Description
Our Suzuki DR-Z4S v DR650 comparison review! Which will suit you better? A few years ago we compared the Suzuki DRZ400 and DR650 to see which would suit you. There were a lot of changes with the DRZ4S model. These are just a few. Welcome to Cross Training Adventure, we are into all things dual sport and adventure on the east coast of Australia. The good news? It's hard to make a mistake with either model. With the old DRZ400 there was a lot of overlap with the DR650. It depends on the type of riding you do. Let's look at the wet weights. The DRZS seat height is a bit lower than the old DRZ model at 920 mm (36.2"). But the DR650 is still significantly lower at 885mm (34.8"). The vast majority of riders will feel comfortable on the 400 whereas the DR650 has always had strange ergonomics. The foot pegs are too high and mounted too orward. The foot pegs are too small and also rubber mounted so they flex when you stand up. The handlebars are angled too far back. The DRZS now weighs 151kg or 333lb. The DR650 is 166kg or 365lb. And that gap narrows when you consider the DR650 tank is larger and carries 4.3 litres of extra fuel. Extra weight is not necessarily a bad thing especially for road riding. But if do like to ride seriously rough tracks you will notice that extra weight. Suspension. The DRZS wins hands down! The DRZS finally gets upside-down forks. Our riders varied from 80 to 92 kg and loved the new suspension setup in this Suzuki DR-Z4S v DR650 review. Keen on adventure riding in Australia? Check out our vids.Very plush. You could modify either to create a lightweight adventure motorbike. You could ride enduro tracks if the weight and mediocre suspension weren't a problem. Both are great dual sport models in the best sense of the word. However, we think there is more overlap now, essentially because the DRZS is now heavier due to electronic fuel injection, a catalytic converter, a dual-spark plug cylinder head and ABS. Will this suit you in our Suzuki DR-Z4S v DR650 comparison? If you pick up the pace it still handles the terrain very well. It is vastly superior to the DR650 which has had the same soft springs, minimal damping and ancient rod-style forks since 1996. If you like dual sport riding in Australia then you might like our adventure riding vids. The engines. It's interesting to see there isn't a big difference in maximum horsepower. The DRZS revs higher and we have done drag races where the 400 and 650 are neck and neck. And the same top speed of around 155kmh. But the torque figures show the real difference between these engines. The DR650 generate far more torque and at much lower revs. It all comes down to riding style. Check out our reviews of various adventure bikes and dual sport bikes. Do you like higher revs? Or just relying on grunt and always riding in a higher gear? One thing not reflected in the dyno figures is the quick response from the DRZ4S fuel injection. It feels very lively compared to the old carburetor model which was a lot of fun especially for off-road riding. Ergonomics. Good news for shorter riders. Many DR650 owners relocate the foot pegs and use pivoting bar risers. Rider aids. If you like ABS, traction control and various power modes then you will love the DRZS. We are old school and don't like this sort of stuff. But we did mess around with the settings and we can see how these would be very useful for any riders new to dual sport and adventure riding. Overall handling. Generally if something goes wrong with a carburetor it's easier to fix than a fuel injection system. Price. As mentioned the DR650 is generally 20% cheaper which provides enough money to upgrade the suspension and possibly buy some other bling too. In stock trim the DRZS wins simply because of the vastly superior suspension. However, remember the DR650 is 20% cheaper so let's assume you used those savings to upgrade the suspension. But of course if are light and not planning on any aggressive riding then you may find the stock DR650 suspension is fine and you can just pocket the savings. So which will suit you best? The DRZS and DR650 are both great dual sport motorbikes. If you want to do a lot of adventure riding and cruise the highways easily the DR650 will be the better option. The extra grunt and heavier weight of the DR650 make it more pleasant to ride on the highway. The lighter weight and great throttle response make the DRZS better off-road. Suzuki has done a great job with the new DRZS. Often there are lots of niggling issues with a revised model. The only thing of note is a recall because the rear brake reservoir cap was too loose and could dribble brake fluid. We suspect the only potential issue for adventure riding is the fuel injection.
INDEX
0:00 DR4S changes
0:21 The similarities
0:59 Wet weights
2:07 The engines
3:01 Ergonomics
3:52 Rider aids
4:17 Handling
4:58 Reliability
6:00 Conclusion
#crosstrainingadventure #adventureriding #adventurebikes #dualsportriding
#dualsportbikes