more mellow maps with 450s,
but all of our testers quickly opted
for the aggressive coupler on the
Suzuki. It needs it. It makes it more
lively and gives you a more con-
nected feeling from the throttle to
the rear wheel. This is a feeling that
the RM-Z doesn't usually possess,
but the agro coupler gave the bike
a faster yet more controlled charac-
ter simultaneously. Since dropping
this map in the bike, neither of our
riders wanted to switch back.
The cockpit on the 450 is almost
identical to the 250. For that, we
like the comfortable and neutral
characteristics that are classic for
Japanese-style machines. The
bars, seat and pegs offer a solid
platform that is easy to get used to
right away. The brakes have good
bite front and rear, and the clutch
system works just as it should.
In the looks department, the
sharp lines, yellow-blue color
combo and gold forks make it still
one of the best-looking bikes out
there. We're not tired of it yet.
Ultimately, the Suzukis fall short
regarding the factory's suspension
setup. Both bikes come with the
same ultra-harsh fork springs, and
their shocks aren't much to write
home about, either. We've said it
before, but both the 250 and 450
are overly sprung and simply way too
stiff for any typical rider. They're okay
for a few laps on a perfectly prepped
track, but your arms and legs are in
for a serious workout as soon as the
braking bumps start forming.
The 450's engine and suspen-
sion simply don't work together. The
engine is user-friendly, which, for
VOLUME 59 ISSUE 42 OCTOBER 18, 2022 P105
The 450 has an
extremely user-
friendly motor that
make good power.
You'll just want more
of it after a while.
