P76
2020 250cc FOUR-STROKE MOTOCROSS SHOOTOUT
SHOOTOUT
updates. That "Suzuki feeling" hasn't
changed much.
Is that such a bad thing? If you're like
that familiar face in the crowd, then no.
But if you're trying to win shootouts, yes.
In this ultra-competitive field, if you
don't innovate, refine and repeat, you're
quickly left behind. Suzuki took a solid
step forward last year, but not enough of
these steps have taken place to keep up
with the rest of the field. That's what lands
the RM-Z250 in sixth place.
With our complaints out of the way,
we can now talk about what the Suzuki
does well. Handling, of course, tops the
RM-Z's strengths. "Tight is the word to
describe the Suzuki. It's awesome in
jumps and sharp turns," one tester said.
Another tester commented, "Cornering is
the Suzuki's strong point. It's super easy
to rail ruts." Our testers agreed it felt light,
skinny and "easy to ride" with comfortable
ergonomics, particularly for riders in the
5'8" to 5'10" range.
On the suspension side, we found the
Suzuki to be a bit stiff, particularly in the
front. Even for our advanced riders, the
48mm KYB coil-spring fork has a harsh
feeling that's difficult to tune out. It seems
to behave better the harder you push it
but overall compliance could likely be
improved with some softer valving.
Power on the Suzuki is quick-revving
and crisp with a good pull from the mid- to
top-end. The new cylinder head and dual
injectors the RM-Z received in 2019 have
elevated the Suzuki's muscle to a very
respectable level, and while it's not the
most powerful in the shootout, we'd call it
on par with the field. Of the three fueling
couplers, just about everyone preferred
the aggressive choice (not many among
us felt any of the 250s had too much
