Forever Single: A first look at the 2025 Suzuki DR-Z4S and DR-Z4SM

[Mr. Dazzle]

Well you also need to poison all the ground water at the scrap yard too TBF.

As far as I can work out, the GasGas is only sort of road legal? You need loopholes and work arounds for it, at least in the UK. It doesn't have brake lights, indicators, ABS and it'd never pass emissions tests? So it's not really fair to compare it with a bike which would meet all the 'normal' certification requirements. Assuming the OP even does pass all those things

[Yorick]

Well you also need to poison all the ground water at the scrap yard too TBF.

As far as I can work out, the GasGas is only sort of road legal? You need loopholes and work arounds for it, at least in the UK. It doesn't have brake lights, indicators, ABS and it'd never pass emissions tests? So it's not really fair to compare it with a bike which would meet all the 'normal' certification requirements. Assuming the OP even does pass all those things

It does have indicators and brake lights. And the emissions tests here are very strict.

[Mr. Dazzle]

They're very strict everywhere Which is why I'm saying there must presumably be some kind of technicality / workaround / loophole which means you can still sell a "big" (i.e. not a chainsaw) 2 stroke bike.

[Supermofo]

To be fair it looks like the Suzuki is ~150kg ready to ride, whereas a Duke is that weight dry?

The 690 Duke is 148kg dry, 160 wet. So 5kg heavier than the DRZ but with 72 bhp.
https://www.motorcyclenews.com/bike-rev ... duke/2016/

Having owned a 690 it's why the Suzuki would have to be cheap for me, probably not cheap enough for a second bike run around anyhow. I've still no idea why the 690 wasn't more popular, it's a bloody awesome bike.

[mangocrazy]

And the 72bhp was dyno-verified on my Duke - 72.61 bhp on BSD's dyno. Remove the ugly and heavy catalytic converter (which really gets in the way of oil changes) and wet weight is pretty much the same as the DRZ-SM.

[Mr. Dazzle]

around anyhow. I've still no idea why the 690 wasn't more popular, it's a bloody awesome bike.

Chocolate camshafts, failing bottom ends, smashy rockers I dunno. I know very little about the 690 but I feel like there's always something on the verge of a massive issue / disputed warranty claim with KTM.

It might not even be a fair assessment, but they have that general image could explain some of it.

Well, that and the fugly headlights.

[mangocrazy]

around anyhow. I've still no idea why the 690 wasn't more popular, it's a bloody awesome bike.

Chocolate camshafts, failing bottom ends, smashy rockers I dunno. I know very little about the 690 but I feel like there's always something on the verge of a massive issue / disputed warranty claim with KTM.

It might not even be a fair assessment, but they have that general image could explain some of it.

Well, that and the fugly headlights.

Yeah, you're right. Don't go for something that excites or quickens the pulse, just go for a nice safe Honda.

[Mr. Dazzle]

The most energetic, exciting and enthusiastic vehicle I've ever owned was a Honda Civic Type-R.

It was part small terrier, part 2 year old child high on E numbers and part hatchback.

Reliability concerns get old really fucking quickly for me too.

[cheb]

Unreliability doesn't quicken the pulse for me, it just makes less likely to use that vehicle. I've not much important stuff do but even taking the bins out is preferable to waiting for the recovery vehicle.

[KungFooBob]

Sounds daft, but KTM might have sold a few more if it only made 55bhp.

72bhp sounds like a scary (go boom) figure for a big single.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

around anyhow. I've still no idea why the 690 wasn't more popular, it's a bloody awesome bike.

Chocolate camshafts, failing bottom ends, smashy rockers I dunno. I know very little about the 690 but I feel like there's always something on the verge of a massive issue / disputed warranty claim with KTM.

It might not even be a fair assessment, but they have that general image could explain some of it.

Well, that and the fugly headlights.

Yeah, you're right. Don't go for something that excites or quickens the pulse, just go for a nice safe Honda.

Try a CB1000R, 140bhp and reliability, or a Fire blade, they must be about 200bhp now.

[mangocrazy]

Have any of you guys actually ridden a Duke 690? Anyone who's ever owned one can vouch for just how much fun they are. I wouldn't have one as my only bike, but it's my go-to bike for pure enjoyment.

As for reliability, the last of the line engines seem to be doing just fine. They're still in use in the SMC and enduro bikes, as well as the Husky and Gas-Gas rebadged versions and I've heard no tales of woe. Earlier ones could have rocker issues, but I suspect that the 790/890 cam issues have caused people to tar all KTMs with the same brush.

Your loss.

[Supermofo]

Early 690s could have rocker arm bearing issues. The later 690s from 2016 to the best of my knowledge have no engine issues whatsoever. They do have dash issues I believe though. So you want a 2016 with 2015 clocks Having said that some pre 2016 models did big mileage, ie one enduro did over 90k miles before the rockers went and there were a bunch for Dukes that'd done over 40k miles.

But yeah general KTM issues can be off putting. It's why I have the GSXS rather than a Superduke 1290.

Having said that 1 mates 990 SMT has done 50k miles and my other mates 1290 Super Adventure was over 140k miles last I saw it.