Suzuki Dr-Z400
Suzuki DR-Z400
The middle path to success
JIMMY LEWIS
IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED, now is the time for the rebirth of the four-stroke off-road bike. Latest of the Y2K Thumpers? The Suzuki DR-Z400, which replaces the outdated DR350, and on paper at least, appears ready to do it all.
Inside the compact engine are all the right ingredients for performance and pleasure. The fat 90mm bore and short 62.6mm stroke should thrive on revs, with the resulting vibes killed by balance shaft. The shim-under-bucket, four-valve-per-cylinder valvetrain is housed within lightweight, thin-walled castings, and the cylinder is composite-coated. The Keihin 39mm pumper carb is the same one that works so well on the WR/YZ Yama-Thumpers, so it should give the ’Zook plenty of snap, too. Liquid cooling and a jet that sprays oil on the underside of the forged piston address reliability. There’s also an easy-access clutch and oil filter, with the corresponding covers made of magnesium-simple and light. Air-filter access is tool-less.
The DR-Z’s chassis reflects its RM/RMX heritage, and wraps tightly around the new engine. The chromoly-steel frame employs round tubing for the backbone and engine cradle, and rectangular sections for the front and rear downtubes, thus ensuring optimum rigidity. The frame doubles as the oil-storage tank for the dry-sump lubrication system, and has an aluminum rockguard under the cases; plastic covers protect the magneto and water pump. The DR-Z is thin through the mid-section, and its fuel tank hides its 2.6 gallons better than the wider WR400’s. Suspension consists of a fully adjustable Showa 49mm conventional fork and similarly adjustable Showa shock that rides on a zerk-fitting-equipped linkage.
The rest of the bike follows in favorable fashion. There’s a trick LED taillight, a 55-watt headlight, an enduro-spec mechanical tripmeter and a USFS-approved, screen-type spark arrestor.
With a realistic claimed dry weight of 249 pounds (the electric-start Emodel is said to weigh 13 pounds more), the DR-Z shouldn’t scare away anyone due to excessive tonnage.
But so much for the spec sheet; how does the DR-Z work? CWs testbike is still a month away, but our friends at Germany’s Motorrad magazine got an early opportunity to ride a standard kick-start model and their testers came away very impressed. Initially, they felt Suzuki’s claims of 50 horsepower were a bit optimistic, but a quick spin had them changing their tune. While they made note of the broad range of power, they were especially stoked with the midrange and top end, as the DR pulls all the way to its 11,000-rpm rev-limiter. Compared to the European (read: highly muffled) Yamaha WR and KTM E/XC competition Thumpers, the Suzuki reportedly has a bit more bite and a lot more sound-definitely intended for the American market, the Germans suggested.
They also felt the chassis was setup more for the recreational rider, as opposed to the European enduros and the WR400, which are more competition-oriented. The resultant soft, compliant ride had the footpegs hanging up in rocks and ruts, and rectifying the situation through suspension adjustments wasn’t an option because the spring rates were deemed too soft at race speeds. For less demanding trail riding, however, the Suzuki’s ride was spot-on-comfortable, controlled and plush.
In contrast, the seating position and overall feel of the DR were said to be very sporty, like a motocrosser, and not much wider. The German testers remarked that it was easy to shift their weight forward and back. Typical of Suzuki dirtbikes, the DR-Z has a light, nimble, racy feel. And starting the engine was a simple oneor two-kick affair, thanks in part to an automatic decompression device.
In standard trim, the DR-Z fits right where it should, midway between a competition machine and a trailbike. But with a little setup, particularly in the suspension, the bike should prove competitionworthy, even while retaining its stock components. Suzuki knows this, and has hired multi-time AMA Motocross Champion Mike Kiedrowski to ride the DR-Z in the 2000 Grand National Cross Country Series.
About the same time, Cycle World will be putting the DR-Z through its paces in an all-out Thumper Shootout. Watch for shaking mailboxes and newsstands everywhere!
