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
~ Riding Impression: 00 C') C'ir-------~~,----~ji:;:~r;;:_---------.., M CU ..c e .... CU l:l.4 CU c:n The RM486X provides big-bore riders with a fine mount. once a few bugs are worked out.lTop to bottom, right! The Full Roeter reer suspension works okay as delivered. better with • couple mods. The air cleaner is a bother to work on; it requires the removal of too many nuts and screws. By Terry Whytel Suzuki's latest entry onto the Open class motocross battlefield deserves to have three long, hard looks taken at it. First, the 465 Full Floater offers many high-tech advancements over the 1980 big-bore Suzuki and many detail improvements "- I L. d Ii Is as we11 . T b e b ...e OOAlt ~ ee like a factory proto-racer mstead of just another production mount. Your IeCOnd impr'ellion probably won't be &I fawrable. <>ncr the Floater is kicked into action (no euy wit with 34 stock jetting). the rider's ex~tiona vaporize OIl a _ve of mediocrity. Handling is twitchy. ~on compliance harsh and power anemic. But just like the fair-tale year Suzuki is having in National competition. this story has a happy ending. The big look's problema are actually min~r. easily traceable and beat of all. qUIte fIXable. Go~ back to the fint glance you will notICe that the X model Suzuki is a!moat completely redesigned from last year. The front forks are 4%mm in diameter and very aubatantiallooking. Both the front and rear hubs feature ltraiPt-puD apoka, the fuel tank is de- a waler buffalo. Power would come in ~ar wbeel sideways unexpeetedly as the 464cc mill unIeaabed tta COIIIiderable bonepower. No matter how camuny the rider rolled on the throttle, a anooth transition from the very fat low and midrange jetting to the correct high-speed mix could not be accompliabed. Mauni's VMSS 58mm carb comes without an idle screw to atop the a1ide from OOttcmJing in the venturi. We drilled the arb body and added one. Starting was an.easier chore from then on as the rider wasn't required to ~ tion the throttle exactly wbile kicking surges, lIeIlding the signed for euy weight placement over the front wheel: and 1M:" of all, the 465 comes eqwpped WIth the same rear ~on that has helped Kent Howertoa and Mutt Barnett dominale the '81 racing 1eUOIl. Throwing a leg aero. the big·daddy RM confinna the 58-inch Rat height. Still the bike is lighter than last ye~'s model. and the tall~ _ _ 1eaa ~portant (more on this later). ~ qwck lap aro~ your local tra~ ~11 ~ve your shaking your head m disbelief. Where is the fab~ ~ c1asI ~? _ ~e ~b1em .b~ m S~'s contmwng policy of jeltJng their motOCl'Wl bikes on the ~ch side. to leaae~ .the chances of a lIeIZure dunng the cnllcal break-in stage. This sounds good on paper. but oflen the parts needed to dial the carb are difficult to find. especially when the bike is new. We fint took the RM to Saddleback Park during the middle of the week when the course is dry and slippery. Riding the bike. fas~ w~ like wrestling the bike over. Next we dropped in a 155 needle jet and recut the slide from %.0 to %.5. Back at the track. the difference W&l .astounding. Power was smooth and predictable. and the Ja~neae Dunlop -rear tire bad at least a ting chance to book up coming out slow comen. Drag races between the Suzuki and IeVe"al other big·bore machines ~ to favor the RM reganDe. of the teat -rider. Smaller riden bad trouble coming off the pie because their feet couldn't touch the ground, but once in third gear. the Ffoater would catch moat other bikes. Specifications Engine. , .•........ , ....•. Power Reedlc..e Reed, two4boke eIngIe D/ep/ecement , , .. , , , , , , , , . 4I4cc c.rbuIwtIon , , .•... , . , .• , , , , , , , , • , . , , , , . , .. 38mm Mlkunl &or. end S1roke .. , , , , . , ....• , • , , • , • , , , , , , •.. , , , .. , . , , , •.•.• 88xIIO Trenemlalon, , , .. , , . , , , , , , , , • , , . , ..... , . Ave sp.ed c:onetIInt mesh Front SU....nalon , , , , • , , . " Leedlngexle, elr. . .lewd, 11.2-1nch tntvel Reer Su8penalon, , , , , Slngle.hoc:k. rI8Ing-re. Ilnlalge, 12.~nch tntvel Swfne-m , .. , ,,, , AlumInum, box uetIon Ground CleIIl'llnce. , .. , .. , , . , .• , , , , , •..... , . , , , , , , , , , , , , 14,' /nchea TII'IIa••• , • , , , , , , , • , , , , , , • JepeneH Dunlop, 300x21 front. 1i.1Ox18 .... Fuel Tenit C8pec:Ity , , •. , , , , , , , , , , •... , .... , , • , , • , • , • , , , , • , , 2.4 pi, Whe..... , , , , , , , , , , , . , , , , , , , , . , .... , . , .. , , , , , , . , . , . , , 67,& Inc'" CWrned Dry Weight. , , , , , , , , , , , .. , , . , , .. , , , • , , , ... , . , .• , • , •• , • 221 SugU-ted Retell PrIce, , , , . , , , , . , . , ..... , . , , , , . , , , , , , , , , , . m •.oo