old days, our history has us opining that 151kg is too heavy. But those comparisons are two and half decades old. Everything bike-wise built new today needs to meet ever-more stringent emissions regulations. Short of a closed-course competition model, the manufacturers can’ t make today what we made yesterday. And so we must live in the now, and measure the Suzuki against its contemporaries, which as it happens are also weighing in around the 150kg mark( and more). In this context the DR- Z4S is seriously competitive. Quite probably occupying the trail bike sweet spot we’ ve all been craving; punchier than a Honda CRF300L, smaller and more manageable than a KTM 690 Enduro R.
THIS IS 2025 The Suzuki technicians and designers have, notwithstanding, done a great job. They have thoroughly modernised the DR-Z. It is, in all probability, the best the DR-Z can be in this modern age. But it has to come equipped with so much its forbears didn’ t. Meeting modern emissions regulations( in Europe that’ s Euro 5 +, other regulations are available) means that we need a sophisticated fuelling and exhaust setup, with fly-by-wire throttle, with catalytic converters. Then we have safety standards, which means anti-lock braking and traction control systems. And therein lies the extra 10kg. And, as said, in the year 2025 you cannot make a streethomologated trail bike without that stuff. Now, you can’ t expect Suzuki’ s R & D team to say that, we’ d accuse them of hiding behind the bureaucrats, making sorry excuses, but as a journalist I’ ll defend them. Short of stacking the bike with titanium and carbon parts – and let’ s imagine the cost of doing that – I can’ t see how they could win. They, and we, have to suck up the penalties, and do the best we can. And this is what they have done.
NEW AGE DOG ROOTER Dog Rooter is the slang by which Kiwis and Aussies refer to DRs and DR-Zs. These models were a staple for the outback cow cockies, and you see them, to this day, parked in many a yard, covered in the orange dust of the antipodean back country. The new Dog … sorry, DR-Z4S, is though, quite the sophisticate. The new model is one sleek machine, no longer the basic but punchy country hack. It looks smart and Suzuki has worked hard to hide or blend-in all the regulatory gubbins. On the European test bike just one emissions canister is left out on show, hanging off the rear subframe opposite the neat double-skinned muffler – no doubt just waiting for the first‘ do- I-look-like-I-care’ owner to rip it out, along with the pipes and plumbing. But with fully adjustable gold anodised KYB USD forks and
KYB shock with a full-fat 280 and 296mm( f / r) of travel, not to mention the trick permittertype frame and sleek LED lighting front and back and on every corner, it’ s been beautifully executed. Yes, the bodywork and graphics are quite
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