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Suzuki DR-Z 400SM

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Make Model

Suzuki DR-Z 400SM

Year

2009 - 10

Engine

Four stroke, single cylinder, DOHC, 4 valve

Capacity

398 cc / 24.3 cu-in
Bore x Stroke

90 x 62.6 mm.

Cooling System Liquid cooled
Compression Ratio

11.3:1

Induction

Mikuni BSR36 CV carburetor

Lubrication Dry sump

Ignition 

Digital CDI 

Battery 12V, 6.5Ah
Starting Electric

Max Power

29.2 kW / 39.7 hp @ 8500 rpm (rear wheel: 24.9 kW / 33.4 hp
Max Torque 39 Nm / 3.98 kg-m / 28.8 lb-ft @ 6600 rpm
Clutch Wet, multiple discs, cable operated

Transmission 

5 Speed
Final Drive Chain, #520
Frame Chrome-moly steel frame, single front down tube

Front Suspension

Telescopic, 49 mm, oil-damped, 11-way compression damping, adjustable spring preload

Rear Suspension

Link-type, fully adjustable spring preload, 26-way compression damping

Rear Wheel Travel

277 mm / 10.9 in

Front Brakes

Single 310 mm floating disc, 2 piston caliper

Rear Brakes

Single 240mm disc, 1 piston caliper

Front Tyre

120/70-17

Rear Tyre

140/70-17
Dimensions Length 2225 mm / 87.6 in
Width     855 mm / 33.7 in.
Wheelbase 1460 mm / 57.5 in
Seat Height 890 mm / 35.0 in
Ground Clearance 260 mm / 10.2 in

Dry Weight

137 kg / 302 lbs

Wet Weight

146 kg / 321 lbs

Fuel Capacity 

10 Litres / 2.6 US gal / 2.2 Imp gal

Consumption Average

5.5 L/100 km / 18.2 km/l / 42.8 US mpg / 51.4 Imp mpg

Standing ¼ Mile  

15.0 sec

Top Speed

145 km/h / 90 mph

 

Key Features

  • Suzuki’s Supermotard model based on DR-Z400S – combines Supermotard style and features in a narrow, lightweight street-legal package

    Engine

  • Lightweight 398cc, DOHC, liquid-cooled, dry-sump engine produces strong, tractable low-rpm power
  • Compact 4-valve cylinder head with 36mm intakes valves, 29mm exhaust valves, narrow 28 degree included valve angle and shim-under-bucket valve adjustment system
  • SCEM-plated cylinder (nickel-silicon-phosphorous) is lighter and more durable than an iron liner with excellent heat transfer properties. Forged aluminum piston is 10% lighter than a cast piston and receives additional oil-cooling to the piston crown through a crankcase oil jet
  • Compact 5-speed transmission utilizes a cable-operated clutch with separate outer cover for simplified clutch maintenance
  • Additional weight savings with magnesium valve cover, clutch cover, and magneto cover. Smooth throttle response with a MikuniT BSR36 CV-type carburetor fed by a 6-liter airbox. The left side cover has quick-release fasteners for easy access to the air filter
  • Electric start with lightweight starter motor and a compact 6.5 amp maintenance-free battery

    Automatic decompression system for quick/easy starts

    Thermostatically-controlled cooling fan mounted to the left radiator helps maintain consistent operating temperature in traffic
  • Chassis

  • Renthal tapered aluminum handlebar for reduced vibration and an aggressive look
  • Compact digital instrument cluster with speedometer, odometer, twin-trip meters with addition/subtraction capability, clock, timer and stopwatch functions
  • Long-travel, Showa-brand inverted front fork derived from RM250 – features adjustable compression/rebound damping and alumite coating on inner tube surfaces for smooth action. A fully-adjustable rear shock absorber with high/low speed compression damping adjuster and aluminum swingarm for precise rear wheel control

    Strong braking performance supplied by a front disc brake with a large 300mm floating-type rotor and dual-piston caliper, plus 240mm rear disc brake with single-piston caliper
     
  • Black-painted RK Excel 17” aluminum rims and radial tires: 120/70-R17 front, 140/70-R17 rear
  • New front and rear axle sliders
  • On-road legal lighting with bright 60/55 watt halogen headlight, compact tail/stoplight, lightweight, rubber-mounted turn signals and horn
  • Narrow profile with smooth transitions between the tank, seat and bodywork
  • Chrome-moly steel frame tuned for Supermoto style riding is torsionally strong with minimal weight. The backbone tube, front down tube, and steering head gussets from the dry-sump engine oil tank

    A bolt-on aluminum subframe helps reduce weight and simplify maintenance
     
  • Chrome-moly steel footpegs, aluminum rims/hubs, plus engine guard and rear disc guard

    Road Test

    The Japanese Big Four have toed the rising supermoto tide, offered limited support to a few racers, but not yet truly taken the plunge.

    Well, Suzuki is in above its waist for 2005, becoming the first of the Four to include a production supermoto bike in their North American model line. While hardcore racers may be more interested in Suzuki's new RM-Z450 four-stroke motocrosser as the basis for a supermoto conversion, the new DR-Z400SM is a turnkey street-legal supermoto that's both refined and affordable. It's also an absolute hoot to huck around city streets and tighter backroads.

    Taking a straightforward approach, Suzuki used its tried-and-true DR-Z400S dual-purpose bike as the stepping-off point for the new machine. The DR-Z's motard makeover includes all the basics—shortened front fender, upgraded front brake and wide 17-inch wheels fitted with grippy sport tires. Suzuki could've pulled a stoppie right there and proclaimed things good to go, but chose to take the conversion to the next level. The S-model's conventional fork was upgraded to a fully adjustable Showa 47mm inverted unit and its swingarm is an attractive tapered-aluminum item—both pieces derived from the RM250 motocrosser.

    Aside from using a racing-type supermoto muffler, the only tuning change made to the S's 398cc, liquid-cooled, dohc, four-valve Single is slightly altered CDI mapping to match the SM's taller final gearing. The SM also shares the S's 36mm Mikuni CV-type carburetor and 11.3:1 compression ratio (to allow use of 87-octane fuel), while the off-road-only models gain a bit of power due to their flat-slide carb and higher compression ratio. With this engine entering its sixth year of service, there's no shortage of aftermarket performance parts that can be readily applied to the 400SM.

    The convenience of electric-start not only makes life easy on your right leg, but also eliminates any worry of stalling the motor at a stoplight and holding up traffic while frantically kicking through a tedious hot-start routine. The keyed ignition switch is located atop the triple-clamp and a pull-choke knob resides down on the carburetor. An automatic decompression system allows the engine to crank over freely, and cold starts were a snap, requiring only brief use of the choke before being able to ride away without any carburetion woes.

    First gear is fairly short, working in concert with the light and fluid clutch action to provide super-easy launches. Operation of throttle and brake also has an exceptionally feathery feel. Our testbike's shift action was slightly notchy, but it should be noted the bike arrived with less than 100 miles on the clock and has shown improved shifting feel as the miles mount.

    Gearing is well-suited to city riding, where zipping from light-to-light sees you working to the top of the five-speed gearbox within a block. Running at 50 mph in high gear is where the SM's sweet spot is found. At this speed, very little engine vibration is felt through the handgrips and fuel tank. Speed up a bit and the bars develop a mild buzz, while the tank and seat are dead calm. Go faster yet and the buzz leaves the bar and heads south through the chassis, but relative to most four-stroke Singles, the DR-Z mill is incredibly smooth at any speed.

    Even on the freeway, where keeping pace in the fast lane has you revving the snot out of the motor, vibration through the bars was practically nonexistent. The handlebar is equipped with GSX-R style end weights; removing these to mount a set of supermoto-style handguards will likely sacrifice some level of comfort.

    On the freeway, another cog would come in handy, as the engine sounds rather busy at speeds in excess of 65 mph. Dropping a couple of teeth off the rear sprocket to raise the gearing may be something to consider, certainly if you do a lot of highway riding. Going with a larger countershaft sprocket isn't an option, however, as doing so would cause the drive chain to contact the engine case.

    Source Cycle World

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