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/128086
MOTOR • Engine declined by 17° from verticai (was 20°) to straighten air-intake passage and Increase top-end power • Engine weight reduced by 750 grams • Engine is 20.9mm shorter (front to rear) • Water pump relocated further back and on the outside of the right crankcase (allows shorter engine) • Radiator-water-hose routing simpUfied (95 grams lighter) • Outside diameter of magneto rotor reduced from 77.5 to 73.5mm (55 grams lighter, inertia force reduced from 4.75kg/cm' to 3.55kg/cm', crankshaft inertia increased from 56. 1kg/cm' to 57.3kg/cm') • COl control unit redesigned to reduce weight from 242 to 209 grams • Cylinder exhaust port redesigned for more midrange and top-end power • Mikuni TMX38S carburetor replaces Keihin PWK38PWJBS (to improve throttle response) ~ • Carburetor power jet is eliminated & body is 16mm shorter from inlet to outlet to ~ improve response (J 04.1 grams lighter) • Exhaust-pipe mount material changed from steel to aluminum (5 grams lighter) • Exhaust-pipe thickness reduced (290 grams lighter) • Silencer has redesigned tail shape and thicker walls (30 grams lighter) ~ • Clutch push rod changed from one-piece steel to three-piece steel/aluminum/steel , (24.2 grams lighter) • Hole added to dutch push piece (4.4 grams lighter) t • First- and second-gear ratios changed for higher gearing • Gear-shifting mechanism changed from link-type to gear-type to improve shift feeling • Hole added to shift shaft (29.7 grams lighter) • Shift· lever material changed from solid steel to steel tubing (5 grams lighter) 1 I CHASSIS • Steering-head rake changed from 27.75° to 26.60° • Trail shortened from 114mm to l04mm • Coupling-press-type frame body tubes to increase rigidity • Downtube size changed from 50mm x 45mm to 40mm by 45mm (thickness remains at 1.4mm) • Frame and subframe redesigned to cut 580 grams and 120 grams, respectively • Radiator shroud, fuel tank, seat, side panels. fenders and front number plate made more compact, smoother and lighter • Cooling slots added to rear of front fender; grab handle added to rear fender • Small front brake-hose cover used instead of disc cover (86.6 grams lighter) • Handlebar has 5mm less pullback and is 5mm wider • Front hub width reduced from 102mm to 82mm • Front axle-spacer material changed from steel to aluminum 6. outside diameter is enlarged from 25mm to 26mm to reduce weight (hub is 47.7 grams Ughter) • 10mm chamfers added to chain·adjuster blocks (reduces weight by 2.9 grams) • Front and rear brake disc slots are redesigned, reducing weights by 99.9 and 146 grams, respectively • Rear-brake-disc thickness is reduced from 4.5mm to 4.0mm • Rear-brake-caliper bracket redesigned (30.7 grams lighter) • Rear-brake-reservoir tank relocated from rear of frame tube to front (eliminates need for cylinder cover) and body is simplified (l 09.8 grams saved) • Rear-brake pedal redesigned and thickness reduced by Imm (reducing weight by 78 grams) • Chain buffer redesigned (5 grams lighter) • Chain-guide-metal thickness reduced from 3.5mm to 3.0mm (31.9 grams lighter) • Outside diameter of chain roller reduced from 40mm to 35m (8 grams lighter) • Throttle cable redesigned (22.5 grams lighter) Clutch cable redesigned (73.8 grams lighter) I. j , I SOSPENSION • Showa fork and shock are used (250 uses Kayaba) • Fork springs relocated to bottom of legs, where they are submerged in oil (reduces air volume at top to increase bottoming resistance) • New separator installed at top of main spring (produces additional compression damping) • Low-speed valves added on compression damping mechanism (stabilizes very-Iowspeed damping characteristics) • Fork's inner tube size changed from 49mm to 46mm (800 grams lighter) • Shock's upper mounting changed from spherical ball bearing to needle bearing • Double clickers installed (high speed and low speed) on shock's compression adjuster • Shock's compression adjuster changed from parallel·twin type to series type w/lowspeed valves (simplifies system and reduces weight) • Shock's cylinder stroke is 132mm (full length is 452mm) • Lighter shock spring (shock is 417 grams Ughter) • Swingarm spacer diameter reduced from 32mm to 28mm • Linkage lever redesigned to save weight (26 grams lighter) • Link rod redesigned to revise leverage ratio, better seal bearings and save weight (119.2 grams lighter) feel is excellent to the point that you could pull it in with your pinky if you were so inclined, but we experienced a problem with the gearbox popping into neutral at inopportune moments. Granted, it didn't happen a lot, but it only takes a couple of occasions to stick in the back of your mind and affect confidence. Then we found ourselves shifting with excess deliberateness, though the problem didn't only happen during gear-changes. Whereas the motor changes will be welcomed by most but regretted by a few, we can't imagine anyone not being happy with the changes in the bike's new layout. It has a nice, flat feel, and is easy to move around on, with no weird bulges and nothing to catch on the rider's legs. Compared to past Suzukis, this one has more a feel of sitting on the bike that of sit· ting in it. And considering that it's a 125, the RM is plenty roomy even for larger riders. That said, anyone over 160 pounds or so (and that would definitely include us) will find themselves cursing the mushy seat foam, which collapses easily and often, unexpectedly introducing Mr. Butt Cheek to Mr. Seat Base. In such instances, the seat base normally wins, and one such introduction resulted in a bruised tailbone for one of our testers. And he was seated in the middle of the seat - in the meat of the foam - at the time! The suspension is also a little soft front and rear for our tastes, but nothing too drastic. The bike is well-balanced, and we never experienced those audible danker hits that herald the approach of a grossly under-suspended machine. The Suzuki tracks well, with no weird hops or kicks, and it feels supple through small undulations. If you're aggressive or heavy, however, you'll probably wish for a little more firmness - more than can be attained via increased compression damping - from the stock fork settings. Last but not least, the details: We loved the front brake, but would prefer a bit more power out of the rear; the carb's lengthy, angled fuel-line pipe appears vulnerable to aT-bone; the bike feels quite light and maneuverable - more so even than a typical 125; and the new shape and tint of the neon-yellow plastic has definetly I ~~ ~, -Great midrange and topend power - A nice, flickable, Iightfeeling 125 -Good, predictable handling -Great, non-cramped ergonomics, easy to move around on €l -Mushy seat foam U -Non-positive shifting grown on us (though the stock graphics are far too cheasy). No, the all-new RM125 is not perfect, but first-year efforts rarely are. And anyway, it is a competitive package in stock form - especially for light, high-revving riders. To focus it a bit more toward our desires, we plan to try stiffer springs, a firmer seat, better graphics, a larger sprocket, and hopefully a Hinson clutch package. When we do so, we'll report our findings to you, but we feel pretty confident right now in predicting that we'll like it. After all, those mods aren't too different from what Suzuki does to Pastrana's bikes. _ 2001 Suzuki RM125 ENGINE TYPE: ...Two-stroke, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled, crankcase reed BORE x STROKE: .54.0mm x 54.5mm DISPLACEMENT: .............•......................... 124.8cc COMPRESSION RATIO: 8.9/10.7:1 CARBURETION: ..........................•.......Mikuni TMX38S AIR CLEANER: Foam element STARTING SYSTEM: _ Primary kick LUBRICATION: ' •.............................Pre-mix 32:1 CLUTCH: Wet multi-plate type TRANSMISSION: ....•...........6-speed constant mesh (1 down, 5 up) FINAL DRIVE: .......•........................ .520 chain (49/12) IGNITION: ........•..•.........•..........................CDI SPARK PLUG: .......................•............ NGK R6918B-8 GENERATOR: Magneto FRONT SUSPENSION: .. .47mm inverted Showa w/ 22-way compression & 20-way rebound damping REAR SUSPENSION: Unk-type Showa w/ adjustable preload, 23-way compression (4 high-speed, 19 low-speed) & 20-way rebound damping FRONT TRAVEL: 12.2 in. 12.6 in. REAR TRAVEL: ..............•.. _ 26°30' /l 04mm RAKE/TRAIL: STEERING ANGLE: ..•........................... .45° (right & left) TURNING RADIUS: . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7.5 ft. FRONT BRAKE: ....................•.........Single hydraulic disc REAR BRAKE: Single hydraulic disc FRONT TIRE: ...............•... _ .....•..........80/100-21 51M REAR TIRE: .............•....................... 110/90-19 57M OVERALL LENGTH: ..........•...............•..........84.4 in. OVERALL WIDTH: ...........•..•...................... .32.1 in. OVERALL HEIGHT: ...........•......................... .50.2 in. WHEELBASE: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57.1 in. GROUND CLEARANCE: ..........•............•.......... 13.2 in. SEAT HEIGHT: ..............• _ .37.0 in. FUEL CAPACITY: 2.1 gal. COOLANT CAPACITY: .........................•.......... 1.0 pt. CLAIMED DRY WEIGHT: ........................•........ 194 Ibs. SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE: ..................•............$4999 cue I e n e _ so • JANUARY 10. 2001 31