Suzuki hasn’t updated the DR-Z platform in a meaningful way since the 2003 model in my garage was new. While it’s a great bike and near-perfect as a lightweight BDR machine, the DR-Z400S and SM are old-tech in a new age of motos. That ends now with the 2025 DR-Z models, newly named the DR-Z4S and DR-Z4SM, getting enormous improvements. We’ll focus on the DR-Z4S here.
DR-Z4S Power Plant
The original DR-Z400S debuted in 2000 and gained a reputation for durability summed up with, “you can’t kill those things.” Still, it has a dated motor and there’s more efficiency to be mined from its 398cc single. Fuel injection is a huge change from the Mikuni carburetor on my machine, and a very welcome one. EFI brings more precise fueling and the end of carbs fouled when the bike sits too long.
Yellow indicates new parts
The DR-Z4S throttle body is controlled electronically, bringing ride-by-wire and all the goodies it makes possible to the new bike. Removing the cylinder head cover exposes new titanium intake valves and hollow, sodium filled exhaust valves. These four poppets get their lift from a higher cam profile. Down in the cylinder a re-designed piston goes to work with two iridium spark plugs igniting the mixture. The resulting power is fed to the rear wheel by a new slipper clutch that reduces lever pull while smoothing out clunky downshifts.
Suzuki also refreshed the exhaust system, fitting a slimmer, all-stainless, dual-wall pipe with a two-stage catalytic converter to meet Euro 5+ standards. The company doesn’t publish horsepower figures for the old or new machines, but they do claim increased output due to the piston and crankcase enhancements.
Suspension
Updated and upgraded front and rear suspension is all KYB. Say good-bye to the DR-Z’s dated fork boots, the new fork is an inverted design with compression and rebound damping. The single rear shock also allows those adjustments plus spring preload tuning. Travel is a healthy 11 inches up front and 11.3 inches at the rear. Holding this all together is a new twin-spar steel frame with an aluminum subframe. The swingarm is still aluminum but a new design.
The DR-Z4S stays on 21-inch front and 18-inch rear rims, but the tires are new. Said to have an interior configuration created just for this motorcycle, the IRC GP 410 tube-type tires are more aggressive than previous offerings.
The 2025 DR-Z4S is still a tall motorcycle, though seat height is down to 36.2 inches from 36.8. DR-Zs were never lightweights, and the 2025 model follows in their tire tracks, coming in 16 pounds heavier at a claimed 333 pounds wet.
Electronics
The new Suzuki is awash with new tech, making previous models look positively archaic. The display is still an LCD, but presents more information in a compact package, and there is now LED lighting all around. The DR-Z4S ride-by-wire update empowers larger changes, all part of the Suzuki Intelligent Ride Suite (S.I.R.S). First off are three drive modes, A, B, and C. My interpretation is that A is for all-out acceleration, B is for basic, everyday riding, and C is for careful, including wet, muddy, or loose surfaces.
Next is traction control, which has three modes plus “off.” Mode 1, said to be for good conditions, allows a modicum of wheel spin. Mode 2 is maximum control for slippery surfaces or nervous riders. Mode 3 attempts to make the best of the traction available while limiting wheel spin in dicey situations. Finally, there is ABS, selectable for front and rear off, or just rear.
These are the highlights, but there’s also a new radiator, seat, slim (and smaller at 2.3 gallons) gas tank, and plenty more, including accessories. Suzuki’s super overhaul has created an entirely new DR-Z destined to give riders more power, more safety features, better handling, and a wide grin. Unfortunately, they failed to address the one thing that annoys DR-Z400S owners the most—the 5-speed transmission. Sorry to say, but there is still no sixth gear. Go figure.
The price is yet to be announced, assume it will be upwards of $7199 for the 2024 model.
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Photos: Suzuki
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