I owned a 93 for about a decade. I think it was 97 through about 07. I miss it and I too had, and still have, several machines. It was a good, easy to ride trail machine.
Been riding on and off road for almost 60 years (yes, I am a geezer). Have owned my 1998 DR350SE for about eight years and still just plain love it. Never given me a moment grief nor has it leaked a single drop of oil……not one!. Gas, oil, occasional tire and chain and that is it. Whenever I check the valve clearances,…..they never need adjusting! Mine has been Bombproof, so much so that I also bought a DR650SE and love that bike too. The 350 is much better off road though, no question. Just right amount of power, not unwieldy, just hooks up and goes. Works great on the street too. Just love it! I have put 21k on the bike and it is ready for 21k more.
On my third DR350 now. Just finished up my last couple mods on my 99 dirt model. Looking at buying a 99 street version from my brother in law for cheap and planning on building it up for my son to ride. I've had newer bikes but like you, for the same reasons I love the DR 350.
Cool to see one of those again! I bought a brand new DR350S back in '91 and rode it on the street and the trails of Colorado for 14 years. But in '99 I bought a new XR250R for strictly off-road riding, and then in '05 I sold the DR350 and bought a DR650, mostly for street use but kept the XR250.
my newest dirt bike was a 2017 Husqi 300 preceded by a 15 Beta 300. Nice bikes but sold them off and have been buying cheap "beater" bikes. Haven't found any limits yet. Kind of funny getting it done on bikes only "worth" $2500 tops. :D
The fact there is no modern 350cc dual sports boggles my mind. Even the 300cc dual sports are a far cry in power and torque from the ancient dr350. I'm probably just going to get another dr350 at this point.
That is true although I will say my GPX FSE300R is very close to the torque of my DR350 and definitely has more top end. I think the KLX300 mostly lacks in grunt down low. It is sad there isn't more competors going for that engine size but I think companies have no reason to try when sales are good on the 300s.
I opted for a ‘93 DR350 specifically because it is air cooled and kick start (lower weight) and the deciding factor was the 6th gear for some occasional highway travel. Fortunately I found one in showroom condition with updated tank, seat and grip guards (but all the cool 90’s pastel paint splash graphics were gone). It is a very fun (and forgiving) bike for an older experienced but rusty rider.
I have an 06 dr200se and looking to upgrade. Want something for longer trips and I always fall in love with a dr350se when I see them come up for sale! I love the simplicity of them compared to modern stuff but not sure which route I want to go yet! Definitely one of my all time favorite dual sport dashes though…doesn’t get much better than the dual analog gauge
muy buen video!!! muy buenas apreciaciones sobre la DR350. tengo una DR350 SE `98 y creo que es la mas equilibrada en todas sus versiones desde que salio. a mi consideracion perfecta para trails, la relacion peso, potencia y torque son mas que equilibradas. con mi moto hoy en dia recorri todo mi pais!! mas de 40.000km!!! y es una moto para la aventura en todas sus formas. moto simple, mecanica simple, muy facil de mantener, sin radiador y por sobre todo muy confiable!!! saludos desde Argentina!!!!
I have a 1990 350s. The only part that was expensive was the exhaust and the new suspension, yes, only stock . But it only has 2700 on the motor they didn't know how to check the oil and overfilled it and wrecked the rings. Im thinking . It's really hard to kick over, but it ran good they said people I know . But low compression, so I just bought the new top end kit today . And you nailed it it's a trail bike, not a dirt bike . It's an awesome BDR bike . My opinion is that it is better than a 600cc plus ADV bike . Lol . Yes, I'm getting one this summer . Thinking a new VSTROM 800DE . For the farther runs . But I'm gonna get my buddy to take my butt to P.A. and drop me off and ride the BDR up to Conn . Take a break with a wife, then take off the next day up to Maine or New Hampshire do a overnight then ride back to Connecticut.... That little bike will do 70mph with that 6speed. Well enough of my b.s.
Great video. Can you share a bit more about how the bike performs on road? How are the handlebar vibrations relative to a WR250R or if you've tried one, a CRF300L?
That mostly depends on balancing your wheels and how knobby your tires. I've been on the WRR a bit and it's the same except the DR350 has a fair bit more torque.
It has a 6-speed transmission and it's geared really well for street use, and the engine has quite a bit of power. It doesn't vibrate much at all, very smooth ride. It can easily cruise at 65mph on the road with stock gearing. Definitely a lot more power than the CRF300L, I rode one of those before and it was pretty weak.
I have a 1995 I picked up for 400 bucks last month. Already went thru it and got it registered. Has 8k miles on the odometer. I like the older style tack and Speedo like these have mine is similar. If has power in any gear. You can start off in second by accident easily. 1995 xt350 Yamaha
In a bit of a pinch I rode a KTM 350 EXCF to work one day - 60 miles each way. I've done similar road mileages out with mates on holiday before but no cush drive on fast A roads is just horrendous. I didn't even know what one was before that ride. I would never do it again.
Really great video! I'm looking for a cheap dual sport that is pleasant to work on. I really think I'll be getting a DR350, but are there any other options I should consider? I'm looking for one that would need alot of work to get back on the road; how much should I expect to pay?
i had a dr650 sp44b 5 years ago --- have you ever ride one of this? i want to buy a bike again and i dont know if i should buy the 650 again or a 350. i want it for both---street (like driving to work) and sometimes for just fun things like drive in the woods. i think the 650 is little better for street but its like 30kg heavier than the 350... i really dont know what i should search for
I've been looking for a street bike(old cb 350's,450's 500's 1970's models) for cruising the back roads(50% gravel, 50% pavement) at around 30-45MPH here in Mi. Would this 350S do the job as good or better? Just asking for an opinion!
I think the DR350 does that kind of riding just fine. In most ways it'd probably be a smoother experience than those older cb bikes. As a dual sport the DR350 has probably become my favorite bike.
Yeah I would be happy to do a video on that. From stock I went down 1 tooth on the front sprocket. It makes it about the same as the stock dirt model gearing but IMO its still far too tall for single track work.
Sure could. Although I have never played with cartridge emulators so I plan to mess with that stuff. Most of what I ride the DR with I don't need the best suspension in the world. If I hate the emulators you can bet the next step will be some dirt model forks.
I don't get it; you have a Beta 390 and the dr350 is one of your favorite bikes? Inferior suspension to the DRZ, kick start, almost 300 lbs. The steering on my dr350 is a bit wonky which sometimes effects balance, something I don't notice on my DRZ. Wish I could afford the Beta.
Apples to oranges in some ways. The early S model DRs do have a suspension that is technically worse than the DRZ. Honestly though my DR with new springs and fluid in the forks felt better than my stock DRZ. The dirt model and later DRs have a far better suspension to the DRZ though. I've never minded kick start on the DR but later models do have E start so I think its more a non issue, just preference. The DR is still almost 30lbs lighter than the DRZ. Plus its very top heavy. The DRZ always felt like too much of a compromise. At the age of the DR any of them will need a full suspension refresh and if you go with emulators/gold valves its very good. Also take a look at your bearings in the steering column, they are probably shot. Yes the Beta 390 is a better bike than either in every way but its also far more expensive. If you ride them all back to back its easy to feel the DR is just more dirt oriented than the DRZ, and the beta is an enduro machine that has to earn its $10k+ price tag. No matter what we have done to the DRZ it always feels like its carrying too much heft, that said I always did like it more than the CRF250 and even 450L.
@@pharettface my dr is a 97 with e start, which is one reason I still have it. Dont get me wrong, I do have a blast on the dr, but if I get a beta, I have to give up the dr350 and an xr250. Wish I could spend a day on the beta to figure it out. Thanks for your videos, it's good to know that there are people who ride the newer bikes, yet still appreciate the old.
New sub here. I am considering a kick only dr350. Haven't seen it close yet. But it is leaking oil. He hasn't pulled the skid plate. It might be a good deal. What do you know about a leaker? Thanks!
I owned a 93 for about a decade. I think it was 97 through about 07. I miss it and I too had, and still have, several machines. It was a good, easy to ride trail machine.
Been riding on and off road for almost 60 years (yes, I am a geezer). Have owned my 1998 DR350SE for about eight years and still just plain love it. Never given me a moment grief nor has it leaked a single drop of oil……not one!. Gas, oil, occasional tire and chain and that is it. Whenever I check the valve clearances,…..they never need adjusting! Mine has been Bombproof, so much so that I also bought a DR650SE and love that bike too. The 350 is much better off road though, no question. Just right amount of power, not unwieldy, just hooks up and goes. Works great on the street too. Just love it! I have put 21k on the bike and it is ready for 21k more.
I have been test riding a 99 DR350SE the past few days, im lovin it. The power come invery smooth and I will say its the best bike I have ever ridden.
On my third DR350 now. Just finished up my last couple mods on my 99 dirt model. Looking at buying a 99 street version from my brother in law for cheap and planning on building it up for my son to ride. I've had newer bikes but like you, for the same reasons I love the DR 350.
Cool to see one of those again! I bought a brand new DR350S back in '91 and rode it on the street and the trails of Colorado for 14 years. But in '99 I bought a new XR250R for strictly off-road riding, and then in '05 I sold the DR350 and bought a DR650, mostly for street use but kept the XR250.
My DR has been very good to me and just a fun trail bike. People are always shocked I take it out on single track.
my newest dirt bike was a 2017 Husqi 300 preceded by a 15 Beta 300. Nice bikes but sold them off and have been buying cheap "beater" bikes. Haven't found any limits yet. Kind of funny getting it done on bikes only "worth" $2500 tops. :D
Really I have become less and less picky over which bikes I love to ride. I just like to get out and have fun.
The fact there is no modern 350cc dual sports boggles my mind. Even the 300cc dual sports are a far cry in power and torque from the ancient dr350. I'm probably just going to get another dr350 at this point.
That is true although I will say my GPX FSE300R is very close to the torque of my DR350 and definitely has more top end. I think the KLX300 mostly lacks in grunt down low. It is sad there isn't more competors going for that engine size but I think companies have no reason to try when sales are good on the 300s.
@@pharettface sadly you are correct.
My neighbor gave me a ‘91 last summer. I just put a new Mikuni TM33 carb on it last night. A few kicks and it fired up after 10 years!
I opted for a ‘93 DR350 specifically because it is air cooled and kick start (lower weight) and the deciding factor was the 6th gear for some occasional highway travel. Fortunately I found one in showroom condition with updated tank, seat and grip guards (but all the cool 90’s pastel paint splash graphics were gone). It is a very fun (and forgiving) bike for an older experienced but rusty rider.
What an absolut nice place to be. Cycling, walking, whatever.....
I have an 06 dr200se and looking to upgrade. Want something for longer trips and I always fall in love with a dr350se when I see them come up for sale! I love the simplicity of them compared to modern stuff but not sure which route I want to go yet! Definitely one of my all time favorite dual sport dashes though…doesn’t get much better than the dual analog gauge
I'd love to see a comparison of the dr350 and the new klx300s.
muy buen video!!! muy buenas apreciaciones sobre la DR350. tengo una DR350 SE `98 y creo que es la mas equilibrada en todas sus versiones desde que salio. a mi consideracion perfecta para trails, la relacion peso, potencia y torque son mas que equilibradas. con mi moto hoy en dia recorri todo mi pais!! mas de 40.000km!!! y es una moto para la aventura en todas sus formas. moto simple, mecanica simple, muy facil de mantener, sin radiador y por sobre todo muy confiable!!!
saludos desde Argentina!!!!
Nice ride and video, especially in the rain. Haven't been out there in months. Nice to see it's still rideable after all the rain we got this year.
I have a 1990 350s. The only part that was expensive was the exhaust and the new suspension, yes, only stock . But it only has 2700 on the motor they didn't know how to check the oil and overfilled it and wrecked the rings. Im thinking . It's really hard to kick over, but it ran good they said people I know . But low compression, so I just bought the new top end kit today . And you nailed it it's a trail bike, not a dirt bike . It's an awesome BDR bike . My opinion is that it is better than a 600cc plus ADV bike . Lol . Yes, I'm getting one this summer . Thinking a new VSTROM 800DE . For the farther runs . But I'm gonna get my buddy to take my butt to P.A. and drop me off and ride the BDR up to Conn . Take a break with a wife, then take off the next day up to Maine or New Hampshire do a overnight then ride back to Connecticut.... That little bike will do 70mph with that 6speed. Well enough of my b.s.
Great video. Can you share a bit more about how the bike performs on road? How are the handlebar vibrations relative to a WR250R or if you've tried one, a CRF300L?
That mostly depends on balancing your wheels and how knobby your tires. I've been on the WRR a bit and it's the same except the DR350 has a fair bit more torque.
It has a 6-speed transmission and it's geared really well for street use, and the engine has quite a bit of power. It doesn't vibrate much at all, very smooth ride. It can easily cruise at 65mph on the road with stock gearing. Definitely a lot more power than the CRF300L, I rode one of those before and it was pretty weak.
I have a 1995 I picked up for 400 bucks last month. Already went thru it and got it registered. Has 8k miles on the odometer. I like the older style tack and Speedo like these have mine is similar. If has power in any gear. You can start off in second by accident easily. 1995 xt350 Yamaha
I want this bike so bad. I'm finishing up a bobber project. Plan on selling it and waiting patiently for the right DR350.
In a bit of a pinch I rode a KTM 350 EXCF to work one day - 60 miles each way. I've done similar road mileages out with mates on holiday before but no
cush drive on fast A roads is just horrendous. I didn't even know what one was before that ride. I would never do it again.
Really great video! I'm looking for a cheap dual sport that is pleasant to work on. I really think I'll be getting a DR350, but are there any other options I should consider? I'm looking for one that would need alot of work to get back on the road; how much should I expect to pay?
i had a dr650 sp44b 5 years ago --- have you ever ride one of this? i want to buy a bike again and i dont know if i should buy the 650 again or a 350. i want it for both---street (like driving to work) and sometimes for just fun things like drive in the woods. i think the 650 is little better for street but its like 30kg heavier than the 350... i really dont know what i should search for
I've been looking for a street bike(old cb 350's,450's 500's 1970's models) for cruising the back roads(50% gravel, 50% pavement) at around 30-45MPH here in Mi. Would this 350S do the job as good or better? Just asking for an opinion!
I think the DR350 does that kind of riding just fine. In most ways it'd probably be a smoother experience than those older cb bikes. As a dual sport the DR350 has probably become my favorite bike.
What gearing you using - I got a 1991 DR350S and ordered the stock chain/sprocket size and o-ring chain DID. Would you do a video on mods you done?
Yeah I would be happy to do a video on that. From stock I went down 1 tooth on the front sprocket. It makes it about the same as the stock dirt model gearing but IMO its still far too tall for single track work.
Good review,summary!
Gidday from Australia why dont you look for and buy the suspension from the dirt model bolts straight up and is reaky good save you money to
Sure could. Although I have never played with cartridge emulators so I plan to mess with that stuff. Most of what I ride the DR with I don't need the best suspension in the world. If I hate the emulators you can bet the next step will be some dirt model forks.
I don't get it; you have a Beta 390 and the dr350 is one of your favorite bikes? Inferior suspension to the DRZ, kick start, almost 300 lbs. The steering on my dr350 is a bit wonky which sometimes effects balance, something I don't notice on my DRZ. Wish I could afford the Beta.
Apples to oranges in some ways. The early S model DRs do have a suspension that is technically worse than the DRZ. Honestly though my DR with new springs and fluid in the forks felt better than my stock DRZ. The dirt model and later DRs have a far better suspension to the DRZ though. I've never minded kick start on the DR but later models do have E start so I think its more a non issue, just preference. The DR is still almost 30lbs lighter than the DRZ. Plus its very top heavy. The DRZ always felt like too much of a compromise. At the age of the DR any of them will need a full suspension refresh and if you go with emulators/gold valves its very good. Also take a look at your bearings in the steering column, they are probably shot. Yes the Beta 390 is a better bike than either in every way but its also far more expensive. If you ride them all back to back its easy to feel the DR is just more dirt oriented than the DRZ, and the beta is an enduro machine that has to earn its $10k+ price tag. No matter what we have done to the DRZ it always feels like its carrying too much heft, that said I always did like it more than the CRF250 and even 450L.
@@pharettface my dr is a 97 with e start, which is one reason I still have it. Dont get me wrong, I do have a blast on the dr, but if I get a beta, I have to give up the dr350 and an xr250. Wish I could spend a day on the beta to figure it out. Thanks for your videos, it's good to know that there are people who ride the newer bikes, yet still appreciate the old.
New sub here. I am considering a kick only dr350. Haven't seen it close yet. But it is leaking oil. He hasn't pulled the skid plate. It might be a good deal. What do you know about a leaker?
Thanks!
Really depends on where it is leaking oil. If its just one of the oil lines or hoses it would be a very easy fix.
What kind of mileage are you getting? both on road and/or trails.
Honestly I don't think I have ever really tracked mileage on the 350. Its so much better than my other dirt bikes I never worry about it.