Show us some pics of your Dual sport bike (are dual sports non-moto?)

Crosstimbers???  I've been there a few times!

I will say, though, that the single biggest 'perceived weight savings' that I have found is the Knight Designs lowered foot pegs.  I don't think that they actually save weight, but with your feet about an inch and a half lower it sure feels like the bike is lighter and less top heavy than it really is!!!!!!

Doesn't really help you pull it up out of ravine, though!

I thought you were talking about the KLR all the way up to “Zook”!  Haha! 😆 

The EXACT same thing could be said for the KLR! If Kawasaki could shed a few pounds & figure out a way to get a 6th gear in there without a complete re-tool, they would sell even more of them than they do now!

And I have a moto buddy that STILL has his 2002 DRZ400 and it is going strong as ever! He just rode it on a Colorado back road trip this past summer with NO issues what so ever! Great ol’ scooters too! 😎 👍❗️

Did someone say “CrossTimber”??! 😆

I am blessed / fortunate to live 10 minutes from that riding area and routinely pass through on one of the dual sports when I don’t have time to load the YZ & drive out there for the day! 
The KLR on the Green Loop last fall! 😎 👍❗️

No doubt there are tens of thousands of DRZs all over the world still going, they are time tested battle tanks.    2nd and 3rd world counties thrive on those things because they just keep going.   But to get anywhere near highway speed that engine is wound so tight it sounds like its gonna grenade any second and take off your feet.   And like Aplman alluded to,  its tall and feels top heavy.   (at least to a short fucker like me @ 5'8")   I had to put the gel seat on so I could remotely handle it offroad and even then youre wrestling with a porker.   There just are better options in the D/S arena to purchase IMHO.    

I wish they would resurrect the RMX450Z with a 6-speed tranny.   Id buy one and plate it.

That is an AWESOME old pic! I was at that event in 1988 and have many fond memories of those OCCRA race events! 
Back then all the trails were on the north end of Lake Draper & even went under I-240 through a large drainage culvert with trails on the terrain between I-240 & SE 74th, and even more trails cut into the section east of Douglas Blvd & north of SE 74th! Those were the BEST of times!

Your pic is a COOL blast from the past and I oh so remember how fun those riding areas were! 👍❗️

(I miss those trails desperately…BUT time marches on & the City of Okc shut the off road use down due to the erosion issues it created with water quality in the lake! The lake was always red/dirty looking until they got the erosion & runoff issues under control & the lake is much nicer recreational area now! AND credit to Okc, as they then  set aside an entire 3 square mile section west of the lake & helped the off club develop & run the Cross-Timbers off road park we are fortunate to have now!) 😎 👍❗️

Absolutely incredible experience  dream come true!

Great stuff moto junkie!

My ds bike is a 2018 KTM 500EXC. Uncorked with Fastway end cap and JD Jetting power commander (poor man’s ECU) and it rips well enough for this 62 year old! Nearly 15k miles from new in 2019, and 500 hours. New top and at 450 hours…

Tall enduro engineering seat, 50 tooth rear sprocket and just ride…

I also picked up a Moto Morini X-Cape 649 which has been a blast on the twisty dirt roads near my house relegating the 500 to away trips

Yep, I can't believe that Suzuki didn't put a 6th gear into their 'new generation' bike.  It would make it so much more valuable as a true commuter bike that you could also hit some of the forest riding areas with.  And the height of the bike is a paradox, as it is tall but also cramped for a bigger guy, too.  I really wish that I had gotten the standard height Seat Concept seat now, or I might end up installing the lowering links that came with the bike when I bought it and sliding the fork tubes up a bit.  The older I get, the higher it seems that I have to lift my leg to get over that damned seat and fender!  I have bag racks and bags for it but I never put them on.  With those on, I'm not even sure if I could get my leg over the seat some days!  I almost want to get a collapsible stand that I can stand on to get on the thing on flat ground, but haven't quite had to do that yet.  

It has new gear ratios that are pretty dialed for the 38 hp on tap.... at 75 mph it's at a lower rpm than let's say a 300L in 6th.... imo they nailed the drz4s... if there was 50 plus hp on tap, then yes, a 6th would come in handy.... but with what it is, it's 5 speed is pretty dialed.... the clutch is pure money... the new suspension works well for a laid back weekend ride... all it really needs is hand guards, tires, and a bigger tank... 

Here’ s a fun April fools story for ya! (At least for me! Ha! 🤪)

Back in late March, a local dealer advertised a 2025 DRZ4S for $7499.00…the wife & I drove out for a look, then learned in typical dealer fashion, that was NOT the OTD price and they wanted to tack on all the usual BS fees, freight/prep etc, and the that price would end up essentially MSRP. I told em to forget it and drove away. 

(Side note; After riding my CRF300 Rally in Colorado last year, and despite adding RACETECH suspension and several other small mods, I decided to sell it to a buddy with the intent to get something a little more capable. I had been debating the KTM/Husky/Beta route (I love my 2023 KTM 300SX!) but was curious about the tight maintenance schedule etc and a buddy who is still riding/loving his DRZ400, always encourages me to give the Zook a chance!)

SO Anywhoo, unbeknownst to me…the wife calls back out, works the dealer over and gets em to make the $7499.00 the OTD price! She gives me some goofy storyabout helping a family member (that lives in the direction of the shop) with a small project, and after hiding my helmet/jacket/gloves in her trunk while I was busy, drove me back out to the dealership & after giving me some April 1st run around…SURPRISES me with a spankin’ new DRZ4S for flippin’ APRIL FOOLS DAY! 

I am breaking it in now, gathering up the accessories I want to add & oh, did I marry right or WHAT? 🤪
😎 👍❗️

Just did 150 miles today on my 2016 350 XCF-W.

 Love this bike. 270 hrs on the original engine parts. 😎

2000/2001/2006 XR650R. Some parts still remain from my original 2000 model, engine cases are from the 2001 that replaced the 2000 after a catastrophic engine failure (Honda covered it). Was two days until leaving for a race so we wheeled the blown up bike into the dealership and swapped everything except for the frame and engine from the 2000 to the 2001. Frame is from a 2006 as it has been replaced 3 times. Not sure how many times the cases have been apart to R&R every bearing in there, but used to do it regularly when I raced it. On the 3rd cylinder head, barrel, and crankshaft. Still using the original BD stator rewind I had done in 2001.

Used her as my primary race bike for everything (even MX) through 2008, now commuter/dual sport/prerun and occasional trail riding bike.

Full HRC engine kit with big bore Wiseco high comp slug (HRC pistons long since discontinued), ported head, XR's Only LE race exhaust, 41mm FCR carb from '07 450R. Talon hubs w/Bulldog spokes and Excel rims. Tall Seat Concepts comfort seat. Trail Tech 8" HID light. 15/47 gearing. Can usually get over 200 miles on the big Acerbis tank without issue, and run an IMS 3.2 for normal stuff.

Suspension has been a hybrid build of CR500/CRF450R/XR650R parts for 2 decades, but I'm rebuilding the stock stuff right now and going back to that for nostalgia reasons with only some slight hardware mods in the shock build.

Old skool 2007 KTM 525. It won't die. I've put more money into re-builds than it's worth. But I am good with it. 

2024 B to V 

Here's my Dual Sport. 

It's done well over 20ks over the many years I've had it :

It's an old picture, but, the Old Teddy Bear Of a Bike is in exactly the same spot, set up like that., right now.

Fully registered, Always has Blinkers and 2  Double Take fold down mirrors on it (except for races) , and, next Saturday I'll put on a pair of Pirelli MT90s to ride  the 60s Ks to Sydney, to see a matinee play at Belvoir St Theatre. I do a bit of work for them at times, so they let me put it in their offices just down the hill. I'll set up my NiteRider, and some extra Pushy Lights on it, and Terrorize The City! Not sure if my IMS tank will fit with the SPAL fan I fitted a while back, but, if it doesn't, I'll just take a little bottle of Motorex to get another 5 litres in it, on the way home.

Oh, and I'll flip on a 15T CS sprocket, to ease 'The Buzz'. 

It's an 'unpleasant' motorcycle on the Tar, but the fun had, outweighs said unpleasantness. 

Addendum:

Well, Hooley F**gin' Dooley, a friend just gave me a ticket for that night to see / hear Beck, with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, at the Sydney Opera House!

And, I've an 'in' with being able to park under the Opera House, where all the Richy Rich / VIPs etc go to park / be picked up from. So, I think I'll be riding a CR(E)500 into the basement parking lot of the OH!. It will be funny to see how the AFP and Security reacts to such a bike / bloke turning up, but, they've no Bloody choice but to let me in!. I think, out of courtesy, and Not Wanting to set off any Fires Alarms with warm up smoke, I'll leave well after the Rolls Royce brigade have exited. 

May I ask : what were the reasons behind the Frame Replacements?

I fully understand  precautionary replacements, with Big Use, and, the engine upkeep, but am wondering if there may be some areas of the frame that can have problems.

In 2024, I found, by sheer fluke, a  ( really well cared for / little used ) 650R going for ( here in OZ) relatively buggerall. Bloke wanted $4500 AUD, with a full set of Sumo Wheels and Brakes, Big tank, and well, Everybloodything. As well as all std parts.

I could put on my KYBs from my CR on ( the XR conventionals can be made to work wonderfully, but I hate having the lower legs, below the axle, clacking into rocks / dragging and catching in ruts). , and, if I recall correctly, my original CR500 rear shock I have after my PDS conversion,  was a near direct fitment - your mention of said shock is like a confirmation to me. 

I still regret not grabbing it, but, I had more serious / pressing uses for the money at the time. I was going to get the C-Fab ES Kit - not because they are hard to kick through - because, the long lever, with the pivot in the case so low, really presented difficulties with a very non bendy knee. The low pivot point made my solution of  fitting a short lever, a bit difficult, too.

An acquaintance has a Big Red Pig, who I have threatened with 'death', if he doesn't offer it to Me, when he gets rid of it. 

I'll eventually get the  Axe Simple 650L - probably by self importing from the USA, as we no longer have them here, and I want a New one.  I've lots of XR stuff to put on it for ADV usage - I've No need  / desire for a Land Yacht for ADV usage. 

Yep, my second Dualsport bike was an 02 KTM 520EXC. That bike was awesome, fast and plush like a cadillac--great machines. 👍

I ride Draper a couple of times a month myself.

Awesome! National Enduro.  I’ve raced a few of those. 
What kind of hand guards are those?

That’s the factory Husqvarna flags with the factory KTM/Husqvarna . They are pretty sturdy, not as sturdy as full  bark  but I like these because they still allow some flexibility in the bars and aren’t too rigid.

Thanks for the info. I kind of like those. 
I may look into some like that. I wonder if there are aftermarket hand guards that mount like that?

I like the Cycra Pro Bend bark busters with the triple clamp mount for my serious off road bikes, but might try these on an MX bike that I ride in the woods sometimes. 

After 3 years of hard use, this also involved MX as the 650R replaced my KX500s, two failure points would take the frames out.

#1, the bolt on right footpeg mount is a common failure point. My 1st frame was warranty replaced by Honda as it was prior to the shim being installed from the factory. Bend the bracket enough, and the frame mounts would fail. Drill out, run through bolts, use updated bracketry from JCR, didn't matter much.

#2, jump the 650R far/high enough and over time the lower frame rails would spread apart and bend the steel engine mount plates.

There isnt anything quite like this, as it utilizes the stock handguards and existing clutch and Brake covers.  The wrap around part of the system is only like 38.00 dollars, so its a pretty inexpensive option.

My 2024 500 EXC-F. It thinks that dual sporting is old guy, hard Enduro and desert riding/racing. 🤣 It is a very capable dirtbike. The only one it can’t beat out here in the SoCal district 37 over 60 class is a very fast guy named Scott Stearns. Brother of the legendary Chuck Stearns who died at the young age of 25 from leukemia. You older guys know who he is. The best it has done is -16 seconds in a one and a half hour race. She still has hopes.🤣