THE RM-Z250 RECEIVED a complete overhaul this year (but not a starter motor), following the redesign seen on the RM-Z450 last year. Fortunately, the mellow-yellow machine is not so mellow anymore. The Suzuki showed massive improvement over the previous model, particularly in the engine. The new twin injectors, along with a redesigned cylinder head and new intake camshaft, gives the bike extra pull from the mid-range.
The 250 hasn’t received the Showa BFRC shock of its big brother but the KYB fork has changed. The old PSF2 air fork has been replaced by a more traditional 48mm KYB spring-cartridge unit similar to what’s been on Yamahas for years. It’s better than the air fork and provides a plusher ride.
However, the RM-Z250 was tricky to get settled. The suspension works well but it is held back by a rigid chassis that works better when the track is smooth. Suzuki claims to have increased the torsional rigidity of the frame by 10 per cent but our test riders weren’t convinced it was the right move.
The rougher the track got the more we struggled with the Suzuki set up and really started to have to change our lines. Our riders tried a bunch of different suspension settings in an attempt to smooth out the twitchiness, with most ending up having to go noticeably softer on the fork.