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/126537
Nest we headed for our test traclr. located about 60 miles east of Loa AnKeles. Here the RM's suspension coUld be put to the test acrOll some of SoCaI's infamous desert whoops. Once again, we were in for a disappointment. The Floater suspension that worked so well on the RM125X couldn't quite hook up coming off rough turns, while the front forks felt harsh and fatiguing. Wont of all, the front end sometimes twitched in a manner that caused more than one skipped heartbeat in the test riders. A quick trip to the White Bros. sus· pension specialists in Garden Grove, CA gave us some answers. Tom and Dan White were already working on their own personal Suzuki 465 which they felt was the best Open c1as mount yet offered to the public. New damper rods with less damping rate and lighter oil were installed, and it was back to the track. Instant improvement of five seconds per lap, and the riden were wearing smiles instead of frowns. It appean that the stoclr. damping rate allows the front end to paclr. down and make the forb feel hanh. At the same time, rake is decreased, leading to the twitching feeling. With the weight all transferred to the front wheel, the rear end wasn't squatting as power rolled in, and the; marvelous Floater design couldn't do its job. With the front end working, the Suzuki's whole personality changed. With power on., the rising-rate rear suspension was capable of soaking up even the choppiest sections of the challenging Carlsbad course. Steering control was also enhanced, while the twitch disappeared. Occasionally, the front end would push in tight comers, but a Meueler or Bridgestone tire would probably help. The fles-free forb and triple clamps gave the riden confidence when driving hard into monorail-type berms or when clearing double jumps that require a front end landing. Suzuki's single leading shoe front brake worb well, allowing the rider to develop later braking points than most Open mounts, although not with the control the Yamaha front binder imparts. The rear brake seems grabby and non-progressive until the idle screw is added to the carb and keeps the engine from stalling each time the brakes are applied. Cleani~ the filten is time consuming. The SIde panels are held on with aluminum screws that easily overtighten, and by the time you have all four air cleaner elements removed' from the bike, you will also have 10 screws, six washen, two bushings and one nut rolling around your garage floor. Other details on the Floater are nice. Weight has been saved in many unnoticed places. Even the brake cams are drilled for li~htness. The transmission shifts easier than last year's, and the clutch can be fanned liIr..e a 1l!5cc. Seat, footpeg and handlebar placements are well balanced and comfortable, and the rubber mounts for the ban take some of the sting from engine vibration. With proper jetting, the Suzuki can run with any bike in its class including the hyper-fast Yamaha and Mai.co 490. When the front end is dialed (many riden have success dropping to a 5 or !l.5 weight oil), the bike steen well and the Floater rear suspension is the best thing to happen to motocross since progressive spnng rates. We even tried some shorter struts soon to be marketed by White Bros. that lowered the rear end slightly and helped the rear hook up even better in choppy turns. The 1981 Suzuki RM465X is a motorcyc.le that is 99.99% ready to race and win. With a few simple improvements, it'll be the other guys doing the racing while you concentrate on the winning. • OVERALL 125 - Mark Barnett 250 - 'Kent Howerton D.I.D 500 - BrocGlover ~ m CO 0') ~ CN M QJ ..c s .., QJ Q.. QJ en D.I.D DOES IT DAMN WELL. 1981 AMA STADIUM SUPERCROSS SERIES CHAMPION MARK BARNETT Suzuki on DUNLOP. Congratul.tiona on clinching thia a.ri.. before its compl.tion and thank you for chooaing DUNLOP tir.a. More CJdes ride on ..........-.yother tire .. the world. ~ DUN~OP . p.o. Box 1109.1luffalo. NY 14240 Nothing but the best. Only from ROCKY CYCLE IDER DISCOUNT WAREHOUSE 1210So. MainS.. Saola Ana. C.A 92iOi iHl.~~2-9!'>66 . , 35