The Suzuki DR thread.

[Scott_rider]

I think we rode some mid-wales trails about 20 years ago with a lady called Marianne from Machynlleth..or Llanidloes...? That was in the days when that place called Tom's farm was still open...and also with a very useful off road guide called Clive from Swansea...in The Gap/Sarn Helen areas...?

[Richard Simpson Mark II]

Her property and business were up for sale a few years back...no idea if they are still going.

[garyboy]

Her property and business were up for sale a few years back...no idea if they are still going.

O right .. I didn't know that, but she is still down as trf mid wales leader, though I see that south wales trf are starting to manage that area.

Just googled.. trailrideswales are still going, ponterwydd, with her name, too.
I think it used to be based from Machynlleth? They use crf250L 's

I've not met marianne but I think she is 70 and still leads rides in mid wales.

Mid wales is my preferred area to trail ride .... but it does involve 1.5 to 2 hours road work first. So winter short cold days tend to restrict use.

I do Black Yatt and wbin, as they are easy long and great views. But I go alone, as only the big bikes venture there and they do faster and longer than me.

My crf250Rally is remarkably good on roads, seeing as I run knobblies, but 60mph is great, but wear, while 50mph wears better but is so boring. Good wind protection though, but this high up extra weight is restrictive off road, for me anyway. Its average off road, but far too heavy for an oap.

[garyboy]

this seems to be the only full pic of my old DR350, on Flikr anyway ... but got some others. somehwere in my extensive pic files.

045 by gary boy, on Flickr

Pic of mid wales .. cant remember where exactly. But my DR and me never rode this ... just crf 250's.
But i did go with the trf to north wales on my old DR350 ... a very memorable time.
Things just don't seem to be the same .... but then ... I did have rose coloured glasses on. then.

013 by gary boy, on Flickr


o yeah ... it is Black Yatt ... and wbin (water breaks its neck) is somewhere on the mountains in the distance.


I got a stomach ache atm ... had a rare drink last saturday ... can't drink. ... but it still didn't hide that stomach pang of longing for the open mountains, looking at that pic. lol

[garyboy]

for those that don't know of the TRF, trail riders fellowship, (not many I guess) .. they have the GRM, green road map.
It shows all the green roads .. access to the public .. legal mountain trails .. in the UK.
well worth the £58 or whatever, yearly membership fee.

Indispensible.

Also, an App like Outdoor Active or whaterver, is just So useful for you to know how and where you got lost, lol.

[Thedktor]

Not posted much for some time, I really should make the effort to share some more pictures. I have done a huge amount of riding, a lot of it on this DR, and maybe another.....

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[Hugh]

Greetings folks,

I haver never used the TRF's green road map so I cannot comment about it. However, I do use the equivalent produced by GLASS, it is called Trail Wise 2. Membership of GLASS is required for full access.

TTFN

Hugh.

https://www.glass-uk.org/about/who-we-are.html

[Thedktor]

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So this happened a year ago, December 2023. How and why is a good question, but it started while casually browsing the motorcycle section of FB Marketplace. Just for fun I occasionally send an enquiry on stuff that has been sitting there a while, but it is rare to get a reply. However, a seller with an interesting DR350 did actually reply, and unexpectedly accepted my casual offer, pending viewing.

Ah, this caught me off-guard as the bike was over 100 miles away and I wasn't prepared to travel that far to find the usual pile of sh!te that most old second-hand bikes seem to be.

By pure chance a work trip took me part of the way and gave me a good excuse to go and have a look at the bike. It was a 1999 electric start DR, the newest you can get, and turned out to be in really nice condition for a 24 year old machine, and a deal was done.

Now, I could have gone home and returned with a van but, bearing in mind the distance, this would have involved another 5 or so hours of my time, plus fuel of course. So plan B it was: strip the bike down and put it in the car, a very unsuitable VW Passat saloon.

Now, I have done this before, and it is not recommended, but... it can be done. First protect the car carefully with lots of cardboard and old sheets, and after an hour or so with the spanners this big lump fitted on the back seat.

Fortunately there was 3 of us to put it in the car, and once home, with the aid of more sheets and card, I carefully dragged it out and plonked it on a skateboard for easy movement.

75kg as you ask - yes of course I weighed it! I can lift it but it's not very good for the ol back.
Anyway, job done, and not a mark on the car, very important.

So, I have about 35 pictures and corresponding text of this "project", should I put it in it's own thread??

[Hall]

A guy on here bought a ccm 400 off of me and arrived with a fiesta whist I made a brew he stripped it down and put it all in the fiesta on his own , a legend,
I was amazed and impressed
still got the CCM supermotoo wheels complete if anybody wants them

[Snaf MKII]

So, I have about 35 pictures and corresponding text of this "project", should I put it in it's own thread??

Yes please, I had a choice a couple of years back when collecting my KTM525. Either big Transit at 34mpg or Transit connect crewcab at 50mpg to Manchester from Devon, even with the tank, wheels and forks off it was a tricky single handed loading operation into a flat load space.
Should have got a roof rack.

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