Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

(Left) The Suzuki RM125 has a potent burst of power In the middle of the rpm range. The bike Is a complete package that brought a smile to every test rider's face. mer than the old style. The seat, rear fender and side panels are also all-new and when combined with the new chassis provide a completely cli.{ferent feel from previous RMs. A roomier layout was the goal. Up front, a works-style front number plate does double-duty as a fork protector. ENOUGH DETAILS, LET'S RIDE! Anxious readers, relax. Yes, the RMI25 is fast, and yes, the new forks are pretty dam sweet. We'll start with the motor... Last year's RM125 had gobs of low end and great midrange, but it seemed to flatten out a bit on top. This year's bike is almost the same, except that it doesn't have as much low end, and it has a tiny bit more on top. Midrange power is the bike's strength, and most of our testers had a blast riding the scooter. The engine revs quickly and freely - it feels much peppier than the '% YZ or KX, but it's also harder to ride than the super-smooth YZ. Aggressive riders will put the power to the ground best, but may wish for a bit more top-end overrev. We found more on top with a Bill's Pipe, but the already borderline low end was all but elirninated. Adding a 5O-tooth rear sprocket brought the grunt back, and may prove to be the single most-effective modification that can be made to th.e RM for a minimal amount of money. Once the larger sprocket was installed, the bike worked magically at almost every track we took it to. Without the lower gearing. we struggled a bit at supercrossstyle tracks like Castaic MX Park and Starwest Supercross Park, but the larger rear sprocket allowed us to attack the obstacles with greater confidence. Even our largest test rider was able to clear the out-of-eorner-doubles with ease. On the hardpacked ground of Carlsbad Raceway, the RM really shined. The easy-to-ride powerband was greatly appreciated when the going got slippery in the ev'er-so-dry second motos. On the loamy Rainbow 1I MX Park track, even our beginner testers were able to scream the living heck out of the RM. Though the lack of top-end overrev forced us to shift a bit more than we had to on the KX or CR, the RM remained a favorite. Even under heavy abuse, the engine never faltered. But what about the suspension? Though not as critical in the 125cc class as the motor, the suspension can still make or break a bike. Last year, we liked the RM's Twin Chamber Showa inverted forks, but we hated the squatty, swappy rear end. This year, we love the Twin Chamber Showa conventional forks, and can live with the sometimes-unpredictable rear end. We must admit that we first threw a leg over the new RM with doubts. Instead of assuming that the new conventional forks would be the answer to every MXer's prayers, we approached the situation with a somewhat-negative attitude. Why? Well, namely the KIM's Marzocchi Magnum forks. Though they provide a plush, cushy ride, they bottom easily, wander in ruts and fade during long motos. To our surprise and delight, it only I:09k a few laps for the new Showas to win us over. After some initial break-in, the forks provided a super plush ride in small- to medium-sized bumps, yet did an admirable job of soaking up larger hits. We tried over and over to get the forks to bottom, and it took our heaviest tester overjumping the large tabletop at Castaic to do so. Even then, the landing was bearable. It's said that the inherent flex in a conventional fork design is a bonus, and upon landing in several potholes on the downsides of a few double and tabletop jumps, we've become true believers. While we would pucker in said situations (Right) Yes, the Showa Twin Chamber conventional fork Is all that It was hyped up to be. The 49mm legs soak up all bumps, little and large. (Below) The new Suzuki bodywork Is slim and easy to maneuver on. The seatltank juncture is especially comfortable. aboard inverted forkequipped machines, the RM does nothing but instill confidence. So, how good are the forks? Good enough that they seem to exaggeute the shock's shortcomings. Though the rear end is much, much better than last year's, it still tended to catch us off guard now and then. Some of our slower testers complained that the rear end was too stiff, but the more-aggressive riders enjoyed the firm feel. The RM doesn't have last year's saggy chopper feel - instead the bike feels wellbalanced and adequately sprung. Over small, choppy bumps the suspension action was acceptable, yet not on par with the cushy ride up front. Medium- to large-sized hits were gobbled up in a predictable manner - even super-hard landings coulein't fadetheRM. So when did the RM surprise us? Mostly on squareedged bumps that were attacked at speed. One bump in particular - located smackdab in the middle of Carlsbad's famous uphill- gave us fits. With a good drive, a rider could pre-jump the curl> and avoid it all together. While this is easily accomplished on a 250, doing so on a 125 isn't quite as easy and we usually ended up clipping the top of the curl> with the rear wheel. While the CR, YZ and KX would soak up the impact in a predictable manner, the RM came close to spitting US over the bars on several occasions. The solution? Lofting the front end much higher on the RM to compensate for the kick. Using that same technique over all of the square edges that gave us trouble seemed to be the answer, and a few laps to adapt was all any of our testers needed to feel comfortable with the Suzuki. . One place where the RM shined was in flat comers. We're not sure whether it's the new chassis, the conventional forks or stiffer suspension - or a combination of everything - but the front end of the RMl25 sticks like glue in flat, slippery corners. One C9uld get on the gas earlier on the RM than on any of the other machines, and even when the rear end would break loose, the RM inspired nothing but confidence. We wouldn't enter a Oass Crace on the RM125, but it does slide better than any other bike in its class. Braking action is good - maybe even The seat cover is partially constructed of a material similar to Kevlar, and has proven sturdy under the abuse of our knee braces. And speaking of knee braces, riders who wear them should cover the radiator-shroud graphics with clear numberplate backing before they even ride the bike. The red and purple graphics are printed on white vinyl (go figure), and knee-brace friction will leave the graphics looking rather tom-up in a matter of laps. The verdict? As a package, the RMl25 is a winner. When a manufacturer introduces an all-new model, they often need some time to sort out the production bugs of the new design. Not so with the RM125. Get used to leaning back over those square edges, cover up those radiator-shroud graphics, and we guarantee that you'll be in yellow heaven. CN While Cyde News believes the foregoing test reliable, it is the opinioo of the reviewers ooly and should not be relied upon in detennining the perjonnance or safety of the vehicle(s). The reader should make his or her awn investigation. great. For the first time ever, we felt that the RM's front binder was as strong as a Honda's. The new shorty lever is comfortable and yields gqod leverage. The bike is without a doubt the most comfortable RM that we!ve ever thrown a leg over. Gone is the "sitting in" sensation, and the ergonomics were spot-on for all of our testers, both short and tall. The bike is extremely slim in the midsection, and moving around on the bike never required any extra effort. Getting way up front and over the bars in the corners seemed like second nature - the new seat and fuel tank juncture is supreme. Even the back of the machine feels slim. Last year's rear fender was bulbous and had enough room for a small television screen, but this year's version is sleek and rather sexy. Nothing on the bike caught the ciders' boots or kn.ees. Vastly improved over past models is the RM's footpeg-to-seat relationship. In the past, only midgets and dwarfs liked the short distance between the two, but this year's bike seems to have finally been made with riders of average height in mind. Making the transition from sitting to standing was no p~blem. Suzuki RM125S Specllk:allons LIst PrIce $4749 ENspIIcen.-d 124cc EngIne type... I.iquick:ooled, singIe-cytinder two-stroke Bore XIII 54 X54.5mm Camp_on 1'IIlIo ....•...... 8.9 -10.9:1 CarblnlIon 36mm Mikuni ~Hion TransmisIlon speeds StartIng sysllIm Fuel CIIpICity WheeIbIse RaII8ItnIII. ~ 6 Kick 2.0 gal. 56.9 in. 62°15' x 114mm seat height ......•.............. 37.4In Front tire 8tV100x21 R8Ir lire 100190x19 Front wheellr8¥eI 11.8 in. RelrwheeltnMl 12.4in. Front braIl8 Disc R8Ir braIl8 Disc FinII drive .............•........ Chain CIIimed dry WIIgM 1941ls. ... ~ I-< OJ S ~ o z 17

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