Looking at some Bike Options

[Cajun Kid]

Suzuki, also  had 2 stroke go fast small displacement street bikes.. The GT380 and GT500.. I recall a "Ram Air" version... anyone know what the Ram Air was for these bikes ?

Charles

[McRat]

IIRC, the Ramair Suzukis had a scoop on top of their air-cooled two-stroke heads to reduce the power fade that all the air cooled 2str engines suffered with.

[McRat]

I had 3 of the H1's, the first model was the MachIII and the worst mannered.  Drum front brake, useless center-mount dampener, ~30 deg steering head angle?, they were unstable even in a straight line.  Oddly, it had points and a distributor.  Next two were the H1D and F, very similiar, more steering head angle, and provisions for two dampeners, but they only came with one.  You had to order the other side.  Came with electronic ignition, very rare back then.  Even by adding a front disc didn't make them stop very well.  Very few of the MachIII were sold compared with the disc models, and they are collectables, even though the worst of the breed.  The H2 (750cc) was a gelding from the factory, scarsely quicker than the H1 when stock.  But a Dremel tool, a few jets, and some chambers woke them right up.

[Cajun Kid]

You are correct,,, it was a simple sheetmetal shroud to direct airflow to the top of the head/cooling fins..

It did seem to help... I liked my H1 and H2 better... as far as straight line WFO !!!!

Charles

[55chevr]

We drag raced a Kawi H2 triple back in the early 70's ... after 5 or 6 passes the entire bike was held together with duct tape ... it shook every part loose ... had plenty of power especially at the big end.
Joe

[Seldom Seen Slim]

It's not mine, but I think if someone wants to buy it -- I could convince the owner to part with the GT380 (I think it is that) that's stored in the warm and dry at my (ex) office.  As I remember it was a poor runner when put away.  The fins on the top of the head are shrouded by a cover piece -- I suppose to improve air flow.  I could take a photo one of these days if someone wants to see it.

If there's interest in that bike - for whatever reason -- say so here and I'll get permission and a minimum for it, take some photos and put it in the "for sale" section of this Forum.

[Jonny Hotnuts]

The 2 stroke 500cc Yamaha RZ 500 and the Suzuki RD/RG 500 Gamma both made big power for their time and still have impressive numbers relative to many 4 stroke 500s.
I seen my first Yamaha RZ 500 this last year at SW but dont know what it ran but this bike and its engine in other vehicles have gone very fast.

Unfortunately both the RZ and RD/RG are very hard to find and you will basically have what you have....theirs not a bunch to do to one to make it faster and certainly not much aftermarket and I don’t think the aeros were very good on either bike.

My personal suggestion is to take ANY of the big 4’s 600cc bikes and have it de-stroked to 500.
The bone stock HP of a GSXR 600 is over 120 and I am confident that even destroked 100cc, a built motor based on the 600 could exceed 135-140 HP and that my friend will whoop one of the old school 2 smoke 500s.


ALSO,

The guy was correct about the Cats.....they are great in corners but.....


~JH

[McRat]

We drag raced a Kawi H2 triple back in the early 70's ... after 5 or 6 passes the entire bike was held together with duct tape ... it shook every part loose ... had plenty of power especially at the big end.
Joe

That actually helped!  Otherwise you'd never get those cheap steel phillips head bolts out of the clutch cover!

[wolbrink471]

The only problem with the H1 and H2 is you never knew when they were going to try to spit you off, for no good reason.

As a long time fan of the RD, I also thought it was my duty to point out that the Kawi triples have an even longer reputation of eating the middle piston at WFO.

Mark

[Sam Green]

A Yamaha RD would do the trick with a little help from these people, enjoy.

http://www.twostrokeshop.com/two_stroke_shop_engines.htm

Sam.

[1212FBGS]

i got one for sale $15K

[maj]

Waterbuffalo... we called them waterbottles or tea kettles,750cc  funny thing was it didn't take long to get used to the flexing frame and we would hit the bends hard with the whole lot flexing in a motion that reminds me of a small boat

[MiltonP]

Sam,  The Two-Stroke Shop website you linked to almost makes me want to pack my bags and head to Australia!  Well that and the fact that it is 10 degrees outside!   

Thanks for all the info folks.  If I can keep my paws off of that beautiful 953 Speed Triple up the road I may look for a good 600 cc candidate to destroke to 500.  Should be doing some tests on the Miata within the next 2 weeks to see whether I want to continue investing in it versus a different platform or possibly both it and a bike.... 

[firemanjim]

955 Speed Triple.Sweet bikes, I ride a 955 Sprint ST.
Unless you are looking at the real small CC classes you should stick with modern 4 strokes.

[MiltonP]

Here is what has caught my eye so far with visits to 5 or 6 shops.  On the used front there is the sweet 2003? 955? Speed Triple that was not tracked at all by a Triumph fanatic who has to own at least everything once.    He did keep this around for 5 years but didn't crank the miles on it with less than 10k I believe.  babied and very sweet looking which of course doesn't make it go faster.

The only other real interesting used bike so far is a 2001 GSX-R 750 with a interesting story I am just picking up on.  Guy buys bike with dreams of racing it but dies before getting anything done.  Family member inherits the bike.  Puts 'In memory of..." plate near the ignition switch and proceeds to works with shop to add 8' drag extensions, nitrous hardware, etc... but supposedly becomes intimidated by the bike and never runs it after adding the hardware.  Now it sits in a enclosed trailer at the shop that did the work and although they can put it back to stock trhey essentially want it out of there.  While I don't sound very sensitive in the past few lines, if I got this bike I would do my best to get the full story and go ahead and keep the 'In memory of...' plate onit if it doesn't interfere and the story is honest.   I didn't get a good look but my understanding is the nitrous was never used and the buttons were not properly located to use it, i.e... centered.

Interesting new bikes just out that could be 'different' to run were as follows.  A new 650 Suzuki FI inline 4 650cc that runs around $2-3k below the 600cc racers.    A YamahaWR250R? 250cc single supermoto bike that has FI and a 6 speed tranny tp differentiate it from previous supermoto offerings.  I believe Suzuki already offers hardware to lower the rear 3".  Not overly inspired by the new 500cc offerings and don't really want to fork over the $$$ for the new, big 'instant speed' bikes

New post coming right up on Leathers Question since last minute potential shopping opportunity came up.