Suzuki DR-Z4SM 2025
The DR-Z legend returns with fuel injection and a fat price tag.
42.2/ 100
Scored within supermoto, methodology here
€9,699
list price
- power
- 38 hp
- wet weight
- 154 kg
- tank range
- 235 km
The short version
Suzuki finally modernised the DR-Z400SM: new 398 cc DOHC single, ride modes, traction control and fully adjustable KYB suspension. It is a friendlier, more analogue supermoto than the KTM, but it gives away 7 hp and costs over 2,000 EUR more.
Where it wins
- Fully adjustable KYB suspension front and rear
- Legendary DR-Z durability with modern fuel injection
- Softer power delivery flatters newer supermoto riders
Where it loses
- 38 hp plays 45 against the KTM at a higher price
- 8.7 litre tank means fuel stops every 200 km
- No quickshifter available at any price
Score breakdown
Engine and performance
6.3 / 25Handling and chassis
14.0 / 20Value
5.0 / 20Practicality
4.1 / 15Technology
4.9 / 10Reliability and ownership
7.9 / 10The full review
The legend, fuel injected at last
Suzuki let the DR-Z400SM soldier on unchanged for two decades, then finally modernised it, and the launch reviews agree the soul survived: testers describe a bike you chuck into corners, bury toward the apex and find it begging for more, with side-to-side transitions as quick as anything on 17 inch wheels.
The word that recurs is friendly. The lightest kerb weight in the class and a soft, progressive delivery make it the easiest supermoto to ride at its limit, and several reviewers argue newer riders will learn faster on this than on anything sharper.
The KYB suspension is the good news
Fully adjustable KYB units at both ends outclass the KTM 390 SMC R's part-adjustable kit on paper, and track testers found the stock tyres and chassis willing to break traction only when asked, which is exactly the manner you want in a learning tool.
The brake is adequate rather than fierce, there is no quickshifter at any price, and every review notes the highway is a place the DR-Z visits under protest. It was ever thus with this model line, and the buyers never cared.
The maths against the KTM
Here I have to be blunt where the launch reviews were diplomatic: 38 hp plays 45, 9,699 EUR plays 6,999, and the Suzuki wants oil changes nearly twice as often. Charm is real, but it does not pay for fuel stops every 235 km.
What the spec sheet cannot price is the analogue feel and two decades of proven DR-Z durability, and the press clearly adores the thing anyway. On the numbers this site scores, the KTM wins the class; the DR-Z4SM is the bike you buy after acknowledging that and shrugging.
Full specs
| Engine | |
|---|---|
| Engine | Single cylinder, liquid cooled, DOHC |
| Displacement | 398 cc |
| Power | 38 hp at 8,000 rpm |
| Torque | 37 Nm at 6,500 rpm |
| Power to weight | 0.25 hp/kg |
| Chassis | |
| Wet weight | 154 kg |
| Front suspension | KYB 46 mm inverted, 250 mm |
| Front adjustability | Fully adjustable |
| Rear suspension | KYB monoshock, 250 mm |
| Rear adjustability | Fully adjustable |
| Front brake | 310 mm, axial 2-piston |
| ABS | Switchable ABS |
| Dimensions | |
| Seat height | 890 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1465 mm |
| Fuel capacity | 8.7 L |
| Claimed consumption | 3.7 L/100 km |
| Fuel range | 235 km |
| Ownership | |
| Price | €9,699 |
| Service interval | 6,000 km |
| Valve check | 24,000 km |
| Warranty | 2 years |
| Equipment | |
| Dash | LCD |
| Ride modes | Yes |
| Traction control | Yes |
| Quickshifter | Not available |
| Cruise control | Not available |
| Connectivity | No |
Compare the DR-Z4SM
KTM 390 SMC R vs Suzuki DR-Z4SM
45 hp vs 38 hp / 161 kg vs 154 kg
Ducati Hypermotard 698 Mono vs Suzuki DR-Z4SM
77.5 hp vs 38 hp / 161 kg vs 154 kg
KTM 125 SMC R vs Suzuki DR-Z4SM
15 hp vs 38 hp / 152 kg vs 154 kg
Fantic XMF 125 Performance vs Suzuki DR-Z4SM
15 hp vs 38 hp / 127 kg vs 154 kg
Aprilia SX 125 vs Suzuki DR-Z4SM
15 hp vs 38 hp / 136 kg vs 154 kg
Frequently asked
- Is the Suzuki DR-Z4SM A2 licence legal?
- Yes. The Suzuki DR-Z4SM makes 38 hp (27.9 kW), inside the 35 kW A2 ceiling, so it is sold A2 compliant with no restriction kit required.
- How fast is the Suzuki DR-Z4SM?
- Our power-to-weight model estimates 0 to 100 km/h in about 6.1 seconds, from 38 hp moving 154 kg wet. That is an estimate for comparison, not a measured time, and it is labelled that way everywhere on this site.
- What is the fuel range of the Suzuki DR-Z4SM?
- About 235 km on paper: a 8.7 litre tank against a claimed 3.7 L/100 km. Ride it with enthusiasm and the maths gets worse, never better.
- How tall is the seat on the Suzuki DR-Z4SM?
- The Suzuki DR-Z4SM seat sits at 890 mm, which is on the tall side, so shorter riders should sit on one before signing anything. At 154 kg wet, weight does the rest of the talking at a standstill.
- How much does the Suzuki DR-Z4SM cost?
- €9,699 list price in the EU market this site scores. It earns 5 of 20 value points on our formula, which weighs price against equipment and running costs.
The workshop
Build your DR-Z4SM
The upgrades owners actually fit, at typical retail prices. Tap a part to bolt it on and I re-run the full 100-point scorecard on your build, same math as the official score above. Shop links are affiliate links: they support the site and cost you nothing extra.