2022 Suzuki DRZ400 SM | First Ride

Crazy how everyone says the Drz is dated, but in 22 years no one has made a worthy competitor 😂. So much ignorance and misinformation surrounding this bike that people regurgitate from forum to forum. The fact is that it is the greatest bike of its kind ever made, nothing has even come close, and there will never be anything like it ever again.

Owned mine for 8 years, awesome bike. Started with mine almost stock, it’s now one of the most modified bikes around, full powder coating, all the power mods, suspension, brakes, clutch, visual stuff, Thats what makes this go from a great bike to an amazing bike. It’s like an old Japanese car it gets better with age and with modifications and customisation. There are never two the same.

The bike has not changed in forever so they don’t have to comply with modern emission regulations, if they gave it a proper upgrade it would have to comply and that would ruin the bike.

Old but gold. Rode one on my first MC trip to the Tail of the Dragon and it was great. It’s such a pure riding experience and feels like it weighs nothing.

The rectangular stock headlight gives it that 80's retro aesthetic! The seat feels a LOT better if you swap the stock cover out for an EnjoyMfg grippy ribbed cover (need a pneumatic staple gun to do proper e.g. harbor freight). So many aftermarket parts available for it indeed make it a relatively cheap and easy platform for a noob mechanic like myself to wrench on.

OC: 80%! I feel like supermoto is starting to make a comeback. It might not reach its early 2000s glory, but people are always showing interest in my SMs. As a big guy, I'm quite thankful that the DRZ SM was my first bike; couldn't have had a better one.

I've put 1500 miles on my 22. Wish it had a 6 speed. Mirrors may be ugly, but they have the best visibility out of any bike I've ridden. This and the grom are my favorite bikes to be a hooligan on.

Mirrors aren't meant to be aesthetic but rather functional. The drz has some of the best mirrors hands down. You can see everything and I love them.

I have to admit the reason I am looking for a new Drz/Xr650 is because they haven't changed. The way prices have gone and with the expense of things today I am happy to find something in this price range that is modern enough yet not so outdated I would look the other way. Simple reliable and still lots of fun. I am def still a go with these. Thanks for the review.

Have the 2007. The looks are still great. Always wanting to buy something more modern, but nothing compares. Still a winning formula.

OC: I think it will be a timeless classic. I’m a tech enthusiast but I like my bikes pretty basic for a multitude of reasons.

OC: If the world gets an apocalypse this will be the bike to roam the world

OC: The DRZ never stopped being cool

DRZ riders don’t care what’s “cool”. They ride their own rides. That’s ok in my book.

I own a 2020 DRZ400SM and the only performance mods i did to mine were install a Leo Vince X3 slip-on exhaust and a K&N air filter. I noticed quite a bit of difference in torque, horsepower, and throttle response. It was enough that I decided not to do the 3x3 mod or jetting kit. It easily does highway speeds.

This is why I love and buy Suzuki. Fun to ride. Easy to work on. Lot of fun and very little to be concerned about. Bullet proof. And the price is always right.

There’s 1 reason to buy this bike. Learning wheelies. Surprised we didn’t see any chase on 1 wheel in this video! I’ve got about 2500 miles on mine now. -Chase is right, the seat is too thin. Seat concepts makes an aftermarket seat that is perfect. -The stock exhaust is pretty quiet, but there’s many nice sounding aftermarket options. -It’s the first bike that I’m my own mechanic for, and it’s very easy to learn to work on. The only unfixable con is the power on the highway. Yes the bike can go 70-80mph pretty easily but it’s shakey and the wind is a pain in the ass. I still find myself gps’ing with “avoid highways” turned on. -cruises over potholes and bumps in the road like they don’t even exist. -I’m 5’11” and it’s the perfect height for me, but my buddy who’s 5’9 thinks it’s too tall. All in all I absolutely love my 2021 DRZ400sm. Would recommend it to city riders and people who aren’t as mechanically inclined. If you’re a talented mechanic and can deal with lots of maintenance I would recommend one of the lighter, faster, more modern sumos like a Honda crf450 or a husqvarna 701. I’d especially recommend the 701 if you often find yourself on the highway.

if your supermoto/dual sport steering wiggles on the highway you need to move forward on the seat, up onto the fuel tank. you also need to lean forward into the wind more. The steering wiggles because wind resistance unloads the front wheel, and Chase here demonstrates what a large fella riding too far back on the seat can do to mess up the dynamics as well.

I never thought I'd join a cult but then I bought a DRZ...

I bought a 2009 4 years ago (in 2018). First motorcycle I’ve ever owned and I haven’t had to do anything to it other than change the battery. That’s why it’s popular. I’m no mechanic, and don’t feel like paying for one. I can hop on it after a full winter without starting it and take it for a ride. It’s a 90s toyota on 2 wheels.