Suzuki DR-Z400SM
I won’t pretend the DR-Z is any good for touring, because it isn’t. Nor is it much fun for any more than about 10 minutes on a motorway. But for day-to-day blasting around, I’ve never ridden a bike that has made me feel like I was misbehaving quite so much as this one. The primary reason for this is its gem of a motor. At just 400cc, the throttle is pinned to the stop most of the time, with the single pot cylinder thumping away angrily. Yet you’re rarely breaking the law in terms of out and out speed. While it will still hit 60 from rest in a shade over five seconds, it won’t top three figures - even downhill with a tail wind. But what makes this Suzuki so amusing is the rawness with which it delivers its power between 40 and 80mph, and the fact that it corners so alarmingly well. Slow down for bends? Why bother?
Suzuki have gone all guns blazing here for the increasingly popular supermoto market. Take the tyre choice, for example. Super-sticky Dunlop Sportmax front and rear, wrapped around a pair of very cool 17-inch Takasago spoked rims. Mix those with inverted 47mm Showa forks that offer nearly 11 inches of suspension travel and an attractive tapered aluminium swingarm, and you have a machine that looks as well as it handles.
Suzuki have even dealt with the security issue so commonly associated with bikes of this nature. There is a helmet lock, a steering lock located on the headstock, and even the fuel filler cap is lockable. I’m not sure how long the toolkit will last in the rear mudguard pouch though.
In terms of riding position, the DR-Z400 reminded me greatly of the trusty Kawasaki KX125 I had way back when Maggie Thatcher was still in power. The motocross grips, high seat, low pegs and garish mudguard visible over the clocks all felt very familiar - and made me feel a good 20 years younger. What my old KX lacked though was the luxury of a fully functioning electric starter. And I certainly don’t remember it having a digital speedo!
The DR-Z’s gearing is closely spaced and it doesn’t take long to work your way through the five different ratios. With a perfectly balanced clutch, the transmission flicks up and down without skipping a beat. The strip of material that masquerades as a seat is not what you’d call luxury, but it can‘t be too bad - after picking this bike up from Fowlers I rode all day, hopping off only to refuel its tiny tank every 80 miles or so.
In fairness, the DR-Z400SM sat very well with the traffic flow going up the M32 out of town, and it didn’t shake my fillings loose as I had expected. As high speeds are not its strongest suit, coming up behind cars on B-roads and dispensing with them one after another becomes a treat rather than a pain. You’re so high up that forward vision is unparalleled and, safe in the knowledge that it corners so well, you can just keep urging forward. Nothing upsets Suzuki’s supermoto. Dirty, greasy roads? It doesn’t care, even if you’re off the right line. Just keep the throttle wound on and lean some more. It’s a great feeling.
Alternatively, get yourself a spare set of rims with some knobbly tyres and you could go green laning. How many sports bikes can offer you that option? With more and more cameras out there bikers are now looking for other ways to get their kicks that aren’t pure speed, and this little Suzuki could just be the answer.
So ditch your small-bike preconceptions and give the DR-Z400SM a go -- it might just lend a whole new aspect to your motorcycling. I know it has mine.
Article written: March 1, 2007
The Suzuki DR-Z400SM was kindly loaned by Fowlers Motorcycles of Bath Road, Bristol. For more information about test rides, call Fowlers on 0117 977 0466.
OUR STEER ON THE DR-Z400SM
Engine: 398cc, single cylinder
Power: 40bhp at 7,600rpm
Torque: 39.2 Nm at 6,600rpm
Transmission: five-speed
Weight: 134 kg
Fuel capacity: 10 litres
Top speed: 93 mph
Seat height: 890 mm
by Jon Bennett
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