Trans-AmA Bike Test.
Suzuki warks
RO-420-78·and
pradul:lian
Rm-400 0
By Jim Gianatsis
Photos by Chuck Tannlund and Gianatsis
Part One
"
Danny La Porte's factory racer
•
This week's Trans-AMA Series bike impression actually involves the comparison
of two bikes, so we'll really be spreading
them out over this week and the next.
The bikes involved are Suzuki's latest RN-420-78 factory works
bike ridden by team member Danny LaPorte and the new, yet
to be released 1979 pre-production RM·400 N being' used by
development rider and team racer Koji Masuda.
Both the works and pre-production Suzuki bikes have an actual
displacement of 417cc and the RM -400 N is reputed to be as close to the
RN·420-78 as production. price, and reliability can allow . Which certainly
means the coming lineup of RM -250/400 N production bikes will be as
significant and important to the sport of motocross as the original RM 250 /370 A models were when they were first released ,
It was an exciting privilege for me to be allowed to rid e a works Suzuki
since I do believe this was the first time ever in Suzuki's impressive history
that an~one other than a factory _employee has been officially allowed to
.
12
The works bike type frame-mounted footpegs will be carried over
to the new 1979 production RM " odels.
m
oW
