Why does/did everyone dislike Suzuki's?

BobPA wrote:

It is 2019, I refuse to kickstart a dirt bike. We have not hand cranked a car since the Great Depression...

Racer111 wrote:

Most cupcakes can’t kickstart one. It’s ok. Need someone to ride it for you as well, Nancy?

Doddy wrote:

Not sure the point you are trying to make. I am not saying I dislike Suzuki because they don't have a 2 stroke.

mxb2 wrote:

What does a 2 stroke have to do with a current rmz?

Doddy wrote:

It doesn't. Not having a 2stroke is just another reason I don't care for Suzuki.

Black Diesel Bomber wrote:

If and when I upgrade to a newer bike with e-start, I'm hoping I can install a kick starter as well. I was riding up in...

If and when I upgrade to a newer bike with e-start, I'm hoping I can install a kick starter as well. I was riding up in the hills a couple weeks ago when approached a group of guys with brand new husky's/KTM's sitting in the dirt. I stopped to ask if everything was okay and they informed me one of the batteries had died on the new bike. There was no kick starter on his bike, and they were trying to bump start it with a tie down...wasn't happening. They said they were going to have to wait on delivery of a new battery...

They told me they didn't need any help so I kick started my old RMZ and continued on with my ride.

Black Diesel Bomber wrote:

If and when I upgrade to a newer bike with e-start, I'm hoping I can install a kick starter as well. I was riding up in...

If and when I upgrade to a newer bike with e-start, I'm hoping I can install a kick starter as well. I was riding up in the hills a couple weeks ago when approached a group of guys with brand new husky's/KTM's sitting in the dirt. I stopped to ask if everything was okay and they informed me one of the batteries had died on the new bike. There was no kick starter on his bike, and they were trying to bump start it with a tie down...wasn't happening. They said they were going to have to wait on delivery of a new battery...

They told me they didn't need any help so I kick started my old RMZ and continued on with my ride.

BobPA wrote:

8 years and I have never needed a kick start on my e-start bikes. How often does your car or street bike strand you? If you...

8 years and I have never needed a kick start on my e-start bikes. How often does your car or street bike strand you? If you sense the battery going dead, replace it....It is really simple. My fragile right knee no longer likes to kick, love how that makes me some kind of pussy....

Hope you “real men” still have drum brakes and air cooling, because you are sooo badass.

1998CR_125 wrote:

I think that it’s the fact that it’s not “good” out of the box. Everybody is saying “the shake is fine after I do a linkage”...

I think that it’s the fact that it’s not “good” out of the box. Everybody is saying “the shake is fine after I do a linkage” or “i can make the power back by a hi comp piston or anew head”. I don’t think people want to dump money into a brand new bike just to make it somewhat competitive. A brand new bike should be good enough out of the box

mxb2 wrote:

What does a 2 stroke have to do with a current rmz?

Doddy wrote:

It doesn't. Not having a 2stroke is just another reason I don't care for Suzuki.

mxb2 wrote:

Well i hope you are mad at kawy, honda. And yamaha also. Yamaha started the whole 4 stroke thing.

TeamGreen wrote:

Over the last 2 years, I intentionally asked to work on the "last place" bike from the Vital 450 Shootout. This is the model years 2017...

Over the last 2 years, I intentionally asked to work on the "last place" bike from the Vital 450 Shootout. This is the model years 2017 & 2018. The bikes were, in both cases, Suzukis. Both bikes were victims of really bad suspension settings. NOT bad "components"...bad Settings.

For the 2017, I utilized rhe McGrath Kawasaki TAC Set-Up video and the wisdom of poeple like Ross Maeda and even ML512 & Keefer. With a pump, some fork oil and a flat-Vlad's screwdriver...the TAC's can be dialed in pretty damn nicely! The shock on that bike was stellar and is actually "poor man's A-Kit Showa"!

The bike received a 60-70 hour beating AFTER a thorough tear-down type clean-up and chassis lube...it had been the village bicycle for Micheal's friends after the 2017 Shootout...broken c/s sprocket teeth...a totally abused clutch...dirt from Hawaii or Mars piled up in the bottom of the air-box...yup: it was ABUSED! I got some fresh stock parts, put some Pirelli's and bibs on it...Renthal chain & sprockets...grabbed my tool box and headed to the track.

Spending the better part of 2017 on that bike was one of the most eye opening things I've done over these last 15 years of being a "Moto-dude all,over again". It turned like a Suzuki. It was soooo easy to get around a difficult technical blown out track. It was too easy to launch out of the gate really, really well and correctly. It was ridiculously easy to ride.

The forks were a challenge...but, I stumbled on to MC's "TAC set-up" video over on Kawasaki's site and that was a GOLDEN MOMENT for me and that bike. The Kawsaki set-up baseline for air-pressure was a little diffident...but, the basic discipline of his to get the forks dialed and adjusted was pure gold.

A month or so later, I was able to pick Ross's brain (Mr. Enzo) and he was super knowledgeable about helping me learn how TAC's are very sensitive to the balcony between the different air chambers and that changing the pressures usually meany I needed to take another look at compression settings & adjust accordingly, I'd previously been over adjusting rebound and not paying enough attention to pressure and its impact on compression.

Ross really is a Suspension Zen-Master.

The shock on that bike was easily the best stock shock in 2017. From Glen Helen to Hangtwon to a OTHG race...that shock was always easy to dial in.

The engine was bullet-proof and inexpensive to maintain over the time I had it. Over the course of the year, I went thru 2 or 3 clutch packs (w/springs) and keep plenty of good fresh oil and filters in it. I went thru 2 or 3 air filters and lots of Pirellis. They bike was VERY dependable. The ergonomics were easy to use and adapt to. The over-all,handling of the bike was stellar and it was an AMAZING "off-road" bike...surprisingly so at places like the Shasta National Forest and out in the Mojave.

Then I got on the 2018...the bike was better almost everywhere...except...that funky-clunky and ALWAYS "too slow until it BLEW THRU" Showa shock. Stock, that shock seemed to have NO "sweet spot"...most notably, the adjusters didn't make changes to the damping in what I would call a "normal way". Adjustments seemed to do almost nothing...until they did Too Much! A trip to Factory Connection changed ALL of that! I chose Factory Connection because I knew they'd played with this shock design over the years. The BFRC Showa has been around for a while & some of their tech's knew what was needed to make it work...and IT DID! Between their fork and shock work....the RMZ was a much, much easier bike ride and adjust.

The 2018 fork was superb and the handling was still typical Suzuki. During the shootout, particularly at Zaca...the Suzuki shined in the rutty-challenging turns. Sure, it was a bit heavier and not as super-flickable as some of the other bikes; but, it's stability combined with absolute ease of just "getting around the track" was seemingly a category of it's own.

For 14 months I rode this bike almost weekly...it was ridiculously EASY to maintain and just like the '17...clutches, oil and filters. That's it. I gave it back with 160+ hours on it. Others in here can validate that they saw that damn bike every week! I won races on it all,the way thru the last Day in the Dirt including a "Mad Holey" holeshot. Mammoth was made easier because of how good that bike and it's Factory Conmection suspension worked.

Btw, both bikes had Yoshimura Ti/Carbon pipes and they held up and were still looking good at the end of the year long torutre test. When it comes to pipes? I say go for it. The stock Suzuki pipes are heavy enough that you can use them as a curling bar in the gym!

About "how and why" I can praise the virtues of the RMZ line...

We often, especaily during shootout season, get all hung up on what's New or which bike is supposedly Cool or Fast...
Well, I'm 55.
I'm at a point where...in every test, build or shootout...I ask myself...
"What am -I- REALLY trying to get out of this bike?"
"Who am I trying to talk to when I'm presenting this bike and it's traits?"

With the Suzuki I've often made the point that it's just "easy to get around the track" on it. For regular dudes, like me, that're looking for fun and inexpensive laps around their favorite track...that's a statement that's meant very literally.

We're not all as fast as "Chad" or "Kenny" & we sure as hell don't need all the crazy Horse Power and IMMEDIATE Torque that those guys often pursue for Supercross rhythm sections or the need to Seat-Bounce to the top of Mt. Martin.

With the RMZ we've got an affordable bike that makes "doing laps" fun and affordable for us crazy guys.

But! If you're one of those "Spare no expense!" Dudes with money to burn? Well, a Husky Rockstar Edition or KTM Factory Edition or a Honda "Kenny Edition" are all pretty damn cool, too!

Racer111 wrote:

Most cupcakes can’t kickstart one. It’s ok. Need someone to ride it for you as well, Nancy?

Doddy wrote:

It doesn't. Not having a 2stroke is just another reason I don't care for Suzuki.

mxb2 wrote:

Well i hope you are mad at kawy, honda. And yamaha also. Yamaha started the whole 4 stroke thing.

Doddy wrote:

I still don't understand what you are trying to get at....I think I do, but it just sounds stupid when I say it out loud. Let...

I still don't understand what you are trying to get at....I think I do, but it just sounds stupid when I say it out loud. Let me break it down for you.

Everyone currently makes a better bike than Suzuki in my opinion. As someone that rides a 2 stroke, they have nothing that interests me anymore in that area either. I grew up with Suzuki, my family still loves them....I do not.

As far as being "mad" at Kawi or Honda because they don't have a 2stroke......that is just foolish. That has zero to do with this conversation. They could sell a 2stroke today and I still wouldn't buy it.

I am also very aware of what Yamaha/Henry did, as he is my childhood hero.......

All in all I am not saying Suzuki is junk, I am just saying there is nothing about them that makes me at least, pick them over any other bike. Every option out there is better.

Still want to argue about nonsense?

BobPA wrote:

It is 2019, I refuse to kickstart a dirt bike. We have not hand cranked a car since the Great Depression...

BobPA wrote:

It is 2019, I refuse to kickstart a dirt bike. We have not hand cranked a car since the Great Depression...

JWRM wrote:

Whatever happened to the golden rule of "If you cant start it, you cant ride it."

BobPA wrote:

It is 2019, I refuse to kickstart a dirt bike. We have not hand cranked a car since the Great Depression...

JWRM wrote:

Whatever happened to the golden rule of "If you cant start it, you cant ride it."

mattyhamz2 wrote:

Loved that rule. Kept many people off my bikes and got me onto bikes people never thought I'd be able to start!

ky_savage wrote:

I think most of the hate is from people that have no idea how the bike feels or anything about it, but their friend doesn't like...

I think most of the hate is from people that have no idea how the bike feels or anything about it, but their friend doesn't like it so they don't either.

Tarz483 wrote:

I think its from it getting last place in shootouts. They are trying to do more diverse shootouts it seems Especially Keefer adding bigger guys and...

I think its from it getting last place in shootouts.
They are trying to do more diverse shootouts it seems
Especially Keefer adding bigger guys and c riders
And females etc.
Actually if you listen to one of the females in Keeferinctesting.com 250 shootout she really liked the Suzuki and the Kawasaki
That both didn't do great in most shootouts.
Because she felt in control of the power.

BobPA wrote:

It is 2019, I refuse to kickstart a dirt bike. We have not hand cranked a car since the Great Depression...

JWRM wrote:

Whatever happened to the golden rule of "If you cant start it, you cant ride it."

mattyhamz2 wrote:

Loved that rule. Kept many people off my bikes and got me onto bikes people never thought I'd be able to start!

JWRM wrote:

Whatever happened to the golden rule of "If you cant start it, you cant ride it."

mattyhamz2 wrote:

Loved that rule. Kept many people off my bikes and got me onto bikes people never thought I'd be able to start!

BobPA wrote:

Then I guess e-start is opening the doors for more people to ride motorcycles? Sounds like an upside to me. My 300XC has a kickstart back...

Then I guess e-start is opening the doors for more people to ride motorcycles? Sounds like an upside to me. My 300XC has a kickstart back up, I’ve kicked it a handful of times...Just to remember how much my sore knee hates it.

BobPA wrote:

It is 2019, I refuse to kickstart a dirt bike. We have not hand cranked a car since the Great Depression...

JWRM wrote:

Whatever happened to the golden rule of "If you cant start it, you cant ride it."

BobPA wrote:

It is 2019, I refuse to kickstart a dirt bike. We have not hand cranked a car since the Great Depression...

JWRM wrote:

Whatever happened to the golden rule of "If you cant start it, you cant ride it."

backinthesaddleagain wrote:

I remember a woman came in to the shop I worked at in the 1980's. She said she'd buy a CR500 if she could kick start...

I remember a woman came in to the shop I worked at in the 1980's. She said she'd buy a CR500 if she could kick start it, she hopped on, kick started it, and bought it.