Should I Buy A New Dr Z400e Or A New Kdx 200

[gjbruny]

as of may of last year i renewed my interest in off-roading. i purchased a new vinson 500. i got the quad primaily for hunting elk and for some mild trail riding. the first day out i had a blast and my wife and i camped every weekend until bow season opened in september. though i had a ton of fun and it did everything it was built to do very well, i was trail riding a quad that weighed 600lbs and was not built for nor could handle the trail riding that i wanted to do. i live in washington state and grew up on an RM 125. i never raced it but rode fairly aggressively. when i was 19 i bought an RM 250 but lost it in a house fire 3 months after buying it. 10years later i NEED a new bike. our terrain here has everything from tight single tracks in heavy timber, sand, snow, mud, wide open fire roads, huge hill climbs, and is full of mountains. washington has it all! i recently rode an 03 YZ125 and was impressed with how far the 125s have come in 10-12 years but i am definately not looking for that kind of on/off whiteknuckled powerband that a full mx'er has since i will primarily riding trails (an informal mx track maybe once a year but only with friends, not an organized race). i have narrowed my decision to the suzuki dr z400e but am starting to look very closely at the kdx200. i really want the smooth power of a fourstroke but it seems that the kdx makes smooth power also (is this true) and has good top end for the wide open trails. also, up in the mountains we often need a lot of low end grunt and i hear that the kdx has this also. i am 5 '7" and 175lbs. i know that the drz is heavy but i am very fit (however, if SUZ could shave 25-30lbs off the drz it be my choice) and think i can handle the extra weight. any input would be very helpful on which bike would the over-all winner for me? the most important aspects for me are that the power rolls on smooth (but has plenty of it) and i have power at all ends of the powerband due to our diverse terrain. i also don't want to be wrenching on it instead of riding it. either bike i choose will be new so i can control the break-in and maintenance.

 

[Tony Eeds]

Please do not double post.