RZ 500 vs RG 500

[Satansfist]

Which of these bikes (the Suzuki RG 500 and the Yamaha RZ 500) is or will be more collectable? Just reliving my teenage years by checking these bikes out on the internet...prices seem pretty high even now.

[Bigmaxy]

Dunno, but i used to have a soft spot for the RZ500.

Still got a modified RD350LC sitting in a back garage gathering dust cause it was a great bike and i would get as much cash as it means to me.

[APCLB]

Having riden both bikes & helped mates rebuild a couple over the 'early' years etc etc......I'd say the number of surviving RG's would be less than RZ's.
So my guess would be the RG as a higher value collectable based on sole surviving examples alone.
Haven't seen either on the roads in years!Would luv a big ring-ding RZR right now.....oh.......I can't as me tight a$$ed credit union wont lend me my money........:cussing:

[Satansfist]

Having riden both bikes & helped mates rebuild a couple over the 'early' years etc etc......I'd say the number of surviving RG's would be less than RZ's.
So my guess would be the RG as a higher value collectable based on sole surviving examples alone.
Haven't seen either on the roads in years!Would luv a big ring-ding RZR right now.....oh.......I can't as me tight a$$ed credit union wont lend me my money........:cussing:

:lol::lol: I saw 5 RG500's on Bikepoint the other night, all above $7000, but not a single RZ500. I used to stop at the local Yamaha and Suzuki dealer on the bike ride to school and drool all over the windows at these bikes when I was younger.

[vn_commo]

the RG is the collectible model. the RZ was the poor cousin, no doubt about it.

as the above post says, RGs get very good money they are a classic.

[Fighter]

hello
on one side you talk about 5,7 l great engine an at the ohter side you talk about 500 cccm motorbikes ???

the world is crasy ....

[Satansfist]

Yeah the site has a Motorcycle Forum too...this is it.:thumbsup:

[Bigmaxy]

hello
on one side you talk about 5,7 l great engine an at the ohter side you talk about 500 cccm motorbikes ???

the world is crasy ....

ye, but they aren't just 500cc motorbikes, they are 500cc two stroke motorbikes :yahoo:

[XCLUB]

RG 500 gamma without a doubt

[markols1]

Which of these bikes (the Suzuki RG 500 and the Yamaha RZ 500) is or will be more collectable? Just reliving my teenage years by checking these bikes out on the internet...prices seem pretty high even now.

Hi both very good bikes but if you want a collector get your hands on a K500 triple kwaka pound for pound it will rip your ba**s of and give you a harty go the 2 strokes.

[Satansfist]

Hi both very good bikes but if you want a collector get your hands on a K500 triple kwaka pound for pound it will rip your ba**s of and give you a harty go the 2 strokes.


Heh heh, the old 70's triples are well before my teenage years, I want to ride a bike I own not let it kill me!

[Uncle Tone]

I'd love to have a fiddle around with an RZ500.....I have a TZ250 twin in a go kart, and ran both pipes into one muffler....screams like a formula one car!! Imagine what 4 cylinders would sound like!!

[APCLB]

Would luv to get my hands on one of the 70's Daytona ('78 i think) TZ750's!Basically 2x TZ350 (K's ?) motors side by side,in a manner of speaking.Kick ass 2 strokes!Luv em.
Found any RZ500's yet M?

[uncle]

If you want to ride it the RG hands down a better bike.
Value wise its the same RG will get the bucks long term.

[rgssxr]

gday everyone new on site seen this post yesterday couldnt wait to join and chat about these bikes. I own and haveowned an rg 500 g and have had it for 13 years and in that time stripped right down to a couple milk crates full of nuts and bolts and put it back together to what it is now like brand new! the list of stuff that ive replaced is long from new bearings right through the whole frame ,wheels rebuilt motor done by serco in brisbane ,barrels ported heads shaved and timing discs opened up ,racetech goldvalves in forks and all painted nothing to radical though to look at it it just looks like abrandnew rg no . When i first looked to buy one of these bikes itook 3 RZ 500 and 2 RG 500 this was in 1994 so they both had 8 yrs on them and every rz crabbed up the road under full noise . NOT from power but they had crap chassis,they were 33 kg heavier less power .As the other bloke said the RZ was a poor cousin

[Satansfist]

Mate got any pics of the RG? Either get your post count up to 10 then post them or email them to me and I'll do it. Lots of two stroke fans on the forum apparently! Email to:

p.mccallum@bom.gov.au

[rgssxr]

Look im pretty new to all this computer stuff but i have a digital camera with the program to run to get the pictures up but the computer only has windows 98 . im getting windows 2000 off my brother on weekend so i can run the program and i will post them on the weekend. i would be interested to see what you think

[Satansfist]

Love to see it if you can sort it out.

[old holden V8]

gday everyone new on site seen this post yesterday couldnt wait to join and chat about these bikes. I own and haveowned an rg 500 g and have had it for 13 years and in that time stripped right down to a couple milk crates full of nuts and bolts and put it back together to what it is now like brand new! the list of stuff that ive replaced is long from new bearings right through the whole frame ,wheels rebuilt motor done by serco in brisbane ,barrels ported heads shaved and timing discs opened up ,racetech goldvalves in forks and all painted nothing to radical though to look at it it just looks like abrandnew rg no . When i first looked to buy one of these bikes itook 3 RZ 500 and 2 RG 500 this was in 1994 so they both had 8 yrs on them and every rz crabbed up the road under full noise . NOT from power but they had crap chassis,they were 33 kg heavier less power .As the other bloke said the RZ was a poor cousin

Post them pic's up here!

The FASTEST thing I have ever ridden/driven was an RG 500 that a mate had.

One word.

Scary.

:-)

Laurie

[VB2VT]

the rg and rz are both top machines and are both very collectable however since you are asking for opinions on which is better.....I cant go past the facts! the rg500 was rapped and piliged for its engine in the formula 500 class simply because it was the faster of the two as our australian champ tony prior agrees, its chassis was a class above the yamahas and in every report written on these bikes always came out the winner, of course if you are into fuel consumption the rz might win that, but people who hate re-fuling didnt buy these bikes anyway!! i watch the price of both bikes religiously and can inform you that the rz is definately the cheper and more readilly avaliable, that said good luck finding an rz and you better pray for an rg!! Last but not least Yes i own an rg500 i wouldnt sell it for the world, and sorry car lovers but if ya really love adrenaline its unlikely your car will give you anything like a bike or for that matter an rg or rz500 will trust me!!!

[kingwalker]

at the end of there model life yamaha had a hard time selling the rz ,suzuki didnt , you really need to ride a kawaski h2 750 , f k they were fast then,:thumbsup:

[ash33]

I have a RZ/RD500 but would much preffer a RG500.

The RZ has a very flexable frame, even though Aust. delivered ones are made from steel. It makes the handling "tricky".

The RG on the other hand is a very good bike engine and chassis wise for back when they were released and will always be worth more than the RZ/RD.

If you like these old bikes get a look here w ww.classic-motorbikes.com/overview.asp?Type=1&Lang=en
BTW G'day!

Damn, Can't post links yet you'll all have to copy and paste............remove the space after the first W.

[APCLB]

Seeing as this thread has been revived......

I'm searching for any basket case RZ/RD 250-350 parts,bits or complete bikes.
Anything considered!
RD250-350LC
RZ250-350 or RZR's.
:)

Btw,as hard as the RG's went,imo,the RZ500's looked the part.....

[Bigmaxy]

I've heard that the RZ had far more mid range making it an easier bike to ride fast but the RG had more top end and has been mentioned earlier better handling. I wouldn't know either back.
Wonder what the long term holds for the value of both bikes.

[SLugg]

ye, but they aren't just 500cc motorbikes, they are 500cc two stroke motorbikes :yahoo:

hmmm another case of nostalgia overcoming reality.

they were ok bikes , if you rode one today youd see why they dont make them anymore. Now old school charm and in todays trim GSX1400 is a collectable and rideable bike , without the woose fairing to protect you from fast...

A mate of mine has just finished a resto of a Z1A 900 Kwak , motor makes 135HP good shocks and all the right bits , guess what if feels like an old bike to ride.

remember today will be someones yesterday tommorrow

[preacherman]

I own a GT500, The older brother to the RG500. I am searching for a good RG500 as the GT is a little long in the tooth. Anyone have any leads for someone selling a RG500. Please call on 02 4883 4448 or 041 992 1365. I am based in the Southern Highlands, NSW.

Any leads appreciated

Lindon

[preacherman]

HI ALl
It's been about 14 months since a post was received on this subject and that was me. NOW, 14 months later and after years of longing I have finally bought an RG500 Gamma.

My bike is one of the rare Kevin Schwantz, Lucy Strike Pepsi colours and I scored the matching two piece leathers as well...and white boots!! Don't laugh.

The RG has a rebuilt motor and is just a work of art. I rode it for the first time yesterday and MAN!!!!!!

I had the offer of the RZ500 too but all the bike tests I researched showed the RG a superior bike in every way. The market reflects this as well.
A bike shop owner has imported an alloy frame RZ from Japan and I am glad I was not tempted.
Well what can i say..I am relieved that I finally got my RG before the prices went to teh stratosphere. The leathers etc are a bonus!!

I rode an Rg in Wa before moving over to NSW. What a ride even after a short while it showed what an amazing bike it is.
What is truly incredible is the riding position...much nicer than my 86 GSXR750 and without the wrist kill.

Looking forward to a very long ownership...Keep upright guys!!

[850gt]

Which of these bikes (the Suzuki RG 500 and the Yamaha RZ 500) is or will be more collectable? Just reliving my teenage years by checking these bikes out on the internet...prices seem pretty high even now.

i used to own 1984 rz500 in nz loved it with the right type of tyres 5000.00 new in 84 traded in on mhr 900 ducati

[stevef]

I agree that the RG500 was probably the fastest bike of the two and i own a RZ 500 but the RG's were" SO UGLY " in my opinion . I had the choice to buy either a RG 500 or the RZ 500 but I just fell in love with the look of the RZ. I have owned my RZ for 25 years, it now has 24000klms on it, I also have owned many other road bikes over the years and the old girl still brings a smile to my face every time i ride it.

I have just done some mods to modernise the bike a bit. 17" wheels, upside down forks, Aprilia Banana swingarm,Stainless/Carbon GP style pipes.

It now handles the way it should and with the new pipes goes a hell of a lot better.

Long live the 2 Strokes!!!!!!!

[Trek52]

I had an NS400R Honda....now they are rare

[ACT_Cross8]

I'd go the NS400 first, then the RG, then RZ in order of preference.

This topic brought back memories when a mate had an RZ250 and I had an RG250 and we used to tear-arse around town like lunatics. Fun times!

[FATTGLIDES]

My first scooter was the 1st rg 250 r blue&white model/black belly pan,in 82 or 3 too long ago but it used to flog 750 katana's back then.
I always wanted a rg500 but they were over priced even back then .
Wow 5-7000k now !!!!!.
Anyway a rg500 for collecting that would be the only jap bike i would collect .
500rzd's never liked them at all with the white red grafics/same as the 250,350 no way!!.
At least back then suzi was a radical engine design
but now have a very soft spot for ducati,great bike handle/go/stop,realy loose value,$$$ .
I used to rebuild allot of bevel engine's many moons ago one nice piece of engine.
The best one was a 998cc, imollia cams,2x45 flat sides,old bob brown dohcam,scary engine.are memory's.