2008 Suzuki RM-Z450 - Fuelie Flyer - First Ride
2008 Suzuki RM-Z450
By Jesse Ziegler, Photography by Drew Ruiz, Kinney Jones
The '08 RM-Z is certainly a contender, with a confident chassis, solid suspension and some of the most usable power we've experienced. yank the throttle and you'd never know there's not a perfectly tuned carb under the tank. It's an excellent bike for anyone who hates jets, and it proves-at last-that fuel injection works in the dirt.
Tech Spec
Evolution
Suzuki's top MXer bins its carb in favor of electronic fuel injection and gets a fifth gear too.
Rivals
Hard-core, big-bore four strokes: Honda's CRF450R, Kawasaki's KX450F, KTM's 450 SX-F and yamaha's yZ450F.
| TECH |
| Price: | $7199 |
| Engine type: | l-c single |
| Valve train: | DOHC, 4V |
| Displacement: | 449cc |
| Bore x stroke: | 96.0 x 62.1mm |
| Compression: | 12.2:1 |
| Fuel system: | Keihin EFI |
| Clutch: | Wet, multi-plate |
| Transmission: | 5-speed |
| Claimed horsepower: | na |
| Claimed torque: | na |
| Frame: | Aluminum double-cradle |
| Front suspension: | Showa inverted fork, adjustable for spring preload, rebound and compression damping |
| Rear suspension: | Single Showa shock, adjustable for spring preload, rebound and compression damping |
| Front brake: | Two-piston Nissin caliper, 250mm wave-cut disc |
| Rear brake: | Single-piston Nissin caliper, 240mm wave-cut disc |
| Front tire: | 90/100-21 Bridgestone M403 |
| Rear tire: | 120/90-19 Bridgestone M404 |
| Rake/trail: | 25/30 in. |
| Seat height: | 37.6 in. |
| Wheelbase: | 58.3 in. |
| Fuel capacity: | 1.6 gal. |
| Claimed dry weight: | 224 lbs. |
| Color: | Yellow |
| Available: | Now |
| Warranty: | na |
Contact: American Suzuki
3251 E. Imperial Highway
Brea, CA 92622
714.996.7040
http://www.suzukicycles.com
Verdict
Agile in the air and solid on the ground, the easyriding RM-Z proves EFI works in the dirt too.
By Jesse Ziegler
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