Suzuki DRZ400SM Review - The only bike you need??

Here at Mountain Top Racing we love all fun vehicles, four wheels, two wheels, no wheels! We hope you enjoy our first motorcycle review of this 2014 Suzuki DRZ400SM. Let us know what you think and if you want to see more motorcycle content!

[@theHeath]

Funner to drive a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow🤙

[@94SexyStang]

VERY true.....the Drz is Not slow, but yes it's more fun to Ride than my Super Bikes, because I can actually Open it up, that's where the fun is! It's got enough power to smoke cars at a Redlight, and good passing power at 55-90......honestly that's Good enough for my riding needs.

[@gersonjimenez5737]

I have a 15 and if I could only own 1 bike...the drz would be it. I've owned everything from 600 up to 1000, but that DRZ is the most fun out of all of them.

[@WD-sr8qz]

💯 agree!!

[@Merc399]

drz is my second bike from a rebel 250. once im done boring it out idk what bike ima even want to get. i should be able to increase compression, stroke and bore to hit 60hp. im already half way done a stage 1 and shes wheeling from a stop with just a crack of the throttle. came from modding cars and building computers and rebuilding old 80s arcades i love modding stuff

[@mikeylikesboys4966]

I’ve done the 3x3 mode, lectron carb, and a pipe and the bike is as powerful as I need and super fun

[@gersonjimenez5737]

@@Merc399 that is awesome. Should be fun for you, I'm not that savvy but i love working on bikes. I'm looking to get into dirt bikes, mainly 2 strokes and eventually another DRZ for an awesome project

[@gersonjimenez5737]

@@mikeylikesboys4966 probably the best mods for a DRZ.

[@artiexr222]

Great honest review of the good old DRZ you nailed it. Over here in the UK we have not had them since 08 mine is an 07 but still runs really well I have had the seat refoamed because it killed my back and which pretty much made it perfect for my use.The best part of owning a DZR in the UK is they are very rare and no-one expects a 62 year old fart to still be riding one lol. Ride safe Martin

[@marcinprzytua9926]

Hi Martin. Great that You ride drz sm at 62. I'm 42 and seriously considering drz for my next bike 😊I'm UK based too so let's be in touch;)))Enjoy Your ride 😊

[@kwood55981]

​@@marcinprzytua9926I'm going on 42 and I ride my drz every day to work rain or shine here in California. And I ride it on weekends exploring the ghetto 😂. Got it with 1000 miles in dec of 2021. It has 25,433 miles. She never left me stranded. With the exception of a flat tire at 9 pm at night I had to have her towed home. She purrs like a kitten. Just check the oil regularly and oil changes regularly.

[@Willie1980]

Would it also be good for a 66 yo, with a 30" inseam? lol

[@omflyer1535]

I just got a 22 with 5k miles 4 days ago. Tomorrow is my last day of moto class get my license and cannot wait to ride it more than a few blocks. Btw I'm 56 and still skate, surf, and ride a 26" BMX. Age is a mental attitude, of course so is a few creaky bones, keep on riding,!

[@skatman3872]

Honestly im impressed with my brakes on my 23 drz400sm, i own 3 litre bikes

[@coreyuhrin2395]

Just got mine after learning to ride on a Himalayan. So happy I went with it. Love it. Can’t wait to put knobs on it.

[@Furrby18]

Love my SM! Just bought a used set of S wheels off ebay so I can have a set for street and a set for off road.

[@briancannamore8494]

I owned a 2009 Yamaha wr250r brand new in 2009 , rode it for a year and absolutely loved it, I wanted more power so I bought a new Honda xr650 and after a few months of riding it I soon regretted getting rid of my Yamaha 250 because of how nimble it was; fast forward to 2022 I was looking for another Yamaha 250 but to my surprise Yamaha discontinued the wr250r in 2020, so my local motorcycle dealership had a Kawasaki Klx 300sm and the drz400s and sm needles to say I liked the fact it was a 400 and not a 250 or 300 and pretty light weight, I absolutely love this drz400 sm, more torque than the wr250r, maybe not quite as nimble but close enough. I’ve also owned a Yamaha fz1000 and a Honda 750 shadow and nothing compares to the smaller displacement bikes in my opinion.

[@ericweber1969]

Excellent, in-depth review! Thanks for sharing your impressions!

[@MountainTopRacing]

Thanks! Hoping to release some more moto reviews soon!

[@jessISaRicePrincess]

Sumos are neat but as a jack of all trades rider i would pick the dual sports version

[@sethfg]

Highway isn’t fun. Boring for this bike. But it does just fine going along 65-72. It’s ok to run this bike at 6-7000 rpm steady. Look on adventure rider there’s guys ride these all over. Obviously it’s not super comfy. But with a better seat I can do a theee hour drive and be perfectly comfortable afterwards. Gonna try longer soon I think.

[@Dylan-vz2xw]

Definitely watching this video like man I really want to ride my favorite road. Then I see the lake at the end and camping… oh this is my favorite area to ride 😂. Love riding to the top of that peak! Great review also!

[@justinlyons5159]

I also bought a hypermotard because I thought I'd enjoy it more considering how much I love my DRZ sm but that wasn't the case... Never had a bike compare to my DRZ

[@bonjovi1354]

That just looks ...a sporty street bike but dna is in drz

[@rustyrussell1981]

My first bike wws a yamaha wr125r and eventually at 19 i went to a drz400 08 and all i can say is it feels the exact same other than power obviously. I have a yamaha mt07 aswell which is obviously quick but in my opion it will never beat a supermoto they are just extremely fun 😮‍💨

[@smashedgyro]

I rode up to Whistler last year on my DRZsm and my riding buddy (on a Vulcan 1500) and our wives (driving in a sedan) claimed I was doing 88mph most of the way. That's impossible - I wouldn't torture my DRZ like that... but I always kept my speed up through corners, which they couldn't. I think they saw their speedos climb to catch up after they had to bleed speed through those corners and assumed I was a maniac. 🤔

[@b.trill6868]

Damn I drove mine back on the interstate for an hour at 73mph smh 😅

[@rosarioroberto5823]

WOW fantastic video 🇺🇲🍾🎉🇺🇲 Keep producing more videos about the DRZ.(I will get one soon after this review)

[@jensenbeachjay]

Ya know, i have an interesting problem with bikes ---- they've gotta be on/off road capable. Same w my vehicle/car, needs 4wd/awd and a few inches of suspension travel. Suppose its a bit of personal thing, or rather prepper sense - I just wouldnt spend my money at this point in time on any other types of transportation. I sold my last bike, and contemplated a cruiser... But, just cant bring myself to buy an overweight / road limited bike. Not so oddly, I have never sold my old tw200. GDam LOVE that bike! ...DRZ SM may be the missing link for me - increased power, off road/dirt bike suspension, but more road oriented than the TW w the SM setup.

[@diegoaespitia]

best bike ever. i got a gsxr750 but it just is wayy too fast for normal street riding. drz is perfect for what i need

[@savagepete1983]

Great review, man. I had an '07 for about a year, but sold it. It's a great little bike. I think my next SM will be a KTM 300 EXC or XC-W modified to SM trim. I think a 2-stroke would be a hell of a lot of fun.

[@copperaudio9664]

Thank you for reviewing the bike on the roads it's made for. If I watch another review on the freeway/city streets I'm gonna barf.

[@helloWorld432Hz]

funny when you complain about the noise of the exhaust, I own a drz-sm too and riding in a city like Madrid it's actually a life saver to be noticed by the cars from 50 mtrs away... anyways nice video and nice bike!! stay safe!

[@markwilliams34-sz6mk]

22 klx300sm 9500miles Is very similar to what you said. Extremely fun. Always brings a smile. I also ride back country roads.

[@bronsonscott]

this is just a beautiful ride

[@paulyC]

Man, those are some gorgeous roads. Where do you live?

[@gabrielgonthier5049]

Excellent! Very good vdo. I appreciate. I am from Québec, Canada. I live in a countryside region. This is the perfect bike for here!

[@kevinmcdonald403]

I want one. I have a xt225 that is a blast.

[@findingneutral]

Excellent review.

[@jeffanderson2436]

I support the drz boner that is in full salute throughout this whole video 🙋‍♂️ Added comment: I agree with everything but if you get one it is very wort while to do cams, big bore, flatslide, and exhaust. The sm and s models have been detuned for the street. Normally this bike without restrictions makes over 40 hp. That makes it a lot better for driving on the highway. Though, it still doesn't like high rpms for a long time. That's how people blow motors. Great review!

[@max.b92]

I had a mt07 which was fast and a very fun bike to ride, but i sold it once i got my 2021 drz400sm because it was just more fun to ride then the mt07!

[@max.b92]

​@notmyname7016 don't do the switch. Trust me, it's not worth it. Unless you want to only do street and feel like you need more power. But as they say, its more fun to ride a slow bike fast than to ride a fast bike slow

[@erinderind259]

suzuki still the best,, 😀😀👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@Infinite_Manifest]

This bike handles highways perfectly fine, for the record. xD

[@isaacbagnall3880]

🔥

[@PokeReel]

This road is amazing, especially for the drz. Great vid

[@JasonRidesmoto]

I want one

[@skatman3872]

I still struggle trying to wheelie my drz400sm, i put exhaust on it ,jet kit,3x3 mod

[@ethanepps468]

Where is this filmed at?

[@Diabeekei]

Would you recommend buying used or new? Used drz400sm around hsv al is upwards 5k a pop varying years.

[@machupikachu1085]

Great 'revvview' on this bike. I love the honest pros and cons. I think I'm going to pick one up this week, and your vid helped make that decision. Have you considered the FCR39 carb for more power? Cheers!

[@skatman3872]

I gained 4mph after pipe ,airbox, jet kit,I can now ride in 5th at 40mph i couldn't before only on highway

[@skatman3872]

Thats why i use the quadlock phone mount

[@Onimun]

Very nice

[@joshuacotton6436]

Get Renazco seat I have one on XR600 previous owner installed it's most comfortable chair I own custom colors/materials and made for your height

[@ramonblackz7020]

Drz is the ultimate Apocalypse bike imo

[@FabStream41]

Dont get it misunderstood, the drz is quick, not fast. Top speed is is about 100mph, but light to light i’ve beaten a lot of bikes under 1000cc.

[@leanit5756]

Great bike, especially for beginners. But it was just too gutless for me as an experienced rider who has owned several super bikes. I bought a new one, but didn't keep it very long. I later got a 690 SMC-R and was just on another planet performance wise, dead stock. I was able to enjoy the KTM on a full road course, and could stay towards the front of the intermediate group on it. It had enough power to be entertaining on the street. The DR just lacks the oomph. 70+ HP IMO is pretty much the basement number at which a motorcycle becomes fun on asphalt if you have a background riding sport bikes.

[@94SexyStang]

the drz is far from gutless...especially modded....I've been riding Liter Bikes for 15 years, Yes it's far from a superbike.....but what did you expect? It's a dirt bike. I love mine for what it's DESIGNED to do......ride in the woods, around town, zip back roads, and crossing local highways to get over to the Next town. Yes, it's not "next level" crazy shit.....but has no problems losing cars. If you're into fast stuff, you probably should have Known to step up to 600+.

[@rs660alec3]

@@94SexyStang he’s not wrong tho the ktms huskys and gas gas are way better

[@davidhoward8951]

Do you have stock handlebars or do you use Pro tapers I was thinking about using a Pro Taper high rise Dr high rises

[@biggame461]

Wait at 33 min you said your first DRZ blew up at 20k because it has exhaust and 3x3 but no jet kit?!?!?! Oh boy, cause the one I’m buying Monday is used and the same deal, 3x3 with yoshi exhaust but no jet kit…. Is that what caused it to blow up???? What do I need to do to make sure it won’t blow up. I’m a noob :) please help that made me not want to buy it

[@johnswanson6994]

How did you learn to wheelie without hurting yourself or wrecking your bike?

[@trdadam2325]

nice roads!!

[@ronsexton3685]

Have you tried putting 18/21" rims and dirt tires on it and taken it on some trails? It's a little smaller shorter than the DRZ400S model and this seems like a fun idea.

[@blakeskeens2722]

its only smaller and shorter because of the rims

[@ronsexton3685]

@@blakeskeens2722 Suspension and geometry are also different. Check out the specs. It's not only due to the rims.

[@kwood55981]

​@@ronsexton3685I have a drz400s I put warp9 super moto wheel on. The 17 inch wheels lower the bike 2 to 3 inches. I can touch both feet with the 17. Have the 18 and 21 on now and in tip towing with work boots on. It really feels tall on the S wheels.

[@so_cal71s]

The SM isn't as well suited for offroad as the S. The suspension is a little different and does not handle the rough offroad as well.. it can be done but if you want offroad capable you're better off getting the S. I have an S and I've done everything from twisty mountain roads to racing it in the king of the desert race. ( I have video of both on my youtube) if you want to be able tonswitch from the 17s to an 18/21 set up you're going to be happier with an S over a SM.. that being said, when switching from the 17 to the 21 front you will need the extender bracket for the front brakes. The SM has a much larger rotor than the S so the front caliper extender is required to run the SM wheel... hope that helps

[@ronsexton3685]

@@so_cal71s I wound up getting a CRF300L 2023. Thanks.

[@Merc399]

yoo what mods you got? my bike can criuse on the highway at 80 for hours, with plenty of power for passing.. i have yoshi rs2 full exhaust fcr mx 39 jetted and the 3x3 (performance-wise)which im debating undoing.. need to do some testing

[@b.trill6868]

I got mine the other day it had a dg slip on , jet kit & I drove it on the highway an hour back home 73-80 A lot of people saying that’s bad 😅

[@VonAyers]

Where did you get you mirrors? Brand?

[@user-wn7tm5bp2n]

what is that front fender?

[@GrotrianSeiler]

Jealous. Great bike!

[@justhesolution]

Anybody go from sportbike to drz400sm? Have a cbr600rr currently but looking for something different

[@iiiredrumiii3804]

I have had many sport bikes mostly 600cc and nothing compares to my drz400sm. They are a blast to ride. It’s just not a good commuter when it comes to freeway speeds.

[@94SexyStang]

I own a Liter Bike, and still Prefer the DRZ....Just tired of tickets and lawyers, etc.....what's the point of riding a Super bike if you can't Open it up? It's just not my idea of fun. The Drz has plenty of power to smoke cars at a Red light and good power to pass at 55-90......it's WAY more fun around town, back roads, bar hopping, etc. It's far from a Sport Bike, but it's just more practical......yes there's obvious compromise if you're going to take longer trips, it's really not built for that Unless you're sticking to mostly Back roads or "55" local highways. I live in NJ, so most towns are close by, but I frequently take rides to PA, but mostly backroads and mountains.

[@benjaminsummers6977]

+1 on what Mike Fu said. I currently have a CBR 600rr. Bought my DRZ last summer. I am now selling my 600rr in the spring because the DRZ is simply too much fun that I hardly run my CBR anymore. Only thing the DRZ isn’t great at is highway / interstate travel. The DRZ is really screaming at 70+… if only it had a 6th gear.

[@DerKaktusAvant]

I’ve got an srad gsxr 600 and while I will never sell it I am looking for another bike as I hardly use the gixxer (it’s low milage and I want to keep it that way) the dry is my top contender

[@b.trill6868]

My 07 gsxr 600 w/ a stage 3 power commander love it! Switched to my 22 drz400sm and lemme say It’s fun , it’s lighter , not all the power but just enough power to rip around the city. Cruising an hour back home after getting this bike and them little speed wobbles and just ripping at 73-80 for an hour this bike is indeed not meant for that. I mean I wouldn’t. But to each their own. I hope I didn’t fuck it up the other day driving it back an hour home. I wanna keep it slow and have fun. Practicing wheelies now!

[@RICHON1979]

KAWASAKI KLR 650cc 40 HORSES THIS SUZUKI DR WITH 400cc 40 HORSES,,THIS BIKE ITS JUST AMAZIN💪💪

[@DroidLocks6971]

I'd Say it's safe for highway use unlike myn2023 Honda XR150L

[@patrickbc8649]

Should i be afraid og getting a 2006 with 18k miles and has a full service history?

[@kozhedub27]

Z400 new or dz400 sm use?😅

[@Olympiansunrise]

Just casually driving by a meth deal gone bad…😮 😂 same here… I’ve owned all different kind of bikes 500s to 1000 Rs and even stunt bikes. Hands down fav riding experience DRZ

[@travelinben1966]

Fuel injection next year?🤔

[@Ummmmmkay88]

Do they make a aftermarket tachometer for this?

[@so_cal71s]

Trail tec makes one

[@bobjones6468]

Not a very good ram mount advertisement

[@Noneofurbusinesseh]

would have like it but you were swearing