RZ500 gathering

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Ron57
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RZ500 gathering

#1 Post by Ron57 » Sat Oct 20, 2018 8:01 am

Hi, does anyone know anything about this photo. Maybe Japan.

Image
Cheers Ron.

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ns86
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Re: RZ500 gathering

#2 Post by ns86 » Sat Oct 20, 2018 12:23 pm

Looks like the RZV500r 30th Anniversary gathering in Japan.
1985 RZ500
1986 RG500
1986 RG500 C
1992 RGV500 WW ATR
1992 RGV500 LS
1985 NS500 Spencer p
1989 TZR500 Biaggi p
1984 RZV500 Rainey p
1994 NSR250sp R
1983 NS250 p
1987 RG250 WW p
1983 RG250 p
1988 YSR50 p

silverstrom
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Re: RZ500 gathering

#3 Post by silverstrom » Sat Oct 20, 2018 1:15 pm

It is.

viewtopic.php?f=34&t=12868" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

podman
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Re: RZ500 gathering

#4 Post by podman » Sat Oct 20, 2018 3:28 pm

silverstrom wrote:It is.

viewtopic.php?f=34&t=12868" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Thanks for searching that out , must have been amazing to have been at the actual event..even if you didnt speak Japanese!

Ron57
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Re: RZ500 gathering

#5 Post by Ron57 » Sun Oct 21, 2018 12:58 am

Hi John, thanks that's amazing how much development went into designing the RZ.
I wonder what sort of upgrade were they working on before the production run was stopped.
Now the 40th anniversary, would be nice to put it on the bucket list.
Cheers Ron.

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jackson.40
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Re: RZ500 gathering

#6 Post by jackson.40 » Sun Oct 21, 2018 4:21 am

Here is the interview with the engineers from this event


viewtopic.php?f=17&t=13023" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

silverstrom
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Re: RZ500 gathering

#7 Post by silverstrom » Sun Oct 21, 2018 2:49 pm

I wonder if there will ever be another bike built that will unite people decades later like the RZ/RZV/RD500 and RG500 have. In these days of disposable everything I find it had to imagine todays millennials having a combined interest in any machine when they hit middle age.

podman
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Re: RZ500 gathering

#8 Post by podman » Sun Oct 21, 2018 4:01 pm

jackson.40 wrote:Here is the interview with the engineers from this event


viewtopic.php?f=17&t=13023" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Another great read , thanks...I never knew they only had 1 x 2T tank on the RZV , just to lose more weight..and Europe "demanded the rigidity of an Iron frame" !

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Re: RZ500 gathering

#9 Post by podman » Sun Oct 21, 2018 4:05 pm

silverstrom wrote: In these days of disposable everything I find it had to imagine todays millennials having a combined interest in any machine when they hit middle age.
I honestly believe now , when the millennials reach middle age, fossil fuel vehicles will be limited to museums/collections and only run at "off road" licenced events, they just wont be allowed on the roads, I hope im wrong but from what ive seen in recent weeks, it seems more likely than ever to me.

silverstrom
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Re: RZ500 gathering

#10 Post by silverstrom » Sun Oct 21, 2018 5:22 pm

That makes me feel very, very old.

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ns86
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Re: RZ500 gathering

#11 Post by ns86 » Sun Oct 21, 2018 6:02 pm

Podman said
when the millennials reach middle age, fossil fuel vehicles will be limited to museums/collections
In Europe you are probably correct. The situation in North America is in reality going the opposite direction. Europe is doing more than the rest and is really going it alone now. I wish, but do not see things changing here or in Asia and India. Canada's Carbon output is really very small by world standards currently, but they are trying desperately to get our Tar to Asia. In Ontario, they just dropped all Green rebates for Electric Cars and Green home energy upgrades since our own Wanna be Trump won power. Trump is gutting Manufactuter fuel economy standards and about to muzzle California's EPA standards. Pickup trucks and SUV's just keep getting bigger. The status quo 1% are digging their heels in now and change here will not be like Europe. Asia is adding tens of millions of vehicles to the roads per year. The future Is questionable now, we only need to look next door at Mars to see the end results. Silly humans!

Personal disclaimer- Although I have a ton of smokers, I am retired, drive a car/ truck minimally and drive a bike maybe 15 minutes a week at best, so i'm doing my best to conserve actually.
Last edited by ns86 on Sun Oct 21, 2018 7:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1985 RZ500
1986 RG500
1986 RG500 C
1992 RGV500 WW ATR
1992 RGV500 LS
1985 NS500 Spencer p
1989 TZR500 Biaggi p
1984 RZV500 Rainey p
1994 NSR250sp R
1983 NS250 p
1987 RG250 WW p
1983 RG250 p
1988 YSR50 p

silverstrom
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Re: RZ500 gathering

#12 Post by silverstrom » Sun Oct 21, 2018 6:28 pm

ns86 wrote: In Ontario, they just dropped all Green rebates for Electric Cars and Green home energy upgrades since our own Wanna be Trump won power.
They also ended emissions testing.

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ns86
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Re: RZ500 gathering

#13 Post by ns86 » Sun Oct 21, 2018 7:56 pm

Sorry for the Hijack. I just don't understand the logic in going with basically 2 different twin designs and coupling them. From the engine side view it's obvious for the layout chosen I just think there might have been a better alternative. It is a fairly unusual choice to say the least. Looks to me to be a compromise because of space but what do I know? Any engineers on here that can explain it?
1985 RZ500
1986 RG500
1986 RG500 C
1992 RGV500 WW ATR
1992 RGV500 LS
1985 NS500 Spencer p
1989 TZR500 Biaggi p
1984 RZV500 Rainey p
1994 NSR250sp R
1983 NS250 p
1987 RG250 WW p
1983 RG250 p
1988 YSR50 p

silverstrom
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Re: RZ500 gathering

#14 Post by silverstrom » Sun Oct 21, 2018 8:15 pm

They may have said it reduced weight, but I think it's also likely that with the power output being restricted the engineers felt there was no need for the extra 2T oil capacity. Less power means less consumption.

Reverse engineer that line of thinking and you have the steel framed RZ/RD500 with more weight and more power and the need for more oil over the same amount of fuel consumed. The easiest solution is to add the sub tank with just enough extra capacity to allow the RZ/RD500 to meet the same fuel to oil ratio of the lighter and less powerful RZV500. The lighter and less powerful RZV would use less fuel and, thus, less oil. If that is the baseline for mileage and oil consumption and the engineers wanted that same ratio for the heavier and more powerful steel framed bikes it necessitated an increase in oil capacity, thus, the sub tank.

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Jeff B
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Re: RZ500 gathering

#15 Post by Jeff B » Sun Oct 21, 2018 8:26 pm

I believe it boils down to a combination of two things. Engineers not allowed to use real GP technology and not wanting to have cylinders pointing downwards in a production bike.

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