Advantages of Suzuki RGV 250 Gamma
In the modern world, everyone strives to create something ideal and perfect.
And this applies to both the simplest things and various types of equipment, for example, cars, motorcycles, etc. And here everything comes into account: modern design, powerful engine, driving comfort and other nuances. The incomparable and popular Suzuki RGV 250 Gamma has all these qualities. This motorcycle belongs to the class of sports models and in terms of price is somewhere in the middle range. In terms of technical characteristics, the Suzuki RGV 250 Gamma is no different from more common models. The engine of this motorcycle has a power of 40-45 horsepower. It would seem that this is not so much, but it is quite enough for him to show serious and fast driving.
The motorcycle can reach speeds of up to 175 km per hour. And the engine capacity is about 247 cubic centimeters. Without passengers, such a model will weigh about 140 kilograms.
Nothing supernatural or extraordinary. And yet this did not stop the motorcycle from gaining popularity and success among buyers. Suzuki RGV 250 Gamma outperformed its serious competitors, or rather the Honda NSR and Yamaha TZR motorcycles. Buyers appreciated its characteristics such as confidence and reliability, which is important nowadays.
Despite the fact that the models are quite old, as they were produced in 1988-1997. However, this does not prevent them from being in demand and finding new fans. The wide distribution of Suzuki RGV 250 Gamma all over the world allows people to experience the power and beauty of this motorcycle. When choosing reliability, durability and good quality for yourself, this model will be one of the best options.
It is quite difficult to make a fair comparison of the engines of both models. Firstly, the VJ23 is “fresh”, plus “stifled”: at 180 mph the limiter “cuts off”, 32 mm.
In one of the issues of Moto magazine, an article dedicated to the Suzuki RGV250 Gamma, a small Japanese sportbike, began with the words that 2-stroke engines are compared to 4-stroke engines.
On an arrow-straight track, the motorcycle realizes its best qualities: perfectly controllable and stable at all speeds. Please note - he knows how to stop, because for...
When purchasing a used Suzuki RGV250 Gamma motorcycle, the most important thing is that you do not get into your hands the motorcycle that the racer rode, roughly speaking.
Suzuki's first classic motorcycle was the Suzuki A100. It first appeared in 1967. It has a two-stroke engine with a fairly inclined cylinder.
Reception [edit]
In the UK the VJ21 received positive reviews from the motorcycling press. [ citation needed
] However, the original VJ22 models had a design flaw in the three-piece "improved" exhaust valves in which they cracked, likely due to carbon buildup from boiling oil inside the mechanism, and would not open from the idle position/ low power.
This has been corrected on later VJ22 models but still requires regular checking. The VJ23 is not known to have hydraulic valve problems. [ citation needed
]
Motorcycle Suzuki RGV 250 1990 review
Technical characteristics of Suzuki RGV 250 1990
Engine Suzuki RGV 250 1990
Transmission Suzuki RGV 250 1990
Dimensions and weights of Suzuki RGV 250 1990
Chassis and brakes Suzuki RGV 250 1990
Dynamic characteristics of Suzuki RGV 250 1990
Other characteristics of Suzuki RGV 250 1990
Description Suzuki RGV 250 1990
SUZUKI RGV250 GAMMA, SPORTBIKE - You're driving along the highway, you're barreling into turns, you're braking hard, you're opening up as early as you can - and then the smell of barberries gets under your helmet...
“You know this paradox: 2-stroke engines, with the same volume as 4-stroke engines, develop almost twice as much power,” - this is how Moto No. 12-2000 began the material dedicated to the small Japanese sportbike Suzuki RGV250 Gamma. We were talking about the most popular model of the RGV series - VJ22, it was produced from 1991 to 1996. I must say that the author of that material was lucky - he got a sports version of Gamma, produced in 1991, with the index SP - Sport Production. The stock model was already prepared for amateur racing - it had a “dry” clutch and “racing brains”.
According to my observations, in recent years there have been no fewer Gamma fans in Russia: 2-stroke Suzuki RGVs of all generations are traveling on the roads. However, the representative of the latter, with the designation VJ23 (popularly known as “twenty-third”), I assume, is almost a single copy in Russia. However, all over the world, including Japan, there are not a great many of them. I have had a “simple” (not SP version) Suzuki RGV, born in 1991, for about five years now. Well, it’s all the more interesting to compare it and the latest version.
Unlike its predecessor, the RGV250 model, produced until 1996, which is called the “twenty-second,” the latest model did not become a cult in England and Australia (and the preferences of the motorcycle public in these countries are very revealing and eloquent). But, I think, only because it was not officially supplied to these countries. However, fans of the smoky exhaust did not forget the special aura of the Gamma, and VJ23 began to be imported into the UK by gray dealers.
If you place them side by side, you will be surprised: on the one hand, the motorcycles are noticeably different in appearance, on the other, some elusive details make it impossible not to recognize close relatives in the “scales” of different ages: a certain general swiftness of shape, rear swingarms of the “banana” type, compactness. But with all this, there is no doubt that motorcycles were designed in different eras. “Twenty-Second” is a true representative of the early 90s: sharp angles, optics of the correct rectangular shape, and the colors just beg to be equipped with the RGV “samurai” Nankai racing suit from the times of Mick Duen and Kevin Schwantz VJ23 from another time: roundness dominates here.
The tail is exciting, reminiscent of the dynamic bends of the body of an electric stingray when it swims. The fuel tank is slightly wider than on the “old lady”, and the knee recesses are made more “humane” for tall pilots. The front plastic and head optics are vaguely reminiscent of the Aprilia RS250. By the way, for many years the previous generation Gamma was the “official donor” of the power unit for the Italian concern. At the same time, the exceptional - and this is a generally accepted assessment - design, Brembo brakes and suspension from famous Italian manufacturers made the RS250 much more “tasty”.
Landing is absolutely track-based. Without any “buts”! The standard footrests are located “nowhere higher,” and the pilot, if, as in my case, is 190 cm tall, it is difficult for his knees to fit into the tank recesses.
I regularly sang another ode to the Suzuki RGV's fuel capacity while braking after long straights when racing around the track. The fact is that the part of the tank closest, forgive the naturalism, to the pilot’s crotch is very narrowed, and the consequences of this circumstance are especially acute during dynamic decelerations. The flat seat creates the most favorable conditions for sporty driving - no other seat is needed. The lowered handles of the clip-ons (not adjustable as standard) turn the hands at an unnatural angle - but this is a tribute to sports ergonomics. But you can’t argue: with such an unnatural position of the hands, the pilot fits most compactly behind the fairing, preserving the aerodynamic advantages of the motorcycle. But there is one more inconvenience: the gas handle here is quite long-stroke. Another thing is that this can be “treated” by installing a “short” handle.
It is quite difficult to make a fair comparison of motors. After all, the VJ23 was only recently brought from Japan - it is “fresh”, and also “stifled”: the limiter “cuts off” at 180 km/h, there are 32 mm Mikuni carburetors and “internal Japanese brains” that limit power, in accordance with the laws of the country -manufacturer, pitiful 40 hp. Over the years of our joint existence, my “twenty-second” was endowed with a lightweight racing exhaust, a “full-power” English engine control unit (and it now has about 55 hp), and also 34 mm carburetors that facilitate the “breathing” of the engine. “Twenty-second” captivates with heartbreaking pickup in the range of 9000–11000 rpm (depending on the carburetor settings). “Young” fascinates with its V-shaped thrust, and if you think about how to use it, then I think it is best adapted for urban driving.
I almost forgot to mention the fundamental difference between one device and another. The VJ23 is started by an electric starter, while the “old lady” is equipped with a kick. I can’t help but stand up for the “pensioner”: to start the engine “from the pusher”, only a meter or two of asphalt is required - this is for those who understand how inappropriate the extra weight of starters, batteries and starting mechanisms is in motorsports. And there is also a peculiarity in the starting procedure of the “twenty-third”: you need to squeeze the clutch handle - otherwise the engine will not start* I would like to remind you that the motorcycle is equipped with a dry multi-plate clutch. What follows from this? Apart from that, nothing else revealed the peculiarities of his work. Apparently, you need to “de-fuel” the engine in order to fully experience the benefits of the high technologies of the latest generation RGV on the track.
The VJ23 engine is fundamentally new. On the move, the advantages of the novelty are manifested by clearly pronounced traction in the mid-speed zone - which, I must say, is not the least important thing on the track. This is especially true for Russian realities: there are one or two full-fledged tracks, but the karting track is the very place where the incomparable handling of the “twenty-third” and its engine with “low-end” will help “break” the “liter” sportbikes, swimming in oceans of horsepower. I deliberately do not touch upon the painful (for me, for sure!) topic of limited engine life: last season, all my attempts to participate in the domestic ShKMG championship on an RGV250 ended in “sawed-out” engines.
Whatever the track, the Suzuki RGV250 is for it. These machines are perhaps an exception from Japanese sportbikes: like Ducati, they are controlled by the energy of the pilot’s thoughts. The Gamma, like all sport two-strokes, are motorcycles for fans.
Go to the entire range of Suzuki motorcycles, on this page you can find Suzuki RGV 250 motorcycles of other years of production and information about them
Model designation and power[edit]
All RGV250 models, with the exception of the Japanese domestic market version (limited to 40 hp), are rated at 50+ hp. Model designations:
- VJ21: 1988-1991: indicated power; 1988 = 58 hp, 1989 = 59 hp (90° V-Twin)
- VJ22: 1991–1996: indicated power; 1990 = 62 hp (modified engine, still 90° V-Twin)
- VJ23: 1997-1998: indicated power; 1997 = 70 hp (SP (Sports Production) model with new 70-degree V-twin engine)
Civilian “superbike” from Suzuki: Gamma two-stroke
At the beginning there was a race...
This year, Suzuki returned to the “royal class” after a very long break. An excellent opportunity to remember how the brand’s history in MotoGP began. The company debuted with its factory racing team in the royal class of motorcycle racing in 1974. Two experienced riders Barry Sheen and Jack Findlay, who had already raced Suzuki in MotoGP, but as part of private teams, were invited to defend the honor of the young factory team. Factory support is always a trump card in the hands of a racer, and already at the first stage Shin brings silver to his team. The loud start, however, turned out to be the team’s highest achievement for the entire season, but in the next year, 1974, Barry Sheene won the Dutch TT stage on a Suzuki RG500 motorcycle, and in 1976 he led Suzuki to the world champion title for the first time! It is worth recalling that until 2002, the royal class raced on two-stroke motorcycles with a displacement of 500 cm3. By the way, in the next season in 1977, Barry Sheen won the championship again.
After a short break, Italian Marco Lucinelli, on a modernized RG500, again brings Suzuki the world championship trophy in the 500 cc class. This is no longer just a racer's success. Three seasons on the podium indicate that the engineering team has created a truly unique motorcycle!
Marco Lucinelli and his champion RG500
Suzuki's triumph continues with the arrival of legendary racer Kevin Schwantz to the team, who, after a three-year break from the company's participation in the world championship, begins to show serious results on the updated RGV 500 and achieves the long-awaited title of world champion in 1993.
Kevin Schwantz's championship RGV500
The next triumph awaited Suzuki in 2000, almost at the end of the two-stroke era of “royal racing”. It was in the last year of the 20th century that Kenny Roberts Jr. won four stages of the season on the next iteration of the RGV500 motorcycle and “brought” the world champion title to Suzuki for the seventh time. Seven years have passed since Kevin Schwantz's previous victory!
Roma-Urraco › Blog › Time capsule: two Suzuki RG500 of 1985 with a mileage of 2 and 8 km
This edition of the motorcycle Time Capsule is quite unusual. After all, today we will talk about two identical (almost) bikes with scanty mileage. Moreover, this is not some ordinary, unremarkable model from the past. In front of you is a real legend of the 80s, the iconic Japanese sportbike Suzuki RG500 Gamma.
This device is actually a road version of the Suzuki RG500 Gamma racing motorcycle, which in the 80s competed in the most prestigious 500 cc class of the world circuit motorcycle racing championship. This unique Japanese model has won 7 constructor titles in a row: an amazing result.
The road version of the RG500 Gamma was produced for only 3 years: from 1985 to 1987. A total of 9,284 of these bikes were produced.
The outstanding speed characteristics of this Suzuki are achieved due to an unusual 2-stroke 4-cylinder (2 in-line twins connected in parallel) engine with a power of 95 hp (at 9500 rpm). At the same time, the dry weight of the machine is only 154 kg: an indicator that deserves respect even by modern standards. Not surprisingly, the super-Suzuki had virtually no competition on the track. By the way, the main rival of the RG500 was another Japanese model - Yamaha RZ500/RD500
, which I already
talked
in one of the previous issues of
“Time Capsule”
.
The model also features a strong aluminum frame and a stiffness-adjustable front fork with the proprietary POSI DAMP anti-dive system.
The motorcycles shown in the photo are located in Australia. According to the owner, they have never started since purchase. The first bike, with 2 km on the odometer, is an original stock RG500 as standard, and the second, with 8 km on the odometer, is a rare pre-production prototype that previously belonged to the Australian Suzuki dealership. It differs from the production model in tires, slightly different exhaust pipes, as well as original gearbox settings.
Recently they tried to sell them at a well-known online auction in one lot. Buyers' bids reached almost 100 thousand Australian dollars, but the reserve set by the owner was never reached.
The motorcycles come complete with complete factory documentation, store receipts, and instruction manuals.
Traditionally, at the end of the recording there is an educational video. This time - a short video demonstrating the unusual design of the Suzuki RG500 Gamma engine:
see also
Comments 75
I didn’t even start it even once... I couldn’t resist. It's like getting married and never using your wife)))
Yes, you'll fuck it up. how to never start it.
In such cases, I am tormented by only one question - the safety of the rubber. In most cases, loving gum turns into oak plastic within 30 years. Just like oil seals... Many synthetic materials self-destruct over time due to internal chemical reactions. And it doesn’t matter whether UV light hits them or not
if I had taken them, I would have gone right away))))) and don’t care about everything))
Interesting hardware. 500cc, two-stroke, should ride briskly by today's standards.
and the two-seater has modern tires... the owner is confused
I like the design of that time, not like now.
100,000 question is it necessary?
In the animation, both crankshafts rotate in one direction. But it would be necessary in different
The design of the engine is unusual, it’s clear where such power came from, a two-stroke synchronized engine with 4 cylinders, I would like to see how all this miracle works!
was produced for only 3 years: from 1985 to 1987. So is it still 2 years or 3?
1985, 1986 and 1987, 3 years
I think they were in Turby)
In my opinion, the owner of these motorcycles bought them solely for resale in the future, because I think it’s absurd to buy motorcycles and not even start them for more than 30 years. A single-seater “prototype” should also have a seat, in principle, like all other motorcycles that can easily be made one or two-seater. I previously drove an RGV250 Gamma, 2T, 2 cylinders, water cooling, 6-speed gearbox, 48 hp (as far as I remember only in the civilian version, with a sports switch it was about 60-70 hp) and weight about 100 kg , the motorcycle also rode VERY decently, the nervous character of the 2T made itself felt at 5-6 thousand rpm (apparently the reed valve began to work at these speeds and gave an additional boost), constantly lifting the front wheel when accelerating in the first 4 gears, and the maximum the speed for racing was more than 200 km/h. As far as I remember, competitions on motorcycles of the RGRGV series are still held in Europe
Someone finally invented a time machine and is now paying for it
Motorcycle RGV250 Gamma (1990): technical characteristics, photos, videos
2 PIECES in stock, one per donor was taken - WALTER WOLF was not happy with the coloring, so 1 of 2 was collected.
One person wrote on the forum :))
“And as for the 250, which goes 210 and has 60 horses, then these are 2-stroke engines with zero resource and they fry unrealistically, it is sapping the 600 sports car for overclocking and that’s a FACT! serial models of such motorcycles are suzuki rg250gamma, these cars are FRYING!! they kill newbies into meat! and it is true!"
(it’s plausibly said that the blast hurts the ears and knocks tears out of the unborn passenger, but on the highway it’s rather weak in terms of constantly pushing the left foot into a lower gear and gasping for the next adrenaline rush)
RG 250 Gamma Walter Wolf 1986 RG250 Gamma specifications (International) Overall length: 2,050 mm (80.7 in.) Overall width: 685 mm (27.0 in.) Overall height: 1,220 mm (48.0 in.) Wheelbase: 1,385 mm ( 54.5 in.) Seat height: 785 mm (30.9 in.) Ground clearance: 155 mm (6.1 in.) Dry weight: 131 kg (289 lbs) Engine type: Liquid-cooled parallel twin 2-stroke Intake system: Piston and reed valve Piston displacement: 247 cc (15.1 cu-in) Bore x stroke: 54.0 x 54.0 mm (2.125 x 2.125 in.) Compression ratio: 7.4 :1 Maximum power output: 46 hp (34.4 kW )/ 8,500 rpm Maximum torque: 38.4 Nm (3.92 kg-m, 28.4 lb-ft)/ 8,000 rpm Carburettor: Mikuni VM28SS flat side x 2 Starter system: Primary kick Ignition type: Suzuki PEI (Pointless Electrical Ignition) Lubrication system : Suzuki CCI Clutch: Wet multi-plate type Transmission: 6-speed constant mesh Gearshift pattern: 1-down, 5-up Final drive: #520 chain, 110 links, O-ring sealed Front suspension: Telescopic, coil spring, oil damped with anti-dive Rear suspension: Full Floater, gas/oil damped, spring pre-load fully adjustable Front brake: Double hydraulic disk Rear brake: Single hydraulic disk Front tire: 110/90-16 54S Rear tire: 110/80- 18 58S Fuel tank Capacity incl. reserve: 17 liter (4.5 US gal, 3.7 Imp gal) Engine oil tank capacity: 1.2 liter (1.3 US gal, 1.1 Imp gal) Battery: 12 V 18 kC (5 Ah)/10 HR Headlight: 12 V 60/ 55 W
Horse riding experience[edit]
| In this section do not cite any sources . |
These motorcycles are not particularly suitable for carrying pillion passengers on long trips due to their racing design, which reduces comfort. Consequently, the station wagon is also not the strong point of this model. When accelerating in a straight line, the RGV250 is faster than most other 250cc two-stroke and four-stroke motorcycles. [ citation needed
]
The Aprilia RS250 is related and uses a modified RGV250 VJ22 (90° V-Twin 2-Stroke) engine.
Aprilia bought the engines from Suzuki (which were fitted with Aprilia-branded castings on the timing and clutch covers) and then installed their own expansion chambers, cylinders and engine control unit. They also redesigned the heads to have larger cooling passages and a slightly different combustion chamber shape.
