you're incorrect sir- a stock DRZE makes around 38 horse at the rear wheel. the S and SM models have tamer cams and timing, and they make documented 35 at the rear wheel. but it's not as much the added horsepower as it is the huge jump in torque. twist the throttle on a DRZ and you will get your arms straightened. i don't know where you're getting your numbers, but the numbers you speak of are about where a big-bored, piped, pumper carbd, KLX is at, but it stops at the high 20's. do a search, no one has gotten over 28 horse on here. so basically here's how mods stack against the KLX:

pipe, jet kit, airbox and filter mods- this is talking a full BG or Muzzy exhaust system and not a slip-on: around 22-23 horse.

all of the above but add on a 331cc big bore kit, pumper carb, filter/airbox: around 26 horse.

all of the above but add on head porting work and hi-po cams: 28 horse. if i'm mistaken, let me know Brian.

here's where you're even more wrong: the E DRZ weighs in exactly as the KLX and offers more ground clearance. so to say that you'd rather be in the muddy wet trails on a KLX is absurd. it has 20 horsepower less than the DRZ and offersless clearance. I know what bike i'd rather be on. the DRZ most definitely is an *** hauler, you evidently haven't ridden one. maybe mine just runs good or something. but it will loft the front wheel at will. maybe me gearing it down to 15/44 has something to do with it. only mod DRZ's need are tires. everything else is free if you need to go there for altitude.

 

okay, well i'm glad you're glad that you've now realized that your bike has potential. to get maximum "blip throttle performance" from this bike, no matter the displacement, you will need a properly tuned pumper carb. but, I know brian (nobrakes) left his stock CV carb on just for people like you to use as a reference after doing the 331 kit. i'll let him take it from here as i have no experience with the big bore kit.

but let me make a couple things perfectly clear and I mean this and I do think I can speak for most everyone on this here little dysfunctional motorcycle forum; you NEED to do all of the free and recommended mods to your KLX. buy the 13-tooth sprocket, remove your snorkel and just use the oem hole but make it larger. skip the KDX snorkel or what everyone else says you need, just make the hole bigger and leave the lid on w/no snorkel. remove the smog stuff and enlarge the crankcase vent hole with a blow-torched drill bit attached extremely tight to some vise grips to melt your way through. this makes no shavings mess like drilling it and takes a second literally if your bit is hot enough, but be careful. buy a Uni-filter or twin-air filter, something to replace the oem unit with. stay away from K&N as they leak dirt/dust and anyone who says they don't is in denial. those are all easy, cheap mods. then buy a full exhaust. i'd stay there for now because these mods along with tearing your carb out to rejet will take a little time. in the off-season if you have one down there, send your cylinder away to have it lined or find a 300 cylinder one bay and use that one for a true rebore. some like the solid rebore because they reline it with nikasil and it's just like factory. there are drawbacks to the liner like it possibly moving around or some type of heat problem. if you want a little more lowend to boot, you can also run a 45 tooth rear sprocket but that requires a 108 link chain as the oem will NOT fit around it.

 

let me tell you that you are really missing out then if you don't AT LEAST install the 13-toother. this was the first mod I ever did to my KLX and it was like a transformed bike. It makes the powerband come on sooner and makes 6th gear a reality when accelerating uphill. You do not need a new chain for this mod, and it won't affect your chain at all. If nothing else, I'd do this mod tomorrow, but that's just me. It really does increase the low-end dramatically, especially for us lighter guys.