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Well whatever you do, don’t drop it in a thigh-deep river like I did yesterday.
Immediate remedial (carb drain, air filter off, bike front in the air and turn rear wheel in gear to check for hydro-lock, followed by shitloads of choke idling, and then a very long very cold very miserable ride home), and next-day (carb off, full clean, airbox clean, new oil on air filter, full oil drain) is more work than I would have wanted for a jolly in the woods.
To be fair, the front wheel just got totally stuck in glue, and as I put my feet down to rescue the situation, my boot disappeared and I realised I was more than thigh deep, and the bike was already going over.
Last week I sat on the local mechanic’s DRZ400, it felt taller and rock-hard compared to my DR350. Immediately apparent it’s more MX-style than dual sport.
With the bike-swim aside, green lanes and hellish rutted uphills and downhills are insane fun. Would recommend.
pdlouche-
Mild off road is fun, just keep an eye on where you are, really easy to twist and ankle which might make it hard to get back to civilisation on your own.
Managed to smash off a pannier on a fun green lane, flipped up a small log at just the wrong angle. Made the many hundred mile journey the next day much more intense.
Metal boxes super useful for regular touring, but offroad, soft luggage all the way if for nothing else no risk of ripping a leg off -
Ha top work fella. I've never managed to do that, though water crossings are in short supply near me. Going straight over the bars in deep sand is probably the closest...
By the by, the DRZ400 is nothing like an MX Bike. Trust me. It's as dual sport as it gets!
Have a go on any CR/RM/YZ250 (or 450 equivalent) for confirmation. They are a completely different world of violent.... :)
BrickMan
Jung
Bike plans have been delayed due to covid/work situation. Will have to wait till next year now. Been getting a bit obsessed with the Trans European Trail posted upthread. I may join you @pdlouche in the drz crew.