New motorcycles: The Farkle Awakens

[Beth]

Hey Team 650/1000,

So, your intrepid co-admin has been window shopping under 400cc motorcycles as they're cheaper to insure and register in the beautiful province of Quebec. If we're gonna do a 399cc bike, then I gotta at least give some consideration to the DR-Z4SM.

Suzuki finally redesigned the DR-Z400. It has a new engine, frame, suspension, and they finally ditched the carb for EFI. They put ABS on it, front and back, which I expect, given that even the Honda Grom has ABS. You can switch it off on both wheels, or just the rear wheel. That's sensible. The throttle is now ride-by-wire, which I also expect.

What they also did is add a ton of rider assist stuff that I don't quite understand, given that it's a ~340lb / 38hp little flick machine. It’s a suite of aids called the Suzuki Intelligent Ride System. There's Suzuki Clutch Assist System, Suzuki Drive Mode Selector, Suzuki Traction Control System, and Suzuki Easy Start System. 

I’m sure these things have their merit, but I’ve always seen the DR-Z as a bit of a stone axe, really not unlike our intrepid SV650A, that is still being offered. AFAIK, the SV only has one rider mode: Miata on 2 wheels. 

I'd expect rider assist on larger, more powerful bikes. That makes sense. It just seems a little much for the DRZ. They're asking for $1100US more for the new DRZ too. In Canada, the DR-Z4SM is going for around $12K CAD. Zoikes. 

All of this being said, I’m interested to read reviews of the Fun Yellow Bike’s younger brother. 

Another silver lining - the 2024 DR-Z400SM is deeply discounted now. 

Can I afford any of this? Probably not. 

Beth 

[Morgan Jones]

 Hello Beth,

I'd encourage you to ride one before you buy.  The DRZ is a fantastic bike overall but I don't know anyone that ends up riding an SM of any type long term.  They are hilariously fun around town and on back roads but they are generally under powered for the street and the riding position isn't super comfortable if you are doing any riding in one position, ie a commute or highway ride to make up time.

The Husqvarna Vitpilen 401/KTM 390 Duke could be worth a look, My wife has an older gen Duke and it's more comfortable than an SM, has more power by a little than the DRZ, and I expect is lighter or at least comparable.  I don't remember them being expensive but I've not put the pricing side by side wth a DRZ.

-morgan

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[Sean Smith]

Beth:

Since when has rational decision-making applied to motorcycles?  ;)

Re. the factory farkles on the DR-Z4SM - Geez, it sounds like Suzuki has taken a page from Porsche's book.  Load the vehicle with unneeded stuff and charge through the nose for it.  The EFI is a nice addition, but the other stuff just sounds like technology for the sake of technology.  And the price... welcome to the unfavourable exchange rate.  Kinda sucks.

Maybe I'm getting to be an old curmudgeon, but I kinda like my bikes to be simple-ish and uncomplicated, like their owner.  So what do I do?  I go out and buy a 2000 Ducati ST4...

+1 on the Huskys.  A friend of mine has a Norden 901.  He's ridden it from NS to South America a couple of times and loves it.  Hasn't had any issues with it after having a few issues covered under warranty.

Here's hoping you're on 2 wheels again soon!

Sean

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From: sv-dl-...@googlegroups.com <sv-dl-...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Beth <hackt...@gmail.com>
Sent: June 16, 2025 8:53 AM
To: sv-dl-...@googlegroups.com <sv-dl-...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [SV/DL Riders] New motorcycles: The Farkle Awakens

 

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[Beth]

Morgan wrote:

I'd encourage you to ride one before you buy.  The DRZ is a fantastic bike overall but I don't know anyone that ends up riding an SM of any type long term. 

Ah, I should have been more clear in my original post. I owned an ‘06 DR-Z400S for about 10(?) years, which I converted to supermoto. Like you said, it’s an in-town/twisties sort of bike. Long freeway travel isn’t very comfortable. But, truth be told, it was a fun bike. I put some miles on it. 

The Husqvarna Vitpilen 401/KTM 390 Duke could be worth a look, My wife has an older gen Duke and it's more comfortable than an SM, has more power by a little than the DRZ, and I expect is lighter or at least comparable.  I don't remember them being expensive but I've not put the pricing side by side wth a DRZ.

I was researching the 390 Duke. They are quite plentiful and relatively inexpensive. Aren’t they a collaboration between KTM and a company in India?

Husky makes such cool looking bikes. I don’t know much about them, though. 

The reason I’m looking at supermotos is the awful roads and freeways here in the greater Montreal area. For city/burbs riding, and going to the office once a week, a little something that can handle dodging potholes and manage all sorts of road challenges. I don’t do a lot of freeway riding here, and when I do, the speed limit is 100km/hr usually, so slow. 

Also, a small bike is easier to store in the winter. Or I’ll just put spikes on the tires and ride in the snow. The SPVM would loooooove that.

[Morgan Jones]

On 6/16/25 11:12, Beth wrote:

Ah, I should have been more clear in my original post. I owned an ‘06 DR-Z400S for about 10(?) years, which I converted to supermoto. Like you said, it’s an in-town/twisties sort of bike. Long freeway travel isn’t very comfortable. But, truth be told, it was a fun bike. I put some miles on it.

Awesome, they are super fun for sure.

I was researching the 390 Duke. They are quite plentiful and relatively inexpensive. Aren’t they a collaboration between KTM and a company in India?

Husky makes such cool looking bikes. I don’t know much about them, though. 

The reason I’m looking at supermotos is the awful roads and freeways here in the greater Montreal area. For city/burbs riding, and going to the office once a week, a little something that can handle dodging potholes and manage all sorts of road challenges. I don’t do a lot of freeway riding here, and when I do, the speed limit is 100km/hr usually, so slow.

Afaik the 401 and 390 are the same bike with different bodywork.  I have a preference for the 401's looks and seating position but it's all personal.

My wife's 390 is made in India by Bajaj and the quality is good.  She has 20k-something miles on it with only basic maintenance.  I can't speak for the modern bikes but I'm plenty happy with Bajaj's build quality.  An aside Bajaj just bailed KTM out of their debt hole and, I believe, is now a majority owner.

Also, a small bike is easier to store in the winter. Or I’ll just put spikes on the tires and ride in the snow. The SPVM would loooooove that.

You can't beat a super moto for simplicity of storage and maintenance.

-morgan

[Beth]

On Mon, Jun 16, 2025 at 9:10 AM Sean Smith wrote:

Since when has rational decision-making applied to motorcycles?  ;)

Trust me, my brain is going everywhere. I’m on Facebook Marketplace and Kijiji, and there are SO many things. 

Re. the factory farkles on the DR-Z4SM - Geez, it sounds like Suzuki has taken a page from Porsche's book.  Load the vehicle with unneeded stuff and charge through the nose for it.  The EFI is a nice addition, but the other stuff just sounds like technology for the sake of technology.  And the price... welcome to the unfavourable exchange rate.  Kinda sucks.

The rider aids are just so unnecessary for a small displacement bike like the DR-Z4. ABS and EFI are fine. The rest of it is something I’d expect on larger displacement/higher powered bike. 

Maybe I'm getting to be an old curmudgeon, but I kinda like my bikes to be simple-ish and uncomplicated, like their owner.  So what do I do?  I go out and buy a 2000 Ducati ST4...

I’m with you. I’ve found more than a couple of ‘99-‘02 SV650s for sale. They’re cheap and a known quantity. Same with the WeeStrom. 

+1 on the Huskys.  A friend of mine has a Norden 901.  He's ridden it from NS to South America a couple of times and loves it.  Hasn't had any issues with it after having a few issues covered under warranty.

Interesting…. 😁

Here's hoping you're on 2 wheels again soon!

It’s probably not going to be this summer. Another thing is that my helmet is too old and I don’t fit into my old gear. So, I will have to drop money on equipment. That’s something I can start collecting. 

I think my goals for 2026 have a motorcycle included in it. 

[Morgan Jones]

On 6/16/25 13:11, Beth wrote:

+1 on the Huskys.  A friend of mine has a Norden 901.  He's ridden it from NS to South America a couple of times and loves it.  Hasn't had any issues with it after having a few issues covered under warranty.

Interesting…. 😁

I know at least some KTM twin cylinder ADV bikes had issues with soft cam lobes and KTM was dodgy about fixing it so I'd def research that if you are considering a larger KTM or Husqy.  I was underwhelmed with KTM's response: a friend got it handled through her dealer but it sounds like it required the dealer pulling strings which shouldn't be necessary for what is a manufacturing fault.

-morgan

[Beth]

Awesome, they are super fun for sure.

When I was living in the San Francisco area around that time, I'd ride that DRZ up and down short flights of stairs in the BART parking lots. It was so easy to ride and to maneuver. Lane splitting was a dream. 

Too bad you can't lane split anywhere in Canada. *sniff sniff*

 

Afaik the 401 and 390 are the same bike with different bodywork.  I have a preference for the 401's looks and seating position but it's all personal.

I did not know that. I'm gonna have to harness my ADHD and do a deep dive now.

 

My wife's 390 is made in India by Bajaj and the quality is good.  She has 20k-something miles on it with only basic maintenance.  I can't speak for the modern bikes but I'm plenty happy with Bajaj's build quality.  An aside Bajaj just bailed KTM out of their debt hole and, I believe, is now a majority owner.

Just looked up KTM on Wiki and, yes, Bajaj owns a majority stake in the company. 

The Duke 390 can be found for about $3500 for low mileage year model 2018-2021 on Kijiji in my area. Hrm... 

 

You can't beat a super moto for simplicity of storage and maintenance.

It's true! I always loved my SV and DRZ for their simplicity. The DRZ was SO easy to work on, too. 

[Jim Stewart]

Hi, Beth! Glad to see you're gonna start riding again.

Why not try to find an old DR-Z like you had? Cheap and no frills...

-js

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[Donlon G. McGovern]

Back in the stone age when I was riding I preferred to do the add-ons myself rather than pay into the dealer's markup....speaking of oil..oops wrong thread..

don mcgovern

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[Beth]

We'll see. I have to figure out finances, gear, and insurance. It's going to be a project, for sure.

And, yes, either a DRZ400SM or a old SV650 seems pretty sensible. 

Those Huskies, though.Nice looking bikes.

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[mcgo...@hevanet.com]

SV's are always sensible...

dm

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[allonm]

Beth,

Although I am not that young anymore, I do love the latest technology on my motorcycles.

I still own my 2001 SV650S I bought 24 years ago, but I do not ride it much. I keep it for track days, but have not done one since 2013.  I also keep it because it is not worth much, maybe also for nostalgic reasons.  

I own a 2023 KTM 890 ADV for adventure riding. It is the most fun bike I have ever owned, due to its advanced electronics, especially on dirt and gravel.  It is also the least reliable bike I ever owned. (A different topic)

Like you, I have owned a DRZ400s from 2008 and sold it in 2015. I loved that bike. It was the bike that I truly learned to ride off road on. I have had more dedicated off road bikes since, the latest is a Honda CRF250X (Carbureted) , but although I registered it and made it street legal, it’s not a dual sport.

After watching the review of Ian from Big Rock Moto (YouTube) and the experts from Cycle world and Dirt bike Mag of the new DRZ4s, and truly analyzing the riding I do, I think I will sell the 890 and the 250X and buy the DRZ4s, just use my trailer even more.

Allon

[Steve Aronson]

Hey Beth,

Lots of SV650s for sale on FB marketplace around me. There’s almost always half a dozen or more at any given time.  Here’s a good price on a 1st gen .  https://www.facebook.com/share/1ZnqaV3zvK/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Steve Aronson

On Jun 16, 2025, at 1:48 PM, Beth <hackt...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Steve Aronson]

Hey Beth, here’s an interesting bike near me, $3k for an ‘08 VStrom 650 with SW Motech adventure cases, gps, and what looks like a Russel day long seat. FB marketplace bike prices are always very negotiable around here. My guess is this could be had for $2-2.5k. 

Steve

On Jun 18, 2025, at 1:34 AM, Steve Aronson <stev...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hey Beth,

[Beth]

Nice! There are quite a few DRZ400S and SM, WeeStroms and SV650s within ~50km of my town, for decent prices too. 

I think the bike and insurance will probably be pretty straight forward. 

What is gonna suck is re-learning how to ride and gear. Also, I live in a whole different country now. While I see bikes up here, riders are more subdued. You never see contingents of squids splitting through traffic on the autoroutes. 

Also, I haven’t even sat on a bike since 2010. Thankfully, I live in the burbs, so I can practice in more laid back conditions. 

Another also - I lost a bunch of gear over the years. The gear I still own, including a very nice custom Roadcrafter jacket and my custom Vanson jacket, no longer fit.

It’s all doable. It will just take money and research. 

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[Beth]

<<<Although I am not that young anymore, I do love the latest technology on my motorcycles.>>>

I just haven’t had any exposure to it. 

I own a 2023 KTM 890 ADV for adventure riding. It is the most fun bike I have ever owned, due to its advanced electronics, especially on dirt and gravel.  It is also the least reliable bike I ever owned. (A different topic)

The Adventure line has always looked so cool. I guess there’s a good reason why people call them KaTooMs. 

Like you, I have owned a DRZ400s from 2008 and sold it in 2015. I loved that bike. It was the bike that I truly learned to ride off road on. I have had more dedicated off road bikes since, the latest is a Honda CRF250X (Carbureted) , but although I registered it and made it street legal, it’s not a dual sport.

It’s a fun bike. I regret not buying the SM from the beginning. I got the S model. I had this idea that I’d do some dirt trail riding, but I never did. Somebody was selling a set of OEM DRZ400SM wheels and rotors, so I jumped on it. 

After watching the review of Ian from Big Rock Moto (YouTube) and the experts from Cycle world and Dirt bike Mag of the new DRZ4s, and truly analyzing the riding I do, I think I will sell the 890 and the 250X and buy the DRZ4s, just use my trailer even more.

The ‘25 DRZ4SM is going for around 12K CAD. It would definitely be cool to own one. But, I think I’ll be very happy with basically what I had in the ‘00s. 

Allon

On Monday, June 16, 2025 at 6:53:35 AM UTC-5 Beth wrote:

Hey Team 650/1000,

So, your intrepid co-admin has been window shopping under 400cc motorcycles as they're cheaper to insure and register in the beautiful province of Quebec. If we're gonna do a 399cc bike, then I gotta at least give some consideration to the DR-Z4SM.

Suzuki finally redesigned the DR-Z400. It has a new engine, frame, suspension, and they finally ditched the carb for EFI. They put ABS on it, front and back, which I expect, given that even the Honda Grom has ABS. You can switch it off on both wheels, or just the rear wheel. That's sensible. The throttle is now ride-by-wire, which I also expect.

What they also did is add a ton of rider assist stuff that I don't quite understand, given that it's a ~340lb / 38hp little flick machine. It’s a suite of aids called the Suzuki Intelligent Ride System. There's Suzuki Clutch Assist System, Suzuki Drive Mode Selector, Suzuki Traction Control System, and Suzuki Easy Start System. 

I’m sure these things have their merit, but I’ve always seen the DR-Z as a bit of a stone axe, really not unlike our intrepid SV650A, that is still being offered. AFAIK, the SV only has one rider mode: Miata on 2 wheels. 

I'd expect rider assist on larger, more powerful bikes. That makes sense. It just seems a little much for the DRZ. They're asking for $1100US more for the new DRZ too. In Canada, the DR-Z4SM is going for around $12K CAD. Zoikes. 

All of this being said, I’m interested to read reviews of the Fun Yellow Bike’s younger brother. 

Another silver lining - the 2024 DR-Z400SM is deeply discounted now. 

Can I afford any of this? Probably not. 

Beth 

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[mcgo...@hevanet.com]

I replaced my 2002 SV that I had wadded with a 2004 Wee Strom and traveled all over northern Orygun and western Washington. It was built for the hiway and I rode it until the effects of my accident left me unable to support the weight on my left leg. My neighbor offered me $4K cash and I sold it to him. He gave it to his son and daughter in law and they promptly circumnavigated the US of A on it. 

don mcg

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[James Reazor]

I haven’t ridden the new one but I did get to spend a little time on the old DR-Z400SM a few years ago. It was tall, tippy, high strung and twitchy in the RPM range it liked to play in. It was a bit of a handful despite the modest horse power number. I can see the wisdom in some electronics to tone it down from time to time. 

It was also an absolute crap-ton of fun. It’s the kind of bike that makes you want to do bad things. 

Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 16, 2025, at 7:53 AM, Beth <hackt...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Steve Aronson]

Yeah I know the feeling. I went almost 10 years without riding and just started back. It takes awhile to get back the second nature and muscle memory, especially on an unfamiliar bike.  Got my ‘00 SV running, although it needs a little more tuning. The gas tank got rusty inside and my pilots keeps getting clogged and unclogged. I’m hoping it’ll dissolve and self correct over time. Riding it came right back to me after 100 miles or so. I picked up a ‘19 HD FXLR right before last winter for cheap with 2380 miles on it so I’ve been riding that mostly while I tweak the SV. That bike is taking a lot of getting used to. I still suck at it but I’m slowly building up familiarity. I got rid of lots of gear too that I wish I’d kept, still have 3 jackets and a mesh jacket although two jackets are now too big. I stopped weightlifting for quite an awhile and shrunk. Oddly, my 20 yr old Arai helmet either shrunk or my head grew. It practically rips my ears off so I got an LS2 advant X modular a couple of weeks ago. Helmets are 2-3 times as much $ as back then it’s ridiculous. Should have kept my kevlar draggin jeans. I rode for so long with that annoying high pitched whistle from the Givi A650 screen that I’m now deaf in that very narrow band of the frequency spectrum. The audiologists are perplexed. They say my brain just tuned it out permanently and can’t relearn it. There’s no actual ear or nerve damage. Weird. At least I don’t hear that terrible whistle any more lol. Here’s the bikes. 

Steve 

On Jun 18, 2025, at 1:49 PM, James Reazor <jre...@gmail.com> wrote:

I haven’t ridden the new one but I did get to spend a little time on the old DR-Z400SM a few years ago. It was tall, tippy, high strung and twitchy in the RPM range it liked to play in. It was a bit of a handful despite the modest horse power number. I can see the wisdom in some electronics to tone it down from time to time. 

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[Beth]

James said: <<It was also an absolute crap-ton of fun. It’s the kind of bike that makes you want to do bad things. >>

Oh yeah. Totally. When I had my DRZ400, I called it Fun Yellow Bike. I discovered how easy it was to jump curbs, go up small flights of stairs in the BART parking lots, etc. I can imagine how mega fun a higher displacement SM like the KTM 690 Duke or Husky 701 might be. Mwahahaha.

Steve said: <<I picked up a ‘19 HD FXLR right before last winter for cheap with 2380 miles on it so I’ve been riding that mostly while I tweak the SV.  >>

First of all, it's so nice to see a nekkid fast blue SV. :) Is the Harley difficult to ride? If I had a lot of money, I'd be tempted to buy something cruisery for fun. 

Steve said: <<I got rid of lots of gear too that I wish I’d kept, still have 3 jackets and a mesh jacket although two jackets are now too big>>

OMG. Same. Except my gear is too small. Booooo. 

After scouring Facebook marketplace and Kijiji, I've found that a mechanically soud(-ish?) SV650 nekkid or S with reasonable mileage can be had for as little as $1500. What’s gonna be the killer is riding gear. I don’t have a street helmet anymore. Like Steve said, helmets are crazy expensive. If I wanted to get another Arai Quantum, my go-to, I'd be looking at least $1200 CAD. My Sidi boots and gloves were damaged due to excessive moisture in the garage of where I used to live. Things like helmets and boots I can get through Canadian sellers, such as FortNine or the local motosport dealership. I’m probably looking at custom for the jacket and pants. Not gonna dick around with riding in flimsy gear, given that my riding skills and reflexes are way out of shape. The CAD to USD exchange rate is painful, as well as whatever duties, so my go-to brands like Aerostitch and Motoport aren’t as accessible. 

[Sean Smith]

Beth:

Canadian here. Fortnine is pretty good, but also look at GP Bikes.  When they have sales, you can get some good deals.  Especially if you don’t mind branded gear.  I got a Ducati leather jacket (made by Dainese) and gloves (made by Spidi) for more than half off so it came to around $500 (I think) for both. Might have been cheaper. Can’t recall offhand. 

I would LOVE to get a Roadcrafter 2-piece suit. Maybe when I win the lottery…

Sean

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On Jun 27, 2025, at 10:18, Beth <hackt...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Beth]

Canadian here. Fortnine is pretty good, but also look at GP Bikes.  When they have sales, you can get some good deals.  Especially if you don’t mind branded gear.  I got a Ducati leather jacket (made by Dainese) and gloves (made by Spidi) for more than half off so it came to around $500 (I think) for both. Might have been cheaper. Can’t recall offhand. 

I’ll check them out. Thank you! 

I would LOVE to get a Roadcrafter 2-piece suit. Maybe when I win the lottery…

I *have* a Roadcrafter jacket and I love it. For pants, my go to was a pair of Motoport Ultra II over-pants, which I still have. I just don’t fit into them right now. 

I think I’ll be taking extra on-call shifts to save up. 😁

Also, Buckaroo Banzai rocks! 

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[Steve Aronson]

> On Jun 27, 2025, at 8:18 AM, Beth <hackt...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> First of all, it's so nice to see a nekkid fast blue SV. :) Is the Harley difficult to ride? If I had a lot of money, I'd be tempted to buy something cruisery for fun.

The Low Rider is easy to ride now that I’m used to it. The hardest thing to get used to for me was the rear brake. You can’t cover the brake with your toes like on the SV. You have to move your whole foot into position to apply it. Actually, you can cover it with your toes, you just can’t put enough pressure/travel on it to have any effect. I’ve been looking for some HH+ racing style brake pads to put on, but I’m not really finding anything. I have EBC HH+ rear pads on the SV and they’re awesome, night and day vs HH. You can’t buy them in stores you have to get them from the vendors at the racetracks. I bought them from Zoran from the old list a long time ago. Slow speed U-turns and tight turns are also something you have to get used to. The SV is so nimble and good at those and the Lowrider really isn’t at 660 lbs wet and way less lean angle. Scraping pegs and boot heels takes some getting used to.

Steve A

[Bluepepper]

Hi, Beth,

I have always wore Arai Quantum helmets, mostly due to my round head.  My last encounter with the pavement led me to another purchase 2 years ago and I found a good source that was less expensive than most:  https://www.motorpsychosport.com/ .  I was particular about the model/design and found a Quantum-X for $763.  If you haven't made your purchase, perhaps this will help.  At the very least, I thought the name of this outfit would amuse you.

-Leslie

[Beth]

Thank you for the link! That is a great business name. 😁 

Unfortunately, they’re down in the States and I’m up in Canada now. 

I think when the time comes, I will find a dealer that has a good helmet selection and go try on other brands, such as HJC or Scorpion. I’m sort of tempted by the flip up helmets. 

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[Frederick Trient]

Hi Beth. Good to hear from you. I'm curious no one has mentioned Royal Enfield. Another Indian company with comparable quality. Just ask my riding buddy of many years. Like me he has been thru many brands. I get a feature by feature rave about his RE Interceptor and his latest Himalayan (not to mention cheap accessories). Hopefully you have up there in SANE-land a good dealer - not familiar with the CN/US $ rates.

As an aside: my +400 cc '15 CB500F Honda is pretty plain vanilla but I like it much. Torquey and quick at dodging pot holes. Berms and mass transit stairs, not so much.

Anyway, welcome back to the 2-wheel enclave! (insert wild emojis here). We need more peeps like you. Was astounded by the confessions of non-riding years from ex-SV fanatics. Come on people. Top of the list of "self help" articles should be: Get on Two Wheels. Blows out the cobwebs, quickens the pulse, bugs in teeth from grinning.

Fred in Hydropolis, a.k.a. Portland, OR 

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/sv-dl-riders/CAOzV%3DXYyQ%2BL0ZnQQd05p7VvHXd%2BnCD7OHfym45p8KOmPvGK_jQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[Donlon G. McGovern]

Just to put in my two bits worth (everything is more expensive these days) as an aged former rider. If you haven't already,  add a GoPro to your farkles. That way when you're past your use by date, as I am, you can relive some of your favorite rides. Best watched on a large screen PC or teevee with the sound up and a fan blowing the wind in your face. I have no suggestions on adding bugs for your teeth.

Don McGovern 

Podunk Orygun 

When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men in a society, over the course of time they create for themselves a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that glorifies it. -Frédéric Bastiat, economist and writer (30 Jun 1801-1850)

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[Beth]

On Mon, Jun 30, 2025 at 9:38 PM Frederick Trient <mannyz.da.1...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Beth. Good to hear from you. I'm curious no one has mentioned Royal Enfield.

Good question. I don't know much about them, other than one of my Texas riding buddies importing one directly from India back in the day. 

Another Indian company with comparable quality. Just ask my riding buddy of many years. Like me he has been thru many brands. I get a feature by feature rave about his RE Interceptor and his latest Himalayan (not to mention cheap accessories).

I checked their website today and the Himalayan 450 stood out. Looks like a sturdy little adventure bike. I also like the look of their scrambler. 

TBH, I'm not sure what sort of riding I'm going to be doing, which is one of the reasons why I'm thinking I should getting another SV or DRZ400SM, as they're both familiar bikes to me. The SV, of course, is more versatile. 

Hopefully you have up there in SANE-land a good dealer - not familiar with the CN/US $ rates.

Right now, I don't have the 411 on the dealers here in the Montreal area. I've joined a few riding groups on Reddit and Facebook.

CAD to US is painful. Also, there are tariffs. 

 

As an aside: my +400 cc '15 CB500F Honda is pretty plain vanilla but I like it much. Torquey and quick at dodging pot holes. Berms and mass transit stairs, not so much.

I'm definitely gonna need something that handles the potholes. The roads up here in Quebec are TERRIBLE. Like, I've had to replace suspension parts and wheel bearings on my car more often due to the rough roads.

 

Get on Two Wheels. Blows out the cobwebs, quickens the pulse, bugs in teeth from grinning.

That's what I'm hoping for. I miss riding. 

[Sean Smith]

Fred:

CAD to USD exchange - essentially, take the price in USD.  Then add 30-35%.  Then add tariffs.

Sean, who used to order gear from the US but doesn't anymore

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From: sv-dl-...@googlegroups.com <sv-dl-...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Frederick Trient <mannyz.da.1...@gmail.com>
Sent: June 30, 2025 10:37 PM
To: sv-dl-...@googlegroups.com <sv-dl-...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [SV/DL Riders] New motorcycles: The Farkle Awakens

 

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[Beth]

<<CAD to USD exchange - essentially, take the price in USD.  Then add 30-35%.  Then add tariffs.>>

It's brutal. Doubt it's gonna get any better anytime soon. :(

<<Sean, who used to order gear from the US but doesn't anymore>>

Bummer is that I've yet to find a Canada-based outfit that makes custom textile gear.

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[Beth]

I can get full coverage of dodging crazed Montreal drivers and falling into potholes! :D

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