Suzuki 2004 Model Launch
Suzuki hired Canada Heights to launch their 2004 range during the last week of July 2003. This included world 250cc champ Michael Pichon attending as well as the unveiling of Suzuki first fourstroke.
During the time I was there many rider took the 125 and 250 two strokes outs. One brave (or foolish ?) man took the RM85L out to the on lookers amusement. Pichon also did several laps on the 250 two stroke and he was going round quick. Pichon rode the 250 fourstroke in the morning before I got there (sorry I was at work - Ray Archer was taking photos for magazines so you all have to wait).
Press Report - via MX247.com or Suzuki-GB.co.uk
Mickael Pichon tests the new Suzuki 4-stroke motocrosser at Canada Heights
No 1, Michael Pichon - by Ray Archer.
Suzuki presented its all-new RM-Z250 four-stroke motocross machine to Europe’s motorcycle press at the Canada Heights circuit in England last week, and Team Suzuki’s Mickael Pichon, the 2001 and 2002 World Motocross Champion, was on hand to test the machine and give his first riding impression.
Pichon said: “It’s a really good bike, I mean I was pretty impressed. I don’t have much experience on four-strokes but the first thing I look at is the lap times. If you look at the times from this morning on the four-stroke and compare with the times on my 250 GP bike yesterday, it's only one second down, which is not much.
“The whole bike feels good. The engine is comparable to a 125, but I feel there is much more power and especially more torque. It’s unbelievable how fast you can turn and the traction is always there.
“I have had so much fun riding it over the last two days and I can't wait to get one home.
“You can ride that thing as fast as my 250. It's easy, maybe not faster, but you feel like the bike is on automatic - there is nothing to do on it. You use the auto shift and that’s it. It lets you focus a lot on your riding, on your lines and technique. You can test lines that you maybe never thought about before on the two-stroke - it’s really a magic bike. But on the other hand sometimes you don't have so much reaction as on the two-stroke, but for sure you know it's so easy that it seems like everyone can go fast with that bike.
“It’s a good bike for amateur riders because physically it’s much easier. The bike is actually like a 250 - it just depends on the grip. If you head down a very wet and slippery track, the four-stroke is better it’s almost too easy.
“For me, to ride on a very soft track with good traction the two-stroke is better but at the tracks we’ve been getting at the GPs and most of the tracks in Europe, the four-stroke will be really nice.
“I think its really good straight out of the crate, but like I said I don’t really have much experience on the four-stroke. On the uphill it sometimes feels like it’s not so powerful but it’s difficult because for me I compare it to my 250. The lap times are only one second different so it must be good.
“I can see that I can make up the time coming into the turns. I can turn on the acceleration so much earlier and get on the power so much quicker. There are times when I am still almost braking on the two-stroke but I am already on the gas on the four-stroke and nothing’s gone wrong, but when I try to accelerate slowly on the 250 I can’t make the turn. Also with the line, I try to get in quickly and on the two-stroke you have to catch the berm but on the four-stroke it doesn’t matter if it is slippery the traction will be perfect.
“Physically it’s such an effort to ride on the slippery tracks. On the two-stroke you need to control the bike and ride it hard, and it’s a very difficult effort and you get tired, but on the four-stroke you just go. The power output seems to help the stability.
“There doesn’t seem to be so much suspension movement in the turn. On the two-stroke, when you shut off it’s very light and flighty. On the four-stroke its moving, but much softer so you know when you shut off you still have some traction.
“It’s very light and is good for jumping, which surprised me because you hear sometimes that the four-stroke is not so good for this. I was thinking about it this morning and I can’t wait to try it in supercross. I’m sure it will be good for that because you can do pretty much what you want with jumping and the response is pretty good. You just have to get used to the engine, which only takes about two laps. It’s so easy. It’s light, it feels like a 125. You can turn short and with the torque and traction it’s easier to ride than a 125. I don’t know if it’s heavier than a 125, but even if it is it doesn’t matter because you can go where you want. You can put your wheel where you want and you can focus on your lines.
“The 4-stroke feels as responsive as my 250 when jumping which is good because I like jumping and supercross. You actually jump lower than on the two-stroke because with the engine braking it feels like it stops shorter. You have the power just what you need but not too much. It’s not too aggressive.
“It’s easy to start if anything easier than on the 250 two-stroke - just don’t kick it too hard. It starts better when it’s hot than cold and in a race situation there would be no panic to restart the machine.
“It’s very good, I was impressed and I hope I can get one soon. It’s just perfect!”