 | Click the following link to check out a video of the 2008 Suzuki RM-Z250 in action. |
It was rather interesting watching Michael Lapaglia climb aboard the new 2008 Suzuki RM-Z at Perris Raceway last week. The last time he’d ridden the yellow bikes, it was in 2006, back when they were still running steel frames, while everything else in the class had switched to aluminum. In the time between then and now, Michael had spent a couple years racing Yamahas, but after just a couple laps aboard the new bike, it looked like he’d found a happy home, which was good news…he’ll be back on Suzukis for the ’08 season.
So what are the changes for ’08 on the RM-Z250? Here’s a bit of the list.
Frame and Suspension
The twin-spar aluminum chassis has undergone a few changes designed to add in a bit of flex. Throughout the history of aluminum motocross frames, that’s been a pretty common theme among all the brands. The first year or so out of the gate, they’ve been a bit overly stiff, and as the engineers learn more about the durability and ride characteristics of the material, they often soften them up. That translates into less harsh shocks and reduced vibration being transmitted to the rider, as well as a bike that’s not so easily deflected over bumps and in corners.
| Cornering was definitely an area where the Suzuki was shining. Michael was having fun putting the bike right where he wanted it, with a minimum of fuss. |
The front and rear Showa suspension was stiffened a bit this year, though the spring rates remain the same. They also got a bit of cosmetic upgrades, with a new hard anodized look to the caps and adjusters.
Engine
The Suzuki engineers were looking to boost the mid-to-top power on the RM-Z250, and while it still retains the bulk of the four-valve design, they dropped a few changes into the quarter-liter four-stroke mill. That includes bat wing style air guide plates in the Keihin carb, along with narrowing of the left side of the exhaust port. They also changed the combustion chamber design for additional efficiency.
| Lofting the front end in the middle of a high-speed straightaway. |
Cosmetics and Miscellaneous Changes
Race team-inspired changes include a gold-colored chain and axle blocks, and wave rotors on both the front and rear disks. The hot start lever was also moved to the right side handlebar at Ricky Carmichael’s request, since he wanted to clean up the left side of the bars and make for easier clutch adjustments.
The engine also received a modded piston profile, changes to the head’s combustion chamber design, and changes to the perforated core of the muffler’s internals.
Handling and Performance
Asking a pro to evaluate the power of a stock 250F is sort of a fruitless pursuit, since they’re always looking for more. And while the Suzuki may not be the horsepower king of the class, it was easy to see that there was plenty of power on tap, even on the fastest sections of the course, like where Michael was lofting the front wheel in the middle of a fast straightaway to pick his way through one particularly rutted section.
| Nope, no evil handling tendencies in the air. |
But what seemed to impress him the most was the handling of the Suzuki, since it required little effort to hit whatever line he wanted, and carving corners was a breeze. He was also impressed with the performance of the stock suspension, and other than setting the sag before heading out onto the track, he never messed with any of the available settings. In fact, the only thing that seemed to slow him down was a flat rear tire that brought his time on the bike to a premature end.
You can check out more extensive comments by Michael on the bike's performance (along with some explanation on the changes to the 2008 model by Suzuki’s Kobi Iseri) by clicking the video link at the top of the page.
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2008 Suzuki RM-Z250 Specifications
Engine: 249cc, two-stroke, single cylinder, liquid cooled, AETC, piston reed Bore Stroke: 66.4 x 72.0mm Compression Ratio: 8.6:1/10.4:1 Fuel System: KeihinT PWK38S Lubrication: Premix Ignition: Digital CDI Transmission: 5-speed Final Drive: #520 chain Overall Length: 2170mm (85.4 in.) Overall Width: 830mm (33.1 in.) Overall Height: 1280mm (50.4 in.) Seat Height: 950mm (37.4 in.) Ground Clearance: 350mm (13.8 in.) Wheelbase: 1465mm (57.7 in.) Dry Weight: 96kg (212 lbs.) Suspension Front: Telescopic, 22 compression & 20 rebound settings, 12.2 inches (310mm) of wheel travel Suspension Rear: Link-type, spring preload fully-adjustable, 4 high-speed, 16 low-speed compression settings, 19 rebound settings 12.2 inches (310mm) of wheel travel Brakes Front: Single hydraulic disc Brakes Rear: Single hydraulic disc Tires Front: 80/100-21 51M Tires Rear: 110/90-19 62M Fuel Tank Capacity: 8.0 liter (2.1 gal.) Color: Yellow More info: www.suzukicycles.com
10/21/2007 9:31pm
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