Dual-sport motorcycles aren’t quite the answer to everything – but they sure come close to answering any question you might have on two wheels. They are, by design, capable of handling anything thrown at them, and they do it with a combination of great engineering and, of late, electronics. They’re light, fun, and will go wherever you need them to, limited only by your skill set and small fuel tanks.
The Japanese have been making some great dual-sport machines for a while now, and you might find that the segment has been largely ignored when it comes to development at the level of other segments. However, dual-sport bikes are also, by design, long-lasting, so frequent updates are not in their nature. One such motorcycle got a big update, and it was enough to catapult it into the lead of its brand’s dual-sport motorcycles. This is the Suzuki dual-sport motorcycle that can do it all.
Suzuki Knows A Thing Or Two About Dual-Sport Bikes
Suzuki has a long and storied history with off-road motorcycles. It started in the 1970s with the TS series of motorcycles, and the 1980s brought along the four-stroke DR series of dual-sport bikes. Its biggest example was an icon – the DR800S ‘Big’, with one cylinder and two carburetors.
In more modern times, Suzuki has slimmed down its dual-sport range, but there are still some very capable options in its current lineup. However, there is one model that is significantly more versatile than the others in the range.
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The Suzuki DR-Z4S Is The Suzuki Dual-Sport Motorcycle That Can Do It All
The DR-Z4S is a big deal for Suzuki. Before it, there wasn’t a truly new model for a couple of decades from Hamamatsu. The fact that it is a dual-sport means it needs to be equally good on tarmac and off-road. That means anything paved from city streets to highways, and fire roads to even single-track trails; it needs to be good enough to tackle them all. And it is extremely capable at all these things, which is why the Suzuki DR-Z4S is the Suzuki dual-sport motorcycle that can do it all.
It Is Priced At A Premium Compared to Others In The Segment
The DR-Z4S has a retail price of $8,999. While this pricing places it in the right space among Suzuki’s dual-sport range of motorcycles, that also makes it one of the most expensive products in the segment. And with brands like KTM using aggressive parts sharing, they offer more features at significantly lower prices. However, the DR-Z4S has a lot of features that cannot be seen – like the tech used in its engine! This explains some of why it is priced the way it is.
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The Engine Has Some High-Tech Bits
The DR-Z4S has a single-cylinder engine that is based on that in the DR-Z400S, but it has gone under the knife and is now unrecognizable. It has liquid cooling and fuel injection, and a compression ratio of 11.1:1. It is also a short-stroke design, and displaces 398cc. The peak output figures are 38 horsepower at 8,000 RPM and 27.3 pound-feet at 6,500 RPM.
This is a four-valve head with double overhead cams, and it uses titanium intake valves and hollow sodium-filled exhaust valves to reduce the weight of moving parts in the head. Two iridium spark plugs ensure efficient combustion, and it has a dry sump that helps the ground clearance immensely. There is up to 20 percent less mechanical loss compared to the engine it was derived from.
There is a cable-operated assist and slipper clutch as well. The only area where Suzuki has left improvement on the table is with the gearbox: it is a wide-ratio five-speed unit. A six-speed one would have given it better performance, and it would have made it a much better highway bike.
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The Twin Spar Frame Is Unique To The Segment
The chassis is another reason for the DR-Z4S’s high price: this is a twin-spar steel frame at the top, and a semi-double cradle frame at the bottom, offering the best of both worlds. The components are cast, and use chrome-molybdenum steel tubes. It is also used as the sump and cooler for the engine oil, like the Honda XR650L. The swingram and subframe are made of aluminum to shed weight.
The suspension is provided by KYB and has 49mm inverted forks with adjustable preload and compression damping. At the rear, the link-type shock has adjustable preload, rebound, and compression damping. Travel stands at 11 inches at the front and 11.6 inches at the rear. The brakes have single discs at both ends, with a 270mm front disc and a 240mm rear disc. A two-piston floating caliper does duty at the front, while a single-piston caliper is at the rear. A 21/18-inch spoke wheel setup is chosen, but the tires are not tubeless.
Small And Light – Just The Way A Dual-Sport Should Be
The DR-Z4S is a fairly compact and light motorcycle, which is to its advantage. It is 89.4 inches long and 34.8 inches wide, with a wheelbase of 58.6 inches. The seat is understandably high, at 36.2 inches, but that dry sump gives it an incredible 11.8 inches of ground clearance. The fuel tank holds 2.3 gallons, and the curb weight is a light 333 pounds.
A Basic Set Of Features Accompanies The Great Engineering
For all the great engineering put into it, the DR-Z4S doesn’t show off with visible features. There is an LCD instrument cluster that is densely packed with all the information you might need, including fuel level, gear indicator, a clock, and the status of the SDMS and traction control.
There is all-LED lighting, and the headlamp is a projector unit. Among the accessories are an aluminum bash plate for the engine, hand guards, brake disc covers, a 12V socket, a rear luggage rack, and a lower seat. Among the electronic features are a by-wire throttle that offers three ride modes. The traction control has a total of four modes, including off. It is a similar story with the ABS – it can be switched off only at the rear, or at both ends.
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Competition Is More Value On The Face Of It
There are two aspects to the DR-Z4S’s competition. One is within the Suzuki brand itself. The DR-Z400S doesn’t offer as many features or power, but it is carbureted and a no-nonsense product that will last forever with minimal maintenance. The DR650S is a cult product, well known for its unbreakable qualities. It is better suited to the highway, but it will offer the vibrations common to a large thumper. Both of these models are cheaper than the DR-Z4S, but with good reason.
If you look at other brands, the DR-Z4S occupies a space price-wise that no other product is in. You could opt for the Honda CRF450RL ($10,099), but that is a thinly disguised race bike, and you wouldn’t get the reliability or low maintenance costs of the Suzuki.
At the other end of the spectrum, there is the KTM 390 Enduro R. It is a capable off-road bike, but is based on the 390 Adventure R, so it has a six-axis IMU. It also has a TFT screen with Bluetooth and navigation capability, which is unique to the segment. Additionally, it has the most powerful, with 44 horsepower. With all its features and performance, it is also one of the cheapest, with a retail price of $6,049.
Finally, if you want something off-beat, there is the Beta Alp 4.0. It has similar displacement and power as the Suzuki, but also has a six-speed gearbox, and it is the lightest product here, save the Honda. This means that, coupled with its retail price of $6,790, it makes a very strong case for itself.
Source: Suzuki Cycles