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Home » motocross bikes » 2010 Suzuki RM-Z250 – Dirt Rider Magazine

2010 Suzuki RM-Z250 – Dirt Rider Magazine

By: jesse ziegler

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

The throttle body has killed the carburetor./></a>
<p class="wp-caption-text">The throttle body has killed the carburetor.</p>
</div>
<p>Clutch life has been decent as well. In our quick couple weeks hammering this bike, the clutch plates look used, for sure (and have the brown color showing they’ve been heated up), but the steels are straight and the clutch isn’t grabby or fading excessively. A racer would definitely replace it to get the most power to the ground, but a weekend warrior would be using this clutch pack for a while even though it’s lost its aggressive edge. Clutch lever action is solid and smooth at the pull even though it’s stiffer than other 250F’s (thanks to new springs) and has been consistent throughout our testing. Yet at just over 10 hours on the bike the basket is already showing signs of wear on the drive side.RM-Z brake components have never been at the top of the heap. But they work well with a very progressive, smooth feel with ample stopping power. They’re just not the powerhouse units everyone else seems to bring. If you’re a brake grabber, you’ll have room to squeeze with these. Those looking for direct bite will be looking at oversize kits.It’s easy to see we’re impressed with the 2010 Suzuki RM-Z250. And we’re not afraid to say that if this bike was in the 250F Motocross Shootout last month, the results could have been different. For now, we’ll have to just enjoy it for what it is: A great 250F motocross bike that needs to prove it has the durability to run with its initial performance.<strong>What’s Hot!</strong><br/><br />
Fuel injection crispness and confidence<br/><br />
The RM-Z has some top-end<br/><br />
Fun torque down low<br/><br />
Black and yellow looks fast<br/><br />
Plug-in more or less fuel (no tools!)<strong>What’s Not!</strong><br/><br />
Low bar bend*<br/><br />
Harsh mid-stroke in the fork<br/><br />
Power will flatten before Honda and KTM when really wound out<br/><br />
Can I buy one in the U.S. this year?<br />
<table cellspacing="3" cellpadding="2">
<tr>
<td colspan="3"><strong>SETTINGS</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SUSPENSION</td>
<td>STOCK</td>
<td>DR</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="3">Fork</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Compression:</td>
<td>10</td>
<td>8-9</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Rebound:</td>
<td>9</td>
<td>8-9</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="3">Shock</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Low-speed compression:</td>
<td>12</td>
<td>12-13</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Rebound: </td>
<td>14</td>
<td>14</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>High-speed compression: (turns out)</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sag (mm):</td>
<td>105</td>
<td>105</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p>*Recommend: a Renthal 997 Twinwall bend or ProTaper YZ-Hi bend (or personal preference) replacement for low stock bend.Fuel management: Suzuki supplies three complete fuel maps for the RM-Z250 (stock, one richer and one leaner). The plugs are easily swapped out into the wiring harness under the radiator shroud. Our RM-Z was happier all around with the richer circuit (gray) plugged in for our California testing.<br />
<table cellspacing="3" cellpadding="2">
<tr>
<td colspan="2"><strong>SPECS</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Weight (tank full)</td>
<td>231 lb</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Seat height</td>
<td>37.0 in.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Peg height</td>
<td>16.0 in.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Seat-to-peg distance</td>
<td> 2.0 in.</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p><strong>Opinions</strong><strong>Chris Denison</strong><br/><br />
Height: 5’10″<br/><br />
Weight: 155 lb<br/><br />
IntermediateWith any bike, it seems that one of the most easily noticeable characteristics is the amount of snap produced by the engine, something that the 2010 RM-Z250 certainly has an abundance of. It only took a few laps on a jumpy MX track to see that the addition of EFI to this machine was a positive step in the right direction, and the delivery off idle is strong and barky. I wouldn’t say that this is the hardest-hitting bike in its class, but it’s a strong second place and is arguably one of the smoothest in terms of acceleration. As the rpm build, the little Suzuki revs well but not quite as quickly or as freely as I would like; the RM-Z gets to peak power on its own terms. There is definitely a “sweet spot” in this bike’s powerband near the upper mid/top of the spread, and it’s fairly easy to keep the machine singing in this span. Spinning beyond this point will initiate the rev-limiter, but even then the Zook will pull a tad more (unlike at least one of the other 250Fs, which will fall on its face as soon as you hit the overrev).In terms of handling, the RM-Z is a stable, responsive motorcycle, although it took a little clicking to get it to where it worked best for me. Ergonomically, the bike is comfortable and has an especially great area in the shroud/tank area for my legs to grab. Although I can’t yet speak to the RM-Z’s durability, I could definitely see myself racing this bike.<strong>Ricky Yorks</strong><br/><br />
Height: 6’1″<br/><br />
Weight: 178 lb<br/><br />
ProI was extremely excited to ride the 2010 RM-Z250. I have really liked the bike in years past, but I always felt that it lacked top-end power compared to the other bikes. The 2010 model was awesome! The suspension felt stiffer than the 2009 bike and was much easier for me to ride at race pace. I have always felt very comfortable with the feel of the RM-Z so it was no surprise that I felt right at home on the first lap. I was a little worried Suzuki would lose power by going EFI but that was surely not the case. The bike has amazing throttle response. It pulls hard off the bottom with great mid and pulls clean all the way to the top. Hands down, one of the fastest 250Fs I have ridden. The only bike in the shootout that might have a little more power is the Kawi, but with the awesome handling, the Suzuki was not at a disadvantage. I really had fun riding the new RM-Z. My only complaint was that I didn’t get more time to ride the bike. It’s that good.</div>

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