[48152]

cool bike...but when i sat on one at the dealer the seat gave me a wedgie...

 

[gas_pig]

DRZ400S joined the dirt models in 2002? I guess that makes my 2001 a collector item. Sweet! Anyone want to buy mine for say....$10k?

 

[blitz]

Hmmmm. No cush on the rear hub. How long is that bike going to last on the street before you're replacing the transmission? Even my 1971 SL100 had a cushioned rear sprocket.



That's the problem with converted dirt bikes. They're REALLY hard on the drive train. MO should make this a long term test, beating the crap out of this thing. My guess is Suzuki figures that it will last past warranty, so it's no problem. However, i'd be careful spending my own $$$.

 

[gas_pig]

I've had no problem riding my DRZ400S hard off or on road and I'm not gentle with the shifting. The knobs are your 'cush' when you drop gears quickly on the street. Plus it's fun to lock up the rear a bit going around corners. Probably shortens chain life a bit though.

 

[52704]

Go Sean!!!

 

[pplassm]

Dirt bikes are a hoot on the street. I modified a KTM 620 with 17" wheels and updated plastic. It's got much more power than the DRZ and cruises easily on the highway, yet is still extremely agile. Oh, and, yes, it does have a cush drive.



If you really want a good supermoto, build one yourself.

 

[33129]

That bike was built for the roads where I live: paved mountain roads, plenty of sharp up-hill and down-hill turns with a goodly mixed of pavement irregularities. I do think the lack of cush drive would tear the zook a new one pretty soon though. I used to have a spare set of wheels with road tires mounted on them for my klr650 and it worked just great, if a little slowly. It, however, had cush drive and took all the abuse I could throw at it.



Since it is getting harder and harder to get a converted dirt bike past DMV staffers, the street legal DRZ ain't a bad way to go. It may not be fast but, when you're riding roads where 60mph will get you killed, speed isn't that important. But acceleration sure is fun to have. Now if we could just drop KX or CR motor in there...Better yet, just go buy a KTM.

 

[53331]

Sounds like a movie in the making!Good plot ,cliffhangers.Pyscho biker ruminations about soccer moms.Yep! Can I be your agent?

 

[iamz]

Nice review Sean. I'm not sure what was fact and what was fiction.



I considered one of these to complement my DR650 for my daily commute but was worried about the displacement at highway speeds. A 6-speed gear box would probably do the trick.

 

[red916]

Well, I bought one about a month ago, and it's one of the funest(sp?) bikes I've ever owned! Sean's article is spot-on. I've added an Akrapovic exhaust, jetted it, modded the airbox, installed Pro-Tapers, a GPR stabilizer, and a trick Baja Designs LED tail light. The wet weight is now at 294 - full of fuel. This machine simply flat-out RAILS!!!!!! BUY ONE NOW!!!!

 

[mscuddy]

Well it's about time Suzuki.



Now if I could just get a license plate for the mighty CR500....



That would be some kinda streetbike brutha. Kinda like my plated YZ490 but only better, cause I wouldn't have to carry around a pocketfull of B8ES' everywhere I went.

 

[red916]

Oh, and I installed a 39 tooth rear sprocket in place of the 41 tooth stocker.......

 

[23063]

"Say your final prayers, buddy, because this is it, the motorcycle accident everyone always warned you about."



Buy a Suzuki DRZ 400 SM to avoid this accident situation - or keep your current bike and slow down a little!!



$6099 - way too expensive. I agree it should have 6 speeds and aluminum frame, but would add, it should be a 600 and weigh the same 300lbs.

 

[supertireguy]

A Very Good General Purpose SM Bike

It's about time one of the big Japanese manufacturers came out with this type of SM bike for the masses. It might not have the most HP or bling bits but the price is right and it's a great all around SM bike for most any rider. New riders should feel comfortable with its character and experienced riders can still rip in the city/canyons. A few mods can add a few HP and there are probably some brake/suspension upgrades.

The Honda FMX650 could maybe hit the US market one of these days to give Suzuki some competition in the street SM market.

It would be fun to see Suzuki put a RMZ450 motor in a DRMZ450 bike one of these days for the power hungry racing folks.

 

[bugz]

He's going *EAST* not west!

-

The "story" has him going west on the trail but the pictures are of him travelling east.

-

 

[SeanAlexander]

Re: He's going *EAST* not west!

The story has me making a U-Turn in the middle of the trail and heading back in the other direction. By the way, the directions involved are North/South (in that order)

 

[jjasper]

great, finally as I have been begging for this review forever. I have an F650CS which is pretty much an old man's SM, but I am wanting a second bike that is a little more light and hooligan than the BMW and this one is looking very good, lack of cush drive is worrisome, but I think it could serve me well as an all weather LA commuter.



Sean should have taken this thing out at 5pm on the on some LA freeways to show off it's lane splitting prowess which I am sure it better than just about anything out there.

 

[desertbilly]

I'd like to get one of these to hang on the rack on the back of my Winnebago View -- once I get a Winnebago View, that is.

 

[KLRer]

One things that not mentioned, sitting up high has its rewards. Like being able to see. Granted, you're 2 inches shorter on the Sm than the S, but you're still a head above any car. Thats not just duff. You can see way off.

 

[KLRer]

Pretty good choice. The Yammy 225 is 60 lbs lighter but can't do 80. But the Yammy's even more flickable. Or you could hang a big ol 337 lb Kawasaki KLR 650 off the RV and keep up on the freeway most anyday.