This week's Classic Steel is a look back at the 1982 Suzuki RM125

tblazier
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tblazier
Edited Date/Time 8/5/2014 5:02pm


Classic Steel #43 The 1982 Suzuki RM125
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malachi177
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malachi177 2/7/2013 4:31pm
2/7/2013 4:31pm
nice!!...right before Suzuki had a handfull of bad yearsDizzy
Wolfman
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Wolfman 2/7/2013 4:36pm
2/7/2013 4:36pm
I was under the impression that the '81 model 125 was preferred. I remember reading an article years back about Dr. D and I thought they- MXA I think- said that Doug rode an '81 model for several years because it was the best 125 made to date.
zookie
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zookie 2/7/2013 6:12pm
2/7/2013 6:12pm Edited Date/Time 2/7/2013 9:03pm
....Suzuki actually kept using this retarded design for six years.......


The use of the word retarded in this context as a "journalist" is extremely insensitive in today's day and age. Clean up your writing and watch yourself in the future please.
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jeffro503
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jeffro503 2/7/2013 6:48pm
2/7/2013 6:48pm
I owned an 82' RM125 as my very first race bike back in 1984. Not much written about the bike any more.....but back then....it was way ahead of it's time! It was Dirtbike magazine or maybe MXA that wrote that "The 1982 RM125 was the bike of the decade......not just the year. Odd that a bike that is 31yrs old now.....had suspension that rivaled todays stuff. Of course shit wasn't as big and as knarly as it is today......but still.....that bike was a dream to ride when i could keep here together. I bought it used from a good racing buddy of mine that rode that thing hard.

The Shop

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jeffro503
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jeffro503 2/7/2013 6:52pm
2/7/2013 6:52pm
BTW.....way back in 81-82'......watching Mark Barnett ace at Washougal......he was like a God to me back then. Dude was a pitbull and charged from start to finish.

Awesome article TB!!! Thank you!
Wandell
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Wandell 2/7/2013 7:05pm
2/7/2013 7:05pm
This was my first mx bike. The rear suspension was light years ahead of everyone else and the forks and engine were "just as good" as the competiton. Overall, everyone agreed it was the best 125 motocrosser of 1982. Sadly Suzuki didn't refine it enough for 1983 and the competition passed it in every aspect, except the incredible rear suspension!
Sandberm
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Sandberm 2/7/2013 7:15pm
2/7/2013 7:15pm
It was my first race bike too at age 15. I remember going from an XR 200 to the RM 125(my first two-stroke) and thinking how damn fast it was.

And the rear suspension was soooo good. I cant emphasize how many guys I passed in the rough sand whoops on that bike. It just tracked right through the roughest stuff.
Lone Wolf
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Lone Wolf 2/8/2013 12:14am
2/8/2013 12:14am
I like reading these articles from time to time - thanks tblazier.

My Dad bought a new RM125X in '81. He has told me on a few different occasions how good and far ahead of its time it was. He also bought a new '82 RM250 the following year, I believe.
reded
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reded 2/8/2013 4:17am
2/8/2013 4:17am
zookie wrote:
[quote]....Suzuki actually kept using this [b]retarded[/b] design for six years.......[/quote] The use of the word retarded in this context as a "journalist" is extremely insensitive in...
....Suzuki actually kept using this retarded design for six years.......


The use of the word retarded in this context as a "journalist" is extremely insensitive in today's day and age. Clean up your writing and watch yourself in the future please.
The word was used correctly, buy yourself a dictionary and get back with us.

Another great write up, thanks T!
zookie
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zookie 2/8/2013 5:16am
2/8/2013 5:16am
zookie wrote:
[quote]....Suzuki actually kept using this [b]retarded[/b] design for six years.......[/quote] The use of the word retarded in this context as a "journalist" is extremely insensitive in...
....Suzuki actually kept using this retarded design for six years.......


The use of the word retarded in this context as a "journalist" is extremely insensitive in today's day and age. Clean up your writing and watch yourself in the future please.
reded wrote:
The word was used correctly, buy yourself a dictionary and get back with us.

Another great write up, thanks T!
Actually, you are wrong.

When retard is used as a verb (we must retard the timing), it is acceptable.

When retard is used as an adjective in certain context (the retarded timing caused detonation), the definition implied is clear.

When retard is used as an adjective in the context of the contested article, the definition implied is clear.

The author was trying to say in this context that the design of the front fender was not intelligent. He was not trying to say that the front fender was delayed.

If he said something like "Suzuki was retarded in advancing the design of their front fender and it remained an item of contention for many years" it would have been fine.

This writing crossed the line of sensitivity in 2013. Using the word retarded as an adjective is very risky.
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DoctorJD
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DoctorJD 2/8/2013 5:25am
2/8/2013 5:25am
Those 81's and 82's were bad ass. I know because I spent two dismal seasons chasing them on my Yamaha's.
PRM31
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PRM31 2/8/2013 5:26am
2/8/2013 5:26am Edited Date/Time 2/8/2013 5:48am
I had an '81 and think it was the best bike I ever owned. I was a quantum leap from the '80 version.

Edit: great write up! That brings back so many great racing memories. I still believe the evolution from ~'79 to '81 was about the same as '81 to at least the mid-2000s. It was a great time to be racing, and the '81 RM was simply an amazing bike.
CASH476
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CASH476 2/8/2013 5:49am
2/8/2013 5:49am
zookie wrote:
[quote]....Suzuki actually kept using this [b]retarded[/b] design for six years.......[/quote] The use of the word retarded in this context as a "journalist" is extremely insensitive in...
....Suzuki actually kept using this retarded design for six years.......


The use of the word retarded in this context as a "journalist" is extremely insensitive in today's day and age. Clean up your writing and watch yourself in the future please.
reded wrote:
The word was used correctly, buy yourself a dictionary and get back with us.

Another great write up, thanks T!
zookie wrote:
Actually, you are wrong. When retard is used as a verb (we must retard the timing), it is acceptable. When retard is used as an adjective...
Actually, you are wrong.

When retard is used as a verb (we must retard the timing), it is acceptable.

When retard is used as an adjective in certain context (the retarded timing caused detonation), the definition implied is clear.

When retard is used as an adjective in the context of the contested article, the definition implied is clear.

The author was trying to say in this context that the design of the front fender was not intelligent. He was not trying to say that the front fender was delayed.

If he said something like "Suzuki was retarded in advancing the design of their front fender and it remained an item of contention for many years" it would have been fine.

This writing crossed the line of sensitivity in 2013. Using the word retarded as an adjective is very risky.
Being overly sensitive about how an article about a motorbike is written is retarded. Yes it is 2013, but fuck me drunk, this is ridiculous.
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tblazier
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tblazier 2/8/2013 6:07am
2/8/2013 6:07am
zookie wrote:
[quote]....Suzuki actually kept using this [b]retarded[/b] design for six years.......[/quote] The use of the word retarded in this context as a "journalist" is extremely insensitive in...
....Suzuki actually kept using this retarded design for six years.......


The use of the word retarded in this context as a "journalist" is extremely insensitive in today's day and age. Clean up your writing and watch yourself in the future please.
reded wrote:
The word was used correctly, buy yourself a dictionary and get back with us.

Another great write up, thanks T!
zookie wrote:
Actually, you are wrong. When retard is used as a verb (we must retard the timing), it is acceptable. When retard is used as an adjective...
Actually, you are wrong.

When retard is used as a verb (we must retard the timing), it is acceptable.

When retard is used as an adjective in certain context (the retarded timing caused detonation), the definition implied is clear.

When retard is used as an adjective in the context of the contested article, the definition implied is clear.

The author was trying to say in this context that the design of the front fender was not intelligent. He was not trying to say that the front fender was delayed.

If he said something like "Suzuki was retarded in advancing the design of their front fender and it remained an item of contention for many years" it would have been fine.

This writing crossed the line of sensitivity in 2013. Using the word retarded as an adjective is very risky.
I apologize for my retarded use to the word retarded in my retarded article that has apparently become the retarded focus of this retarded thread.
Blaze out
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TX24
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TX24 2/8/2013 7:00am
2/8/2013 7:00am
Love that era of RMs.
zookie
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zookie 2/8/2013 7:52am
2/8/2013 7:52am
tblazier wrote:
I apologize for my retarded use to the word retarded in my retarded article that has apparently become the retarded focus of this retarded thread. Blaze...
I apologize for my retarded use to the word retarded in my retarded article that has apparently become the retarded focus of this retarded thread.
Blaze out
Hey man you clearly identify yourself as an expert and take the time to compile and post these articles. The second you use a word like that it can cause people to discredit your expertise. You can make the same point with less sensitive words.

If you want to be an amateur journalist you should be more concerned about these things...
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tblazier
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tblazier 2/8/2013 8:10am
2/8/2013 8:10am
zookie wrote:
Hey man you clearly identify yourself as an expert and take the time to compile and post these articles. The second you use a word like...
Hey man you clearly identify yourself as an expert and take the time to compile and post these articles. The second you use a word like that it can cause people to discredit your expertise. You can make the same point with less sensitive words.

If you want to be an amateur journalist you should be more concerned about these things...
Zookie, thank you for your input. I have to be honest though, I genuinely thought you were kidding. I do take these articles seriously, but only to a point. I'm not out here curing cancer or anything, I'm just sharing my love of motocross with my fellow motoheads and trying to be informative and entertaining while I do it.

When I write something I do try to not be offensive to anyone and tell my stories in a professional manner. I'm 43 and to be honest we grew up using those words and in the context I used it I do not believe it was in any way offensive (I would not call a person retarded in an article for instance...well maybe Stillwell, but that is another matter). I have never been in favor of the whole "political correct" nonsense personally, but when you are writing something for public consumption, you do need to be aware of peoples potential reactions to it.

Thanks again for the input and I will keep it in mind going forward (I do still than that front fender was "mentally challenged" thought).
UpTiTe
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UpTiTe 2/8/2013 8:22am
2/8/2013 8:22am
:I loved that bike, probably the best production 125 ever.

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zookie
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zookie 2/8/2013 8:48am
2/8/2013 8:48am
tblazier wrote:
Zookie, thank you for your input. I have to be honest though, I genuinely thought you were kidding. I do take these articles seriously, but only...
Zookie, thank you for your input. I have to be honest though, I genuinely thought you were kidding. I do take these articles seriously, but only to a point. I'm not out here curing cancer or anything, I'm just sharing my love of motocross with my fellow motoheads and trying to be informative and entertaining while I do it.

When I write something I do try to not be offensive to anyone and tell my stories in a professional manner. I'm 43 and to be honest we grew up using those words and in the context I used it I do not believe it was in any way offensive (I would not call a person retarded in an article for instance...well maybe Stillwell, but that is another matter). I have never been in favor of the whole "political correct" nonsense personally, but when you are writing something for public consumption, you do need to be aware of peoples potential reactions to it.

Thanks again for the input and I will keep it in mind going forward (I do still than that front fender was "mentally challenged" thought).
Smile

Back to the bike and your articles. They are awesome. Your articles always want to make me go out and get a vintage bike. Usually very well written, detailed, great photos, etc.

Back to business!
DMG
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DMG 2/8/2013 9:01am
2/8/2013 9:01am
UpTiTe wrote:
:I loved that bike, probably the best production 125 ever.
Best bike ever? Come on G Bow youve riden a lot of bikes from the 80s and that ones the best ever?


Side note: Tony, your articles are great and having a love of vintage biked myself I appreciate them. Dont listen the EDITs.
CamP
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CamP 2/8/2013 9:14am
2/8/2013 9:14am
One of my favorite race bikes from the 80's.

CamP
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CamP 2/8/2013 10:41am
2/8/2013 10:41am
slotsquid wrote:
I loved mine ! [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2013/02/08/125_81_812193.jpg[/img]
I loved mine !
Those Esprit boots were great.
malachi177
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malachi177 2/9/2013 10:49am
2/9/2013 10:49am
slotsquid wrote:
I loved mine ! [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2013/02/08/125_81_812193.jpg[/img]
I loved mine !
sweeet pic!!!!
smezmx
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smezmx 8/5/2014 10:29am
8/5/2014 10:29am
CamP wrote:
One of my favorite race bikes from the 80's. [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/users/323/photos/25239/s1600_130219260_1270526999.jpg?1294239186[/img]
One of my favorite race bikes from the 80's.

Just reading through this older thread and this photo took me back to 82.not because i owned an 82 rm125 (i had an 81 though),but in the pic the guy is riding an 82 rm125 whilst wearing kawasaki pants,and i remembered riding my 82 kx125 whilst wearing suzuki pants back in the day.thanks for jogging my memory in this weird kinda way and reminding me of those fun times back then!
Oh,and then there's
those plastic boots too!! Wink


Btw,Doc wob has this mint fully restored one on ebay uk atm.



CamP
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CamP 8/5/2014 10:35am
8/5/2014 10:35am
Look a little closer and you'll see that my gloves are mismatched too!
Aceofspades 8/5/2014 10:38am
8/5/2014 10:38am
zookie wrote:
[quote]....Suzuki actually kept using this [b]retarded[/b] design for six years.......[/quote] The use of the word retarded in this context as a "journalist" is extremely insensitive in...
....Suzuki actually kept using this retarded design for six years.......


The use of the word retarded in this context as a "journalist" is extremely insensitive in today's day and age. Clean up your writing and watch yourself in the future please.
Jesus Christ. Retarded is just a word. It holds no magic powers. No physical suffering is endured by anyone on earth due to a word. Lighten up.
Aceofspades 8/5/2014 10:40am
8/5/2014 10:40am Edited Date/Time 8/5/2014 10:43am
Taking offense at a perfectly usable word is retarded. Edit: not realizing that I'm commenting on an old post is also retarded.
1
smezmx
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smezmx 8/5/2014 10:46am
8/5/2014 10:46am
CamP wrote:
Look a little closer and you'll see that my gloves are mismatched too!
So they are,i'm guessing you'd just recently came off a kx and bought the rm?

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