Suzuki DR-Z400SM

[Harvey]

Somebody, please, please, tell me they've at least heard of this bike before this post. Besides me. This is the first supermoto production bike to debut in the US that isn't from Europe--I think it is anyway--and the only people I know who have heard of this are Suzuki dealers.



Well, now you've heard of it, so y'all have no excuse. Besides cosmetics, the only changes I know of from the DR-Z400S dual-sport are the smaller street wheels and the inverted telescopic front fork (the 400S has a noninverted fork). Seat height is lower on account of the smaller wheels too, and I imagine they had to tinker a bit with geometry to shrink the front wheel down from 21" to 17", while the rear wheel didn't shrink by that much.

Oh yeah, I'm also getting one. In black. Ok, that's finally out of my system. Discuss.

[Allan]

The first time I saw it was when Suzuki put the 05 models on the website. Now that you reminded me about it I wish I would have looked for it at the IMS show. It would be a killer bike to add to my stable, if I had a stable. But for the time being I can only swing one street bike at a time so it has to be pretty multifunctional (around town, commuter, tourer, canyon carver). The SM would be a great around town/commuter bike IMHO, but I doubt it would cut it on the long haul or in the twisties.

[Galaxieman]

Yes, Yes I have. I too want one:

FYI, for those of you wondering about fit, I'm 6'0" w/ a 33 inch inseam. Great looking bike, I'd love to add one to the stable, if the wife would permit it (not likely).

-Jim

[Harvey]

Allan--I dunno, I think that the DRZ would make a better all-arounder than you give it credit for. To me, it feels like a somewhat smaller and more (WAY more) technologically advanced Kawasaki KLR650 with street tires. The highly adjustable suspension and street wheels hint that it will be a bit more twisty-worthy than you think, too (though no R6 or GSXR750, natch). Probably its biggest weakness would be touring--2.64 gallon gas tank? Better bring a fuel can...

Of course, I'm a bit excited about it--my dealer tells me that there were several people asking about this supermoto, but I was the only one who was willing to put down a deposit to actually reserve one. I feel like I'm getting a Harley or FJR1300, LOL. I'll try not to say too much more about this bike until I get mine, but in the meantime, feel free to read this article about the dual-sport version.

Jim--I don't know how you can go to a big motorcycle show like that without going nuts. I'd have a whole fleet of bikes I'd want after going to something like that.

[sanglant]

The first time I saw it was when Suzuki put the 05 models on the website. Now that you reminded me about it I wish I would have looked for it at the IMS show. It would be a killer bike to add to my stable, if I had a stable. But for the time being I can only swing one street bike at a time so it has to be pretty multifunctional (around town, commuter, tourer, canyon carver). The SM would be a great around town/commuter bike IMHO, but I doubt it would cut it on the long haul or in the twisties.

Define "twisties." On real twisties, like tight mountain roads where you are below 60 mph it is a killer. Even my DRZ-S with M21 knobbies can ride around most cruisers in those curves. If you're talking about mostly high speed sweepers, then no, no motard is going to be very good there compared to a sportbike. The motards don't have enough power and gearing over 60mph, unless you get the big bores (Duke II, Husky's, VOR, etc.), and even then you're not going to do that well. From 20 to 50 mph though, a motard will eat up most sportbikes, and the motard is easier to ride fast then the sport bike at those speeds.

[Allan]

Define "twisties." On real twisties, like tight mountain roads where you are below 60 mph it is a killer. Even my DRZ-S with M21 knobbies can ride around most cruisers in those curves. If you're talking about mostly high speed sweepers, then no, no motard is going to be very good there compared to a sportbike. The motards don't have enough power and gearing over 60mph, unless you get the big bores (Duke II, Husky's, VOR, etc.), and even then you're not going to do that well. From 20 to 50 mph though, a motard will eat up most sportbikes, and the motard is easier to ride fast then the sport bike at those speeds.

Well I stand corrected. But I still don’t think it’s the bike for me. Looking at the seat, I can see some serious monkey butt on a long trip. Plus I do want something that will eat up both the sweepers and mountain roads with maybe the occasional track day. Not that I'm down on the DRZ, it just does not seem like the bike for me. But that is the beauty of motorcycling. There is a bike out there for everyone.

[sanglant]

Well I stand corrected. But I still don’t think it’s the bike for me. Looking at the seat, I can see some serious monkey butt on a long trip. Plus I do want something that will eat up both the sweepers and mountain roads with maybe the occasional track day. Not that I'm down on the DRZ, it just does not seem like the bike for me. But that is the beauty of motorcycling. There is a bike out there for everyone.

Oh yeah, it's not a long haul machine at all. I have a Clarke 3.1 gallon tank on mine, and one tank is about all I want to take on that thing! I've modified the seat to make it more comfortable, too, but it is still a skinny banana seat. The DRZ is more of a dirt bike than other dual sports that are street legal, and the compromises show. While a DRZ will run away from a V-Strom or GS in the woods, the riders of those bikes will be smirking over their drinks while you try and fish the codura out of your rear at a gas stop. For me, the beauty of the DRZ is that I can ride it to the trail head and just keep on riding. I don't have to worry about trailering up and parking a rig and leaving it and getting my car all muddy or changing clothes or whatever. I just ride. It's also a blast to "race" on the backroads where I know the dirt road cut-throughs !

As a motard machine, I'm not really sold on the new M, either. It's a nice step, but it was an easy one to take and a safe way to test the waters for Suzuki. If it sells, I'd like to see an M version based on the new RM450 dirt bike they're running. The DRZ is a fine play bike, but for motard racing it needs a lot of help off the showroom floor.

[Java]

It looks like a fine bike. I'm not makeing fun of you, Harvey, but the whole "street version of a SuperMotard" thing just cracks me up.

"America's gonna love 'em! They're small! They're light! They're fun! They'll keep up with the big boys on a tight enough road! They're cheap to insure!"

Well, I'm glad the world is finally coming around to my point of view. 'Cause what I see is - "They're socially acceptable 250 Ninjas!" ; )

[Allan]

Oh yeah, it's not a long haul machine at all. I have a Clarke 3.1 gallon tank on mine, and one tank is about all I want to take on that thing! I've modified the seat to make it more comfortable, too, but it is still a skinny banana seat. The DRZ is more of a dirt bike than other dual sports that are street legal, and the compromises show. While a DRZ will run away from a V-Strom or GS in the woods, the riders of those bikes will be smirking over their drinks while you try and fish the codura out of your rear at a gas stop. For me, the beauty of the DRZ is that I can ride it to the trail head and just keep on riding. I don't have to worry about trailering up and parking a rig and leaving it and getting my car all muddy or changing clothes or whatever. I just ride. It's also a blast to "race" on the backroads where I know the dirt road cut-throughs !

As a motard machine, I'm not really sold on the new M, either. It's a nice step, but it was an easy one to take and a safe way to test the waters for Suzuki. If it sells, I'd like to see an M version based on the new RM450 dirt bike they're running. The DRZ is a fine play bike, but for motard racing it needs a lot of help off the showroom floor.

Now I’m totally down on the DRZ-400S and some Dunlop 606's, for the same reason you noted. Ride to the trail head, ride the trail, ride home. The motard is defiantly a neat concept and will defiantly fill a new niche in the American motorcycle market. Id look at it if I lived in the urban jungle, light, easy to throw around, killer suspension to handle some of those not so up kept roads. But for sucking up the miles on the superslab I think something else is in order.

Mind your right now I’m confined to being a one bike guy. The DRZ-400S is on my short list for when I go broke for multiple bikes. But I'm glad the M is here, because the more variety of bikes we have the better.

[Harvey]

It looks like a fine bike. I'm not makeing fun of you, Harvey, but the whole "street version of a SuperMotard" thing just cracks me up.

"America's gonna love 'em! They're small! They're light! They're fun! They'll keep up with the big boys on a tight enough road! They're cheap to insure!"

Well, I'm glad the world is finally coming around to my point of view. 'Cause what I see is - "They're socially acceptable 250 Ninjas!" ; )

Hey, I totally get the ribbing, it's cool. After all, the term "Motard" wasn't created to be particularly flattering of the folk that first showed up at tracks on modified dirt bikes. Perhaps Suzuki hopes to lure riders of all experience levels onto smaller, lower-powered, high-tech machines, but doesn't trust the sportbikers to accept one, so they're taking a detour by breaking into a new market (supermotos). If we're super-lucky, maybe we'll see that 400cc single in a small sportbike frame someday. (Naaah...)

As for your "socially acceptable 250 Ninjas" comment, yeah, I see where you're coming from. I honestly would be happy riding and keeping a 500cc class or smaller sportbike for a long time if they were just more up-to-date (in the US). (It's just my personal opinion, I realize others feel differently.) This SM I'm looking to get offers really funky high-zoot engine cylinder plating, great suspension, and all sorts of weight-saving tricks due to its origins as a race machine. For all the sweet riding goodness that my GS500 offers, I just feel ready to get something a bit more advanced and polished, without having to jump to 2.5 times the power. In fact, the DRZ makes roughly the same power as the GS500 while weighing roughly 100 pounds less--that's a move "up", if you ask me. Hopefully this DR-Z400SM will be popular (I'm wagering it will be at least somewhat) and we can start seeing some improvements in the small-bike market. It's not going to happen overnight, though.

Sorry, didn't mean to carry on...