Making an RM 85 competitive

GeorgiePorgie 6/13/2021 7:34pm
6/13/2021 7:34pm
Corner drills. Riding schools. Technique. That bikes plenty capable.
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ratonmacias
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ratonmacias 6/13/2021 9:54pm
6/13/2021 9:54pm
Watch stew kick ass on a kx 125 against 250f bikes
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xrmark
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xrmark 6/13/2021 10:20pm
6/13/2021 10:20pm
They can be fast. Man I remember when those things were the mini to have in the 2000’s
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SoCalMX70
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SoCalMX70 6/13/2021 11:35pm
6/13/2021 11:35pm
EngIceDave wrote:
Get a new kid
I laughed way harder than I should have. 😂
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CPR
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CPR 6/14/2021 3:06am
6/14/2021 3:06am
I used to build a lot of mini bikes and it was quite easy to get the same numbers out of a RM85 as a KTM85, except believe it or not we could actually get a broader spread of power out of the Suzuki. The engines on nearly all brands haven’t changed much since.
As said by others, 2 teeth up is too much on the gearing for most tracks. Compare his lap times on a track he rides a lot between that and the standard sprocket. One tooth may be okay depending on the track and his riding style, biggest thing is you don’t want to end up ‘between gears’ in the corners.
Standard Suzuki suspension is sprung too soft, especially the forks, for all but the lightest riders. Brakes too are ordinary. But if he genuinely does need more power, it’s easy to make it competitive enough that it won’t be the reason that’s holding him back.
Bike in the photo below was already three years old (parents couldn’t afford new) when we freshened it up. Modified cylinder head, cleaned up the ports, FMF Fatty & silencer, jetted standard carb, good fuel and it holeshot 6 out of 6 races at state titles. Dads of kids on big money new 85s with all the fruit were horrified when a kid on a three year old bike won the state title.
At the time I also built the KTM that won the Australian title, yet that old Suzi was every bit as fast, probably even faster on starts. Can’t compare the chassis and components though.




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Jeremy Macduff 6/14/2021 4:01am
6/14/2021 4:01am Edited Date/Time 6/14/2021 4:03am
mxlawyer wrote:
Thanks for the advice. The suspension is stock, I keep asking him and watching to see it work and he tells me it's great. His corner...
Thanks for the advice. The suspension is stock, I keep asking him and watching to see it work and he tells me it's great. His corner speed is awesome for a kid who has raced 9 times and is running with the Experts. He actually makes time in the corners although I know there's always room for improvement. As for buying orange, there are no bikes available where I am (Northeast). I will check out those options you've provided. Thanks again.
Head work, pipe, mapping.
Suspension (your kid is too young and inexperienced to know what’s good and bad).

Also, as the fastest man to ever strap a leg over a RM85 once said, “you can only go as fast as your front brake allows.”
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Tracktor
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Tracktor 6/14/2021 11:01am
6/14/2021 11:01am
It's not just that the 18+ KTM/Husky 85 platform is so much better, though it is, it's that in the end it's cheaper & easier just to upgrade. The Suzuki is pretty outdated and even if you get everything else working OK you still have an issue with them breaking frames. You can spend a tone of money upgrading the RM to get it level with a stock KTM just to be different but in the end most riders end up switching once they get to B level speed for ease & reliability....

Best money is spent on suspension, IMO. No matter what your kid says he doesn't know what he doesn't know. Once he rides a good suspension tune he will see a big difference.........
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Bruce372
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Bruce372 6/14/2021 5:14pm
6/14/2021 5:14pm
The suzuki is good enough, just needs engine work, new pipe, ignition, race fuel and suspension.

Where have I heard that before?

And yeah, I've owned 5 suzukis until recently lol.

Life is short, go find your kid a new bike.
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bd
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bd 6/14/2021 5:56pm
6/14/2021 5:56pm Edited Date/Time 6/14/2021 5:58pm
R&D makes those bikes scream. That said, tune suspension, fresh top end, new tires and that bike is going to be fast. If want to mod, reach out to R&D.

https://www.dirtrider.com/2016-suzuki-rm85-factory-rd-project-bike/

https://www.r1dean.com/shop/engine-kits/rm85-dominator-engine-kit/
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bd
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bd 6/14/2021 5:57pm
6/14/2021 5:57pm
Press516 wrote:
Contact Dean Dickinson at R&D Racing and get some work done. R&D's history with the little RM's is second to none. First mod is his power...
Contact Dean Dickinson at R&D Racing and get some work done. R&D's history with the little RM's is second to none. First mod is his power valve cover and a mapped ignition... One of the magazines, I want to say it was Dirt Rider did an RM85 build. It was pretty mild, but as I recall, it transformed the bike. Even more could be done...

EDIT: found the link. https://www.dirtrider.com/2016-suzuki-rm85-factory-rd-project-bike/
dadofagun wrote:
This. Dean and his late father Rudy designed that engine for Suzuki decades ago. Yes, it was a few years ago, but he was building Tomac's...
This. Dean and his late father Rudy designed that engine for Suzuki decades ago. Yes, it was a few years ago, but he was building Tomac's Superminis, and many others since. The numbers he can pull out of that little engine are incredible.....
This group beat me to the punch. Well said.
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Silvers_Racing 6/14/2021 6:01pm
6/14/2021 6:01pm
9 races in…I would venture to guess it’s the pilot. Speed some money getting the suspension set up, and a riding coach. Motor is always last. What type of track are you racing on?
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1911
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1911 6/14/2021 7:07pm
6/14/2021 7:07pm Edited Date/Time 6/14/2021 7:08pm
Jeremy Macduff wrote:
Head work, pipe, mapping. Suspension (your kid is too young and inexperienced to know what’s good and bad). Also, as the fastest man to ever strap...
Head work, pipe, mapping.
Suspension (your kid is too young and inexperienced to know what’s good and bad).

Also, as the fastest man to ever strap a leg over a RM85 once said, “you can only go as fast as your front brake allows.”
Mapping? A RM 85
dedi684
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dedi684 6/14/2021 7:32pm
6/14/2021 7:32pm
Mx207? Spend a day practicing there before the race
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Mr. Ted 6/14/2021 8:58pm
6/14/2021 8:58pm
Suspension and seat time
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Press516
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Press516 6/14/2021 9:41pm
6/14/2021 9:41pm
Jeremy Macduff wrote:
Head work, pipe, mapping. Suspension (your kid is too young and inexperienced to know what’s good and bad). Also, as the fastest man to ever strap...
Head work, pipe, mapping.
Suspension (your kid is too young and inexperienced to know what’s good and bad).

Also, as the fastest man to ever strap a leg over a RM85 once said, “you can only go as fast as your front brake allows.”
1911 wrote:
Mapping? A RM 85
Vortex has or at least had a X10 ignition for the RM85...
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bd
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bd 6/14/2021 9:55pm
6/14/2021 9:55pm
Jeremy Macduff wrote:
Head work, pipe, mapping. Suspension (your kid is too young and inexperienced to know what’s good and bad). Also, as the fastest man to ever strap...
Head work, pipe, mapping.
Suspension (your kid is too young and inexperienced to know what’s good and bad).

Also, as the fastest man to ever strap a leg over a RM85 once said, “you can only go as fast as your front brake allows.”
1911 wrote:
Mapping? A RM 85
Press516 wrote:
Vortex has or at least had a X10 ignition for the RM85...
I'm not sure that vortex still makes RM85 CDI but I found one: https://www.vividracing.com/-p-152489813.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrtKH2-u…
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Heggo
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Heggo 6/14/2021 10:33pm
6/14/2021 10:33pm
Cheapest mod to improve top end is cut 10mm out of header pipe after the flange, cut head and race fuel. Next would a YZ or KX85 Pwk 28 and jet it to suit. Then spend the rest on suspension and tires. Call R&D. Nobody has better credentials. The vortex would definitely help but if your on a budget Id probably opt for porting first.
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tylermx967
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tylermx967 6/15/2021 1:46am
6/15/2021 1:46am
I THINK SUSZUKI MAKE THE FASTIST 8 5 ALREADY MY GREAT UNCLE HORSE GIVED ME A VFORCE 1 YEAR FOR MY BIRTHDAY AND MAKED THE BIKE FASTER UP THE HILLS A T CYCUL RANCH WE GOTS THE 2008
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Press516
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Press516 6/15/2021 5:20am
6/15/2021 5:20am Edited Date/Time 6/15/2021 5:21am
Heggo wrote:
Cheapest mod to improve top end is cut 10mm out of header pipe after the flange, cut head and race fuel. Next would a YZ or...
Cheapest mod to improve top end is cut 10mm out of header pipe after the flange, cut head and race fuel. Next would a YZ or KX85 Pwk 28 and jet it to suit. Then spend the rest on suspension and tires. Call R&D. Nobody has better credentials. The vortex would definitely help but if your on a budget Id probably opt for porting first.
Yeah, the carb, pipe and R&D power valve would be a pretty big step to start out with. Then brakes, suspension and tires. Competitive bike for sure. And keep the motor FRESH!!!

Need more? Porting, head work and even the ignition are all things that can be done...
piscokid
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piscokid 6/15/2021 10:11am
6/15/2021 10:11am Edited Date/Time 6/15/2021 11:58am
My take away is this. Save your money and buy a KTM/Husky/GasGas.

The bike is almost worthless from a resale stand point and dumping more money into it is just going to sting that much more when it is sold. Reading the Dirtrider article, after all the mods, the motor makes 24hp! Which is less than the stock KTM's and to add insult to injury, one has to run one of the most expensive fuels VP makes, MRX02, to get that power.

I agree with others, set up suspension, invest in some rider training and then upgrade when you can. He will still beat kids if technique is improved and the suspension is set up correctly.

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SBD
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SBD 6/15/2021 11:13am
6/15/2021 11:13am
Recently Casey Cochran and Ju Ju had no problem dominating on a RM85
I would be looking at the rider harder than the bike. If he is getting dominated, don't blame the bike.
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hubbardmx50
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hubbardmx50 6/15/2021 11:59am
6/15/2021 11:59am
Crazy to think the test rider for that bike was Davi Millsaps.
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NSP139
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NSP139 6/15/2021 12:13pm
6/15/2021 12:13pm
You can make it as fast your wallet can handle! But you can't fix the frame it's made out of pot metal absolutely not safe! Have seen them split in half !
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Rickyisms 6/15/2021 1:39pm
6/15/2021 1:39pm
NSP139 wrote:
You can make it as fast your wallet can handle! But you can't fix the frame it's made out of pot metal absolutely not safe! Have...
You can make it as fast your wallet can handle! But you can't fix the frame it's made out of pot metal absolutely not safe! Have seen them split in half !
Any pictures? I remember when KTM frames cracked and broke it was too easy to find pictures of them, but after a few google searches I haven't been able to find a frame failure relating to an RM85.
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NSP139
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NSP139 6/15/2021 1:47pm
6/15/2021 1:47pm
NSP139 wrote:
You can make it as fast your wallet can handle! But you can't fix the frame it's made out of pot metal absolutely not safe! Have...
You can make it as fast your wallet can handle! But you can't fix the frame it's made out of pot metal absolutely not safe! Have seen them split in half !
Rickyisms wrote:
Any pictures? I remember when KTM frames cracked and broke it was too easy to find pictures of them, but after a few google searches I...
Any pictures? I remember when KTM frames cracked and broke it was too easy to find pictures of them, but after a few google searches I haven't been able to find a frame failure relating to an RM85.
It was all the way back in 2005 at starwest which is now State Fair MX I don't even think my phone took pictures back then I have owned three of them and had multiple failures in one year!
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Tracktor
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Tracktor 6/15/2021 2:00pm
6/15/2021 2:00pm
NSP139 wrote:
You can make it as fast your wallet can handle! But you can't fix the frame it's made out of pot metal absolutely not safe! Have...
You can make it as fast your wallet can handle! But you can't fix the frame it's made out of pot metal absolutely not safe! Have seen them split in half !
Rickyisms wrote:
Any pictures? I remember when KTM frames cracked and broke it was too easy to find pictures of them, but after a few google searches I...
Any pictures? I remember when KTM frames cracked and broke it was too easy to find pictures of them, but after a few google searches I haven't been able to find a frame failure relating to an RM85.
I can probably dig some up. A kid my oldest boy raced with had around 10 or so of them at a time in shop. Usually 4 had head tubes cracked/broken off at a time....
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RGaede
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RGaede 6/15/2021 3:12pm
6/15/2021 3:12pm
I don't have any personal experience with the rm frames, but the Suzuki service rep did. He said it was common mainly because the forks would be installed in the plastic for 19" front wheels on the 17" wheeled model. Part of his dealer inspections was to make sure any 17" rm 85s had the forks installed correctly. Potentially fast kids could make the problem worse where it would pop up on correctly built bikes, i would think at least.
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NITRODOG
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NITRODOG 6/15/2021 3:50pm
6/15/2021 3:50pm
Talk to Bill or Jeff at Bill's Pipe, they can make that thing sing!
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