Suzuki’s DR-Z4SM has grown up, gotten a haircut and added some fancy new tricks. But is it still the same loveable larrikin at heart?
Suzuki’s DR-Z400 has always been one of those bikes that ignored the usual rules of motorcycling fashion. It didn’t need big numbers, cutting-edge tech or a flashy spec sheet to earn its reputation – it just needed to turn up every day, cop a hiding and ask for more.
For years the DR-Z was the default answer to an enormous range of questions: What should I commute on that won’t die? What can I take down a fire trail on the weekend? What’s a tough dual sport I can ride through South America? In SM trim, it became a gateway drug into motard culture – basic, tough, easy to live with and endlessly moddable, with a playful chassis and a punchy single-cylinder character that made even mundane trips feel like you were getting away with something.
Part of why the old DR-Z400 was so loved was precisely because it was so uncomplicated; it was a simple single with dirtbike DNA, long-travel suspenders and a chassis that begged to be thrown at kerbs, roundabouts and backroads with equal enthusiasm. It was never the most powerful thing in the class, but owners could ride them hard, drop them, fix them cheaply, then do it all again.
But time moves on, and modern emissions and safety rules couldn’t care less about nostalgia. The old DR-Z’s biggest strength – its old-school simplicity – also became the reason it couldn’t just carry on forever unchanged.
TIME FOR SOME TECH
Suzuki has dragged the DR-Z into the modern era with the full SIRS electronic suite (Suzuki Intelligent Ride System) that includes switchable rear ABS (front stays on), switchable traction control, ride-by-wire, Suzuki Easy Start, an LCD dash, LED lighting all round, and three riding modes (A, B, C).
All modes offer the same ultimate peak power but alter how the engine gets there. Mode A offers the sharpest response, Mode B is the balanced one, and Mode C softens response for slippery conditions – like espresso, flat white and decaf for your right wrist. Traction control gives you two road settings: a dedicated Gravel mode and the ability to switch it off entirely.
Whether riding modes are necessary on a 28kW (37.5hp) bike is debatable, but the softer modes would be useful for learners in taming the strong initial throttle response – particularly in first gear. The switchable rear ABS and TC presets are terrific, broadening the SM’s usefulness when the surface changes besides just making it more fun. The rear ABS setting isn’t remembered when you restart the bike, and it’s a press-and-hold function while stationary to reselect. Slightly annoying, but also probably the sensible call for a LAMS bike when wet roads enter the chat.
Refreshingly, the TC does stay set to the last chosen option; it’s nice not to have to reconfirm your competence every time you restart the bike.
PROPER MOTARD ERGOS
As you’d expect for a supermotard, the seat is reasonably tall at 890mm, which meant it was easier for this average-height tester to step onto the left footpeg with the sidestand down before swinging my leg over. Once seated, the suspension settles into a manageable stance, and the narrow seat helps your boot find the deck at traffic lights even if you don’t have giraffe legs. Suzuki does offer a 30mm lower seat as an option for those who are a bit on the shorter side too.
The great thing about motards is how versatile they are, largely thanks to the spacious riding position. You get loads of leg room, an upright posture and high ’bars, which makes it a surprisingly comfortable thing to buzz around town on. The tall seating position is great for reading the road ahead, and the grunty single-cylinder engine means you can hit gaps without feeling like you’re holding anyone up. The trade-offs are predictable: basically no wind protection, and a skinnier perch that concentrates pressure across a smaller cross section of your posterior.
The seat itself is clearly designed for proper motard riding, ideally shaped for sliding back and forth when you’re getting busy. There’s enough padding, but I still found it a bit wince-inducing on longer stints. That’s not something a motard needs to apologise for, but if I were commuting a lot, I’d be looking for a comfier seat or investing in some padded cycling shorts.
No real complaints otherwise. The mirrors work, and the LCD display is easy enough to take in at a glance despite its compact size. Although there are some vibes through the ’bars, the engine is surprisingly smooth.
SINGLE AND LOVIN’ IT
The new DR-Z engine is a little 398cc peach. It feels like it punches well above its weight through the first half of the rev range, before tailing off quickly as you approach the top of the tacho. But that suits the SM character perfectly and makes the DR punchy and eager in urban stop-go riding – territory all motards worth their salt should excel in.
The single-cylinder, liquid-cooled, DOHC four-valve layout might sound familiar, but Suzuki has changed a huge number of components to meet current regs without gutting performance. Highlights include titanium intake valves and hollow sodium-filled exhaust valves (lighter and they allow more freedom in camshaft design), revised intake and exhaust cams, revised valve springs, a revised cylinder head, a new piston designed to reduce mechanical loss, and revised crankcases aimed at reducing pumping loss and oil mixing loss. There’s also a new airbox and inlet design aimed at reducing intake resistance while keeping response sharp.
Suzuki also runs dual iridium spark plugs now, improving combustion efficiency, smoothing power delivery, and lowering fuel consumption and emissions.
Snap the throttle open in first and it’ll even wave the front tyre in the air for a moment, though you have to really nail the timing and weight transfer to repeat those shenanigans in second.
The ride-by-wire fuel injection is excellent and makes the engine more tenacious and controllable at low speeds on rough surfaces or bush tracks, and it improves cold starts and running at elevation. Suzuki uses a 10-hole injector to improve atomisation, all managed via a 42mm electronic ride-by-wire throttle body, which is also how the riding modes and traction control shape the throttle characteristics.
At higher cruising speeds out on the freeway the engine is perfectly willing, but the five-speed gearbox means it’s working for its supper, bustling along rather than loping. There’s still enough headroom for overtakes, though, so you won’t run out of tacho unless you’re being quite naughty.
Overall, it’s a cracking little engine, with a surprisingly strident bark despite the fact Suzuki’s exhaust now includes a dual-stage catalytic converter plus an O2 sensor to meet Euro 5+ emissions standards, along with a double-wall design to reduce heat transfer. With a Yoshimura can, it’d announce your arrival to every yapping mongrel within three suburbs and perhaps liberate another pony or two at the top end.
The clutch assembly is new too, adopting the Suzuki Clutch Assist System (SCAS). It’s claimed to reduce lever effort, and the slipper function partially disengages on downshifts to reduce engine braking, limit rear tyre hopping and smooth deceleration. This works extremely effectively, so much so that it actually made ‘backing it in’ in classic supermoto style a bit more difficult at first as it reduces back-torque effect when you’re braking hard from high rpm, but a solid dab of rear brake is all it takes to get the rear end to swing out anyway.
REBEL WITH CLAWS
I love the take-no-prisoners stance of an angry motard and the DR-Z4SM is no exception. The spoked 17-inch wheels, rangy suspenders and high tail unit tell you exactly what it’s about. This test bike also came with axle sliders and handguards, which complete the look as well as adding some useful protection.
The round headlight looks great to my eye, and in true Zook tradition the bluish paint looks schmick. The guards and plastics are, well, plasticky given the dual-sport roots, but that’s part of the genre. The overall balance of attitude and quality is spot on. Details like the exposed cable runs up near the front, engine cover, spoked wire wheels, cast aluminium swingarm and full LED lighting give it a gnarly but modern edge.
The SM comes with beefed-up suspension compared to its dual-purpose ‘S’ sibling, to cope with the heavier braking and sharp hits of tarmac motard life, with a KYB inverted fork providing 260mm of travel, and a link-type KYB monoshock delivering 277mm of rear wheel travel – both fully adjustable. Around town the damping feels firmish but well judged. At times I thought it could be slightly more forgiving over sharp bumps, but once you start pushing you appreciate the damping support, so I didn’t need to fiddle with clickers.
Up front there’s a single 310mm disc, but you can brake plenty hard enough to get the ABS pulsing with only two-three fingers. The substantial 240mm rear disc is strong and aggressive in true motard style, making it easy to step the rear out if you want.
At 154kg wet, with wide ’bars and loads of leverage, the DR is so nimble it feels like you can chuck it at corners any old way you want and it’ll just stick like a tennis ball on a velcro wall. It’s ultra-flickable without feeling nervous, though if you get on the gas hard out of a tight corner it’ll lever the front off the deck sometimes, which is great fun.
In urban ‘squirt-and-shoot’ riding it’s an absolute hoot: weight the generous footpegs, pivot dirtbike-style, then punch out of the corner. The extra travel and ground clearance also mean gutters and speed humps become optional side quests.
Hit your favourite twisty road and it’ll play that game just as well too. You can attack apexes with a sportsbike-style crouch and proper lean, or just cruise around upright enjoying the breeze and the easy ride position. It’s a versatile chassis that rewards whatever riding style you bring to it.
I’d even be tempted to fit a bigger rear sprocket to accentuate the grunty demeanour a tad more, though that would obviously make it more breathless on the highway and sacrifice some fuel economy. The single is quite frugal with sensible-ish use, meaning you could still see close to 200 clicks between refills despite the small 8.7L tank.
PRICE-POINT QUANDARY
The more bikes I’ve tested, the more I reckon lightweight motorcycles offer the purest enjoyment you can have on two wheels. But at $15k, the DR-Z4SM becomes less ‘cheap fun loophole’ and more ‘premium toy’. It’s a solid whack more expensive than Suzuki’s own terrific $12,990 GSX-8S – a bike with double the capacity and twice the cylinders. In adding more sophistication and refinement, Suzuki has nudged the DR-Z into a higher price bracket. Motard pricing in general is hard not to side-eye a bit, although the big, orange pumpkin in the patch is KTM’s 390 SMC R, which boasts a six-speed box and slightly more power for just $10,695.
Still, the DR-Z4SM would be great for a learner who wants something versatile and fun that can grow with them. And it still does what DR-Zs have always done: show up, take abuse and make you look for the long way home.
✅ PROS – Full SIRS electronics add modern safety without killing the character; ride-by-wire fuelling is excellent, with strong low-speed control and crisp response.
❌ CONS – Five-speed gearbox feels dated, especially at freeway speeds; firm seat limits long-distance comfort without aftermarket help; price pushes it into premium territory.
Competition
Honda CRF450RL – $13,807 ride away
KTM 390 SMC R – $10,695 ride away
Kawasaki KLX230SM – $8848 ride away
WHAT ABOUT A DR-Z4S WITH ROAD RIMS?
Buying the DR-Z4S and adding a second wheel set is the classic ‘one bike, two jobs’ strategy: run 21/18in dirt wheels for trails and backroads, then swap to 17in road rims when you want supermoto response and road tyre grip.
It’s not a new idea, but it’s still one of the most practical ways to get genuine dual-purpose versatility without owning two bikes.
Doing it properly, though, is more than just buying rims. Ideally you want a complete second set: wheels with discs fitted, correct spacers, a matching rear sprocket, and tyres suited to each job. That’s what makes wheel swaps quick enough to actually do, rather than becoming a ‘maybe next weekend’ project.
Cost is the catch. A quality set can easily run into a few thousand dollars by the time you add discs, sprocket and the small hardware that makes it all bolt on. It can still make financial sense versus buying a second bike, but only if you’re serious about using both set-ups.
SPECIFICATIONS
ENGINE
Type Single cylinder, liquid-cooled, DOHC
Bore & stroke 90.0mm x 62.6mm
Capacity 398cc
Compression ratio 11.1:1
Cooling Liquid
Fuelling Fuel injection
Transmission Constant mesh 5-speed gearbox
Clutch Wet, multi-disc
Final drive Chain
PERFORMANCE
Power 28kW (37.5hp) @ 8000 rpm (claimed)
Torque 37Nm @ 6500 rpm (claimed)
Top speed N/A
Fuel consumption 3.85 L/100 km
ELECTRONICS
Type Ride by wire
Rider aids ABS, switchable rear ABS, traction control, rider modes, Suzuki Easy Start
Modes A, B, C
CHASSIS
Frame material Steel
Frame type Twin Spar
Rake 26.5°
Trail 95 mm
Wheelbase 1495mm
SUSPENSION
Type KYB
Front Inverted telescopic fork, adjustable, 260mm travel
Rear Single shock absorber, adjustable, 277mm travel
WHEELS & BRAKES
Front 17in spoked
Rear 17in spoked
Tyres Tubed
Front 120/70R-17M/C58H
Rear 140/70R-17M/C66H
Front brake 310mm disc brake, axial mount calliper, ABS
Rear brake 240mm disc brake, axial mount calliper, ABS
DIMENSIONS
Weight 154kg (wet)
Seat height 890mm
Width 885mm
Height 1190mm
Length 2195mm
Ground clearance 260mm
Fuel capacity 8.7L
BUSINESS END
Price $14,990 ride away
Colour options Solid Special White or Sky Grey
Contact suzuki.com.au
