Suzuki DR-Z4SM Review: Old-School Fun, Reborn

• Legend Reborn – Suzuki revives the iconic DR-Z as a modern supermoto with updated styling, electronics and Euro 5+ compliance.
• More Tech, Same Fun – Ride modes, traction control, ABS and a slipper clutch bring the DR-Z into the modern era without losing its playful character.
• Built to Entertain – Light, agile and confidence-inspiring, the DR-Z4SM is happiest carving through tight back roads, city streets and kart tracks.

There are some bikes you ride because you have to. Then there are bikes you keep riding because you don’t want to give them back. The DR-Z4SM definitely falls into the second category.

The original DR-Z400 wasn’t just another Suzuki. It became one of those motorcycles that almost every Kiwi rider either owned, borrowed or wanted at some stage.

Need a trail bike? Buy a DR-Z. Want something to commute on? Buy a DR-Z.

Planning a trip up the Molesworth or through the Rainbow? Buy a DR-Z.

Fancy a supermoto? Throw on a set of 17-inch wheels and… buy a DR-Z.

It was never the fastest bike in its class and certainly never the most sophisticated, but it was reliable, simple and about as tough as they came. Suzuki built it for nearly a quarter of a century with only minor changes, and while the rest of the industry chased electronics and horsepower, the DR-Z quietly got on with being one of the most loved motorcycles in New Zealand.

Eventually emissions regulations caught up with it and the old DR-Z all but disappeared. For a while it looked like that was the end of the story.

Thankfully Suzuki had other ideas.

Same But Different

The new DR-Z4SM is unmistakably a DR-Z, but underneath almost everything has changed. The styling now takes plenty of inspiration from Suzuki’s RM-Z motocross range, giving the bike a much sharper, more purposeful look than the machine it replaces. The engine has been heavily revised, ride-by-wire has brought selectable power modes and traction control, ABS is now standard (with the rear switchable), and the whole package feels like a proper evolution rather than a simple facelift.

Most importantly though, Suzuki seems to have remembered exactly why everyone loved the original. It was fun. And after spending a couple of weeks with the SM in the BRM shed, I can confirm that despite the Euro5+ hurdles Suzuki has made the DR-Z jump through, it hasn’t lost any of that unmistakable character.

Attack mode

One look at the DR-Z4SM tells you exactly what sort of bike this is. The sharp bodywork, angular panels and distinctive single LED headlight give it plenty of attitude before you’ve even climbed aboard.

Swing a leg over and you’re greeted by a tall saddle. On paper it sounds intimidating (and if you’re short in the leg then it probably will be…), but the bike is so slim between your knees that it never feels cumbersome or overwhelming. Instead, you immediately feel like you’re sitting on a motocross bike that’s somehow found itself wearing road tyres.

With the wide MX handlebars combined with the tall, narrow seat, I found my elbows naturally came out like I was sitting on the start gate of a motocross. The DR-Z puts you instantly in attack mode, whether you’re commuting through town to work or heading out for a sunny evening scratch.

Within the first kilometre I found myself braking later than normal, flicking it into bends harder than expected and looking for excuses to turn around and ride the same stretch of road again. That’s what a proper supermoto does, and despite having only around 38 horsepower, it manages to make each one of those count towards putting a smile on your face.

What also struck me was just how light the Suzuki feels. Yes, it isn’t a heavy motorcycle on paper with a wet weight of 154kg (8kg more than the original, mind you…), but the numbers don’t really tell the story. Once you’re moving, the DR-Z4SM almost disappears underneath you, meaning you barely have to think about turning before it’s already dropping into the corner, making direction changes almost effortless.

It has that rare ability to flatter its rider. You quickly find yourself carrying more corner speed, braking later and generally riding better than you probably deserve to. And who doesn’t love a bike that actually makes you look and feel better through corners than you really are? Okay, it could be a bit of an illusion due to the fact you’re perched on a tall narrow saddle with no fairing making it feel like you’re cornering faster than you really are, but there’s no denying the Suzuki can haul down a twisting backroad if you know how to manage a supermoto.

Confidence breeds speed

The roads I chose weren’t exactly silky smooth either. Typical Waikato back roads mean patched tarmac, mid-corner bumps, rough repairs and the odd pothole waiting to catch out sports bikes. The Suzuki simply shrugged. The faster I rode, the more planted it felt.

The KYB suspension is beautifully judged. There’s enough firmness to keep everything composed when you’re really loading the front tyre into a corner, yet enough plushness that it never crashes over rough surfaces. It gives you confidence almost immediately, and confidence usually means speed. Not silly speed, corner speed. And before long I was leaning the Suzuki over far further than I’d expected, getting close to scraping the pegs while the Dunlop Sportmax tyres refused to do anything other than grip.

More than enough engine

I kept waiting for the engine to disappoint me as it’s from another time, right? Well, it never really did and I almost felt like the new DR-Z4 powerplant was more suited to the supermoto version than the enduro/adventure DR-Z4S that I’d ridden recently.

On paper the numbers don’t look particularly exciting, especially when there are 70-horsepower supermotos available from Europe. But numbers rarely tell the whole story.

The little 398cc single is surprisingly refined, remarkably smooth and has a lovely spread of torque – updated cam profiles, new intake ports and a dual-spark head apparently work to boost numbers across the rev range compared to the old model. It happily pulls from low revs if you’re feeling lazy, yet still enjoys being revved when the road opens up.

Yes, you can see an indicated 140km/h-plus on the LCD dash, although things tend to get a bit breezy at these sorts of speeds. But that’s not why you buy this motorcycle. The fun happens between the corners, not on the straights, although the only thing I occasionally wished for was a sixth gear to make life easier cruising at open road speeds. Around the twisties the five-speed gearbox works perfectly, but on longer motorway stretches another ratio would make life just that little bit more relaxed.

The new assist-and-slipper clutch is another improvement that largely goes unnoticed – which is exactly what you want. The lever is light, gear changes are slick, and after a full day’s riding there wasn’t the slightest hint of left-hand fatigue.

Technology that actually matters

At a time when there’s a bit of an arms race when it comes to tech, Suzuki has taken their usual reserved/sensible approach to electronics. There’s no giant TFT screen trying to impress your mates. Instead you get a simple LCD display that tells you everything you actually need to know.

Did I miss the fancy graphics? Well, I am a bit of a gadget geek, and there’s no denying that it’s a little like stepping back into the past. Yet, there is everything you need to know on the LCD dash, and it’s easy to see what mode you’ve got selected and where your ABS is set. It’s also really easy to swap between modes, and they really do make a difference.

Unlike some bikes where changing maps feels largely pointless, the different settings here noticeably alter the throttle response and power delivery. The traction control is also surprisingly effective, and when you’re really pushing out of tighter corners you can feel it quietly tidying things up in the background.

Of course, if your idea of fun involves backing the bike into corners, Suzuki lets you switch off the rear ABS and dial back the electronic nannying, exactly as it should.

Surprisingly civilised

Although I spent most of my time hunting out my favourite twisty roads while ‘testing’ the DR-Z4SM, it didn’t take long to realise that it would make an outstanding commuter too. Although you’d need to keep your inner hoon under control… something I’m not entirely convinced I’d manage for very long.

The tall riding position gives you a commanding view over traffic, the narrow profile would make filtering through queues effortless where legal, and the engine is smooth enough that it never feels like hard work around town.

In fact, if your daily ride involves a mixture of urban commuting and weekend blasts through the hills, it’s hard to think of many bikes better suited to both jobs.

Living with it

Like every motorcycle this specialised, the DR-Z4SM asks you to make a few compromises.

The biggest is the tiny fuel tank. At eight litres it looks small, although in reality the engine is frugal enough that the range is better than you’d expect. Still, if you’re planning a full day’s ride you’ll probably become familiar with where rural petrol stations are located. Or maybe a spare litre in a container might just alleviate the range anxiety fears when riding with others.

The narrow seat also reminds you this is a supermoto rather than a tourer. After a couple of hours you’ll be looking for an excuse to stop for coffee. Oh, and the spoked wheels still use tubes rather than being tubeless, which seems a missed opportunity on a modern motorcycle. The wheels look fantastic and undoubtedly help keep unsprung weight down, but a puncture on the roadside becomes a much bigger job than simply plugging a tubeless tyre.

The front brake is excellent, offering plenty of feel and power, although if you really grab a handful the long-travel forks will still dive noticeably. But then that’s simply part of the supermoto experience.

Final thoughts

Somewhere along the line, motorcycling became obsessed with numbers. More horsepower. More electronics. More rider modes. More screens.

The DR-Z4SM couldn’t care less. Instead, it reminds you that motorcycles are supposed to make you smile.

I spent my time with the SM riding some of my favourite Waikato roads and climbed off wondering when I could do it all again. That’s about the biggest compliment I can pay any motorcycle.

The old DR-Z400 built its reputation on being almost impossible to kill. Ask anyone who owned one, and they’ll usually have a story involving thousands of kilometres, questionable maintenance and an astonishing amount of abuse. They just kept going. If the new bike proves even half as durable, Suzuki will have another winner on its hands.

Is it perfect? No. I’d happily take a sixth gear for longer motorway rides, a slightly bigger fuel tank and tubeless wheels. But here’s the thing… None of those things crossed my mind while I was riding it.

Instead, I found myself taking the long way home, turning around to ride favourite corners again and generally behaving like a kid who’s just discovered supermotos for the first time.

Twenty-five years later, Suzuki hasn’t reinvented the DR-Z. They’ve simply reminded us why we loved it in the first place.

To check out the DR-Z4SM some more, head to Suzuki NZ.

Publisher/Editor

Paul

Paul is the owner, publisher and editor of Bike Rider Magazine, a role he has had for over two decades. He has been BRM’s primary test rider throughout that time, riding and reviewing everything from learner machines to high-performance superbikes. After cutting his teeth with Superbike Magazine in the UK, Paul moved to New Zealand in the early 2000s and has since dedicated his career to delivering honest, rider-focused motorcycle journalism.