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/631326
QUICKSPIN P90 2016 SUZUKI DR-Z400S who might've put on a few extra pounds over the holidays, but for casual riding, the ultra-plush ride is kind of a relief. Suspension components are pretty decent, too. The rather larger 49mm conventional forks are of the cartridge variety, and both the fork and shock offer compression and rebound damping, and preload adjust- ments. Back in the day, having comp/rebound damping adjust- ment was a huge deal and still is today, really. Bump up the preload a bit and the DR-Z can be ridden fairly aggressively on the trail, but it doesn't take much for an expe- rienced off-road rider to peg the DR-Z's suspension limit. Still, the important part is that this bike can pretty much take you wher- ever you want to go—street or dirt—maybe not always as fast as you want to but you'll get there. Unfortunately, at well over 300 pounds (claimed curb weight is 317 pounds), the DR-Z400S is not light; in fact, it's downright friggin' heavy. Combine that with its somewhat tall near-37-inch seat height and you might have a problem if you're shorter in stature or not quite capable of competing in the Mr. Universe contest. Another strike against the DR-Z is that it's still carbureted, via a 36mm Mikuni. The DR- Z400 would benefit greatly from fuel-injection which has become the norm now. From my past experience, the DR-Z is bulletproof—as long as you don't modify the motor! At least internally. I found that a good aftermarket exhaust system—at least a muffler—and a perfectly tuned carburetor are about as far as you should go if you want to perk things up a bit and don't want to compromise durability. The Suzuki DR400R might be an "old" bike on paper and doesn't get much press any- more, but that doesn't mean that S P E C I F I C A T I O N S 2016 SUZUKI DR-Z400S ENGINE: ..................Liquid-cooled, DOHC, 4-stroke, single-cylinder DISPLACEMENT: ............................. 398cc BORE X STROKE: ............ 90.0 x 62.6mm COMPRESSION RATIO: ......................11.3:1 FUEL SYSTEM: .......Mikuni BSR26 single carburetor STARTING SYSTEM: ......................Electric LUBRICATION SYSTEM:............ Dry sump TRANSMISSION: ...........................5-speed FRAME: ............................. Chromoly steel FRONT SUSPENSION: .........Conventional, 49mm, cartridge-type, fully adjustable REAR SUSPENSION: ........... Single shock, linkage, fully adjustable FRONT BRAKE: .......... Single floating disc REAR BRAKE: .......................... Single disc FRONT TIRE: ....................... 80/100-21 in. REAR TIRE: ...........................120/90-18 in. WHEELBASE: ................................. 58.5 in. GROUND CLEARANCE: ....................11.8 in. SEAT HEIGHT: ............................... 36.8 in. FUEL CAPACITY: ............................2.5 gal. CURB WEIGHT (CLAIMED): .......... 317 lbs. COLORS: .........Solid Special White No. 2 and solid Iron gray MSRP: ............................................$6599 it's not a great dual sport bike that really can take you almost anywhere, street or dirt. The 2016 Suzuki DR-Z400S features black bodywork, and has a retail price of $6599. It also has a 12-month unlimited mileage/limited warranty. The DR-Z400S also comes in Supermoto form with dual 17-inch wheels. It's known as the DR-Z400SM ($7199) and is also street-legal. CN Ultra-plush suspension and a user-friendly motor result in a comfortable ride for those long excursions.