My Suzuki is a 2021 DR-Z400 SM that I bought brand new. It’s actually my third bike. The first was a 1983 Harley Sportster that I got used in the mid 80’s while I was in the Air Force. I had a lot of fun with it, but when I moved back home none of my friends rode so I sold it. My second bike is an SWM RS500R that I bought earlier this year. I still have it, but it’s a pure dirt bike and no fun on the street. Before I bought the SWM I’d been looking at the DR-Z400 S. Since the RS500 is too much for me now I decided to give it a second look. I’d seen the SM, but it wasn’t really my thing – I thought.
After looking at both, I decided on the SM. I already have a dirt bike, the SM has a better suspension than the S, and the shorter tires make it a lot easier to ride on the street – at least for me. So I brought it home…
What I love most about the DRZ is that it’s so simple – no ABS, no “traction control”… hell, it doesn’t even have EFI. It gets a bad rap for that – I see a lot of crap about how Suzuki needs to give it six gears, EFI, etc. That misses the whole point of this bike. If you want all that useless expensive crap go buy one of the 90%-plus bikes on the market that have all that junk. Leave the last of the simple bikes alone… well, at least until government over regulation forces Suzuki to downgrade the DRZ (and DR650). As for me, I’m loving my DRZ – it takes me back to a simpler and better time.