93 dr 350

[80-85 husky]

looking at one, has a big bore kit apparently. wont run right due to varnished carby, owner is "over it" may sell. what is the thinking on these as a dual purpose machine?  up to adventure riding?

[LWC82PE]

There were 2 models. One was better but did not have compliance plate. There was a bunch of those non ADR'd ones illegally rego'd in SA back in the day. Pretty sure they all eventually got flagged at Transport SA and taken off the road in the end. Was a bit of a wild west era then with people doing all sorts of things, often 'with assistance' to get the better non compliance plated models (not just DR's) on rego for reliability trials. So what i am saying is just check over the numbers/details/history carefully before purchase and make sure it is not the non ADR version  with history in SA.

ADB had a few articles on them back in the day on tricked up ones for the Thumper nats etc

[Tex]

As LWC82PE has pointed out there were 2 versions. The more off road oriented one was the R version and the dual purpose one was the S.

The S would have a compliance plate and I think a steel petrol tank, softer suspension, blinkers etc. From 1994 onwards the S came with electric start and was called DR350SE.

Enduro version with no comp plate mightn't be much use for dual sport purposes.

Tex

[William Doe]

I got a DR350 SE electric start

Awesome bike for adventure riding with big Accerbis tank

[Nathan S]

I think all models had plastic tanks in Australia, except maybe right near the end (by which time they weren't selling competition models, or selling so few of them that it doesn't matter).

I do remember the American magazines confusing the hell out of me back in the day. Something along the lines of: the yanks seemed to get white and yellow "competiton models" and white & blue "dual sport models, or something like that. In Australia, that didn't seem to be true: either colour could be either model?!?

I had a trail model 250 for a while. Seemed like a reasonable thing, really. Like all of the air cooled 250Fs, it's main problem was a lack of grunt.
I bought (and still have, and would be happy to sell) a big Acerbis tank for it.

[redrider1]

I had an S model DR350 for a while, fitted it with an IMS large tank, WP front forks and stripped most the not required ADR stuff off it. They have a good motor, nice and smooth, and ride quite well when set up for a trail bike. A good fun bike to ride.

[80-85 husky]

ill spill the beans...I bought this bike new in 93 and intended to distance ride it but it was soon stripped and being flogged around all the local pony xpress/ sprint style racers. its a blue and white full adr job. it had smooth power adequate suspension and was whisper quiet. I was universally known as the "ghost "as no one knew i was catching them till they saw the front wheel come up the inside as I kept the std muffler on it. I sold it to a mate who immediately decided it needed more go and slipped a big bore kit into it. it shagged the bikes smooth ride ability and he flicked it straight to his brother who parked it in a shed in about 2000. im thinking of buying it back for a song as he is pissed at it as it wont go after 16 years in the shed WTF??? im interested in your acerbic tank Nathan... if he caves and accepts my bottom dollar offer im away!

[SUZUKI311]

two very different models. The 1991 had a single pickup ignition, was known to be hard to start. switched to twin pickups in 93- I think - made it much easier to start. As previously stated s model ( ADR  model)  had steel tank, and later version 96 on, e start. While working in the local Suzuki shop I had a 94 350R enduro version and loved it, bit soft on the suspension side, rode it in MX regularly,and embarrassed a lot of guys in the 4T class on their much more expensive huskies at the Ravenswood cup. One of the guys who worked at another shop had a big bore kit, cam, carb and staintune for his, which I bought off him, really livened it up, as earlier stated made it not so easy to ride but personally I loved it. Clutches didn't like abuse though...