RZV500R (51X early models - 1GG late models) ? Wikipedia!

RZ-RD-RZV.... and everything in between

Moderator: rztom

Post Reply
Message
Author
snimmisnai
- - - - -
- - - - -
Posts: 95
Joined: Sat Aug 09, 2008 7:14 am
Location: Devon, England.
Contact:

RZV500R (51X early models - 1GG late models) ? Wikipedia!

#1 Post by snimmisnai » Wed Sep 10, 2008 12:30 pm

According to Wikipedia (!) the RZV had two different model numbers. Is this correct?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_RD5 ... by_country
1997 CBR900RR
1991 NX650 Dominator
1987 CR250R
1985 CR500R

User avatar
rztom
Site Admin
Posts: 1328
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2005 10:53 am
Location: Temecula, CA - USA

Re: RZV500R (51X early models - 1GG late models) ? Wikipedi

#2 Post by rztom » Thu Sep 11, 2008 10:50 pm

snimmisnai wrote:According to Wikipedia (!) the RZV had two different model numbers. Is this correct?
Not according to my compiled serial number info. 51X is the only prefix I've ever seen for the RZV...

You have to consider that Wikipedia is based on info supplied by users - not always the most accurate. There are several inconsistencies in the article you reference - take for instance, the pic of the "RD-LC speedometer and tachometer".... I may be wrong, but I don't think, in any country the bike was imported in, that MPH was the predominant figure on the speedo clock. The only other country, besides the U.S., that uses MPH for speed indication is the UK - and I don't think that UK RD's came that way. Which would indicate a retrofit from another bike for the speedo on the bike in the pic - although that's not "mentioned." :???:

Can any of our UK peeps confirm this for me? :cool:

User avatar
jackson.40
*****
*****
Posts: 2328
Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2005 7:01 pm
Location: Cambridge,UK

#3 Post by jackson.40 » Sat Sep 13, 2008 1:41 pm

Hi Tom,Just check my uk speedo and it is correct but like you say there are inconsistencies in the article .The Australia bikes were 53g and not 52x and the Canada bikes were 52x with the 1vx late in the run.As for the 1gg i can not find any Yamaha with that model code.

Gary B
Posts: 94
Joined: Sat Jun 23, 2007 1:38 pm
Location: Northants, England

#4 Post by Gary B » Sun Sep 14, 2008 3:42 pm

Good spot guys! 'Wikipedia' in this case is just me as I wrote the article from scratch.

All the photos except the racer of course are of my 500, the speedo is normal for the UK and I have a second one like it.

Looking at the RZV model numbers I looked at my references which are two different copies of the RZV parts manual, one is labelled RZV500R (51X) and the other RZV500R (1GG) but both manuals just say '51X' on the page with colour codes. They are both in Japanese so it is a bit of a mystery what a '1GG' is or was. I will correct the article.

The country codes came from the appendices to the UK Yamaha RD500LC parts manual, that's all I had to go on.

I've tried to make the article as accurate as possible even bearing in mind that Wikipedia is not supposed to be used as a primary reference for anything, it's a bit of fun and hopefully readers will at least learn something of the bike.

Cheers

Gary

Gary B
Posts: 94
Joined: Sat Jun 23, 2007 1:38 pm
Location: Northants, England

#5 Post by Gary B » Sun Sep 14, 2008 3:56 pm

I just had another look at this (I hate mysteries!)

I think 51X and 1GG are different codes for the same thing, there is a list here: http://www.cmsnl.com/faq.php?fq_catid=15

I guess Yamaha changed the format of their model codes at some time which makes sense as the two bikes I have are a 47X and a 1GE (although I know they are slightly different models).

My FJ1200 is a 3CV.

The list shows RZ500's as 1GF and 1GH.

Now I'm proper confused!!

RZVTokyo
Posts: 149
Joined: Fri Jun 27, 2008 12:35 pm
Location: Tokyo, Japan

51X and 1GG differences

#6 Post by RZVTokyo » Tue Feb 16, 2010 10:16 pm

I just confirmed with a local dealer that, regarding the manuals, 51X is the same as the 47X models and the 1GG is the same as a 1GE manual. You can check this by cross-referencing the P/Ns on certain parts in the manuals.

For RZVs, all that is stamped on the engine cases is "51X". There are no VIN numbers stamped. To differentiate a 47X spec RZV and 1GG spec RZV, one must look at the top yoke, upper exhaust baffles, flywheel #, VIN, oil tank color, air box, CDI, etc...

I think this information is correct. If it isn't, I may have misunderstood the dealer's Japanese. Japanese is a tough language to speak :shock:

User avatar
Andrew
- - - - -
- - - - -
Posts: 1333
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2005 7:58 am
Location: Leicestershire. UK

Re: 51X and 1GG differences

#7 Post by Andrew » Wed Feb 17, 2010 8:03 am

RZVTokyo wrote:For RZVs, all that is stamped on the engine cases is "51X". There are no VIN numbers stamped.
My RZV motor has nothing stamped anywhere ???
The small area behind the top right barrel on my bike is blank. Is anyone else's the same???
Andy (UK)
RZV500R
FRC
Faster Faster !!!

garfield
- - - - -
- - - - -
Posts: 87
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2009 5:48 pm
Location: Ireland

#8 Post by garfield » Wed Feb 17, 2010 9:07 am

I can confirm mine has 51X and nothing else. not near the machine till sat so cant post an image.

smurf 1
Posts: 137
Joined: Tue Apr 27, 2010 5:55 pm
Location: Staffordshire UK
Contact:

#9 Post by smurf 1 » Thu May 27, 2010 5:23 am

I got a set of NOS crankcases to put in one of mine a while ago and these have no numbers at all just like Andrews. I asked a dealer to find out for me if this was right, he said Yamaha europe said that spare crankcases in those days had no numbers so that dealers could stamp on original No's the set I got were still in all the original packing and had all std paint and no signs that there had ever been any numbers on them so it must be right.
RD500 47 X 1985
DUCATI S2R 2005
AJS 650 DL 1959
http://www.motorbike-restoration.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Alan

User avatar
Andrew
- - - - -
- - - - -
Posts: 1333
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2005 7:58 am
Location: Leicestershire. UK

#10 Post by Andrew » Thu May 27, 2010 7:32 pm

Hi Smurph.

I've had my bike for the last 20+ years and never thought anything of it until I split the cases to balance and weld the cranks. That's when my crank guru said something was fishy.
At the time I made a few enquires but came up with nothing.

Now after all these years, I'm convinced the motor/cases must have been changed in it's early days for some reason.

It's still a RZV motor because the case change must have been done in Japan before I found and imported it, and it has all the magnesium bits in the right places.

??????????????????????????????
Andy (UK)
RZV500R
FRC
Faster Faster !!!

smurf 1
Posts: 137
Joined: Tue Apr 27, 2010 5:55 pm
Location: Staffordshire UK
Contact:

#11 Post by smurf 1 » Fri May 28, 2010 6:56 am

Hi Andrew
The box mine came with had 51x on the outside and I was a bit worried too but i'm not selling it so it will do for me I suppose I could stamp new No's on them but it might look even more fishy so I will just leave as is. I've had that one 16 years so it is part of the family now think I will be buried with it if the tree huggers will let me coz it will be fueled and ready to go in the next world. Two stroke heaven.
RD500 47 X 1985
DUCATI S2R 2005
AJS 650 DL 1959
http://www.motorbike-restoration.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Alan

Post Reply