2005 Suzuki DR-Z 400S

I've been riding for years, thirty bikes and thousands of road miles, but I've never ridden off road at all. An experienced friend recommended the DR-Z as a really good first bike for learning off road skills while still being decent on the road.

I've found it to be everything he ... said it would be. On the road it will do 65 to 70 mph when required, and more if necessary. It does get a bit buzzy, but overall it handles well, and on back roads in the turns, is actually fun. My major complaint, as is often the case on this style bike for road riding is that the seat feels very firm after only a few miles. I've already put larger foot pegs on the bike, and, after some bar risers, the seat will be the next item to get attention.

To date my off road work has only been on some gravel roads, but that's been very satisfying so far. The bike always lets me feel in control, and, with some fairly knobby street legal tires, it gives a feeling of confidence in loose material.

I'm already planning the mods necessary to evolve my bike to a more expedition based mount, with a larger tank and panniers first on that list.

I'm the first to admit I've got a LOT to learn about riding in the dirt, but that was the point of choosing this bike. My sense is that it will be a long time before I'll grow beyond the capabilities of the DR-Z in the off road environment.