Tested: Suzuki DR-Z4S — Road-Legal Dirt Bike or Adventure Rival?

• Suzuki’s reborn DR-Z4S is lighter, smarter and more refined than ever
• Brilliant off-road manners and a superb engine offset a tiny fuel tank
• More dual sport than adventure bike — but that may be exactly the point

It’s been a long time coming, but eventually, we managed to secure the update for the venerable DR-Z400 for testing. But while we’ve been waiting for the DR-Z4S to arrive, has the rest of the adventure market moved on? We spent a day hitting the trails, gravel and roads of the Waikato to find out.

There was a time in NZ when the DR-Z400 was the bike of choice for the more astute trail and adventure rider. The bulletproof mechanical reputation and tractor-like power delivery of the DR-Z more than offset the disadvantages of weight and lower ground clearance when compared to the latest hot-shot dirt bikes of the time, giving the humble Suzuki a seriously long shelf life. It wasn’t uncommon for farmers to use their DR-Z400 on the farm all week for getting the cows in and then hit the trails at the weekend and think nothing of it.

Times, however, have changed. And so has the segment Suzuki is now targeting, with the model’s road-legal ability making it much more suitable for riders looking for a bike they can stick a number plate on and use on the road that can still handle a bit of serious off-road work.

But the more I rode it, the clearer it became Suzuki hasn’t really built an adventure bike at all — it’s almost more like a civilised dirt bike. And that’s an important distinction.

The adventure segment is now brimming with competitive, high-tech and capable machines. So has Suzuki missed the boat by taking so long to give us a new DR-Z? And is that really the segment they’re aiming at anyway? We were about to find out.

New, but not ‘all new’

At the heart of the new DR-Z4S is a ‘new’ 398cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled, DOHC four-stroke engine. Well, it’s the DR-Z motor updated to meet Euro 5B emissions regs, while maintaining the reputation for robustness and reliability the previous-generation DR-Z400 was famed for.

According to Suzuki, it’s been designed to retain the same character as the DR-Z400, with smooth, linear power delivery that delivers more torque at lower rpm, combined with increased power to the rev limit. Plus — and this will make the adv team happy — improved fuel economy.

When compared to the previous DR-Z400 engine, there are changes to almost every aspect, from lightweight titanium intake valves and hollow, sodium-filled exhaust valves to new cam profiles and piston. A new cylinder head is equipped with twin spark plugs; there are new crankcases, and a new slipper clutch with Suzuki’s Clutch Assist System.

Instead of a trusty throttle cable, fuelling now comes courtesy of ride-by-wire, with a 42mm bore electronic throttle body featuring a 10-hole fuel injector. There’s also a new air box and new exhaust, with the result being a broader spread of power across the rev range, with a strong yet smooth drive from a direct, linear throttle response.

Peak power is 37hp at 8,000rpm (slightly down on the old DR-Z400…) along with 37Nm at 6,500rpm, while fuel economy is claimed at 2.94l/100km. And it’s that frugal fuel economy that may have led Suzuki to fit the new bike with a tiny 8.7-litre tank.

But whichever way you look at it, if Suzuki genuinely wants this judged alongside modern lightweight adventure bikes, an 8.7-litre tank is a serious red flag.

Electronics

What is all-new is the electronics upgrade, with the DR-Z4S getting much of the same tech we’ve seen on Suzuki’s V-Strom adventure models. That means Suzuki’s Drive Mode Selector offering three power modes, plus traction control with a specific G (gravel) mode allowing a degree of wheel spin.

A big step forward over the competition is that riders can disable the ABS front and rear, or just the rear. And while it’s easy to dismiss the electronics as fluff on a dual sport, the ability to fully disable the front ABS is genuinely significant — and something serious off-road riders will appreciate.

Suzuki’s easy-start system also carries over from the V-Strom family, which means the engine fires up with one press of the starter button. While for those who love bling, the dash is likely to disappoint, with a compact LCD replacing the old basic version that’s been on the DRZ forever. Still, it does the job, and it even says “GO” when you turn the key — and while it isn’t exactly as cool as “Ready To Race”, it’s still something…

Chassis

A brand-new twin-spar steel frame was developed for the DR-Z4S, mated to a new aluminium subframe and aluminium swingarm.

Long-travel KYB suspension offers 280mm of fork travel and 296mm of rear wheel travel, with adjustment for compression, rebound, and preload. Ground clearance comes in at a useful 300mm, while the claimed 151kg weight will be regarded as seriously light compared with most of the adventure segment.

And that lightness matters.

On roads or trails where 220kg adventure bikes start feeling like work, the DR-Z just dances. The lack of tubeless rims does feel a little dated, given where the segment has moved, though for traditional trail riders, that may matter less.

Styling

Suzuki has retained the iconic DR-Z look while pulling in some RM-Z influence. There’s no doubting what the bike is when you look at it — and the same can be said when you hop onboard. This is still a DR-Z through and through. Finally, there’s LED lighting all round, with the single headlight giving the DR-Z4S a funky, modern look.

Same But Different

I have to admit to having a soft spot for this bike. I published Dirt Rider Downunder Magazine for years, and there was always a DR-Z400 somewhere in the equation. Jumping on the new DR-Z4S felt like greeting an old friend, especially when firing the Suzuki into life, hearing the legendary single-cylinder 400’s exhaust note, and feeling very little vibration.

This motor is seriously smooth. In fact, what immediately surprised me was just how refined the motor feels. Old DR-Zs had charm, but this has polish.

Hitting the roads and heading south, it instantly became evident that the DR-Z4S is positioned closer to off-road riders than those wanting to adventure tour. The seat is narrow, there’s no wind protection, and Suzuki also failed to add another cog to the 5-speed gearbox.

Still, 100km/h is easily achievable, and the dash will show over 140km/h at a push, although holding on becomes difficult at that point. Considering the Suzuki is really a slightly more civilised dirt bike, it was surprisingly easy to live with.

Natural Environment

I didn’t expect the Suzuki to handle the twists and turns of Honikiwi Road so well, but the fact that the S model shares much with the super motard version has meant the DR-Z has retained some decent road manners. In fact, it was much better in the corners than any of us expected.

The riding position allows you to get forward on that narrow saddle and really get the DR-Z cranking in the turns. In fact, it was difficult not to stick a boot out in true supermoto fashion. Flick the SDMS into A mode and the Suzuki has decent punch out of corners, while the TC light often flickered as I quickly changed direction.

If you’ve not ridden Honikiwi Road, it’s a seriously good motorcycling road for bikes that are fun at less than supersonic speeds.

Braking was always going to be slightly less than fierce with a single disc, but it still managed to scrub speed when pushing on.

Eventually, the tarseal ran out as we worked our way to Oparau and lunch at the iconic Oparau Store. Standing on the pegs instantly reminded me of one of the mods we always did to our old DR-Zs — bar risers.

The bars are too low to make standing for long periods ideal, but thankfully, the narrow saddle and easy gravel manners meant a good pace while seated was still achievable. Hitting the gravel also meant swapping rider aids, which is easy to do on the fly.

Stopping for lunch and a splash of gas showed the Suzuki was still sipping fuel despite a hard morning’s riding, with 270+km probably achievable before starting to panic.

With a final section pushing through bush, roots, hills and climbs, the DR-Z4S just got on with the job in hand like DR-Zs always have.

Not flashy.

But no nonsense.

And that, in many ways, sums up the bike.

While the rest of the segment has chased TFT dashboards, rally styling and bigger performance numbers, the DR-Z simply sticks to its brief.

Verdict

With so many excellent models in this segment, Suzuki really has its work cut out for the DR-Z4S to make sense.

If you’re an adventure rider who really likes to get adventurous, then the fact this is essentially a road-legal dirt bike will likely get you excited.

Yet there are limitations. No wind protection makes long road stints a pain in the neck. The 8.7-litre tank doesn’t really cut it.

And while having only five gears didn’t cause major issues, there were many times on gravel when second felt too low and third a touch too high.

Essentially, the DR-Z4S is a dual sport in a world obsessed with adventure bikes.

While others in the segment are trying to be all things to all riders, the DR-Z4S is focused on a job — being a great, road-legal off-road bike.

If you want one bike to do everything, there are better options.

If you want a road-legal dirt bike with old-school Suzuki durability and genuine off-road chops, the DR-Z4S still makes a compelling case.

Suzuki DR-Z4S Gallery