Iconic Suzuki DR650SE to be killed off as mandatory ABS rules ramp-up

A host of iconic motorcycles will soon become history as mandatory ABS is introduced for all new road-registerable machines imported into Australia.

The only exceptions to the rule are bikes that are classified as ‘enduro’ models and sub-250cc ‘trail’ bikes which have a solo seat, 21-inch front wheel, and are used for off-road purposes. Adventure tourers can have switchable ABS, while sub-150cc models can get away with linked braking systems.

While ABS was made mandatory in October 2019, models such as the Suzuki DR650SE had until now escaped the chopping block thanks to an allowance for ‘unchanged’ models. That allowance, however, is set to expire in October 2021, meaning those models must either be updated or phased out from the Australian market.

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Most major manufacturers now equip all road-going motorcycles with ABS as standard, but a select few, like Suzuki, will have to make some small changes to their line-ups.

For Suzuki, this means the discontinuation locally of the Boulevard cruiser range, the GSX-R600, the iconic GSX-R750, DR200S, DR-Z400SM and the legendary DR650SE. Suzuki Australia has, however, secured enough stock to last into the New Year.

While Suzuki told bikesales that it 'supports' the new rules, the demise of the Suzuki DR650SE will be particularly sad, given it has persevered since its introduction in 1996 (the original DR650 was introduced in 1990). It has been a popular choice for adventure riders looking for a durable and affordable machine.

Notably, it has long been one of the best-selling models in New Zealand, and is also a big seller in Australia and Canada. However, it has long been unavailable in Europe due to strict emissions law.

It is unclear whether Suzuki will continue to produce the model for overseas markets, however it will no longer be imported into Australia. It will only live on through the second-hand market.

“While it is unfortunate to see these long standing and iconic models disappear, all were within the final stage of their product life cycles,” Suzuki Australia told bikesales. “In any case, their departure will present new opportunities for the brand going forth.”

It would make sense for these "new opportunities" to pave the way for a DR650SE-replacement that follows in the footsteps of middleweight adventure tourers like the Yamaha Tenere 700 and KTM 890 Adventure R. Only time will tell...

On the flipside, a number of ageing Suzuki models like the V-Strom 1050XT and the Hayabusa were recently updated with ABS and a host of electronic safety features, thus saving them from the new ABS ruling.

And in some good news for Suzuki fans, the ever-popular DR-Z400E lives to fight another day thanks to its classification as an ‘enduro’ model.

Kawasaki is another brand potentially affected by the changes, however the Australian arm only told bikesales that ‘one or two models will be eventually converted to comply with ABS changes.’ The popular Kawasaki KLR650 has already been updated with ABS as of 2021.

Yamaha has already announced the demise of several models such as the XT250, the XVS650 and the WR250R, while bikesales was awaiting a reply from Honda at the time of writing.

Local motorcycle distributor Urban Moto Imports, which brings in Royal Enfield, told bikesales that all of its Enfield models now comply with the ABS rules, as does another of its brands, Benelli.

Another local importer, Mojo Motorcycles, has flagged some changes, with the Kymco Like 200 scooter to be discontinued, while the CFMOTO 150NK will be updated to comply. The Kymco Agility RS 125 and Kymco Like 125 have already been updated, while the CFMOTO 250NK will likely be discontinued.

Second-hand machines are not required to fit ABS retrospectively, and most of the models mentioned above are listed for sale on bikesales.com.au.