Killer Bee: Chap Moto's Replica RMZ

For as long as the company has been around Chaparral Motorsports has always been involved in racing in some form or another. From running its own highly successful privateer Supercross team to supporting independent riders with its Race Support program Chaparral firmly believes in supporting the people that help keep the motorsports industry thriving. Last year Chaparral Motorsports joined up with Bar X Motorsports and Suzuki Factory Racing as leading sponsors for an amateur motocross team that saw great success.

The team consisted of four riders: Cole Barbieri, McClellan Hile, Brock Bennett, and Brock Papi. Barbieri, Hile, and Papi all rode Suzuki RM-Z250s and 450s while Bennett competed on a RM85. The entire team was pretty successful throughout the season with multiple podiums appearances, several first place finishes, and all riders earning their tickets to the mecca of amateur motocross racing, the 2017 Loretta Lynn's AMA Amateur Motocross National Championship.

With the help of team manager Larry Brooks setting up the bikes and dialing in the components, the Suzuki race bikes not only performed extremely well but looked awesome. In fact, the bikes were so slick looking that Chaparral decided to build a RM-Z450 replica to display on its sales floor.

The project started with a 2017 RM-Z450 that came right out of the crate and was moved directly into the ChapMoto Mod Shop. The project was started by stripping off the stock plastics and installing an Acerbis front fender, rear fender, side panels, number plate, radiator shrouds, and fork covers. Of course to follow with the race bike's color scheme the new body work was mix between black and yellow pieces.

To provide a bit more durability in the knee area and traction at the butt area the stock seat cover was tossed aside and replaced with a Factory Effex RS1 cover. The new cover has Duratech ballistic nylon incorporated into the side panels to better withstand rubbing and abrasion from the rider's knees and boots. There are also raised ribs that run across the seat to keep the rider from sliding backward.

While the stock wheels were used, they were treated to new rubber in the form of a pair of Dunlop Geomax MX3S dirt bike tires. Intended for soft to intermediate terrain, the MX3S dirt bike tires excel in a variety of scenarios thanks to the design elements such as the Carcass Tension Control System (CTCS) Dunlop's block within a block tread technology, which enables better cornering action and more side control.

The brakes were upgraded with a Galfer Oversized Tsunami rotor up front and a Wave rotor in the rear. Both rotors aid in heat dissipation, improve lever feel and modulation, reduce dirt build up, and shaves weight over the stock rotors. To add some protection from rocks, sticks, and mud/dirt accumulation the oversize rotor was hidden by an Acerbis front disc cover mounting kit and X-Brake Cover and then an Acerbis skid plate was bolted up to the underside of the frame.

Performance-wise the Chap Mod team removed the heavy and restrictive stock exhaust system and mounted up a complete FMF Racing Factory 4.1 RCT MegaBomb Titanium System. From tip to tail this exhaust is all about gaining horsepower and dropping weight. The exhaust is made from premium materials such as lightweight titanium and aircraft grade aluminum. Between the innovative MegaBomb header design and Titanium muffler with carbon fiber end cap, the 4.1 helps boost overall performance by as much as 15 percent and only weighs 5.4 pounds. To accommodate the new dirt bike exhaust system a GET Power ECU was installed to help with tuning for maximum performance and to deliver better acceleration and throttle control. The new ECU came with a GET WiFiCOM which allows users to change engine parameter right from an app off their smart phone.

At the rear of the bike the stock 50 tooth sprocket was replaced with a Mika Metals sprocket. The new sprocket is still a 50-tooth so it didn't change the gearing ratio but the sprocket is machined out of high grade T6 7075 aluminum. Not only is the Mika sprocket lighter than stock but with its large window cut outs there is less chance for for mud to build up on it. The new sprocket was wrapped with a Pro Taper Gold Series 520MX chain.

Speaking of Mika Metals, a set of the company's oversized Stewart/Villopoto bend Pro Series handlebars were secured to the stock bar mounts. At the ends of the bars the Chap team installed a pair of Lorenz and Jones Half Waffle grips and a collection of Works Connection components such as an Elite Perch Lever and perch body with an adjustable thumbwheel. Roost protection was added in the form of a pair of Acerbis X-Ultimate Handguards.

The final pieces that were added to the bike was a Work Connection Pro Launch Device mounted on the fork leg to help get the edge on starts, a Hinson clutch cover, and a custom graphic kit mimics the graphics on the race team bikes.

It's not an exact replica of the race bikes, there's a few performance mods the Chap team didn't do in order to help keep the price down. However, the black and yellow color scheme along with the parts and accessories that were added really give the RM-Z450 a fierce look-almost like it's about to fly out the gate and sting the competition.

 

 

Parts List

ACERBIS SPIDER EVOLUTION FRONT DISC COVER W/MOUNT KIT
257-206310-9999              29.95

ACERBIS PLATE
257-211363-0231              25.95

ACERBIS FRONT FENDER
257-2113640231                25.95

ACERBIS LOWER FORK COVER SET
257-211373-0005              34.95

ACERBIS SIDE PANELS
257-211378-0001              49.95

ACERBIS REAR FENDER
257-211384-0231              27.95

ACERBIS RADIATOR SHROUDS
257-211386-1017              49.95

ACERBIS MX STYLE SKID PLATE
257-221502-0001              79.95

ACERBIS X-BRAKE FRONT DISC COVER
257-225024-0001              29.95

ACERBIS X-ULTIMATE HANDGUARDS
257-264548-1017              39.95

PRO TAPER GOLD SERIES 520MX 120 LINK CHAIN
302-3105              84.95

GALFER REAR WAVE ROTOR
319-8158              133.00

GALFER TSUNAMI MX OS ROTOR KIT
319-8219              329.00

FMF TITANIUM RCT COMPLETE SYSTEM W/ CARBON FIBER END CAP
327-043306         899.99

DUNLOP GEOMAX MX3S SOFT-INTERMEDIATE 80/100 21 51M FRONT TIRE
331-8535              127.51

DUNLOP GEOMAX MX3S SOFT-INTERMEDIATE 120/80 19 63M REAR TIRE
331-8546              154.95

GET-POWER ECU W/WIFI-COM
728-GK-RX1PWR-0126   599.95

MIKA STEWART/VILLOPOTO 1-1/8" PRO SERIES HANDLEBARS
818-MK-11-SV-W             109.95

FACTORY EFFEX RS1 SEAT COVER
FX18-29424         69.95

HINSON CLUTCH COVER
HIN-C330             169.99

MIKA METALS 50TOOTH REAR SPROCKET
LV6855026           64.99

LORENZ & JONES NEXT LITE SOFT HALF WAFFLE GRIPS
LV8072025           9.95

WORKS CONNECTION PRO LAUNCH
WC12-520            119.95

WORKS CONNECTION ELITE PERCH BODY
WC16-805            79.95

WORKS CONNECTION ELITE PERCH THUMBWHEEL ASSEMBLIES
WC16-850            37.95

WORKS CONNECTION ELITE PERCH LEVER
WC16-870            37.95