Suzuki Dr-Z400sm
SUZUKI DR-Z400SM
Supermoto for the masses
DON CA NET
THE JAPANESE BIG FOUR HAVE toed the rising supermoto tide, offered limited support to a few racers, but not yet truly taken the plunge. Well, Suzuki is in above its waist for 2005, becoming the first of the Four to include a production supermoto bike in their North American model line. While hardcore racers may be more interested in Suzuki's new RM-Z450 four-stroke motocrosser as the basis for a supermoto conversion, the new DR-Z400SM is a turnkey street-legal supermoto that's both refined and affordable It's also an absolute hoot to huck around city streets and tighter backroads
CYCLE WORLD TEST
Taking a straightA1UW forward approach, LllV Suzuki used its tried-
and-true DR-Z400S dual-purpose bike as the stepping-off point for the new machine. The DR-Z’s motard makeover includes all the basics-shortened front fender, upgraded front brake and wide 17-inch wheels fitted with grippy sport tires. Suzuki could’ve pulled a stoppie right there and proclaimed things good to go, but chose to take the conversion to the next level. The S-model’s conventional fork was upgraded to a fully adjustable Showa 47mm inverted unit and its swingarm is an attractive tapered-aluminum item-both pieces derived from the RM250 motocrosser.
Aside from using a racing-type supermoto muffler, the only tuning change made to the S’s 398cc, liquid-cooled, dohc, four-valve Single is slightly altered CDI mapping to match the SM’s taller final gearing. The SM also shares the S’s 36mm Mikuni CV-type carburetor and 11.3:1 compression ratio (to allow use of 87-octane fuel), while the offroad-only models gain a bit of power due to their flat-slide carb and higher compression ratio. With this engine entering its sixth year of service, there’s no shortage of aftermarket performance parts that can be readily applied to the 400SM.
The convenience of electric-start not only makes life easy on your right leg, but also eliminates any worry of stalling the motor at a stoplight and holding up traffic while frantically kicking through a tedious hot-start routine. The
keyed ignition switch is located atop the triple-clamp and a pull-choke knob resides down on the carburetor. An automatic decompression system allows the engine to crank over freely, and cold starts were a snap, requiring only brief use of the choke before being able to ride away without any carburetion woes.
First gear is fairly short, working in concert with the light and fluid clutch action to provide super-easy launches. Operation of throttle and brake also has an exceptionally feathery feel. Our testbike’s shift action was slightly notchy, but it should be noted the bike arrived with less than 100 miles on the clock and has shown improved shifting feel as the miles mount.
Gearing is well-suited to city riding, where zipping from light-to-light sees you working to the top of the five-speed gearbox within a block. Running at 50 mph in high gear is where the SM’s sweet spot is found. At this speed, very little engine vibration is felt through the handgrips and fliel tank. Speed up a bit and the bars develop a mild buzz, while the tank and seat are dead calm. Go faster yet and the buzz leaves the bar and heads south through the chassis, but relative to most four-stroke Singles, the DR-Z mill is incredibly smooth at any speed.
Even on the freeway, where keeping pace in the fast lane has you revving the snot out of the motor, vibration through the bars was practically nonexistent. The handlebar is equipped with GSX-R style end weights; removing these to mount a set of supermoto-style handguards will likely sacrifice some level of comfort.
On the freeway, another cog would come in handy, as the engine sounds rather busy at speeds in excess of 65 mph. Dropping a couple of teeth off the rear sprocket to raise
the gearing may be something to consider, certainly if you do a lot of highway riding. Going with a larger countershaft sprocket isn’t an option, however, as doing so would cause the drive chain to contact the engine case.
The numberplate-style headlight fairing doesn’t offer much wind protection, but also creates very little buffeting. While the roomy, upright riding position might offer all-day comfort, the long and narrow saddle doesn’t quite provide the same, reminding you that there’s a fundamental difference between supermoto and adventure-touring bikes. Any hardship in transit is forgotten once you’ve arrived at a supermoto sandbox.
Tight, nasty backroads top our list of favorite places to play on the DR-Z. In such an environment, the 400SM can strut its long legs and kick some sportbike behind. Just stay away from straights!
Suzuki’s supermoto changes city streets into a new avenue for fun and vacant parking lots into paved playgrounds.
With nearly 11 inches of suspension travel comes tons of cornering clearance. The sticky Dunlop Sportmax radiais deliver the confidence to tilt the town at every turn. The bike feels light, sleek and narrow beneath you, accentuated by its ultra-nimble handling. The wide, MX-style handlebar
provides good leverage and an excellent sense of control. Steering is nice and neutral, requiring little effort to initiate a turn, or to alter your mid-corner line. Stability is good, even at freeway speed where dual-purpose bikes often tend to wiggle and weave.
Whenever the DR-Z
supermoto displayed a hint of this, simply relaxing hold on the bars settled it right down.
The front brake features a 310mm floating rotor pinched by the same dual-piston caliper as used on the RM250. The setup has good feel and plenty of stopping power, a moderate twofinger squeeze on the lever proving enough to hunker down the front end and lighten the rear. The 240mm rear setup-also from the RM-isn’t overly sensitive, serving well for executing the supermoto-signature backin’-’er-in corner entry.
Even when keeping both wheels in line, there’s a “playful” mindset this bike instills. The fact that an asserted effort is required to get its front wheel airborne may just be a blessing in disguise. If you insist on putting your license at risk, then a snap of throttle with a well-timed tug on the bars should do the trick in low gear. While you’ll be hard-pressed to achieve the same in a taller gear, the engine’s predictable power delivery makes multi-gear monos relatively easy.
But hey, we’re adults here and ride our bikes as such, right? We appreciate the DR-Z400SM for its attention to detail
and inclusion of key features such as a helmet lock, steering lock and locking gas cap. We like the wellstocked toolkit in the rear fender pouch and the easy sidepanel removal to access the washable
foam air filter. The LCD instrument cluster is impressive, with so many features it takes eight pages in the owner’s manual to explain its operation.
There will be a lot of explaining for anyone who rides this bike. Supermoto is a subculture that’s been around for quite some time, but now has a chance to break into the mainstream thanks in part to Suzuki stepping up and answering the call.
EDITORS' NOTES
No, IT’S NOT A SUPERMOTO SAVIOR LIKE
Aprilia’s SXV450/550 Twin I rode last month; more like John the Baptist spreading the gospel of how awesome a streetlegal supermoto can be.
Suzuki’s DR-Z400SM deserves praise not for being the most powerftil or exotic bike you’ll ever swing a leg over, but for ranking right up there with the most fun bikes to ride. Like your kid’s
simple Slip-N-Slide (just add water), the SM’s bang-for-buck ratio is righteous.
Suddenly, moto-fun can be had on driveway drop-offs, drainage dips and crested rises-never mind the sub-100mph top speed, those 17-inch wheels can fly! It’s so much fun to ride around town, I kept glancing down at the speedo because I felt like I was breaking the law doing 35, never mind the wheelie!
My biggest complaint? During seriously sick stoppies, the gas cap weeps. Thanks, Suzuki, for seeing the light at the end of the hack marks. Who’s next?
-Mark Cernicky, Assistant Editor
I AM SHOCKED. ELATED. STUNNED. Confused. But it’s all out of happiness. This converted dual-sporter with its funny 17-inch tires, cool fork and big brake is so much more than that little list of changes suggests. It is narrow, light, quick and has a decent ride. I nstead of having the fabled “dirtbike-like” riding position we always say we love about naked bikes, it just has a dirtbike riding position. Which happens
to be perfect. It will whip a U-turn in your bathroom and lean in a comer on those sticky Dunlop sport tires until you have vertigo. It will hop a curb. It slides smoothly, stops stoppily and wheelies with just a little tug. But it also runs on the freeway at 80 mph. Busily yes, but not really buzzily. It eats the biggest potholes, fuel mileage is great, the seat is decent and history has showed these DR engines just mn and mn. Ride one and you’ll be stunned and smiling, too.
Yes, it is hard to believe, but the perfect streetbike happens to be a former dirtbike. -Mark Hoyer, Feature Editor
AS AN ORGANIZER OF NEARLY 150 SUPERmoto race events since I contracted supermotard sickness a decade ago, I’ve witnessed the sport’s steady growth here in the States first-hand. It’s been a long time coming, but the arrival of Suzuki’s DR-Z400SM is much bigger than its 400ce of addictive fun would suggest.
Thanks to the efforts of KTM, Husqvama and a number of other European
manufactures that have built production supermoto bikes, the seed has taken root. But all of those brands combined don’t come close to matching the market penetration of Suzuki’s dealer network. The DR-Z SM promises to expose mainstream motorcyclists to this exciting breed of motorcycle. With any luck, the sickness will become epidemic and more major manufacturers will follow Suzuki’s lead.
If you start to feel the symptoms, Dr. Z offers the prescribed cure. -Don Canet, Road Test Editor
SUZUKI
DR-Z400SM
$6099
