Dirt Rider Post Torture Evaluation:
With just a few minor changes,...
With just a few minor changes, the affordable ProMoto Billet/ Fastway Performance RM-Z450 could be a major competitor in the Dirt Rider Torture Test. And with a rider like Rory Sullivan at the helm, no top lap time is safe!
Best all-around bike because:
With great fuel-injected tuning, meaty delivery and a broad powerband, the ProMoto Billet/ Fastway Performance RM-Z had the motor department dialed. This bike was insane as far as getting the rear end to hook up, and the nice sound emitting from the exhaust only helped its cause. Also, a host of smart accessories gave the machine a custom touch, and the affordability of it all is enough to make any rider's wife happy.
Not the best all-around bike because:
A top-heavy feel and poor fork action made our test riders fight this bike rather than gel with it. The RM-Z sat in a somewhat "stinkbug" stance, and it was tough to get the machine to corner exactly how we wanted it to.
Dirt Rider Says:
I'll admit it: I had no idea what to expect when the ProMoto Billet/ Fastway Performance RM-Z450 rolled into my Escargot test station at the '09 Torture Test. Sure, the bike looked badass and definitely had the right attitude, but could it hang with the 20 other pieces of pure trickery in this cutthroat comparison? We were determined to find out.
After a successful morning of special tests (which included the best lap time in the Escargot test with team rider Rory Sullivan at the helm), the ProMoto Billet/ Fastway Performance RM-Z was thrown into my testing group for several hours of chaotic evaluation. Our crew consisted of myself, DR resident test rider Ryan Orr, all-around nice guy and son-of-an-off-road legend Alexander Smith, motor mouth Jerry Bernardo and desert racing hero Steve Hengeveld. We immediately took to the trails on the RM-Z, and the first thing we discovered was that ProMoto Billet wasn't just blowing smoke when they told us that they'd modded the Suzuki: this bike clearly had a lot of work put into it.
For starters, the motor on this bike was extremely good for an off-road machine. The delivery was predictable and strong, and the powerband felt very broad throughout all the gears. As Sullivan proved on the slippery Escargot course, the ProMoto Billet/ Fastway Performance machine definitely got the power to the ground, and you could feel this in the unreal amount of traction that the bike got. The fuel injection was flawless, and each one of our testers praised the bike for how workable the power was in every condition.
In addition to the motor, many of the accessories that were added to the bike were well liked by our testing team. Things like the Lava Header Wrap, the Works Connection accessories, the Elka steering damper and the Boyesen Super Cooler are all mods that any of us would have spent our money on. Of course, the various ProMoto Billet/ Fastway Performance parts were a smart addition by the guys who designed them, and we were stoked on the handguards and kickstand for trail usage. Additionally, the FMF headpipe/ ProMoto Billet endcap provided a pleasant-sounding and legal exhaust note, which scores big points in the DR grade book. The headlight also got two thumbs-up from our testing posse.
So, what went wrong with this machine that kept it from making the top six and taking the overall Torture Test honors? In a nutshell, the suspension wasn't what we were looking for in the all-around bike. I'm by not means suggestion that TBT does a poor job, but this machine's forks just weren't dialed in to the overall package. In both trail and moto scenarios, we felt that the RM-Z's forks were soft and lacking in hold-up, which gave the bike a stinkbug feel. Consequently, this would cause the machine to dive in chop and resist lying over into turns. Some of our lighter testers couldn't get the bike to settle down, while our heavier riders felt a wallow deep in the stroke. This feeling was compounded by the fact that the bike held an overall top-heavy stance; this could be the product of so many bolt-ons being added to the machine.
Whichever way you slice it, the ProMoto Billet/ Fastway Performance RM-Z450 was a great bike, but it needed some more dialing in to make the cut in the ultra-competitive Torture Test. We must give credit where credit is due, though, and we have to give it up to the PMB guys for not throwing endless wads of cash at this machine in a vain attempt to make it win. Each and every modification was chosen for a reason, and even after we crossed this RM-Z off our list we continued to ride it with the rest of the bikes in our rotation. The ProMoto Billet/ Fastway Performance crew is definitely onto something with their way of thinking, and we expect that with slightly more dialing in and maybe a more aggressive package, the team could definitely bring a contender to the 2010 Torture Test.
-Chris Denison
"I thought the Suzuki had a good motor, but the minute I let the clutch out my whole brain was drawn to the front end of the bike. The forks on this machine just had an odd suspension/ turning issue. The minute I got on the bike I was totally conscious of the front end, and I think this kept me from enjoying the bike's true potential. With a bit of setup, though, I think this machine could have been competitive with the top five." -Jerry Bernardo/ 5'8"/ 195 lbs. / Expert
"This bike didn't have a bad motor, but it wasn't as much of a ripper as some of the heavily modified bikes in the test. It felt a little stink bugged to me, and this threw off the handling of the bike. I really like some of the bling, though, and it was super nice to have a kickstand on the trail!"
-Alexander Smith/ 6'1"/ 155 lbs./ Expert
Smooth, calm and potent, that's how I'd describe the Pro Moto Billet RM-Z. I tested it primarily on the lower motocross track at Rynoland and I have to tell you the buttery power delivery and ultra-quiet smack-down of traction to the track had me grinning. The fork issues I read about while editing these tests didn't really show up for me. In fact, I'm surprised to read them. That shows how crucial set up is for different riding abilities and different rider sizes. I thought the bike handled great on the fast and rough MX track. The bike turned on a dime and it was one of two bikes that managed to click off a lap time under 2:57:00 for me. The header wrap was interesting in that I believe it really quieted the bike down. I went from bike-to-bike-to-bike (over 20 times in a row) and the mellow note and tightness of the engine package of the Pro Moto Billet ride really stood out for me. Plus, the whole bike was ultra comfortable. This was one of my favorite 4-stroke MX bikes in the test
-Jesse Ziegler/ 5'10"/ 175 pounds/ Vet Intermediate