Just got back from a 3 day riding trip to the high desert, in and around the Mono Basin. This was the first real trial of the DR350, and as expected it passed with flying colors. I was a little unsure if the smaller displacement DR350 would handle the rugged terrain and heat of the desert. All I can say is it handled it as if it were made for it.
I spent about 70% of the time on the dirt, mostly sand, loose gravel, and very rocky. The ramainder of the time was cruising the interstate and the two lane asphalt roads that surround the Basin. The DR was unbelievable on the asphalt, the 350 was enough to maintain speeds of 70 MPH on the 395, and keep ahead of traffic on the twisties.
Off road was where it really shined, it gobbled up the sand and gravel with ease. There were very few times that the bike got a little out of control, some of the sand was just a little bit too much for the tires that were on the bike, Kenda 270's. Better tires would have made the sand no problem. The power was more than enough, there were no times where I felt that more power was needed.
There are more roads than anyone will ever need, they just seemed to be never ending. My ride usually started early in the morning, and ended well after dark. I managed to stay upright during the entire trip, not one spill, total control for the most part.
If anyone ever doubted abilities of the DR350, you can put your mind at ease. The DR350 is just at home on the interstate as it is on the miles of sandy, gravel roads. I rode hard and did not go easy at all. I pushed the bike to it's limits each and every day, and the bike handled it with out a hiccup. As a matter of fact I tired out long before the bike did. I did long stretches of freeway, followed by miles of dirt riding, and the DR was flawless and highly recommended.
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