If Only Suzuki Would....?

[johnnyboxer]

summat wrong wi you lot,
if that bike was so good you would all have one ,
you ant ,
dave.

Never a truer word said

[daveuprite]

Royal Enfield are showing Suzuki that there is a market for a re-released dr350 but it may not by financially viable for them to do so. CCM also showed Suzuki the way by actually using suzuki engines in their 404 and 644 but again Suzuki may not have been interested in such a small market.
As much as we (fickle) consumers may desire a bike from our younger days Suzuki have big production lines that need to be kept busy.

It's not about nostalgia (or certainly not for me). It's about having available a reliable but small-ish multi-purpose trail bike. It can and should be modern, fuel efficient, low-emission, and fairly light but with quality suspension capable of tackling most off-road conditions. Basically an enduro kind of bike but beefed up a bit strength-wise for touring, with longer fuel range and carrying capacity.

Perhaps that's too much to ask and, as you say, a bit too niche for a company of Suzuki's size. Which leaves us on here raiding the aftermarket catalogues and adapting existing bikes to get to the TET bike that we want.

Eventually it will be electric anyway, and perhaps we will have to wait for that. We just need the charging network and range characteristics to enable us to do it.

[DavidS]

Royal Enfield are showing Suzuki that there is a market for a re-released dr350 but it may not by financially viable for them to do so. CCM also showed Suzuki the way by actually using suzuki engines in their 404 and 644 but again Suzuki may not have been interested in such a small market.
As much as we (fickle) consumers may desire a bike from our younger days Suzuki have big production lines that need to be kept busy.

It's not about nostalgia (or certainly not for me). It's about having available a reliable but small-ish multi-purpose trail bike. It can and should be modern, fuel efficient, low-emission, and fairly light but with quality suspension capable of tackling most off-road conditions. Basically an enduro kind of bike but beefed up a bit strength-wise for touring, with longer fuel range and carrying capacity.

Perhaps that's too much to ask and, as you say, a bit too niche for a company of Suzuki's size. Which leaves us on here raiding the aftermarket catalogues and adapting existing bikes to get to the TET bike that we want.

Eventually it will be electric anyway, and perhaps we will have to wait for that. We just need the charging network and range characteristics to enable us to do it.

Exactly. It's not nostalgia, as such, but yearning for the disappearance of a type of bike that still has a market out there.
The gap between the CRF/KLX and the enduro bikes used for trail riding is huge.
From the knowledge and research I did (maybe not so much) certainly the KLX seems to be made of ticky tacky in places and the CRF needs a lot of adjustment to be trail ready. They also seem aimed at the vertically lower rider so, at 6.3, they are tiny little things. The AJP is a complete rarity and I am concerned about buying Beta/Gas gas etc due to their apparent business fragility in this country and access to spares. Most KTM?Husky stuff is virtually next day!
I would be happy with a lightweight modern version of the DR that has a dealer nearer than 50 or 60 miles and good spares. An on the ball manufacturer could corner the, albeit limited, market by tweaking, detuning and lowering their enduro bikes.

[daveuprite]

Royal Enfield are showing Suzuki that there is a market for a re-released dr350 but it may not by financially viable for them to do so. CCM also showed Suzuki the way by actually using suzuki engines in their 404 and 644 but again Suzuki may not have been interested in such a small market.
As much as we (fickle) consumers may desire a bike from our younger days Suzuki have big production lines that need to be kept busy.

It's not about nostalgia (or certainly not for me). It's about having available a reliable but small-ish multi-purpose trail bike. It can and should be modern, fuel efficient, low-emission, and fairly light but with quality suspension capable of tackling most off-road conditions. Basically an enduro kind of bike but beefed up a bit strength-wise for touring, with longer fuel range and carrying capacity.

Perhaps that's too much to ask and, as you say, a bit too niche for a company of Suzuki's size. Which leaves us on here raiding the aftermarket catalogues and adapting existing bikes to get to the TET bike that we want.

Eventually it will be electric anyway, and perhaps we will have to wait for that. We just need the charging network and range characteristics to enable us to do it.

I am concerned about buying Beta/Gas gas etc due to their apparent business fragility in this country and access to spares. Most KTM?Husky stuff is virtually next day!

I can't comment on Gas Gas. But Beta spares are readily available - you just need to know how to get them. I have to wait for some things on order from either Boano or another dealership, but most of the usual expendable engine and cycle parts are on ebay or elsewhere. I have a little spares kit of the common stuff I need so that I just replenish that in my own time rather than wait for essential parts. Beta have a really good rep for reliability and back up, although their American service does seem a bit better than their european dealership network. Size and back-up wise, Beta are somewhere between Gas Gas / Sherco and KTM / Husqvarna. They don't have the history of factory closures and re-invention that other small enduro bike businesses seem to suffer. Been in constant business for decades actually, with a ridiculously loyal fan-base of riders who love the rideability, reliability, slightly lower seat height and 'non-KTM-ness' of the brand.

A Beta 390RR or 498RR, with a few sensible long-distance and comfort mods, is a very good option for a TET bike - for riders who prioritise off-road performance over tarmac convenience.

[Tonibe63]

Mondo Enduro ........... enough said .

[DavidS]

Mondo Enduro ........... enough said .

I don't recall them being problem free though. More a case of masochism.

[Richard Simpson Mark II]

If you read Mondo Enduro, they set out on that jouney with pretty much no prep or planing. It came as a big surprise to them, for example, to find that chains and sprockets actually needed periodic replacement...and they found out in Siberia!
There were no Suzuki dealers in Siberia, but luckily there were some engineers who, when sober, were able to make new sprockets for them!

[Richard Simpson Mark II]

summat wrong wi you lot,
if that bike was so good you would all have one ,
you ant ,
dave.

I regret selling mine and buying a pile of scrap with a Husqvarna badge to replace it.

[Tonibe63]

If you read Mondo Enduro, they set out on that jouney with pretty much no prep or planing. It came as a big surprise to them, for example, to find that chains and sprockets actually needed periodic replacement...and they found out in Siberia!
There were no Suzuki dealers in Siberia, but luckily there were some engineers who, when sober, were able to make new sprockets for them!

At the risk of going off topic ........ adventure isn't about racing between main dealer services and next day delivery so that you can get back for work on Monday .

[boboneleg]

I was talking to one of the guys on the Suzuki stand at the ABR festival and even he said that they have a huge hole in their range. I was actually bemoaning the fact that you can still buy a DR650 in Aussie and USA but not in Europe