Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126474
; • ~ III t 0 00 (j) 1""""4 00 ... 1""""4 QJ .. . ~ ::s -, . .- By Terry Whytal or years, Suzuki has hovered near the apex of motocross technology, seemingly poised to take the 26 final few steps necessary to produce the ultimate MX machine. Under the guiding influence of Roger DeCoster, Suzuki's entrants to the battlefield of the berm have progressed from the swap-and-pitch TM series to the nicely balanced but slightly flawed line of RMs. Would 1980 be the year when the Suzuki engineers found the perfect combination of power, handling and suspension to herald in the new age of motocross superiority for the common man? The answer is both yes and no . The T model RM250 is a fine compila tion of separate hardwares that on paper add up to excellence but on the race track is merely correct. - The new mid -size RM is a bike with no major weaknesses but also with no major strengths. Dazzling is not a superlative that would apply to thi s year's quarter-liter Suzuki , but it won't surprise you or let you down . And best of all , it's the kind of bike an average rider can be consistent on ; Handling the traction duties up front is a 3.00x2I Bridgestone tire that turned well on four different track surfaces but never gave a positive feel when braking. Heavy braking, particularly on hard pack, gave the rider a feeling of the tire being on the verge of a sudden loss of adhesion, i.e. lock -up, The RM 's powerful front brake with large swept area housed inside a new ' 79 full width hub can easily overpower the tire's grip upon the track. For tunately the feedback from the brake. lever is excellent and near lock -ups were easily controlled. The Suzuki's brake is especially nice when entering slow comers with stutter bumps at the entrance. The short lever movement from hard braking to soft helps the rider dive deeper into a corn er with the assurance that he will have full control even as the front wheel struggles to stay in contact with the track. Helping-sthe 250 in this task is Suzuki's plush front end. Air-assisted coil springs combine the best of both theories and produce a fork that is truly progressive. Compression and rebound damping are well matched and th e RM soaks up small ripples and stadium whoops with equal ease. On one particularly rough track, the bike occasionally would wag its head but still continue along the path chosen by the rider even as the suspension bottomed at each end , . Steering head angle on the RM is 29°, and this contributes to both the best and worst features of its handling. Squaring off turns, taking the inside line, even riding the outside monorail" berms are well within the bike's areas of expertise. Long travel conventional suspension has made the Suzuki grow taller with each model and having the weight up high combined with steep steering head angle and modera tely short 56,9 inch wheelbase give the bike a feeling of wanting to stand up in turns , or even highside. Steep, tight inside berms would leave the rider fighting for control and more than once losing. Only once did the R M actually spit the rider off by highsiding, but on several occasions the bike would stand up and climb over the berm. In fairness we must point out that this occurred only when the rider was not being fully aggressive. If you attack the turn, hold the gas on, keep your weight forward and "lean ," then the Suzuki is a perfect lady. Just don't let your concentration slip . If you are looking to buy any accessory item for your new RM , may we suggest a straightpull throttle. The stock throttle has been around for five years and is still as vulnerable to breakage in a fall or to having the cable snagged by another rider as on the first A model. Rubber mounting of the handlebars seems to reduce rider fatigue caused by vibration and riding the bike for long periods on rough tracks never le(t the riders with sore or tired hands as with many European bikes. The bend of the handlebars seems as poorly chosen as the positioning seems right. The bars are well forward and help the rider to keep his weight over the front wheel as the bike was intended to be ridden, but the extra bend to the bars after junctioning with the crosspiece puts an undue strain upon the wrists. New this year on the RM are roundedoff fenders unlike the previous square model plastic. The fenders do an adequate job of keeping mud and dirt from the pilot's face , and the tanx and seat are well-matched with Suzuki's latest tri -blue graphics. The Suzuki decal on the left side of the tank came off before even one day's riding ended, and we can only guess that it wasn't applied correctly at the factory . The 2.2 gallon capacity of the tank is more than sufficient for a regular moto, and the wide opening and safety st rap for the cap makes refilling an easier chore. Below the tank sits the RMs best fea tu re, its motor. The power is smooth and strong and probably the most controllable on the market. Some