DAMN Riders - No rules, Just ride!

Short Version - wanted to get back to dirt - but things kept getting in my way: 2 kids now, 2 back surgeries, and covid - kept interfering

So by accident (haha) I’m searching FB marketplace for something small and cheap (Ktm 620 adv is too big heavy to pick up ala back), and this appeared locally this past Sunday. It was in my garage on Monday

It’s a dinosaur: 99 Dr350se
That said, I started on 96 DR350se waaaay too long ago. So it’s a known entity and I’m familiar it. Yeah it’s tractor - old and slow and not exactly exciting but air cooled and 6 speed means I won’t break much if I drop it, and 6th allow for quick highway (never got while the drzsm I had only had a 5sp)

I raced a modified DR350 in the Mauna Kea 200 back in 1996. A two day, back to back 100 miles of enduro across the big island of hawaii. That thing would chug chug chug but it took me across lava flows, gnarly jungle slippery stuff and lots of ST. Wasn't fast and wasn't lite but it was reliable and full of torque!

I did come home from that race and bought a new KTM300 though!

Lol .. it’s massively lighter compared to the KTM620ADV which weighed almost as much as my 990ADV..

I liked the chug chug chug description - which is it exactly

It’ll get me back on dirt for short $. It was only $1500 and while it’s been sitting, it’ll start cold with some carb cleaner (starts on it’s own after warmed up), doesn’t smoke and only has 8k miles.. It’s got some surface rust on some bolts I need to soak or replace, need tires (but no rust on the rims), air cleaner (failing apart), and carb clean.. Funny enough cleaning my garage a week , I found a flat slide TM33 I never sold with my old DR in a box (it may have been why I looked at em on marketplace).. So as I have to do some carb work, I’ll do that if I can find a cheap exhaust. Stock exhaust is fine but an anchor (and the carb was jetted for aftermarket).

It’ll get me back out on dirt (never gave up street). If I want to upgrade (doubt it, but it happens), it’d be a decent starter legal bike for my 13 year old when/if he gets his license

he's back!

Great bike

Welcome back! Its been a while

A 99 DR350 was my first dirt/dualsport bike. I remember it being a great bike.

my wife rides the drz250. Very plush bike suspension wise, very heavy, always sucks starting cold even after jetting.


For some quick power upgrades I would recommend opening up the air box, removing the exhaust baffle, and checking the header. At least on her 250 they welded the flange that mates to the motor's head to the head pipe on the inside of the pipe, significantly restricting air flow. I ground it out with a dremel and it made a significant improvement. Same with blowing out the baffle from the exhaust.

Thx for the info joker.. it’s my second one, but it was ages ago

The plan is to keep it simple and cheap

I have some bars/risers I can put on it

I’m looking for a cheap after market exhaust.. Moreso because in cleaning my basement I found a box that I didn’t sell when I got rid of my first.. it’s a slightly modded TM33 flat slide … so instead of playing with the stock one, it will be that … hope to have it up and ready by spring

Ahh, great bike. I've got the dirt version, but I tagged it. Yes it's heavy, but I've been pretty surprised at what it can do on the trails..