YAMAHA RZV 500 R

Country of Manufacture: Japan
Year: 1987
Vin #: 51X020684
Frame: Hand welded aluminum tubing & aluminum castings at key stress points
Suspension:
Front: Telescopic, air assisted coil spring, adjustable spring preload, adjustable rebound damping with brake linked anti-dive system
Rear: Link-type, gas/oil damped, 5-way adjustable spring preload/4-way adjustable damping
Wheels: Cast alloy
Brakes:
Front: Dual 267mm discs with 2 piston calipers
Rear: Single 245mm disc with 2 piston calipers
Weight (dry): 196 kg. (432lb)-20 lbs. lighter than 452 lb. steel framed “Rest of World” export RD 500
Tank Capacity: 22 Liters (5.8 US gal/4.8 Imperial gal)
Horsepower:
64 bhp @ 9500 rpm (unmodified Japanese specifications before de-restricting)
88 bhp @ 9500 rpm (modified by de-restricting exhausts and revising carburetor jetting)
Gearbox: 6 Speed, constant mesh
Engine:
Type: 2 stroke, V4. Twin crank. Water cooled
Cylinders: 4
Displacement: 499 cc
Compression Ratio: 6.6:1
Carburetors: 4 x 26mm Mikuni (side mounted)        
Clutch: Wet, multiple discs, cable operated
Primary Drive: Chain
Exhaust: 4-one per cylinder                
Top Speed: 148 mph (238 km/h)

History: Following the success in the early 1980’s of Kenny Roberts and the Yamaha YZR 500 Gran Prix motorcycle, Yamaha decided to build a road going replica.  Using similar technology, the road going bike was available in two versions: the steel framed RD 500 in various forms for export markets and the lighter aluminum framed version, the RZV 500 R for the Japanese domestic market. The domestic motorcycle was detuned by restricting the internal diameter of the exhaust pipes and changing the carburetor jetting-both easily reversed and resulting in an equally powerful but significantly lighter and faster motorcycle. Other upgrades on the RZV 500 R were: a different gauge arrangement, air assisted front forks with preload adjustment from the top of the forks, aluminum clip-on handlebars and brake and gear levers and, the obtrusive rear mounted pillion grab handle was deleted for a cleaner look.

Production: Over the 1984-1986 period, 3700 Japanese version RZV 500 R’s (frame prefix 51X) were built.
Steel framed “Rest of World” models designated RZ 500 (also known as RD 500 LC-England,
RZ 500 N-Australia, RZ 500 S-Europe) production amounted to a total 2932 units (comprised of 2050 frame prefix 52X, and 882 frame prefix 53G. Frame prefixes 47X & 1GE models are very early and very late UK models and production #’s are included in the RD 500 LC model count.

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