slowing down an RM85

[breakdirt916]

I am helping to fix up an '03 Suzuki RM85 (non big wheel) that's about to get a fresh top end and be ridden by an 11 year old girl

the Dad is looking to tone it down a bit for his daughter

any suggestions?

my (limited knowledge):
-flywheel weight ( = not available!! steahly has one for a KX85, but not rm85)
-throttle stop ( = not available!!)
-crank up the spring tension on the exhaust valve - causes it to open much later or stay closed altogether
-put a cylinder shaped spacer or nut on top of the throttle slide so she can't hold the throttle past 50% or so

an adv rider thread here suggested:
-a washer b/w the mid pipe and the silencer to limit flow/cause back pressure
-thicker base gasket
-bigger front sprocket, smaller rear sprocket
-richen the mixture
-get a different bike...the rm is pretty much competition only

my limited knowledge says the internet covers it - anything else?

[csmutty]

Get a different bike.

[Kurlon]

Yeah, any of the mods you listed will just end up in that bike running blubbery, fouling plugs, etc. Find a play bike instead.

[Paul_E_D]

Different bike.

[TheIglu]

Slow it down?


Have Bhavesh ride it.








Had to. Too easy. It's like T-ball over here

[Pigman]

XR.......line up

[breakdirt916]

Yeah, any of the mods you listed will just end up in that bike running blubbery, fouling plugs, etc. Find a play bike instead.

I never rode the sumo's off-road, but IIRC the 80 sort of sucked (and tricky) to ride off the pipe...and I agree on the blubbery

we'll let her take it for a few rides w' the exhaust washer & the cranked spring on the exhaust valve since they're cheap. I sold it to him for $400 so he can easily sell it or trade for an XR100/TTR/drz...or we'll see if he ends up riding it anyways (part of me thinks he bought it for himself, lol)

[breakdirt916]

Huh...don't know if it's the jetting or vforce reeds, but this bike is tuned in a way that it's...slow.

Off the pipe it rolls on super smooth...but the wind up is really slow. And when it hits "the pipe", the transition is so smooth that you don't get pulled back. Hit is there...but you gotta look for it.

Maybe because I have been on bigger bikes lately, but I vaguely remember my '97 CR80 being violent and dangerous. This seems tame and rideable...even has more low end then I remembered...maybe the FMF gold mid pipe is tuned for more mid/low range...

were 85's designed to have a more wide power band?

[Kurlon]

Are you sure the powervalve is working?

[breakdirt916]

yup...with the cylinder off everything moved smooth (like new), the little hook rod thing from the crankcase is hooked up, and like I said - the hit is there, it's just late and super smooth to get into it

it sort of reminds me of when I had the rm125 with the exhaust valve spring cranked up - added more bottom end since it was staying closed longer through the power band. But the spring tension screws don't look like they've been touched...ever...so I doubt someone else cranked that tension up. So I'd think it maybe came that way from the factory, but I highly doubt that...I dunno.

lemme get a video...I don't even think it'll wake up neighbors because it's actually pretty quiet off the pipe