2018 RMZ-450, This is why it needs to come with electric start

[zig06]

Or at least make it a customer installed option. 

Honda just released photo's and spec's on the '18 CRF450R, it will come "standard" with electric start and no kicker.  It would be a real embarrassment to Suzuki to release an "all new" model and be behind in options before it even hits the showroom.

http://www.vitalmx.com/features/First-Look-2018-Honda-CRF450R-and-CRF450RX,5327

 

[BDubb106]

So buy a Honda... 

I personally don't care if I have E start or not. Makes little difference to me on the track. 

[zig06]

This just shows that the industry is moving towards electric start, same with EFI.  And if the rest of the OEM's offer electric start, good or bad, Suzuki would need to because most bikes are so close in performance little things like this could be the deciding factor in a yellow bike sale or a red bike sale.

[Andyb756]

I'm not too worried about having the button. I've been holding out for a new Suzuki for so long and have been very excited for them to hit the states. I will say the new Honda look very cool and I'd be interested in riding one to see if they're all that

[xMUDKINGx]

I don't know if any of the manufacturers will follow with this. Almost all the manufacturers have a similar model to their "MX" model that has electric start. The RMX450 for example, almost the same set up as a RMZ but with electric start and some more trail oriented features. That battery just looks like more weight in the wrong area to me. Not to mention it just brings another aspect of something else to go wrong. I work on UTV's and side by sides for a living and I'm flat out tired of doing diagnostics on battery's and starting systems.

[BDubb106]

7 hours ago, xMUDKINGx said:

I don't know if any of the manufacturers will follow with this. Almost all the manufacturers have a similar model to their "MX" model that has electric start. The RMX450 for example, almost the same set up as a RMZ but with electric start and some more trail oriented features. That battery just looks like more weight in the wrong area to me. Not to mention it just brings another aspect of something else to go wrong. I work on UTV's and side by sides for a living and I'm flat out tired of doing diagnostics on battery's and starting systems.

Remember... KTM is the lightest bike on the track and it has a battery in the same spot. 

Having said that. The button is just one more maintenance item that I do not care for on a track bike. Sure it would be nice to have, but it is not a deal breaker for me. The guys that are going to buy yellow, are going to buy yellow whether it has a button or not. If I were buying a bike for the woods, it would 100% have a button. Think of Suzuki as a novelty bike. The guys that want a Suzuki will buy one, the guys that don't will find a reason not to. It's no different than any other form of sales. You win some, you lose some. 

[zig06]

On ‎5‎/‎12‎/‎2017 at 11:10 AM, BDubb106 said:

Remember... KTM is the lightest bike on the track and it has a battery in the same spot. 

Having said that. The button is just one more maintenance item that I do not care for on a track bike. Sure it would be nice to have, but it is not a deal breaker for me. The guys that are going to buy yellow, are going to buy yellow whether it has a button or not. If I were buying a bike for the woods, it would 100% have a button. Think of Suzuki as a novelty bike. The guys that want a Suzuki will buy one, the guys that don't will find a reason not to. It's no different than any other form of sales. You win some, you lose some. 

5 years after buying my '12 KTM 300XCW I have done "maybe" 3 hours of maintenance.  And that's only because I did what's known as "the wet mod", and that is eating 2 of the 3 hours that I'm quoting.  So really, "needing more maintenance" is not an issue.

What is an issue is that while RMZ's are good bikes if you want them to get better you need more people buying them, and to do that you need to offer current technology.  That way the profits made off of it can be used to justify spending more on upgrades.  This is why low volume bikes do not get updated very often.  Otherwise we are going to end up with a bike that looks like it did almost 10 years ago because it takes that long to cover the cost of the molds, or it ends up being 20 pounds heavier than the competition because they financially cannot justify any upgrades.... 

[BDubb106]

15 hours ago, zig06 said:

5 years after buying my '12 KTM 300XCW I have done "maybe" 3 hours of maintenance.  And that's only because I did what's known as "the wet mod", and that is eating 2 of the 3 hours that I'm quoting.  So really, "needing more maintenance" is not an issue.

What is an issue is that while RMZ's are good bikes if you want them to get better you need more people buying them, and to do that you need to offer current technology.  That way the profits made off of it can be used to justify spending more on upgrades.  This is why low volume bikes do not get updated very often.  Otherwise we are going to end up with a bike that looks like it did almost 10 years ago because it takes that long to cover the cost of the molds, or it ends up being 20 pounds heavier than the competition because they financially cannot justify any upgrades.... 

You missed my point. None the less...

Go back to spring forks and shave weight. People will buy the bike. It still handles better than any bike out there (although the others are closing the gap). If your decision to buy any bike is based off of the button then you are probably choosing a bike for the wrong reasons anyways. Again... the guys that buy Suzuki choose to buy them for what they do well. That is the smooth yet fast motor, and the amazing cornering ability the bike has. E start plays no role in that for me. There are other items that are higher on the priority list for me. I race mine nearly every weekend and e-start is not something I think about every time I line up on the gate or cross the finish line. 

Just my .02 

Edited May 14, 2017 by BDubb106

[zig06]

18 minutes ago, BDubb106 said:

You missed my point. None the less...

Go back to spring forks and shave weight. People will buy the bike. It still handles better than any bike out there (although the others are closing the gap). If your decision to buy any bike is based off of the button then you are probably choosing a bike for the wrong reasons anyways. Again... the guys that buy Suzuki choose to buy them for what they do well. That is the smooth yet fast motor, and the amazing cornering ability the bike has. E start plays no role in that for me. There are other items that are higher on the priority list for me. I race mine nearly every weekend and e-start is not something I think about every time I line up on the gate or cross the finish line.  

Just my .02 

Then we must agree to disagree.  I personally would like to see Suzuki sell so many RMZ's that the races would again turn into a sea of yellow as they once were in the RM's golden years.  They will never get even close to that if they continue to only shoot for mediocrity.

[BDubb106]

32 minutes ago, zig06 said:

Then we must agree to disagree.  I personally would like to see Suzuki sell so many RMZ's that the races would again turn into a sea of yellow as they once were in the RM's golden years.  They will never get even close to that if they continue to only shoot for mediocrity.

And you think e start is the answer to that? I would like to see Suzuki flourish as well... sadly no brand is doing that or going to do that outside of KTM. Every brand is selling less bikes yearly. KTM has a strong hold on everything woods related which is where they do 80% of their sales. Everyone else is competing for a spot on the gate at MX / SX races. 

Again... there are many things that the RMZ would benefit from before I would even consider e start a "priority". BUT, as I said before... it would be nice to have, for me it's not a priority, and there are definitely more important items to address to keep the bike competitive. I could care less how I start it. If my issues with the bike are addressed for 18' I will be buying a brand new one as soon as they are avail. whether it has e start or not. 

[zig06]

2 hours ago, BDubb106 said:

And you think e start is the answer to that? I would like to see Suzuki flourish as well... sadly no brand is doing that or going to do that outside of KTM. Every brand is selling less bikes yearly. KTM has a strong hold on everything woods related which is where they do 80% of their sales. Everyone else is competing for a spot on the gate at MX / SX races. 

Again... there are many things that the RMZ would benefit from before I would even consider e start a "priority". BUT, as I said before... it would be nice to have, for me it's not a priority, and there are definitely more important items to address to keep the bike competitive. I could care less how I start it. If my issues with the bike are addressed for 18' I will be buying a brand new one as soon as they are avail. whether it has e start or not. 

Again, we must agree to disagree. 

Also if electric start didn't have advantages in MX then why did Ken Roczen have Honda install it on his bike?  Like it or not, it is the future.

[BDubb106]

5 hours ago, zig06 said:

Again, we must agree to disagree. 

Also if electric start didn't have advantages in MX then why did Ken Roczen have Honda install it on his bike?  Like it or not, it is the future.

LOL you continue to miss my point. 

Carry on... 

[zig06]

14 hours ago, BDubb106 said:

LOL you continue to miss my point. 

Carry on... 

And yet your point has no point, so there's nothing to miss.

Lot's of companies live by the mantra of "Innovate or Die", this is why Suzuki's market share has been shrinking.  I for one do not like that trend and would like to see them do something bold to change it. 

[BDubb106]

1 minute ago, zig06 said:

And yet your point has no point, so there's nothing to miss.

Lot's of companies live by the mantra of "Innovate or Die", this is why Suzuki 's market share has been shrinking.  I for one do not like that trend and would like to see them do something bold to change it. 

LOL... I'm over it dude. Clearly you are selectively reading my posts, or your comprehension is lackluster. You can debate this pointless topic with someone else. I am done acknowledging it. 

[zig06]

6 hours ago, BDubb106 said:

LOL... I'm over it dude. Clearly you are selectively reading my posts, or your comprehension is lackluster. You can debate this pointless topic with someone else. I am done acknowledging it. 

I can spell it out for you, but I can't understand it for you.  Maybe you should stick with forums that have more pictures??

Does anyone have any new information on the '18 RMZ-450?

[BDubb106]

Sure... check out one or two of the other threads. I've posted quite a few confirmed details on changes for the 18' RMZ. 

Maybe you will understand, maybe you won't. ?

[Naasko595]

Again, we must agree to disagree. 
Also if electric start didn't have advantages in MX then why did Ken Roczen have Honda install it on his bike?  Like it or not, it is the future.

Weird, didn't seem to be an advantage at Monster Cup when it failed.

[zig06]

5 hours ago, Naasko595 said:

Weird, didn't seem to be an advantage at Monster Cup when it failed.

Are you talking about Roczen's crash?  How would having a kick starter instead of electric start have changed the outcome?

[Naasko595]

Are you talking about Roczen's crash?  How would having a kick starter instead of electric start have changed the outcome?

Maybe you should do a YouTube search. His bike did not start after the crash. Lol

[zig06]

1 minute ago, Naasko595 said:

Maybe you should do a YouTube search. His bike did not start after the crash. Lol

You brought it up, you post the video.