Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126343
O"l CN I-c Q) ~ a Q) > o Z IA bovel The 369cc single isn't as po te nt as a Yama ha TTSOO. but t he whole package is lighter. IBelowl Forks offer 7.25" of travel. course lies not with the tire but the suspension, which when overworked doesn't let the tire spend enough time on the ground. The Suzuki suspension is not bad, it simply is incapable of handling the speeds easily provided by the engine and chassis . Since it's a sure bet that many engines will be modified to produce even greater velocity. the suspension will have to be literally elevated to meet the need . As it is, the Suzuki suspension seems to conform to the traditional Oriental pattern of being oversprung and underdamped. The oil /spring fork delivers 7.25 inches of travel . but under hard going in the rough it feeds too much chatter up the rider's arms to the shoulders. The fork could probably be rebuilt to perform quite well for any thing less than serious competition. The gas /oil adjustable (spring) shocks are less efficient. With 5.8 inches of travel, the shocks don't allow the engine to put its muscle to w~rk under choppy conditions. In the sand. sure. In m ud, maybe . Across the whoopdees and stutter bumps, no way. We hear that the RM swingarm can be easily adapted to the DR. Then, say you could score a good air fork set -up to add about two inches of cushion. Do a little geometry calculation. determine if the shocks would have to be reposi tioned. then fit up a pair of Works Performance or other good shocks. Then find out who has worked up the best cam profile and figure out the optimum compression and displacement increases. put on a good rear tire and . . . blip! You have a hairy thunderer. All for a measly investment of about $2000. But the Suzuki g70 is not hyped as a serious enduro bike or a racing machine. It's a play bike and as such must be compared to Yamaha's 500cc entry in that category. And they make a fine and simple comparison by virtue of their basic differences. The DRg70 feels like a m uch smaller machine overall, shorter verti cally and horizontally. narrower and m any pounds lighter. All but one of these impressions are validated by the specifica tions. Bot h the Suzuki an d the Yam aha ha ve a whee lbase of 55. 9 inches. The DR g70 has its head a ngle set at g I degrees . and the Yam ah a at go . The Suzuki wins the weight contest, coming in almost 20 pounds lighter. and that added to the differences in the engines results in the specific differences in the ways the two bikes perform . To oversimplify: The Suzuki is better -more fun to ride -under 40 mph. The DRg70 will dance around obstacles with less muscling. turn quicker and will be generally less fatiguing to the body. But when it comes to a fast run across a patch of mini-moguls. or up a steep and gnarly hill, the Yamaha will plow through where the Suzuki goes skittery. So in choosing between the two, the buyer gets a clear choice to pick his poison. The obvious displacement difference m a rks up the primary distinction between the two bikes' capabilities. While the Suzuki has to ca rry less weight . it also produces far fewer ponies to carry it. nearly a thi rd less. The DRg70 pumps up about 21 horsepower while the TT500 puts out 29. And since the difference is mostly in terms of stroke. the Yamaha delivers far more torque at far fewer rpm . That's the big divergence between these updated one-lungers, and that's the main reason most power jockeys will choose the Yamaha . But there are two other factors working in the Suzuki's favor. First . there are. no doubt . more than a few recreational riders out there for whom 40 mph in the dirt is plenty fast enough. In fact , those riders might find themselves well served when the Suzuki's early-warning-system suspeti~ sion gives notice that it is approaching the danger zone . Despite its wheelbase and lack of low.-rev grunt. the g70 will plonk along easily at about 5 mph while idling in first gear, so long as the ground is fairly level. But come to a steep grade when the Suzuki demands to be buzzed up to where its power goes to work (above g500 rpm), and it will pull with ade quate. if not bountiful, force. Specifications Suzuki DR370 Price .. .. . . .. . . .. .. . . .. . . . .. ...... . . •'........ . .. . . . .... ..•. $1299 ' Engine Type.. •.. • •. .. . . . . .. .. .. .. . . ....... . . . . . . . • OHC four-stroke sing le Displacement . •.. •••.. •..• •...... ......... ... ..•.••••. •. ... 389cc Bore & Stroke 86 X 66.2mm Compress ion ratio .......... . ... . . . ...... ... •.. ... ... .. .. .. . . 8.9:1 C~lrburetor • .... ...... .• •... .. . . ... ... •... ••.. •. • . Mlkunl VM32SS Air cleaner Polyurethane foam Staner . • • • . • • . • . • • . . . . . • • . . • . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . Primary kick Lubrlcetion •.................. . . .. : .••.• •. ••...••.. •... Wet sump 01 1filter • .• . . . .•• . . • . • • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . • . W ire strainer Transmission Type Av.speed constant mesh Clutch ... . . ..... ••. •.....•.• . ... . ........... .. ... . Wet mu lti-plate Primary drive ......• . • ••.•.••..•..... • •. ........ ...... 3.046 167/22) Final drive .... . . .. . . . . • . • . • . • . .. • ..... . 2.800 I1S tooth front. 42 rear) Gear retios .....• . ..... 1112.638 (2)1.750 (3)1.294 (4)1.000 1 610.818 Drive chain Daldo 520 Chassis Type •. •• • • • •.. •............. .... Single downtube, full cradle frame Seat height . . .. . ....... • ... .. ....... .... •. ... ....... .•• • 33 Inches Wheelbase .... . .. •.•.. ...... ... ............•.. ..... . .. 55.9 inches Ground clearance ...••. •......• ... .......•.•..•.... . ... . 9.4 inches Rake/trail 31 degrees IS.76 Inc.) Brakes..... . ....•. .•..•........ • ........•....•. Internal expanding Tires ; ....•.. • Front 3.00 X 21 Brldgestone MX Rear 4.60 X 18 Brldgestone MX Suspension . . .. . . . . • . . . . . . .. ... .... Front: 7.25" telescopic oil/spring , Rear: 5.8" gas/oil shocks Fuel capacity • . . • . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.2 gal. Dry weigh t .•..• " ....• ...... .. •... .. . . ...... •.......• . . 271 pounds . Electrical 10 Source. .. • .... .. . .. • .... .... . . .......• ....... .. Flywheel magneto Ignition • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . .•• . . . . . . . . . . . . .• . . . . . . . Breaker po ints Head light ....... .... . .... .•.. .. ............. ...•........ .. 15/15W Instruments .......... . .. •... . . : . ... . . . . . . . . • . . • . . . ... .. . . . . None