Optimistic sellers

[Grumph]

Ahh Cmon. Pretty sure the RC kit manual listed optional heated grips and Givi mounts.

(Lights touch paper and stands well back. . . )

Almost...the std RC30 is actually a pretty good steriliser - of the rider. Anything over 10 minutes ride and you're moving round on the seat to avoid burns on an area you don't want burned...

The OW might be a homologtion special - but it is pretty special inside. Not a lot interchanges between the FZ and the OW.
The sales pitch of the RC being built in the toolroom at Honda is crap - or the toolroom is. Non parallel bores, badly finished cranks are just some of the problems. The Ti rods should be lifed too if you want to use one...and the "C" springs in the 2 piece cam drive gears break and are damm near impossible to replace.
I'd have either an RC or an OW - the problems can be sorted and they're nice bikes to ride once it's done.

[Grumph]

four grand for the RGV250/RG500 hybrid provided it runs. Cash money!

If I have to sort his estate, I'll bear you in mind. He doesn't need the money....

[husaberg]

Almost...the std RC30 is actually a pretty good steriliser - of the rider. Anything over 10 minutes ride and you're moving round on the seat to avoid burns on an area you don't want burned...

The OW might be a homologtion special - but it is pretty special inside. Not a lot interchanges between the FZ and the OW.
The sales pitch of the RC being built in the toolroom at Honda is crap - or the toolroom is. Non parallel bores, badly finished cranks are just some of the problems. The Ti rods should be lifed too if you want to use one...and the "C" springs in the 2 piece cam drive gears break and are damm near impossible to replace.
I'd have either an RC or an OW - the problems can be sorted and they're nice bikes to ride once it's done.

Both OW and RC had Ti rods didn't they?
I know the OW had 2 ring pistons what about the RC?
I recall someone saying the biggest issue with the RC was it lacked an crank end feed oiling is this true? Because the early ones used to go through a crank in racing in less than 500 miles.
At least with the RC30 they had a separate carrier so you could skim the head. that's impossible on all the road CBR and NC's

[Drew]

At least with the RC30 they had a separate carrier so you could skim the head. that's impossible on all the road CBR and NC's

I've been inside a few CBR motors. Pretty sure there is room to move with head height.

Would take some fucking around to work out how much, but there is quite a bit of lash in the cam gears. Hence the need for the spring loaded doohickey.

[HenryDorsetCase]

.
The sales pitch of the RC being built in the toolroom at Honda is crap - or the toolroom is. Non parallel bores, badly finished cranks are just some of the problems. The Ti rods should be lifed too if you want to use one...and the "C" springs in the 2 piece cam drive gears break and are damm near impossible to replace.

Nooooooooo!

They were built by zen monks whose very movement was like ballet, one at a time, from components hand-hewn and finished to a mirror smoothness, then wrapped in origami wrapping paper only to be unleashed by carefully chosen samurai who were also wealthy, or in service to the great gods, the lords of HRC.

[AllanB]

Bugger - I meant to go to Casbolts and perv at the first V4 Ducati that has arrived. Owner picks it up tomorrow apparently.

[Grumph]

Both OW and RC had Ti rods didn't they?
I know the OW had 2 ring pistons what about the RC?
I recall someone saying the biggest issue with the RC was it lacked an crank end feed oiling is this true? Because the early ones used to go through a crank in racing in less than 500 miles.
At least with the RC30 they had a separate carrier so you could skim the head. that's impossible on all the road CBR and NC's

OW rods as sold are steel so the kit rods have to be the same material. RC as sold 3 ring pistons. Kit has 2mm longer rods and matching shorter 2 ring pistons.
The initial short life of the RC's is two things. Poorly finished cranks - same as nearly all the early V4's - the oil holes on the crank have sharp edges.
And the oil level is too close to the crank. Over heating, frothing, all the usual. Later sumps - and the kit one - lower the level and it's a lot better.

For all purposes, the gear driven cam later Hondas which have the cam bearings in one piece with the head can't have anything taken off the head. Yes Drew, it's theoretically possible to close up the gear backlash - but it would amount to about .005in which simply isn't worth doing. And it would probably whine like fuck too.

[malcy25]

Dont get me wrong i would much rather a RG500 or a RZ500 myself, but i would hazard a guess that the production numbers on both are much larger than the RC30's and OW01s were.
RC30 3 years production 3000 bikes.
The OW01 was 500 over two years

While the RG500 talies like this
.............85.......86......87....Total

RG500	7340	1412	532	9284
RG400	5002	863	348	6213

The OW01 was a pretty simple homolgation special of a STD, bike the RC30 was a complete redesign. Which is why i would value it higher than the Yam, plus the two WSB titles. As far as i am aware the RC30 were also not assembled on a normal production line.
But the market will decide in the future what is worthwhile.

Re the OW, yeah, nah. Have had an OW in the garage for 9 years and it is very different beast to the FZ and FZR. The motor may have a lot of external / visual commonality but that's about it really. The OW bears more history to the YZF F1 racer they built around 87/88. The OW01 motor in fact was the basis for a lot of the YZF750SP. Grumph I think said they had steel conrods - not looked inside mine, but pretty sure Ti Valves and Rods factory fitted.

Purchase price of the OW in the UK was 50% MORE than the RC 12500 pounds verses 8000 but the OW race kit was very cheap in comparison as there's was little in it. cams, pistons, ign box, tail pipe. Whereas Honda race kit was monty.

In fact there was a great story on superbikeplanet a few years agoi about Vance and Hines blowing a big hole in the crankcases on the dyno on one when they went past 150hp. They rang the factory and said, what gives, we broke a rod. The factory said "how many HP?", Vance and hines tell them. Factory goes "ahh, san, we only build the rods good for 150hp, there's your problem!"

I also believe there's also a lot on misinformation around the OW01 build numbers. Fact is they are way less than the RC30 which I think are circa 3500. The OW's are more like 2000. They were built 89-92 - 4 years. the last ones had different carbs I think - FCR's or something. Not totally sure, but I think more like 500 per year.

I have the RZ/RDLC/RZV 500 production numbers at home as a result of a formal request to Yamaha. They built more RZV's (alloy frame / domestic market) than anything else....the standard RZ like we had here 84/85 were less.

I've done about 5000km on my OW (almost all at track days) and while I don't have a lot of modern large bike time lately, the chassis is pretty flash to ride.

With regards to Homologation specials, the Ducati's were very much more a version of the road bike Ie 851/888/916 with cams and suspension upgrades more like the R1M and CBR Sp2 Hondas etc of late. The OW and RC are VERY different beasts to to the road based 2nd cousins ( FZ and VFR respectively) and while are just a "4 cylinder jap bike" to some people are very much the real deal specials.

[Grumph]

You may be right about OW rods - I really can't remember. The WSB rules said that any kit rods had to be the same material as what the bike was homologated with.

The early kit valves for the OW stretched like buggery. By the time the WSB circus got to NZ, most of the OW's had stainless aftermarket valves fitted. One local - who shall be nameless - still had kit valves in and was chasing valve clearances every day of the meeting. The pits installed for the WSB round had very nice benchtops of 6 X 4 dressed cedar beams. To get the very thin shims needed for the stretched valves, our man was hammering them into the benchtop and using a disc grinder to thin them...You can imagine what the bench looked like.
Easily fixed - before going home, they pulled the beams off the bench frames and turned them over....

[malcy25]

You may be right about OW rods - I really can't remember. The WSB rules said that any kit rods had to be the same material as what the bike was homologated with.

The early kit valves for the OW stretched like buggery. By the time the WSB circus got to NZ, most of the OW's had stainless aftermarket valves fitted. One local - who shall be nameless - still had kit valves in and was chasing valve clearances every day of the meeting. The pits installed for the WSB round had very nice benchtops of 6 X 4 dressed cedar beams. To get the very thin shims needed for the stretched valves, our man was hammering them into the benchtop and using a disc grinder to thin them...You can imagine what the bench looked like.
Easily fixed - before going home, they pulled the beams off the bench frames and turned them over....

Ouch! Though I did see Kev from Motoextreme in Dunners at PI this yeah "correcting" some Yamaha shims on a belt sander!

My own OW at 14,000 ks had closed up the clearances enough to warrant a change.

[F5 Dave]

Glad they fixed that. My YZF750SP never needed valves adjusted when checked. It was a road bike but the stretching was limited to the throttle cables.

[Crasherfromwayback]

It was a road bike but the stretching was limited to the throttle cables.

Cable. Only one needs be stretched unless you have a problem!

[Crasherfromwayback]

Yeah...nah. And which one of you fuckwits built the exhaust?

https://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/mot...e954fc452c3895

And "stupid questions wont be answered and daft comments wont be tolerated." Not sure what'll happen if you make a daft comment but...I'm very tempted to find out.

https://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/mot...e954fc452c3895

[jasonu]

https://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/mot...e954fc452c3895

After looking at all the other rubbish on TM this one looks to be reasonably priced, especially if it is a proper S model.




Hey Malcy how about this one.?
Reasonable or rip off?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1975-Yamaha...53.m1438.l2649

[HenryDorsetCase]

After looking at all the other rubbish on TM this one looks to be reasonably priced, especially if it is a proper S model.




Hey Malcy how about this one.?
Reasonable or rip off?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1975-Yamaha...53.m1438.l2649

hence my question....