🤑 How to make a Suzuki DRZ 400 BETTER 🤑 (not a Bike Build video) 

This is FAR BETTER than a build video. It's an inspection and maintenance video, just what a motorcycle owner needs.

The axle doesn’t need grease for the bearings it’s for easier removal later, anti-seize is what’s recommended.

I love ur take on bike maintenance I am the same way people waste so much time making their bike pretty and over replacing parts when they could be spending that money on gas to go riding excellent video and thank you for once again representing the rider community that doesn't need to spend 10k on new ktm. Love the vids !

"i don't live my life in fear" yes!

As a new DRZ owner (not a new rider), your video and approach here is Gold. Thanks man.

There are so many videos showing how to blow your money. Your humility in making this video and discussing your mistake with the bolts makes this truly useful. Thank you!

This video is a real breath of fresh air! Love the knowledge and attitude!

Brilliant detailed video, I'm glad I found your channel, keep producing more drz videos 🇺🇲🍾🎉🇺🇲

Although I do not have a bike similar to your 400, I always learn something from your videos, in this case watching carefully as you checked your valve clearance. Thanks for posting.

Great video, educational with a nice looking ride at the end. Keep’em coming!

Thanks for the video. The DRZ is one of my favourite bikes. I did find that I had to adjust the valve clearances a few times. I haven’t had to adjust them on other enduro bikes.

Love my 03 DRZ400E-Start. I bought it new in 04. I added a kick starter kit to it not the best bike out there by far but for what I have invested into it its been a very good, fun and reliable bike.

I watched your video some time ago and agreed with you regarding not greasing the axle. On my last service I decided to grease the axle to see any difference. To my surprise it has made a considerable improvement when rolling. I would just like to add, one of the best performance upgrades I have done on my 2019 drz400e would be a good quality cooling fan. I didn't think it would do much when I installed it but it has improved engine performance noticeably.

The bolts were driving you nuts. Gold.

Great video. Informative and you have a good sense of humor. Cheers.

Very nicely done video i like your style of just upkeeping things and saving money and just enjoying your machine and the ride. I like to make things clean but not so perfect that you dont want to ride it. This video is awesome advice, thank you bro 🤘🤘🤘

Awesome video! I have a 2001 drz400e and this was extremely informational and helpful

The quality of your videos is getting better. You mix light hearted jokes ....this is great! Keep up the great work.

Great video Vegas I enjoy your money saving ideas and you did a great job on this bike. Looks like a fun bike to ride....

Awesome vid. I'm looking for a used DRZ and this is super useful. I agree that aftermarket mods often lead to undesirable and unexpected results.

Dude, you have a great channel. I like the way you approach this and your video work. 🤘

Great video!! Love your RU-vid!! I watch them all. Keep up the good work. Thanks for the money saving tips!! Always looking forward to your next video!! Thanks again, MOTO IS LIFE!👍🏻

that is the videos expected by everyone, really nice way to improve tyhe bike just with the basics not fancy stuff that will make a hole in your pocket.

Good Job Bro!!!! Love your videos!! Thanks for the post

Showing some love to the drz. Love it!

As usual, i love your logic, because its common sense, something 97% of Americans have lost over the last 40 years. Referencing the "Bearings", the "throw away culture" will say, its old, replace it, its only 15 bucks, however taking it out and repacking it with grease, will keep it from failing and will most likely last the life time of the owner of the bike. This is how most people "thought", up until the late 1970's, then the "Throw away" Culture really took off via the Oligarchy's.

Great maintenance video. I don't like wasting money on plastic and bling either. I figured if my bike runs like it's supposed to and looks like crap it would be less likely to get stolen.

Great video. Replace only what is damaged. Would be great to show people how you pack grease into the open bearings (like the steering head bearing). Thanks for another good video!

Common maintenance and DIY motorcycle work was intimidating to me for a while, but it’s way less scary after you build up some tools and knowledge. Just throwing myself into saves me $ finally

Great video! I like how you explain everything that you are doing..also it must be laundry day for you.its the first time I have seen you wear a sweatshirt.its usually a tee shirt😀

I like your style man. Awesome way to go about it.

As usual great vid bro! keep it up and the 400 is a beast!

Great video. I had a hell of a time getting the rear axle out one day so I make sure there's a little grease on it now.

Your vlog is brilliant. Thank you. Some humour is very good

Great video- common sense for us average guys- we are not all millionaires that can just put on new parts all the time!!!

Thank you so much for making this video! This is going to help me out a ton! I just subbed. It made me very happy when you said, “grease nee-pull”, haha!

Just an addendum: If you live in wet, nasty climates (esp coastal salt water) a little coat of grease on axles and swingarm bolt is advisable. They *will* gall and seize over time. Ounce of prevention for a pound of brass drift and cursing.

That DRZ can run a long time with minimum maintenance. I might not do things exactly the same as you, but it appears that we both get it done! Nice job.

Great video. Thanks.

Great bike..cool you bought the kick start model which is 20 pounds lighter than the e and s model and appears much easier to start than my xr 400! I would recommend a set of 20 dollar case savers.... If you up grade the tank get the 4 gallon IMS which helps protect the radiator. Other than that stiffer springs make a huge improvement on the suspension and is a relatively cheap upgrade. Enjoyed the vid!

Hey bro your channel is awesome. Also on the axel what your doing is good you have hands on your bike often. For people who don’t touch their bikes for a long time say over 12 months a light coat of grease is good if they are riding through water and wet conditions. Awesome videos man

Great video. Great trail ride. I enjoyed it. :)

Looks like you got it ready. All bikes should have grease fittings on linkage and swing arm bearings. Makes so much sense.

I like your money saving philosophy instead of blowing money for no reason

Dude I have a 400sm not that it matters but I love your show man the jack and the not living life in fear love it keep the rubber side down..... mack from Antioch CA

Going to subscribe. Like your take on maintaining the bike. Sensible and knowledgeable. Funny shit man.

Excellent video, choc full of useful advice and way better than some cliched blingbike build video with stock metal music playing and a materialistic and unnecessary desire for new parts lol. Thoroughly enjoyed and hope the DRZ serves your ridewithme business well.

Great vid brother !!!

Hey now, Golden Boys are a solid 50/50 tire! Not praise worthy off road for sure, but they do the job, are super cheap, and are good on road with like a 6k mile life.

I have a little mini bike and when I bought it I rebuilt it. The front axle had no grease on it and was seized in the wheel. I eventually got it out by tapping the end with a screw driver and hammer. But the axle was corroded and had rust all over the axle. So in my opinion a little layer of grease should be added

Saved me a boatload of money thanks!

People always carry on about how reliable Hondas are, but these Suzukis are built like brick shit houses and are easily as reliable. My RMX 250 is 20 years old and she just keeps trucking. Amazingly tough machines these Suzukis are.

Hey Vegas we need new tires on the DRZ no fear but when you took us in the mountain scenery had me worried I ride Kenda Millville 2 and they're holding up I ride both Street and Dirt 10 rides in all day rides and my knobs are still perfect intermediate soft was the best choice for me to enjoy both worlds thank you for the fresh videos in the morning your always my first notification ha

i just found your channel love it!!!

Bomb proof bike. Way to save that $$. Keep it up

I guess a little coat of grease on the axel is for corrosion protection from rain and water crossings?

תותח אהבתי ונרשמתי מסביר ומפרט ויש יגע ללמוד... בעל drz 400sm מאושר

EXCELLENT 👏🏼, I'm sure it's not many Americans watch you, here they are programmed to be super consumers, dispose of as much of their income as possible, give away their money with every opportunity possible on 95% of things. Great video 👍🏼. "I know this is very sexual what you see right now"😂🤣

wish i could ride to see snow,great stuff

I agree ! People should stop spending money for nothing, but just run their bikes more often ! Thanks for the no bike rebuild video ! 😀👍

Dual sport is for fun on and off road! When I want nothing but all dirt I ride my 300 mxc KTM and ride those trails too and most of the time we launch from the pad! : )

This a really good example of a pragmatic approach to a DRZ refurb. Well done!

Well said 👏 it's the mind set, sad to see a society that let's fear override their logic, great vid

I grease the axle because here in the UK we have water that keeps coming down from the sky. It creates puddles, bogs and rivers. Occasionally the bike encounters these phenomenons and there is a chance that said water will find its ways into the space where the axle lives. The grease helps prevent damage that the water can cause and I like being proactive 👍. Plus, I like greasing my axle shafts 😂

subbed man! great video:)

Excellent video, keep up the good work👍 I'm watching all the way from Australia 🇦🇺

Love your style, love your content, greetings from Greece!

We never greased the axles. We did however use copper grease to help avoid it rusting and seizing in there.

Nice video and great dual-sport bike! I'm moving DRZ400S 2004 (beside KTM 990 Adv 2007). Problem is that in EU you can't have newer models since it doesn't comply EU norms (ecological, safety, what's so ever). Why Suzuki doesn't upgrade it I have no idea but market will be there for those bikes.

Great video.....I do grease grease my axels, but I do it to keep water out...cheap insurance...and it does slide in a little better during reassembly...little lube goes a long way brother. ;)

Excellent review.

Glad you added the Riding footage ! That outside Vegas?

Very good interesting video thanks for posting very informative and helpful.

I really enjoy these kind of videos. I believe that there is freedom to be found by doing things yourself and using common sense when it comes to repairs like you do. I am interested in how you go about buying a used bike, what do you look for? Do you look for low hour bikes (this is how I usually do it but that also means that these bikes are more expensive)? Or is there another way that you do it? Thanks again for the no bs content!

I need a jack like what you found. That thing is awesome!

The reason why we grease the axel to prevent it rust seizing in place to make it easier to remove when doing maintenance it’s not because we want it to spin it’s just to help slide it out when we next remove it with out having to smack it out as much if you use too heavy grease tho it can make it harder

subscribed, more videos like this perfect formula and thought method on not replacing every piece you touch... it irritates me when someone spends hundreds of dollars on new plastics for a dirtbike because theyre scratched or slightly faded just to go dump the bike and be back in the same boat.. save the money for fuel and riding gear to make riding more enjoyable

Nice video man.

Grease to keep stuff from corrosion seizing to the axle would be the only reason, just makes it easier to remove. More of an issue here in Wa. State where it's wet.

Great video my friend! Don't worry about troll- lighter makes you faster. Lol

The never ending track 😯

Good vid vegas

you are a legend

Sticking bearing in the triple clamp is a sign of wear in the bearing races. Not necessarily a bad problem but if the races are galling like that then the bearing rollers are too. Those i would have replaced just because everything is apart at that point.

I know this is an old video ... but for what it is worth I am willing to bet that the spacer they installed on the FMF exhaust belonged up by the muffler to move it out a bit. I have seen rear tires hit FMF muffler on compression especially if you are running an aggressive tread. always appreciate your content

This is my next bike. I'm going to take it on a trip to Baja.

Very good explanations.

I do grease the axle a little to prevent rust on the axle which can make it also harder to pull out.

I have a V-Strom 650 (2005) but I look to buy a DRZ 400 for city and lite off road. I hope to find one back in Romania. In UK I see a lot of rust and the general opinion is that the bikes are not well maintained here. Totally agree that the the scope is to have a totally functional machine rather than one for dispaly.

Great! From Italy

Don’t live your life on fear people. Good advice

I have a DRZ S 2007. In december I boight a KTM exc 300, but could not put the DRZ up for sale so I put SM tires on it and use it for comuting. I guess I have a soft hart for the DRZ’s.

Best from Poland :-)

Also, I think that bike has an auto decomp on the cam, but the lever is if your kicking it. It looks as if you have a "kicker" or dirt only model. Those little small wires were for aftermarket "street legal" kit that someone hacked or cobbled together. Use a thicker gauge wire with better insulation. Invest in a open terminal crimp tool and extraction pin set. Then get some decent connectors on wires. Use conductive grease in them to keep water out. From regular washing. Also, those are dot legal tires that blow hard! Mich AC10 tires are great if you want to stay DOT approved. If you don't care run something else. The DRZ was sprung a bit soft from the get go and will benefit from a heavier fork and shock springs if not out right re-valve. If its a earlier year one and you can locate some 96 RM conventional forks I think they are a straight drop in and are way better than what is one there. You can get them cheap and rebuild them from Ebay.

So you said you weren't all that big into replacing the stock muffler. In addition to less restrictive airflow (with rejet and airbox), isn't that stock muffler kinda of heavy? My understanding is you can cut a lot of weight by replacing it (around 7 or so lbs)

I want to know which is the CDI model for a Suzuki Drz400E, could you help me?

The only reason I could think of putting anything on the axle would be to prevent rust from water crossings....then again the axle seals should keep the water out. Your facial expression when running that jack up...lol.

You grease the axle so that it does not rust/corrode and wind up impossible to remove from the bike. If you ride in wet conditions this can be a problem even if you remove the axle to repack the wheel bearings often.

I put the tiniest smear of a coating of grease on my axle to prevent, or atleast minimise corrosion. It is good practice. It makes it easy to pull apart too... Pull apart a 50 year old bike with a siezed axle and youll appreciate it, it keeps it shiny too

Love to see a fellow Nevadan, if God lets it, we will cross-paths