Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

o o The most frequently asked question about any ne w 125 seems to be , "Is it as fast as a Ho nda?" Well, tru thfully - no. The Suzuki RM125 is not as fast as a H onda CR125; bu t it may be easier to ride. On hard-packed, slip pery tracks, th e viol e n t power o f th e Honda is sometimes hard to control, w he reas the Suzuki's hard, but easier-to-control hit is no t as big a hand fu l. Sure, the RM doesn't hit as hard as the CR, but it has an easy-to-use, good all-around style of power. We haven't had the chance to slip an aftermarket pipe on the bike yet, but w e' re sure that there's plenty of hop-up potential in the little silver motor . Yes, we like the new RMl25 powerplant, but we only wish we could say the same about the rest o f the ma chine. No t th at we don't like th e bike as a whole, mind yo u - it's jus t th at the re a re a few pesk y qu irks abou t th e RM th at we ha ve a hard time ge tting used to. Even wi th th e sag set at 95mm, th e rea r end of the RM feels pitifully soft. Not necessarily when la nd ing fr om ju mps and hammering through whoops - b u t when powering out of comers. Under acceleration loads, the back end of the bike squats like a su mo wrestler readying himself for a match. Several tim es, test riders who were unaware of the RM's tendency to squat even pulled off to check for a rear flat tire. Oddly enough, the RM delivers a re latively d ecent ride, in spite of its sagging rea r end. We expected the back of the bike to pack up and begin to swa p, but it somehow managed to stay straight. . T u rni n g i n the co m pressi o n adju s te rs to com p ensa te for the saggy fee ling onl y results in a harsh r ide. Cranking d own the shock spring to red u ce the amourlt of rider sag also p roduces horrifying results. We suspect that the initial valving setting needs to be stiffer. Up front, the Twin Chamber Showa forks deliver a good ride, though they fee l a bit har sh in the initia l part of their travel. The for ks fee l somewha t stiff at first, but begin to break in after a few hours of riding time. Once broken in, the front end performs quite we ll, though it was a little tough to really evaluate it with the saggy rea r end. In stock condition, the bike handles most obstacles well, from brakin g bumps to whoops to jumps. On slap-down landings, the forks deliver a sharp jolt up through th e rider's arms, but otherwise do an admirable job of soaking up the hit. . Amongs t our testers, only one rider is ca pable o f jump in g on the RM125 and feeling comfortable with the bike's ergonomics. Coincidentally, at 5'6", he is also the shortest rider. For the rest of us, the Suz uki has a cramped feeling that gives the sensation of riding "in" the bike, rather than "on" it. Making the transition from sitting to standing is difficult, because the seat dips down at the seat/tank junction. Taller seat foam would probably be the hot ticket. The bike has a wide feeling, but after a few laps it is hardly noticable. The Suzuki is, however, one of the smoothest bikes available - meaning that nothing in the rider's "compartment" protrudes and snags the rider's boots or knees. Visua lly, the Suzuki RM is the last of a dying breed . The only bike that has yet to succumb to the purple invasion, the yellow Suzu ki is easy on the eyes. The seat cover does, however, get very di rty and re quires liberal amounts of elbow grease to clean up well. So, what's the final verdict? Apart from the saggy rear end, the Suzu ki 0 (Left) The motor may look the same on the outside, but don 't be fooledl lns lde , lurks a peppy powerband that makes rid ing the RM a blast. (Below left) The Showa Twin Chamber forks boast the . same sllperry coating that last year's 250 forks enjoyed. Though they require an ample amount of break-In, they do an admirable job of smoothing out the ri de when the go ing gets rough. (Above) The accused: under power, the rear end of the RM125 squats down and gives the bike a " chopper" feel . (Left) It may not look like It, but the center of the RM's seat takes a dramatlc-feellng dive In the middle that taller riders have a hard time getting used to. RM125 is a good bike with lots of . potential. In the 125cc class, the engine is the m o s t critical ingredient, and there's no doubt th at the RM125 rips. Once th e s us pension is dialed in, the RM can be the perfect machine for the right rider. And if that rider's a small one - that's even better . CN While Cycle News believes the foregoing test reliable, it is the opinion of the reviewers only and should not be relied upon in determining the performance or safety of the vehicle(s). The reader should make his or her own investigation. Suzuki RM125 Usl Price . : : Dl~ Engine type . Bore x stroke Compression ratio Carburetion ignition TransmIsaIon St8rtIng sysIIlm Fuel capacity WheelbaSe : $4249 0' /'.124cc : ; uqiJid.rooted, single-cylinder two-stroke ' 54 x 54.5mm 8.9110.9:1 36mm Mikuni PEl 6-speed ~ Rakellrail Sealheight : . . . .... . . . Front tire ; . : . ; . . , .2.0 gal. 56.51n. :". 62"111mm .: :. Y.37.8 in. '•. . .8OI100x21 Rear tire . :: :~i': :":·.·~·.1 00190x 1 9 FronlYmeeltravel . . •. . •. •. : .•• :'• . •. 12.2 in. .Rear wheel travel 12.8in. Front brake Disc Rear brake . . . . . . .. . •. .. . . .. . . . . . . . .. Disc Rnal drive Chain Claimed dry weight 194~. ~ 0\ 0\ """' N I-< OJ "S OJ :::- o Z 11

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