Honda CRF450RL vs. Suzuki DR-Z4S | Japanese Dual-Sport Shootout

Japan has long supplied the world with dual-sport machines, but in the past decade or two, these offerings have shrunk and/or stagnated largely. For 2025, Suzuki finally gave us the update we've been waiting more than two decades to see. The DR-Z400 is gone, replaced by the all-new DR-Z4S. In 2019, Honda released the CRF450L, a machine that has spent the last several years establishing itself as one of the more performance-oriented options in the category. On paper, the mission is similar: street-legal, dirt-capable, Japanese reliability. In reality, these two motorcycles go about accomplishing that mission in very different ways.

Since mo' is MO around here, we did just that for this comparison, we gave our videographer Will Embree mo' work! In addition to filming, Mr. Embree shot photography and provided testing feedback for this comparison. While we always appreciate Will’s work behind the camera, we felt his background of hucking MX machines around a racetrack would provide an interesting point of view that we don’t usually have around here. He can also get changed into moto gear faster than anyone I’ve ever seen with the right motivation (be sure to watch the video for this impressive feat).

After spending several days riding them back-to-back through rocky mountain trails and fast two-trackers, with some asphalt connectors thrown in for good measure, something became clear: choosing between these bikes has less to do with performance figures and more to do with what kind of rider you are.

To the Dyno!

The dyno chart (and displacement) hint at the Honda’s peak power advantages. The CRF450RL produces 36 horsepower at 7,800 rpm and 26.9 lb-ft of torque at 6,500 rpm, compared to the Suzuki's 32.2 horsepower at 8,100 rpm and 23.9 lb-ft at the same torque peak as the Honda. The CRF carries a measurable lead throughout most of the rev range, and when the trail opens up, you can tap into that potential.

Will comes from a motocross background with experience on Honda’s MX machines. He expected the Honda’s 450cc engine to hit harder down low. After all, it wears the CRF badge and shares some DNA with Honda’s competition machines. That said, the CRF450RL behaves like a very Honda-esque engine. It likes to rev. The power is there, but you have to go looking for it. This is, in fact, not a hard-edged race machine. On faster trails, that character works well. The bike accelerates harder than the Suzuki, carries speed effortlessly, and feels eager to be ridden aggressively. In tighter terrain, though, it requires more attention. We found ourselves shifting more often and using the clutch more frequently to keep the engine in its sweet spot — which again, is higher in the rpm range.

The Suzuki takes a completely different approach. While it's down on power by comparison, it rarely feels underpowered. The engine is smoother, more relaxed, and easier to manage in technical terrain. There were numerous sections where I expected to need to downshift only to realize the DR-Z was perfectly happy pulling through in the gear I was already in. It doesn't have the Honda’s urgency, but it also doesn't demand as much from the rider. The best word I can use to describe the Suzuki’s engine is cooperative. It simply gets on with the job without being overly dramatic.

If outright performance is the goal, the Honda wins this category. Folks used to Big Red’s revvy nature may feel right at home keeping the Single spun up. If you're looking for an engine that makes technical terrain feel easier, the Suzuki's broader, more relaxed character may actually be preferable.

Trail Manners

Like the powerplants, both machines go about their handling in very different ways. Throwing a leg over the Honda first, I initially found the suspension fairly plush by dual-sport standards. Then I rode the Suzuki. Will and I both agreed, the DR-Z4S feels like a magic carpet hovering over obstacles. That's only a slight exaggeration.

What makes this even more impressive is the fact that the Suzuki weighs approximately 41 pounds more than the Honda. Normally, that's a number you'd expect to feel immediately. Yet somehow Suzuki has done an excellent job masking that weight. Most of the time, the bike feels surprisingly nimble and balanced. Only when things start getting out of shape — or when you're physically moving the bike around in a parking lot — does the extra mass become obvious. When it does, you’re reminded of what an extra 40-plus pounds of weight can do with momentum.

That's really the theme throughout this comparison. The Honda constantly encourages you to ride harder. The Suzuki constantly encourages you to ride farther, I mean, if you want. The DR-Z4S is the more casual, laid back machine of the two.

DOT Knobbies

A quick nod has to go to the rubber fitted to our test bikes. We spooned Dunlop Geomax Enduro EN91 tires on both machines. These are some of the knobbiest DOT tires you can run while remaining completely legal. Given the amount of sharp, jagged rocks we slammed through, combined with sustained pavement stretches at 70 mph, these tires held up incredibly well. They tracked predictably on the asphalt without walking or squirming, and the hard compound showed virtually zero damage by the end of our multi-day test.

Suzuki Brings the Tech

One of the biggest stories surrounding the new DR-Z4S isn't what Suzuki changed, but how long it took them to change it. After years of carburetors and simplicity bordering on stubbornness, Suzuki has finally embraced modern technology. What’s interesting is that the result is what one could argue is one of the most technologically advanced dual-sports on the market.

Through the Suzuki Intelligent Ride System (S.I.R.S.), the DR-Z4S offers three levels of power delivery: A, B, and C, four levels of traction control: 1, 2, G, and Off, and three levels of ABS: on at both ends, front on/rear off, and off entirely. During our ride, that front ABS proved genuinely useful. Will overcooked a decreasing radius downhill corner where the ABS intervention at the front wheel likely saved us from spending the afternoon in recovery mode, pulling the bike up from the bottom of a valley. It’s arguable whether or not some of this tech is needed on a 398cc dual-sport, but Suzuki is giving the market the option. If you’re a more casual rider, you may appreciate a little ABS and TC.

Honda takes a far more traditional approach. There are no ride modes, no traction control adjustments, and no electronic safety nets. For some riders, that's exactly what they want — and what they’re used to in this category. For others, especially those transitioning from adventure bikes or modern street motorcycles, the Suzuki's electronics package adds a welcome layer of adjustability and safety.

Practical Differences

Beyond the trail, several practical differences began to emerge. The Honda's six-speed transmission is one of them. At highway speeds, the CRF450RL feels noticeably more relaxed. Cruising at 65 to 70 mph is entirely reasonable, and that sixth gear helps keep engine speeds under control. The Suzuki, still using a five-speed gearbox, can certainly handle freeway duty, but it's working harder while doing it. Above 65 mph, the engine begins to feel busy, and long, fast highway stretches feel a tad abusive.

The Honda feels more specialized. Not in a bad way, but in a way that makes its priorities obvious. Much like America’s sweetheart, Ricky Bobby, the CRF450RL wants to go fast.

Which One Belongs In Your Garage?

Comparisons often end with a clear winner. This isn't one of those comparisons. The Honda CRF450RL is the better performance motorcycle. It's lighter, more powerful, sharper handling, and feels much closer to a competition machine with a license plate attached. Riders with a motocross or off-road racing background will immediately gravitate and feel comfortable on it.

The Suzuki DR-Z4S, however, might be the better dual-sport. It gives up surprisingly little performance while offering considerably more comfort, more technology, and a more forgiving ride. Its suspension is comfortable in technical terrain when speed isn’t the goal, the electronics package is unmatched in the category, and its overall character makes it easier to enjoy for longer periods of time.

After riding both motorcycles back-to-back, I kept coming back to the same conclusion. The Honda is the bike I'd choose for a day spent chasing friends through the desert. The Suzuki is the bike I'd choose if I didn't know exactly where the day was going to take me. For a dual-sport motorcycle, that's about the highest compliment I can give.

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