Stay away from the "S" unless you can't plate a dirt bike in your state (I believe you can)....if you insist on a DRZ (I find them to be nearly as heavy and ungainly as the 650 in the dirt, carrying their weight up high and forward while having less street manners), get an "E" model and plate it. Better carb and a hotter cam.



The DRZ isn't a bad bike, don't get me wrong but it could have been MUCH better. The 5-speed tranny is wonky and always leaves you wanting that extra gear, the seat is a 2x4, the bike really needs quite a few little  mods to get it "right", and the geometry (as I mentioned above) is all wrong for the trail. Suspension is soft and slushy, and the steering in tight stuff blows...plows through turns. I have owned one, and a 650, and several other bikes in that class. I wanted to love the DRZ more than any bike I owned, but ended up very dissatisfied with it.



Ride the WR250R before thinking that a 250 isn't enough for you. Makes nearly as much power as the DRZ, has a VASTLY better suspension and is much more fun in the dirt. It's quite a decent road bike, too, since it's apparent you want an all-arounder, the WRR is about as good as that segment gets as far as balancing trail/street/reliability/comfort. 25,000 mile service intervals, that's pretty awesome for a dual sport and it has a great stator output (something few dual sports do which is great for heated gear).



 

To keep it affordable, you can buy a lowering link, have the seat redone and slide the fork tubes an inch up through the triple clamps, but by then you're beginning to defeat the purpose of the original design.  Guys are talking about the DRZ400 and the DR650 like they're similar but there's a huge difference in seat height and rideability for those who are inseam-challenged. My XR600 with a plate on it was a better dual sport than my DR650 is, but my right knee disagrees.

There's also the issue of what is the right ride height? If you insist on flat footing, you're kinda doing it wrong. A dirt bike (or dual sport) isn't meant to give a normal sized person that kind of footing - the ground clearance depends on higher pegs....you're only really supposed to have a foot or even ball of the foot down when on the saddle. For a lot of guys who aren't really comfortable on the dirt or have experience with a true dirt bike, that seems tippy and awkward.



I couldn't get my feet down on 3/4's of the bikes I've owned. If I got a single foot down, I leaned into it and that was how I stopped....I'd much rather have the suspension travel and ground clearance than look like a cruiser rider at a 4-way stop.



 

I've got the WR250X, don't let the 250 fool you.  I've done lots of mods to it, ride the interstate daily to and from work +/- 14 miles or so each way.
I've seen 101 on the speedo, not sure what actual was.  The R is a good choice, they no longer make the X.

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Another +1 for the WR250.  Ride one before dismissing it.

I've got a 2008 and love riding it.  I use it as my commuter in the spring/summer/fall.  28 miles each way.

Lowering link?
On a 2003 KTM SX 125?  
You don't know jack about KTM's, do you.

OP - seems I have you some advice in the other thread that you turned out to realize and sold the KTM.

Look HARD at the Yamaha WR250R for you. SERIOUSLY
From what I've read and heard you say between the lines, it will be "just right" with what you are looking for.

DO NOT get a 450/600, DRZ, XRL......those will be too big, heavy, etc and you will be about as pleased with them as you were the KTM.

I didn't steer you wrong before and I ain't now....go find you a WR250R and try it out. I bet you take it home.

...

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All them girley bikes......pfftttt...  I love my big fat pig of a KLR... I will take her ass anywhere someone would take a KTM450....











 
 

You want to look at the EXC model KTMs.  The newer ones are street legal.

I'll ride a KLR anywhere too, doesn't make it fun tho. I've seen some talented riders take a KLR on the greasiest, gnarly woods trails around here and they get the job done - but at the end of the trail after they've dropped it 5 times, they look like Ned Beatty after the yokels had their way with him.




I'd rather still have a smile on my face.





Now, on "cruising 200 miles to get some BBQ without filling the tank up"? You fucking win. Big time.





 

Cant find many for sale in my neck of the woods.  When you don't see a certain model of something for sale, that usually means the people who have them are pleased with them.  So I'll be looking.

How similar is a 2009 Yamaha XT250? Never mind, read some online reviews, doesn't sound like I want.

I have seen a few KLX250s for sale.  How would that compare (in power, specifically) are those going to be to the WR?

I'm looking 2006 or newer, but don't want to pay new prices.  Maybe like $2400-$3500.

Uncorked XR650R. Plated.   Crazy fast and light because of the aluminum frame.  

The KLX is a bit under powered and crude compared to the WRR. It's closer to the CRF230 than the WRR.



 

You want to spend big bucks to lower a 125? Go for it.

I'd put money on my wr450 in street trim weighing the same if not less than a wr250x.

I love my sherpa.  It was actually thanks to Swingset that I started looking for one.  

As it should - it's a true offroad/race bike with a smaller jug and no sub-frame to speak of. It's also twitchy as fuck at speed on the road, but vastly better offroad.





I love the 450R, don't get me wrong, but it's a plated dirt bike and the OP seems to want a dually. Maybe not tho, he hasn't qualified where he'll be doing the lion's share of his riding and what kind of street performance he's comfortable with.





 

I like my little super sherpa  oh , btw the ones that say a 250 is to small on the road , fuck them I been doing 6000 miles a year on my little sherpa







 

I'm not biased but I'm gonna say the ktm350exc street legal version is awesome.

I have one with low mileage and in your price range.  The WR is a completely different bike from the XT250 and the KLX250.  Neither of those are really suitable for any distance highway driving.  I live in southern NM...

Big bucks?

Les Tinius (a northwest KTM suspension guru) will lower your suspension along with a basic suspension service service for $150 for the shock and $145 for the forks.
Big bucks?
Not if you want to semi-tailor your suspension to fit your riding style.
http://www.lt-racing.com/html/suspension.html

I haven't been on a WR but all the online reviews and comparison articles say the WR has better power characteristics than the 250cc competitors.  The biggest con is the unreasonable price difference; it's not so much more power that it's worth another $2,000 MSRP.

Just in case you didn't know already - the big changes to the KLX came after 2007

Interesting. Thanks for the "link".