RG500

[Marc_Buck]

These are 2 stroke right?

How fast actually are these?
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94 fzr600r

[MarJay]

Probably no faster than an SV650 or something. You can tune them for about 100bhp - but the chassis can't really handle it.

Standard I think they make about 70bhp and weigh about 160 kilos.

A common conversion is to put the square four RG500 engine into an RS250 chassis, and tune it up so you have the power of a modern 600 with the weight of a stroker, along with the addictive powerband!

Either way, most vaguely stock RG500's will be knackered by now.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[Marc_Buck]

I thought they would have been way faster, i mean the words 2 stroke 500 just scream speed at ya don't they.
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94 fzr600r

[Keith]

[iCraig]

The RG500 was basically a 1980's GP Racer for the road, it produces a 90BHP and can do according to UBG 150MPH.

Most as Marjay said will be crashed, bashed and worn out now, and require some hefty maintainance which is likely to cost as it ain't a cheap bike to run.

[Kickstart]

Hi

Nice bike and handled very well for the time. Performance wise an SV650 would not see which way one went, but a modern 600 would leave the RG for dead.

There are some nice ones around, but then you are unlikely to get the owner of one of those to sell it. There are also quite a few of the Japanese market 400cc version around.

Biggest problem will be getting suitable tyres for it these days.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Andy99]

There was a big story in the press when these little beasties were launched.It seems the dishonest types at Suzuki gave the bikes given to the journalists a little bit of a tweak in the power stakes, as the bikes the public ended up buying were quite a bit down on power. At the time the 2-stroke 500's (RG & RD) were the absolute dogs danglies but now (as has been said) will be slaughtered by a modern 600,but thats progress.Makes you wonder what will be said of R1's and GSXR thou's in two decades time.
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Nothing gets the point across quite like a raised middle digit.

Just call me General Crazypaws.

[tatters]

RG500 have been tuned up to a claimed 120BHP, cost a fourtune to re-build and too run and you need to own a petrol station.


don,t forget the Honda NS400R, with 500cc big bore kit
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Past:NRG50,AF1125(x2),NSR125RR,ZZR250,CX500,VFR400,KR1S,ZZR600(x2),CB400N,YZF1000(x2),KH125,Z200,FX400R,CBR954RR(x2)GPZ500S,GT550,VFR750F(x2),RD350N,XR650R,CBR600F,CB250,KDX250,YZF750R,CRM250,400EXC,KLR650,TTR600RE,DR350S,R100GSPD,RGV250,VMAX1200,DL650,KZ750 Present:G650XC,C12,CRF450X,1190ADV

[mrchips]

I saw a mint RG500 at the Ulster Grand Prix, and needless to say it was getting a lot of attention. Really nice bike.

[Kickstart]

Hi

From memory the RG500 really put out about 75hp when road tested. Suzuki also pulled tricks with the RG250, with one magazine getting a bike as a demonstrater that was rather quicker than the previous year. A quick strip down revealed it was running pistons from an RG500 (slightly larger bore) taking it out to around 265cc.

[stevo as b4]

That also goes for the RD500 and NS400R. It was fairly coomon to get a press bike that had been tuned for the importers by firms like Stan Stephens, to give them a noticable power increase, seeing as its a fairly simple proceedure to make a stroker go faster. The Honda's were doing 12sec 1/4miles and 130mph+. The RG and RD, were also given the same treatment. A std RG tends to make about 75bhp at the rear wheel, where the press bikes were making about 85-87bhp. The claimed crank fig is 95bhp, and that seems belivable as the square 4 layout, must have higher transmission losses than most engine designs. The MCN road test had 144mph from the RG, and 140mph from an RD500. The Honda did a real 126.5mph according to MCN. The RG500 in std form would be blown away by a modern 600, but its more to do with the very dated chassis, suspension, and tyres, than outright power. The ground clearance is very poor on the RG too. The test stated that many people had a stage 1 tune done to the RG to take it up to 100 genuine bhp, and its still pretty reliable at that level. The fuel consumption is dreadful though with a recored average of 22mpg and it could drop below 18mpg! The RD and NS wernt that much better, and when a CBR600 could be had for similar money, and do about 45-50mpg its not surprising that they wernt around very long. Also as people have said the cost to re-build a 4cyl stroker especially if its had a big mishap, is a bit steep to say the least! Theres something like 38 bolts to undo just to seperate the crankcase halves on the RG! the best feature of any of the 80's GP500 replicas is the sound of a big multi 2stroke. I personally think these motors have a nicer sound than a Ducati 998 or an MV Agusta! I nearly brought an NS400 twice, and have very nearly twice brought RG500's when ive been to look at them. Now i wouldnt touch an NS, as the parts supply situation is terrible, there is no chance of getting new Motor parts from Honda today. If i had the Money id love to find an RD500 though, its possibly the best 2stroke road bike engine ever designed!

[Frost]

The RG500 in its day was a godlike bike, a real road going GP bike. However its extreme price tag and laughable fuel economey ment few bought it.
some might call it slow, but the power ban on it is still enough to scare the shite out of most modern superbikers


the RGV250 was the better bike really, sensible price tag, better mpg with the emphasis on corner speed and weigh saving rather than big power.


I'd still love to have one for the rareity and collectors value

[VTR SP1]

I know a bloke who has a GP RG500. A bloke in bike magazine took it for a few laps of Spa a few issues ago.

Frosty one, what do you call laughable fuel economy?

[Andy99]

Don't forget the RGV250 is a much newer motorcycle than the RG500. Which is more comparable to the old RG250 gamma than the later RGV250.

Personally i really wanted an RZV500 which was the jap version of the RD500.
A friend of mine had one a few years back but ended up spending a fortune on trying to make it go round corners fast. The thing sounded great but ran out of ground clearance really early,the expansion chambers went down first after he raised the footpegs.
He ended up selling it and getting an Aprilia RS250 which he found he could lap much faster on,thats a modern chassis for you.
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Nothing gets the point across quite like a raised middle digit.

Just call me General Crazypaws.

[G]

If you're considering a big-power 2 stroke, there's a 300cc conversion for the rs250. Gives a bit over 70real-rear-wheel-horsies. Think it's still not too bad on reliability etc, when kept well maintained (as you would if you had a 300cc 12k rpm stroker .

[Lee_367]

Here's a site showing creation of a RG500 powered RS250.

https://www.spirant.demon.co.uk/
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?It?s mercy, compassion, and forgiveness I lack?not rationality.?

[Andy99]

The RGV250 engine was pretty reliable once Suzuki and Aprilia had played around with the powervalves.
With 2-strokes once you've got the fuel/air/oil mix correct (and keep it correct) your laughing. Mind you saying that i had a 350LC once wich kept twisting the crank after it was tuned
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Nothing gets the point across quite like a raised middle digit.

Just call me General Crazypaws.

[Kickstart]

[mrchips]

[stevo as b4]

I remember the 1st RG i went to look at, when the guy started it up, the noise was very strange, but interesting, and there was clouds of blue coming from the bottom 2 pipes, but nothing from the top. the guy said that it takes a few min sometimes for all 4 pots to light up, and when they did, the sound from blipping the throttle was incredible! The NS i looked at also dis the 2pot trick when it first started 2m, but that sounded even better! The RD500 sounds like about 10 RD125's with noisy Microns, so that has to be the best though!

[Kickstart]

Hi

Best description I heard of an NS400 exhaust note was that it sounded like "3 ducks farting".

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Frost]

just noticed the same thing with the RGV, engine note when cold is weird as hell, once its warmed up its lovely

[Ninja]

One of my all-time great bike related moments/memories is of a two-up RG500 coming past me, coming on the pipe as it did so:-

nnnnngdingnnnnrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrzzzzzzzzzzzPWAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

almost sexual haha! (well, the hairs on the back of my neck did actually tingle and stand up as I shuddered at the sound?)
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James
4 wheels transport the Body ... 2 wheels transport the SOUL

[EuropeanNC30R...]

I followed an RG500 engined bike for a bit the other night. It had the 4 exhaust pipes but had rgv250k Pepsi bodywork... so either an rgv with the rg500 conversion or an rg500 with rgv bodywork.

[Grubby]

If ya want evil spounding you want to hear an Allspeed expansion piped KH750 crackling away from the lights. Fair makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end that does.