Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

look like they were designed by a group of spray paint-armed vandals. The gray paint on the motor gives the bike a real "works" look, although it starts to wear off after just a few rides. Once you soften up the forks, change the front tire, install new grips and remove the graphics, the '93 Suzuki RM250 can be everything you hoped it would be. And better. Donn Maeda Since the TM days of the early '70s to the late '80s, I've been a diehard Suzuki RM250 fan. During that approximately 20-year span, there were many models that made it easy to be an RM fan, but there were plenty of models that tested one's loyalty, especially the 1986 RM250. But no matter how "bad" a particular yearmodel RM was, I would always convince myself, "Ahh, it's not so bad." But that all came to an end in 1989, when Suzuki introduced its' all-new and redesigned RM250. Although it looked better than ever, I could never turns. This hurt both braking and cornering performance. The shock seemed much better, and reacted consistently on jump take-offs, in whoops, and while braking. I had very high expectations for the new Suzuki RM, and while it did not meet all of them, I was very happy with the overall package. Chris Jonnum My first impressions of the new RM were disappointing, but after spending more time on it I've come to really like the new machine. The motor is great - it has a violent burst in the middle of the powerband that keeps going even when revved too far. The motor doesn't fallon its face when its over-revved like a Honda CR250 does. The motor's only shortcoming is its lack of low end, but the impressive mid-range and respectable top-end power quickly overshadow I that fault. The bike handles worlds better than last year's model, but it's still not up to par with a '92 Kawasaki KX250. The suspension is extremely stiff before it breaks in"and even then it's a bit harsh .for my taste. The fork does little to (absorb smaller bumps, but works well ,when landing from large jumps. The rear end of the machine is a lot 'better. The shock soaks up everything 'thrown its way and doesn't swap like last year's did Everything that the rear end does is smooth and predictable. , In my opinion, the new RM doesn't turn as well as past RMs, but that's probably because of the stiff fork and 'the Bridgestone M51 intermediate terrain front tire. When turning on hard-packed tracks, the front end feels ,like it'll slip out from under you. .Raising the forks 5mm in the triple . clamps and switching to a Dunlop ;X490 front tire seemed to help without 'sacrificing a whole lot of high-speed stability. ' The RM250 is one of the most comfortable machines around. Nothing on the new bodywork catches or snags, even for those of us who wear knee braces. The seat cover, though, is thin and will undoubtebly tear under since 1989. Horrible headshake, unpredictable handling, and harsh forks have steered me away from RMs over the last four years, but I could live with the '93 RM without much complaint. There's still a hint of headshake and harshness up front, but nothing like before. The back end is far superior to last year's RM. The fork doesn't impress me all that much, but it, too, is better than before. I was never all that comfortable on the '89-'92 RM250s, but the '93 model feels much better. The overall layout suits my long arms and legs, and the new bodywork makes it easier to slide around on. Overall, there just isn't much I don't like about the new RM. It corners well, the brakes are strong, it's a predictable jumper, it's fast and the suspension is good. And scanning Suzuki's $3,000,000 contingency plan for 1993, makes the new RM250 a very attractive and perhaps lucrative package. It's nice to like the RM250 again. Kit Palmer The new motor lacks some low end but packs an impressive midrange punch. A Keihin carburetor replaa5 last year's Mikuni but comes jetted slightly rich off the bottom. Moving around on the new lUI is easier than ever and the seat is comfortable. the abuse of .knee braces. The wider tank area gives you more to hold onto with your knees - past Suzukis felt way too skinny. The controls are good, and the solidmounted handlebars don't twist sideways with every little spill like the old rubber-mounted versions did. The grips are bogus, but not as bogus as trying to replace them. The throttleside grip seems to be welded onto the housing. Plan on spending several hours trying to grind the old grip off. The bike is much better ~ooking than past versions. The yellow fenders; radiator shroud and ·seat cover look great, but the graphics make the bike come to terms with its erratic suspension, pipey powerband, twitchy handling and "rattley"-sounding engine. That was it. I had just flat-out run out of excuses for liking RMs. Luckily for me, and none too soon, a new generation of RMs is upon us, and I can tell you now, that this is the first RM250 that I've liked in (our years. And it took absolutely no overtime convincing whatsoever. The 1993 RM250 is the easiest-toride RM since the 1988 model, which had awesome bottom-end and super smooth power delivery throughout the powerband. Although the 1993 RM is still a little "explosive" as compared to the milder '88 RM, it is significantly tamer than its predecessor. While the '93 RM might not be as hard-hitting as before, it still is a very powerful motorcycle. Only a professional or Intermediate class. rider might want more power on top, but for us "normal" people, the new RM250 has plenty of "roostability" to get the job done. There's no lack of horsepower here. If I owned the new RM, though, I would search for a little more bottomend, nothing maybe a new exhaust pipe and cleaner jetting couldn't provide. " ' Handling and suspension have been my biggest gripe about the RM250 While Cycle News believes the preceding test to be reliable, it is the opinion of the reviewers only and should not be relied upon in determining the performance or safety of the vehicle. The reader should make his or her own investigation. (;N' Specifications Suzuki RM250P List Price $4299 [ijsplacement 249cc Engine type Liquid-cooled, single cylinder, two-stroke Bore x-Stroke 67x70.8mm Compression ratio 8.7110.4:1 Carburetion (1) 38mm Keihin Ignition CDI Transmission speeds 5 Starting system ., ., ., . ., . ., ., . Kick Fuel capacity 2.0 gal. Wheelbase 57.7 in. Rake/trail N/A Seat height . ., . .,.,.,.,., .,37.8 in. Front tire •.•.....•...... 80/100x21 B.ear tire 110/90x19 Front wheel travel 12.2 in. Rear wheel travel , .12.8 in. Front brake ., Disc Disc Rear brake . .,. ' Final drive Chain Claimed dry weight. 2161bs. 21

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