2018 Suzuki RM-Z450 First Look

Flip109
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Flip109 6/29/2017 3:02pm
6/29/2017 3:02pm
Never ever thought I would say this. But just off looks

Yamaha
Honda
Kawasaki
Ktm
Husky
Zook

Really digging that new Yamaha
PRM31
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PRM31 6/29/2017 3:13pm
6/29/2017 3:13pm
If the Yamaha was old school yellow, a la 1983 factory bikes, and had the light gold rims it would likely move to #1.

The Honda's red seat and the extreme pointy shroud with the blacked out portion doesn't appeal to me. Maybe if the shroud had a little more shape along the lines of the Yamaha, I'd like it more. The rest is nice though.

The Husky just needs a little something extra with the shrouds.

The Suzuki needs yellow rims, and different exhaust.
brimx153
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brimx153 6/29/2017 3:18pm
6/29/2017 3:18pm
everyone seems to want a 09 honda, or a 10 yamaha ,all change and Innovation, but none of it worked . 7 years on honda went back to a 08 frame type , yamaha been struggling to sort the bike for years . Id bet anything ,nearly everyone would be as fast on a good 08 honda ,than any 18 bike
Flip109
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Flip109 6/29/2017 3:37pm
6/29/2017 3:37pm
brimx153 wrote:
everyone seems to want a 09 honda, or a 10 yamaha ,all change and Innovation, but none of it worked . 7 years on honda went...
everyone seems to want a 09 honda, or a 10 yamaha ,all change and Innovation, but none of it worked . 7 years on honda went back to a 08 frame type , yamaha been struggling to sort the bike for years . Id bet anything ,nearly everyone would be as fast on a good 08 honda ,than any 18 bike
Yep, the fact that 10 years later the bikes aren't any lighter. Give me an 08 with restyled plastics and FI all day. Still miss my 05 and 07!


The Shop

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mattyhamz2 6/29/2017 3:41pm
6/29/2017 3:41pm
PRM31 wrote:
Purely on looks (which is as valid as some argument on this thread...), I'd go:

KTM
Husky
Yamaha
Suzuki
Honda
Kawasaki
Yamaha
Suzuki
Kawasaki
KTM
Honda
Husky
Indy mxer
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Indy mxer 6/29/2017 4:37pm
6/29/2017 4:37pm Edited Date/Time 6/29/2017 4:38pm
mxb2 wrote:
Pretty sure the 17 rmz 450 parts will fit., Wheels, pegs, some hard parts, that being said, what exhaust company will release the first pipe. Not...
Pretty sure the 17 rmz 450 parts will fit., Wheels, pegs, some hard parts, that being said, what exhaust company will release the first pipe. Not sure if the17 exhaust will work, yosh has the system rch is using, not even released yet.
Permeance_Flux wrote:
What about akrapovic? That's what the Japanese and European teams are using.[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2017/06/29/202545/s1200_IMG_0391.jpg[/img]
What about akrapovic? That's what the Japanese and European teams are using.

BobPA wrote:
That silencer looks like Kim Kardashians ass
Now that's funny as shit!!! Thanks for a good laugh!
racer495a
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racer495a 6/29/2017 4:39pm
6/29/2017 4:39pm
Skerby wrote:

I still like the Japanese bikes, I haven't owned anything newer than a 2013 kx450 so they still feel pretty "advanced" when I'm riding them.
BobPA wrote:
My friend Tyler (not our lovable goof here haha) bought a 2014 KX450 new a few years ago...loved the bike. Rode my new KTM once 2...
My friend Tyler (not our lovable goof here haha) bought a 2014 KX450 new a few years ago...loved the bike. Rode my new KTM once 2 weeks ago, and said his bike felt like a dinasaur. I just got a picture of his bike driving away in another guys truck...and he tells me he is on his way to the Katoom dealer.
I had a 14 kx450f and went to a ktm demo day. I never rode the kawi again and now have electric start and an orange front fender.
kiwifan
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kiwifan 6/29/2017 5:21pm
6/29/2017 5:21pm
Skerby wrote:

I still like the Japanese bikes, I haven't owned anything newer than a 2013 kx450 so they still feel pretty "advanced" when I'm riding them.
BobPA wrote:
My friend Tyler (not our lovable goof here haha) bought a 2014 KX450 new a few years ago...loved the bike. Rode my new KTM once 2...
My friend Tyler (not our lovable goof here haha) bought a 2014 KX450 new a few years ago...loved the bike. Rode my new KTM once 2 weeks ago, and said his bike felt like a dinasaur. I just got a picture of his bike driving away in another guys truck...and he tells me he is on his way to the Katoom dealer.
racer495a wrote:
I had a 14 kx450f and went to a ktm demo day. I never rode the kawi again and now have electric start and an orange...
I had a 14 kx450f and went to a ktm demo day. I never rode the kawi again and now have electric start and an orange front fender.
so you are comparing a 2014 bike to a 2017 one....a little unfair isnt it?
NorcalVet
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NorcalVet 6/29/2017 6:27pm
6/29/2017 6:27pm
Tyler gsst TOok his SHiRT off....

Anyways
I was hoping for a 4 speed and magic button
And yellow wheels instead of black that gets thrashed quickly

I'd be dropping a deposit down today
BobPA
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BobPA 6/29/2017 7:23pm
6/29/2017 7:23pm
BobPA wrote:
My friend Tyler (not our lovable goof here haha) bought a 2014 KX450 new a few years ago...loved the bike. Rode my new KTM once 2...
My friend Tyler (not our lovable goof here haha) bought a 2014 KX450 new a few years ago...loved the bike. Rode my new KTM once 2 weeks ago, and said his bike felt like a dinasaur. I just got a picture of his bike driving away in another guys truck...and he tells me he is on his way to the Katoom dealer.
racer495a wrote:
I had a 14 kx450f and went to a ktm demo day. I never rode the kawi again and now have electric start and an orange...
I had a 14 kx450f and went to a ktm demo day. I never rode the kawi again and now have electric start and an orange front fender.
kiwifan wrote:
so you are comparing a 2014 bike to a 2017 one....a little unfair isnt it?
How do you figure? Times change and so do motorcycles, of course they can all be compared. Compare the 2015 KX and the 2016 KTM....same comparison..
motoarmageddon 6/29/2017 9:24pm
6/29/2017 9:24pm
The ktm is lighter and do you know why? The ktm has an overall flimsier build to it, they arent built to last for any long term anymore. Ktm built a racebike
Black Diesel Bomber 6/29/2017 9:44pm
6/29/2017 9:44pm
They are all great looking bikes but there's something wrong about that KXF....looks like it has poopy diapers in the rear or something. That blue pig is really sexy looking, I just wish they would turn the damn motor around already.
kiwifan
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kiwifan 6/29/2017 11:22pm
6/29/2017 11:22pm
racer495a wrote:
I had a 14 kx450f and went to a ktm demo day. I never rode the kawi again and now have electric start and an orange...
I had a 14 kx450f and went to a ktm demo day. I never rode the kawi again and now have electric start and an orange front fender.
kiwifan wrote:
so you are comparing a 2014 bike to a 2017 one....a little unfair isnt it?
BobPA wrote:
How do you figure? Times change and so do motorcycles, of course they can all be compared. Compare the 2015 KX and the 2016 KTM....same comparison..
Except the 2016 KXF was a major improvement.....I guarantee you if you compare the 2016 KXF to the 2017 KTM then the difference would be no where near as great compared to the 2014 KXF....so yes I do figure Smile
Turbojez
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Turbojez 6/30/2017 2:21am
6/30/2017 2:21am Edited Date/Time 6/30/2017 2:22am
Haha I know it's a little crazy, but as much as I like the look of the whole bike, this part of the new RMZ drives me nuts. Why in the world doesn't the rear side plate line up with rear fender? Looks like each of those parts was designed by a different person and it's all I see looking at the bike right now.



Motofinne
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Motofinne 6/30/2017 2:45am
6/30/2017 2:45am Edited Date/Time 6/30/2017 2:49am
Husqvarna
KTM
Honda
Suzuki
Yamaha
Kawasaki

That would be my order of the 2018 bikes when it comes to the looks of them. Husky clear winner and KTM is second because of the orange frame(the 2017 KTM with the black frame would be third).

The Kawasaki is comfortably in last place, not a good looking stock bike.

This is all subjective and there isn't a wrong or right order. So no one needs to get offended.
jtiger12
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jtiger12 6/30/2017 3:14am
6/30/2017 3:14am
On looks
Honda
KTM
Husky
Yamaha
Kawi
Suzuki

fullfloater 6/30/2017 3:34am
6/30/2017 3:34am
I just bought a YZ250F. I used to think that the Yamahas were fugly boats but I'm coming around. Funny how they look so much better in person (and in my garage!) than the pics. Disclaimer: I still ordered the Cycra shroud kit.
nascarnate326 6/30/2017 3:58am
6/30/2017 3:58am
Get rid of the water pump guard, rear brake disc guard and put a blue FMF pipe on the KX450 and it looks wayyyyy better.

I have a 17 KX250F and can't stand how ugly the stock pipe is. Cant wait to upgrade in a few weeks.


Ive never been a Suzuki fan but the 18 looks damn nice. I am curious to see if the forks will come as gold as all the photos look or if someone got crazy with HDR on the photo.

Pit Row

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daemon616
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daemon616 6/30/2017 4:46am
6/30/2017 4:46am
Reed is gonna look GOOD on that bike. -_-
MX-LIFE.
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MX-LIFE. 6/30/2017 5:11am
6/30/2017 5:11am
It has electric start right?
mx317
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mx317 6/30/2017 5:12am
6/30/2017 5:12am
fullysicmate wrote:
Wet Weights Our weighing system was done in a fairly simple manner, with all bikes weighed full of fuel and ready to ride. The numbers below...
Wet Weights
Our weighing system was done in a fairly simple manner, with all bikes weighed full of fuel and ready to ride. The numbers below are rounded to the nearest full number.

KTM 350 SX-F: 232 lbs.
KTM 450 SX-F: 233 lbs.
Husqvarna FC 450: 235 lbs.
Kawasaki KX450F: 240 lbs.
Honda CRF450R: 244 lbs.
Suzuki RM-Z450: 246 lbs.
Yamaha YZ450F: 248 lbs.

You bend over
Good info, but I think bike weights should be compared with all fluids and a dry gas tank like tha AMA weighs them. The KTMs have a larger gas tank and the difference in weight is even greater when the tanks are dry.
PRM31
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PRM31 6/30/2017 5:24am
6/30/2017 5:24am
fullysicmate wrote:
Wet Weights Our weighing system was done in a fairly simple manner, with all bikes weighed full of fuel and ready to ride. The numbers below...
Wet Weights
Our weighing system was done in a fairly simple manner, with all bikes weighed full of fuel and ready to ride. The numbers below are rounded to the nearest full number.

KTM 350 SX-F: 232 lbs.
KTM 450 SX-F: 233 lbs.
Husqvarna FC 450: 235 lbs.
Kawasaki KX450F: 240 lbs.
Honda CRF450R: 244 lbs.
Suzuki RM-Z450: 246 lbs.
Yamaha YZ450F: 248 lbs.

You bend over
mx317 wrote:
Good info, but I think bike weights should be compared with all fluids and a dry gas tank like tha AMA weighs them. The KTMs have...
Good info, but I think bike weights should be compared with all fluids and a dry gas tank like tha AMA weighs them. The KTMs have a larger gas tank and the difference in weight is even greater when the tanks are dry.
Agree. I wouldn't fill a tank to race, and comparing them full only penalizes bikes with larger tanks. Show me the no gas weight and I'll add 6 lbs for a gallon of gas if I choose. Point is, I'm going to use the same amount of gas for a situation regardless of the bike.
Silas444
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Silas444 6/30/2017 5:36am
6/30/2017 5:36am
Silas444 wrote:
Fair to say, I am largely unimpressed with this new RMZ. I was really hoping Suzuki would come up with something truly innovative - but alas...
Fair to say, I am largely unimpressed with this new RMZ. I was really hoping Suzuki would come up with something truly innovative - but alas - they didn't. At this point, I'm just glad I grew up in the era I did. Consider this: a ten year old RMZ would likely do just fine against this "all new" bike, whereas "back in my day" a 1974 TM250 wouldn't stand a snowball's chance in hell against a 1984 RM250. The only, ONLY, similarity those two bikes had were their bolts, their tires, and the foam in their seats.
aeffertz wrote:
Just the nature of things. Innovation and stuff slows down a bit after a certain point. Consider this: a ten year old RMZ would likely do...
Just the nature of things. Innovation and stuff slows down a bit after a certain point.

Consider this: a ten year old RMZ would likely do just fine against any of the new bikes, not just the new RMZ. I mean, Suzuki won the outdoor title last year with their "dated yellow pig."
It's not my intention to rain on this nifty new bike unveiling. I'm sure this RMZ is a significant advancement over the old one, and I'm glad there are guys out there ready to speak with their wallets and get one. BUT - I disagree with the idea that we've innovated so far the bikes can't be made radically new and radically lighter and radically BETTER. We cannot know of what does not exist, we cannot say what cannot be, and we cannot critique what has not been invented. Answer me this: where are the Valentino Ribis and and Dr. Tilkens and Horst Loiters of these modern days???? Is there NO ONE out there who has an expanded mind anymore??? It's no secret that the AMA is mindlessly squelching the growth of our sport's innovation with their outdated ideas about how to keep things "fair" for privateers. Why doesn't one, even ONE, manufacturer say 'to hell with them' and release a CONCEPT BIKE once in a while to show us WHAT COULD BE???!!! It makes me crazy that the sport is being limited by those visionless AMA bureaucrats, and that ALL of the manufacturers follow their directives like old, beat-down, plow horses. One of you OEMs - please - make something so oddly good it gets banned - you know, like you used to do DECADES AGO!
PRM31
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PRM31 6/30/2017 6:02am
6/30/2017 6:02am Edited Date/Time 6/30/2017 6:16am
Amen.

I would venture to say that the average rider would produce nearly identical lap times on any bike in the last ten years assuming that particular bike suited him. Perhaps with nothing more than having the suspension done by a good shop like Factory Connection, Pro Circuit, etc., a fresh engine and some ergo tweaks to suit.

Not sure what the next big improvement could be. Suspension valving like spool-valves, new shocks and linkage that are much smaller and lighter, perhaps carbon fiber manufacturing techniques that make it affordable for production, a chain (drive train) that absorbs energy (stretches) to improve traction, lighter, stronger wheels (carbon fiber vice spokes?)...

Today's bikes are really just refinements of a 1981 CR or RM 125.

Alta is the only one pushing evolution, at least openly.
tempura
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tempura 6/30/2017 6:13am
6/30/2017 6:13am
Money.. It's because of the money it takes to innovate. That's why advancements only trickle out.
Even though all the manufactures can create the ultimate bike, they all will trickle it out year after year.
Moto520
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Moto520 6/30/2017 6:45am
6/30/2017 6:45am Edited Date/Time 6/30/2017 6:46am
Turbojez wrote:
Haha I know it's a little crazy, but as much as I like the look of the whole bike, this part of the new RMZ drives...
Haha I know it's a little crazy, but as much as I like the look of the whole bike, this part of the new RMZ drives me nuts. Why in the world doesn't the rear side plate line up with rear fender? Looks like each of those parts was designed by a different person and it's all I see looking at the bike right now.



Grab handle
LeMay_848
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LeMay_848 6/30/2017 8:41am
6/30/2017 8:41am
So when will they be in dealers is my question
motoxxx599 6/30/2017 9:16am
6/30/2017 9:16am
LeMay_848 wrote:
So when will they be in dealers is my question
SAME HERE
temporarily_locked 6/30/2017 10:02am
6/30/2017 10:02am
We have the lighest, most sophisticated , reliable bikes at the price point that the market can bare. As more advanced materials, processes and technologies become more affordable there will continue be more refinement. But that's it. That all you get at this volume of sales and price.
Micahdogg
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Micahdogg 6/30/2017 10:09am
6/30/2017 10:09am
Is it still too much to ask for a more coherent job on the color options? Each model reminds me of this:

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