If you were asked which motocross bikes were the most popular, how would you answer? You would probably reel off, “Kawasaki, Yamaha, Honda, KTM, and Suzuki,” not necessarily in that order depending on your personal preference.

The reason for the popularity of these brands is directly related to the quality of the bike. And as you know, quality = high price.

One of Honda’s hottest offering is the Honda CRF450R, which is highly rated for its sheer power and the speed that it delivers. It actually is powered by a 249cc engine that keeps running cool as a cucumber since it’s liquid cooled. You can expect to expend about $6,500 for one. Too rich for your blood? Step down to the HONDA CR 250 Motocross Dirt Bike for about $3,000.

Shopping for a KTM? The KTM 200 EXC is their most popular model. It’s loaded with 200cc but the whole package weighs in at what a 125cc bike would. At $6,000 you get a lot of bang for your buck. If they happen to be sold out (which they might be), consider one of the bikes in their SX series. They’re not too different from the EXC.

Are you a Kawasaki aficionato? The most popular model has been the powerful KAWASAKI KX250. With its release in 1990, came the hefty price tag of $6,000! But if you have your heart set on a Kawa but can’t come up with these clams, why not pick up a used one for about $2,000? If the prior owner is conscientious, you should get a good deal. For a smaller calibre machine, check out the KX125.

Long time manufacturer Suzuki remains in the game as a major player. For about $3,000 you can be riding a choice bike in the $3,000 range. For example, the DR-Z125 and DR-Z125L models will kick butt with a 4-stroke engine and a 5 speed transmission.

If you’re a Yamaha fan, check out the YZ series of bikes. They have come a long way since the Enduro days of ther 1970’s! The least expensive will only run you about 3 to 7 grand. But if you want to spend a bit more, step up to the the 4-stroke, DOHC, 5-valve titanium, liquid-cooled powerhouse YZ450F for about 6,900 dollars.

Article by John Melin at www.MxTrainingJournal.com

Technorati Tags: motocross, dirt bikes

Founded by Michio Suzuki, a successful business man in the looming industry, Suzuki Motor Company is now one of the major players in the motorcycling scene.

The company started manufacturing motorcycles in 1920 but sales went slow until the famous Mount Fuji Climb was won on a Suzuki Diamond Free, back in 1953. It was then when people started noticing the “S” brand.

By the way, the logo with which we currently recognize the Suzuki brand was adopted in 1954.

After a few more years of carefully watching the motorcycle industry and finding ways to adapt technology to their advantage, Suzuki obtained another important victory in the 1963 Grand Prix World Championship.

One year after their first victory in the Grand Prix World Championship, Suzuki motorcycles started to be sold in the United States. It was then when things really started to take off for them.

Nowadays, Suzuki motorcycles are considered to be beautiful, fast and reliable. Personally, they are one of my favorites…

Over the years, Suzuki has seen success in the racetrack, the streets and particularly off road.

Here are some road bikes from Suzuki that have become classics…

In 1965 Suzuki introduced the X-6 Hustler (also called the T20 Super Six), equipped with a 247cc air-cooled two-stroke engine, this model was their first street legal performance bike as well as one of the fastest in the 250 cc category available at that time. This bike was soon followed by a bigger 500 cc model called the Titan (T500).

In 1972 Suzuki surprised the world and their competitors with the introduction of the GT750. This was a very powerful bike equipped with 3 cylinder water-cooled two-stroke engine capable of reaching 110 mph (177 kph) and accelerating from 0 to 60 mph (96.6 kph) in only five seconds. This motorcycle was very well received by the public and became a classic.

Another revolutionary bike from Suzuki was the 1985 RG500. This motorcycle was bred in the racetrack and it was the closest to a GP bike you could buy for the streets in that time. It was produced until 1989.

Other Suzuki motorcycles that cannot be omitted are the ones derived from the GSX platform that was launched more than 25 years ago. I just checked Suzuki official site and there is a GSX bike for 2008: the GSX650F. The longevity of this platform beats even the very successful CBR series from Honda (1987 to 2006).

Off-Road riding, a Suzuki affair!

In motocross, Suzuki (known as the “yellow make” because of the color of their off road motorcycles) has been a major player almost since they entered the scene back in 1965. In 1970, they won their first World Championship. In 1999, they had already won 27 World titles. Today, Suzuki is still a major competitor and their bikes are still yellow!

The first official Suzuki motocross bike was the 250 RH 67 produced in 1967. This bike was not ready to win the championship yet, but it didn’t take long for the RA and RN series to reach the top positions in motocross races around the world.

Touring and cruising…

Suzuki has also gotten involved in touring and more recently in the cruising scene with the Cavalcade LX (touring) and the Boulevard (cruising).

I know there is still a lot more to write about Suzuki motorcycles and it would be impossible to tell everything there is to say about the “S” brand in one blog post or even in a whole blog. But as I move forward with this blog, I will talk in depth about some of my favorite models from this great motorcycle manufacturer.

Personally one of my favorites is the Suzuki Katana. I used to have a 600 cc Katana on which I made thousands of miles. The bike always took me where I wanted to go rapidly and safely. I had lots of fun with it.

What about you? Do you like Suzuki motorcycles? What is your favorite model? Why? I invite you to leave your answers in the comments of this post.

Enjoy the ride!

Rider
WorldWideMotorcycles.com

Note: the logo on this post is copyright and/or trademark of its respective owner.  This site is not affiliated in any way with Suzuki Motor Company.

Technorati Tags: suzuki, motorcycles