I'd suggest Stan Stephens - he's less than a swallow's flight from you, has eons of experience and a good reputation. Quotes RG500 engine strip and rebuild at £600 plus parts.. http://stanstephens.com/2stroke.htm Good luck with it Andy
Thank you. I think a phone call to discuss project to see if he is willing to take it on is the order of the day, well tomorrow now, and then a trip "up north" to actually see the bike. Andy
The price is mighty meaty given most of the money for 80's two strokes is in the original models but it's your cash, your toys but it has been up for sale since at least April so that figure should tumble Found this if of any interest https://www.flickr.com/photos/teamheronsuzuki/sets/72157622733221144
Thanks. Yes I found that link as well and was interested to see the same photos as the eBay advert. Interestingly there is an RG500 Gamma in the Bonham auction this weekend with a guide price top end of £30K ! Got a few feelers out looking at the history of this bike. If all good I will initiate negotiations but if anything looks even remotely out of place I'll walk. I often wonder if that guy flogging the Barry Sheen RGV ever got his £150K asking price. Andy
If it's the same one? i think it dropped quite a bit and still remained unsold only a few weeks ago http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1983-Hero...365257?hash=item440aa50dc9:g:S8cAAOSwE6VXJo2B
Copy of ad. Thought long and hard about it and decided I am going to let the bike go to someone who will get more use out of it than me. I will write up a full spec list etc when I get a minute but most people on here probably already know the bike and how much money has gone into it. The frame started as a 2004 HPI clear mito, it is registered with the 350 Ypvs engine number as the cases are from a 31K. The spec list is massive and I will write up later but the headline figures are 130KG and 109RWHP. With a bit more dialling in on the new PWK carbs it would make a lethal track bike as it handles fantastically. I am trying to find a balance between what is realistic and not losing too much money, as a lot of pennies have gone into the thing. You would be hard pushed to build another for less than £10k. I want to avoid putting it up for sale to the masses of eBay idiots, I am looking for £8k. Bike Spec - 04 HPI clear Mito frame & Swingarm - There is nothing else mito on the bike - Aprilia RSV Re sprung USD forks with Brembo brakes, RSV forks, Brembo RSV front wheel, titanium caliper and disc bolts, RSV clip ons (actually reasonably comfortable) - Wilburs Fully Adjustable Shock from a Honda RS250GP - Rear wheel Aprilia RS250, Ti disc, sprocket and caliper bolts - Subframe is genuine Tz250 5KE aluminium subframe on billet mounts designed by me to fit to the mito frame - Harris rearsets for a 954 Fireblade mounted on a billet mounting to adapt them to the Mito frame, fitted using Ti bolts - RS125 plastic fuel tank with Pingel Dual outlet tap & billet ally fuel filler - TZ250 5KE bodywork, seat etc. Painted by RR racepaint - Carbon fibre rear hugger by dragonskin & carbon fibre front mudguard - Koso RX2n Clocks - Metzeler M7RR tyres, done very little - Shido lightweight lithium battery - Domino throttle Engine - 443cc Cheetah Cub engine with approx. 1500 miles on. Had fresh pistons and rings and only ridden round the block since. Runs on oil pump built by Arrow, RG500 oil tank under the seat. - 31K cases trenched to take the +7mm crank - 68mm Cheetah cub cylinders, wiseco superlite pistons - Wicked Billet o ring head with 23cc domes - 61mm Stroke wicked crank with 10 ball uprated outer bearings and TZ uprated big ends. - Uprated gearbox bearings, 2.68 straight cut primaries, high output water pump - Heavy duty clutch, Tz750 springs and Wiseco Billet clutch basket - Power dynamo lightweight flywheel/stator kit fitted a few months ago, has banshee coils and ignitech programmable ignition - Wicked billet carb manifold - VF4 reeds - Genuine PWK 38mm Air strikers fitted about 2 months or so ago, and a load of needles and jets to play with - Ally rad with Yam R6 fan on handlebar switch - TZR 3MA Kickstart - Quickshifter wired through the ignitech - Custom Made TSA stainless exhausts built specifically for this bike and engine combination If I think of anything else I will add. Engine has run flawlessly for a couple of years and just had a recent top end refresh. Would benefit from some more set up time as last time I took it to Muttsnutts we were starting again on the PWKs and wanted to try different needles (now fitted). You sometimes hear of people having issues with these highly tuned engines, maybe it's user abuse or the way they're built but I've never had any major problems with it. I do think the fact it runs on the oil pump is a factor too, it has to be safer than premix and much easier. Suffice to say I am happy to start the bike up and show you it running etc etc. But I will not be entertaining test pilots. This bike is a bit of an animal and whilst it's fairly happy being ridden sensibly it will catch you out if you are not careful..! I did not build it as a show bike but I think I generally did a good job, there is the odd mark here and there, I have tried to use it where I can but I just don't seem to have the time.
Not mine unfortunately but I've had a few tuned two strokes and they are pretty exciting to ride. Well maintained 443's seem to be pretty reliable as well by all accounts.
@El Toro, things move on and the pursuit of this RG500 Gamma is no longer financially viable for me so it's time to close this thread. Many thanks to those who provided me with some very helpful information and useful contacts. I'm a little disheartened but am committed to acquiring something a little bit special so the search continues. Andy
