Weight loss reality shows are popular these days, featuring contestants who lose triple-digit pounds in their quest to be slimmer and healthier. Suzuki could have its own show starring the new DF60, which dropped an astounding 109 pounds. Call it “The Lightest Winner.”
Drop it, Mister
So how do you drop that much tonnage? They started by eliminating one cylinder to create a three-piston powerhouse. This year, instead of being a detuned version of the DF70/80/90 four-cylinder models, the DF60 is its own engine that doesn’t share a horsepower rating with any other motor. To fight the battle of the bulge, a lightweight composite unit replaces the beefy cast-aluminum intake manifold. At 229 pounds, it’s the lightest, most compact 60 hp four-stroke on the market, weighing 14 pounds less than Suzuki’s DF40. It’s even lighter than the direct-injected two-stroke Evinrude E-TEC 60 hp by 11 pounds. Its offset driveshaft also contributes to its small footprint and gives it better balance by putting more weight over the transom, not behind it.
Reduced pain at the pump
The biggest improvement over the previous DF60 is fuel economy. According to Suzuki tests, at trolling speeds the DF60 consumes 60 percent of the fuel of its predecessor and a paltry 55 percent of the fuel at cruise. It does this, in part, by using Suzuki’s new-generation Lean Burn Control System, unveiled last year with the introduction of the DF70/80/90. The 32-bit onboard computer senses when the load on the engine is light – such as running at no-wake speeds and at moderate on-plane cruising velocity. Then the ECM (Engine Control Module) directs the engine to change the air/fuel mixture to a leaner mix in order to reduce fuel consumption. When power demand is greater, the module automatically enrichens the mixture. Easy starting, quiet running When we turned the key on the DF60 in Englewood on Florida’s southwest coast, we were instructed by Dave Greenwood, Suzuki’s senior engineer, to release it immediately to demonstrate the Easy Start System. The engine continued to crank for a second afterward before firing and settling into a smooth idle. This system will turn the engine by itself until it fires or senses you could damage the system in the event of a problem, whereby it automatically stops cranking. As we idled out of Angler Resort’s Marina, we measured a quiet 56 dBa from the helm, despite being on a compact Triumph 170CC, which puts the driver within a few feet of the outboard.
Get on with it
Finally passing the no-wake zone, I nailed the throttle and the Triumph leapt onto plane in just 3.5 seconds with a satisfying kick of acceleration to push the 1,400-pound Roplene center console. Time to 25 mph was 7.5 seconds and, riding solo, I hit a top speed of 35.1 miles per hour. This hot rod of an outboard uses four valves per cylinder and Multi-Point Sequential Fuel Injection to give outstanding performance. The low-profile lower unit slashes through the water with little drag and can be raised very high when traversing skinny water by those using a jack-plate, thanks to the low water intakes.
Do-it-yourselfer
Some brands require simple maintenance by a dealer to keep the warranty intact; Suzuki doesn’t. If there is an issue, showing receipts for an oil filter and oil change proves you satisfied this mandated service requirement.
Of course it’s Suzuki’s goal to simplify maintenance with features including the self-adjusting timing chain designed to last the life of your outboard. It is positioned at the bottom of the block closer to the oil pan, so self-lubrication is facilitated. This is the first time anyone has offered a timing chain in the 60 horsepower class, instead of an easier-to-break timing belt.
Charge it
Even on smaller boats, anglers these days arm themselves with impressive arrays of electronics and other battery-draining items. To keep everything humming, you need charging power, and the DF60 responds with a 19 amp alternator that can produce 11.5 amps at only 1000 rpm.
If you’ve ever damaged your engine’s cowling by over-trimming, Suzuki feels your pain and installed a Tilt Limit System to make sure this never happens. To keep the DF60 looking good for years, the engine has a four-layer armor of protection over the aluminum alloy.