Suzuki Rl250 Trialer

SUZUKI RL250 TRIALER

Cycle World Road Test

Sleek And Functional, But With Too Much Power.

ONE OF THE factors that has undeniably aided the Japanese invasion of the motorcycle industry has been their ability to produce merchandise which, although not always the equal of the competition's, has usually been several hundred dollars cheaper. Questions like "why buy a Triumph 500 for $1500 if you can get a Suzuki 500 for less than a grand?" were typical sales pitches.

But those days are dwindling fast. Devaluation of the U.S. dollar and revaluation of the Japanese yen have brought prices of Japanese products up in the U.S. This is especially true in the competitive off-road market where the most expensive machine currently is the YZ360. This raises a lot of questions that tend to run something like, "The prices are identical, but can the Suzuki 400 perform like the Bultaco 360?” The topic has shifted from price to performance, and the Japanese bikes are becoming just a little tougher to sell.

fThe most recent area of interest to the Japanese manufacers is the world of observed trials. Both Honda and Yamaha have fielded successful mounts, while Suzuki has just introduced theirs and Kawasaki’s effort is still to come.

The Suzuki trialer has been designated the RL250 and is without a doubt the best looking of all trialers. At least from a distance. Up close, there are several things about the machine that we did not like. But that’s for later.

The Suzuki has a suggested retail price of $1125. That puts it right up there with the Montesa Cota 247 and the Ossa MAR. Since the RL enjoys no price advantage, it ought to enjoy a performance advantage, it doesn’t.

Performance, when spoken in trials terms, means control. And the control it should have is in reference to throttle response. The Suzuki does not lack for response, it has too

much. The problem occurs at above-idle speeds when the bike literally comes on the ports.

While it would seem easily overcome by the addition of more flywheel, the RL is already an excellent low rpm plonker. As the Rs climb up to the 2500 range, the power is so strong that it overcomes the flywheels, and maintaining traction at the rear wheel becomes more difficult than it ought to be.

Part of the traction problem can also be blamed on the poor TRC Tractor Grip trials pattern tires. The profile of these tires is much too round to place a great deal of surface area on the ground even at the extreme low pressure at which trials tires are generally run. Replacing them with Dunlop Trials Universals (two-plys if you can get them), will mean a world of difference.

The rider will have to concern himself less with traction problems and more with keeping the front end down when he wicks the throttle up on the RL. Power characteristics are reminiscent of Bultaco’s early efforts in the field.

We competed on the Suzuki in the Two-Day Big Bear Trials here in Southern California. The altitude varied from a low of 6500 feet to more than 8000. Rejetting necessitated by the altitude and the resulting damping of power characteristics made the RL engine an absolute joy. There was no power surge of great significance as the engine wound, which made the rear tire’s tractive incompetence all the more easily discernible. But once we brought the bike back down near sea level, it became more difficult to control effectively.

The engine, which houses all of this evil, bears a striking resemblance to the TS250 Savage mill. It is an all-aluminum piston-port Single that is fed by a 28mm Mikuni and displaces 246cc by means of a 70mm bore and a 64mm stroke. Ignition is provided by Suzuki’s own Pointless Electronic Ignition (PEI), which churns up an incredible spark at very low engine speed.

Although we were unfortunate enough to have the screws that hold the ignition side cover on back out, the dirt and water that were literally dumped onto the ignition had no effect on it whatsoever. In fact, it was the sudden need for a drastic readjustment of the clutch lever that brought our attention to the loose sidecase, and not any operational improprieties on the part of the motor. >

The five-speed transmission sports a set of ratios perfectly suited to trials use. The first three gears are as close as a farming tractor’s, with fourth and fifth reserved for betweensection cruising. Operation of the transmission was a little stiff and generally awkward, since Suzuki suggests that the shift lever be run at 45 degrees from a more normal position to keep it up out of the way of rocks that might knock it into neutral in a section.

The easiest way to operate it was to upshift with a heel of your boot. Of course, neutral was difficult to locate using the above-mentioned method, so it was best to try and find it down from second gear rather than up from first.

With its chrome moly frame and aluminum tank, you’d expect the Suzuki to weigh less than it does—208 lb. But that’s not really overweight. In fact, the RL is lighter than the Yamaha TY250 and doesn’t far exceed the 198-205 weight range of its Spanish equivalents.

As it is delivered from the factory, the RL is not geared right. The distributor recommends a gearing change at the r^M| wheel from the standard 54T sprocket to a larger 58T. V

After trying the bike with the new sprocket, we are in some doubt as to whether there really is an overall advantage. For sure, the RL is geared on the tall side for a trialer, but this is something that can be compensated for by judicious use of the clutch on the few necessary occasions. The lower gearing would help eliminate the need for this, but the drawback to its

use is that it magnifies the engine’s zippy response, making delicate control only that much harder.

Steering is good, but difficult to get used to. To begin with, the RL doesn’t have enough fork lock for serious trials work.

this can be remedied with a file. The clearance between me upper steering crown and the tank is there, so no additional modification is necessary. Just a file.

The bike is not a quick steerer by trials standards. The Ossa is much more responsive in that department, but the RL steers easily up to a point. That point is near either of the steering stops. The culprit once again is the tire that allows the front end to plow unless traction is ideal.

Gordon Farley, the designer of the RL, who was signed away from Montesa in 1972, has implemented a set of very rearward handlebar mounts on production RLs. This is typical of Gordon’s work, since he always modified his factory Montesas in the same manner. The purpose is to relieve some of the weight that is being placed over the front end, so that steering is light and responsive. It works well for Gordon, obviously, and he feels that it should for the average rider also. It does, once you get used to it.

Inspecting the RL much closer, you begin to notice small items that show much thinking and others that display little at all. The engine mounts are independent parts that bolt to the frame. This facilitates engine removal and relocation.

The footpeg pivot plates bolt to the frame, and we’ve ^ready seen one Suzuki owner shear the bolts off cleanly against a rock. Trials speeds are very low. A footpeg strongly welded to the frame is rarely going to give upon impact with a boulder or tree stump. Instead, the machine will stall and no damage will result. On the Suzuki, they should be welded.

The air filter on the RL is a magnificent piece of engineering. The element consists of oil-wetted foam that slides on a tray snugly into a slot. It’s like a slice of bread going into a toaster. The element rides under the seat to prevent the intrusion of water into the engine’s inner workings.

Welds on the Suzuki are poor. Actually, they’re terrible. Gloppy and unfinished, they detract from the otherwise pleasing aesthetics of this silver gray and orange beauty.

While the carburetor performed flawlessly, it does not have an externally-changeable main jet. Even though none of the European trials bikes currently possess such a trait, it is something that we have come to expect from the Japanese. This means that the carburetor must be completely removed from the machine in order to alter the jetting. Even if it were spigot-mounted instead of flange-mounted as it is, rejetting would be a more comfortable proposition.

The handlebars are well-designed, measuring in at 33.5 in. from tip to tip, but the grips are the same miserable items that can be found on any of Suzuki’s motocrossers. Levers are aluminum, but lack the fine touch of grit covers.

Suspension on the Suzuki is plush, with more than seven inches of well-behaved travel absorbing all irregularities encountered. The rear units are only a touch on the stiff side, but have insufficient damping. Try as they might, the art of designing adequate shock absorbers for off-roading seems to have eluded all of the Japanese manufacturers except Honda.

Brakes on the RL are the best to be found on any trials bike. Beautifully progressive and smooth, they offer just enough stopping power for trials, and not an ounce more than desired. Yet for heavy braking when play riding, they can be called upon to stop suddenly and, with appropriate pressure, will. The hubs are laced to non-mudding Takasago alloy rims that proved themselves to be more than up to the task.

The stylish aluminum fuel tank carries a mere 1.3 gal. of pre-mix, but should be adequate to get a competitor through one loop of an event before requiring replenishment. The fact that the tank is aluminum rather than fiberglass, as is the case with European machinery, is good, in that it makes the tank less vulnerable to puncture or fracture in a spill.

Aluminum will dent, but it will still carry fuel. Even if you should be unfortunate enough to rip a hole in the tank i¡|^ severe fall, a replacement will set you back only $60^r comparison to nearly $100 for either a Montesa or Bultaco counterpart.

If you are new to the trials game and purchase a Suzuki RL250, you’ll grow with it. It is very competitive and you will learn to ride and master it just as you would any other trials bike. You can win on it if you become good enough to win. The bike won’t hold you back.

But if you are a seasoned trials competitor and have already learned the characteristics of a machine, particularly a comparatively docile Spanish bike, then the transition to a Suzuki will be a difficult one. Very difficult. |o¡

RL250 TRIALER

$1125