other bikes

[Bumblebee]

I love 2-strokes
How does that 500 compare to a stock 05/06 Gsxr1000?
Does it at all?

I rode a couple RG500s and an RG250 along with a couple RZ500s one being the rare aluminum frame model (RZR) and I know my '02 Gixxer 1K would have killed them all in pretty much every aspect.....

They win by sound and smell alone......especially in the days of MotoGP 2 strokes......as soon as you start one of those you are looking for the starting line.....

[Kiwi Rider]

This is what I've got left after I thinned the herd before moving...and a pic of my teenage dream bike which I finally got and in pristine,stock condition...then modded it and stupidly sold it. I still lose sleep at night. Im such an idiot!!!

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A turbo K6 GSXR?? I had a stock one, that was fast enough lol
That RG500 looks so clean… you say you modded it?
. . . What? Like extended swingarm and a turbo..

[Kiwi Rider]

I rode a couple RG500s and an RG250 along with a couple RZ500s one being the rare aluminum frame model (RZR) and I know my '02 Gixxer 1K would have killed them all in pretty much every aspect.....

They win by sound and smell alone......especially in the days of MotoGP 2 strokes......as soon as you start one of those you are looking for the starting line.....

You’re dead right there Bill… I too have ridden a RG500 and owned a K6 GSXR1000… no comparison, the RG was fun but felt ancient in every way after having a K6 for 3 years.

[Kiwi Rider]

I love 2-strokes
How does that 500 compare to a stock 05/06 Gsxr1000?
Does it at all?

Nope, not at all…. I’ve owned a K6 GSXR and had a good ride on a RG500 and the Gixxer would run tings around the old world e RG lol

[oldgixxer]

I love 2-strokes
How does that 500 compare to a stock 05/06 Gsxr1000?
Does it at all?

Handling wise it was a lot more nimble up to about 80-90mph then if pushed harder you could tell you were on a 20yr old bike even though it had a Fox shock and Race Tech modified forks. That's w the 600 Katana wheels & Michelin Pilot tires. It was significantly more comfortable and upright vs the K5/6 and the engine/exhaust noises blew the K5/6 into the weeds lol. Think there is only a 15-20lb difference in weight & the K5/6 made 2x the power&handling was in an entire different league than a RG.
But,when you rolled up to a Sunday morning hang out on a Gamma the entire lot would gather around asking questions and taking pics. Not so much on a K5 lol

I ordered Jolly Moto pipes from Italy. Power-band was tight;went from less than 35-40hp til the power valves(SAEC they called it) opened IIRC around 7-7500rpm then jumped to 75-80rwhp and peaked around 90-ish with the pipes&jetted carbs. So you literally doubled your rwhp in a few thousand rpm range which was a blast unless you were mid-corner lol! The OEM setup was a 110/90-16 and 120/90-17 and it felt sketchy at higher speeds even going straight. I never really pushed it as I treated it as irreplaceable. The tank was 100% mint as well as all the OEM paint&plastics etc so if I crashed it that'd be it as parts were super rare. Got to the point where I was too nervous to ride it worried it would get stolen or some squid would take me out so it sat for a few years in the mancave on display. Was always an instant conversation starter. I sold it for a hefty profit but I knew I would never be able to replace it. Definitely miss it. Oh well

[oldgixxer]

I rode a couple RG500s and an RG250 along with a couple RZ500s one being the rare aluminum frame model (RZR) and I know my '02 Gixxer 1K would have killed them all in pretty much every aspect.....

They win by sound and smell alone......especially in the days of MotoGP 2 strokes......as soon as you start one of those you are looking for the starting line.....

A friend at the time had a mint RZ-500 he bought brand new and had Jolly Moto's on it. It sounded a lot nastier than the RG,made more power and was faster in a straight line. He also owned a bike shop w dyno so he had his dialed in 100%. Think he sold it for $35k about 10yrs ago

[Bumblebee]

A friend at the time had a mint RZ-500 he bought brand new and had Jolly Moto's on it. It sounded a lot nastier than the RG,made more power and was faster in a straight line. He also owned a bike shop w dyno so he had his dialed in 100%. Think he sold it for $35k about 10yrs ago

The Yamahas had that 6,000rpm entry into their powerband......even my old RD400F had that and when it hit 6k it went nuts......my RZ did the same and the other RZs I rode did this as well even when tuned or modified.....

The RGs I rode came into their powerbands a little later (as you well know). I rode one on the track and other than sounding like a MotoGP bike of the time, my lap times on my then '85 GSXR race bike was far faster even though the RG was race prepped.....

I loved the sound of a well tuned 2 stroke though......my RD had Micron expansion chambers while my RZ had DG pipes.......awesome sounds.....