paradime Posted July 29, 2015 Report Share Posted July 29, 2015 My best friend Frank (sense I was 12) is building a bike we’ve both dreamed of owning since we were in high school. Those were the days of 500cc two-stroke GP bikes, and road racing gods’ like Kenny Roberts and Randy Mamola. The closest thing you could get to a GP bike back then were the Suzuki RG Gama, the Honda NSR, and the Yamaha RZ V4. We both had Yamaha dirt bike, so we were obsessed with 2 stroke bikes, and King Kenny rode a TZ, so the RZ was IT. Stock example In typical California fashion, these bikes were outlawed, because of admissions. Although there were a few that were brought from Nevada, and registered in California, those are extremely rare. 10 years ago when we moved from Yuba Buena Island to San Leandro, luck would have it my next door neighbor Dennis had an RZ 500 languishing in his garage. He had the motor built by the legendary east coast Will Morgan Racing. Unfortunately he did not have the chops to get it running properly. One day Dennis told me he wanted to sell the RZ, and asked me if I knew anyone who’d want to buy it. Two days later, Frank was up here with a trailer, and took it back to San Diego with him. There, it sat for another four years… until now. The intent is to do a modern stripped to the bone 2 stroke cafe street bomber with the paint theme of a Barracuda. Little back story on Frank. Dude built this fully articulated walking giraffe below from scratch and for no other reason than shits and giggles. He’s built and ran the laserium show’s laser for the SD aerospace museum, he designed the San Diego fireworks displays for years, he’s built Van Der Graaf generators and 8’ tall Tesla coils. The guy is a mechanical genius who never grew up and still has the creative nob turned up to 11. Yes, that is Obama 3 Quote Link to comment
paradime Posted July 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 Dismantle Hard to believe that tiny motor will produce 130hp Frame will be media blasted, have all the welds filled and smoothed then powder coated black. 3 Quote Link to comment
paradime Posted July 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 The Story On The Motor: Dennis, the PO sent it to Morgan Racing to have it rebuilt. I contacted Mr Morgan to see if he had any records of what was done to it, and got this reply. Hello Ron, Sorry for the long delay.Some SOB with nothing better to do infected my website with malware. I hadlost e-mail (unable to send but could receive) and you did not leave acontact tel. number. Well anyways I had someone work to get e-mail running and I hope this getsto you. Yes we worked on Dennis's engine back in 1998. WOW 15 years back. Cranks were checked,trued and pins welded, new main bearings installed.Cylinders were bored and honed and portedHeads were cut and rechamberedCarbs were bored to 27.75 mmReed cages were modifiedNew reed valvesNew seals and gaskets If I can help you out on anything else please let me know. I have fullaccess to all parts and accessories. Thanks, Will Morgan Morgan RacingPO Box 272West Brookfield, MA 01585Tel: 508-867-6295 Funky ass design Now blasted clean and will stay that way. 3 Quote Link to comment
paradime Posted July 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 R6 front and rear conversion: 2 Quote Link to comment
paradime Posted July 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 Swing arm was modified to do this [ 3 Quote Link to comment
paradime Posted July 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 Front End Nose mocked up Imagine this with blue paint air brushed shadow of a brow, and cuda teeth 2 Quote Link to comment
paradime Posted July 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 Mocked up with the pipes 4 Quote Link to comment
paradime Posted July 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 More to come.. 1 Quote Link to comment
EastBay521 Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 Holy fuck this is the coolest shit ive seen in weeks!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment
EastBay521 Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 Seriously I day dream about having an Rz350 but this is way cooler. so jealous rite now Quote Link to comment
uberkevin Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 What both them said! Quote Link to comment
banzai510(hainz) Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 I like RZ 500s in stock format. Was very popular when I was in Germany. they called it a Kamakazi Machine as it killed alot of people. I got my orange 1975 RD350 back 3 weeks ago. I also had a 79 RD400 Daytona and a Kenny Roberts RZ350 1 Quote Link to comment
paradime Posted July 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 I'm with you guys. Nothing sounds like a 2 stroke engine, and the power is absolute heroine. The craziest bike I ever strapped my leg over was my Canadian RD350LC. It was built with TZ jugs, pistons, and custom built pipes. tooling around the city I was fouling plug right and left, but when I let that hyperactive little screaming monkey out of it cage, all hell broke loose. That little thing was so god damn fast, I can't imagine what Frank's 500 will be like. Fucking hyperactive screaming gorilla. I'm going down to San Diego next week and I have plans to spend a few days at Franks. He's dropping hints about some new parts coming in, so hopefully we'll be wrench'n some. Either way I'll be photographing EVERYTHING. I also mentioned the thread I started here and he said he'd pipe in. Man I wish I was lived in Diego right now. 1 Quote Link to comment
EastBay521 Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 Im excited for you! Quote Link to comment
paradime Posted August 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2015 Had an absolute fucking blast hanging out with Frank last week and working on the RZ. The guys house is like a NASA laboratory. Every tool you can imagine, projects everywhere, multiple work stations, high tech shit scattered in all directions. 1 Quote Link to comment
paradime Posted August 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2015 So when I got there Frank had something he was all excited about, and when I first saw it I was thinking WTF is he thinking! Blue Pipes, are you fucking kidding me?... Then he showed me this and I instantly got where he's going. Imagine the frame painted black, the motor bare aluminum, and the tank, faring, and tail piece painted a slightly darker blue. This thing is gonna be sick. Quote Link to comment
paradime Posted August 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2015 Some of the work we did was welding up the faring bracket, Fabricating the radiator mount, and reenforcing the shock mounts. 1 Quote Link to comment
q-tip Posted August 14, 2015 Report Share Posted August 14, 2015 He is a bit like Jon britan.....I'll allow it! 1 Quote Link to comment
Rusty320 Posted August 16, 2015 Report Share Posted August 16, 2015 That bike is an absolute work of art!!! Beautiful work, I'd love to pick your brain one day, lol 1 Quote Link to comment
paradime Posted November 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2015 Just got an update from Frank and the boy's been shopping. I can't believe the design genius/insanity/balls on this guy. A Ducati 999 super bike tank? He saw this Frankenstein (pun intended) Duck build and fell in love with the tank, so... Holy shit that tank looks so fucking sick. He's now looking for a tail piece that's short and high like the one on the Ducati, but more squared off to match the look of the RZ's faring. The baffles on the pipes will extend about a foot passed the tail. Quote Link to comment
q-tip Posted November 15, 2015 Report Share Posted November 15, 2015 This bike is going to be wicked, I love it! Quote Link to comment
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