P104
RIDE REVIEW I 2025 SUZUKI DR-Z4S REVIEW
management necessary to sup-
port the advanced electronic
functionalities
of the Suzuki
Intelligent Ride System (S.I.R.S.),
including the Suzuki Drive Mode
Selector (SDMS) and the Suzuki
Traction Control System (STCS),
which features G (Gravel) mode.
The DR-Z now offers ABS that
can be turned off for either both
wheels or just the rear.
Digging deeper, the DR-Z4S's
fully redesigned 398cc engine
features, among many other
smaller enhancements, new
titanium intake valves, updated
camshaft profiles, a new cylin
-
der head, a lighter piston, and
a redesigned
crankcase. It also
everything has been updated:
the twin-spar steel frame, the
engine, the suspension, the cos-
metics, the brakes, the tires, the
ergos—you
name it.
Perhaps the most significant
change is the employment
of Suzuki's ride-by-wire elec-
tronic throttle and fuel-injection
systems.
These upgrades are
designed to enhance response
and control compared to the
previous carburetor while
also providing the precise fuel
Truly All-New
The DR-Z400S is so new that it
has been rebranded as the DR-
Z4S. Only one or two parts were
carried over from the old model.
Despite all the changes, Suzuki
aimed to preserve the vibe that
made the DR-Z so popular in the
first place while also enhancing
its performance and making it
more environmentally accept-
able. Suzuki continued to use
the DR-Z400S
as the 4S's foun-
dation instead of starting from
scratch
or perhaps turning to the
discontinued Suzuki RMX450Z
for inspiration. However, the soul
of the DR-Z400S remains, but
Suzuki didn't stray far from the
DR-Z400S's heritage despite
the DR-Z4S getting modern-day
looks and performance.
