Suzuki Dr650s Vs. Mount Trumbull

SUZUKI DR650S vs. MOUNT TRUMBULL

How not to get to the Grand Canyon

HONDA’S NEW XR650L IS A STUNNER. But how does it compare to Suzuki’s DR650S, the bike Cycle World elected Best Big Single the last time it conducted a dual-purpose comparison test?

To find out, Senior Editor Ron Griewe and I set out to ride the two bikes from Mesquite, Nevada, to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona, a one-way distance of about 250 miles, mostly off-road. The winner of a comparison test is usually chosen after much deliberation. This was simpler. The bike that finished the ride won; the one that didn’t, didn’t.

The journey started out okay. On the fireroads and two-track jeep trails prior to our first gas stop, the Suzuki worked almost as well as the Honda. The DR’s 640cc, air-and-oil-cooled, sohc, fourvalve Single is a match for the Honda in power, and its five gear ratios are nicely matched to its wide powerband. It carburâtes nicely and is less affected by altitude than the XR, which wheezes at higher elevations (the North Rim is at 8000 feet). The DR is comfortable, roomier than the XR, and its rubber-mounted, serrated-metal footpegs and rubber-mounted handlebar filter out what little vibration gets past its dual counterbalancers.

But the DR650 also has some serious shortcomings-at least in the dirt. Its suspension is too softly sprung to handle its weight-which, at 363 pounds dry, is 33 pounds more than the XR-L, and 14 more than the DR650S we tested in 1990. Ravines that the Honda roosted through caused the DR to bottom hard. And the DR’s big fuel tank limits how far the rider can get his weight forward for turns. Best results are obtained if the Suzuki is cornered relatively upright, steering with the throttle and the rear brake. Try to pivot on the front tire and you’re going down. Pulling the DR’s fork tubes up in the triple clamps a bit quickens the steering, but it’ll never be as nimble as the XR-L.

The real trouble started at Mount Trumbull, where the road became a muddy mess. The XR plowed its way through with relatively few problems, but the DR’s rear wheel began packing with mud, despite the fact that we’d fitted both bikes with Pirelli’s excellent, DOT-approved Gara Enduro semi-knobbies. The bike became slower and heavier until the point that Griewe got it sideways, rammed into a rock, and fell down.

We got the DR back on its wheels all right, but it was so covered in mud that you couldn’t tell which end was which. After scraping the bike clean, we decided to turn around and take the easy way around the mountain. Easier said than done, because every time we tried to get the DR going, mud packed between the rear wheel and swingarm, and oozed out through the passengerpeg brackets like Silly Putty. The DR finally expired with a smoked clutch.

It took me a few attempts to get the XR-L going again, too, but I eventually made it through the mud to get help. Technology sloshes on.

Even though the Suzuki DR650S DNFed our test, it’s still a pretty good motorcycle. It may, in fact, be a better choice than the Honda XR650L for some riders; like those with a short inseam (the DR’s seat is 3 inches lower than the XR’s), or those looking to save money (the DR costs $600 less than the XR).

Best of all, the DR’s 4.5-gallon fuel tank actually lets its rider go somewhere-unlike the XR, which limits its rider to 100-mile jaunts. If you like exploring the back country, you keep the terrain reasonable, and you don’t mind kickstarting, the DR may just be your motorcycle.

Just stay away from Mount Trumbull. -Brian Catterson

SUZUKI DR650S

SPECIFICATIONS

$3799