Suzuki Dr-Z400e
SUZUKI DR-Z400E
Long-Term Wrap-Up
EVOLUTION OF THE TRAIL/RACE/PLAYBIKE
TIME TO CLOCK OUT for our long-term DR-Z400E, and the overtime pay in this case has truly been earned. Our firstmodel-year testbike was rarely left sitting as we explored all dirt avenues and came away pretty impressed. Suzuki has built an all-around off-road bike that is hard to beat, and we used , ours for everything from easy : trail rides to challenging offroad Grand Prix races.
In the 18 months we’ve had our DR-Z, the bike’s only serious shortcoming was its engine case. Made from magnesium for light weight, it was brittle and overly susceptible to damage. We always carried QuickSteel in our fannypacks to ensure we made it back to civilization. After a severe dent to the ignition cover, a Baja Designs skidplate ($56) with an ignition cover protector ($25) might have been a smarter alter-
native. Another complaint regarding the rearward sloping seat was remedied with a Factory Effex grippy seat cover. Better traction on the saddle kept us forward on those steep hillclimbs. And last, our stock air filter didn’t hold up too well, so we replaced
it with our favorite dirtbike air filter ($24) and oil ($17) from No-Toil.
Other than air filter and oil changes, our DR-Z suffered only one mechanical failure in nearly 5000 miles. A 69cent shift-pawl roller broke during the 24 Hours of Glen Helen and temporarily sidelined the bike. Hasty repairs utilizing parts from a donor DR-Z400S got us back in the race, but our tranny has never seemed the same since. Could be the parts taken from the street version to fix our long-term bike never got put in right, or there may still be a mystery washer in the dirt at Glen Helen-we aren’t sure. It just seems the clutch pull isn’t quite as silky-smooth as it once was. Later, we tried swapping out the clutch basket to a beautiful Hinson billet item ($295, www.hinsonracing, com) as our stocker showed some signs of wear. While the notchy lever pull still remained, this didn’t stop riders from taking the DR-Z out.
You know, it just seems rare anymore that you get what you pay for. But I can honestly say that my DR-Z gave me more bang for my buck than anything I have ever purchased in my life (I’m 36). The bike is everything I hoped it was going to be and soooo much more. -Paul Walsh, Philadelphia, PA
Quotes from the logbook
We finished the 24-hour! The good news is, the tires went the distance. The bad news is, the tires lasted longer than the transmission!
This is an XR400 for the 2000s. Typically Suzuki, the DR-Z feels light and agile even with the electric starter.
Engine-wise, the good “Doctor” is nice and gentle, the kind that warms its hands before probing. This trait might well lead to
One of our ongoing struggles was searching for increased performance without sacrificing ridability. As with most four-strokes, the exhaust system was our primary focus. Yet even so, for most of its life our DR-Z remained stone-stock, with the exception of removing the snorkel from the airbox. And it wasn’t for a lack of trying: We sampled nearly every aftermarket pipe out there and came back with ringing ears. Just recently, FMF came out with its Power Core IV-Q system ($550, www.fmfracing.com) that emits about 94 db and produces similar smooth power to the stock pipe but with a little more bite.
If sheer riding fun is what you’re looking for, no straight-off-the-productionline bike delivers more than the DR-Z400E. It’s a blast! Nitpickers will probably upgrade the suspension, but I don’t believe they’ll have any more fun than I have on my bone-stocker. -Jeff Messner, Akron, OH
Suzuki’s DR-Z400E has proven to be durable and extremely versatile, making it the best four-stroke trailbike you can buy. The level of trail/playbike capability has been duly raised. □
SPECIFICATIONS
$5349
