VOL. 55 ISSUE 48 DECEMBER 4, 2017 P69
S
uzuki's RM-Z250 may not have been a top contender in our 2018 250F Motocross
Shootout. In fact, it came in last place. True, the Zook leaves a little to be desired when
ridden back-to-back with the rest of its class, especially in stock form. Still, the 2018
RM-Z250 is a sharp machine with a lot to offer, and we were drawn to its strong points, such
as its user-friendliness and excellent handling. We were happy to keep it in our garage for the
year, and after spending more time with it we hypothesized that with only a few basic up-
grades, it could be much more competitive with the 2018 field. Through the help of FMF and
Precision Concepts, we got to work on the yellow bike to see if we could make it shine.
After getting an overhaul in 2016, the little RM-Z got no more updates for the next model
years, sending it into 2018 with little more than BNG treatment (bold new graphics). It made
the RM-Z pretty long in the tooth and what we called "one of the heaviest and most dated 250s
in the class." Among our complaints were the soft power, the overall weight and the KYB PSF2
air fork that we couldn't seem to dial in. But among our praises of the bike were its stable chas-
sis and sharp handling. And that right there is a good foundation to work with.
FMF AND PRECISION
CONCEPTS HELP US LIVEN-
UP THE LITTLE RM-Z AND
SEE HOW FAR A FEW BASIC
UPGRADES CAN GO
G O I N G F O R G O L D
STORY AND PHOTOS BY JEAN TURNER
