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

The Suzuki DR-Z400 has been around for over two decades, and in that time, it hasn’t changed much. That’s because it hasn’t needed to. Available in enduro and supermoto trim, the DR-Z400 boasts an enviable cult following thanks to its no-fuss, bang-for-buck vibe.

Off-road riders and street hooligans alike love the DR-Z’s punchy single-cylinder motor, relatively light build, and endless upgrade possibilities. If that’s you, you’ll be happy to know that Suzuki has just treated the DR-Z to a major update, adding new styling, fuel injection, and a handful of other upgrades.

Now rebranded as the DR-Z4S (dual-sport, above) and DR-Z4SM (supermoto), the new DR-Z sports more than just a facelift. The changes start with an all-new steel twin-spar frame and aluminum subframe, propped up on new KYB suspension components with adjustability at both ends. An aluminum swingarm rounds out the chassis package.

Next up is the DR-Z’s all-new 398 cc single-cylinder four-valve DOHC engine, now with electronic fuel injection, a ride-by-wire throttle, and a slip-assist clutch. It features a higher-lift cam profile, a new piston design, twin iridium spark plugs, titanium intake valves, and sodium-filled exhaust valves. There’s no word on the DR-Z’s power and torque figures yet, but we’re expecting it to be a punchy little beastie.

One major update is the Suzuki DR-Z’s new electronics package. A first for the DR-Z, it includes switchable rider modes, traction control, and ABS. ABS can be switched off either just on the back wheel or on both wheels; perfect for experienced dirt bike riders and supermoto racers.

There’s LED lighting all around, while the dashboard is a relatively modest LCD unit.

The DR-Z has had a visual makeover too, while retaining its svelte dirt bike aesthetic. The plastics are sculpted and more modern, and the whole thing feels a little less utilitarian and a little more edgy. The non-traditional headlight nacelle is a nice touch.

A slim new 8.7-liter [2.3-gallon] sits up top, while a redesigned air box hides beneath the bodywork. A quick-release fastener on the left-hand side releases the left-hand side cover, offering quick access to the air filter. Other notable changes include the radiator, exhaust, seat, wider footpegs, and tapered handlebars.

Sticking to the proven DR-Z formula, the Suzuki DR-Z4S and DR-Z4SM are separated by their suspension and wheels. The DR-Z4S gets a dirt-worthy 21F/18R wheelset, with 280 mm suspension up front and 296 mm at the back.

As you’d expect, the DR-Z4SM rolls on 17” wheels, with 260 mm and 277 mm of travel, front and back. The front suspension on both bikes is adjustable for compression and rebound damping, while the rear shock is adjustable for compression, rebound, and preload. Both models use a progressive rear shock linkage.

With the Suzuki DR-Z4S and DR-Z4SM, the Japanese marque has managed a trick that very few companies can pull off. They’ve taken a beloved motorcycle and modernized it, without losing any of the traits that made it so popular in the first place.

There’s no word on when (or where) the DR-Z will hit dealers, nor what it will cost. But we’re waiting with bated breath.

Source: Suzuki

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Dream Bike: Another knockout Sportster 1200 street tracker by Mule

Richard Pollock has an enviable problem: a full order book. Just last week, we featured a stunning Harley Sportster street tracker in his signature Mule Motorcycles style. It turns out that he churned out a second Sportster around the same time, and it’s just as wild.

The project was conceived when Mule’s client brought him a very unique Harley-Davidson motorcycle—an early ‘iron’ XR750 flat tracker that had previously been owned by the late Allan Girdler. A lifelong racer, journalist, and former editor of Cycle World magazine, Allan was also a good friend of Mule’s. The bike’s current owner wanted it upgraded for spirited road riding, before the project unexpectedly took a sharp left turn.

“After some background research, he said that what he really wanted was one of my more straightforward Sportster street tracker builds, which I was only too happy to provide him with,” Mule tells us. “I wanted to build him something that would really stand out and use a few more exotic components.”

The old XR750 was shelved and a 2001-model Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200 was dragged onto the bench instead. Mule’s client had been itching for a completely bespoke motorcycle since discovering Bike EXIF twelve years ago, and, after losing both parents several years apart to cancer, figured that it was time to make that dream a reality. So Mule pulled out all the stops.

The motor spec on this build is a slight departure from Mule’s normal template. Upgrades include large-finned Screamin’ Eagle heads and cylinders, Andrews cams, and a trick billet aluminum intake manifold from Hammer Performance, which allowed Mule to attach a carb to the normally fuel-injected heads.

Randy Troy’s Carb Restorations handled the requisite carb modifications. Meanwhile, Mule constructed a burly two-into-one stainless steel exhaust system using parts from Cone Engineering.

The Sportster’s chassis mods are subtle, yet impactful. Mule trimmed the rear end, modified it to support a flat track tailpiece, and moved the shock mounts forward on the swingarm. A custom battery tray sits under the seat, and the bike is propped up on a lightweight chromoly side stand.

Right-side-up Öhlins Blackline forks do duty up front, held in place by a set of Mule yokes. They’re matched to Öhlins piggyback shocks at the rear, with a full range of adjustability fore and aft.

The wheels are featherlight carbon fiber items from BST. Measuring 19” each, they’re matched to Mule hub adaptors and wrapped in street-legal Dunlop dirt track treads.

The front brake setup includes 300 mm EBC rotors (designed for the Yamaha MT09), with Brembo four-piston calipers mounted on GPS Racing brackets. A Beringer caliper on a Mule hanger grips a Braketech disc at the back. The brake lines are from Crown Performance, and both of the master cylinders are Brembo parts.

Anyone familiar with Mule’s work should recognize the bodywork. It’s standard fare for the American custom builder; a Storz aluminum fuel tank, a First Klass Glass seat unit, and a Saddlemen pad. If there’s a more quintessential Sportster flat track arrangement, we haven’t seen it.

A set of stainless steel Mule flat track bars dominate the control area, fitted with a Motion Pro throttle and a Buell clutch assembly. A Trail Tech gauge keeps things legal, while a chromed headlight on GPS Racing brackets lights the way. Lower down, you’ll find Mule’s signature CNC-machined right-hand side foot control assembly.

A sporty silver and black livery, executed by regular collaborator SBK Paint, takes this Harley Sportster street tracker over the finish line. “I had this paint scheme idea from a Ducati 916 I had built about 25 years ago,” says Mule, “and since very few people ever saw that bike, I thought this bike needed it. The new owner’s other bike is a Ducati too, so it was a good fit!”

Once again, Mule has balanced form and function in a way that only he can. As far as all-American Harley street trackers go, Richard Pollock is the G.O.A.T.

Mule Motorcycles | Instagram | Images by Olivier de Vaulx

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First Look: The new Royal Enfield Flying Flea electric bike

While we’ve been focussed on Royal Enfield’s steady expansion of their 650 range, the Indian motorcycle marque has quietly been cooking up an intriguing new platform. Get a load of Flying Flea—Royal Enfield’s new electric motorcycle brand within a brand.

Taking a page out of the Harley-Davidson/LiveWire playbook, Royal Enfield has launched Flying Flea as its own company, rather than as a new model range within their existing brand. Flying Flea debuts with the classically-styled Flying Flea C6 electric bike, with the scrambler-styled Flying Flea S6 set to follow.

Motorcycle historians should recognize the Flying Flea name. The original Royal Enfield Flying Flea was a skinny 125 cc bike developed during World War II. Weighing next to nothing, it was air-dropped alongside paratroopers (which explains the parachute in the new Flying Flea logo.)

Packaged as a compact, lightweight electric bike for short-range missions, the Flying Flea S6 takes visual inspiration from its ancestor. The original Flying Flea was notable for its elegant girder fork, so Royal Enfield has created a modern forged aluminum version of it. It’s connected to a forged aluminum frame, with magnesium used for the battery case.

The Flying Flea’s silhouette is graceful, with each part harmonizing with the next. The faux fuel tank feels less like an attempt to mimic a petrol bike, and more like a design consideration to create cohesion between the chassis and powertrain. Fins on the battery case follow organic lines, while tightly wrapped fenders recall classic Royal Enfield designs.

The finishing kit rides the line between modern and classic. A petite LED headlight sports a classic black-and-chrome bucket, while a classy Royal Enfield plaque adorns the left-hand side of the motor. It’s an electric bike, but it doesn’t look like an appliance.

Royal Enfield has packed miles of tech into the Flying Flea platform, with a claimed 28 patents filed in the last six months alone. The big takeaway is that the company has developed the brains of the Flying Flea in-house rather than simply buying in all of its components. Operated via a round touchscreen dash, the bike boasts myriad riding mode adjustments, onboard ABS, a connectivity suite, and over-the-air update capabilities.

There hasn’t been a peep about the Flying Flea’s power output, range, or weight. But Royal Enfield is clearly pitching it as an urban runabout, so we expect those numbers to be small. Given their track record for building accessible machines that offer decent bang for your buck, we’re excited to see how the Flying Flea electric range pans out.

Source: Flying Flea

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First Look: The BMW Concept F 450 GS adventure bike

The last time BMW Motorrad released a 450 cc dirt bike, it was a wild off-roader that borrowed tech from the marque’s latest acquisition at the time, Husqvarna. The newly minted BMW Concept F 450 GS is nothing like that bike.

Unveiled just as EICMA is about to kick off in Milan, the “near-production-ready” BMW Concept F 450 GS is said to fill the gap between the Bavarian brand’s single-cylinder G 310 GS and twin-cylinder F 900 GS.

Styled like a scale model of the progressive new BMW R 1300 GS, it’s powered by a brand new engine from BMW; an inline twin that we’re guessing is in the region of 450 cc, capacity-wise. (We speculate because BMW has revealed precious few details.)

BMW claims that the new motor uses “a special, never-before-used ignition offset,” which is said to give the mill a rev-happy character. Output is listed as 48 hp, which puts the new 450 in the right bracket for Europe’s A2 license classification. BMW also says that the bike will weigh close to 175 kg [385.8 lbs], again, to keep the power-to-weight ratio compliant for A2 licenses.

According to the press material, the A2 class is a big target for the BMW Concept F 450 GS—but so is performance. The concept bike sports fully-adjustable upside-down forks, with a rear shock that’s adjustable for load-dependent damping.

The 19F/17R wheels look to be BMW’s proprietary cross-spoke tubeless tires, and while die-hard off-road riders will pine for a 21” front wheel, there does look to be a decent amount of ground clearance. Continental TKC80 tires hint at the 450’s dual-purpose usage.

A 6.5” TFT display dominates the cockpit, loaded with connectivity features, switchable rider modes, and ABS. But most of what the BMW Concept F 450 GS tells us isn’t in the press release.

For starters, we know that when BMW says “near-production-ready,” they really mean that we’re looking at a dolled-up version of the actual production bike. We also know that no company builds a new engine for just one bike, so you can count on seeing more 450 variants in the near future.

The biggest question is just how much of the BMW Concept F 450 GS spec will remain once it goes into production. BMW has hinted that it might lose a few inches in the seat height department, and that the laced wheels might be swapped for alloy hoops; neither option is particularly appealing.

It’s also unlikely that a bike with a fully loaded TFT dash, adjustable suspension, and an Akrapovič exhaust will make it to market at a price that’s appealing to anyone shopping for an A2 license-compliant bike. And given that the Concept F 450 GS already looks a bit toylike, removing its best features might kill its appeal.

On the flip side, if BMW specs and prices the 450 competitively, they might be onto a winner.

Source: BMW Motorrad

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First Look: The 2025 Krämer GP2-890 XX hypernaked track bike

Based in Burghausen in Upper Bavaria, Krämer Motorcycles is a boutique marque with a singular focus—race bikes. Everything they create is 100 percent track-focused, jam-packed full of high-end engineering, and slathered in top-shelf components. Now they’ve applied that ethos to their first naked bike, the Krämer GP2-890 XX hypernaked.

Unveiled today at EICMA, the Krämer GP2-890 XX has much in common with the company’s GP2-890 RR track racer, but it’s more than just a GP2-890 RR without a fairing. Sporting upright ergonomics and a host of other tweaks, the GP2-890 XX is, as Krämer puts it, “built for wheelies, not podiums.”

“When we looked around the paddocks we were going to, we noticed that a little over 10 percent of the motorcycles on track were large-displacement naked models, which is an interesting trend developing in the industry,” says Jensen Beeler, who runs Krämer’s USA operation.

“Until now, no manufacturer has produced a hypernaked that is focused solely for the race track, even though the demographics are skewing more into this category with each passing year. The Krämer GP2-890 XX aims to give these track riders a more purpose-built motorcycle for this segment of circuit riding, in the same way our other motorcycles have done in their model segments.”

Like the GP2-890 RR, the Krämer GP2-890 XX uses a chromoly trellis main frame, with a rotationally molded plastic fuel tank out back that also functions as the bike’s tailpiece and subframe. The swingarm is a cast aluminum unit, featuring a progressive shock linkage that Krämer’s been running on the GP2-890 RR in the British Superbike Championship. The running gear includes full-adjustable WP APEX suspension at both ends, a full complement of Brembo braking components, and ultra-light carbon fiber BST Star Tek wheels.

Just about everything on the Krämer GP2-890 XX is adjustable, from the swingarm angle to the steering head angle, triple clamp offset, seat height, and the position of the rear-set foot controls. That level of adjustability is a boon for track riders who want to extract the maximum from their machines.

Powering the GP2-890 XX is the 889 cc parallel-twin motor from the KTM 890 platform, good for 138 hp and 100 Nm. Peek inside, and you’ll spot titanium connecting rods, high-compression Pankl pistons, titanium valves, a race-spec camshaft, and CNC-machined ports. Air is fed via two chunky carbon fiber air ducts, with stainless steel exhaust headers mated to a titanium muffler at the opposite end.

The bike runs off a Mectronik MKE7 ECU with a six-axis inertia measurement unit that manages the rider aids, which include traction and wheelie control. Riders can customize the ECU with their own settings, or with ones from Krämer. The dash is an ECUMaster ADU 5 unit, loaded with everything you’d need at a track day—including a GPS-powered lap timer.

What little bodywork the GP2-890 XX is almost exclusively made from carbon fiber. Stripped down to the basics, with number boards at the front and sides, it’s a gnarly-looking machine that would look just as good in street trim. It’s light too, weighing just 140 kilos [309 pounds] with 16 liters [4.2 gallons] of fuel on board.

Available for pre-order in extremely limited numbers, the Krämer GP2-890 XX will set you back $49,995 in the United States and €50,000 in Europe. It’s also the first motorcycle that Krämer’s offering with factory customization options, starting with the frame color and fairing decals.

Tempted?

Krämer Motorcycles Germany | Krämer Motorcycles USA

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Speed Read: The new Royal Enfield Bear 650 scrambler and more

The annual EICMA trade show is about to kick off, but some major OEMs haven’t waited to show off their latest offerings. We look at the new Royal Enfield Bear 650 scrambler and the Triumph Tiger 800 Sport. On the custom bike front, we profile two retro-fabulous racing restomods; a Suzuki GS1200SS from Japan and a Yamaha RD350 from Spain.

2025 Royal Enfield Bear 650 Royal Enfield is back with another new announcement. This time it’s their beloved 650 cc twin that’s getting a new variant, in the form of the 2025 Royal Enfield Bear 650.

Inspired by Fast Eddie Mulder’s win astride a Royal Enfield 500 at the grueling Big Bear Run in the Californian desert in 1960, Royal Enfield has finally scrambler-ized the Interceptor 650.

Straight away you’ll notice the upside-down Showa big-piston forks and the 19F/17R rear wheel combo. Shod with chunky tires, and sporting over seven inches of ground clearance, the Royal Enfield Bear 650 looks like an Interceptor in its health and fitness era.

Along with the suspension upgrades, the frame has been revised and strengthened. The scrambler-style seat is nicely contoured, and the rear subframe has been kicked up at the back.

The engine has been left alone, but the new two-into-one scrambler exhaust lets the 650 lay down its torque lower in the rev range.

The large LED headlight is backed up with a tech-heavy, but still classic, dashboard. The large round TFT display features Royal Enfield’s ‘Tripper’ navigation, which can be linked to a smartphone running Google Maps. There is also LED lighting all around, which is a first for a Royal Enfield 650 twin.

Even though the burly forks and chunky tires butter our toast, it’s the Royal Enfield Bear 650’s paint options that have us most excited. There are five liveries to choose from, and their names are wild; Boardwalk White, Petrol Green, Wild Honey, Golden Shadow, and the special edition, teal-framed Two Four Nine.

We’re having a hard time choosing between Petrol Green and Wild Honey [above], but the blue, white, and yellow stripes on the Wild Honey might have won us over. Prices in the US will start at $6,849 for the base model Boardwalk White and go up to $7,199 for the special edition Two Four Nine. Prices in the UK range from £6,749 to £6,949.

The big takeaway here is how fun the Royal Enfield Bear 650 looks. We’ve pointed the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 down a dirt road before, and came away thinking that it’s about the most fun you can have with 45 hp.

As far as we’re concerned, Royal Enfield has hit the nail squarely on the head. [Royal Enfield]

Suzuki GS1200SS by Iida Racing Factory Give us the choice of any inline four-cylinder Suzuki, and we’ll pick the Suzuki GS1200SS every time. Even though its two-year production run was short-lived, we can’t get enough of its retro endurance vibes—and it’s highly likely to appreciate in value.

This wild Suzuki GS1200SS belongs to Hiroki Iida, owner and proprietor of Iida Factory Racing in Kawasaki City, Japan. Iida-san has owned, modified, and raced his GS1200SS for over 20 years and he thought it was time to improve on his initial designs. Taking another GS1200SS from his workshop, he set about building this; the Iida Racing Factory “Demo-Two”.

The main focus was reducing weight and managing heat—but while the bike was torn down, myriad gussets and reinforcements were added in key areas, such as the frame neck and shock mounts. Carbon fiber bodywork from Custom Factory Tokaji adorns every surface, and it is perfection personified. An aluminum fuel cell is tucked away beneath the carbon shell, further reducing weight.

The 17” wheels are forged aluminum units from OZ Racing, which are slowed down (rather quickly) by beautiful Brembo calipers and Sunstar discs. The Öhlins FF521 forks are held in place by custom 7075 aluminum fork clamps and there are more Öhlins goodies out back, suspending a custom-braced swingarm.

Then there is the engine. It was torn down and reassembled with Wiseco forged pistons, Yoshimura cams, and titanium bolts, and has a balanced bottom end. It was also punched out to 1,216 cc (about 60 cc over stock) and features a TSS slipper clutch, a full brace of Yoshimura TMR-MJN carburetors, and a titanium exhaust system.

Even with all these mods, Iida-san has kept the big GS road legal with lights and turn signals. He also managed to shave a whopping 40 kg [88 lbs] from the overall weight, which means this thing would absolutely fly down the road. As far as retro sport bikes go, this might be the pinnacle. [Source]

Yamaha RD350 by Bolt Motor Co. When handed a box of bits and asked to make something go, stop, and turn, the team at Spain’s Bolt Motor Co. knew they had their work cut out for them. Somehow, that box of bits used to be a Yamaha RD350 that their new client wanted to look good while paying tribute to three-time 500 cc World Champion, Wayne Rainey. Oh, and it had to be fast.

Starting at the pointy end is a complete front end from a Yamaha R6. The wheels and swingarm came from the R6 too, and allowed for modern rubber to be fitted—including a 170-section rear tire. The client requested good handling and safe stopping, so the Bolt team sourced oversized discs and Brembo calipers to match the R6 suspension.

The clip-on handlebars are from Rizoma and are capped with Motogadget bar end turn signals. A Domino throttle speeds up the right wrist action and a KOSO digital temperature gauge monitors engine heat. The LED headlight wears a custom 3D-printed cover and the mirrors are from Highsider.

The tank is factory, but the rear end is a single-seat fiberglass unit meant for racing. It’s topped off with weatherproof suede upholstery. The red and white livery was specifically requested by the client as a throwback to the monster 500 cc two-stroke GP bikes from yesteryear.

Speaking of 500 cc monsters, that’s exactly how Bolt fulfilled the requirement that the bike be fast. The stock 350 cc twin was torn down and rebuilt to 500 cc with new cylinders, pistons, and crankshaft. The reeds were upgraded and a new pair of carburetors was bolted on for good measure.

The bike was then re-wired from scratch to ensure optimum performance and reliability, and a custom Turbokit exhaust was bolted on, complete with prerequisite enormous expansion chambers. From a box of bits to a work of engineering art that will out-accelerate most modern sport bikes, Bolt Motor Co. knows what’s what. [Source]

2025 Triumph Tiger Sport 800 The ever-growing ‘tall rounder’ segment has a new contender—the all-new 2025 Tiger Sport 800. Based on what we suspect is a bored and/or stroked version of Triumph’s 660 cc inline-triple, the new 798 cc engine pumps out about 113 hp and 84 Nm, and is wrapped in rather attractive bodywork (for an adventure-styled bike anyway).

Styled as a larger, more aggressive version of its smaller sibling, the new Triumph Tiger Sport 800 has a full-sized front fairing, an upright riding position, and a narrow tail. There is Showa suspension all around; the 41 mm separate function front forks are adjustable for rebound and compression, and the rear mono-shock is rebound- and preload-adjustable.

The matching lightweight 17” wheels are wrapped in Michelin’s Road 5 sport tires, and this gives away the intended use. Smaller wheels, adjustable suspension, and sticky tires—it all points to a road bike with the upright ergonomics of an adventure bike.

Speaking of adventure ergonomics, Triumph notes the 32.48-inch seat height as ‘accessible’, but it’s not. Knocking two or three inches off the seat height would make it more approachable for a wider audience. That said, the wet weight of 214 kg [472 lbs] will make the tall seat height more manageable – especially for a bike that will spend all of its time on asphalt.

Another letdown is the dashboard, which is simple, but a bit lackluster. An adjustable screen (with one-handed operation) and sleek daytime running LED save the day up front, as do the factory luggage options out the back.

The standard color is Sapphire Black, and it also comes in three premium colors; Graphite, Caspian Blue, and a very tasty Cosmic Yellow. We expect the new Sport 800 to be at the upper-middle level of the mid-sized touring segment, but the 16,000-kilometer [10,000-mile] service intervals might make it better, financially, in the long run. [Triumph Motorcyles]

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