SHOOTOUT
P54
2014 450-CLASS MOTOCROSS SHOOTOUT
COUNTDOWN
4TH PLACE
SUZUKI RM-Z450
T
he 2014 Suzuki RM-Z450 is
another fantastic machine there is plenty to like about
it. It's the best turning bike of the
group (what else is new?), handles great and has a potent motor,
plus we're fans of its quick-change
mapping couplers. It's also a comfortable bike and has okay brakes,
but we just wish we could come to
terms with the RM-Z's front end.
We didn't like the SFF forks all that
much last year and we're still not
crazy about them, though we did
get them working better, but not
without a lot of trial and error. On
smooth, Supercross-type tracks,
however, the forks are okay and
the rest of the bike is awesome,
but on rougher and higher-speed
tracks, like Glen Helen, the Suzuki can be a handful and you can
feel all of its 251 pounds. Those
are the highs and lows of the Suzuki, which we still think is a very
good bike overall.
