Illinois Purchasing a DRZ400S, have a few questions :)

[yahodahan]

Hi, and thanks for any help and suggestions!

 

I've decided to move from street riding into dual-sport and offroad, simple stuff, nothing too gnarly (yet). DRZ400S seems perfect. Tough to find out here, though.

 

Found a local DRZ for sale, from a real nice fellow, that I'm seriously considering- some help with a few questions I had would be great!

 

About the bike:

 

2004 DRZ400s, about 12K miles

New-ish tires, with old also, about 50%

Appears to have some serious mods by previous owner, which seller hadn't listed (wasn't aware of?) -

-aftermarket swingarm?

-FMF exhaust

-larger tank (non-locking, dirt style)

-forks look seriously beefy, maybe aftermarket

-aftermarket rear shock, I believe (rear fender was shaved to accommodate reservoir)

-luggage racks on side and rear, plus "Dirty Bagz" small cloth saddlebags

 

Starts and idles real nice, purrs, revved fine. Didn't have time for a test ride.

 

Seller asking $2400. Now, I'd jump on that in a second, except he mentioned one issue: carbs need cleaning, consistently, if left sitting over a few weeks and not running, unless using only non-oxygenated (?) fuel.

 

Now, all my bikes, from 1988 Honda Hawk to a 2013 SYM Wolf, have sat over winter (one, a '96 Nighthawk, literally IN the winter), and started right up, no carb cleaning needed, ever. I get that sitting sucks for a carb, but this reminds me too much of a friend's bike, which has the same-ish issue, and as such he never, ever rides it. Too much of a pain for him to start it, warm it, clean it, etc.

 

Interestingly, he said it's fine if he runs non-oxygenated gas in it, and seafoam sometimes, but that's not right...a simple bike like this should just work. I mean, all mine always have.

 

Am I overthinking this? Seems like a very nicely modified bike, for a good price, but I do not want a bike that requires constant maintenance, futzing, pampering. Tons of reviews/reports/etc tell me the DRZ normally does not require anything special, so I'm inclined to look elsewhere...but what do you think?

 

Thanks!

[Firestone]

I never put oxygenated fuel in my dirt bikes. Run 91 and keep the carb empty (run the engine with the fuel off whenever you park it until the engine dies) during storage and you should never have a problem.

[yahodahan]

Thanks Firestone- good to know.