Suzuki’s DR-Z400 nameplate launched in 2000 with the DR-Z400S, a lightweight dual-sport built around the idea of a street-legal motorcycle that could still handle serious off-pavement riding. Suzuki later broadened the family with the DR-Z400E for more off-road-oriented use and, in 2005, the DR-Z400SM supermoto variant. Across its run, the DR-Z400 became known for its simple, durable formula, responsive handling, and long-lived enthusiast appeal, especially among riders who wanted a versatile single-cylinder machine with a strong reputation for reliability.
The DR-Z400 line remained in production for many years with incremental updates rather than major reinvention. In Suzuki’s own U.S. model-year materials, the DR-Z400S and DR-Z400SM are listed through the 2024 model year, and Suzuki introduced the all-new DR-Z4S and DR-Z4SM for 2025 as the next generation of the platform. That marks 2024 as the final model year for the DR-Z400 nameplate in its original form.