rgv250 (93 VJ22) - Suspension Upgrade options?

[imdying]

My poor 93 VJ22 RGV screams in fright when it transports my tubby little body about (95kg ready to ride, maybe a few less after a good dump). What can be done? Much of anything? I feel it dives too quick at the front, it seems like the springs have too low a spring rate for my weight? Or maybe the poor shock at the back simply has no rebound control? Given that it was made for tiny little Japanese teenagers, this doesn't surprise me... suggestions welcome... but preferably ones that don't include any sort of diet :D Things like sitting in a different place won't work, at six foot, the position I can sit on the bike is fairly limited :D

[James Deuce]

Talk to Robert Taylor. New front springs, new rear shock. With springs for your weight.

Lube steering head and swing arm bearings whilst you have it apart fitting the new suspension components. Lube rear suspension linkages too.

[imdying]

Love the avatar :rofl: More lube you say? :love: I'm sure Mr Taylor will run across this in due course :yes:

[FROSTY]

Mate early RGV back shocks were not to flash from new the internal damping was shite,By now your one is well and truely pogged out.
Thats the BAD news --the good news is that the darn things have been raced rallied n rolled so often theres a heap of suspension stuff around for em
What you need to do is go- what budget can I afford to spend on the suspension ? once you have that figure then look to what will offer the greatest improvement for that budget.
Id actually give Billy on the site a yeodle--hes a RGV racer from waaaay back

[imdying]

Yeah I figured they'd have been well worked over by now. Pretty much all I'll do with it is take it Akaroa and maybe track days, so that's my focus. No adjustment up front, except for preload. They're not SP ones, but I draw the line at swapping new gear in... I'd rather do that to the sv.

[F5 Dave]

Well springs & reoil at a min . Anything less is just wasting a fine light chassis if it is on the bumpstops. Was it NZ new? Jap import may well have even lighter springs than the Australasian market.

[imdying]

It's a Jap import.

[F5 Dave]

Well I guess it can only improve in leaps & bounds with correct springs, they don't cost that much, search RGV for rates for ~ your weight (or RT obviously). Has the bike done many ks?, the rear is where the money is, but might be sort of ok with a reoil & correct springs, as I said better than off the bumpstops where they go solid & that can only be dangerous. Mine has racetech kitted forks & Ohlins rear, but depends on your budget of course.

Saw a delectable VJ23 in Lucky Strike colours the other day, pity they never brought a full power version here.

Presumably you have read up on powervalve servicing for your 22? (best check them sooner rather than later) & only run top qual oil in both engine & gearbox?

[imdying]

KMs are 9800, but it is 1993 of course. Yep, only good oil. I'm picking through a multitude of bugs with it, all minor though.

[imdying]

No destriction items hiding in your garage perchance? :lol:

[F5 Dave]

This should derestrict it to about 90hp.

[imdying]

WTF is that? An RG motor? :lol: I see Barry has a VJ22 rolling chassis setup for one for sale for 600GBP. One fixxer upper at a time eh :D

[F5 Dave]

Nah it's my RZ/Cheetah 500 twin from the other thread. In race trim they punt out 115-120 no prob.
RGV site should tell you what needs to be changed for derestriction, & Vic wreckers in Aus should have a ton of spares.

[imdying]

Yeah, just need some 34mm carbs, an RS250 or derestricted RGV SAPC controller, and maybe some pipes (mostly for the zingy sound :D).

[F5 Dave]

erm just by chance having an unrelated squiz & came across this. .

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Parts-accessories/Other/auction-124397256.htm

[imdying]

Why hello there!

It's great to be on a real bike again, after a diet of 4 strokes.

[Buster]

Has it got a steering dampner ? :shit:

Ive owned 3 of the things, bloody great little bikes. Im sure the imports have a different powervalve servo so they dont open as far as the unrestricted ones? Whip them out and give them a clean. If they break and drop into the cylinder.....you know the drill.

[imdying]

No steering damper, frame is tapped for one though. Gives a little wiggle when hard on the gas out of corners in first... be a shame to take that away though!

Definitely going to give them a clean... I'm awaiting a man to weld the mounts onto the muffler for my SV... until that's back in action (shortly), I ain't touching shit though. Too much warm weather wasted already!

Servo is the same, is the controller that's different, link to an unrestricted one above courtesy of F5 :)

[FROSTY]

I'd be looking at the cdi as well. As I recall (possibly incorrectly) the differences are -exhaust,cdi,airbox,power valve,carbs --I seem to recall they jap bikes had thicker head gaskets too.
Id have a look at the sites over in auzzie because they still race them there

[imdying]

I actually wouldn't be that upset if the CDI/SAPC took a dive, then I'd have an excuse to derestrict it sooner than planned :D

Suspension first though. But finish SV before that. All in good time.