Ron Grant/RG500 Suzuki

**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

LB · 15th August 2005, 05:23

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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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**What?** · 24th August 2005, 13:35

Originally Posted by LB

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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

Originally Posted by Ixion

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

http://mojokawasaki.com

**pritch** · 24th August 2005, 22:03

Originally Posted by TLDV8

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

Originally Posted by pritch008

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 ?

LB · 25th August 2005, 02:32

Originally Posted by What?

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

Originally Posted by LB

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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.
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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

Originally Posted by et al

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

Originally Posted by TLDV8

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

**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

Originally Posted by Dadpole

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

Originally Posted by Ixion

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