There’s a legend that goes like this: A fisherman wanted to move massive quantities of reside fish (sometimes cod) to market, and it was important that the fish remained energetic and alert throughout the journey. In the event that they didn’t, the fish would ultimately fade away and die, risking a lot of the fisherman’s income. The answer? A catfish. That’s proper, after the day’s catch, the fisherman would drop a single catfish within the lot, and since the catfish was a unbelievable disrupter of kinds, it might agitate the cod and hold them transferring so that they didn’t get sedentary and waste away.
No, this isn’t a evaluation about fishing. I’m right here to tell you of an inconvenient reality, since you, my good friend, have develop into the cod on this saga. And whilst you may not respect it simply but, we have to get you transferring and again within the recreation earlier than it’s too late.
The catfish? The brand new 2025 Suzuki DR-Z4SM.
Associated: 2025 Suzuki DR-Z4S Twin-Sport Overview
Now in case you are trying on the motorbike within the photographs and dismissing it, pondering I must be speaking to someone else, you’d be mistaken. I’m speaking to you, the “consolation over corners, panorama over lap instances, yawning over yelling” person who life has contorted you into. The cod. And I’m ringing the alarm bell that now greater than ever, you might want to seize ahold of that wild catfish and do all the pieces you may to get the blood flowing and get your previous self again.
Hear, at 55 years previous, I’m talking with expertise after I inform you that we are able to get you there, as a result of I simply spent the final two days carrying out precisely that, and so are you able to. Permit me to elucidate.
My reincarnation began with a presentation of the DR-Z4SM’s technical particulars, slightly lunch, then a day of road and canyon driving across the motorcycling mecca that’s Temecula, California. My first thought after I rested my eyes on the 400cc supermoto was, It’s not likely geared toward someone my age, and I’d in all probability be extra at dwelling on the large BMW I usually roll round on for my police coaching and demonstrations. However gosh darn it, I used to be there to do a job, so I attempted to push that pondering out of my head and method the DR-Z with contemporary eyes and an open thoughts.
After the plain recognition that this was a street-legal supermoto bike, I glanced round some extra. I seen the instrument panel and will see it was providing some digital rider aids by way of the Suzuki Clever Trip System, however the bike simply regarded so uncooked and felt so gentle and pleasant after I sat on it, the expertise appeared irrelevant on the time. After which, one thing unusual occurred. After I toggled via numerous drive (throttle-response) modes, discovered all of the ABS engagement and traction management choices, a youthful Quinn appeared on my shoulder and instructed me to close all of it off. And for no good purpose I did simply that. I turned the traction management off, the ABS to front-wheel-only, and the throttle response to full ship. It was roughly 5 seconds later that I began to listen to the catfish transferring round in my head.
With a fast press of the beginning button, the bike fired. Boy was it quiet. And if I’m trustworthy, the marketed 38 hp at 8,000 rpm and 28 lb-ft of torque at 6,500 rpm didn’t make my palms sweat in anticipation of an arm-socket readjustment, however then my internal baby generated a light 1st-gear throttle blip, lofting the entrance wheel over a pace bump within the car parking zone. And similar to {that a} massive, silly smile was plastered on my face. As soon as on the onramp, I clicked via the 5-speed gearbox enroute to Mach 3 freeway speeds. The 400cc Single had sufficient energy on faucet to hustle from lane to lane, impact overtakes, and put me the place I needed to be with the opposite riders in my group. The DR-Z4SM has a high pace of over 90 mph. Or so I’ve heard.
Gear Up: Avenue
Freeway speeds can really feel a bit buzzy with bikes like these, however I used to be relieved that it felt higher than anticipated. No, it wasn’t Hayabusa clean, however I used to be snug, all issues thought-about for a 6-foot-2 man on a 340-lb supermoto at pace. I seen the 35-inch-tall seat was fairly agency and thus transferred a little bit of vibration, nevertheless it received wider the farther again I slid and mitigated the vibes.
The KYB suspension – a compression- and rebound-adjustable inverted fork with 10.2 inches of stroke and a totally adjustable single shock with 10.8 inches of stroke – was compliant after I hit dips and imperfections at pace. Initially I assumed, since this mannequin is a supermoto, that it was going to be rock exhausting on the road, nevertheless it turned out to be snug all through the road testing.
As soon as we dropped into the canyons, the DR-Z4SM acquired my full and undivided consideration. Now I might get to make use of this bike in the way in which it was meant: within the twisties. At this level, I began to ask questions I hadn’t requested in years. Was the suspension going to be too mushy and blow via its stroke beneath exhausting braking and path adjustments? And perhaps extra essential, was the entrance brake highly effective sufficient to constantly knock down full-throttle blasts with a 200-lb rider on board? Honest questions certainly.
The suspension was in all probability the most important magic trick carried out by Suzuki. As a consequence of sensible inner valving and spring charges, the KYB suspension was supple on the road but additionally managed to stay composed, with stiffer valving when the suspension started transferring via its stroke from better load forces. Positive, each the fork and shock are adjustable, however I didn’t must make any adjustments from the usual settings on the road or within the canyons. The suspension planted the wheels fantastically and enabled me to give attention to laughing inside my helmet because the surroundings blurred previous. The catfish was waking me from my slumber, and I cherished it.
As for the brakes, they delivered fantastically. With a 2-piston Nissin caliper clamping down on a 310mm entrance rotor, I had all the pieces I wanted. As for the rear brake, I’m positive it labored simply advantageous, however I didn’t use it a lot, as an alternative selecting engine braking as I slowed into turns, similar to I used to when me and my mates rode Mulholland out to the PCH in highschool throughout summer time break.
The following day we had been handled to some monitor blasting at K1 Circuit, a premier outside karting monitor in Winchester. This facility supplied elevation adjustments, chicanes, lengthy straights, and loads of alternatives to see what the DR-Z4SM might ship when frequent sense and self-preservation took the time without work. Suzuki techs dropped my tire pressures a bit and requested if I needed any suspension changes previous to my first session. Anticipating critical forces imposed on the twin-spar body, I requested a couple of clicks to stiffen compression damping within the fork and shock, however I in all probability didn’t want it.
As soon as on monitor, I centered my first session on figuring out how a lot traction and brakes I had on faucet. It was confidence-inspiring to find the Dunlop Sportmax Q5A tires Suzuki spooned onto the 17-inch aluminum wheels stayed glued to the monitor after I needed and broke traction solely after I employed the approach to take action. And the entrance brake at monitor speeds? I by no means wanted extra energy than my little index finger might muster, it didn’t fade, and really feel on the lever by no means modified, so it was a nonissue from the phrase “go.”
Truthfully nothing about this bike induced me concern or required me to rethink my method on the monitor. I heard a couple of riders point out slightly extreme warmth from the fitting facet of the engine, and some others niggled that the DR-Z4SM didn’t have a quickshifter, however actually, I didn’t discover any of that and had no struggles ripping via up and downshifts in any respect speeds and throttle positions.
Gear Up: Observe
By the third session, I used to be drifting the again finish into turns, easily rolling again into full throttle, and completely hammering the brakes all over. Due to the seamless fueling and purpose-built slipper clutch system, the entries and exits felt chic, with no chatter or hiccups to be discovered. Simply wheelies, slides, and pace.
In the previous few periods, I just about forgot all concerning the motorbike and simply melted my knee pucks lap after lap, yelling and laughing as I battled with different riders on the monitor. This bike was so composed, all I needed to do was focus on having enjoyable. I used to be deeply engaged, hyper-focused, and residing in a way analogous to how I’d direct it if someone had been silly sufficient to make a feel-good after-school particular about it. Then, after a couple of lengthy wheelies down the again straight it hit me: I used to be experiencing pure pleasure, and this was the closest I’d come to the unique motorcycling nirvana that began all this craziness so a few years in the past. I’m nonetheless buzzing as I kind this.
Hear, I can hold burning the clock rambling on about this motorbike’s unbelievable gasoline economic system, its spectacular valve-inspection intervals, high-performance fuel-injection system updates, on and on. However what must occur right here is that you just must journey this rattling bike and respect the particular and pointed alternative you may have in entrance of you. The chance to wake your self up. The chance to be slightly harmful. The chance to toggle off the mute button that in some way made all the pieces a bit too predictable. The chance to seize maintain of a catfish and by no means let it go.
2025 Suzuki DR-Z4SM Specs
- Base Worth: $8,999
- Web site: SuzukiCycles.com
- Guarantee: 1 yr., unltd. miles
- Engine Kind: Liquid-cooled, transverse Single, DOHC w/ 4 valves
- Displacement: 399cc
- Bore x Stroke: 89.0 x 64.0mm
- Horsepower: 38 hp @ 8,000 rpm (manufacturing unit declare)
- Torque: 28 lb-ft @ 6,500 rpm (manufacturing unit declare)
- Transmission: 6-speed, cable-actuated slip/help moist clutch
- Last Drive: Chain
- Wheelbase: 57.7 in.
- Rake/Path: 26.5 levels/3.74 in.
- Seat Top: 35.0 in.
- Moist Weight: 340 lb (manufacturing unit declare)
- Gasoline Capability: 2.3 gal.
