To cut to the chase, this fork works good, at least as good as the new Marzocchi units. On top of that seemingly earth-shattering news from Japan, front end changes are just the tip of the iceberg on the RM250. It turns out, the '96 RMX lags along with minor updates to last year's engine, while the '96 RM gets a truly new motor right down to the cases. It used to be that when you wanted to hop up your RMX, all that was required was a little browsing through the same year RM parts fiche. This is not the case for Suzuki's '96 quarter-liter offerings, as you'll have to revert to the '95 RM parts bin for help.
It's been some time since we here at Trail Rider had a chance to swing a leg over Suzuki's championship-winning RMX. Quite frankly, since the RMX has remained largely unchanged since its 1989 debut, it was hard to get excited about yearly refinements and BNGs. For 1996 however, Suzuki has done considerably more than improve an existing, albeit competitive off-road line. For one, the entire 1996 RM based line, including the RMX, have followed KTM's lead in the return to conventional slider forks. Fine twin chamber units are used on the RM, while the RMX gets a unique conventional slider cartridge-type fork.
On a more positive note, the new conventional slider front end is graced with bellows-type fork boots (while the RM comes with roost guards), complete with plastic fork underhang guards, and a front disk protector as well. Enduro goodies like a mechanical odo, a wide ratio five speed transmission, heavyweight flywheel, plastic rear disk and caliper guards, an o-ring chain, three gallon fuel cell, lighting coil, headlight and tail light, leave woods hounds little to howl about. From a maintenance and reliability viewpoint, zerk fittings are found on all rear linkage pivot points, and a new, RM-esque, two ring piston graces the engine. Rounding out the package, cast foot pegs that replicate (in looks, anyhow) expensive works pegs machined from billet stock bolster this important rider interface. In a nutshell, this bike is loaded.
After a very short period of riding the bike bone stock, we made our only change of the afternoon, discarding the airbox lid. This immediately improved motor response, especially in the transition from low to mid range. Not to say that it is comparable with other 250cc enduro bikes in this trim, but it does suggest that completion of the transformation (a.k.a. delegalization) would leave few riders jonesing for more ponies. This well known parts replacement drill includes an aftermarket pipe and silencer for more midrange and top end, coupled with a switch to a thinner RM head gasket which raises the compression ratio to boost low end bark. Everybody who races an RMX does this switch, and it is a completely different bike with the high-performance parts installed.
The '96 RMX will likely be the final year of this, the first generation of the model line. Characteristic throughout that run, this year's RMX continues to provide a well suspended platform in EPA legal trim. Top racers will no doubt loathe the compromises to quietness, and the resulting added expense of aftermarket pipes, silencers and RM head gaskets. However, any level-headed rider would agree that quiet should be the default, rather than the other way around, in today's political climate. If you want to leave it stock, the '96 RMX provides spirited performance, more than adequate for trail riding, that should prove plenty competitive in nearly all novice or intermediate class contests. Either way, the RMX can be easily molded into a top performer.
