6
th
Place
We try to not set expectations before our
tests, but with the Suzuki's performance in last
year's shootout followed by a handful of cos-
metic-only changes for 2018, we had an idea
of where the RM-Z 250 would stack up right
from the start. The Suzuki has been untouched
since its redesign in 2016, and with motocross
technology advancing at such a fast rate, it's
simply fallen behind the competition.
Before jumping to the conclusion that the
RM-Z is a bad motorcycle (it's not), let's talk
about its strong points, as it does have quite a
few. Metcalfe was the first to notice its impres-
sive handling, saying, "The Suzuki has a lot of
positives, like an extremely stable chassis that
shines at high speed but still allows the bike to
corner great."
The same thoughts were echoed amongst
the rest of the test riders, who all unanimously
agreed that the RM-Z's corner-carving prowess
is the best in class. At 236 pounds fully fueled,
it takes a lot of effort to get the Suzuki slowed
down and settled for the corner, but once
leaned over its midcorner steering outshines its
competitors by easily carving ruts, berms, and
everything in between. A few testers noted
that the stock Dunlop MX52 tires hindered the
bike's true potential, and that a swap to a bet-
ter tire would offer improved traction and feel
from the front end.
Suzuki employed a set of KYB PSF2
Pneumatic Spring front forks and a KYB rear
shock to handle the RM-Z's damping needs,
but the majority of our testers struggled to
find a comfortable setup with the package.
It was a ceaseless battle trying to find the
balance between bottom-of-the-stroke support
required for larger hits, and that top-of-the-
stroke plushness needed for small chatter
bumps. The result was a compromising setup
2018 250F MOTOCROSS SHOOTOUT
P78
SHOOTOUT
SUZUKI
RM-Z250
