Got it started with a little gas straight in to the spark plug hole. Even with that it took a few kicks with each one the "cough" of it trying to start got a little better until it fired up. After that, one good kick would get it going. Took it around the neighborhood for a couple of laps. Been longer than I realized since I rode a similar bike given the feel. Going to be fun though! Thanks for all the help.
Phoi! I just got done reading this entire thread... took me a couple months (taking time out for meals, of course). Lots of good info here, even for 250's. Hi.
All: I purchased a DR200SE this summer so my 17 year old daughter could learn to ride and get her motorcycle endorsement. She likes the 200 but it is only a 5 speed and tops out at 50-55 mph. We live in Alaska and she would like to go on some distance rides with me ..... gravel roads etc. I am looking at options for a different bike for her, maybe a 350? She is 5'7" 100 lbs. I would like some advice from 350 owners. The bike needs to be street legal. Thanks! Tom
He complained about it. Said I need to upgrade to an inverted forks. Typical for a German/Japanese dog.
Both my kids learned to ride on DR350's and did great , my son now 18 still loves his 350 and can ride the thing anywhere . Sure there are better more modern bikes available but for a great reliable ,low maintenance ride she couldn't get much better especially since she is used to the DR200 . Do yourself a favor and find a low mileage 98 DR350SE. It is such fun riding with your kids , some of the best memorizes I have . It is so easy to gear the DR up and down by just changing the front sprocket when she wants to do a little nasty stuff later on. They are easy to lower too if she isn't comfortable with the height and at 100lbs you wouldn't need to worry about it bottoming . The weight thing wouldn't worry me cause it sounds like you will be there all the time to pick it up if it decides to take a nap . Cheap reliable fun !
My DR350 is dreamy smooth and really, really likes highway riding. I wouldn't hesitate for a moment to tour on it. It's set up for trail riding now. I would change sprockets to bring the highway rpm's down a little. It's a bit tall...you could perhaps lower the suspension somewhat. But my wife is 5'7" and she has no trouble riding it. I already have a touring seat and aftermarket gas tank for it.
Mine is kick start only and I like it better. You never get stranded in the cold with a dead battery. Plus you get this real meaty right calf muscle goin on. Chicks dig it until they see your left leg in comparison...
I have had a '99 DR350 for about 5 years now. I love it, and recommend it to many of my riding buddies. It's just low enough, light enough, and powerful enough to be fun in the woods and on the roads. I have also owned two Kawasaki Super Sherpas, alledgedly for my wife, who never took to riding. I put a good many miles on them myself, and have ridden with several others on the Sherpas over the years. It's only a 250cc, but I think you would find it to be OK on the road for her as well as off road. It's a little lower seat height stock than the DR350, but then you can easily get lowering links to take the DR350 down an inch or two. If you found either one of these for sale nearby, it would be worth a test ride.
That's one of my upcoming winter projects, retrofitting the eBay-sourced kickstarter into my 250SE, along with the Clutch Fix and Shift Drum Bolt Loctite/Torque.
iwas going to add a kickstart to my 96 se and then realized would probably need to accomodate a decompression lever and all the hardware in the head. anyone done this?
I've got a 97 se with a kicker added. No de comp lever. Kick leg And a couple seals and a gear for inside the motor. That being said I didn't install it the previous owner a airplane mechanic did and the added kicker is why I chose that used dr350. It kicks easy when warm. I haven't tried to start it cold with a kick as I have a few screws in my knee so i dont push my leg if i dont have too.
All DR350's have decomp (or should have). If you don't have a lever, it's an automatic decomp built into the head/cam.
