RZ Project III or is it IV?

[Yellow and Black RZ]

Finally "done" with this part.
Now I can proceed with setting the upper shock position and ride height.

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[Yellow and Black RZ]

Shock mocked up. Bottom of link will be parallel to ground. I have to trim a nub off the shock or clearance the shock slot a little bit. Long swingarm links will be made to the length needed. I drilled a bunch of holes just to get close.
This is at stock ride height. I’d like to go 1/2”-1” higher but I have to verify front and rear sprocket horizontal alignment to be where it should be.
I’m glad things are falling into place where I hoped they would. Some serious crossing fingers over the last decade.

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[Yellow and Black RZ]

Recently began thinking about making things easier by going with a 160 tire and the 10mm offset sprocket.
Mainly because with an 18mm offset sprocket the chain interferes with the engine side cover. I thought about spacers but the shifter shaft spline is right where the side cover sits. I could space the cover out further and have the shift linkage inside the cover but I'm not into that. I rolled the bike in the driveway over the weekend and gave it a good wash. After seeing her shine again I really am happy with the wheels and suspension. I've also realized a 160 tire on a 5.5" wheel is a no no so I'd have to settle with a 170mm or find a 5" wheel but I don't want to spend more money. I can not move the engine left or the exhaust will not fit in between the front frame tubes.

I ordered a 10mm offset sprocket to see if 8mm less offset sprocket and 10mm less tire width will get me where I need to be.

I'll be making pattern for the swingarm linkage frame mount. Plan to have that welded in by the end of the weekend.

[RuZty]

I'm running a 150 on a 4" wheel and it's plenty of tire for an RZ350. No offset sprocket and machined cush drive and the chain clears the tire by a few mm.

[Questo vecchio rz]

My conversion uses a MC21 17x 4.5. rear wheel floating in a FZRRrr DeltaBox swinger. I have a offset sprocket, I forget what width during a mock-up a year or so ago it seems like it was going to be fine the bike had it before I disassembled it so I'm assuming it will be fine again. But I've also had some swing arm modifications RGV Steve corrected for me. He basically corrected all the sloppy work the previous owner/builder did.
Should be nice if I ever get around to finishing this thing ....

[Yellow and Black RZ]

Received 10mm offset sprocket from blastfromthepast.
Centered wheel/tire in frame/swingarm.
Ran a string from tire face forward to verify parallel to frame.
Ran a string from rear sprocket face to front sprocket face.
Ran another string from rear sprocket back face to front sprocket back face.

Measuring distance between strings front to back reveals I'm about 1/16" difference front to rear.

I have to double check and recheck a few times to be sure but I seem to be okay with a 180 tire.

[Questo vecchio rz]

Forgot to mention I run a 150 probably could get a 160?
If you've got the geometry to get a 180 on there and it works roll with it! I remember asking Jamie James at Laguna Seca how his RZ worked with his setup and I believe he ran a 180 on that and that's coming from a AMA superbike champion when he said it's one of the best little bikes he's ever been ridden..... That's all the proof you need.

[Yellow and Black RZ]

Tacked in the upper and lower shock mounts.
Everything is very well lined up and the suspension actually works again.
Considering it's not the correct shock and the change in dogbone length, it feels really good, at least just sitting on it.

Pipes fit too.

Ignore the chain tension, I had the engine blocked up for welding the lower mount.

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[Yellow and Black RZ]

Got some more done today.
Digging out parts. Seeing what fits and what needs refinishing.

Pipes fit! First time I’ve fit these up since new.
15 years is a long time to drag a set of pipes around the country.

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Last time registered was 2006.

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[tacky1]

Oh man thats looking good,

[85RZwade]

Looks great, you are so close!

[Yellow and Black RZ]

Thank you! So happy to be making progress on this.
Every day my kid wants to sit on it. On his birthday he asked for a ride so I pushed him up and down the driveway a few times. :D

Only major work left to be done is welding in the rear engine mounts and boxing in the lower shock mount. After that its just finish welding all of it.
I plan to rattlecan the frame where raw steel. Once it's running and everything done is okay I'll take it all apart again and have it powder coated.

Opened the tank up and was glad to see no rust. The smell brought me back to the days when I used to ride it.

At this point I'm missing some little things that I may find in a box hidden somewhere.

Rear tank rubber/hold down.
Front tank mount rubber mounts.
The C shaped rubber mounts for side panels.
Left side engine cover bolts.
Chain guide plastic piece for swingarm (make my own out of nylon).
I have an original radiator in unknown condition and an F4i curved radiator. The curved rad could be neat but mounting it is a bit ugly.
Seat cowl mounting bolts and spacers.
Have to repair a couple cracks on the seat cowl mounting eyes.
...and probably 100 other things I'm not remember and/or haven't dealt with yet.

[Yellow and Black RZ]

Can't resist posting a few more pics.

I've held on to and haven't lost this cap and key for a long time.
Originals from my RZ before it was totaled.
I also have the matching ignition tumbler. I plan to adapt it to the triple tree.

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Do your no rust dance.

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Maybe because they were never intended to work together, I love seeing the F4i shock poking through a Suzuki swingarm.

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[Yellow and Black RZ]

Rear engine mounts have been tacked in. I basically jacked the engine up to a spot that looked right, squared to the swing arm and tacked it there.

Now on to sprocket alignment!

I finally woke up and realized a simple way to verify front and rear sprocket alignment.

I used a laser level and a round piece of aluminum (machined flat/square) clamped to each sprocket to extend the level away to clear the motorcycle frame.
Setup a board 4 and 8 feet away and marked it at 3 different heights at each sprocket 12", 18" and 26" off the ground.

Front and rear sprockets are pointing to practically the exact same points at both 4 foot and 8 foot distances... and its repeatable.

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Glad to have confirmed alignment is okay. I can now take it apart and finish weld engine mounts and upper and lower shock mounts.
I do need to weld in a battery box bracket.

[two-stroke-brit]

thats precise .
its all looking very nice.
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