Planning to get a DRZ400 this season, what to check, how to safety?

Hello, I have a bunch of newb questions on various topics.

I would like to get DRZ400S/SM by the end of the month as an upgrade to my 250.
I've already checked insurance rates and they seem... acceptable.

When I go out and check out a bike, what should I watch out for? Liquids around shocks/forks? Weird oil stains under the engine?
What are the most common problems?

Also, what would be an okay price for the bike this time of year? What is the "acceptable" mileage? 10k km? 20k km? 30k km?

What is a safety process like? Last year I got lucky and the guy had a trailer, safetied the bike and dropped it off at my place for a small fee. This year I may not get as lucky.
Will I have to get a trailer and drive it in somehow or can I ride it in?

Thank you.

What year would you be looking to get? There's no "acceptable mileage" and at 30 thou km, the bike would be right in its prime pending its age.

Here's what I go through when looking at a used bike:
1 - safety (brake lines, pads, tires)
2 - does it start, idle and rev without bogging? Transmission?
3 - suspension, sprockets and chain
4 - lights and turn signals
5 - cosmetics

Generally as a bike meets more of those categories, the value for.me goes up based on having to put less money in to get it to my standard. Always inquire about scheduled maintenance

Based on what you can do yourself and what you would need to get a shop to do, you can decide what to trade off for price.

Buy as new/low mileage as you can afford. Personally I also prefer as stock as possible, with the exception of larger gas tank and protection items like hand guards etc.

Certainly keep an eye out for apparent leaks and signs of severe crash damage. Not innocent scrapes but bent and straitened type stuff.

Check the chain and sprockets for wear, and front and rear brake pads. Make sure all lights work. Check the oil for condition, if new ask if he still has the old stuff. Look at the air filter, see if it's dirty. If it is make sure dirt hasn't made it past it into the carb.

What you find from all the above depends on the age/mileage of the bike.

Safety related stuff is tire condition (and road legal), working signals and lights and horn, and the working condition of the brakes. There's probably other things but I haven't seen a shop check anything beyond what I mentioned.

If the bike appears to be ready to be certified you could buy it, get your insurance, go to the ministry and change the ownership to your own name and register as unfit and find out about a temporary permit to ride it to a garage for certification. Personally I would just insure it, slap my plate on it and ride to a mechanic for certification, then go to the ministry. There is a degree of risk involved I suppose, but I'm too old to know any better.

These links mention issues common to the bike:

http://www.thumpertalk.com/topic/93...ds-protection-reliability-fixes-common-maint/
http://supermotojunkie.com/showthread.php?62811-drz400-life-expectancy-and-any-issues
http://supermotojunkie.com/showthread.php?84372-DRZ400sm-common-problems

They're a good bike and have good a good reputation. You'll find a good one for a reasonable price, and probably certified. Good luck and enjoy.

Everything that the above guys have said I agree with 100% I try to buy used bikes with under 10k km just for the sake that you put on the mileage and when you resell its not super high and the value of the bike is next to nothing. I would look at chain tension for sure see if the thing is loose or not this will tell you how well he really maintains it since supermotos are very similar to dirtbikes and chains get adjusted regularly. As you mention look for fork leakage, damage if its been dropped, ask if there is any liens on the bike. Whether or not its been tracked or not. How many owners etc. Although you can spend $20 and get a UVP from the ministry prior to buying the machine and it will provide you with all that info but save you the hassle and the drive. I would also as for closeups prior to looking at it in person. If it has any damage aswell and it was not mentioned in the ad use that as negotiation leverage :glasses2::lol::headbang: Hope this helps!

I saw one bike over the weekend, it looked fine (although slightly banged up on each side, however didn't seem serious just looked like small cosmetic scratches as well as a slightly rusty chain on the sides as well as rust on pipes in the front), but what I found weird is that even though the guy put on over a thousand kms on it since last year, it still had a temp sticker on the plate.
Why would that be? Thoughts?

Pulled the trigger and bought it.

Beekman said:

What year would you be looking to get? There's no "acceptable mileage" and at 30 thou km, the bike would be right in its prime pending its age.

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i always thought that when it came to 4 stroke single cylinders machines like that and the ktm 450, 525, 625, 690's that 30 thou km is alot on these machines ??

wantsabike said:

i always thought that when it came to 4 stroke single cylinders machines like that and the ktm 450, 525, 625, 690's that 30 thou km is alot on these machines ??

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drz400 motors are not high performance, they produce a small amount of power so they last a lot longer.

Especially low revving engines. The industry has people tricked. If you change your oil regularily and do your maintenance than any jap bike will easily surpass 100k km

Beekman said:

Especially low revving engines. The industry has people tricked. If you change your oil regularily and do your maintenance than any jap bike will easily surpass 100k km

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Music to my ears.

Replaced coolant, checked oil, still not dirty. Going to replace it once I receive washers + filter in the mail.
Then check valves.

Bike has ~30k km by my estimates and I hope it won't explode on me (fingers crossed)

Haha it won't. Just get a service manual, follow the service intervals and look for info online. You should have no trouble maintaining this bike

I had 50k on mine when I sold it and it had only been rebuilt once at 35k when it was changed to a 440cc big bore kit. That engine can take a beating and a half.

Especially since it is a one cylinder. I made the mistake of jumping into a 4 cylinder 4 carb Yamaha. Mistake because I didn't know how to tune one carb let alone 4