It's Real! The New 2018 Suzuki RM-Z450

RandyS
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RandyS 2/3/2017 7:35am
2/3/2017 7:35am
RandyS wrote:
Downtube looks like it goes all the way to the bottom like the old Huskys(no Y).
Nevermind, I just looked at a bigger picture.
Rowlands
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Rowlands 2/3/2017 7:39am
2/3/2017 7:39am




ayearinmx
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ayearinmx 2/3/2017 7:42am
2/3/2017 7:42am
Gotta say it was a pretty cool event... and the bike looks damn sweet in person
PRM31
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PRM31 2/3/2017 7:44am
2/3/2017 7:44am
After watching the intro video, is it me, or did Everts seem less than enthused? Comments like "..I hope by the end of the year it is competitive with the others.." and statements to the effect that they have a lot of work to do. Maybe just a language thing and I'm not putting too much into it, just an observation.
On the good side, maybe Suzuki is attempting to do what KTM did when DeCoster arrived by developing a new bike. Time will tell if they have the same desire and company drive.

The Shop

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Moens_Andy 2/3/2017 7:46am
2/3/2017 7:46am
PRM31 wrote:
After watching the intro video, is it me, or did Everts seem less than enthused? Comments like "..I hope by the end of the year it...
After watching the intro video, is it me, or did Everts seem less than enthused? Comments like "..I hope by the end of the year it is competitive with the others.." and statements to the effect that they have a lot of work to do. Maybe just a language thing and I'm not putting too much into it, just an observation.
On the good side, maybe Suzuki is attempting to do what KTM did when DeCoster arrived by developing a new bike. Time will tell if they have the same desire and company drive.
Desire YES, wanting to pay for it NO
bturner26x
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bturner26x 2/3/2017 7:47am
2/3/2017 7:47am Edited Date/Time 2/3/2017 7:48am
PRM31 wrote:
After watching the intro video, is it me, or did Everts seem less than enthused? Comments like "..I hope by the end of the year it...
After watching the intro video, is it me, or did Everts seem less than enthused? Comments like "..I hope by the end of the year it is competitive with the others.." and statements to the effect that they have a lot of work to do. Maybe just a language thing and I'm not putting too much into it, just an observation.
On the good side, maybe Suzuki is attempting to do what KTM did when DeCoster arrived by developing a new bike. Time will tell if they have the same desire and company drive.
I noticed that from all three of them. Apparently they still have a lot of testing and improvements to do to get it dialed. He seems to think it won't be 100% ready/competitive until the end of the year and then they will come out for swing in the 2018 season..
Mucktub
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Mucktub 2/3/2017 7:49am
2/3/2017 7:49am
PRM31 wrote:
After watching the intro video, is it me, or did Everts seem less than enthused? Comments like "..I hope by the end of the year it...
After watching the intro video, is it me, or did Everts seem less than enthused? Comments like "..I hope by the end of the year it is competitive with the others.." and statements to the effect that they have a lot of work to do. Maybe just a language thing and I'm not putting too much into it, just an observation.
On the good side, maybe Suzuki is attempting to do what KTM did when DeCoster arrived by developing a new bike. Time will tell if they have the same desire and company drive.
Everts had a hand in the KTM development also, it was him who pushed for the use of the rear suspension link.
Rowlands
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Rowlands 2/3/2017 8:02am
2/3/2017 8:02am
Difference is I think the Euro guys are super honest with there bikes. Let's be honest it probably is going to take a year to get the bike dialed in as well as the previous models. I would rather hear that than " oh man the thing rips nothing I've ever rode is quite like it I jelled right away " gets boring listening to that all the time. GP guys are always honest with there bike but still show respect towards it. And I don't think either of them riders are capable of winning the overall no matter what bike they are on if there consistently in the top 10 they are doing well
Phillip_Lamb
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Phillip_Lamb 2/3/2017 8:09am
2/3/2017 8:09am
nope just kidding everyone, only new plastic! haha..


hopefully there is some real changes, from the pics the engine nor the frame look much different,
Question
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Question 2/3/2017 8:16am
2/3/2017 8:16am
Tbh I think JGR and RCH should be involved ASAP in the development too, especially with the production rule. I hope they do since I feel their input can help them all. It is not like it costs more to ask race teams about their preferred frame geometry. Plus afterwards the GP can run anything they want that fits the GP tracks.
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NVA57 2/3/2017 8:19am
2/3/2017 8:19am
The design of all these new bikes - Suzuki, Honda, KTM - all remind me of the Aprilla motocross bike. Like it was way ahead of it's time.
F150Motocrosser
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F150Motocrosser 2/3/2017 8:20am
2/3/2017 8:20am Edited Date/Time 2/3/2017 8:21am
BNG for the win!! I kid... Looking forward to hearing ML's shakedown of the bike and what's new and improved. Let's be real though... Suzuki isn't exactly on a mission to take over the off-road motorcycle market; not in the way that KTM approached it, at least. Of course they had to give the market an "all new" bike at some point; but I'd bet my autographed Steel Roots VHS tape that Everts probably has to fight tooth and nail for every penny of the budget that corporate Suzuki agreed to for the R&D of this "all new" bike.

Another comment on the KTM/Suzuki analogy - Suzuki doesn't have a fraction of the various offering of off-road motorcycle models as KTM... that translates to a much smaller ROI on what it cost to develop this new machine, due to the smaller sales numbers and lack of niche markets outside of motocross..

I really dig that they brought back the retro 80's look with the yellow/blue..
mattyhamz2
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mattyhamz2 2/3/2017 8:22am
2/3/2017 8:22am
sbarrington314 wrote:
That Roczen dig was not in very good taste...
what was said?
Motofinne
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Motofinne 2/3/2017 8:23am
2/3/2017 8:23am
38special wrote:
Hearing from all 3 guys that "it needs more development" and "hopefully by the end of the year it's ready to compete with the others". I...
Hearing from all 3 guys that "it needs more development" and "hopefully by the end of the year it's ready to compete with the others".

I understand it absolutely will need development, I'm just surprised to hear so much of that at the intro.
Jmicmoto13 wrote:
Yeah that was an interesting statement. Not confidence inspiring.
Sunhouse wrote:
In the GPs the riders tend to be honest about their bikes. If there are things to improve or work out, they will let say so...
In the GPs the riders tend to be honest about their bikes. If there are things to improve or work out, they will let say so. Also this is a prototype, not a production based bike.
A good example would be a video from a few years back when YS made a video asking GP riders which was their favourite bikes of all time. Shaun Simpson was on LS Honda at the time, even wearing the team shirt, and said without hessitation his factory KTM250 from the year before. He went into detail too while praising the bike. No big deal

Cool looking bike though!
This is the best explanation to the way they were being cautious with not over hyping it.
Olson
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Olson 2/3/2017 8:23am
2/3/2017 8:23am
I like it but it do reminds me of this.

motofool
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motofool 2/3/2017 8:24am
2/3/2017 8:24am
Phillip_Lamb wrote:
nope just kidding everyone, only new plastic! haha..


hopefully there is some real changes, from the pics the engine nor the frame look much different,
Frame and swing arm look nothing like my 15 rmz. engine looks the same though, maybe not enough time to develop the new one before season.
Phillip_Lamb
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Phillip_Lamb 2/3/2017 8:28am
2/3/2017 8:28am Edited Date/Time 2/3/2017 8:39am
Phillip_Lamb wrote:
nope just kidding everyone, only new plastic! haha..


hopefully there is some real changes, from the pics the engine nor the frame look much different,
other different things you can notice aside from the plastic, the swingarm has a different profile as does the frame. Cant wait for more pics and info.

I cant imagine its too far removed what it has been. heck even if they just lose 5-10 pounds
motox11
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motox11 2/3/2017 8:29am
2/3/2017 8:29am
Olson wrote:
I like it but it do reminds me of this. [img]http://moto.zombdrive.com/images/suzuki-rm-250-2005-7.jpg[/img]
I like it but it do reminds me of this.

I think it's the side number plate that is making me think that as well!

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Motofinne
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Motofinne 2/3/2017 8:31am
2/3/2017 8:31am Edited Date/Time 2/3/2017 8:31am
Very few brand new bikes looks good instantly, this does.

The 2017 Honda did not look good when i saw it for the first time, same with the 2016 KTM when we saw it 2 years ago.

This and the 2016 Husqvarna are the only new bikes for awhile that have instantly looked really good in my eyes.

And i'm talking about the cosmetics of the bikes, not the ability of them.
coastlinecascot
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coastlinecascot 2/3/2017 8:39am
2/3/2017 8:39am Edited Date/Time 2/3/2017 8:40am
One reason ill never buy a suzuki, the oem parts are double every other oem parts. Complete ripoff how much they charge.
mattyhamz2
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mattyhamz2 2/3/2017 8:44am
2/3/2017 8:44am
it is a good looking yamahondazuki!!!

Kidding of course, but there are certain things that remind me of a Honda and a Yamaha. The bike looks really good though. Kinda makes me want one. It'll be between an 18 YZ and an 18 RMZ later this year, for me
mattyhamz2
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mattyhamz2 2/3/2017 8:46am
2/3/2017 8:46am
coastlinecascot wrote:
One reason ill never buy a suzuki, the oem parts are double every other oem parts. Complete ripoff how much they charge.
where are you getting Suzuki parts? That's not the case for us at all
b.mohler
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b.mohler 2/3/2017 8:47am
2/3/2017 8:47am
All this talk about appearance and no one has a comment on that blue gas tank?? haha And yea the plastic is blue, it's not decals.
coastlinecascot
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coastlinecascot 2/3/2017 8:50am
2/3/2017 8:50am
coastlinecascot wrote:
One reason ill never buy a suzuki, the oem parts are double every other oem parts. Complete ripoff how much they charge.
mattyhamz2 wrote:
where are you getting Suzuki parts? That's not the case for us at all
I base all my purchases through partzilla. Cheapest oem parts. I build a lot of bikes and stay away from suzuki
Olson
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Olson 2/3/2017 8:51am
2/3/2017 8:51am
b.mohler wrote:
All this talk about appearance and no one has a comment on that blue gas tank?? haha And yea the plastic is blue, it's not decals.
Pretty sure that's not an OEM tank. It looks ready to race so it's probably a CFM tank and graphics will change a 100 times before production.
visser62
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visser62 2/3/2017 8:55am
2/3/2017 8:55am
Perhaps it's a good thing that Suzuki's GP team was relatively "weak" this year. Maybe those guys will help develop this bike before they sign a championship contender next year.
tek14
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tek14 2/3/2017 8:59am
2/3/2017 8:59am
Seems Honda and Suzuki have gone different direction with front end rake angle than KTM.
b.mohler
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b.mohler 2/3/2017 8:59am
2/3/2017 8:59am
b.mohler wrote:
All this talk about appearance and no one has a comment on that blue gas tank?? haha And yea the plastic is blue, it's not decals.
Olson wrote:
Pretty sure that's not an OEM tank. It looks ready to race so it's probably a CFM tank and graphics will change a 100 times before...
Pretty sure that's not an OEM tank. It looks ready to race so it's probably a CFM tank and graphics will change a 100 times before production.
Maybe? Maybe not? Wink Let's theorize that it is production. I was just curious what people thought.
MXVet261
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MXVet261 2/3/2017 9:14am
2/3/2017 9:14am
Any thoughts on this bike having KYB suspension instead of Showa? Big deal or not?
Olson
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Olson 2/3/2017 9:15am
2/3/2017 9:15am
MXVet261 wrote:
Any thoughts on this bike having KYB suspension instead of Showa? Big deal or not?
The GP factory team has been with KYB and Technical Touch forever.
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