V4 stroker.....RZV500R new lease on life

Other makes and motorcycles of interest.

Moderators: oldjapanesebikes, H2RICK, diamondj, Suzsmokeyallan

User avatar
busa1300
To the on ramp
Posts: 352
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2012 7:17 pm
Country: USA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: RGV RGV RGV RGV ......
Location: Northern Indiana

V4 stroker.....RZV500R new lease on life

Post by busa1300 »

This has been a project for well over a year, but stalled out last April when I realized I had to get new pistons and rebuild both cranks....
I showed some pics on board member bikes.....but they only want finished bikes on that section, and I was showing it in pieces.
The first of this year I decided to face the facts that I had to get the RZV back together, and do it justice for such a clean/rare bike.
So.....
We will start this off with lots of pics, as they tell the proverbial 1000 words in some cases.

The last day it was in one piece.....


Image


When I pulled the motor apart, this is what I found...rust along with a near perfect 6000 mile old original bore

Image

Image
Last edited by busa1300 on Sun Mar 10, 2019 7:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
MY TWO STROKE ADDICTION
TZR250SP 3XV2...
RS 250 Cup bike
RGV VJ21 L
RGV VJ22 FL
RGV VJ23 T
RZ 350
GT 750 J....sold.....
SX-R 800
KD 80
JR 50
RZV 500 R
https://www.youtube.com/@wedgehorsepower9869/videos
User avatar
busa1300
To the on ramp
Posts: 352
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2012 7:17 pm
Country: USA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: RGV RGV RGV RGV ......
Location: Northern Indiana

Re: V4 stroker.....RZV500R new lease on life

Post by busa1300 »

I let the engine set on my bench for close to 8 months just like that.......I was just so damn tired of total nut/bolt projects...

I got my head straight and dove back in on the 1st of the year.
Pulled cranks out, and started searching/ordering parts


Image

Image

Bought ALL new bearing throughout the crank, and sent it out to Bill Bune

Image

And this showed up two weeks later

Image
MY TWO STROKE ADDICTION
TZR250SP 3XV2...
RS 250 Cup bike
RGV VJ21 L
RGV VJ22 FL
RGV VJ23 T
RZ 350
GT 750 J....sold.....
SX-R 800
KD 80
JR 50
RZV 500 R
https://www.youtube.com/@wedgehorsepower9869/videos
User avatar
busa1300
To the on ramp
Posts: 352
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2012 7:17 pm
Country: USA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: RGV RGV RGV RGV ......
Location: Northern Indiana

Re: V4 stroker.....RZV500R new lease on life

Post by busa1300 »

Cylinders got the treatment as well.
Soda blasted then single stage polyurethane paint.
Then sent to Bill Bune as well for a next size up rebore for the new pistons


Image

Image

Image
MY TWO STROKE ADDICTION
TZR250SP 3XV2...
RS 250 Cup bike
RGV VJ21 L
RGV VJ22 FL
RGV VJ23 T
RZ 350
GT 750 J....sold.....
SX-R 800
KD 80
JR 50
RZV 500 R
https://www.youtube.com/@wedgehorsepower9869/videos
User avatar
busa1300
To the on ramp
Posts: 352
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2012 7:17 pm
Country: USA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: RGV RGV RGV RGV ......
Location: Northern Indiana

Re: V4 stroker.....RZV500R new lease on life

Post by busa1300 »

Then came time to start putting things together instead of pulling things apart.

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image
MY TWO STROKE ADDICTION
TZR250SP 3XV2...
RS 250 Cup bike
RGV VJ21 L
RGV VJ22 FL
RGV VJ23 T
RZ 350
GT 750 J....sold.....
SX-R 800
KD 80
JR 50
RZV 500 R
https://www.youtube.com/@wedgehorsepower9869/videos
User avatar
busa1300
To the on ramp
Posts: 352
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2012 7:17 pm
Country: USA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: RGV RGV RGV RGV ......
Location: Northern Indiana

Re: V4 stroker.....RZV500R new lease on life

Post by busa1300 »

The frame was in excellent shape, but needed a good deep clean as well.
Soda blasted frame, swingarm, all suspension linkage, and.....lots more stuff....


Image

Image

Image
MY TWO STROKE ADDICTION
TZR250SP 3XV2...
RS 250 Cup bike
RGV VJ21 L
RGV VJ22 FL
RGV VJ23 T
RZ 350
GT 750 J....sold.....
SX-R 800
KD 80
JR 50
RZV 500 R
https://www.youtube.com/@wedgehorsepower9869/videos
User avatar
busa1300
To the on ramp
Posts: 352
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2012 7:17 pm
Country: USA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: RGV RGV RGV RGV ......
Location: Northern Indiana

Re: V4 stroker.....RZV500R new lease on life

Post by busa1300 »

Carbs got the deep clean treatment too, with soda blasting and the sonic tank.
Ready now for all new jetting throughout, as the RZV was a restricted home market model with jetting being one of the restrictions.



Image

Image
MY TWO STROKE ADDICTION
TZR250SP 3XV2...
RS 250 Cup bike
RGV VJ21 L
RGV VJ22 FL
RGV VJ23 T
RZ 350
GT 750 J....sold.....
SX-R 800
KD 80
JR 50
RZV 500 R
https://www.youtube.com/@wedgehorsepower9869/videos
User avatar
busa1300
To the on ramp
Posts: 352
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2012 7:17 pm
Country: USA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: RGV RGV RGV RGV ......
Location: Northern Indiana

Re: V4 stroker.....RZV500R new lease on life

Post by busa1300 »

A very tuff and somewhat costly decision was made to upgrade the rolling stock as well as brakes and fork on the bike.
All original parts are being restored as well, and then put up on a shelf.
When the time comes that I need to retire from riding, I will swap the original parts back on....and cash out..... A sad day it will be.

1988 is not that modern anymore, but it is better than 1984 tech.
I wanted to still look somewhat oldskool, but have better rubber and brakes, so the FZR1000 was the best choice for this project.
YZF 5.0x17 rear wheel, would need new spacers to use the original 17mm axle and original swingarm, but the front 3.5x17 FZR wheel and fork would bolt in as original.


Image

Image
MY TWO STROKE ADDICTION
TZR250SP 3XV2...
RS 250 Cup bike
RGV VJ21 L
RGV VJ22 FL
RGV VJ23 T
RZ 350
GT 750 J....sold.....
SX-R 800
KD 80
JR 50
RZV 500 R
https://www.youtube.com/@wedgehorsepower9869/videos
User avatar
busa1300
To the on ramp
Posts: 352
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2012 7:17 pm
Country: USA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: RGV RGV RGV RGV ......
Location: Northern Indiana

Re: V4 stroker.....RZV500R new lease on life

Post by busa1300 »

Wheels, brakes, and forks all got a workover, along with all new bearings and seals throughout

Image

Image

Image

Image
MY TWO STROKE ADDICTION
TZR250SP 3XV2...
RS 250 Cup bike
RGV VJ21 L
RGV VJ22 FL
RGV VJ23 T
RZ 350
GT 750 J....sold.....
SX-R 800
KD 80
JR 50
RZV 500 R
https://www.youtube.com/@wedgehorsepower9869/videos
User avatar
busa1300
To the on ramp
Posts: 352
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2012 7:17 pm
Country: USA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: RGV RGV RGV RGV ......
Location: Northern Indiana

Re: V4 stroker.....RZV500R new lease on life

Post by busa1300 »

The time finally came to start bringing it back together.....

Image

Image

Image
MY TWO STROKE ADDICTION
TZR250SP 3XV2...
RS 250 Cup bike
RGV VJ21 L
RGV VJ22 FL
RGV VJ23 T
RZ 350
GT 750 J....sold.....
SX-R 800
KD 80
JR 50
RZV 500 R
https://www.youtube.com/@wedgehorsepower9869/videos
User avatar
busa1300
To the on ramp
Posts: 352
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2012 7:17 pm
Country: USA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: RGV RGV RGV RGV ......
Location: Northern Indiana

Re: V4 stroker.....RZV500R new lease on life

Post by busa1300 »

And......where it sits as of tonight....


Image

Image

Image


The rest of this story could take another 3-6 months before its all done to my liking....



To be continued..........

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MY TWO STROKE ADDICTION
TZR250SP 3XV2...
RS 250 Cup bike
RGV VJ21 L
RGV VJ22 FL
RGV VJ23 T
RZ 350
GT 750 J....sold.....
SX-R 800
KD 80
JR 50
RZV 500 R
https://www.youtube.com/@wedgehorsepower9869/videos
User avatar
Alan H
Moto GP
Posts: 3160
Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2012 11:50 am
Country: England
Suzuki 2-Strokes: 4 x GT550s - J, M, A, B.
Location: The Republic of South Yorkshire

Re: V4 stroker.....RZV500R new lease on life

Post by Alan H »

Very nice. Lots of work gone into that project.
Keep it coming, I prefer build threads to 'look what I have' pics.
Think of how stupid the average person is, then realise that half of them are more stupid than that.
User avatar
busa1300
To the on ramp
Posts: 352
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2012 7:17 pm
Country: USA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: RGV RGV RGV RGV ......
Location: Northern Indiana

Re: V4 stroker.....RZV500R new lease on life

Post by busa1300 »

Thanks :up:
It has been a lot of work, the financial side of it has been somewhat brutal as well....
But I basically knew this project was going to empty my pockets before I bought it.

Naked for a day.....
Streetfighter style, I love the look, and being able to see all the pipes.
But all the bodywork will go back on when it's time, sadly hiding the upper pipes forever....

So here is a moment of glory for them.

Image
MY TWO STROKE ADDICTION
TZR250SP 3XV2...
RS 250 Cup bike
RGV VJ21 L
RGV VJ22 FL
RGV VJ23 T
RZ 350
GT 750 J....sold.....
SX-R 800
KD 80
JR 50
RZV 500 R
https://www.youtube.com/@wedgehorsepower9869/videos
User avatar
busa1300
To the on ramp
Posts: 352
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2012 7:17 pm
Country: USA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: RGV RGV RGV RGV ......
Location: Northern Indiana

Re: V4 stroker.....RZV500R new lease on life

Post by busa1300 »

Brakes all finished and working now

Image

520 sprockets on, new DID VX2 chain, clutch cable, sprocket cover on, footpegs and shifter hooked up....pipes hanging

Image
MY TWO STROKE ADDICTION
TZR250SP 3XV2...
RS 250 Cup bike
RGV VJ21 L
RGV VJ22 FL
RGV VJ23 T
RZ 350
GT 750 J....sold.....
SX-R 800
KD 80
JR 50
RZV 500 R
https://www.youtube.com/@wedgehorsepower9869/videos
sportston
Expert racer
Posts: 1119
Joined: Wed Jul 10, 2013 12:04 pm
Country: England, UK
Suzuki 2-Strokes: FZ50, GP100, RG125 Gamma, GT380, Bandit 1200S

Re: V4 stroker.....RZV500R new lease on life

Post by sportston »

Dude, that bike looks so sexy I almost filled my underpants!
User avatar
busa1300
To the on ramp
Posts: 352
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2012 7:17 pm
Country: USA
Suzuki 2-Strokes: RGV RGV RGV RGV ......
Location: Northern Indiana

Re: V4 stroker.....RZV500R new lease on life

Post by busa1300 »

Guess I better get some clothes on it then..... :up:

Image
MY TWO STROKE ADDICTION
TZR250SP 3XV2...
RS 250 Cup bike
RGV VJ21 L
RGV VJ22 FL
RGV VJ23 T
RZ 350
GT 750 J....sold.....
SX-R 800
KD 80
JR 50
RZV 500 R
https://www.youtube.com/@wedgehorsepower9869/videos
Post Reply