The Suzuki DR-Z400SM is a street legal bike for serious dirt bike enthusiasts on pavement roads. It's not uncommon to take the SuperMoto down twisty forest trails as well as tight canyon corners. Its 398cc liquid-cooled, four-stroke engine provides strong low-rpm torque and crisp throttle response for any of these occasions. The key difference from the DR-Z400SM and the DR-Z400S are the inverted forks. Inverted front forks contributes to less unsprung weight and improved overall handling. The SuperMoto also comes with wider rims and stickier tires than the dual-purpose 400S.
Its 2.6-gallon tank, though smaller than that of the 200SE’s large 3.4-gallon cask, will still last you days before needing a topper. This is among the most reliable and fairly priced of its kind, along with competitors like the $5,099 Kawasaki KLX 250S and beginner-friendly $4,999 Honda CRF250L.
Dirty Looks
The DR-Z looks snarly, with a high nearly flat line from the handlebars to the rear of the seat. The aluminum rims and radial tires are set far away underneath the arched front fender and the alert tail. A single bright halogen headlamp at front keeps the look minimal and rowdy.
The rear view mirrors are situated well for riding upright, with a straight back, eyes alert in front of you; the handlebars are wrapped in rubber such that I didn’t feel vibration-fatigue after the day’s ride. The flat seat is not padded like a cruiser, but, again, after a day of riding my thighs and hips and butt were no worse for the wear.
A small zippered pouch on the back is surprisingly useful for holding cell phones, wallets, keys and mail, though it doesn’t look good back there because it interrupts the profile of the bike. (It’s still a better option than having to add a backpack or saddlebags.)
Automatic decompression system for quick/easy engine starts. Compact 4-valve cylinder head with 36mm intake valves, 29mm exhaust valves, narrow 28-degree included valve angle and shim-under-bucket valve adjustment system. Electric start with lightweight starter motor and a compact 6.5 amp maintenance-free battery. Forged aluminum piston is 10 percent lighter than a cast piston and receives additional oil-cooling to the piston crown through a crankcase oil jet. Lightweight 398cc, DOHC, liquid-cooled, dry-sump engine produces strong, tractable low-rpm power. SCEM-plated cylinder (nickel-silicon-phosphorous) is lighter and more durable than an iron liner with excellent heat transfer properties. Smooth throttle response with a Mikuni™ BSR36 CV-type carburetor fed by 6-liter airbox. The left side cover has quick-release fasteners for easy access to the air filter. Thermostatically controlled cooling fan mounted to the left radiator helps maintain consistent operating temperature in traffic.
Additional weight savings with magnesium valve cover, clutch cover, and magneto cover. A fully adjustable rear shock absorber with high/low speed compression damping adjuster and aluminum swingarm for precise rear wheel control. A bolt-on aluminum subframe helps reduce weight and simplify maintenance.
RK Excel aluminum rims and radial tires: 120/70-R17 front, 140/70- R17 rear.
Chrome-moly steel frame tuned for Supermoto style riding is torsionally strong with minimal weight. The backbone tube, front down tube, and steering head gussets form the dry-sump engine oil tank.
Long travel, Showa-brand inverted front fork derived from RM250 - features adjustable compression/rebound damping and alumite coating on inner tube surfaces for smooth action.
Strong braking performance supplied by a front disc brake with a large 300mm floating-type rotor and dual-piston caliper, plus 240mm rear disc brake with single-piston caliper
Additional weight savings with magnesium valve cover, clutch cover, and magneto cover.
Compact 5-speed transmission utilizes a cable-operated clutch with separate outer cover for simplified clutch maintenance.
Compact digital instrument cluster with speedometer, odometer, twin-trip meters with addition/subtraction capability, clock, timer and stopwatch functions.
On-road legal lighting with bright 60/55 watt halogen headlight, compact tail/stoplight, lightweight, rubber-mounted turn signals and horn.
Renthal tapered aluminum handlebar for reduced vibration and an aggressive look.