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WE RIDE RIDE ENGINEERING’S SUZUKI RM-Z450 The most important thing you should have learned after reading last month’s “MXA 450 Four-Stroke Shootout” is that there is no such thing as the “every-man bike.” Though the Kawasaki KX450F took top honors, all the bikes in the field have their bright spots—and their peccadilloes. Take the 2013 Suzuki RM-Z450. An incredible-handling bike, it lacked in the key areas of suspension, braking and power output. Is it a loser? Absolutely not. However, it would take a generous amount of money to maximize the RM...
MXA’S 2013 250 FOUR-STROKE SHOOTOUT: WE AREN'T TELLING YOU WHAT TO BUY – JUST WHAT WE WOULD BUY (PLUS VIDEO) It has been a long and winding road, fraught with peril and surprises around every corner. But, the MXA wrecking crew managed to get through testing the 2013 250 four-strokes with nary a scratch. As for our six bikes, they took the brunt of our countless hours on tracks around the United States. It was all in the name of finding out the good, the bad and the ugly of each bike. What’s so unique about our 2013 shootout? You might have noticed that Husqvarna has joined the party. We welcome the Italians an...
WE RIDE RICKY CARMICHAEL’S LORETTA LYNN WINNING SUZUKI RM-Z450: THE ONE HE AUCTIONED OFF FOR CHARITY The MXA wrecking crew has a unique relationship with Ricky Carmichael. We have tested more of Carmichael’s race bikes than anyone, except for Ricky himself. It was 17 years ago that we began riding Ricky’s race bikes, starting with his Kawasaki KX85 minicycle (before he had ever raced an AMA Pro race). We followed that up with all three of the KX125s that he won his 125 National Championships on, his Supercross-winning Honda CR250, his perfect-season 2004 Honda CRF450 (which we tested the day before it ...
MXA'S 2013 SUZUKI RM-Z450 MOTOCROSS TEST: IS IT A ONE TRICK PONY? FIRST AND FOREMOST, IS THE 2013 SUZUKI RM-Z450 BETTER THAN THE 2012 RM-Z450? A: Yes and no. First of all, it would be hard not to be, given that the 2012 Suzuki RM-Z450 was really the 2011 RM-Z450 with a red stripe on the seat cover. So, what we are re ally asking is...is the 2 013 Suzuki RM-Z450 better than the 2011 RM-Z450. That shouldn't be a hard target to beat, but Suzuki had some hits and s ome misses with the 2013 RM-Z. Q: WHAT DID SUZUKI CHANGE ON THE 2013 RM-Z450? A: The list of changes focused...
MXA'S 2013 SUZUKI RM-Z250 MOTOCROSS TEST: A GOOD SOLID 2013 RACE BIKE–LOOKING OR THE RIGHT KIND OF RIDER FIRST AND FOREMOST, IS THE 2013 RM-Z250 BETTER THAN THE 2012 RM-Z250? A: To be precise, a better question would be “Is the 2013 RM-Z250 better than the 2011 RM-Z250.” Why? Suzuki didn’t make any major changes to the RM-Z250 in 2012. Aside from a fuel-pump assembly material update, shorter breather hose, new graphics and a red stripe extending the length of the seat cover, the bike was untouched. Perhaps you’ll recall that the 2012 Suzuki RM-Z250 finished second place in MXA’s 250 four-stroke shootout. T...
WE RIDE PRO CIRCUIT’S 2012 SUZUKI RM-Z450 MOTOCROSS BIKE We wouldn’t be telling tales out of school to say that Suzuki has pressed the pause button as of late when it comes to motocross development. Maybe it’s just us, but we can’t help but feel that Suzuki is coasting because of poor sales for the RM-Z450. Who can blame them? Their whole fuel-injected RM-Z450 program has been an unmitigated disaster from day one. It all started back in 2008 when Suzuki decided to get the jump on everyone by being the first manufacturer to come out with a fuel-injected 450cc ...
FIRST LOOK AT THE 2013 SUZUKI RM-Z250 AND RM-Z450 2013 SUZUKI RM-Z450 For 2013, the RM-Z450 is also redesigned to give riders an even greater edge. Its powerful, four-stroke liquid-cooled four-valve engine features updates including a new lighter piston, revised piston pin and connecting rod as well as a new intake cam – together, all of these updates help provide stronger mid-range torque and crisper throttle response. Complementing the engine improvements is a transmission update featuring revised gear shapes to 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th gears, along ...
2012 250 DYNO SHOOTOUT! HOW MUCH HORSEPOWER DO THE 2012 250s REALLY MAKE: WE REVEAL THE INNER SECRETS OF THE 2012 POWERBANDS The MXA wrecking crew spends the majority of its test time racing and riding brand-new production motorcycles, but early on in each test session every bike gets its day on the dyno. It really isn’t all that revealing because by the time its strapped down it has already been ridden to break in the engine, seat the muffler packing and get a feel for where it rates. Test riders form their opinions in the saddle and rely on the dyno numbers to reinforce what they already know. When the dyno numbers are spit...
MXA’S 2012 250 FOUR-STROKE SHOOTOUT: OUR BRUTAL & HONEST OPINIONS OF THIS YEAR’S 250 CLASS Let’s face it, not everyone is in the market for a 2012 250 four-stroke. That’s okay with us. There are many choices when it comes to purchasing a motorcycle—two-stroke, four-stroke, 125, 250 and 450. Depending on your wants and needs, a 250F might not be your cup of tea. But whatever you decide to spend your hard earned cash on, don’t overlook the positive attributes of a 250 four-stroke. The MXA wrecking crew can attest to the utter delight of holding a motorcycle wide open and blas...
MXA'S 2012 SUZUKI RM-Z250 MOTOCROSS TEST: IS IT JUST ANOTHER REHEATED 2011 MODEL? Q: FIRST AND FOREMOST, IS THE 2012 RM-Z250 BETTER THAN THE 2011 RM-Z250? A: That depends on who you ask. Our aesthetically focused test riders were enamored by the feng shui of the red stripe on the seat cover in relation to the red accents on the shroud graphics. They felt a calm sense of peace and tranquility while riding the 2012 RM-Z250, and thus believed that the 2012 model was better than the 2011 version. The colorblind MXA test riders didn’t experience any warm fuzzies. All sarcasm aside, the 20...
MXA PERFORMANCE GUIDE 2011 SUZUKI RM-Z250 The first generation of Suzuki RM-Z250s weren’t built for the average motocross racer as far MXA is concerned. Suzuki’s original target rider was an anorexic 12-year-old who never revved his engine. The fork and shock springs were soft, and all the power was on the bottom. Thankfully, in 2010, Suzuki made tons of changes, but no one celebrated for the simple reason that nobody had the motorcycle (it was a very late release). Kudos to Suzuki for making a considerable number of changes (34 by our count) o...
MOTOCROSS ACTION'S 2012 450 SHOOTOUT: WE TELL YOU THE THINGS THAT EVERYONE ELSE PUSSYFOOTS AROUND The Honda CRF450, KTM 450SXF, Yamaha YZ450F, KTM 350SXF, Kawasaki KX450F and Suzuki RM-Z450 are all major players in what consumers might well think of as a $8500 crap shoot. It is the MXA wrecking crew’s goal to take the gamble out of buying a 2012 450cc motocross bike. We are going to tell you what we think is the best bike in the 450 lottery, but not even the MXA test riders believe that there is one perfect bike for every person. Even among MXA ’s test crew you will find riders ch...
MOTOCROSS ACTION'S 2011 450 SHOOTOUT: WE DON'T CARE WHAT BIKE YOU BUY, BUT WE DON'T WANT YOU TO MAKE AN UNINFORMED DECISION Pity the poor fool who enters headstrong and dimwitted into the 2011 motocross fray. For the uninitiated, the motocross world is a confusing maelstrom of conflicting information—made all the worse by the rapid expansion of avenues of personal expression (and most of what is expressed is wrong). If every product is the best, which one really is the best? If every bike is the fastest, which one is really the fastest? If every suspension is the plushest, which one is really the plushest? Pity the buyer who...
MOTOCROSS ACTION'S 2009 450 SHOOTOUT: ALL THE FACTS WITHOUT THE WHITEWASH! EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW Historically, choosing shootout winners is easy for the MXA wrecking crew. We race the bikes every weekend for six months, switch back and forth (sometimes between motos), try every possible gearing and suspension combination, and then, by universal acclaim, anoint the bike that was the standout performer. It’s easy! Never has it been so hard as in 2009. When asked to pick the 450cc four-stroke of the year, most MXA test riders just stared back with a blank look of...
MOTOCROSS ACTION'S BITE-SIZE 2009 450 SHOOTOUT: RIDE 'EM. RACE 'EM. WRECK 'EM. REVIEW 'EM: NUMBER ONE: 2009 KAWASAKI KX450F Unlike the other fuel-injected bikes, which stumble at 8000 rpm, the 2009 Kawasaki KX450F keeps pulling to 9400 rpm. The ‘09 KX450F has the second most horsepower in the class and decent suspension. Its handling is mediocre. It needs to go on a serious diet, because at 238 pounds it weighs 12 pounds more than a CRF450. PLUSES: The only fuel-injected bike that can compete in the mid-and-up range. MINUSES: Gappy gearbox, missed shifts...
MXA'S 2012 SUZUKI RM-Z450 MOTOCROSS TEST: IT MAY BE REHEATED 2011 LEFT-OVERS, BUT IT IS REHEATED FILET MIGNON Q: FIRST AND FOREMOST, IS THE 2012 SUZUKI RM-Z450 BETTER THAN THE 2011 RM-Z450? A: Not unless the red stripe down the seat cover has some technical edge that we are unaware of. Q: WHAT DID SUZUKI CHANGE ON THE 2012 RM-Z450? A: When we tell you Suzuki changed nothing—save for the BNG, seat cover, fuel-pump cover and engine breather hose—you will probably think less of the 2012 RM-Z450. You shouldn’t. Why not? Over the past two years (2010 and 2011), Suzuki made 18 significant changes to the RM-Z450. The ...
2011 SUZUKI RM-Z450 MOTOCROSS TEST: AFTER YEARS OF BEING DOWN, THE RM-Z450 IS UP Q: FIRST AND FOREMOST, IS THE 2011 RM-Z450 BETTER THAN THE 2010 RM-Z450? A: Yes, but with so few 2010 RM-Z450s offered for sale last year, the important question is whether the 2011 RM-Z450 is better than the 2009 model—which it is by leaps and bounds. Q: WHAT DID SUZUKI CHANGE ON THE 2011 RM-Z450? A: The list of changes looks very small for 2011, but that is because Suzuki made some major mods in 2010. Here is the list of 2011 changes. (1) Muffler. If you look inside the 2011 RM-Z450 muffler, you will ...
2011 SUZUKI RM-Z250 MOTOCROSS TEST: SUZUKI BRINGS THE RM-Z250 BACK FROM THE BRINK Q: FIRST AND FOREMOST, IS THE 2011 RM-Z250 BETTER THAN THE 2010 RM-Z250? A: Yes. How so? A total of 34 changes have been made to the 2011 Suzuki RM-Z250. That’s quite a few updates, considering that in 2010 the RM-Z250 was practically new from the ground up. Last year, the RM-Z250 received electronic fuel injection, an aluminum gas tank, engine modifications, a redesigned aluminum alloy frame, new swingarm and revised spring rates. Q: WHAT ARE THE MAJOR UPDATES? A: Suzuki zeroed in on four main areas: (...
WE RIDE THE "WE REWARD" SUZUKI RMZ-450: A FULL RACE MOTOCROSS BIKE WITH A TWIST With each new medium of information comes new opportunities for marketing, and believe it or not, computers are yesterday’s news. Cell phones with web browsing, GPS and many other impressive applications are literally attached at the hip of many Americans. “ WeReward ” is a free application that anyone can download to their iPhone, Android or Blackberry that pays points when you go to certain business locations or perform tasks. The tasks can even include taking a photo of yourself with a product or lea...
MXA TEAM TESTED: HINSON SUZUKI RM-Z250 BILLETPROOF CLUTCH WHAT IS IT? The Hinson Billetproof clutch is a be-all, end-all solution to the lame-duck clutch that comes stock in the 2011 Suzuki RM-Z250. WHAT’S IT COST? $199.99 (fiber/steel plates and springs); $169.99 (clutch cover); $274.99 (clutch basket); $189.99 (pressure plate); $309.99 (inner hub). CONTACT? www.hinsonracing.com or (909) 946-2942. WHAT STANDS OUT? Here’s a list of things that stand out with Hinson’s Suzuki RM-Z250 Billetproof clutch. (1) Problem. Suzuki has a longstanding reputation for outfi...
FRIDAY'S USED MOTOCROSS BIKE GUIDE: HOW TO SETUP YOUR 2009 SUZUKI RM-Z250: 1. Forks. If you’re faster than a Novice or weigh more than 150 pounds, then you will need to install stiffer fork springs. The stock 0.44 kg/mm springs are too soft. MXA switched to 0.46 kg/mm springs. Once the change has been made, your wrists will thank you. 2. Shock spring. Suzuki either missed the boat completely during pre-production testing or their test force is comprised of rail-thin riders. We drop-kicked the 5.4 kg/mm shock spring and jumped up to a 5.6. Those who are thick around the waist (...
FRIDAY'S USED MOTOCROSS BIKE GUIDE: HOW TO SETUP YOUR 2009 SUZUKI RM-Z450: 1. Forks. The forks have issues. They have had spring-rate problems forever, and for 2009 they suffere from the same woes. Our best advice is to go stiffer on the fork springs. We changed the stock 0.47s to 0.49s. Once you have the correct springs, you can raise and lower the oil height to meter the midstroke. 2. Shock spring. Most MXA test riders could live with the stock 5.6 kg/mm shock spring (only the fast or fat went stiffer). 3. Gearing. Virtually every test rider felt that the RM-Z450 was properl...
MXA TEAM TESTED: YOSHIMURA RS-4 PRO SERIES RM-Z250 EXHAUST WHAT IS IT? Composed of titanium and carbon fiber and developed for Team Suzuki’s 250 program, the Yoshimura RS-4 Pro Series RM-Z250 exhaust system is the cream of Yoshimura’s crop. WHAT’S IT COST? $595.00 (stainless/aluminum); $945.00 (Ti/Ti); $995.00 (Ti/carbon fiber, shown). CONTACT? (800) 634-9166 or www.yoshimura-rd.com . WHAT STANDS OUT? Here’s a list of things that stand out with the Yoshimura RS-4 Pro Series RM-Z250 exhaust. (1) Problem. The 2011 Suzuki RM-Z250 is blessed with the best engine in...
2012 NEW MOTOCROSS BIKE BUYERS GUIDE: THE 2012 SUZUKI RM-Z250 & RM-Z450 2012 RM-Z450 The RM-Z450 changes visible to the naked eye are the black fork guards and red stripe down the seat cover. The 2012 RM-Z450 is an open-class motocross machine that's ready to dominate the toughest of tracks. As a racer, you need quick, laser-accurate steering and confidence-inspiring high-speed handling all in one package. And you want a high performance machine with a racing pedigree that makes it competitive right out of the crate. The RM-Z450 has been taking champions across the finish l...
MOTOCROSS ACTION'S 2011 250 FOUR-STROKE SHOOTOUT: HOW THEY RANK AGAINST EACH OTHER & WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU BUY We live in a world of constant judgment. Critical eyes and biased opinions are everywhere. Everyone has an opinion on everything—even stuff they know nothing about. Sadly, one man’s opinion is another man’s resource for a fact. Ignorance compounds ignorance until the overall IQ of the populace is reduced. The world wide web functions like the rats during the Bubonic Plague outbreak. It spreads misinformation with fleas of stupidity and it infects the minds of the masses with half-truths and outright lie...
FIRST LOOK! 2011 SUZUKI RM-Z450 & RM-Z250 2011 RM-Z250 For 2011 Suzuki has taken its potent RM-Z250, and have fine-tuned it into an even more capable machine. The 2011 RM-Z has seen numerous updates: it now meets a stricter AMA noise limit (94db) while maintaining smooth engine output; the intake and exhaust timing has been changed for better engine feeling with lower noise output; the exhaust pipe length has been changed for better engine feeling with lower noise; ECU settings have been updated for more linear acceleration and improved over-re...
WE RIDE RYAN DUNGEY'S NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SUZUKI RM-Z250: Sometimes moments pass so fast that you don't have time to muse on them. The 2009 season was like that for Ryan Dungey. He not only won the 250 West Supercross Championship, but the AMA 250 National Championship and the 450 class at the Motocross des Nations. Rather than let Dungey's triumphant year speed by in a blur, MXA decided to take the bike he rode to two AMA Championships for a spin. Here is the test of Ryan Dungey's Championship winning RM-Z250. The greatest advantage of a factory ride ov...
WE RIDE CHAD REED'S MAKITA SUZUKI RM-Z450: The 2009 season will go down as being one of the most exciting championship battles of the last decade. Chad Reed and James Stewart went toe-to-toe all the way to Las Vegas for the Supercross crown, while more riders won AMA 450 Nationals in a single season than in recent memory. Chad Reed came up a few points short in Supercross, but he outlasted all-comers in the AMA 450 National Championship. It was a great year of racing; made all the more interesting by Chad's last-second decision to race the outdo...
WE RIDE NICK PALUZZI'S ROCK STAR SUZUKI RM-Z250: A few months ago the thought of testing this bike was a distant dream. Why? Word spread like wildfire through the racing world that Suzuki’s 2009 amateur program went belly up. For all intents and purposes, Suzuki’s amateur program was considered deceased heading into the 2009 amateur season. With the economy in a downward spiral, the bean counters at Suzuki decided to scale back their racing efforts for 2009. The riders that didn’t get chopped fled to other brands; the program manager was fired, and do...
FIRST LOOK AT THE TWENTY-TEN SUZUKI RM-Z'S: Is The RM-Z250 Fuel Injected? What Has Changed On The RM-Z450? Find Out Here! FIRST LOOK AT THE TWENTY-TEN SUZUKI RM-Z'S: 2010 SUZUKI RM-Z250 Suzuki races to win, period. And, thanks to the hard work of Ryan Dungey in the U.S., the RM-Z250 is the AMA Supercross Lites West Coast Champion for 2009. But winning goes beyond the champagne. For the 2010 RM-Z250, Suzuki applied lessons learned on the track to turn up the speed, handling and confidence you’ll get racing every day, anywhere in the world. Suzuki racing technology is everywhere you look: advanced Suzuki fuel in...
WE RIDE COLE SEELY'S FUN CENTER SUZUKI RM-Z250: The MXA wrecking crew is a tight-knit group of riders. We ride every chance we get and race every weekend. Our crew is comprised of riders born in every decade (dating back to the 1940s), and while some are babes in the woods and others long in the tooth, we have a common love of motocross. Cole Seely, one of the newest additions to the MXA testing brigade, falls into the youngster category. Cole has been helping the MXA wrecking crew test bikes and do photo shoots. It was a selfless job for the 19-year...
2010 SUZUKI PHOTO GALLERY: 2010 marks the first year that a motocross manufacturer has gone completely electronic fuel injection. Suzuki was the first to strike with their EFI system two years ago. It would only seem obvious that the yellow crew would come out with a fuel injected 250 four-stroke. To view all of the supplied photos that Suzuki has provided, take a look at our photo gallery (CLICK ON PHOTOS) . You can also click on either bike below, which will take you to the requested bike photo gallery. 2010 SUZUKI RM-Z250 PHOT...
ASK THE MXPERTS: Can You Tell Me The Best Jetting For My 2003 SUZUKI RM250? Dear MXA, I bought a used 2003 Suzuki RM250 and the jetting is awful. Can you help me? Suzuki's box stock jetting in 2003 left a lot to be desired. Here is what we ran on our sea-level RM250 race bikes back in 2003. We went down to a 165 main from the stock 175, leaned out the 48 pilot to a 45 and replaced the stock 6.5 slide with a leaner 7.0 slide. If you have a question, send it to mxa@hi-torque.com
MXA RACE TEST: The New 2009 Suzuki's RM-Z250; Suspension Settings, Jetting Specs, Likes & Dislikes, Plus Much More INSIDE TEST OF THE 2009 SUZUKI RM-Z250 For a bike that is celebrating its fifth birthday, it’s strange that the Suzuki RM-Z250 is only three years old. How can that be? It’s simple. The first real Suzuki RM-Z250 was the 2007 model. Well, technically Suzuki offered their first RM-Z250 in 2004, but, in truth, the 2004, 2005 and 2006 RM-Z’s were built by Kawasaki (as part of the short-lived Suzuki/Kawasaki alliance). In essence, Suzuki private-labeled a yellow version of the KX250F for three y...
MXA RACE TEST: The New 2009 Suzuki RM-Z450; Suspension Settings, Jetting Specs, Likes & Dislikes, Plus Much More INSIDE THE NEW 2009 SUZUKI RM-Z450 Imagine that you poured your heart and soul into building the most advanced motocross bike ever offered to the public. It was going to be the first motocross bike from a major manufacturer to come with electronic fuel injection. Best of all, it was a full year ahead of the competition in terms of technology. Not only was your company backing it with a massive contingency program, but they were ready to spend millions on advertising, racing, promotion...
ASK THE MXPERTS: Why Does My RM125 Idle Too Fast 1996 RM125 JETTING: CHECKING YOUR CHOKE SYSTEM Dear MXA, My 1996 RM125 acts funny when I use the choke to start it. It idles really high, like I am holding the throttle 3/4 of the way open, even though I'm not even touching the throttle. When I turn the choke off, the idle drops back down and it idles fine. What’s the problem? As rule of thumb, bikes always gain rpm when they are first started on the choke circuit. On the other hand, t...
ASK THE MXPERTS: What Is The Best 2007 RM250 Jetting? LOOKING FOR THE BEST 2007 SUZUKI RM250 BRASS Dear MXA, Can you tell me your corrected jetting specs for the 2007 RM250 two-stroke? After years of horrible RM250 jetting, Suzuki did a fairly good job with the 2007 model. It was a little rich on top, but nothing that changing the stock 168 couldn’t fix. On warm day we ran a 165 or 162 main and dropped the needle by putting the clip in the second slot from the top. Send questions to mxa@hi-torque.com
2009 SUZUKIS First Look: The 2009 Suzuki Line-Up Suzuki will be the first major manufacturer to release its 2009 motocross models, with bikes arriving in dealerships mid-summer. There are very few changes to the RM-Z450 and RM-Z250, but that's not surprising because the 2008 models were released very late in the season last year. The RM-Z450, in particular, arrived so late that it missed the major selling season. The 2009 version will have new centercases that are said to be free of the occasional breakage issue tha...
2008 RACE TEST SUZUKI RM-Z450 From a human standpoint, you have to feel for Suzuki. For the 2008 model year, they decided to roll the dice on a fuel-injected 450cc motocross bike. It was a bold move; one that could insure their place as the most adventuresome of the Big Five. The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow was a massive increase in bike sales, fueled by the mystique of EFI (Electronic Fuel Injection). There were risks, but it wasn’t a “Hail Mary” pass. It was an aggressive marketing ploy to leapfrog to the front of the pa...
2008 RACE TESTSUZUKI RM-Z250 We don’t expect you to remember the intricate details of RM-Z250 development, which is why the MXA wrecking crew is here to help. Released in 2004, the RM-Z250 started off as a clone of the 2004 Kawasaki KX250F. Developed under the short-lived Suzuki/Kawasaki alliance, the RM-Z250 wasn’t just similar to the KX250F—it was the 2004 KX250F. The RM-Z shared the cranky handling characteristics, overheating problems and low-to-mid powerband of its green brother. In 2005, the green and yellow twins got ...
250 TWO STROKE SHOOTOUT: YZ250 versus RM250 versus 250SX My, how the mighty have fallen. Many years ago, an MXA 250 two-stroke shootout would have included bikes from Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, CZ, Kawasaki, KTM, Husqvarna, Maico and Bultaco. Today, modern motocrossers only have three 250cc two-stroke choices (and one of those players has announced that 2008 is their last year in the class). Many racers have given up on two-strokes, but not the MXA wrecking crew. We grew up on them, and while we see the writing on the wall, we don't want to go down without...
WE RIDE YOSHIMURA R&D'S SUZUKI RM-Z250: Motorcycle test riders are a strange lot. The best are able to separate their personal peccadilloes from their professional responsibilities. Nowhere is this more evident than in the bikes that MXA test riders choose to race--when they are just racing for themselves. Take this year's crop of 250cc four-strokes. Every MXA test rider voted that the Kawasaki KX250F was the best bike. Their logic was simple-the KX250F hit the hardest, pulled the farthest and was the fastest 250F of the bunch. In a class whe...
2008 Suzuki RM-Z450 Intro Yesterday was the day that every magazine editor was impatiently waiting for - the arrival of the 2008 Suzuki RM-Z450. To say that Suzuki’s flagship motocross bike is all new for 2008 would be a severe understatement. There are very few parts that the 2007 and ‘08 model share, such as the air filter and oil filter. Beyond that, the fuel-injected RM-Z450 was built from the ground up. The MXA wrecking crew met with Suzuki personnel at Perris Raceway in southern California to sling a leg over t...
First Look: 2008 Suzuki RM-Z450 New Features Hot start lever is relocated to the right hand side of the handlebar for easy operation while holding the clutch. Race inspired wave-rotors provide better cooling performance and increased mud deflection in muddy conditions. Gripper seat has been improved this year by adding projected cross-shaped patterns on the top surface to provide additional grip. New Engine Electronic Fuel Injection offers better roll on power and improved low-to-mid range power. KEIHIN throttle body specifical...
WE RIDE TRU TECHNOLOGIES' SUZUKI RM-Z450 TRU TECHNOLOGIES EPITOMIZES THE ONE-MAN SHOP. RICH IS THE CEO, CFO, COO, JANITOR, INVENTOR, SUSPENSION TECHNICIAN, MOTOR GUY, WELDER AND CHIEF BOTTLE WASHER. The MXA wrecking crew is all about helping the little guy get a leg up. Yes, it is true that we spend a lot of time testing the products, pipes and hop-ups of the big aftermarket companies (the ones with the big-name riders), but you have to remember that when we first met them, they were little guys too. We like to dedicate time to guys who aren't...
ASK THE MXPERTS: YZ250 PINGING, TEXAS NATIONAL, KX450F FOOTPEGS, RM250 VERSUS YZ250: DRAG TIMES & MORE If you have a question for the MXperts, send it to mxa@hi-torque.com RM250 VERSUS YZ250: DRAG TIMES Dear MXA, My friend and I own a practice track near my home, and within the track there is a very long straightaway as long if not longer than a football field. I take the inside line on my 2005 YZ250 in the turn before the straightaway in second gear and hammer it, then I power shift into third and it's still pulling super hard before I have to break for the next corner. Now, my f...
2007 SUZUKIS RM 125 2007 RM125 Get ready for a shot of mid-range designed to help you blast past the competition. The RM125 has a wider powerband and more controllable power delivery than ever. Couple that smooth, strong power and refined suspension systems front and rear, and you've got the hottest one-two-five on the track. So get in on Suzuki's winning tradition, with the 2007 RM125. RM-Z 250 2007 RM-Z250 The 2007 RM-Z250 is all new from the ground up and it is 100% Suzuki. The RM-Z250 features a compact, l...
WE RIDE PRO-CIRCUIT'S RC REPLICA RM-Z450 THANKS TO THE AMA PRODUCTION RULE, AS FEEBLY ENFORCED AS IT IS, MOST FACTORY RACE BIKES ARE FINELY TUNED VERSIONS OF SHOWROOM STOCKERS. What's the difference between a works bike and a stock bike? Cubic dollars. Big bucks. Massive infusions of loot. Moolah. Filthy lucre. Greenbacks. What does all that cash buy? You probably think that it buys exotic one-off parts. Not true. Most of the trick parts on a modern works bike are obtainable on the open market. Thanks to the AMA production r...
WE RIDE PIONEER'S BIG-BORE SUZUKI RM-Z475 NAMED AFTER THE EMBARRASSINGLY SHALLOW MTV SHOW, WHERE CELEBRITIES SHOW OFF THEIR HOMES, SHOES, CARS AND SPAS, THE "CRIBS EFFECT" HAS SPREAD THROUGHOUT EVERY SOCIAL STRATA OF AMERICAN SOCIETY. Pssst! Wanna know a secret? Four-stroke buyers are bucks-up. They are better off financially than any group of motocross racers in the 35-year history of the sport. Suddenly, it appears as though everybody in America is richostentatiously so. Modern racers are more than willing to spend beaucoup mone...
MXA'S 2006 SUZUKI RM125 TEST This just might be the last year of the 125cc two-stroke (at least in terms of the little two-strokes receiving any mods beyond BNG). How can we say such a thing? That's simple! Kawasaki decided not to bring the 2006 KX125 to the United States, and Honda made only one change to the CR125 for 2006the radiator sticker (and to be honest, you can barely tell they did that). Yet, amid all the doom-and-gloom for tiddlers, there are a few bright spotsand Suzuki's RM125 is one of them. So how did Suzuki separat...
MXA'S 2006 SUZUKI RM250 TEST The MXA wrecking crew chose the Suzuki RM250 as the Bike of the Year in 2004 and 2005. To our way of thinking, only two bikes were worthy of consideration for the 250cc two-stroke crownthe YZ250 and the RM250. The 05 Yamaha was a terrific machine. It had stable handling, an aluminum frame, decent suspension and a tractor of an engine. So why didn't it win? That's simple. In a world dominated by booming thumpers, the Suzuki RM250 exhibits the exact opposite traits of a four-stroke. Where the four-stroke...
MXA'S 2006 RM-Z250 TEST You've probably heard this story before, but we need to tell it as part of the background on MXA's 2006 Suzuki RM-Z250 test. On August 29, 2002, Kawasaki President Masamoto Tazaki announced that Kawasaki and Suzuki were forming an alliance. The Kawasaki/Suzuki alliance is all about filling in product lines (by sharing machines) and lowering costs (by doubling their ordering capability for standard-issue parts). In the first few years of the alliance, Kawasaki and Suzuki shared a large number of b...
MXA'S 2006 RM-Z450 TEST Ricky Carmichael put an exclamation point on the 2005 Suzuki RM-Z450's maiden voyage when he took it to the AMA 250 National Championship. But history has conclusively proven that "win on Sunday, sell on Monday" is little more than an old wives' tale. In a sophisticated market, the product's charms far outweigh its racing promotion. Previous Ricky Carmichael championship seasons on the Kawasaki KX250 and Honda CR250 were met with a collective yawn from the buying public (in fact, sales dropped on those ...
SUZUKI REVEALS COMPLETE 2006 LINEUP 2006 SUZUKI RM-Z450 The RM-Z450's entry into the world of 4-stroke motocross has met with great success. The RM-Z has established itself as the 4-stroke machine that handles like a nimble RM, but with the type of strong, tractable 4-stroke power that all riders appreciate. The RM-Z450 engine is based around an over-square bore x stroke design, with liquid-cooling, four titanium valves per cylinder and double overhead billet cams. Suzuki innovations include the Suzuki Advanced Sump System (SASS), which p...
SUZUKI RM-Z450 MAKES ITS DEBUT All Japan MX Championship Sports Land Sugo, Miyagi Prefecture(Round 10 of 10) 1. Takeshi Katsuya Hon 1-3 2. Stefan Everts Yam 4-1 3. Kazumasa Masuda Suz...3-2 4. Yoshitaka Atsuta...Hon...2-4 5. Takesi Koikeda...Yam...7-6 6. Taichi Kugimura...Yam...5-11 7. Ryuichiro Takahama...Hon...6-13 8. Masaki Hiratsuka...Hon...12-10 9. Kuraudo Toda...Hon...15-8 10. Hisashi Tajima...Suz...14-9 11. Makoto Ogata...Hon...17-7 12. Manabu Watanabe...Yam...8-16 13. Takuma Kojima...Kaw...11-14 14. Takase Tanaka...Kaw...10-1...
SUZUKI DR-Z400 SUPER MOTARD (Suzuki press release) The Suzuki DR-Z400S Supermotard is a DR-Z400S with custom specifications for the internationally popular supermoto racing discipline. Downsized, 17-inch wheels carry high grip 120/70 (front) and 150/60 (rear) tires. On-road cornering performance is enhanced. Power performance is boosted by an FCR carburetor and by a titanium muffler with a titanium-cone endcap. Plus, aluminum wheel rims and a black alumite finish on the outer tubes on the inverted forks combine performance benefit...