2006 Suzuki DR-Z400SM reviews

First I bought a 06 DRZ 400S that I love. A friend was selling his 06 DRZ 400SM with 4000 miles on it so I bought it. I am so impressed with the bike. The bike is light weight, easy to handle and has great brakes. A jet kit and Leo Vince exaust make the bike even more fun. The over all package is absolute joy and freedom to me. The bike(s) are so dependable and with 11,600 miles between them in one year I have had no break downs. Show less

Anyone who has ridden one of these on the street will know what I'm talking about. I come from a motocross/enduro background and this bike will not disappoint you. I have taken it on 70 mile enduro trail rides keeping up with a Raptor 700 quad and passing was no problem. I rip up city streets on it and my superbike friends look good in the square mirrors; just stay away from long straight aways. I sold my FZR600 to get a supermoto so the stock set up was a little lacking. But once I put exhaust and a new carb on, it really woke up. So, if you are looking to buy one plan on about a grand in upgrades and your bike will rip. Top speed a little over 100 mph. Good luck keeping the front tire on the ground. Show less

I've had my 07' DRZ400SM for about 2 days and have put around 100 miles on it. I'm trying the 'ride it hard' break in method, with my first oil change at 20 miles and my next one at 150. I'll keep you guys updated on how it breaks in. My last bike was an 03' SV1000S, which, in my humble opinion, is one of the best streetbikes on the market right now. I'm pretty much a sportbike guy, but I'm having a lot of fun with this bike. I was debating on getting the DRZ400SM new or buying a 600F4I with 8k miles. They were about the same price but I wanted to develop some new riding skills so I thought the DRZ would be a better choice...so far, I'm happy. It has pretty good squirt out of the corners and it will definitely bring out your inner hooligan. It turns and stops really well. It is definitely a very agile bike around town. Not much will be able to keep up in urban areas. It is much easier to carry a lot of corner speed around town and in tight turns. Plus, intersections have some of the worst traction and potholes, but the little DRZ just eats it up and you can rip through the turn at a speed you would never even consider on a sportbike. yYou will probably be getting some pretty silly ideas just riding around as you see curbs, railroad tracks, and golf courses. For you SM guys that are interested in backing it in, well I'm definitely not a pro at it. But, I've had no problems getting the rear loose in 1st and 2nd under heavy braking. So, as my skill increases with the entry slide, I think the DRZ will be right there with me. This bike is a lot of fun sliding around town and stuff. Only managed to pull up the front in 1st right now. don't know if I could do it in 2nd without a rejet. So I think Suzuki has made a great bike that would not be intimidating for a beginner. I also think it will provide a more experienced rider with some new challenges in cornering and braking. The bike seems to respond well as you push it harder. So Suzuki, the next step is to create the TL/SV/DL1000-SM. Put that great 90deg 998cc twin in a supermoto package. that's a no brainer. Show less

I have nearly 10,000 miles of riding in one year, so I consider myself still in the growing stages. I had sport tourers and a Ninja before my DRZ. Had to get the weight off my wrists, so I opted for the SM since I knew I wouldn't be doing any off roading. This bike is perma-grin..make sure you have good looking teeth, because that's all you will be doing...smiling ear to ear. The bike is very light, and you can flick it in a corner with so much ease that you have to adjust so you don't take it too sharp. It eats twisties for lunch and splitting traffic is actually fun. Vibration is slightly harsh in the upper rpm, but that's what you get with a thumper. Torque is excellent and in stock form can pull your hands off the bars if you're not aware. Installing a jet ket from what I hear makes this thing even crazier. The fun factor is so high, you won't even notice the seat.. until you get off. Bike is very easy to maintain. No fairings to yank on to change the oil/easy to peek at for minor inspections. Average about 50 or so mpg, so at 85 miles your clicking to reserve. Digital display is great and has some good features. Suspension is very adjustable. Expect the rear tire to last about 3 to 4,000 miles. Less if you ride it really hard. Bike will do 80mph, maybe more but I don't push it faster. This makes a good beginners bike too if you're tall enough. Sure, I like the looks and power of a good sport bike, but in the real world of function and fun, the DRZSM broke the mold. Show less

This bike is a blast!! Coming from a racing background I didn't know what to expect at first, but I'm glad to say that I am not disappointed in any way. It handles great, and is very flickable in the tight twists. After jumping it pretty good a couple times I noticed that the stock suspension (for me anyway) is a little mushy, but just a couple clicks on the shocks will fix that. On the roller coaster roads that we have around here I can go into any turn a whole lot hotter than I ever could on my old R1, and I knew that would happen. LIGHT + STREET TIRES = :-)on super tight roads. As for the seat being uncomfortable, I'm having way too much fun on the bike to even notice!:-) Two thumbs up from me..... Show less

Easy handling, quick steering. Very light weight, nice suspension - adjustable - stops well, just remember to use both front and rear brakes. Terrible seat though. Faster than you would think. Just rev it. Great style. Gas tank too small for real exploring, but you can work around that. VERY capable in the curves, and you're not tired when you get home. Show less

This bike just is everything that you could want all in one. You can zoom out the 58 to POZO, when you get there, you can hit the fire roads and have a blast. I can't really put this bike into words. I've had it for less than 4 weeks and already have 2400 miles! YEAH Show less

I bought my bike after a 15-year absence from the sport, and I have loved every kilometer that I have logged so far. This bike is fast, handles great, turns heads and starts conversations. (Even the Harley snobs want to talk about this bike!). The seat is a little hard, so I have ordered a gel seat that will also give me an inch less to reach the ground, which is nice because this bike is tall. But the fact that it is very light makes this a non-issue at stops. Show less

I picked up my bike Monday this week and haven't ridden a motorbike in over 20 years (pushing late 30s). Researched bikes for about three months zoomed in for a while on KTM's 640 Adventure, Husky's TE610 and sm610, passing interest in Suzuki UNTIL I started reading user reviews. The KTM's are too heavy and expensive for a "first" bike; the Husky's have a spotty reliability record (best looking bikes of the group, though). But the more I researched, the more I realized that the Suzuki DR-Z is THE strong, reliable (very important to me) and AWESOME performer of the pack. So made my trip to the dealer, paid the guy, put on my helmet, and rode into some of the most challenging traffic in my small city. WHAT A THRILL RIDE. I expected to be a bit underwhelmed by the power - I was totally wrong. This bike rolled to 80 mph in no time at all. Handles like nothing I have ever experienced before - tight, agile, responsive, and best of all, quick. I have absolutely no regrets and got a great deal. I know it's early in my ownership, but I love this bike. I can accelerate, shift, weave, brake, and ride with confidence. I guarantee that performance has more to do with the bike than the rider, at this point. Looking forward to putting a couple thousand fun filled (and reliable!) miles on the ODO this year. Show less