56 | SEPTEMBER 2017 http://www.adbmag.com.auMOTOR
With quite a few dramatic changes to
the motor and airbox you would think
that we would have ourselves a
completely different feel to the power
characteristics. Much like the chassis.
But this wasn’t the case. And that’s a
good thing. The new motor is strong
and smooth. It comes on with a subtle
hit of power right off the bottom which
is deceptively strong, before flowing
into a solid and meaty mid-range. The
top-end power is predictable and
strong enough to get you out of trouble.
Yet the motor feels very similar to
the 2017. The new bike seems to have a
slightly quieter note but don’t get the
idea that this means less power.
The motor is perfect for the beginner450ccriderrightthewayuptoasolid
intermediate. Expert-level riders and
those packing a bit of extra weight
might want to find themselves a bit of
extra horsepower.
The Australian/Euro/Japanese
version of the 2018 Suzuki comes with
a slightly quieter muffler, a different
exhaust camshaft profile and tweaked
ignition map compared to the
American model. So something as
simple as throwing on an aftermarket
exhaust and re-mapping your ECU will
make a world of difference to the motor
characteristics for an A-grader. This is
a very solid and predictable base to
work with in the engine department.SUMMARY
It’s hard to say just how the 2018RM-Z450willstackuponceallthe
new models are released. With
Husqvarna, KTM, Kawasaki and
Honda on top of their games and
largely unchanged for 2018, and a
phone-tuned Yamaha YZ450F hitting
the market soon there’s a lot to
consider leading up to our 450cc
motocross shootout.
One thing is for certain, the all-new
Suzuki is one of the best well-rounded
machines that kicks its predecessor’s
arse in all departments. The motor,
suspension, chassis and even the looks
are in good shape and while some solid
testing on a variety of different
surfaces will bring out any chinks in
the armour, you can be sure that we
will be seeing some yellow near the
head of the pack in 2018.FIRST RIDE I 2018 SUZUKI RM-Z450
One thing is for certain, the Suzuki is a well-
rounded machine that does everything well
Plug & go
In the past I’ve always been a fan of the
aggressive (leaner) coupler that comes
with the Suzuki RM-Zs. And that’s been
the case with both the 250 and 450.
During my test of the 2018 RM-Z450 I
spent most of my time with the standard
one fitted.
When it came time to test the
aggressive coupler, the Suzuki techs had
already put it aside for me, knowing full
well that it has been a huge favourite.
But once we popped it in I did a few laps
and came back a bit confused. The motor
revved up a little bit quicker but seemed
to lose a little bit of mid-range punch. So
we thought we’d try the smooth (richer)
coupler just so we could tick that box.
Even though ‘smoothing’ out the
power was the last thing I wanted to do I
agreed to give it a try. Right from the
get-go the motor came to life. We
unleashed more bottom-end torque by
using the richer coupler, which allowed
me to pull a taller gear out of turns. And
also the richer coupler added a bunch
more mid-range power.
Admittedly it was a very cold winter’s
day, so it makes sense that the richer
coupler should work well. It does go
without saying that the richer and leaner
couplers are a handy fix once you get to
know your motor and what you are after.Disc is now 270mm while the new caliper looks sick Engine got reinforced piston among other changes
Tyres are Bridgestone X30s for 2018