaf977_d5692c23406bb6f0119eff00baaef98e877ea295.jpg
     
  8. Aug 5, 2014 at 9:38 AM
    #8
    Stockmonester

    Stockmonester Well-Known Member

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    seat concepts best thing youll buy for that bike. I love mine
     
  9. Aug 5, 2014 at 10:00 AM
    #9
    TacomaJack09

    TacomaJack09 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Nice! Did you go with the standard height or the low?
     
  10. Aug 5, 2014 at 10:15 AM
    #10
    BenJammn5

    BenJammn5 RN

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    TRD cat-back with Spintech prostreet muffler, AFE Pro dry S intake, 16" SCS F-5, 3.5 BS, 305/70 GT Radial MT, King extended travel front/rear, 2" add-a-leaf, Maxtrack Spindles, Sway bar delete, DSM UCA, All Pro IFS skid, Cab mount chop, bed cab locks, Black badges, cali raised amber LED fogs, 6K FX-R Morimoto projectors with 55watt ballast, fog mod, cheap rear dust lamp from autozone, Hellas 500 behind grill, Color match Satoshi Grill, Hood scoop, rear bumper by BTF, color matched Glassworks bed caps, Wet Okole seat covers
    IMG_0413_629b29fb2bc9db4aba106beee021b1ba0f054855.jpg

    Nice 04! Bought this 02 with 13 miles on it back in 2009 for $2500. The E's Mikuni FCR 39mm carb is the main kicker that lets this bike kick some butt. I think 06+ E models came with the weaker carb, can't remember. Throttle delivery is smooth, tons of low end crawl ability when navigating technical rocky situations, not to mention easy to maintain and reliable.

    This is definitely a comfortable off road bike, but bottoms out pretty easily on big jumps at a track. I set the front forks and rear shock at the hardest setting, still kinda soft lol

    I wish I could street legal mine too, but CA has some strict regulations w/ the E models vin# and registration even when outfitted with turn signals, mirrors and what not.
     
  11. Aug 5, 2014 at 11:12 AM
    #11
    TacomaJack09

    TacomaJack09 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Nice Bike! I've been thinking about all yellow plastics much like yours with my rims plastidipped black. I like your graphics too!

    I've owned a few different dirt bikes and this one is by far my favorite. Easy to ride and easy to maintain. Keeps you focused on the fun stuff.

    Have you had any trouble with your automatic cam chain tensioner? I've read that they become troublesome and its a good idea to upgrade to a manual version.

    http://www.paochow.com/DRZguide/DRZkno.php
     
  12. Aug 5, 2014 at 11:45 AM
    #12
    BenJammn5

    BenJammn5 RN

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    TRD cat-back with Spintech prostreet muffler, AFE Pro dry S intake, 16" SCS F-5, 3.5 BS, 305/70 GT Radial MT, King extended travel front/rear, 2" add-a-leaf, Maxtrack Spindles, Sway bar delete, DSM UCA, All Pro IFS skid, Cab mount chop, bed cab locks, Black badges, cali raised amber LED fogs, 6K FX-R Morimoto projectors with 55watt ballast, fog mod, cheap rear dust lamp from autozone, Hellas 500 behind grill, Color match Satoshi Grill, Hood scoop, rear bumper by BTF, color matched Glassworks bed caps, Wet Okole seat covers
    I recently pulled the graphics off as they started peeling off from old age, they had been there since 02 haha

    Fortunately haven't had the cam chain turn into an issue but I've also read that before. Just the basics, filter, oil, coolant. The main jet on the carb does grim up pretty quick and I've had to pull it and clean the carb a few times. Used to not idle properly and fire flames :eek: but runs smooth now. I've got a tear on the rear tire and need a new one, dropped it a few times and busted the clutch lever, besides that it's all good. I think we need to adjust the valves/check at some point as well
     
  13. Aug 6, 2014 at 4:04 AM
    #13
    PcBuilder14

    PcBuilder14 Well-Known Member

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  14. Aug 6, 2014 at 4:15 AM
    #14
    NCtaco914

    NCtaco914 MALLIN'CRAWLIN'

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    :thumbsup: great start and good score on the bike! Man I wish NC was easy enough to tag a bike..I had to buy an SM a few years back. Was just the easiest route
     
  15. Aug 6, 2014 at 4:30 AM
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    Stockmonester

    Stockmonester Well-Known Member

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    Standard im 6'3 and can still flat foot with a inch to spare. I bought the kit which saved me bout 90 bucks only took and hour and a staple gun.
     
  16. Aug 6, 2014 at 4:33 AM
    #16
    PcBuilder14

    PcBuilder14 Well-Known Member

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    I bought the low seat height a few days ago. They're still in the process of building the seat.

    Being that I'm only 5' 4" I need it to be pretty low haha hopefully it helps.
     
  17. Aug 6, 2014 at 6:19 AM
    #17
    TacomaJack09

    TacomaJack09 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Man I love the roads you have over there in WNC, I bet that's fun as hell on a SM. I try to make it to WNC for hiking and camping at least twice a year. I'd like to hit the Tail of the Dragon and the Blue Ridge Parkway now that I have my bike up and running!


    I'm right in between you guys at 5'10". I've been leaning towards the "low" because I'm on my tippy toes when I stop or leaning to one side. Doesn't bother me too much though. I wonder what the comfort level is between the two? I'm guessing standard would be a little more comfortable due to the extra foam...


    Have any of you ridden in West Virginia? My buddy and I have been researching Spruce Knob, Seneca Rocks, and the Trans West Virginia Trail, heard they are a MUST.
     
  18. Aug 6, 2014 at 6:58 AM
    #18
    NCtaco914

    NCtaco914 MALLIN'CRAWLIN'

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    Most definitely let me know! Im about 45 mins from the dragon myself. Currently have a converted sm wr250r :D
     
  19. Aug 6, 2014 at 7:48 AM
    #19
    TacomaJack09

    TacomaJack09 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Fuel Injection :drool:


    Will do man!
     
  20. Aug 13, 2014 at 7:59 AM
    #20
    TacomaJack09

    TacomaJack09 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    So I'm kind of digging these high wind screens on these bikes, definitely gives it that Dakar Rally feel. What do you guys think?
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     

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