In the 1979 Tokyo Motor Show, Yamaha unveiled the RZ250 as the "the last true 2-stroke sports bike," only to have it become a record-breaking hit model when it was released for sale the following year. With its sleek, aggressive styling and powerful 35 PS engine mounted on a lightweight 139 kg frame (dry weight), this was a model that delivered awesome acceleration that moved so many riders to compare it to a real racing machine. Its popularity would spark a new "racer replica" movement in the industry. At a time when the 2-stroke motorcycle was believed doomed to give way to the 4-stroke, this model turned the tables and brought the 2-stroke sports bike to the forefront again.
Boosted by the RZ250 success, Yamaha went on to introduce the export model RD350 LC on the Japanese market as the RZ350. Then in 1982 model changes now featuring the YPVS technology were introduced as the RZ250R and 350R, as Yamaha continued to lead market expansion of the 2-stroke sport bike revival.
It was Honda that quickly responded with the '82 launch of the VT250F as a 4-stroke competitor featuring much of the company's NR500 racer technologies. This was followed the next year by a unique 3-cylinder 2-stroke model named the MVX250F. In that same year, Suzuki unveiled its aluminum frame 2-stroke model RG250gamma, which looked exactly like its racer models. Then in 1984 Kawasaki joined the race with its 2-stroke tandem twin model KR250. At this point the competition by the four domestic makers in the 2-stroke sport bike category was accelerating as fast as the 2-stroke machines themselves.
Finally in October of 1983, four years before a Japan round (Suzuka) would return to the World GP for the first time in 22 years, Yamaha introduced the ultimate 2-stroke racer replica at the Tokyo Motor Show, the 500cc, V-4 engine powered RZV500R.
The RZV500R project (export model name RD500LC) was started in 1982 after the release of the RZ350. The aim of the project was clear: to create a model truly worthy of being called Yamaha's 2-stroke flagship model. That meant creating a replica of the "YZR500" racer (OW61) that "King" Kenny Roberts had just ridden to his third straight title in the pinnacle 500cc class of the World GP.
Needless to say, however, the functions demanded of a production machine are completely different from those of a pure factory racer. It was the engineer's job to find what essential elements of the two to bring together to define the new machine's character. Eventually the RZV500R development staff set for themselves three goals.
The first was to achieve the kind of outstanding running performance that would define a YZR500 replica. Then it had to have the comfort, reliability and outstanding security and stability worthy of a production model flagship. Thirdly, they wanted to build in the kind of quality that would make this model the envy of any motorcycle lover.
To achieve these goals, the engine chosen was the same dual-axis crank, liquid cooled 2-stroke V-4 type as the OW61. The most fundamental merit of this 250cc engine design with two parallel cylinders lined together front and rear was the slimness, lightness and compactness of the design. The body was also given a wheelbase very close to that of the OW61 and almost on par with a 250cc model at 1,375 mm. This would ensure light handling and a steep banking angle.
Having such a compact body design, however, greatly limits the amount of space available to position all the external components of the engine intake and exhaust systems, including the air cleaner, the carburetor, the manifold and the four chamber mufflers. Especially in the case of a 2-stroke engine where the layout of these components directly effects engine performance, the design engineers had to work hardest of all to fit these parts together in the limited in a ways that ensured good performance.
The resulting layout had the look of a maze without a single bit of wasted space. The rear exhaust muffler featured crossed sections in order to get the required volume area and was even doubled back on itself in order to fit beautifully under the glamorous seat cowling. Then there was the specially designed horizontal layout linked Monocross suspension designed to avoid interference with the muffler from the front cylinder bank running along the underside of the engine. All of these were innovative designs the engineers came up with in order save space without compromising on performance.
Still there was one area where some compromise could not be avoided. The OW61 racer was naturally designed for only one passenger, and the front-rear weight distribution and riding position could thus be designed accordingly to achieve the desired handling performance. However, with the production model RZV500R, the possibility of tandem riding had to be taken into consideration, which meant that the riding position had to be moved farther forward than on the OW61 in order to ensure the best front-rear weight balance and handling characteristics.
" The unfortunate thing for us was that this spoiled to some degree the ideal racer styling we had hoped for," said the chassis development chief with considerable regret. Although it was not enough of a difference for most people to notice, it mattered a great deal to the development staff at the time because they were so intent of creating the ultimate replica.
The thoroughbred that cemented Yamaha's position as the 2-stroke maker
The "racer replica" boom that started from the introduction of the RZ250 would later divide into the 2-cycle replicas inspired by the World GP and the 4-stroke replicas based on the machines that raced in the Suzuka 8-hour Endurance Race. In both categories new machines appeared one after another, redefining state-of-the-art with each new-generation model.
In the mid-80s, the popularity of the World GP grew exponentially in Japan and worldwide, as star riders like Kenny Roberts, Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, Freddie Spencer, Wayne Gardner and Kevin Schwantz battled for supremacy in the 500cc class. On the day of the final race at the 1987 Japan GP alone, some 98,000 fans turned out to watch the action at the track.
Amidst such popularity it was hoped that the RZV500R would lead the GP500 replica models along with the 4-stroke 750cc machines, but in fact it would end up only selling 3,700 units in Japan and 10,159 units overseas (RD500LC) in 2 years, while Honda's NS500R and Suzuki's RG400gamma/500gamma were equally short-lived.
Now that the World GP has been renamed the MotoGP and is competed by 4-stroke machine, the day of the 2-stroke sports model has ended. And the RZV500R, which was born as the proud flagship of "Yamaha, the 2-stroke maker," would disappear after its first-generation model. For this reason, it will surely go down in the annals of motorcycle history.
Wah,Wah,Wah...Panjang Lebar stement ni....heiiiyyy aPa Daaaa....Ni yang leba PP yeh duk pkikir nihhh...complate Habih ekau balunnn....org mcm ekau ni la yg RND YAMAHA factory JAPAN duk tongah cari.....syabas Inspektor BomBay Polis ucapkan....HEHEHE...jangan mare aaaaa
Tinggal kenangan di akhir 1980an dulu.......... hehehehehe
bro,tumpang tanye,masa v4 n masuk pasaran malaysia,taun bila n bape harga kua kedai ek?ye lah,kawan lahir pn lewat 80an,xtau pn motor n wujud....dah form 1 dulu baru tau...
V4 yg pertama setahu masuk melalui Hong Leong pada bln 4 kalu tak silap.............dia rang bawak masuk utk Shell Endurance 4 Jam yg pertama di Malaysia.Indran Lee,Stephen Tay,Foreman Oh dan lagi sorang dah lupa namanya bawaknya di Trek Batu Tiga. Pas main tu HL jual moto tu ngan hage Rm10+++K.Salah satu dari moto tu setahu saya yg pertama di daftar kan pletnya WBA.Adik Sunny Cycle Ah Seng plak balon moto tu kat trek sampai terpelanting moto tu kat Shell Straight Batu Tiga Trek tersadai kat kedai lama Sunny sampai 1990. Yg sebijik lagi tak pasti siapa yg beli nya tapi yg pasti di masa yg sama abg sulung Joe Bai(YP WBA/LC Tong BBU) de beli sebijik V4 nombornya tak pasti.
RD500 yg lain tu masuk melalui syarikat2 moto yg lain.Hage pasaran dimasa tu bawah rm20K.Kalu seken hehehe tade orang yg nak moto ni bkn pe...........de lah sebab2 yg tertentu selain dari consumption 2t yg tinggi.
Saya jual moto ni BCR sebab da tade koram member saya bdk Kg Kubur Sg Way yg mengunakan sebijik lagi V4 BCG hancur masa kita rang main di Federal Highway di masa tu.
V4 yg pertama setahu masuk melalui Hong Leong pada bln 4 kalu tak silap.............dia rang bawak masuk utk Shell Endurance 4 Jam yg pertama di Malaysia.Indran Lee,Stephen Tay,Foreman Oh dan lagi sorang dah lupa namanya bawaknya di Trek Batu Tiga. Pas main tu HL jual moto tu ngan hage Rm10+++K.Salah satu dari moto tu setahu saya yg pertama di daftar kan pletnya WBA.Adik Sunny Cycle Ah Seng plak balon moto tu kat trek sampai terpelanting moto tu kat Shell Straight Batu Tiga Trek tersadai kat kedai lama Sunny sampai 1990. Yg sebijik lagi tak pasti siapa yg beli nya tapi yg pasti di masa yg sama abg sulung Joe Bai(YP WBA/LC Tong BBU) de beli sebijik V4 nombornya tak pasti.
RD500 yg lain tu masuk melalui syarikat2 moto yg lain.Hage pasaran dimasa tu bawah rm20K.Kalu seken hehehe tade orang yg nak moto ni bkn pe...........de lah sebab2 yg tertentu selain dari consumption 2t yg tinggi.
Saya jual moto ni BCR sebab da tade koram member saya bdk Kg Kubur Sg Way yg mengunakan sebijik lagi V4 BCG hancur masa kita rang main di Federal Highway di masa tu.
-- Edited by Otai31k at 12:05, 2009-02-25
-- Edited by Otai31k at 12:13, 2009-02-25
Owhh..Macam tu cerite nye baru saya tahu..mahal jugak harga dulu2 ye walaupn zaman era 80an..sekarg lagi la mahl harga nye mengalahkan hrga kereta,x mustahil bagi peminat motor retro mcm ni sanggup berhabis duit untuk kepuasan diri untk memiliki jentera retro mcm ni..
Kalau sekarang ni HL masih jual lagi motor mcm ni kan bagus x payah susah nak cari g je kadai motor order sebijik..Huhuu..
Moto nie dew kat abang lagi atau kat tgan org laen?
Satu tu dah di jadikan spare part oleh owner baru..........yg satu lagi yg hancur di Federal Highway tu mmg dah di buang dlm lombong dah pasal dah tak leh claim masa tu.Dah cita lama dah tu
Memang Tabik Otai31k!!!! patutnya otai31k kena bukak satu ruangan tentang penglibatan otai dalam era permotoran dari mula sampai sekarang. Semoga dapat dikongsi dengan ahli2 forum yg lain.
Moto nie dew kat abang lagi atau kat tgan org laen?
Satu tu dah di jadikan spare part oleh owner baru..........yg satu lagi yg hancur di Federal Highway tu mmg dah di buang dlm lombong dah pasal dah tak leh claim masa tu.Dah cita lama dah tu
Oooo,klu v4 msuk thun 90an.abg tau tak katana msuk bila?Dan sape pemilik pertamanya?
Out topik yamaha jap...
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Oooo,klu v4 msuk thun 90an.abg tau tak katana msuk bila?Dan sape pemilik pertamanya?
Out topik yamaha jap...
Em Katana yg mula masuk semuanya model recon je yg di bawa masuk leh Transroda.........dia rang bak masuk Suzuki Katana(GS550M,GS650G,GSX750.....kalu tak silap)Honda Custom CB650 dan Yamaha Secca 750.
Eheh kita mengacau thread Yamaha plak.....nanti orang marah.
Oooo,klu v4 msuk thun 90an.abg tau tak katana msuk bila?Dan sape pemilik pertamanya?
Out topik yamaha jap...
Em Katana yg mula masuk semuanya model recon je yg di bawa masuk leh Transroda.........dia rang bak masuk Suzuki Katana(GS550M,GS650G,GSX750.....kalu tak silap)Honda Custom CB650 dan Yamaha Secca 750.
Eheh kita mengacau thread Yamaha plak.....nanti orang marah.
Btul 2 ,tp rsnya kita dah bleh wat thread br nie..Ttg sejarah mtot2 lama.
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++++(SEDANG BERJUANG DI SABAH NAMUN AKAN KEMBALI MENGEJAR AZURA SEJATI)++++
ape lah yg ada pada nama ape lah yg ada pada gelaran sampai masa kite akan jatuh beringatlah BERMACAM2 RAYBAN DAN AKSESORI RAYBAN UNTUK DIJUAL. PM SAYA UNTUK KETERANGAN LANJUT.