DRZ Oil Consumption

[Luckypants]

Now my DRZ is getting regular use, it is using oil. It seems to need topping up every 150 / 200 miles or every fill up more or less! Now I'm pretty sure we have the oil checking procedure correct, stop engine and allow to settle for 3 minutes (e.g. fill tank) then check the dip-stick - so it is losing the oil somewhere. There are no visible leaks or oil stains where the bike is kept. This oil consumptions seems excessive to me, so would like other peoples experience....

I know a lot of folks on here have / had a DRZ (or bike with DRZ engine) and would like to what kind of oil consumption folks have had.

EDIT: Input from knowledgeable bike types also welcome.


P.S. Thanks to TLW for his input so far.

[the_lone_wolf]

might be worth registering over at www.thumpertalk.com and looking in the DRZ forum, lots of posts, some good info...

[Luckypants]

Have been lurking there, but not seen any hard information yet.... OK by hard information I mean no one is saying x amount of oil in 1000 miles is too much, some are saying a litre (well quart - damn yanks ) between oil changes every 1000 miles is fine some are saying a pint per 1000 miles is too much.

[Luckypants]

Another question for DRZ owners, what grade oil do you use and how often do you change? Our American cousins on ThumperTalk seem to recommend 15W50 and 1000 mile change intervals.

[the_lone_wolf]

Originally Posted by Luckypants

Another question for DRZ owners, what grade oil do you use and how often do you change? Our American cousins on ThumperTalk seem to recommend 15W50 and 1000 mile change intervals.

they're going a bit ott imo

use whatever suzuki recommend and i'd change at 2000 as a minimum tbh

[Luckypants]

Mystery solved. My 400S has 400E gearing (14/47 against 15/44 std), which means it's revving hard at road speeds! Taking it very easy and staying below 60mph virtually eliminates oil use. While looking, the chain and sprockets are pretty knackered anyway so a new ones at correct ratio should solve this.

As the bike does 80mpg at the moment, I wonder what we can achieve with higher gearing?

[Luckypants]

WOW! Just snagged a great deal on chain and sprockets. £70 (£5 p&p) for DID x-ring chain and steel sprockets. B&C express were £83.38 plus p&p for an o-ring chain, by comparison.

Also got new brake lever at £5.95 after a little embarrassment last weekend.

If you need a chain and sprocket set, try Hunter's Motorcycles 019125618592 or on Westgate, Newcastle if you up there.

Originally Posted by Luckypants

Another question for DRZ owners, what grade oil do you use and how often do you change?

I use a semi synth and change at 2500 miles with a filter change every other oil change.

Yeah your looking at around 90 to 100 miles a tank when you change it but they still get caned everywhere so bound to run out of fuel fast anyways :P

Might be worth checking your spark plug see if there is any excess oil i.e. bigger problems

[Luckypants]

Originally Posted by vardypeeps

Might be worth checking your spark plug see if there is any excess oil i.e. bigger problems

Will do, it'll get a mini-service when the new C&S goes on so will check the plug then and probably do an oil change.