4 cyl. ...2 stroke... disc valves, exhaust valves...powerband 7000 to 10,000.....
back in the old days, a Yamaha FJ1200 could not pull away... which wasn't bad for only 500cc..
Wonder what would happen if you put a Kawasaki H1 engine in a modern frame. 750 cc. of 2 stroke power in a frame that could handle it???? Would be a neat experiment.
The Gamma was so frickin' trick for it's day. Take one down to the States and you'd get treated like a god by other sport bike riders. It just didn't get more exotic than that for Japanese machinery in the late 80's.
I made the mistake of buying an RZ500 thinking it would be the same. What a piece of junk that was.
I have a Jspec 83 RG250 i love it, it is still probably one of the fastest accelrating bikes i have ever riden...or it was until a blew up my motor...thats my side project but i may just drop and rz350 motor and creat a gammaha:rockon
Yes, but did you ever have the Walter Wolf cologne. I did - the fragrance was called 'Wood'.
I used to have some cool posters I'd mooch off the dealerships back in the 80's and one was of the Gamma (in blue and white livery). I should have never have thrown them away.
Those were awesome, I remember starring at one at the bike show forever.
Back in the Westwood days, Dave Ohitwa I think or "Chitter" had the fastest one you have ever seen. It was a rocket.
I remember getting handed my ass back in the day by a guy on one of those, very humbling experience. Walter Wolf had an interesting career as a Formula 1 team owner as well.
Those were awesome, I remember starring at one at the bike show forever.
Back in the Westwood days, Dave Ohitwa I think or "Chitter" had the fastest one you have ever seen. It was a rocket.
Chitter now that's a name I haven't heard in along time, no wait I actually ran into his wife a few years ago at Western Powersports. O ya the 500 Gamma is the shiznat, my buddy has a 250 Gamma Walter Wolf, sweet little bike but not any where near as fast as the 500.
I used to get the strangest looks ,when you unfold the lever and kick it to life, followed by big clouds of blue smoke. Especially in the States, they had never seen one.
The only crappy thing about kick starting the Gamma was you had to have it in neutral for the kick start to engage.....which really sucked if you stalled the damn bike on the starting line!!!!!....and the 16" front wheel made the bike feel like it was falling in the corners. Had some great races at Westwood on mine.
The only crappy thing about kick starting the Gamma was you had to have it in neutral for the kick start to engage.....which really sucked if you stalled the damn bike on the starting line!!!!!....and the 16" front wheel made the bike feel like it was falling in the corners. Had some great races at Westwood on mine.
Anyone remember Jamie Dick totalling his RG500 in Turn 3A at Westwood? I think it was in '87 or '88, and someone snapped a series of photographs of it as it tumbled into oblivion. Dick's sponsor at the time, Rapid Suzuki here in Victoria, had them posted on the wall of the shop for a while... in remembrance.
Anyone remember Jamie Dick totalling his RG500 in Turn 3A at Westwood? I think it was in '87 or '88, and someone snapped a series of photographs of it as it tumbled into oblivion. Dick's sponsor at the time, Rapid Suzuki here in Victoria, had them posted on the wall of the shop for a while... in remembrance.
No, but I remember someone blowing the motor on their Gamma on the front straight at Westwood, shooting oil all over the start/finish line and watching a bunch of confused riders drifting sideways through turn 1 after riding through it.:laughing
I love being in my sunset years and looking back on how good bikes used to be.
Just the though of jetting carbs brings tears to my eyes, I hate how easy it is to plug in a laptop and tweak or swap a map. Just not a pure experience!
You misty-eyed guys that have been on essentially maintenance free 4-strokes the last 15 years really want a stinkwheel back?
stinkwheel?.... maybe I don't want all the tuning hassles... but there is that thrill when everything is back together and it just takes off. I m riding a bike that has mega torque, but I sorta miss that2 stroke feeling of waiting, waiting...BANG... and off she goes!
I remember that feeling of the front wheel just skimming the pavement with every shift... the good old days....
I`ll never get rid of my RZ. Its the only bike I ever really REALLLLY wanted. I`ve had it 13 years and i love riding it as much today as the day i first rode it.
I had this young guy pull up beside me at a light a few years ago, he flips up his visor and with this really concerned look on his face he says " Dude, your bikes smoking really bad!!!". I said " Yeah I know, its been doing that for a while". He gave me the dumbest look.
It`s actually parked this season and I`ve got an Sm450 which is a riot to ride, but I`m really missing the RZ.
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