Written by Paul Van Zuyle. Posted in Bikes
Go on an organized dualsport ride these days, and chances are you'll see more DRZ400S' than any other model. That's because in the five years since it was introduced, riders have discovered just how capable and reliable the DRZ is offroad. The lights and turn signals are merely a bonus, enabling the DRZ to become a freeway-legal dirtbike with few compromises compared to its dirt-only cousin, the DRZ400E.
Dual Sport News first tested this bike four years ago, and in this case I've had more than a little peek, too. I've owned the Kawasaki version of this bike for two years now, and it has faithfully carried me around town, over the mountains, and across the desert from the Mojave to Baja. So even more so than usual, I relished the chance to try a brand new copy.
One difference from the original version we tested is the suspension, which now sports the same big adjustable front forks as the dirt-only E model. This makes the DRZ even more capable offroad, and further reduces the differences between it and a purpose-built offroad machine. Otherwise, the DRZ has changed little in the ensuing years, with just a few internal engine modifications to improve reliability.
When I picked up the DRZ400S it had just two miles on it, and I took it straight to the California desert for a weekend of trail riding. In the Mojave, the gold mining towns of Randsburg and Red Mountain are surrounded by hundreds of miles of trails and open areas for off-road riding. During the week, the ground is quiet, but the skies are occasionally ripped by the sound of jet fighters from nearby bases. On the weekend, most of the noise comes from dirt bikers enjoying the challenges of the terrain.
It was on the "fun" trail that snaked down the side of the mountain and writhed between boulders that I got a reminder as to just how good a dirtbike the DRZ400 is. I had started out from near Charlie's Place behind Rick on a YZ426, who knew the single-tracks of this area as well as the jackrabbits that bolted across the trail. I was sandwiched between him and two more motocrossers, getting a workout as we pitched ourselves from corner to corner around the granite boulders that dotted the hillside.
After a while, though, the sound of the two-strokes faded behind. Rick pulled off to the side of the single bumpy rut we had been coursing along and thumbed the kill switch. I could hear my own labored breathing, and the distant whine of a YZ125 catching up from behind. Then I smiled. When does a middle-aged man on a dual sport get to humble a teenager these days? Not often, for sure, and I took a moment to savor the feeling.
That's the kind of high the Suzuki DRZ400S is capable of delivering, and shows how close its genes are to its dirt only sibling, the DRZ400E. In fact, many people confuse the two, since there are few obvious differences between models. You even have to reach under the gas tank past the petcock to find the choke knob, instead of finding it on the handlebars. To be sure, there are a myriad of smaller distinctions, from the steel gas tank to the CV carburetor, and even a sidestand interlock that distinguish the dual sport S, but they don't interfere much with the essential off-road capabilities of this bike.
From the start, you'll know you're getting on a real dirtbike when you put— or try to put—a leg over the 37-inch-plus high seat. That perch prevents anyone under six feet—this author included— from putting anything except tippy toes on the ground at a stop. Many dual sport bikes attempt to compromise suspension travel for a less lofty seat, but the Suzuki puts the rider and the chassis up as high as a supercrosser. This has led the flourishing aftermarket industry for the DRZ to offer everything from lower seats to modified suspension links in order to lower the bike for shorter riders.
Also like a motocrosser, the seat is narrow and runs high up atop the slim gas tank, perfect for maneuvering on the trail, but hardly ideal for endurance or comfort. Even before I hit reserve at 80 miles on the highway, I was more than ready to get off to stretch my legs. And while that 2.5 gallon tank may be enough range for outings in the dirt, it will keep you hunting for gas stations on any serious trip. Again, aftermarket parts makers have come to the rescue with larger tanks, and seats with foam or gel designed to feel less like a 2x4 after an hour on the freeway.
OK, now you know what you're getting into. But it isn't all hardship. There's an electric starter to bring it to life. Warmup takes only a few seconds before the engine runs smoothly with the choke off. And the Suzuki's short-stroke four-valve engine with a counterbalancer serves up smooth power from just off idle to high rpm (we don't know just how high, though, since it carries no tachometer). This same engine is willing to putt around town all day at scooter speeds, and scream down the freeway with the SUVs at 80 mph. Mind you, travel at eighty miles per hour requires the to engine run at somewhat uncomfortably high rpms.
Also, what this engine doesn't do, is provide the kind of low-end lugging power that allows a rider to paddle through difficult terrain just above walking speed. Thus, the DRZ is not a trailbike in the old sense, best suited to woods riding, but an incantation designed to tackle difficult open terrain at higher speed, with the suspension doing the job of handling larger obstacles. The DRZ really comes into its own element as speeds rise offroad and the rider can take advantage of the bike's light weight and supple suspension.
Where it shines most, in fact, is mid-range power and response. Whether on dirt or pavement, the engine delivers a satisfying, right-now kind of controllable power in the midrange that seems attached to your right hand. In open dirt, this means there's almost always power available—in two or three different gears—to get you up hills or over obstacles. Just keep the r's up. I could break loose the surprisingly-sticky dual sport tires at will for fun fireroad slides.
On the street, that same combination of controllable, predictable power and sticky tires was immensely satisfying on tight canyon roads. The Suzuki's combination of light weight, short gearing and midrange punch makes for a responsive streetbike. This is the secret side of the pleasures of a good dual sport bike: Pick a set of slow corners and you'll find it easy to lean in and power out in places where sportbike riders are struggling to get on the powerband.
Below 60 mph, the Suzuki could be ridden at a brisk pace on curvy roads with far less effort than sportbikes. There was one fly, however, in this tasty soup. Our California-spec DRZ exhibited a lean stumble when the throttle was opened quickly. This was most apparent at sea level, and is probably due to carburetor jetting that is on the knife edge of lean in order to meet emissions regulations without a catalytic converter.
Above 60, though, the Suzuki rapidly reaches the tip of its peak power. While the DRZ would accelerate to an indicated top speed of 96 mph (closer to an actual 90 mph, according to a GPS unit), I simply wasn't very comfortable. This was true when feeling vibration, as well as when sitting in a bolt upright position.
While you simply won't have any fun cruising the Interstate or trying to make a 600-mile day, you may find that there are roads closer to home better suited to the DRZ.
For instance, the canyon roads that are the favorites of local sport bike riders. Others might include the dirty, bumpy; single-lane tracks that one can locate at the edges of the suburbs. Then again there's the open desert. This is where the DRZ seems in its best element.
Back on pavement I could take full advantage of the strong but easily-modulated front disk brake that brings the front end way down under heavy application. This radical change in altitude might be disconcerting if your last ride was on a streetbike, but I adjusted to the DRZ's pitching without difficulty.
For true, full range dual sport riding I found the DRZ's gearing to be a bit too tall for the dirt and a bit too short for the street. A lower first gear would make it happier on tight goat riding type trails and easier to paddle through rocks, and a higher top gear would reduce the buzz on the beltway. So why, then, does the DRZ400 only have five gears, instead of six? Or, why aren't the five gears spread more, to better suit all around riding. This is one bike that could certainly benefit from more than a handful of ratios, and after five years, it is a bit of a mystery why Suzuki hasn't addressed this shortcoming.
The good news, of course, is that the electric starter makes life nice. While other riders kicked themselves into a sweat after tipovers on my desert adventure, I could use my thumb to get going right away. And for a bike with turnsignals and mirrors, the DRZ seemed remarkably resistant to damage in the dirt. I did manage to crack one turn signal and bend a bar-end weight, but there was no major damage, and nothing that threatened to stop me from riding.
One of the curiosities of the DRZ400S is the full-on enduro speedometer that it shares with the dirt-only E-model. Like other modern digital appliances, this unit has more functions than one would likely use for local dualsporting. In addition to the odometer, speedometer and clock, it has two tripmeters that can be reset by tenths, and countdown and count up timers. Like my VCR, though, I had to consult the manual in order to set the time. Fortunately, it was quite readable both day and night. This of course, would be handy for longer range adventures. Indeed, there are many who've outfitted this bike for long distance and most seem happy with the machine in that regard.
Interested in taking along a friend? Make it a short trip. While the DRZ has buddy pegs and a seat strap, your passengers are likely to complain even more than you will about the seat. There just isn't much padding back there, and the pegs are high enough so that children are more comfortable than adults. While the DRZ's light weight is a great advantage in the dirt and the twisties, a passenger makes a big difference in how it handles and accelerates. The seatstrap, too, is more of a nuisance than a benefit. While the Suzuki has a nice grippy seat cover, the strap can interfere with moving back and forth on the saddle.
In conclusion, while the DRZ400 is a very good dual sport in many ways, it lacks in a couple of quite frustrating ways. For one, it needs a wider spread transmission. A transmission and powerband that provides a granny low first gear, while also allowing a comfortable fifth gear for freeway riding. Without compromising midrange excessively this could realistically be done. Secondly, if this bike were equipped for slightly greater range, it then would be complete. It would be significantly more fun and practical. A slightly more comfortable seat and a fuel tank with just one more gallon fuel capacity would accomplish this. Then the DRZ would be the best.
Originally published June 2006.
