So i bought a 250sf early this summer and love riding it on the streets. coming from a motocross backround ( stopped due to injury) i love bikes with power. Obviously this bike is lacking from the factory so after just over 1000 miles i got the BB351 kit. The bike as it sits now has the 351, fmf powercore muffler, re-jet, airbox lid removed, and a 13 tooth front sprocket.

Now what im wondering is: Is it worth it too keep modding a get a carb, and cams, and a header......OR

Just ride it out as it is for the year and then upgrade next summer to a drz400 or something similar?

What do you guys think? is the carb and cams really gonna make a big difference that will make me un-bored with the power?

 

As much as I absolutely love my '06 KLX for dual sport off road type riding, I've always thought the motard Suzuki 400 is the better bike for motard. Why?...displacement. The guy I bought my used '06 KLX from has the Suzuki motard, and it's a pretty cool bike. The weight and power is very good and is very torquey and flickable. If I were a motord guy, I'd go with the Suzuki. The 250 engine is too small for this venue IMO, and I think I'd be happier spending the money pumping up the 400.

Now, for off roading I'm not as hot on the DRZ400 when compared to the KLX. Modding the KLX seems to offer a little less weight, better flickability, and great suspension with a revalve. The KLX300 pure off road model has always felt a great deal smaller, lighter, and maneuverable than the Suzuki version even though the numbers on paper aren't that far apart. This is great for off road performance. I upped my '06 to a 300 and couldn't be happier with it. Absolute power isn't quite as important off road for dual sport applications as compared to motards IMO. You want and can use more absolute power on the pavement, whereas I like better handling for off road.

There's a lot of preference in this area, and one really has to shake out for themselves what pushes their buttons. For an off-the-shelf motard I'd go straight to the Suzuki first. For an off road dual sport I go to the KLX or the Yamaha WR250R.

 

I wouldn't keep putting money into your KLX. You've already done the biggest mods, so I can't imagine there's that much to be gained. Ride it till you're ready to move up to a bigger bike. The DRZ is nice, but you should take a look at the Husky lineup as well. If you don't want high maintenance like the 450 and 510, check out the 610 (or new 630). Here's my 610:

 

Well put, with the emphasis on preference. I bought a KLX to ride blacktop to trails, not the other way around. I personally don't get the appeal of SM bikes but have no problems with those that do - to each his own, figuring that if I wanted primarily a road bike I'd get one. Conversely, if I was dirt first I'd have a 2T small bore screamer and the scars to match the ones accumulated in my youth...

So I bought the KLX, realizing full well that my dirt preferences would cost me plenty on the road. TNC is right, the KLX is plenty flickable in the dirt. A bit heavy for a 250 (um, lets see, a water cooled thumper, yeah, that sounds about right) but pretty darned capable in most trail apps. Now if Kawi would just address a couple of my biggest beefs - a lousy seat and woefully inadequate front springs ( the fixes would probably cost the factory a couple hundred bucks at most) I'd say my dirt first jones would be plenty satisfied.

 

Well put, with the emphasis on preference. I bought a KLX to ride blacktop to trails, not the other way around. I personally don't get the appeal of SM bikes but have no problems with those that do - to each his own, figuring that if I wanted primarily a road bike I'd get one. Conversely, if I was dirt first I'd have a 2T small bore screamer and the scars to match the ones accumulated in my youth...

So I bought the KLX, realizing full well that my dirt preferences would cost me plenty on the road. TNC is right, the KLX is plenty flickable in the dirt. A bit heavy for a 250 (um, lets see, a water cooled thumper, yeah, that sounds about right) but pretty darned capable in most trail apps. Now if Kawi would just address a couple of my biggest beefs - a lousy seat and woefully inadequate front springs ( the fixes would probably cost the factory a couple hundred bucks at most) I'd say my dirt first jones would be plenty satisfied.

antmo, I'd save my money for bigger bike number next, as the cost/return equation already has you on the backside of the financial curve where it concerns buyer number next. Read the threads and you'll discover plenty of sellers who discovered mods bring a small premium (if any) from potential buyers. Ride it and smile for a while

 

In the dirt the pumper carb (fcr 35) made a giant difference. It made the bike have the snap to loft the front wheel with out the clutch. Having said that- I did not get back ANY of the money I put into the bike when I sold it. So I enjoyed the $600.00 carb it was money You will Never see again.

 

Agreed..."upgrades" aren't recovered the vast majority of the time. It's interesting that I've sold an XR650L (that had many upgrades when I bought it...which I didn't really pay for...such as a pumper carb) because it was SO DARNED FAST.

I'm replacing it with this 09 KLX250. I have at least as much fun, at much more sane speeds, and can fit into tighter spots. I am much more relaxed in the most technical of trails because I can reach the ground if need be, and can hold it up if I start to drop it. Once the XRL gets too far leaned over, it's going down...and the CG is so high, it's tough to pick up. It's a WONDERFUL desert bombing machine at 50-70 mph....I just don't need to be doing that kind of riding any more. It will eventually cost me dearly. I'm thrilled with the KLX.

 

I agree with all who said you would be better off with the DRZ SM. If the power at 351cc is boring, you won't get much bang for the buck by adding a pumper or cams. All those mods will do is change the 'personality' of the bike a bit. Throttle response will be way more snappy with the pumper and you will notice more of an upper mid-range rush with stage 1 cams. For your bottom line, there will only be a marginal HP increase for at least $700.00 worth of mod's. Lots of money for very little return in the power department.

The DRZ is you bike if you want infrequent maintenance intervals. For something a bit more exotic, KTM and Husky both have a variety of SM models that will knock the socks off a DRZ.

 

A few months back I went riding with a guy on a motarded DR650.
We did about 700k's in the day.

Now it wouldn't have been my choice for a motard but he flew on that thing.
Sure he was a good rider but still, I was surprised out how well it went.

I'm with the DRZ-SM guys.
Good bang for the buck.

 

DRZ-M is a good choice but the whole mod thing will start all over. They use a CV carb, so you'll want a pumper. E model base gasket is easy compression, many big bores available, cams , pipes and so on, it never ends. I rode 990 SMT's recently on a KTM forum ride. Now that's the sm I'd want. Comfortable seat and riding position, big fuel tanks and bags to stow your stuff, not to mention power in excess.