VOL. 53 ISSUE 45 NOVEMBER 15, 2016 P91
BY THE CYCLE NEWS STAFF
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT PALMER
T
he 2017 Suzuki RM-Z250
might look a little different,
with its new black rims,
side panels and triple clamps,
and new yellow seat and rear
fender combo, but the new 'Zook
really isn't new at all. It return's
for '17 much like it was in '16,
but that might not necessarily
be a bad thing, since, as you
might remember, the RM-Z got a
complete overall for 2016, except
cosmetically. Suzuki focused to-
tally on performance rather than
on looks, which hasn't changed
much in many years.
Yes, the RM-Z got a ton of
changes in 2016, which pretty
much explains why it didn't get
any performance mods in 2017.
Looking back, the '16 RM-Z250
performance
got more than 80 new parts in
the motor alone. It also got a new
frame and suspension, namely a
new KYB PSF2 air fork.
As good as the 2016 RM-
Z250 was, the long list of
changes to it didn't automati-
cally advance it to the front of
the class, mainly because the
many changes they made to the
engine still weren't enough—it
needed more power, just like it
does in 2017. We wouldn't go
as far as saying that the 2017
RM-Z250 is slow, because it's
not; it's just that the other bikes
in its class have gotten faster
over the recent years, especially
the Yamaha, KTM/Husky and
Kawasaki. And power is such
a big deal in the 250F class.
The 2016 RM-Z definitely saw a
gain in bottom-to-mid power in
'16, but where it really needed it
most—on top—it didn't get, and
the Suzuki started to get left be-
hind in the race to the first turn.
Still, the RM-Z isn't far off
the pace. It's still an exciting
engine that barks when you hit
the throttle but peters off as you
stretch out each gear, that's why
it's best to short-shift the RM-Z a
little bit to get the most out of the
motor.
Otherwise, the RM-Z is a
damn good bike. Handling and
suspension have always been
two of the bike's strongest traits,
especially when it comes to
getting in and out of the corners
quickly. No bike in its class does
it better than the RM-Z.
The RM-Z250
is still the class
leader when it
comes to getting
in and out of the
turns quickly.
