I'm beginning to think the Suzuki DR-Z400S is invisible-to everyone but me. When other editors pick dual-sports, big bruisers like the honda XR650L and Kawasaki KLR650 keep popping up. But on an actual Mojave Desert or Big Bear fire-road blast, the "little" 400 would smoke those 650s. It weighs at least 50 pounds less, has real enduro-spec, fully adjustable suspension and more than enough power. My off-road-riding posse owns real KTM, husky and honda dirtbikes, and when the going gets rough, the difference is more me than Doctor Z.
The last modification I made was a pair of Michelin Trials Competition tires. Some enduro types are discovering these super-soft radials work wonders in technical terrain encompassing rocks, ruts and slime. And sure enough, they worked pretty darn well off-road. On rocky climbs and descents, they seemed to cling to every shard of shale. They are absolutely, positively never to be used on pavement, however. They're not even DOT-approved, and feel more like Teflon brushes than tires on the street. Don't go there.
If I could only have one bike-and if my garage gets any more stuffed, my wife just might make that happen-the DR-Z400S would be it, hands down. It delivers more fun per unit of time, money or risk than any other machine I can imagine. I feel like a teenager when I ride it-and at my age, that's worth more than just about anything.