For quite some time now, the Japanese dual-sport market over 300cc has been a bit of a Jurassic Park; all of the options were either full-on adventure bikes or had a design that has remained unchanged since before smartphones were invented. The only exception was the Honda CRF450RL, but since it is basically a street-legal version of Honda’s motocross bike, it has an eye-watering price tag of $10,099 before dealer fees. The CRF450RL also does not offer a supermoto variant from the factory, which left another hole in the market for those looking for a modern 400cc supermoto. However, Suzuki has just brought this neglected segment of the market fully into the modern era.
Suzuki has revealed the successor to the aging DR-Z400S in the form of the all-new DR-Z4S (likely much to the dismay of KTM, as it has overshadowed the new 390 SMC R and 390 Enduro R). There is also a new DR-Z4SM supermoto to replace the DR-Z400SM. Whether this means that the DR-Z400S is going away is up for debate, as the GSX-8S was supposedly going to replace the SV650, and now they both sit on Suzuki dealer lots. However, considering that the DR-Z4S and the DR-Z400S have the exact same description on the Suzuki website, save for the name, it would lead me to believe that the DR-Z4S is a true replacement this time. So, let’s dive in and take a look at Suzuki’s long-awaited update to its middleweight off-roader.
A 20-Year Jump
The 2025 DR-Z4S will offer quite literally everything you would expect a modern motorcycle to come equipped with, including ABS, traction control, fuel injection, and more. The new fuel-injected powerplant delivers a healthy 38 horsepower. Does that sound familiar? Well, it should, as it’s roughly the same power output as the carburated DR-Z400S. In fact, the new engine has the exact same 90mm bore and 62.6mm stroke as the DR-Z400S. However, Suzuki has replaced almost all of the internals of the engines to bring them up to modern standards.
The power is controlled by the new ride-by-wire throttle, which was made possible by the addition of fuel injection. The bike is still mounted up to a five-speed transmission but has the addition of a slipper clutch and the Suzuki Clutch Assist System (SCAS). This allows it to start moving without the use of the throttle; just slowly release the clutch, and the bike will automatically increase the throttle to get moving and keep from stalling. I wouldn’t worry too much about the bike feeling too nannied; SCAS is a very unintrusive system, so unintrusive in fact that I owned a GSX-S750Z for over a year without ever realizing it had it. Overall, it really seems like Suzuki wanted to maintain the feel of the DR-Z400S while bringing the rest of the bike into the modern age.
The ride-by-wire throttle also allows for the addition of different throttle modes. Suzuki thankfully keeps this rather simple with three settings (A, B, and C), each one getting progressively softer than the last, with C being the least aggressive. The DR-Z4S and the DR-Z4SM have individually tuned traction control systems to better suit their different purposes. They both have two road-focused modes, then a “G” mode for gravel (or moderate street skids) that allows the bike to get a bit of wheel slip going before engaging. This helps you really get moving on mixed surfaces without leaving all of the assists behind. ABS can only be fully disabled on the DR-Z4S, but both models offer the ability to turn off the rear ABS (you know why).
New for this year is a twin-spar steel frame with an aluminum subframe and swingarm to improve handling and rigidity. Overall, the new bike only weighs approximately 16 lbs more while still cramming in all of the new technology and EURO 5+ compliance equipment. It’s a lean, mean, modern machine that sits in what is considered to be the “Goldilocks zone” for dual sport and supermoto engine size, and it is certain to be an upset for the segment.
Single Track or Go-Kart Track?
Beyond the traction control and ABS settings, there are some other differences between the off-road-oriented DR-Z4S and the DR-Z4SM supermoto. The suspension on the dual-sport offers 11 inches of travel on the front and 11.6 in the rear, while the suspension on the supermoto offers 10.2 inches up front and 10.9 in the rear. Both bikes are damped by KYB long travel suspension that offers adjustable compression and rebound in the front and rear. As far as ground clearance goes, the DR-Z4S offers 11.8 inches, whereas the DR-Z4SM offers 10.2 inches.
The biggest difference between the two, as far as components are concerned, is the front brakes and wheels. The DR-Z4SM is equipped with a larger 310mm front disk, whereas the DR-Z4S is equipped with a 270mm disc. For wheels, the supermoto has 17-inch rims front and rear rolling on Dunlop Sportmax Q5A tires. Meanwhile, the dual-sport features a 21-inch front and 18-inch rear rim with IRC GP-410 dual-purpose tires. Which one is for you is entirely dependent on your use case. If you’re never planning on hitting the trails, you should go for the DR-Z4SM model to have what might be the ultimate urban brawler. If you have any sort of off-road intentions, you should go with the DR-Z4S model so that you’re well-equipped for any surface.
A DR-Z for Masses
With the new generation of the DR-Z, Suzuki has made it much more appealing to the masses. While many hardcore off-roaders might have preferred the carburetors and general simplicity of the previous generation, many modern motorcyclists, especially more novice riders, were turned off of the DR-Z400S due to the fact that it had a carburetor. With all of the new tech that Suzuki has added, the DR-Z is now just as accessible to all riders as any other modern motorcycle. It is almost certain to be a long-lived generation as that’s just how Suzuki does things—make it good once and sell it for decades. So, in another 20 years, when Suzuki finally updates the DR-Z again, I’ll be sure to upload my next article directly into your head via Neuralink (No, I’m not asking).
