FCP Suzuki RM-Z450 Engine Mounts
Company: FCP Racing
Price: $399.00
- You can feel a difference very quickly.
- Easy to install and test.
- Factory look.
- $399 price tag.
- Has advantages and disadvantages for some riders.
- For some riders we only utilized the upper mounts.
What it is
- Engine mounts designed to alter the chassis flex character.
- Lower mounts made from titanium.
- Lower through bolt made from titanium.
Chassis flex characteristics and how engine mounts can affect the way a bike handles has been a hot topic for several years now and there are now options available. FCP or Factory Chassis Parts offer aftermarket engine mounts ready to bolt up and they are designed specifically for each model. Unless you were a factory rider, optional engine mounts were not really available until just recently. Some riders and tuners utilized tricks like drilling holes in the middle of mounts, for example, and/or kept testing different torque settings in areas like lower engine mounts, upper engine hangers, and swingarm pivot bolts.
The Suzuki RM-Z450 has always turned very well but has also had a very stiff chassis, which often rears its head or is very noticeable on rougher tracks. Simply following the instructions and the installation is very simple. However, you will need a torque wrench to properly tighten the mounts, this is very important according to FCP.
"Some riders and tuners utilized tricks like drilling holes in the middle of mounts, for example, and/or kept testing different torque settings in areas like lower engine mounts, upper engine hangers, and swingarm pivot bolts. "
How it works
- Interchanging combos work for different riders.
- Plusher feel over square edge chop.
- Slightly vague cornering.
As soon as we got on the track and hit the first few square-edge bumps and holes, test riders commented that the bike felt plusher through their hands and feet. We were totally amazed that mounts alone could do that much to a chassis. We kept riding and test riders really took to the initial new feel. However, despite the better feel when smacking straight-line chop and landings, faster and heavier riders discovered there was a tradeoff to this new sensation. While entering corners the chassis felt as if there was too much flex or twist and it took away from some of the RM-Z’s turning and the front tire felt a little more vague when transitioning from hard braking to settling into a corner. Again, this was mostly with really fast test riders or riders over 200 lbs. FCP advised us to increase the torque settings by 5 foot-pounds which helped slightly. From there we did more testing by removing the FCP lower mounts and installed the stock lower mounts but left the FCP uppers. This combo was not as plush on straight-line hits but the RM-Z’s cornering and front-tire feel returned. It’s really up to the rider if they run both FCP mounts upper and lower or test with just the uppers. It’s almost as if we wanted a lower mount that split the difference with flex and feel between stock mounts and the FCP.
The FCP mounts performed as delivered and we did feel the chassis did absorb chop, square-edge bumps, and slap-down landings better than stock. For some, the combo was a give and take, luckily we were able to mix and match and find a setup using only the FCP upper mounts for riders of different speed and weight. The mounts look trick, are built very well, and do make a difference but they are not cheap at $399.
"It’s really up to the rider if they run both FCP mounts upper and lower or test with just the uppers. It’s almost as if we wanted a lower mount that split the difference with flex and feel between stock mounts and the FCP. "
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