I’ve spent a lot of time on the DR-Z4S , bowling around local lanes and generally having a hoot off-road in 40 or 50-mile stints. It’s left me in a conundrum – it’s so easy to ride in the dirt, yet it’s frustrating for even the shortest stretches of riding on tarmac, and its price tag is at the saltier end of the small-capacity trail market. So, what works, and what doesn’t?
As an off-road machine, the DR-Z4S ticks all the right boxes when it comes to the position of the seat, ’bars and ’pegs. While I’m only 5ft 7in, nothing is too much of a reach, and the standing position is spot on, with a good amount of leverage for tighter, twistier sections, too.
With the rubbers removed, the footpegs are also incredibly grippy. On the road, it’s not actually too bad besides a stiff seat – but the tiny fuel tank means it’s never too far between fuel stops anyway.
In a world where technology is everywhere, the DR-Z4S brings a breath of simplicity. It comes with a small LCD dash (thankfully, that has a fuel gauge) with switchable rider modes, traction control and ABS.
Although it’s pleasantly simple, the off-road traction control isn’t too intrusive, while the softer ‘B’ engine map makes life a little easier in really sloppy mud if needed. They’re also great systems to have on the road when riding with more dirt-biased tyres.
That peppy little 398cc single is great fun and really friendly to use on the dirt, but on the open road and riding between lanes, it feels rather laboured and geared far too short.
I don’t even bother using first at all, as it’s so short, and the ratios are so tight it ends up in fifth gear by the time the speedo reads 40mph – meaning any riding over 60mph is a serious chore. A sixth gear would go a long way towards making riding on the tarmac more bearable, even if it’s just between trails.
Unlike other small-capacity off-roaders or adventure offerings , the Suzuki’s KYB suspension is not only well sprung and not too soft as standard but also has adjustment at both ends – and reacts well to any adjustment.
As the weather and trails have cleared up, four clicks of compression on the front and rear have made it that little bit sturdier when dealing with faster, harder off-road riding and reacting for a little more poise on the road as well.
The elephant in the room is still the price – at £7999, the DR-Z4S is a lot of money for a machine that doesn’t perform well on the tarmac and still needs some aftermarket goodies to be fully enjoyed, such as a better bashplate and some handguards.
It makes a lot of sense if you can spend most of your time on the dirt, but if you have to do a lot of travelling between lanes and keep your trails fairly friendly, there are cheaper alternatives that will appeal to you.
One thing I’ve really come to dislike about the DR-Z4S on trails is its lack of protection around the hands. Some riders don’t like handguards, but for UK trails in the summer it’s easy to get hands caught on bushes and branches. Even a soft set of guards would go a long way – they’re on order for our test bike.
Deputy Editor - Carl has worked within the industry as a motorcycling journalist for several titles since 2015, and has covered a host of new bike launches, events, and interviews since then. Although he may still looks fairly young, he’s been around the block for longer than he’d care to admit. Alongside his journalistic experience, Carl has been racing since 2012, spending many years at both a…