Life of a 500cc Engine

[Bishbash]

On average how long would a Suzuki 500 engine last? 60k? 70K miles? By average, lets say its been ridden hard at times...
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My current bikes are - YZF-R1 & GS 500 E

Trackday videos - https://www.youtube.com/user/bishbash13

[Acemastr]

As far as i'm aware bike engines are designed to be ridden hard, not like car engines where you change gear at 3k rpm, they are designed to be way up the rev range, apart from the usual wear and tear of any engine i expect the engine itself will last for 60k+ without much in the way of problems, only if it's been looked after, warmed up properly before high revs, properly oiled etc...
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2017 KTM 350 XC-F - 2014 Yamaha R6 - 2005 Yamaha YZ125
2016 Toyota Tacoma Limited

[stinkwheel]

The DON-uk ought to be able to tell you. He (literally) rode one into the ground.

My current GPZ500 engine has done over 70k (one rebuild for head gasket, put new rings and camchain in at the same time). This is longer than the chassis lasted.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Ben.]

probably 100k plus if you do the pistons rings and cam chain at about 70k.
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follow my racing season
Race bike - R6
Road bike - sv650

[Bishbash]

Wicked, thanks for your replies, looks as if I will need to do the cam chain then as it sounds as if it will need doing anyway, but I will keep in mind about changing the rings to.

Thanks again.

Neil
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My current bikes are - YZF-R1 & GS 500 E

Trackday videos - https://www.youtube.com/user/bishbash13

[Thom]

Which suzuki 500 are you looking at? i can only think the GS500e?
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Current Bike: 1996 Yamaha TRX850 (The Japanese-Ducati One).
Previous Bikes: 1990 Honda NSR125 'Rothmans' (The smoking one), 1990 Suzuki GS500e 'Caf? fighter' (The loud one), 1987 Kawasaki GPX400r (The quick one), 1997 XJ600s Diversion (The reliable one), 2000 Kawasaki ER-5 (The spontaneously combustive one)

[stinkwheel]

[rotax81]

the rotary engined thing would be the RE5. i forgot all about that crock
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ZX636C6F road. ZX636C1H track. ZX7R redundant. ZX0.5R minimoto as ornament.
Audi A4 Avant 1.9TDi and VW Transporter 2.5TDi 888 Special (no mot and tax lol)

[stevo as b4]

I spoke to Stan Stephens once a few year's ago, and mentioned that i was thinking of buying a 500cc GP replica 2stroke as a project bike. He said that there are a few area's on every bike that have issue's, but that with good servicing and decent airfiltration that the RG500 lump is pretty reliable for a 2stroke. He had one in to rebuild with 38k on it, and he said it was hardly worn at all, and a new set of rings and gaskets were as much as he was prepared to do to it.

[Bishbash]

[Thom]

did it have 64000 miles?

If so it just had new rings and valve seals
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Current Bike: 1996 Yamaha TRX850 (The Japanese-Ducati One).
Previous Bikes: 1990 Honda NSR125 'Rothmans' (The smoking one), 1990 Suzuki GS500e 'Caf? fighter' (The loud one), 1987 Kawasaki GPX400r (The quick one), 1997 XJ600s Diversion (The reliable one), 2000 Kawasaki ER-5 (The spontaneously combustive one)

[Bishbash]

No, the one I was bidding on had 55000 miles I think. But this 300cc will do me for the winter..
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My current bikes are - YZF-R1 & GS 500 E

Trackday videos - https://www.youtube.com/user/bishbash13

[stinkwheel]

[Bishbash]

OK, you seemed to have made that sound quite simple, I was going to change the oil and filter anyway, but I will also change the other points on the engine.

Thanks so much for telling me this, I would have never known its reliability and what to do about it. How often would you suggest doing this process?

Cheers

Neil
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My current bikes are - YZF-R1 & GS 500 E

Trackday videos - https://www.youtube.com/user/bishbash13

[Tristan.]

Was it in St Austel? If so my housemate has been umming and ahhing about getting it

[Bishbash]

Yeah its in St Austell...Picking it up Sunday.
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My current bikes are - YZF-R1 & GS 500 E

Trackday videos - https://www.youtube.com/user/bishbash13

[Tristan.]

Haha, good, cos if he'd bought it the plan was for us to push it the 40 miles to Plymouth over a few days. So thanks for saving me from that

[Bishbash]

Seriously, were you going to do that? That sounds a little crazy.
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My current bikes are - YZF-R1 & GS 500 E

Trackday videos - https://www.youtube.com/user/bishbash13

[Tristan.]

Over summer my CB had a leaky fuel tap, no reserve, no trip counter and no odometer and I had no phone.

In total I pushed it on 5 occasions, totalling just over 25 miles, with the longest stretch being 12.

So with two of us, and a lighter bike it would of been 'a breeze'

[Bishbash]

I'm impressed, what a friend you are. Don't think any of my mates would help me push a bike 40 miles. In fact I know they would tell me 'sex and travel'.
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My current bikes are - YZF-R1 & GS 500 E

Trackday videos - https://www.youtube.com/user/bishbash13

[stinkwheel]

[stevo as b4]

I have heard about the possible hand grenade reputation of these GPZ305's before, and it's interesting to hear more about the reasons and what can be done to overcome them.

Just out of interest, how do the Honda CB250/400N Superdream engine's compare at high mileages, as they are another small four stroke lump with a smallish oil capacity that have been tuned and developed from earlier 2v per cyl engines? Another couple of 4 strokes that are supposed to blow up well at high mileages are the Yamaha XS500, and the Suzuki GSX250. Has anyone owned either of these and how did they last?

[Bishbash]

[Kickstart]

[stinkwheel]