2021 Suzuki DR-Z400SM Review | MC Commute 

A terrific review of the bike! The information is usable and purposeful. These are really enjoyable bikes to ride all over the town/city. Great Suzuki styling and the price is affordable for a great bike! Thanks for this review, I do like this style for the price and reliability, as you have mentioned. I enjoyed the ride, the review and the posting of the video!

First hand experience : Got a new 2015sm road it hard every time I got on it. Burnt many sets of tires off and few sets of break pads, I Jumped it , Dumped it dropped it and knocked it over. Road it on the highway at 80 mph for hours . Took it off road where a SM shouldn't go, learned to drift it in a circle on grass then pavement . Learned how to go through the gears ridding a wheelie. Been over the handle bars bringing the back wheel up to high at the stop light. I put 44,000 miles on that bike in five years. I had one hell of a fun time every single mile. The ONLY thing ever done to maintain the bike besides tires and break pads was just oil change . The valves were never even adjusted. It run strong the day I sold it. (I almost cried) . Sold it for 4k got it new for 7,200.00 .... So I paid 3,200.00 for 5 years of riding that bike That means 640$ a year or just 53 dollars a month. To ride that bike. That's a pretty good deal in my book.

The day after they redo it everyone will be on here lamenting about the days of indestructible steel frames and adjusting the carb for 4 bucks in jets.

Most fun bike to ride. You know how a DRZ rider shifts? It’s 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5, 5.

I have friends with DRZ400SM's. Once I got to ride them around for a day I was hooked! I ended up trading my MT-07 for the SM life. Something about a Thumper just made me excited. I've owned many Carbureted vehicles and have grown to really enjoy them and honestly enjoy how minimalist the DRZ is. It's extremely enjoyable and at the same time relaxing to ride quickly becoming my favorite motorcycle. It is heavy compared to other dual sports but if you're coming from heavier sport bikes it feels like a bicycle!

I used to own a DRZ400-S with SM wheels. I absolutely loved this bike and by far one of the best bikes I have every owned for running the corners. I may pick up an SM one day soon.

I love that you're reviewing this so soon after the pumpkin SM. Look forward to your Kawi KLX300 review!

I’m totally captivated by the features, character and benefits of this bike. Wonderful review 🤘

A tip I can give about camera angle that always works. Right now it is pointed almost directly down at the ground most of the time. If you make the camera lens parallel with your face shield the angle will almost always be spot-on.

I had one and loved it as a third bike, for playing in the hills or kart tracks. The previous owner included dirt wheels so in half hour i could swap and ride trails. It could use a 6th gear.

I have a 21 Husqvarna fe501s and a 20 Kawasaki z900 and I still might get the drz400sm. I've have 2 of them in the past and they are absolutely fun bikes, carb and headlight included. Great review and love the new graphics .

I watch a ton of motorcycle videos, you are so thorough, great job!

Can we please have one more person saying the bike should have a six speed gearbox and fuel-injection?

Great review of a great bike. I'm old enough to recognize it's heritage goes back to the 1980's trail bikes.

Watch on 1.5x speed (anytime you see Adam). You're welcome.

It’s old, but still cool! Love the colors this year, too.

A 21 year production run is short compared to the Yamaha SR400/500, which came out in 1978, and is still in production 😳. Fun knows no age limit 😉🏍👍.

Best review of the Dr I’ve seen. Thanks for sharing. Great video.

Good to see a motorcycle journalist do a review of the 'ol DRZ! Such a big following and aftermarket for them. One of the best and most fun-to-ride motorcycles I've ever owned.

If it aint broke, don't fix it. Now I wouldn't complain if Suzuki upgraded this thing, but I have a 2016 model that is all tricked out. Spent about $2500 in upgrades, and it's arguably the most fun bike I have. It's not the fastest, but you can really ring it's neck and not be going insane illegal speeds, which I like. Very fun even at lower speeds. And it handles great with a sticky set of tires. If you can get one of these used for $3-4K, and then put another grand or two in mods, you'll have one of the more fun bikes out there.

The emphasis when he says asphalt “ASS FAULT” haha 😆

21 years old,that's new to me,still got a 79 Yamaha L2s till now hahaha

For those that have never ridden one, do it. It's not brain splatteringly fast, but it's the most fun I've had on two wheels by a huge margin. Makes me regret getting a supernaked, TBH. Edit: Actually, I take that back. I put supermoto handlebars on my bike and I sort of get the best of both worlds. :)

Great review I love this bike. Always cool

I have a 2020 DRZ400SM in gray. I replaced the stock headlight with a JNS Engineering LED headlight. It looks great and it’s really bright. I also installed a set of Denali Electronics DRLs in amber color on the front fender. I removed the stock reflectors and used the holes on the bracket to mount the lights.

I don't need to even click play to know that this is literally the same exact bike that I have, and I bought it in 2008. The fact that this bike is still running a carb is beyond me.

I see Suzuki came out with bold new graphics....again....for the 20th year in a row 😆

Stainless lines help brake feel a lot. FCR, big bore and full MRD exhaust and this thing rips.

I have added a braided front brake line and it made a massive difference ! Huge

Best review on the DR-ZSM on the internet. Thank you!

Finally something that I own 🤟 Got it new in 2017. I reckon the best color scheme in white and blue rims.Yes it's really old school but that makes it stand out between today's fully loaded bikes.So much fun to ride even in standard form.Just needs a pipe and jetting and it comes alive, putting out 42-45 HP.What I miss on it is a sixth gear and a rev counter.The aftermarket options are endless you can really upgrade whatever on it.

Great review of a fairly great bike. I love the fact that you're actually reviewing while riding. I hate voice over reviews.

Just got a 2022. Ive had many other bikes. My last two were GSXR600 and a GSXR1000. I had a ton of fun on the sport bikes, but have to say that the DRZ is the most fun I’ve had out of the 5 bikes I’ve owned in my life time. I love the torquey engine, and it’s just a blast to ride on twisty back roads. Wish I had explored the super moto world a long time ago. I find myself trying to stay out of trouble from the desire to avoid traffic by hoping curbs, burning across a field and back out onto the road in the suburbs. This bike brings out inner kid. I don’t have any issues with it not being fuel injected or having a 6th gear. Ride it as it was intended to be ridden and you can have more fun than you can imagine. It’s a great bike!

Dude! You're my favorite reviewer/presenter! Hopefully, you'll be continuing these this year. 👍👍

I was trying to make out where this was because it was so familiar and I realized it was Vista. Pretty cool. Great video.

I have a 2004 version - Unfortunately we can't get them new here in Scotland. I think that they are superb with an absolutely bullet proof engine!! Not very fast but so much fun to ride on twisty roads with sticky rubber on the wheels!! You don't buy a Suzuki DRZ400 SM to run as standard .... You can customise it to your taste more than any other bike that I can think of.

Crazy cool neighborhood u live man great vid great information 👍

You're a nice vibe man, cool video!

Great review.

Sweet review

A good apocalypse bike for sure. These will run forever and parts are everywhere, same with the klr.

I can't imagine a drz review video without a wheelie.

haha love the kid speeding past you on the go-cart track" Hey Uncle Adam stop playing on the track"

That’s a dope paint job

Cheap on insurance, tons of info on forums, and long list of possible mods!

Been doing bike research and I’m definitely going to buy an older model. I wanna master this bike so I don’t drop my nice bike whenever I can afford that nice bike one day hopefully.

Im new to bikes and picked up a naked Yamaha recently. Back then I believed a super moto like this, even though old design, would be a great starter. But now I know that this is a cycle for advanced riders because of the hooligan capabilities and techniques you would need to ride it to full potential. Underestimated daredevil for sure.

I would love to have a DR400 as backup bike to my KTM 500 EXC that I love and hate lol :) . (sometimes it is nice to go ride without needing to do a oil change and check valve clearance first).

Carbed in 2021, honestly didn’t see that coming.

Who was the little dude on the Tron bike? Future GP rider, son of Val perhaps? Thanks for sharing, a fun, usable, inexpensive, bike with huge potential for modifying and inducing some serious smiles/fun. Ciao..

Awesome video I myself have a 2001 drz 250 Can’t wait to upgrade! Also is this video recorded in San Diego county ? Just looks so familiar

Why are people complaining about the carbs why change something that works very well?

An oldie but goodie. Kind of like Adam.

I have a 2020, very happy with the it. He briefly mentioned the seat height but didn’t give the exact number, it’s 35” which can be a serious problem for some. At 75 mph on the highway I would say it’s running high in the rpm range and not a very pleasant experience, keep it at 65 or below and you’ll be happy 👍

Range road moto on RU-vid here just did a really good review of the 400sm!

Still a great looking bike and an excellent motorcycle. What it lacks in newness and technology it more than makes up for with its stone reliability.

Bold new graphics!!!

That would be a great 'zombie apocalypse' bike...for all the obvious reasons.

Thanks Adam, love that bike.👍🏻

Favorite reviewer

Nice bike. These would sell like crazy in Europe if Euro emissions would allow them. I'd rather have my Duke 390. though, but I remember really enjoying my DR250SH when I was a young man in Tokyo.

I liked mine but the headlight was just dangerous on unlit roads at night, felt like there was a small candle in the housing rather than an actual bulb lol

my dream bike sir😍

Dude that little kid on the go kart track rules

Be honest, tell them the Lighting is unacceptable!

Looks like you have to navigate the friggin Labyrinth to get out of your neighborhood haha. Im waiting on the '21 400S that I ordered a few weeks ago...

Would love a drz400e but stopped coming to the UK years ago... bullet proof.

for the love of god please add a 6th gear!

Had mine since 2016, and still loved it. FCR39, full Yoshimura RS-2, and Hotcams Stage 2s. Those mods made my bike a lot more fun than it was in stock.

I had 2 DRZ-400’s and loved them. Waaay underpowered though!

Thanks, Weed man.

For as long as an unrefined DRZ400 exists, there will always be a soul to complain about it not having a sixth gear.

I made the switch to a 2021 CRF 450 RL from a DRZ and have never looked back, love the bike so much better than the DRZ in pretty much every single way

I bought one brand new just before Christmas, tough choice considering the new 300s coming out soon but f**k new tech I’m old school and I love old school tech/bikes.

It’s crazy that they have not changed anything, my 06 drz400sm looks the same

"This bike is old is Suzuki's lineup" *Laughs in unchanged DR650*

This looks like Oceanside/Vista in NC San Diego...in fact the stretch on 76 is what i usually take, that is if am correct in the first place. Nice review and nice bike!

recently got myself a 2021 Dr200s, gotta say Im a bit jealous of that seat ;)

Thanks for the review. That's some crazy street laws where you are from. Just making your own lane, I could see people getting upset with that. I couldn't do that even if it was legal hear cause of common courtesy. I guess I'm never in a rush, and can wait my turn. Thanks for letting us know about the DRZ.

Nice vid. I do like this bike but it REALLY needs an update. It could be such a good global seller for Suzuki with a family of different variants & they could also sell it in Europe again too! What're they waiting for?

Actually it was first a drz400e green sticker trail bike then later it became a dual sport a DRZ400S and finally a drz400sm

please review DR650 next :-)

I have really been waiting for some manufacturer to step up with more displacement/power for this type of SM. Kaw comes out with a 300cc? And regarding brakes. Why put rotor on the left side? Put on right side with shorter stainless brake line and easy much better braking.

Cool video! We did a review on the drz400sm too, although I think some people got offended when we compared it to the Honda Grom 😬

I think they should make a new DRZ that fits the new Euro 5 norm for the European market exclusively. Because the newest I can get here in Germany are from 2008

...aaaaand for under $600, you can make 20 minute wheel swaps with a set of 18” / 21” ebay alu rims/tires for the dirt!

Very good

Everytime I considered a DRZ400 I was surprised at how many of them on the used market had their engine replaced before 20000km...

OMG i got old, still a good old playful bike

I've got one disguised in Factory Green :-)

0:49 ASS FAULT SPECIFICATION is all I heard. 😆

I didn't know about the programmable speedo. That's a great feature.

Gotta live those BNGs

Good thing about tube in your tire is you can ride offroad with less air.

very good

Why is it this bike looks soo beatiful!

It's a great bike, and I don't mind the carburetor and the five speed. It is, however, too tall for an old guy with a 29-in leg seam. Why they went to the trouble of changing the fork but retaining 10 inches of travel I don't know. My gs650 has 7 inches of travel and is a fine bumpy road bike. I'm going to get the suspension lowered 3 inches and I will love this bike a lot more! It's fine while I'm moving but I'm getting tired of having to reach for the ground when there's a dip under my foot.

Looks like a production FLAT TRACK / TT Motorcycle witch is cool for entry level racers without breaking the bank !

Wish they would update -- I still like it

I find it funny when everyone complains that it isn't fast enough. I have the 400s and it gets to 70km/h in second gear and 100km/h at the top of third. Takes no more than 5 seconds to get to 100km/h which by car standards is faster than many V8 cars.