"TZV500R" Retro Rebuild;

Got a customizing or restoration project? Post your progress pictures and updates here

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JungleJustice
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Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2010 1:29 am
Location: Seattle, WA - USA

"TZV500R" Retro Rebuild;

#1 Post by JungleJustice » Mon Jul 19, 2010 11:11 pm

So, right now I only own a pile of very expensive parts (including some flat-slides that are already on the bike) and I am wondering what the heck I was thinking!? Two RZ500s (and the old ' 80 GS1100 E) on-top of all of the Alfas!? Oh well...

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Last edited by JungleJustice on Wed Oct 02, 2013 7:18 pm, edited 4 times in total.
Anything with an engine in it...

JungleJustice
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Location: Seattle, WA - USA

#2 Post by JungleJustice » Tue Jul 20, 2010 12:46 am

A bit confused on the FZR1000 / YZF / R1 / R6 designations and other specific differences of parts that are on the bike. Any clarity would be very much appreciated! As far as I understand it, this bike was raced around tracks on the west coast and lived in the Pacific Northwest (Seattle, Washington area) for a number of years and was actually very fast.

The steel frame that it came with has gussets welded in at the t-spars by the neck! The lower motor has some specific initials and a date scribed into the head - looks like JJ 10/92?

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Last edited by JungleJustice on Mon Sep 30, 2013 7:43 pm, edited 8 times in total.
Anything with an engine in it...

JungleJustice
Posts: 228
Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2010 1:29 am
Location: Seattle, WA - USA

#3 Post by JungleJustice » Tue Jul 20, 2010 12:47 am

The story is that she was laid down at SIR, eventfully frame-off restored, frame-gussets welded in etc and then sold before completed to the gentleman that I bought it from here in Seattle. He did the inverted fork conversion, rear swing-arm conversion and bought a pile of new parts for the bike, but never got around to finishing it! There are some EBC floating discs on R1 calipers, FZR wheels - I think - 4 fresh cans from somebody in the UK and boxes of other parts - including the stock carbs and some extra R1 calipers!

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Last edited by JungleJustice on Mon Sep 30, 2013 7:45 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Anything with an engine in it...

JungleJustice
Posts: 228
Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2010 1:29 am
Location: Seattle, WA - USA

#4 Post by JungleJustice » Tue Jul 20, 2010 12:48 am

It's now all up to me (scary...) I want to build something nice - street-legal, but barely so. Not too radical, but individual enough! My other bike is stock, but as with my Alfa Romeos, it is in my nature to modify, so this is a good project for me to have, so that I will leave the other bike alone! I love Adrian's down under - with the R6 bodywork - as well as hybrid's custom bike and would welcome some input!

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Last edited by JungleJustice on Mon Sep 30, 2013 7:48 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Anything with an engine in it...

JungleJustice
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Location: Seattle, WA - USA

#5 Post by JungleJustice » Tue Jul 20, 2010 12:48 am

I am short a fairing and I am not sure that I like the rear section / cowls all that much either, so I am open to suggestions and offers of available parts still needed!

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Last edited by JungleJustice on Mon Sep 30, 2013 7:53 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Anything with an engine in it...

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Andrew
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#6 Post by Andrew » Tue Jul 20, 2010 6:13 am

The expansions are Nikkon's from the UK. I don't think they're going anymore???

It looks like the 'box of bits' was quite complete. It's now just up to you to put them all in the right place and get her running.

Keep us posted...
:cool:
Andy (UK)
RZV500R
FRC
Faster Faster !!!

Blackshaheen
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#7 Post by Blackshaheen » Tue Jul 20, 2010 7:36 am

I like what I see already. The rear sprocket/disc/caliper set up looks very well done and the swingarm appears to sit very nicely. Your options are too numerous and I can't make my mind up about my own bike so I'm certainly not going try and suggest what you should do. I wish you the very best with it and look forward to seeing where you take her.
Cheers and congratulations!
D.

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#8 Post by RGVSTEVE » Tue Jul 20, 2010 11:21 am

JungleJustice,

The swingarm was one I did years ago for another guy, front end may
be one I did as well, hard to say from the pictures.
Mufflers look like the ones Nigel Kimber builds, NK Racing in the UK.

Nice looking project.

JungleJustice
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#9 Post by JungleJustice » Tue Jul 20, 2010 11:54 am

Thanks guys!

One quick question on the rear-end; when I stand in-front of the bike and I look back across the rear frame section and wheel, the rear wheels appears to reside off-center to the right of the bike. The wheel sits seemingly straight inside of the swing-arm - the tire spaced pretty evenly left to right - but the swing-arm seems off..!? The seller mentioned something about spacers to center things, but without removing it all again to evaluate what moves and what doesn't, what adjusts and what doesn't, I am a bit lost here...

The main bike frame appears to be quite straight when I gauge the positioning of the motor in the frame and the sprockets line-up, but the rear wheel and swing-arm appears to be off to the right a bit.

Steve, any identifiable markings, or close-up pics to look for - tell-tale signs that can possibly identify the work as some of yours...? The way the rear is welded-up / boxed, or something?

Perhaps a name of somebody here in Seattle that you helped out with one of these for me to match up to the names that I have? And the front - maybe the triples - something to look for? Feel free to email me via john@gatewaypartner.com

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Last edited by JungleJustice on Mon Sep 30, 2013 8:02 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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#10 Post by RGVSTEVE » Tue Jul 20, 2010 12:32 pm

JungleJustice,

Looking at the picture taken from the left side, the cover plate for the
shock opening, the welds are hard to see, but looks like my work, on
the bottom there's a plate welded in place between the "A" brackets, the
front and back have a scalop ( for lack of a better word ) shape cut out,
there welded to what was the plate installed at the factory, if this is one
I did.
I've done 5 of the 750 arms, I did one for Brian Zapotsky in Wis. years
ago, sent the arm back, he had it powder coated in a Matte black color,
sent the arm back and want to know if I could set up the rear brake
bracket like the newer bikes have so we could get rid of the brake arm,
he got the parts for the R6 ( brake calipher and bracket ) sent them to
me then lost interest. After a couple years setting in the garage I sent it
back, last I heard he sold it or traded it off.

On the front end I build a sleeve to reduce the hole in the upper triple clamp from whatever size the donor front end is to fit the RZ stem, I swap
the stem when I do them, I just prefer the finished product, there would
also be an alum. washer with a bevel on the edge under the steeing stem
nut ( if I did this front end ).

JungleJustice
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#11 Post by JungleJustice » Fri Jul 23, 2010 11:24 am

Thanks again Steve, I'll have a look-see for any discernable markings to further identify the work.

The rear wheel and swing-arm off-set to the right is highly suspect to me; I'll have to pull it all apart and see what's up there!

I have identified the fiberglass rear cowl as the Airtech part number RZ5001 and I will be selling that (as I am going in a different direction with the body-work on the bike)! The standard rear wheel and tire can also go - along with the standard carbs and some other sundry parts in the bins that I won't be using! I will likely sell the standard frame (if I manage to get an RZV frame for the build).

Can you guys please confirm what front fork this is on the bike now, what rear swing-arm and what bike those calipers are off of! There are much sharper eyes out there than mine... Thanks!

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Last edited by JungleJustice on Mon Sep 30, 2013 7:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Grumpy
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#12 Post by Grumpy » Fri Jul 23, 2010 2:00 pm

The fork looks like 2004/05 R6, (R1???)
Same for front calipers.
Swing-arm and rear caliper GSX-R750 Suzuki I think.
The older I get, the faster I was!


Bikes:
RZV500R
RD350LC (x2)
KH500
RD350N2
CB500/4 K1
CB400/4 F1
Ducati Monster 1100

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#13 Post by RGVSTEVE » Fri Jul 23, 2010 5:18 pm

JungleJustice,

If the rear wheel is off-set to the right then the wheel has been set-up wrong.

This swingarm ( the way I do them ) with the stock 750 rear wheel and
brake bracket and calipher installed is exactly where the factory
designed it to be, doing the 520 chain and sprocket conversion has an
off set for the front sprocket to line up of approx, 3mm.

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YZF750 swingarm

#14 Post by 0094 » Sat Jul 24, 2010 5:25 am

G'Day from Australia, I like your YZF750 swingarm conversion. I have a similar swingarm, what mods are required to fit the YZF750 swingarm into an RZ500, I have an FZR600R rear wheel for the conversion as well, your advice would be great, thanks.

Best regards, James Hunter
James Hunter CLUBRZ Australia / Extreme Moto Imports

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rzatch
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#15 Post by rzatch » Sun Jul 25, 2010 1:55 pm

It's not a YZF arm. The YZF doesn't have the rear hugger mounting hole next to the shock opening. So I think Grumpy is right in thinking it's a GSXR wheel

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