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MOTORRAD CLASSIC on the move: Suzuki sport motorcycles 1984

Competitors: Suzuki RG 500 and Suzuki GSX-R 750

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Suzuki presented the RG 500 and the GSX-R 750 in 1984. Both sports motorcycles were fundamentally different and yet were in direct competition with one another.

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Fast on the road with the sisters Suzuki RG 500 and GSX-R 750.

A quarter of a century ago, anyone who wanted an uncompromising sports motorcycle could not avoid a Suzuki. But even then, the decision remained difficult: At the IFMA in Cologne in 1984, the Japanese placed two motorcycles together on a turntable, which excited the super sports faction and could not have been more different.

Both had four cylinders and the then highly unconventional frames made of aluminum profiles and castings, but that already exhausted the similarities. The most fundamental difference: the water-cooled square-four heart of the RG 500 pulsed in two-stroke, the air / oil-cooled in-line engine of the GSX-R 750 in four-stroke. Two worldviews faced each other in a duel and nevertheless penetrated side by side into super sports regions.

Suzuki RG 500: the purest teaching of Grand Prix technology

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Suzuki RG 500.

The Suzuki RG 500 seemed to come straight from the racetrack. In 1975 Teuvo Lansivuori and Barry Sheene demonstrated their potential in the Tall Price; Lansivuori finished fourth, Sheene sixth. As early as 1976, the 500 World Cup almost turned into a Suzuki Cup; Sheene won the title, and only MV driver Giacomo Agostini broke the Suzuki phalanx of ranks 1 to 12 on rank 7.

1977 Sheene triumphed again; the tracks from 1978 to 1980 belonged to Kenny Roberts on Yamaha. Then it was Suzuki’s turn again; the world champions were Marco Luchinelli in 1981 and Franco Uncini in 1982. The last RG 500-based Production Racer left the factory in 1984, and the Suzuki RG 500 Gamma began its road career immediately afterwards.

Never before and never since has a high-volume motorcycle copied a racing machine of the premier class better: four cylinders arranged in a square, the front ones offset downwards as in the last racing models, inlet to the crankcase via four lateral rotary valves, flat slide carburetor, exhaust control, two exhausts laid at the bottom, two up in the seat hump and the six-speed cassette transmission, all of this meant the purest teaching of Grand Prix technology for racing fans.

Suzuki GSX-R 750: set standards in terms of power-to-weight ratio

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Suzuki GSX-R 750

The GSX-R 750 also borrowed from racing, especially endurance racing, but did not look back on so much fame. After all, the way she looked spoke of life on the racetrack; the air / oil cooling should reduce the weight compared to a water cooling. The technical data sounded sensational: With a full tank of fuel, the Yamaha FZ 750 undercut the Yamaha FZ 750 by a whopping 40 kg. With 100 hp, the power-to-weight ratio set new standards in the history of sports motorcycles. The name appeared "Hypersports" a bit cocky, but compared to the athletes of its time, the GSX-R 750 was actually the high-flyer on paper. Only the competitor in-house flew even higher: 181 kg to 95 hp even undercut the power-to-weight ratio of the GSX-R; the two-stroke competitor from Yamaha, the RD 500, weighed 35 kg more.

The racing history, the optics and the technical data of the two Suzukis, which turned so harmoniously at IFMA 1984, plunged me into a deep crisis. The fact that another GSX-R next door was upgraded to a 130 hp long-distance racer with the commercially available racing kit didn’t make things any better. Again and again I was drawn to the crowd at the Suzuki stand. When the rows began to thin out around 5 p.m., I sat down in front of the turntable and pondered: Which of the two would I take if I could? Above all: How could I do it, even be able to? 11990 marks for the RG or 12990 for the GSX-R were not easy to find. Our family budget was planned elsewhere, and a loan from relatives was never an option, if only because of his wife Ilse. I didn‘t dare to rob a bank. The exhibition staff returned me an hour later, still brooding, and I drove home. When two people quarrel, the third is happy: In the end, reason triumphed, and that was the built-in kitchen.

The reactions of the trade press

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Size comparison: the Suzuki RG 500 and GSX-R 750.

The relevant press did not address the agonizing question until some time later: In MOTORRAD 3/1985 the first driving report of the GSX-R 750 appeared because of the winter
Temperatures had little informative value. But shortly afterwards the GSX-R proved its qualities in a direct comparison. In MOTORRAD 6/1985 she competed against the Honda CBX 750, Kawasaki GPZ 750 and Yamaha FZ 750 and did not quite live up to her role as a favorite. In terms of performance, she defeated the rest of the athlete fraction, but above all the Yamaha not as clearly as expected.

The engine characteristics also did not meet with unanimous applause; The testers compared the power delivery with that of a turbo engine: under 3000 nothing, from 5000 to 7000 a hole and above that heavy thrust. Because of these weaknesses, the Suzuki even had to admit defeat in the driving performance of the Yamaha and only earned limited praise: "The Suzuki engine has all the characteristics of a racing engine. It has its high peak performance, but also its performance characteristics." In the chapter on driving behavior, the Suzuki impressed with its 18-inch forehead wheel with outstanding steering precision and maneuverability, but had to accept deductions of over 200 km / h due to poor driving stability. After all, it was just behind the Yamaha second place. Conclusion: "The Suzuki has a major flaw with its partly excellent qualities: the chassis shows deficiencies in straight-line stability at high speeds."

Although the comparison test unsettled the fan base, the three-quarter-liter Suzuki remained the only true athlete for them. The head office in Hamamatsu reacted quickly and a year later, at the same time as the presentation of the GSX-R 750 Limited Edition and the GSX-R 1100, the GSX-R donated stabilizing measures, for example a 30 mm longer swing arm.

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Suzuki RG 500 at brisk corner robbery.

So the premiere of the four-stroke sports car was not entirely custom-made, the two-stroke fans were still eagerly waiting for the first smoke signals from the RG 500. MOTORRAD was not due to present the driving report until the end of June 1985. At the beginning he asked the question of where the performance escalation should lead in view of the most powerful two-stroke series production of all time: "With a power-to-weight ratio of 1.9 kilograms per hp, it penetrates areas that were previously reserved for thoroughbred racing machines." The first driving impression also sounded euphoric: "In the range between 4000 and 7000 rpm, the engine clearly shows its muscles and then literally explodes. The RG willingly lifts the front wheel and does not stop pulling until the 12000 mark on the rev counter is exceeded." But as with the GSX-R, the chassis weaknesses clouded the picture: "In the case of bumps, the gamma begins to oscillate in the high-speed range."

Nevertheless, the conclusion was extremely positive: "At least on the racetrack, the RG is a lot of fun and doesn’t need to fear an opponent – unless a Gamma with Franco Uncini in the saddle." That was confirmed a booklet later; In a comparison test, the Suzuki RG 500 competed against the two-stroke competition Honda NSR 400 and Yamaha RD 500. Thanks to her sporty talents, she won the engine classification and also received almost unreserved praise in the chassis area, which brought her the overall victory: "From the racetrack to the street is not a phrase", summed up the testers.

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However, there never was an exchange of blows between the GSX-R 750 and RG 500. My burning question, which of the two you absolutely have to have, remained unanswered. To this day: A quarter of a century later, both shine in the April sun and wait to test their strengths; the original GSX-R 750, built in 1985, from collector Klaus Max Kiefer and an RG 500 from the first series from 1986.

How do the Suzuki RG 500 and GSX-R 750 drive today?

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Tea opponents want to be tested: Suzuki RG 500 and GSX-R 750.

The first contact reveals astonishing differences. The GSX-R commands its pilot in a cliched racing position: Arms long! Upper body forward! Knees pointed! He sits more in than on the motorcycle, the legs don’t harmonize with the upper body at all because of the notches that are mounted high up and too far forward.

The RG 500 allows a completely different, almost relaxed and hardly racing posture: the upper body is only slightly inclined due to the small distance between the handlebars and seat and the relatively high-positioned handlebar halves, and the legs are moderately angled thanks to the favorable position of the footrests. The driver feels more likely to be on a modern touring athlete, such as a Honda VFR that has been washed too hot, than on a factory Suzuki in the footsteps of Barry Sheene & Co.

Work with the Kickstarter comes before having fun with the RG. The engine is extremely sensitive: insiders, who dose the choke and gas sensitively, start the four-cylinder at the first step and quickly stabilize idling. Beginners pay the hard way: too little choke and nothing happens; too much choke, and oven spark plugs take time to drain. Once the RG motor has started, it cycles twice, accompanied by mechanical noises, and moaning irregularly. The tachometer signals – nothing, because its scale begins, just like on the 750, at 3000 rpm.

The clutch is astonishingly stiff and the gearbox looks wobbly. To start off, the RG requires increased speed. It even rolls through the bustle of the city with only a slight jerk, but the permanent oil plume and the relatively loud exhaust noise remind the driver to change territory as so on is possible. As soon as the thermometer shows the operating temperature, heating is allowed, but the RG acknowledges fully opened flat slides with only a moderate increase in speed. It then accelerates noticeably from 3000 to 7000 rpm. Only from 7000 rpm does the four-cylinder cheer vehemently and playfully all the way to the red area, so that the driver cheers in unison.

This is how addictions begin: Anyone who keeps the engine at speed, enjoys the jolting up from 7000 to 10000 rpm only a few times, is rewarded by dull sawing to bright singing from four exhausts and the playful forward thrust, will soon only want the throttle grip Let go of refueling.

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Setting standards: Suzuki GSX-R 750.

In comparison, the GSX-R is a downright practical motorcycle, it starts unspectacularly: the choke is pulled briefly, the start button is pressed, and the four-in-line babbles sonorous and unmistakably in idle. The hydraulically operated clutch and the gearshift work much more easily than with the RG. The engine also requires less speed to accelerate the GSX-R. It copes with low speeds without jerks, and the motor either unwillingly or not at all acknowledges the sudden opening of the flat slide. From 4000 to 7500 rpm it turns rather tough, only above does the embers blaze bright red and white: Throaty, rough and above all loudly hisses the four-cylinder from the 4-in-1 system, the Suzuki fires emphatically against the speed limit of 11,000 / min. No doubt: that was the absolute limit at the time, that’s how the epic long-distance battles of the 80s sounded.

The committed rider is still brisk on both motorcycles today, as far as the chassis – both have their own characteristics. In particular, the RG’s 16-inch front wheel and the balloon-shaped tire cross-section repeatedly gave rise to criticism. It can still be traced today even if the current Bridgestone BT 45s are installed, which, for once, do not cause a miracle cure for the RG. The contact area of ​​an elephant’s foot, wide and round, can be felt from the first few meters. The RG 500 lacks precision when turning, and the front tire only digests with discomfort on bumps and braking in an inclined position. A clean line is only established in a greater incline. In fast corners, even on a level road surface, you can feel a constant slight agitation around the vertical axis. Although it is not frightening at any point in time, it disturbs the overall impression and increases when you release the gas. How would the RG 500 behave with a 110/70 front tire on a 17-inch rim? Many owners have investigated this question and have received highly satisfactory answers.

Even with the wide 16-inch model, the handiness is outstanding and the chassis is down to comfort. The air-assisted fork with anti-dive device and the spring strut with continuously adjustable spring base react sensitively to unevenness. At the rear alone, the driver wants more damping to match the overall sporty design. The four-piston fixed calipers and the rather small, floating 260 mm brake discs at the front decelerate well, even by today’s standards. Manual strength and controllability were suspect at the time.

The GSX-R 750 has no problems with steering precision. It circles arches with precision, but requires significantly higher steering strengths and wants to be forced on course. Its chassis is noticeably tighter than that of the RG 500. The described chassis weaknesses with dangerous oscillation can only be partially understood today. In faster corners, especially with bumps, an impulse is enough to provoke a slight swing. However, even with new original tires, the unrest never assumed the critical dimensions once described. The braking system is largely disappointing, however: a doughy pressure point influences the controllability, and even high manual forces only achieve moderate deceleration. In this discipline, the GSX-R cannot nearly keep up with the RG 500, although identical four-piston fixed calipers bite into the 300 mm discs of the 18-inch front wheel.

What remains at the end of a long day?

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Similar only from the outside: Suzuki RG 500 and GSX-R 750.

At the end of a long day and after a flood of impressions, the two Suzuki bask in the last rays of the April sun: the RG 500, which heralded the farewell to the great sporty two-stroke engines 25 years ago, and the GSX -R 750, which started its Career stood. Its finely ribbed, air / oil-cooled four-cylinder, in versions from 600 to 1200 cm³, has delighted hundreds of thousands of motorcyclists in touring and super sports bikes to this day. They seem to challenge me: "Which of us do you like better now??"

This once tricky question is no longer: the RG 500 is the livelier motorcycle with ingenious power delivery that it buys with blue smoke, a loud two-stroke sound and excessive drinking habits. Your proper chassis can be improved with simple means. Last but not least, it offers a seating position and driving comfort that suits men of a set age.

The GSX-R 750, with its inhomogeneous seating position and rough manners, looks antiquated next to the RG 500. But firstly, she is much more forgiving of the environment, and secondly, she has eliminated these weaknesses over the course of a long career. Both motorcycles are extremely fascinating and, as is so often the case, personal taste decides which kind of fascination reaches the heart better.

Luckily Ilse doesn’t know yet that I’ve looked around for a Suzuki RG 500. The RG belongs in every proper household. After all, we already have a fitted kitchen.

Technical specifications

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The engine of the GSX-R 750.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
   Suzuki RG 500  Suzuki GSX-R 750
 engine
 type design

 Water-cooled

 Four-cylinder two-stroke-

 Square four engine,

 Inlet rotary valve,

 Exhaust control,

 Separate lubrication

 Air / oil cooled

 Four-cylinder four-stroke-

 In-line engine,

 oven valves per cylinder,

 two chain driven

 overhead camshafts,

 Fork rocker arm

 drilling  56 mm  70 mm  Hub  50.6 mm  48.7 mm  Displacement  499 cm3  750 cm3  compression  7.0: 1  9.8: 1  power  95 hp at 9500 rpm  100 hp at 10,500 rpm  Mixture preparation

 Flat slide carburetor,

 Mikuni, Ø 28 mm

 Flat slide carburetor,

 Mikuni, Ø 29 mm

 Electrical system
  starter  Kickstarter  Electric starter  battery  12 V / 4 Ah  12 V / 14 Ah  ignition  Capacitor ignition  Capacitor ignition  alternator  Three-phase current, 12 V / 200 W.  Three-phase current, 12 V / 250 W.  Power transmission  coupling

 Multi-disc oil bath,

 mechanically operated

 Multi-disc oil bath,

 hydraulically operated

 transmission

 Six-speed,

 claw-switched

 Six-speed,

 claw-switched

 Primary drive  Gears  Gears  Secondary drive  Chain  Chain landing gear  Frame builder

 Double loop frame

 Aluminum profiles and

 Castings

 Double loop frame

 Aluminum profiles and

 Castings

 Front wheel guide

 Telescopic fork, Ø 38 mm,

 Anti-dive

 Telescopic fork, Ø 41 mm,

 Anti-dive

 Rear wheel guide

 Two-arm swing arm out

 Aluminum profiles,

 Central strut,

 Lift redirection

 Two-arm swing arm out

 Aluminum profiles,

 Central strut,

 Lift redirection

 bikes  Cast aluminum wheels  Cast aluminum wheels  Front tires  110/90 V 16  110/80 V 18  Rear tire  120/90 V 17  140/80 V 18  Front brake

 Double disc, Ø 260 mm,

 Four-piston fixed calipers

 Double disc, Ø 300 mm,

 Four-piston fixed calipers

 rear brake

 Single disc, Ø 210 mm,

 Two-piston fixed caliper

 Single disc, Ø 220 mm,

 Two-piston fixed caliper

mass and weight  wheelbase  1425 mm  1430 mm  Weight  181 kg  201 kg  Tank capacity  22 liters  19 liters Performance  Top speed  229 km / h  226 km / h  0-100 / 0-160 km / h  4.0 / 9.5 s  3.9 / 8.5 s  PRICE  11,990 marks (1985)  12,990 marks (1985)  MANUFACTURING  Suzuki Motor Co. Ltd.,
  Hamamatsu, Japan

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