2011 Suzuki DR 650SE

I bought this bike as kind of a throwback to my early riding years, and because I wanted a bike that could go anywhere and do anything. The additional requirements were that it needed to be rugged and cheap/easy to fix. The Suzuki DR650 meets all those requirements.

I have logged ... over 37,000 miles on it and it has been great. It is indeed rugged, and cheap/easy to fix. The only thing that truly failed me was the choke cable (twice), so I replaced it with a pull-out choke plunger system and have had no more problems.

Additionally, the aftermarket world for this bike is sufficient to meet any reasonable need or want. You may want to upgrade the seat, fuel tank size, and some suspension components, but for the price to get into a DR650, and the reasonable price of accessories, you'll be glad you bought one.

If you're the kind of rider that like electronic goo-gaws and you want your bike to assist you with braking and traction control, this is not the bike you're looking for. But if you want a bike that can easily do highway speeds (and more), can just as easily go offroad exploring, allows you to do all your maintenance and repairs at home, and won't cost you huge amounts of money if you fall over, this is indeed the bike for you. I'd recommend it to anyone that wants a simple, durable, versatile, rugged, easy-to-work on, easy-to-live-with "overall motorcycle". I am very pleased with mine and plan to keep it for as long as I can ride it.