Its Official

[Senior KX Rider]

from cyclenews.com

Suzuki Goes Solo 8/29/2003

Suzuki made it official today that it will debut its all-new prototype RM-Z450 four-stroke motocrosser in the All-Japan MX Series, which begins this fall. Suzuki will continue development in the World Motocross GP class in 2004 and is planning to go into production in August of next year.

The bike will be designed, developed and manufactured entirely in-house by Suzuki. It won’t have any affiliation with Kawasaki, like it has with the RM-Z250.

Full details of the bike have yet to be revealed, but we do know that it will feature an all-new DOHC, four-valve, 449cc, liquid-cooled motor housed in a new-concept aluminum frame, utilizing various race technologies from the GSX-R and RM motocross development programs.

 

[WhKnuckle]

I'm actually a little sad that Suzi will be another company who'll be madly trying to build a bike with a better motor than a 10 year old design 2 stroke with half the displacement. They might as well give up trying to build something as good as a 20 year old 2 stroke with equal displacement.

 

[nephron]

I can tell you I take care of a dealer, and Zook & Kawi's relationship is about to take the route of divorce. No one has mentioned it anywhere, but it's gonna happen unless things get better. I could be more specific, if necessary. There's a LOT of bickering over which dealers get the Kawi-builts first (the KLX/DRZ110), etc. Where Kawasaki will send all the first several thousand units to their dealers, Zook will withold their DRZ400 style base from Kawasaki until they're satisfied with their distribution. The only solution is divorce, or total fusion.

 

[nephron]

By the way, a pipe dream (Destry says the KX500 is going the way of the 4 stroke in 2 years or so), I'd like to see a combined effort on a 500 2 stroke desert bike. An RM500 would rock--something a little lighter, with zook-style handling.