First Ride: 2004 Suzuki LTZ250
The First Real Sport ATV for a wide range of customers.
For over a year now we've been waving the banner of the 2003 Suzuki LT-Z400 as probably the best all-around sport quad launched last year. In fact, we personally have one that has been used heavily for trail riding, desert racing, and even motocross competition. We give it HUGE thumbs up and have recommended it as an excellent entry-level machine.
Leave it to those sneaky Suzuki factory bodies to not tell us quite the whole story - had we known that the little brother LT-Z250 was less than 12 months away, we might have steered some of you to hold off just a little while longer. In September, Suzuki gave us a sneak peak, and now you'll start seeing them appear at your dealer. For those smaller, younger or newer riders that want something zippy but easy to ride, the Z250 is tailored just for you.
At a glance, the strong selling points will obviously
be:
Automatic clutch - you do still have to shift with a foot lever, so you will need some brain power. But there is no clutch, so you won't have to be all that coordinated. This is really a great feature for trail riding or in the dunes, when you have steep hill ascents or descents that may require fast shifting while keeping both hands securely on the grips. Novice riders or those transitioning from an automatic/utility quad often find the most difficult part of learning to ride a sport quad is the shifting - this is a great introduction to the foot shifter, without having to deal with annoying or dangerous situations of popping the clutch.
Comfort - The Z400 introduced a new T-shaped design in ATV seats, and the Z250 carries it on. The transition of seat to gas tank is perfect, and the rear seat area is slightly thicker, for utility quad comfort.
When Suzuki engineers were developing this quad they had to look all the way from the inside out, and the ground up. The goals included to lower the center of gravity, concentrate the vehicle mass, provide ample "track" front and rear, and ample suspension travel, and keep it light weight. They met these goals, achieving great cornering performance for those sport-minded riders, ground clearance that ensures its suitability for trail riding, and using lightweight materials such as aluminum wheels and sharply shaped fenders to keep the weight a trim 365 pounds.
The LT-Z250 is targeted at the entry-level rider market, so as the least hot-dog of the ORC ATV Staff, that put me on a plane to West Virginia. I won't be trying to wheelie it (hopefully, neither will your kids), I won't be jumping it into a tree (because your wife probably wouldn't either). I'm not looking to see what it's faster than. I want to know if I can ride it and enjoy myself, right off the showroom floor.
The automatic clutch takes only moments to get used to. I will admit that I grabbed for air the first few times, but it's much easier to teach yourself how to NOT use something, than the other way around.
I will admit that after several hours of hard forest trail riding I was physically beat, and blew shift after shift when trying to do some flat acceleration demos. What can I say. The other editors in attendance I'm sure were shaking their heads in disbelief. Told you, I have a tough job...
So - if you waited to buy the Z400 for your wife or kid (or, be honest, for yourself!) - take a look at this baby. I have a feeling they will be screaming off the showroom floor as well. Or buy a LT-Z250 for the kid, and reclaim that Z400 for your very own! MSRP $3,899 ($1,800 less than the Z400)
Dimensions and Dry Mass | |
Overall Length | 67.7 in |
Overall Width | 42.1 in |
Overall Height | 42.9 in |
Wheelbase | 44.7 in |
Ground Clearance | 9.1 in |
Seat height | 31.9 in |
Dry mass | 365 lbs |
Engine | |
Type | Four-stroke, air-cooled, HOC |
Cylinders | 1 |
Bore | 2.598 in |
Stroke | 2.835 in |
Displacement | 15.0 cu in |
Compression | 9.2: 1 |
Carburetor | Mikuni BSR20, single |
Starter | Electric |
Lub | Wet Sump |
Drive Train | Wet multi-plate, automatic, centrifugal type |
Transmission | 5-forward, 1 reverse |
Chassis | |
Front | Independent, double wishbone, coil spring, oil damped |
Rear | Swingarm type, coil spring, oil damped |
Front wheel travel | 6.3 in |
Rear wheel travel | 6.7 inch |
Turning Radius | 8.9 ft |
Front brake | Disk brake, twin |
Rear brake | Drum |
Front tire | AT22x7-10 |
Rear tire | AT20x10-9 |
Capacity | |
Fuel | 2.8 gal |
• Detailed Info |