P74
2020 250cc FOUR-STROKE MOTOCROSS SHOOTOUT
SHOOTOUT
RM-Z250
SUZUKI
I
t's amazing to think that we're already
in the first model year of a whole
new decade of motocross bikes. Ten
years ago, we were asking ourselves
"do we call them 'o-tens?' Or are they
just 'tens?'" And now here we are in
the first model year of the roaring 20s
looking back at a decade of innova-
tion. Some things have changed quite
drastically—look at the Husqvarna for
example, which wasn't even on the
playing field back then. The Yamaha
is another example of a radical rein-
vention with its rearward cylinder and
distinct bodywork. Electric start, trac-
tion control, push-button map switches,
even onboard WiFi are now found on
250cc production motocross bikes.
Yet through the ups and downs of an
ever-evolving field, some things have
remained consistent. Not unchanged
per se, just consistent. Amid a blur of
evolution, the Suzuki has remained
in clear focus as to what it promises
to deliver: a well-balanced chassis,
razor-sharp handling and crisp power
with spot-on fuel injection. That's what
you got with the 2010 RM-Z250 and it's
what you still get today. Throughout its
revisions over the past 10 years it has
been praised for these same charac-
teristics, and (aside from some ques-
tionable deviations in the fork design)
the RM-Z250 hasn't seen any radical
