Motorcycles + Two-strokes + IOMTT talk

[Andymann]

Try your best, you'll be a fool not to.

 

Only problem with those 500 V4's was that their crank bearings is a weak spot. They ran roller bearings, and it was a bit soft for the hammering it took. They loved seizing big ends as soon as they ran a bit lean.  Believe their was a kit out to convert to white metal bearings, but it was quite expensive and not easy to find.

 

Andyman, am I correct with this statement?

This is what Neels Van Niekerk (who used to race them) told me yonks ago.

I'm not an expert on the RZ500's so you might well be right. I do know that they were in a very low state of tune, and they did get a bit unreliable when the guys used to go mad on the tuning so there might be a reason for that.

 

The thing with the RZ500 is that overall it really wasn't a great bike when it was launched - and to own one today is nice, but if you take off the rose-tinted glasses it's not something that we 2-stroke lovers would be able to use regularly. It has a silly 16" front tyre which is really difficult to get, cosmetics are unobtainable, engine spares which were still available are now not (even the clutch plates are discontinued), and I'd be too scared to even ride one lest it blew up. Great investment, but if you want to appreciate a 2-stroke, there are better bikes to own.

[dirtypot]

I have my 2T sitting in front of me at work right now.  It may not be flashy, or exotic, or rare or have more than one cylinder - but it power wheelies in fourth gear effortlessly and it makes me happy.

[Andymann]

To give a good example of what I am trying to say, we owned this bike for about  10 years.  It is widely acknowledged as the holy grail of superbikes, the best bike ever built.  TBH, it was crap.  Terrible brakes, hugely powerful engine (for the day, and currently) for the frame, was near impossible to start, and when you did ride it, you were so scared you would crash it or break it, we hardly ever took it out the garage!

 

In the end we put it in a crate and sold it to a museum in the US.....

 

[Wannabe]

I agree, also would not use it as a daily runner.

For that a properly build 350YPVS would be much better (and not much slower)

 

I at one stage toiled with the idea to mount two 350 motors side on to make a 700cc Two Stroke. That would have been rad. Unfortunately (or is that fortunately) my pockets is not deep enough, and my mechanical skills not extensive enough for that.

[Andymann]

I have my 2T sitting in front of me at work right now.  It may not be flashy, or exotic, or rare or have more than one cylinder - but it power wheelies in fourth gear effortlessly and it makes me happy.

And that's precisely why I bought the DT - so I can ride it like a 2-T was designed to be ridden, and if it blows up or seizes, there are tons of blaster cranks and piston kits available!

[Andymann]

I agree, also would not use it as a daily runner.

For that a properly build 350YPVS would be much better (and not much slower)

 

I at one stage toiled with the idea to mount two 350 motors side on to make a 700cc Two Stroke. That would have been rad. Unfortunately (or is that fortunately) my pockets is not deep enough, and my mechanical skills not extensive enough for that.

Exactly - a nice 350 is way better than a 500, and you get to use the thing.

 

I still have ideas of somehow making a V-twin with two YZ250 barrels........

[Andymann]

To give a good example of what I am trying to say, we owned this bike for about  10 years.  It is widely acknowledged as the holy grail of superbikes, the best bike ever built.  TBH, it was crap.  Terrible brakes, hugely powerful engine (for the day, and currently) for the frame, was near impossible to start, and when you did ride it, you were so scared you would crash it or break it, we hardly ever took it out the garage!

 

In the end we put it in a crate and sold it to a museum in the US.....

Oops, the Vincent, not that other thing in the back!

[Andymann]

Next bike I'm going to get my hands on is a good old DT175.

 

The 90's DT175 was loosely based on the old IT175, but designed to run on about 88 octane, so there is tons of power to be unlocked. I'm going to go ballistic on the ports, find an old XTZ125 front end with a disk, and build the DT Yamaha should have built!

 

And then go hunting these new 250/300 4T singles which everyone seems to be buying these days :-)

[Wannabe]

With a "ring ding ding" in your ears as you sail past them.

[nolipoli]

Next bike I'm going to get my hands on is a good old DT175.

 

The 90's DT175 was loosely based on the old IT175, but designed to run on about 88 octane, so there is tons of power to be unlocked. I'm going to go ballistic on the ports, find an old XTZ125 front end with a disk, and build the DT Yamaha should have built!

 

And then go hunting these new 250/300 4T singles which everyone seems to be buying these days :-)

 

The last trail bike I owned was a WR200 from the mid 90's. It was much more tractable than the 1990 YZ250 I had before it, and would still make a great do-it-all bike. 

 

My DT125 sadly couldn't cope with the kind of riding that I was doing at the time, as the suspension was just not robust enough.

 

My bro had a mid 80's IT250 which was a dog next to the WR200. There is definitely a point at which you want to have some of the newer tech

Edited August 21, 2015 by nolipoli

[mazambaan]

There were some beasts in the 2 strokes although I never rode any of the road going monsters I sampled the Husky 500, KTM 495, YZ & IT 490 (very different bikes) and the Maico 490. Whow and they could put your eyes onto high beam.

 

The TZ 750 based flat tracker even had Kenny Roberts' eyes permanently on high beam.  I think someone in SA has one of these exceedingly rare road racers. Now that must be something!

 

Amazing that a current breathed on KX 450 4 stroke only almost makes the same power as the "old" KX 500. I guess only suspension improvements and the smoother power delivery would keep the 450 ahead of a 30 year old bike.

 

A bit silly that they have generally gone.

[Andymann]

The last trail bike I owned was a WR200 from the mid 90's. It was much more tractable than the 1990 YZ250 I had before it, and would still make a great do-it-all bike. 

yamaha-wr200r-912.jpg1990 Yz250.jpg

 

My DT125 sadly couldn't cope with the kind of riding that I was doing at the time, as the suspension was just not robust enough.

1983 DT125.jpg

 

My bro had a mid 80's IT250 which was a dog next to the WR200. There is definitely a point at which you want to have some of the newer tech

You can still pick up WR200's on gumtree. And they are dirt cheap too!

[CAAD4]

Post da link

 

OK found it, not his 350 winning bike, but his KR500. What a machine, so ahead of it's time.

 

[mazambaan]

He he - who remembers when Kork tried his hand at saloon car racing. Drifted onto the gravel on a high speed turn in a BM 325 or similar and crashed that thing properly. The end. 

[nathrix]

Honda NSR500....those pipes!!!

[Stretched@Birth]

Not a bike, I know, but 2 of the best mechanical sounds, combined...

 

http://youtu.be/9EYCI5MfD9g