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/126793
New rides for '85: ....... Cl(j .... Q.) ,.0 ZU i o ..... u o A 5B9cc four-valve, four-stroke single powers the new SP600. It has Full Floater rear suspension, a 5.5-gallon fuel capacity, and a disc brake. Suzuki's latest RM250 has a longer connecting rod. a 3Bmm flat-slide carb and a front disc brake. The suspension is slightly different. The latest RMBO received very little new hardware. Only the tank decals and gold-anodized wheel rims are different. The RM125 engine has been refined to broaden the powerband. The handlebars are new, as are the disc brake and silver-painted engine. By Kit Palmer and Dale Brown There are no big surprises in Suzuki motocrossers for '85. Instead, there are refinements to and new graphics on the RM80, 125 and 250. Dropped from Suzuki's line-up is the RM500: It will now be only available in Europe, with the 'S3-type frame, suspension and air box package. 20 The RMI25 lias engine modifications to give it more low-end power. It now has a flat-dome piston designed to burn fuel and air in the combustion chamber more completely; to coincide with the rnew piston, the ' • intake ports have been slightly reshaped. Last year's 125 used a 32mm flat-slide Mikuni carburetor; that's now been replaced by a 34mm f1atslide Mikuni. Like the 250, the 125's engine is painted dark sil ver. Both the 125 and 250 have a new blow-oU valve in the forks to make them more sensitive to adjustments and bumps. There are now 20 different e.x~ernal compr~~ion dampin~ set- lings; the fork stanchion tubes are 43mm in diameter; they provide 11.8 inches of wheel travel. The rear suspension on the RMI25 is slightly changed. There are more adjustment possibilities: 20 com pressian and rebound external settings. Valving in the shock is new, while the FuJI Floater linkages remain the same. Handlebars on the 125 and 250 are also new. The RM250 features' three changes to the engine: It now has a longer connecting rod for a broader powerband; a 2mm larger (38mm) flat-slide Mikuni carburetor and slight exhaust port modifications. The rear shock has received some valving changes and more compression and rebound adjustability. A slightly sti[fer spring is used. The 250 steers quicker because the fork crown is offset less than before. Suzuki's Mini motocrosser remains virtually unchanged for '85. Theonly di~ferences are cosmetics; new tank decals and gold anodized wheel rims. Expected release date for the RM 125 is the second week in November, while the 250 should be released two weeks later. The RMBO will be released at any time. Trail and dual purpose. Spotlighting Suzuki's dual-purpose field for '85 is the single cylinder, SOHC, four-valve, four-stroke SP600. The air-cooled, 589cc engine has a Twin Swirl Combustion Chamber (TSCC), counter-balancer, wet sump and an oil cooler. Air and gas are fed through a single, constant-velocity 40mm Mikuni carburetor. Like the RMI25 and 250, the SP's engine is painted dark silver. It has a five-speed transmission with a primary kickstarter. The muffler is made out of steel and painted silver. .. I • • ~ • • • , • The rear end is handled by a singleshock, Full Floater suspension system with 8.7 inches of wheel travel. The shock has five preload settings, and the swingarm is a box-type made out of steel, painted silver. The forks have 9.4 inches of wheel travel and have no compression or rebound damping adjustments; however,they are air adjustable. Stanchion tubes are 43mm in diameter, with red fork boots. Up front is a hydraulic disc brake, while the rear has a single-leadingshoe drum. The steel gas tank holds 5.5 gallons of gas, and the total package weighs 366 pounds dry. The SP250 (on and of[ road) and the DR250 (off road) share many of the same features as the SP600. They both have a single cylinder, SOHC, TSCC four-valve four-stroke engine, but with 249cc. Both have counterbalancers, wet sumps and 34mm constant-velocity Mikuni carburetors. Unlike the SP250, the DR250's engine is painted dark silver. Suspension on the two 250s is very similar, except the DR has a box-type aluminum swingarm - the SP's is steel. Wheel travel is longer on the DR250 at 9.8 inches front and rear, while the SP has 7.7 inches of fork travel, and 7.5 inches of rear wheel travel. The DR has four rear-shock external damping adjustments, while the SP has no damping adjustment settings. The SP does have seven preload settings. The fork legs are painted yellow on the DR. Both 250s have front hydraulic disc brakes and singleleading-shoe drums in the rear. The SP weighs 262 pounds, while the DR weighs 249 pounds. The SP comes in red, while the DR is yellow. The smallest of the DR line is the DRlOO.lthasa single cylinder, SOHC four-stroke motor with a (two-valve) .~., l~' ~J."'.' ".-Jo_'~