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/543938
2016 SUZUKI RM-Z450 FIRST RIDE P56 a great low-to-mid powerband; what it may lack on top and in over-rev, is made up for in ease of management. Its power is well placed and easy to use. Again, it might not have the most power- ful motor out there, but it is one of the most efficient at putting the power to the ground. As always with the RM-Z, you can tailor its power a bit to each track with its three pre-tuned plug-in map couplers that come with it. Once again, the RM-Z is a quick handling machine that works better at low speeds than it does at high speeds, especial- ly on rough tracks. As speeds pick up, things can get a little twitchy and uneasy on the RM-Z. Its real forte is getting in and out of the turns quickly, which it does better than any other bike on the track; the tighter the track, the better the RM-Z450 works. Some things haven't changed. Suspension is the same as last year, which is good. The Showa air fork has tons of poten- tial as long as you can get the setup right, which can some- times be hit and miss. Right out of the crate, though, the fork works pretty well, but that's just a starting point. Adjustment is pretty much limitless so when you find that sweet spot, life is real good. The back end, however, is pretty much dialed in right from the get-go. Set the ride height (about 104mm) and you're pretty much all set. All you'll need to do is make a few clicks here and there to match whatever you end up with on the fork. Unfortunately, Suzuki has not yet jumped on the oversized front-brake rotor bandwagon that all of the Japanese OEMs have. Still, the RM-Z's front brake is good, it's just that the bar has been raised to a new level and the RM-Z hasn't caught up yet. Overall, the 2016 RM-Z450 is just as good as before, only the most sensitive riders might notice the new S-HAC mapping and new front brake caliper; we need more time. But our first day on the RM-Z450 revealed pretty much what we already knew, that the RM-Z450 is still an outstand- ing machine despite its long-in- the-tooth looks. It's a super fun bike to ride and still very potent on most tracks. Put it on a Super- cross-style circuit, however, and this bike will really shine and be very hard to beat. CN SPECIFICATIONS 2016 SUZUKI RM-Z450 ENGINE TYPE: ............... 4-stroke, 4-valve, liquid-cooled, DOHC, single BORE X STROKE: ................... 96 x 62mm DISPLCACEMENT: ............................ 449cc COMPRESSION RATIO: ..................... 12.5:1 FUEL SYSTEM: .....................Fuel injection STARTING SYSTEM: ............Primary kick LUBRICATION SYSTEM:....Semi-dry sump PRIMARY REDUCTION RATIO: ......... 63/24 IGNITION SYSTEM: Electronic Ignition (CDI) LAUNCH CONTROL: ........Suzuki Holeshot Assist Control (S-HAC) TRANSMISSION: ........................... 5-speed FRAME: ...................................... Aluminum HANDLEBAR: .. Aluminum Renthal Fatbar FRONT SUSPENSION: ......Showa SFF-AIR Triple Chamber REAR SUSPENSION: Showa single shock, linkage, fully adjustable RAKE: ............................................. 28° 40° FRONT BRAKE: .......... Disc, wave-shaped, Nissin, dual-piston caliper REAR BRAKE: Disc, wave-shaped, Nissin, single-piston caliper FRONT TIRE: .............. 80/100x21 Dunlop MX52FA REAR TIRE: .......110/90x19 Dunlop MX52 RIMS: ..................................................Excel WHEELBASE: ..................................58.9 in. SEAT HEIGHT: ................................ 37.6 in. FUEL CAPACITY: .............................1.6 gal. CURB WEIGHT (CLAIMED): .......... 247 lbs. MSRP: ...............................................$8749 (Left) The S-HAC (launch control) has new mapping. (Right) The Nissan front-brake caliper has a new shape and is said to be 10 percent lighter.