The best Suzuki DR-Z400S upgrades add range, comfort and protection, and sort out the lean fuelling that comes with opening up the intake. The carburetted DR-Z is simple, light and tough enough that riders have taken them round the world, and the aftermarket for it is huge. We don't own one, so this list draws on a 40,000 mile overland owner, long-running owner forums and what Holloway riders on DR-Zs tell us. It covers the carburetted bike, not the newer fuel-injected DR-Z4S.
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Most common DR-Z400S mods
Roughly in the order we'd fit them for green laning.
A bigger fuel tank
The 10 litre tank gives roughly 120 to 140 miles. A larger tank, such as IMS's 4 gallon tank, is one of the most common DR-Z upgrades and makes long lane days far less stressful.
A better seat
The stock seat is famously hard. Corbin and similar seats help, though one round-the-world owner says the DR-Z is never going to be truly comfortable on the road, only tolerable.
Rejetting the carburettor
Owners widely report the bike runs lean as standard, with surging and popping on the overrun. Rejetting smooths it out, and becomes essential if you change the exhaust or open up the airbox. Get the jetting right rather than guessing: running lean can damage the engine.
Worth knowing: Tell your insurer about any engine changes.
The 3x3 airbox mod, with care
The best-known DR-Z mod is cutting a 3 inch by 3 inch hole in the top of the airbox to let more air in, then rejetting to match. It is popular, but it makes the bike louder at the intake and changes it from standard, so it is worth thinking about before you cut.
Case savers and a bash plate
Case savers protect the engine side covers from rocks and falls, and a bash plate protects the sump and frame. Owners rate both as essential off-road.
Hand guards and better bars
Aftermarket bars and hand guards survive drops that bend the stock parts. Shorter levers are a common addition for better control.
Braided front brake hose
It improves feel at the lever, and the brake parts last a long time on a bike this light.
An uprated regulator rectifier
The charging system is a known weak point. Owners replace the stock regulator rectifier with a MOSFET type, which runs cooler and is kinder to the stator.
Wind protection for long road days
A small screen or fairing helps on road links. With five gears, the engine is revving hard at motorway speeds, so keep road links to smaller roads where you can.
Known DR-Z400S weak points and fixes
How easy the DR-Z400S is to live with
- It is simple to work on. The top end can be stripped at home, and parts are easy to find in the UK.
- Brake pads and tyres last a long time on a bike this light. One owner's pads were barely half worn after 20,000 miles.
- It is light enough to pick up alone and tough enough to drop, which is exactly what you want from a lane bike.
DR-Z400S mods to skip
- A loud exhaust. Noise is one of the main reasons lanes get closed. If you change the exhaust, keep it road legal and quiet.
- A different carburettor without a plan. One long-distance owner tried an aftermarket carb and could never get it running right, so went back to the stock Mikuni. Rejetting the original is usually the simpler fix.
- Chasing big power. Cams, big-bore kits and wild tuning make it less reliable. Stock is almost always the most reliable setup, and a DR-Z does not need more power for UK lanes.
Then find somewhere to ride it
Plan a day of green lanes across England and Wales on the Holloway map, with each lane's difficulty and legal status.
Open the mapSources: Mad or Nomad, Suzuki DR-Z400S review after 40,000 miles, Motocross Hideout, DR-Z400 mods, Bay Area Riders Forum, the ultimate DR-Z400 mods thread.