Ron Grant/RG500 Suzuki [Archive]

14th August 2005, 18:52

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I have always thought that the RG500 Suzuki got it's RG title from Ron Grant, a Kiwi who went over to the US in the early/mid 70's and worked for Suzuki.

I had a discussion with someone about this yesterday, and I'd love to be proved right (the other party in the discussion didn't know anything about RG meaning Ron Grant).

Does anyone know any more about this, or can anyone point me to a fairly official website that might tell me? (couldn't find anything immediately on a quick google search so thought I'd come to the NZ motorcycling authority, KiwiBiker!!!)
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Wellyman

14th August 2005, 19:00

My dad still has and RG500. suicide two stroke road bike

GSVR

14th August 2005, 19:05

I'm picking it just some letters that Suzuki picked. Like with the RM motocrossers of the same era

GSVR

14th August 2005, 19:07

My dad still has and RG500. suicide two stroke road bike

Different levels of suicide. The Kawasaki Z1A was the original suicide machine.

Edit. Make that the H1 Mach 3.

TLDV8

14th August 2005, 19:09

I hadn't heard that..but Suzuki's technology base took a leap after they got their hands on a MZ.. (RG500 square4 = 2 MZ250 twins?)

TLDV8

14th August 2005, 19:11

Different levels of suicide. The Kawasaki Z1A was the original suicide machine

Don't you mean the 1969 H1 500cc Triple followed by the 72 H2750 ? :ride:

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v63/manurewa/01_2005.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v63/manurewa/1972.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">

merv

14th August 2005, 19:33

Don't remember the RG500 name originating from Ron Grant but here's a link to the article when he died in the boating accident http://www.ozebook.com/compendium/tr750/grant.htm and if you belive that he was a Pom in the first place and not a Kiwi. I do remember him racing as a Yank and coming out here around that time.

What?

14th August 2005, 20:35

Ron Grant was definitely Pomgolian, not a kiwi (as told by one of my whanau who knew him well), and there is nothing to suggest that the RG was named for him (although said whanau member said he will check it out for sure)
Sorry, Lynda...

Coyote

14th August 2005, 20:54

Different levels of suicide. The Kawasaki Z1A was the original suicide machine.

Edit. Make that the H1 Mach 3.
:2thumbsup

TLDV8

14th August 2005, 21:01

:ride:

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v63/manurewa/KR750.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">

Dadpole

14th August 2005, 22:03

I hadn't heard that..but Suzuki's technology base took a leap after they got their hands on a MZ.. (RG500 square4 = 2 MZ250 twins?)

Or 2 TR250s

Ixion

14th August 2005, 22:36

Don't you mean the 1969 H1 500cc Triple followed by the 72 H2750 ? :ride:

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v63/manurewa/01_2005.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v63/manurewa/1972.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">

The H1 500 wasn't a suicide machine. It was downright malicious malevolent murder that it had in mind. Still can't believe that I escaped from its clutches alive

geoffm

14th August 2005, 22:46

There is nothing in the RG500 literature, including the factory manual etc on th eorigins of the name. i can ask on the RG500 mailing list if you want.
The RG - 'tis a proper motorbike that is.
Geoff

TLDV8

14th August 2005, 23:53

Or 2 TR250s

.......or 2 MZ125's ?...i forget,was it Diegner (sp) who later committed suicide who defected taking a MZ,that technology then went into the 125cc program which i think Hugh Anderson was competing in (over night Suzuki's 125's started going very quickly.......the RG rotary valve engine might as well been built by Walter Kaaden himself ? (imho)

TLDV8

14th August 2005, 23:56

The H1 500 wasn't a suicide machine. It was downright malicious malevolent murder that it had in mind. Still can't believe that I escaped from its clutches alive

The World 750cc record is still held by a Kawasaki H2 at 7.77 @170mph (fwiw)

http://www.tsrsoftware.com/49record.htm

Dadpole

15th August 2005, 00:13

Ernst Denger. Defected in 1962. Rode 125 for MZ, but he did not take the bike with him. Went on to take 50cc title for Suzuki in 63. Suzuki would have picked his brains because Hugh Anderson (NZ) took the 125 title in 63

15th August 2005, 05:23

What?

24th August 2005, 13:35

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Hmmmm. It's looking like I might be wrong eh!!

Geoffm - if you wouldn't mind asking on the RG mailing list please, that'd be great.

What? - let us know when your whanau get back to you.

Merv - thanks for the clipping - it does seem like there's a Kiwi connection (Rod Coleman and Richard Scott).
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Well, it seems that the RG moniker came about the same way as all the other Japanese bike monikers - someone thought he letters look nice (same reason Jap cars are covered in name badges).
Yes, there is a Kiwi connection. The Colemans (particularly Bob) had a big hand in Ron's appearances in NZ.

What?

24th August 2005, 13:53

By the way - there is an RG gathering at Taupo track on Nov 26 - 28. Bike show on the Sunday, 10:00 - 11:00.

Madmax

24th August 2005, 13:57

The H1 500 wasn't a suicide machine. It was downright malicious malevolent murder that it had in mind. Still can't believe that I escaped from its clutches alive
I still love my old tripple
Have a look a this guys house though
He is more of a nut than me :pinch:
http://mojokawasaki.com

pritch

24th August 2005, 22:03

I hadn't heard that..but Suzuki's technology base took a leap after they got their hands on a MZ.. (RG500 square4 = 2 MZ250 twins?)

They didn't so much get their hands on an MZ as on Ernst Degner the MZ rider (and an engineer?) when he defected to the West.

TLDV8

24th August 2005, 22:31

They didn't so much get their hands on an MZ as on Ernst Degner the MZ rider (and an engineer?) when he defected to the West.

Yes,i got that wrong,was it something like Ernst Degner stopped at the far side of some track mid race and jumped into a waiting van and was off ..i am sure i read some where Suzuki got their hands on a MZ engine at some stage?.........i have an article on Walter Kaaden that i could scan..the MZ's were making some serious HP (59HP out of a 250? ) but was let down by minor things like the Krober ignition ?

25th August 2005, 02:32

By the way - there is an RG gathering at Taupo track on Nov 26 - 28. Bike show on the Sunday, 10:00 - 11:00.
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That's right. Our fellow KBer Georgio is helping organise this.
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What?

25th August 2005, 20:00

See you there, then?

et al

25th August 2005, 20:17

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I have always thought that the RG500 Suzuki got it's RG title from Ron Grant, a Kiwi who went over to the US in the early/mid 70's and worked for Suzuki.
.[/COLOR]
Probably wrong but this might give you clever guys something to chew over........... I recall the expression "Gamma" was sometimes used with regard to the "RG's" so I assumed the G was for Gamma (maybe R=Racing)?

What?

25th August 2005, 20:22

Probably wrong but this might give you clever guys something to chew over........... I recall the expression "Gamma" was sometimes used with regard to the "RG's" so I assumed the G was for Gamma (maybe R=Racing)?
Afraid not - the Gamma bit was applied to the road bikes many years after the original RG was made.

pritch

25th August 2005, 21:40

was it something like Ernst Degner stopped at the far side of some track mid race and jumped into a waiting van and was off

Sorry, I just got in from the pub :-)

You may well be right, such ventures were common then.

I seem to recall that *the* big technology secret that Degner brought with him was the rotary valve. A look at the MZ/Suzuki bikes of the early 60s will show that the fairings had these funny bulges low down to the sides. The carbs stuck out of the side of the crankcase or thereabouts necessitating these (now) strange looking bulges.

I'm sure that if I spent enough time digging through the wayback stack I may even be able to find an old picture. But not tonight <g>

Dadpole

26th August 2005, 00:17

Yamaha were using rotary valves at the time too. The system was fairly well known by all the manufacturers, the trick was getting it to work reliably.

Ixion

26th August 2005, 00:22

Yamaha were using rotary valves at the time too. The system was fairly well known by all the manufacturers, the trick was getting it to work reliably.

Kawasaki were in there too. I seem to recall that the earliest was Bridgestone (not the tyres , there was actually a bike called the Bridgestone. Very nice too)

Dadpole

26th August 2005, 09:42

Kawasaki were in there too. I seem to recall that the earliest was Bridgestone (not the tyres , there was actually a bike called the Bridgestone. Very nice too)

EGAD SIR! The Bridgestone! Only ever seen 1 in the flesh (metal). They were reputed to be the most advanced of all the jap makers in their time

Madmax

26th August 2005, 10:32

walter kaaden invented the expansion chamber
as well as a few other things
http://www.motorcycle.com/mo/mcnuts/em-pipes.html

Kickaha

26th August 2005, 18:25

Kawasaki were in there too. I seem to recall that the earliest was Bridgestone (not the tyres , there was actually a bike called the Bridgestone. Very nice too)

Made by the Bridgestone tyre company though, they canned production when all the Motor cycle manufacturers told them if they kept making bikes they wouldn't be selling many tyres as OE fitment(or so the story goes)