OG Suzuki dual-sport revamped after 15 long years

Since its debut in 2000, the Suzuki DR-Z400S has been a mainstay in the dual-sport motorcycle market. It has been a favorite among adventure and off-road enthusiasts for decades due to its reliability and adaptability.

Strict Euro 5+ emission standards have forced a lot of the OG old-school bikes to get with the times or fade into history. Suzuki took this opportunity to not only upgrade the bike but rename it too, now calling it the DR-Z4S. There’s also a supermoto trim, the DR-Z4SM intended for road use.

It kept a rather straightforward design without any frills, staying mostly unaltered over the last 25 years. Revealed at this year’s EICMA, Suzuki has finally decided to revamp the legendary DR-Z and overhaul it with a plethora of contemporary upgrades and changes targeted at improving performance, comfort, and versatility.

To comply with Euro 5+ requirements, the most significant change on the DR-Z 4S is the transition to electronic fuel injection. Several changes have been made to the 398cc single-cylinder engine’s overall architecture, including improvements to the crankshaft, valves, camshaft profiles, head, piston, and spark plugs.

This engine now offers ride-by-wire throttle, SCAS (Suzuki’s clutch assist system), and controlled power. Additionally, Suzuki has worked to increase fuel efficiency, making the DR-Z 4S as useful for extended trips as it is for going off-road.

The absence of a 6-speed transmission seems like a major oversight on this model upgrade. Considering it was a big reason many riders eventually switched to other manufacturers, I honestly feel Suzuki missed a huge opportunity with this.

A sixth gear would help a huge amount when doing highway speeds on the DRZ. But to do that, it would have required a major overhaul of the transmission, and Suzuki appears to have decided not to go down that path. One can argue that perhaps Suzuki didn’t feel pressured enough to go to that effort because Kawasaki made the same decision when updating the KLR650, even though many KLR owners had the same grievance.

Nevertheless, power is still adequate on the dual sport, with a max output of 38 hp and 27 lb-ft (37 Nm) of torque. That is a small drop in power compared to the outgoing model which produced 39.5 hp, but now the bike hits those figures at 8,000 rpm, 500 rpm higher than the old 400. The torque output, however, remains unchanged.

For the rest of it, the bike now gets a redesigned lightweight twin-spar steel frame with an aluminum subframe that can withstand harsh environments and still make the bike easy to maneuver on streets. There’s also an upgraded KYB adjustable suspension system that doesn’t sacrifice its on-road stability, while easily handling difficult off-road trails.

Suzuki has put in 80/100 21-inch front and 120/80 18-inch rear tires with IRC GP-410 dual-purpose rubber. ABS is now standard equipment and can be switched off entirely or deactivated for the back wheel. (On the supermoto, you can only disable the back ABS; the front is always on.) Additionally, on the braking front, new bigger front and rear rotors ought to be beneficial when bringing the dual sport to a stop.

The fuel tank has become more compact now (down to 2.3 gallons (8.7 L) from 2.6 gallons (9.8 L)) making for better handling. Even though this should help reduce the weight, the bike still weighs 333 lb (161 kg) – 16 lb (7.3 kg) more than the previous model – courtesy of the other changes.

The huge rectangular sealed headlight of the DR-Z400S, which looked like it belonged in the 1980s, has been finally replaced with a sleek bifunctional LED headlamp. The same goes for the tail lamp, which is also replaced by a sleek LED taillight and turn signals.

Despite not being a TFT display, the new LCD instrument panel offers all the information you require, while being more visually appealing and compact than the previous one. Wider footpegs, a revised seat, and new aluminum tapered handlebars all contribute to comfort and control.

All things considered, the Suzuki DR-Z 4S presents as a sensible, durable, and versatile option in the dual-sport market, appealing to anyone seeking a bike that can be used for both daily commuting and off-road travel.

Dual-sports are some of the most stylish and capable motorcycles today. You can ride them on the street for daily commuting, and they are generally quite excellent at it. After all, a capable city-slicker is the ideal combination of a punchy engine, a lightweight design, and a small profile. That’s exactly what the new DRZ is all about.

And when you want to go for a ride in the trails, the DR-Z4S is more than willing to get sliding in the dirt thanks to its long-travel suspension, knobby tires, and switchable ABS and traction control. Heck, it has enough juice to go long-distance touring on.

Now, with this overhaul, it is likely to appeal to both new and existing riders seeking an affordable, reliable, and adventure-ready motorcycle thanks to its rich history and contemporary upgrades.

Pricing details have not been announced but should be released soon. I expect it to be similarly priced as the outgoing DRZ, in the US$7,000- $7,500 range.

The DRZ’s combination of power output, servicing costs, and adaptability makes it special. Other smaller dual-sport bikes are also available, but they are either slower or heavier. Bigger options, like the XR/DR/KLR 650s, are also available, but they are heavier than the DRZ and don’t offer much of a performance boost.

The Honda CRF450L is the only realistic direct competition, but it’ll cost you a whole lot more.

Source: Suzuki