We really like the sound from the new exhaust system, with a throaty rumble that sounds much like the LTR 450.Īlthough the external portion of the exhaust is for the most part unchanged, internally it was reworked for better low to mid range power, as were several -other engine components. Down below is a dry-sump lubrication system, with an oil reservoir mounted just ahead of the engine, and a 5 speed gearbox (with reverse) to get everything rolling. The large capacity radiator includes an “on-demand” thermostatically controlled fan for consistent operating temperature. As in previous years, the LTZ engine is a liquid cooled, 398cc 4-stroke, single-cylinder, dual overhead cam engine with a counter-balancer. The EFI system compensates for temperature, altitude, barometric pressure, and current engine temperature and conditions. It was time to see what the new engine could give us! A flip of the key kicked the new electronic fuel injection system on, and a stab at the starter quickly brought the 2009 Suzuki LTZ 400 engine to life. When switching between the 2008 LTZ 400 to the 2009 model, the changes are easy to feel, and are a definite improvement in every area. Finally, the front brake lever was changed to an adjustable lever, just like on the LTR 450. The foam is still soft enough for all day trail rides, yet firm enough to move around on. The seat was changed slightly to match the T-bone LTR seat style. The result is extra room, but better cornering.
The pegs have also been lowered, slightly moved back, and widened to 46mm, which is exactly the same as the LTR 450. The rider now sits in a more “charging” position, with a bar that is 5mm lower and 10mm forward, helping the rider maintain better leverages. In fact, it’s clear the lessons Suzuki learned with their championship winning LTR 450 race quad have been applied to the new 2009 Suzuki LTZ 400 in many areas. The first thing we noticed is that the riding position is much different than any of the previous years of the Z. As quickly as we could grab our Canon, boots, and helmet, we were off to California for a day of testing. First impressions can sometimes be deceiving, and we needed to ride it for ourselves to find just what the 2009 Suzuki LTZ 400 was capable of. When Suzuki released the specs and a few shots of a reworked ‘Z4, the changes were welcomed by the press, but were thought to be mostly cosmetic. That was over 5 years ago, and since then the LTZ has seen few updates, and it was starting to look dated. The LTZ 400 was exactly what a rapidly expanding sport quad market had been asking for, and soon there was a yellow wave of new Suzukis taking every riding area by storm. When originally released to an eager sport quad crowd in 2002 (as a 2003 model), it offered handling, and performance that made it an instant hit. It’s easy to ride, comfortable, it has good power, and can be taken to the trail or track all day with no problem. The 2009 Suzuki LTZ 400 sport ATV has always been one of our favorites.