- Suitable for the average NZ off-road rider, no matter the skill level
- Fast and forgiving
- Long travel suspension soaks up bumps
- Soft power delivery
- New fuel injection system to suit enduro and trail
For a guy who hasn’t ridden a decent dirt bike for so long, the new RMX450Z was about as kind as a bike could get. On my second lap of a short motocross course I found myself doing jumps.
On the motocross course or in the forest, the long travel suspension (47mm Showa front forks and piggyback reservoir Showa linkaged rear) followed all of the bumps, keeping both wheels in line all but for once, when I cross rutted. This is a very forgiving motorcycle.
Engineering and appearance
The RMX450Z will make a great trail bike for the average NZ off-road rider, no matter what your skill level.
The four-valve 449cc liquid-cooled DOHC powerplant offers soft power delivery down low and smooth in the mid-range, largely thanks to the milder cams and fuel injection mapping.
Feeding the big single is Suzuki’s new fuel injection system, much the same as on the RM-Z450, but re-mapped to suit enduro and trail riding. Top riders will appreciate the Keihin-bodied EFI’s advantage by not having to re-jet the carb when alpine riding at higher elevations.
Suzuki built in a soft map to make it easier to ride in conjunction with the bigger flywheel. The electric start facility is another great incentive for motocross bike riders to upgrade to this bike.
With a side-entry, the airbox is easy to access to clean the air filter on the trail and it has a sump guard to protect the engine.
Available on the digital readout is speed, odometer, two tripmeters, fuel warning light, time and a volt meter all in Standard mode. In Sport mode the readouts are simplified for easier reading with average time, a timer, and a trip meter. There’s also a tyre diameter adjustment, measured by the percentage change in rolling diameter.
Performance and handling
Up-and-coming enduro gun Sam Greenslade was at the RMX450Z launch.
“I thought it was really good. For an enduro 450 it’s definitely real slim, it feels very light – a lot like motocross geometry. The suspension is real plush which resists bottoming well and isn’t overly soft. The power is nice and smooth, it’s strong off the bottom and mellows out in the mid so it keeps traction. It has plenty of top-end, although it doesn’t have that grunty feel,” he says.
“The whole time I rode it, it didn’t feel like a big heavy bike, it felt nice and light. I could move around on the bike easily, the bar to peg ratio was good, it feels nice and nimble in the trees and you’re not struggling to move it around at all.”
The narrow alloy twin-spar frame runs the same trail as the RM-Z450 with almost the same rake and employs an 18” rear wheel for better mud work and for sharper cornering.
With more durable and stronger disc rotors the front and rear brakes offered good feel through the lever and pedal and, when I pulled the brakes on, the bike came to a stop in no time.
About the only issue I had with the RMX450Z was difficulty finding neutral, but none of the other riders had a problem.
The competition
Yamaha WR450F
Kawasaki KLX450R
Honda CRF450X
Specifications
Engine type 4-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC
Piston displacement (cc) 449
Bore x stroke (mm) 96.0 x 62.1
Compression ratio 11.6 : 1
Fuel system Fuel injection
Starter system Electric
Transmission 5-speed constant mesh
Overall length (mm) 2185
Overall width (mm) 830
Overall height (mm) 1260
Wheelbase (mm) 1480
Ground clearance (mm) 320
Seat height (mm) 955
Curb mass (kg) 123.5
Suspension – front SHOWA 47mm telescopic forks, coil spring, oil damped
Suspension – rear Swingarm, link type, coil spring, SHOWA piggyback-reservoir shock
Brakes Disc brakes
Tyres – front 80/100-21
Tyres – rear 110/100-18
Ignition type Electronic ignition (CDI)
Fuel tank (L) 6.2
Read in-depth motorcycle reviews in the latest issue of Motorcycle Trader & News, on sale now.
See the Suzuki RMX450Z for sale here.