Glad to see some enthusiasm for the old bike. I’ve had mine for going on 3 years. It has a 4 gal tank, pumper carb, stock exhaust and recently rebuilt suspension diy w/racetech. Also recently acquired a Drz 400 with upgraded racetech suspension, pumper carb, fmf muffler and 3x3 mod done. So far I don’t see a huge difference in performance between the 2. For average trail riding, the DRZ suspension is a little better having more adjustment, but not by a lot. I don’t know what the specs say about torque, but the 350 has a lower first gear so it feels torquier. The 350 has gobs of engine braking also, so I hardly use my rear brake when on the trail. I also don’t feel a huge difference in power between the two, either. I put each bike on the scale because my Drz actually felt lighter. Keeping in mind that the 350 has a 4 gal tank, stock exhaust, boat anchor of a rear fender, and pm side racks on it, the Drz has the aftermarket exhaust and rear fender tidy. I was surprised to find the Drz weighed 10lbs less! To me the real advantage of having a Drz over the dr would be in parts availability, including aftermarket accessories. There’s no problem finding consumable parts for the dr, but more substantial parts like cylinder, head, etc. can be more challenging, and quite spendy. Accessories like luggage racks and such are harder to find for the dr as well. That said, as you pointed out, the dr can be had for way less money than a Drz. And you could spend the extra money on suspension upgrades, pumper carb, mods and accessories (all the stuff you’d pretty much do to any bike) and still have saved tons of money and have a bike that is as good or better than a lot of brand new modern dual sports. And you won’t feel as bad when you drop it as you would a brand new bike!
Yeah that's pretty much why I love the DR. Only thing I probably wont do is the pumper carb. I spend far too much time at very different altitudes and after dorking with a pumper on the DRZ between 5k and 13k feet I stuck with proper jetting for the CV carb. I miss the snap of pumpers but damn I am lazy haha. Single track is just as fun though.
@@pharettface I would stick with the cv if I was riding in your conditions as well. I value reliability over performance. Also, my skills don’t warrant a high performance machine any way, ha!
Hey man, I'm learning about duos around this engine size because I'm trying to find my first bike. You sound like you know a lot about them. Could you tell me your favorites that are similar to the bike in the video? I'm 5'10 and want something similar to this one. Thank you ahead of time for any suggestions
@@dojo3175 I don’t have a lot of personal experience with different bikes. I have the dr350 and ive ridden a dr250 which is also a good ds to look out for. If I was looking for budget value bikes similar to those I’d probably also consider a Honda xr250l. Hope that helps
Bought a 1991 DR350 last month that has been modded beyond recognition, which used to be a street legal version, but has been modified that there are only headlights as electronics, but it has been upgraded with the pumper carb and has KTM 400 EXC front and rear suspension. I plan to get the electronics back in order this winter. I just heard you mention that the pilot jet has been changed for easier start on yours, and mine doesn't want to start most of the time at all, no matter how much I kick it, despite setting up the valve clearances. Took a leap of faith as it was cheap, only 1700€ as I loved the idea of having that suspension setup, but man it has it's own problems with the carb. It's my 5:th bike but also the first that left me stranded on the road the first time I was riding home from the seller as the carb needle broke and fell into the jet. :D
The DR350 seems to be rather picky about its jetting. I haven't messed with the pumper carb because I live in an area that has huge altitude changes. My CV carb I am running a 40 pilot jet with two turns out on the fuel screw, never takes more than 3 kicks hot or cold. Be sure to also check the decomp lever tolerance too that can make starting a pain too. Really in your case I'd look up the stock settings from the manual for a dirt model DR350 and set the carb up to that then make small adjustments. Along with a full tear down and sonic cleaning of the carb.
I am finding with the DR350 that I like it more and more over the drz400. The DR350 was made to be a trail bike. The DRZ400 feels like it was made to do too many things while loosing its identity and gaining too much weight. Loved my DRZ but this little 350 has a lot to offer.
In another video I believe you put a larger pilot jet in due to it not starting easily. Can you by chance elaborate on that? And any other suggestions you might have, I’m all ears. I have a 91 dr350 and the bike runs great but is a real pain to kick start.
I am pretty sure I changed the pilot jet to a 40 along with two turns out on the fuel screw for easier starting. I know my main jet is still stock. Up at high altitude it seems to work quite well.
Another thing that helps is 'dry' kicking it. I hold the decomp and kick it with the ignition off about 6 or 7 times to get fuel flowing. Flip it on and kick it per usual. The 40 pilot will help alot the stock one is very lean.
These are awesome. And with a six speed it made it pretty usable. They made a huge mistake by putting a five speed on the DRZ 400. They should’ve just left it alone, these are way better bikes and you can put a big bore piston and a better carb on it and it’s lighter and better than a DRZ 400. My favorite bike would be a mid 80s Honda XL 350 this is just about the same thing but it has electric start options which makes it the best choice for me. I would much rather have a 2000 DR 350 SE than a DRZ 400. As far as parts, everyone I’ve seen has been able to get them and it shouldn’t be too hard, plus these things are tough, they’re very simple air cooled thumpers. Are use a standard carb configuration and you could put a DRZ 400 carb on this easily and a lot of this is very standard and I would take that bike in a second.
They really are. I have left mine totally stock with the CV carb. It does a lot better with massive altitude changes compared to a pumper or slide. Power wise its a sweet, since I have had it I've never thought, "Man I really want my DRZ back" haha. The parts thing is always funny to me, as a dealer myself now I can get anything for it from suzuki save a few body pieces and the Dirt model intake boots.
@@pharettface I think they’re awesome. It seems like most of the manufacturers have a 600 or bigger in a 250 or smaller and the 250 is never quite enough. I drove a Honda XL 600 but it’s bigger and heavier and a lot of power and you have to really pay attention when you’re driving it because it’s got enough power to get you into trouble. The 250 is almost enough and they’re lighter and smaller and easier to flick around but they make these bikes for people that weigh 150 pounds and it’s never quite enough. The 350 was just about perfect. The 400 is great but they put a five speed on it which I think was ridiculous. If they had put a six speed like this on the DRZ 400 I think it would’ve been quite a bit more popular, otherwise it’s a pretty nice bike except for the incredibly uncomfortable seat. I love these old fluffy seats that came on the bikes from the mid 80s to the late 90s. Seat concepts are pretty nice so it’s not a huge deal but that five speed just kills the DRZ for me. Some hints come if you don’t like your suspension try and get forks off of the later model, they updated it, I know the 2000 model had updated and I think there was a 2001 model but they had upgrades through the years so the later models are probably going to have a lot better suspension. They already have great brakes, none of the others had rear desks at the time. I love it, for me personally that’s the unicorn bike. Plenty of power to wheelie but manageable and for a dual sport it’s pretty late, it’s comfortable and it does have the dual sport wide ratio transmission but it’s got six speeds and it I think they hit it just right. A newer carbon when your piston wears out get an oversize, but that may be decades before it wears out 😂 I love it, I always keep my eyes open for a good deal on one. I really can’t believe they weren’t more popular. People love them and they still have a good following they just stop selling them. Same with Honda they had an XL 350 and even an XL 400 but it seem to be selling good and they canceled it. I like condos and if they had taken a mid 80s XL 350 and put an electric starter on it that would be my dream bike. And 84 is awesome. The DR 350 is almost the same thing it just came in weird colors but it had a rear disc brake and electric starter and that cinches it for me. I love the 2000 and I think they had a 2001, the only thing I don’t like about it is they had a bunch of yellow and purple on them. The purple frame isn’t bad but I would definitely have to get rid of that purple seat. Lol
I used to own a DR350, and now own a DR650. Never been a fan of the DRZ400, or any other liquid cooled dual sport. Adds unnecessary complication, and something else to fail, especially if you go down and damage the cooling system. If the coolant leaks out you aren't going anywhere. Also not a fan of the DOHC design with shim valve adjustment. IMO, the simpler the better. I would never consider an EFI bike under any circumstances, street, dirt, or dual sport.
I've owned both water cooled bikes and air I don't mind either. On the DR350 I fell and hit the decomp almost killed the day so they aren't invulnerable. As for EFI it's more reliable than carbs in my opinion. Carbs clog need constant adjustment cleaning. I've yet to have any EFI issues even with a dead battery on my Beta, bump started just fine and can also be kicked. Even my first Gen efi VFR 800 was very reliable up through 50k miles.Just my personal two cents with owning several carb and efi bikes.
@@pharettface I've never owned an EFI bike and never will. I am a retired government fleet services mechanic, and working on EFI vehicles was a nightmare. I current own a bought new 1997 Kawasaki Vulcan 750, with 118K miles on it, the carbs have never been off. EFI is about 10 times more complicated than a carb. But, to each their own. Have a good one.
@@geraldscott4302 I'd actually say EFI is less complicated. As a mechanic my self most repairs having to do with efi specifically are simple module or injector replacements. I spent a lot of time working on Subarus, bad head gaskets mostly. Properly made efi is relable and doesn't have issues with huge altitude changes. I've struggled a fair bit with tuning carbs between 6k to 13k feet. CV carbs are better for altitude changes but you loose power and throttle response. Slide pumper carbs you constantly have to mess with air to fuel screws and rejet them. Frustrating to say the least.
@@pharettfaceMotorcycle EFI has, at the very minimum, an ECU, an electric fuel pump, at least 7 sensors, and a throttle body and injector for each cylinder. And instead of controlling just the fuel system, it also controls the ignition system. Lots of electronics and wires. In $$$, at least 4 times as much money for all the parts compared to a simple carburetor. Plus you can't tune it without a $500 Electronic tuner (compared to a few $5 jets for a carburetor) and many newer EFI systems can't be tuned at all.
@@geraldscott4302 while all true my old DR350 has a CDI module and its simple but cost quite a bit to replace my bad one. Bike wouldn't run right with out it. $5 in jets is correct I'll agree there but if I have to spend the time to tear it down to ride different areas that's wasted time. At least the DR350s carb is very easy to remove but my DRZ400 was quite the pain to get off. As complicated as efi is I've yet to have any issues with any of my efi bikes even at 24+ years old. You are right about tuners I bought one for the XT250 but I think I paid $250 for the power commander, it's expensive but with most efi bikes it's completely unnecessary. Beta even offers updated tunes from their dealers for free.
I'd disagree I've had my DR for many years now and it has done some of Colorado's Hardest trails. It's one of my easiest bikes to kick start. Like every kick bike it has to be jetted correctly, clean carb, and you have to know the individual bikes start procedure. From my XR650Rs, XR400, KLR250 they all started differently. The DR with an Auto decomp lever is easy. Starts first or second kick cold every time. No need to be a baby about it. If you're not man enough to kick it properly then go for the 94 and up E start models LOL.
Glad to see some enthusiasm for the old bike. I’ve had mine for going on 3 years. It has a 4 gal tank, pumper carb, stock exhaust and recently rebuilt suspension diy w/racetech. Also recently acquired a Drz 400 with upgraded racetech suspension, pumper carb, fmf muffler and 3x3 mod done.
So far I don’t see a huge difference in performance between the 2. For average trail riding, the DRZ suspension is a little better having more adjustment, but not by a lot. I don’t know what the specs say about torque, but the 350 has a lower first gear so it feels torquier. The 350 has gobs of engine braking also, so I hardly use my rear brake when on the trail. I also don’t feel a huge difference in power between the two, either.
I put each bike on the scale because my Drz actually felt lighter. Keeping in mind that the 350 has a 4 gal tank, stock exhaust, boat anchor of a rear fender, and pm side racks on it, the Drz has the aftermarket exhaust and rear fender tidy. I was surprised to find the Drz weighed 10lbs less!
To me the real advantage of having a Drz over the dr would be in parts availability, including aftermarket accessories. There’s no problem finding consumable parts for the dr, but more substantial parts like cylinder, head, etc. can be more challenging, and quite spendy. Accessories like luggage racks and such are harder to find for the dr as well.
That said, as you pointed out, the dr can be had for way less money than a Drz. And you could spend the extra money on suspension upgrades, pumper carb, mods and accessories (all the stuff you’d pretty much do to any bike) and still have saved tons of money and have a bike that is as good or better than a lot of brand new modern dual sports. And you won’t feel as bad when you drop it as you would a brand new bike!
Yeah that's pretty much why I love the DR. Only thing I probably wont do is the pumper carb. I spend far too much time at very different altitudes and after dorking with a pumper on the DRZ between 5k and 13k feet I stuck with proper jetting for the CV carb. I miss the snap of pumpers but damn I am lazy haha. Single track is just as fun though.
@@pharettface I would stick with the cv if I was riding in your conditions as well. I value reliability over performance. Also, my skills don’t warrant a high performance machine any way, ha!
Hey man, I'm learning about duos around this engine size because I'm trying to find my first bike. You sound like you know a lot about them. Could you tell me your favorites that are similar to the bike in the video? I'm 5'10 and want something similar to this one. Thank you ahead of time for any suggestions
@@dojo3175 I don’t have a lot of personal experience with different bikes. I have the dr350 and ive ridden a dr250 which is also a good ds to look out for. If I was looking for budget value bikes similar to those I’d probably also consider a Honda xr250l. Hope that helps
Looking forward to seeing this in person, dude!
Bought a 1991 DR350 last month that has been modded beyond recognition, which used to be a street legal version, but has been modified that there are only headlights as electronics, but it has been upgraded with the pumper carb and has KTM 400 EXC front and rear suspension. I plan to get the electronics back in order this winter. I just heard you mention that the pilot jet has been changed for easier start on yours, and mine doesn't want to start most of the time at all, no matter how much I kick it, despite setting up the valve clearances. Took a leap of faith as it was cheap, only 1700€ as I loved the idea of having that suspension setup, but man it has it's own problems with the carb.
It's my 5:th bike but also the first that left me stranded on the road the first time I was riding home from the seller as the carb needle broke and fell into the jet. :D
The DR350 seems to be rather picky about its jetting. I haven't messed with the pumper carb because I live in an area that has huge altitude changes. My CV carb I am running a 40 pilot jet with two turns out on the fuel screw, never takes more than 3 kicks hot or cold. Be sure to also check the decomp lever tolerance too that can make starting a pain too. Really in your case I'd look up the stock settings from the manual for a dirt model DR350 and set the carb up to that then make small adjustments. Along with a full tear down and sonic cleaning of the carb.
That looks like a cool motorcycle
I just bought one today for 500 with a title and im excited to go out and ride it
I keep my 93 xt350 and swap back and fourth with my 16 drz 400s. Fun to ride them both. Funny that a 93 dual sport has a 6th gear but not the drz..
I am finding with the DR350 that I like it more and more over the drz400. The DR350 was made to be a trail bike. The DRZ400 feels like it was made to do too many things while loosing its identity and gaining too much weight. Loved my DRZ but this little 350 has a lot to offer.
In another video I believe you put a larger pilot jet in due to it not starting easily. Can you by chance elaborate on that? And any other suggestions you might have, I’m all ears. I have a 91 dr350 and the bike runs great but is a real pain to kick start.
I am pretty sure I changed the pilot jet to a 40 along with two turns out on the fuel screw for easier starting. I know my main jet is still stock. Up at high altitude it seems to work quite well.
@@pharettface thanks for getting back so timely! Will give that a shot, and let you know how that goes. Thanks again!
Another thing that helps is 'dry' kicking it. I hold the decomp and kick it with the ignition off about 6 or 7 times to get fuel flowing. Flip it on and kick it per usual. The 40 pilot will help alot the stock one is very lean.
These are awesome. And with a six speed it made it pretty usable. They made a huge mistake by putting a five speed on the DRZ 400. They should’ve just left it alone, these are way better bikes and you can put a big bore piston and a better carb on it and it’s lighter and better than a DRZ 400. My favorite bike would be a mid 80s Honda XL 350 this is just about the same thing but it has electric start options which makes it the best choice for me. I would much rather have a 2000 DR 350 SE than a DRZ 400. As far as parts, everyone I’ve seen has been able to get them and it shouldn’t be too hard, plus these things are tough, they’re very simple air cooled thumpers. Are use a standard carb configuration and you could put a DRZ 400 carb on this easily and a lot of this is very standard and I would take that bike in a second.
They really are. I have left mine totally stock with the CV carb. It does a lot better with massive altitude changes compared to a pumper or slide. Power wise its a sweet, since I have had it I've never thought, "Man I really want my DRZ back" haha. The parts thing is always funny to me, as a dealer myself now I can get anything for it from suzuki save a few body pieces and the Dirt model intake boots.
@@pharettface I think they’re awesome. It seems like most of the manufacturers have a 600 or bigger in a 250 or smaller and the 250 is never quite enough. I drove a Honda XL 600 but it’s bigger and heavier and a lot of power and you have to really pay attention when you’re driving it because it’s got enough power to get you into trouble. The 250 is almost enough and they’re lighter and smaller and easier to flick around but they make these bikes for people that weigh 150 pounds and it’s never quite enough. The 350 was just about perfect. The 400 is great but they put a five speed on it which I think was ridiculous. If they had put a six speed like this on the DRZ 400 I think it would’ve been quite a bit more popular, otherwise it’s a pretty nice bike except for the incredibly uncomfortable seat. I love these old fluffy seats that came on the bikes from the mid 80s to the late 90s. Seat concepts are pretty nice so it’s not a huge deal but that five speed just kills the DRZ for me.
Some hints come if you don’t like your suspension try and get forks off of the later model, they updated it, I know the 2000 model had updated and I think there was a 2001 model but they had upgrades through the years so the later models are probably going to have a lot better suspension. They already have great brakes, none of the others had rear desks at the time. I love it, for me personally that’s the unicorn bike. Plenty of power to wheelie but manageable and for a dual sport it’s pretty late, it’s comfortable and it does have the dual sport wide ratio transmission but it’s got six speeds and it I think they hit it just right. A newer carbon when your piston wears out get an oversize, but that may be decades before it wears out 😂 I love it, I always keep my eyes open for a good deal on one. I really can’t believe they weren’t more popular. People love them and they still have a good following they just stop selling them. Same with Honda they had an XL 350 and even an XL 400 but it seem to be selling good and they canceled it. I like condos and if they had taken a mid 80s XL 350 and put an electric starter on it that would be my dream bike. And 84 is awesome. The DR 350 is almost the same thing it just came in weird colors but it had a rear disc brake and electric starter and that cinches it for me. I love the 2000 and I think they had a 2001, the only thing I don’t like about it is they had a bunch of yellow and purple on them. The purple frame isn’t bad but I would definitely have to get rid of that purple seat. Lol
I used to own a DR350, and now own a DR650. Never been a fan of the DRZ400, or any other liquid cooled dual sport. Adds unnecessary complication, and something else to fail, especially if you go down and damage the cooling system. If the coolant leaks out you aren't going anywhere. Also not a fan of the DOHC design with shim valve adjustment. IMO, the simpler the better.
I would never consider an EFI bike under any circumstances, street, dirt, or dual sport.
I've owned both water cooled bikes and air I don't mind either. On the DR350 I fell and hit the decomp almost killed the day so they aren't invulnerable. As for EFI it's more reliable than carbs in my opinion. Carbs clog need constant adjustment cleaning. I've yet to have any EFI issues even with a dead battery on my Beta, bump started just fine and can also be kicked. Even my first Gen efi VFR 800 was very reliable up through 50k miles.Just my personal two cents with owning several carb and efi bikes.
@@pharettface I've never owned an EFI bike and never will. I am a retired government fleet services mechanic, and working on EFI vehicles was a nightmare. I current own a bought new 1997 Kawasaki Vulcan 750, with 118K miles on it, the carbs have never been off. EFI is about 10 times more complicated than a carb. But, to each their own. Have a good one.
@@geraldscott4302 I'd actually say EFI is less complicated. As a mechanic my self most repairs having to do with efi specifically are simple module or injector replacements. I spent a lot of time working on Subarus, bad head gaskets mostly. Properly made efi is relable and doesn't have issues with huge altitude changes. I've struggled a fair bit with tuning carbs between 6k to 13k feet. CV carbs are better for altitude changes but you loose power and throttle response. Slide pumper carbs you constantly have to mess with air to fuel screws and rejet them. Frustrating to say the least.
@@pharettfaceMotorcycle EFI has, at the very minimum, an ECU, an electric fuel pump, at least 7 sensors, and a throttle body and injector for each cylinder. And instead of controlling just the fuel system, it also controls the ignition system. Lots of electronics and wires. In $$$, at least 4 times as much money for all the parts compared to a simple carburetor. Plus you can't tune it without a $500 Electronic tuner (compared to a few $5 jets for a carburetor) and many newer EFI systems can't be tuned at all.
@@geraldscott4302 while all true my old DR350 has a CDI module and its simple but cost quite a bit to replace my bad one. Bike wouldn't run right with out it. $5 in jets is correct I'll agree there but if I have to spend the time to tear it down to ride different areas that's wasted time. At least the DR350s carb is very easy to remove but my DRZ400 was quite the pain to get off. As complicated as efi is I've yet to have any issues with any of my efi bikes even at 24+ years old. You are right about tuners I bought one for the XT250 but I think I paid $250 for the power commander, it's expensive but with most efi bikes it's completely unnecessary. Beta even offers updated tunes from their dealers for free.
dr 350 is an awful bike.
Save your money and get one that does'nt need a tutorial on how to start it.
Think about it...
I'd disagree I've had my DR for many years now and it has done some of Colorado's Hardest trails. It's one of my easiest bikes to kick start. Like every kick bike it has to be jetted correctly, clean carb, and you have to know the individual bikes start procedure. From my XR650Rs, XR400, KLR250 they all started differently. The DR with an Auto decomp lever is easy. Starts first or second kick cold every time. No need to be a baby about it. If you're not man enough to kick it properly then go for the 94 and up E start models LOL.
@@pharettface I disagree
@@chrismuckley9420 Bet you have never even been on a DR350 LOL
@@pharettface I own one ya dummy.
Now go LOL in the mirror.
How much did you lose on your bet?