My bikes, 30 years ago this week. Nice brace of 'strokers?

[CorvetteConvert]

Yamaha RD500LC (second one in UK, registration A500 VUC) and Kawasaki H2 750.

[steve2]

Like those

[Biker's Nemesis]

I can still remember the front cover of Bike magazine and the headline when it tested the Rd 500 LC

I had to wait a couple of years until I got mine.

[StuB]

Is the KH a 500 or 750?

Bet the 500 Power Valve made it feel like a tractor.

[Thevet]

I remember passing an RD500 in 1985 on the A505 Royston to Baldock whilst despatching, on what we thought was the best road around, first one I had seen, and almost wanted to swap my GPZ900.....almost!!

[John D.]

woowahwoo said:

If the bikes and graininess don't date the photo, then the roses, smooth road, and well-laid paving slabs certainly do!

Very good

Cool pic.

[Biker's Nemesis]

woowahwoo said:

If the bikes and graininess don't date the photo, then the roses, smooth road, and well-laid paving slabs certainly do!

Just need that burd from the VW advert to throw her fur coat and purls onto the floor and get into the Golf

(yes I know the Golf in the advert was a Mk11 and was Silver)

[CorvetteConvert]

StuB said:

Is the KH a 500 or 750?

Bet the 500 Power Valve made it feel like a tractor.

Neither, it was the earlier H2.
It was a little slower than the 500 but had better low down power from the 50% bigger capacity.
Stan Stephens tuned the 500 to around 130 bhp and then it was properly fast.

[Biker's Nemesis]

woowahwoo said:

Looks like a Polo in the shot above..?

Looks like a MK1 Golf to me.

[podman]

Great pic and trip down memory lane, few quid sitting there if you had them now.

[Turn7]

I spent twelve years in the bike trade and got to ride all kiinds of good stuff.

My biggest regret is never getting a ride on either an RD or RG 500.

And I loved strokers.

[CorvetteConvert]

My RG500 'special' was one of the fastest bikes I have ever had. I bought it as a bit of a crashed and bashed basket case and with some help I got the engine put into an immaculate RGV 250 frame. Stan Stephens gave the square four engine a stage 3 tune and we kept the bike as lightweight as the law would allow. Tiny lights, etc. I believe it weighed 130 kgs and had around 140 bhp. That thing flew and would probably give a current litre bike a scare or two.

[CorvetteConvert]

I recall the bike having things like a lighter and smaller chain to save weight, a single disc brake for the same reason, no indicators, tiny mirrors, lightweight sprockets, smaller battery, all manner of stuff to save some kilos! IIRC it was 130 kgs ready to ride.

[grahamr88]

CorvetteConvert said:

I recall the bike having things like a lighter and smaller chain to save weight, a single disc brake for the same reason, no indicators, tiny mirrors, lightweight sprockets, smaller battery, all manner of stuff to save some kilos! IIRC it was 130 kgs ready to ride.

Of all the ways to save weight!

[fleegle]

My mates non weight saving version

[fleegle]

And his other babies

[CorvetteConvert]

grahamr88 said:

CorvetteConvert said:

I recall the bike having things like a lighter and smaller chain to save weight, a single disc brake for the same reason, no indicators, tiny mirrors, lightweight sprockets, smaller battery, all manner of stuff to save some kilos! IIRC it was 130 kgs ready to ride.

Of all the ways to save weight!

Well, the single disc it had was a Brembo clamped by a Brembo 4-piston calliper, so the set-up was much lighter, yet just as powerful as the standard brakes. The fact the bike was so small and light meant it didn't need 2 discs up front.

[CorvetteConvert]

fleegle said:

My mates non weight saving version

Great looking bike, I will see if I can find the 500 H1F I had this year.

[CorvetteConvert]

I had this until very recently, fully restored H1F from 1974.
Complete with guard cat.

[CorvetteConvert]

My early H1 I had when I lived in California.
Stage 4 tune, Denco expansion chambers, big Lectron carbs and around 110 bhp.
That was a lot for an air cooled triple so occasionally it would get hot under the collar and twice it partly seized the centre pot.