Suzuki DR-Z4S 400 2025 — Specifications

Twenty years of absence, and Suzuki shows up with a machine nobody was expecting anymore. The 2025 DR-Z4S 400 picks up the torch from the old DR-Z400S, that adventurous single-cylinder that had its loyal following but carried a spec sheet frozen in the '90s. This time, Hamamatsu has gone back to square one — or nearly. New name, new frame, electronics galore. The 398 cc single keeps its dry sump lubrication, but it had to clear the Euro5b emissions hurdle. The result: 38 horsepower at 8,000 rpm and 37 Nm at 6,500 rpm. Two horses got lost along the way compared to the old model, nothing dramatic. The real question is whether the playful character survived this emissions clean-up.

On the electronics front, Suzuki has clearly tried to make up for two decades in one go. Three engine maps via the SDMS, a four-level traction control system including a dedicated gravel mode for off-road use, partially or fully disengageable ABS, and a simplified Easy Start system. For a lightweight trail bike in this category, that's a level of equipment usually found on far more expensive machines. The question is fair: does a 38-horsepower single really need all this arsenal? Probably not for riding a dirt track on a Sunday. But when conditions change fast, switching from road mode to off-road mode with a single press on the switchgear is genuine comfort. The digital dashboard, on the other hand, remains spartan. No tachometer, basic display. Suzuki gives with one hand and takes back with the other.

The chassis has undergone the same radical treatment. The steel frame adopts a twin-spar architecture paired with a split cradle, replacing the old central backbone. The swingarm and bolt-on subframe have been reworked in aluminum. The inverted fork offers 280 mm of travel, fifteen less than the previous model, but the rear mono-shock compensates with 296 mm. Both units are adjustable in compression and rebound. Spoked wheels in 21/18 inches, light-knobby tires: we're clearly in trail bike territory, built for broken tracks, not in pure enduro land where a KTM EXC remains the benchmark. The 30 cm ground clearance and the seat perched at 920 mm confirm this calling: shorter riders will have to deal with a demanding standover height. The Nissin braking setup — a 270 mm disc up front and 240 mm at the rear — gets the job done without pretension. Functional, not flashy.

At 151 kg wet and with a tank holding just 8.7 liters, the DR-Z4S positions itself as an agile toy, built for mountain rides, urban commutes, and forest trails. Not for the highway, where its single maxing out at 150 km/h and its nonexistent wind protection will make every kilometer a chore. Not for long-distance touring either, with a range that will demand frequent stops. Its playground is the back roads, the narrow mountain passes, the dirt shortcuts. Against a Yamaha Ténéré 700, it doesn't fight in the same weight class. Against a Honda CRF300L, it offers more power and above all an incomparably richer electronics package, but also a significantly higher entry price.

What is the price of the 2025 Suzuki DR-Z4S 400 in France? You'll need to budget 9,699 euros. A price tag that stings for a machine of this size and displacement. Suzuki charges a premium for its modernization, and the lack of a proper skid plate or tool kit at this price point leaves a bitter taste. The target audience — A2 license holders first and foremost, young riders or weekend off-road enthusiasts — will have to accept paying top dollar for a lightweight trail bike that's certainly endearing, but modest in a segment where the competition often offers more versatility for less money.