Yamaha RD500LC YPVS Christian Sarron Replica

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Yamaha RD500LC YPVS Christian Sarron Replica
Manufacturer
Production 1985
Engine
Two stroke, 50°-V4 cylinder, reed valve.
Compression ratio 6.6 :1
Top Speed 148 mph / 238 km/h
Ignition Digital CDI
Spark Plug NGK, BR9HS
Transmission 6 Speed
Frame Steel twin downtube
Suspension Front: 37mm Air assisted telescopic forks, 4-way spring preload adjustable and anti-dive variable.
Rear: Monoshock, spring preload and rebound damping,
Brakes Front: 2x 267mm discs 2 piston calipers
Rear: Single 245mm disc 2 piston caliper
Front Tire 120/80 V16 +
Rear Tire 130/80 V18
Wheelbase 1375 mm / 54.1 in
Seat Height 780 mm / 30.7 in
Weight 180 kg / 437.8 lbs (dry), 198.6 kg / 436.5 lbs (wet)
Recommended Oil Yamalube 10w-40
Fuel Capacity 22 Liters / 5.8 gal
Manuals Service Manual


It could reach a top speed of 148 mph / 238 km/h.

Engine[edit | edit source]

The engine was a Liquid cooled cooled Two stroke, 50°-V4 cylinder, reed valve.. The engine featured a 6.6 :1 compression ratio.

Drive[edit | edit source]

Power was moderated via the Wet, multiple discs, cable operated.

Chassis[edit | edit source]

It came with a 120/80 V16 + front tire and a 130/80 V18 rear tire. Stopping was achieved via 2x 267mm discs 2 piston calipers in the front and a Single 245mm disc 2 piston caliper in the rear. The front suspension was a 37mm Air assisted telescopic forks, 4-way spring preload adjustable and anti-dive variable. while the rear was equipped with a Monoshock, spring preload and rebound damping,. The RD500LC YPVS Christian Sarron Replica was fitted with a 22 Liters / 5.8 gal fuel tank. The bike weighed just 180 kg / 437.8 lbs. The wheelbase was 1375 mm / 54.1 in long.

Photos[edit | edit source]

Yamaha RD500LC YPVS Christian Sarron Replica Yamaha RD500LC YPVS Christian Sarron Replica

Overview[edit | edit source]

Yamaha RD 500LC Christian Sarron Replica












Few superbikes have been as eagerly anticipated as the RD500LC. In 1983 the long-standing success of Yamaha's middleweight two-stroke twins, combined with the factory's success in 500cc grand prix racing, made a 500cc four-cylinder race replica seem the logical next step. Such was the demand that some magazines went as far as publishing spoof road •tests of a machine that did not exist.

When Yamaha finally put the real thing into production in the following year, few who rode one were disappointed. The RD500LC looked superb, with a racy full fairing in red and white colors similar to those of the factory OW76 that Eddie Lawson was riding to victory in that season's world championship. Like Lawson's racer, the 500LC was powered by a liquid-cooled V4 two-stroke engine. The roadster produced 90bhp. weighed an equally impressive 392lb (178kg) dry, and screamed to almost 14()mph (225km/h).


Two-stroke heritage

Rather than being developed directly from the racebike engine, the LC's 499cc, 50-degree V4 powcrplant was essentially two RD250LC units with bottom ends geared together, and with a gear-driven balancer shaft to reduce vibration. Induction system, engine porting and exhaust design were very different to the OW76 racer's, but bore and stroke dimensions of 56.4 x 50mm were almost identical, and the roadster also shared features including exhaust power valves. Apart from the addition of lights and other roadgoing necessities, the main chassis difference between roadster and racer was that the RD50()LC's frame was made from square-section steel tubing instead of aluminum. This was still one dramatically purposeful streetbike though, with high quality chassis parts including anti-dive equipped telescopic forks, plus a single rear shock unit positioned horizontally beneath the engine.

The Yamaha's look and specification were mouth-watering, and its performance lived up to expectation. In typical two-stroke fashion the V4 felt flat at low revs, then came into its power band at 6000rpm with a crackle of its exhausts and a blast of acceleration that sent the lightweight machine shooting forward at breathtaking rate. That meant that in top gear it came alive only at about 100 mph (161km/h). Fortunately. Yamaha had supplied a good pair of mirrors.



Even more importantly, the 500LCS handling was a match for its motor. As well as light and quick steering, aided by its 16-inch front wheel, it was stable in slower bends and high-speed curves alike. Sometimes the front end got slightly twitchy when the bike hit a bump under acceleration. But that was no real problem, and the Yamaha's powerful triple-disc brake system was among the best in motorcycling.

Yamaha had succeeded in creating a bike that felt like a racer on the road, and the RD500LC proved its ability on the track with victory, against many big four-strokes, in Australia's prestigious Castrol Six-Hour production race. In the showrooms it was less successful, despite all the pre-launch hysteria. Drawbacks included poor fuel consumption, vibration, mediocre finish and a high price. Perhaps the real problem was that the RD500LC was just a little too much like a real racebike for its own good.


Source of review: Fast Bikes by Roland Brown


Make Model Yamaha RD 500LC Christian Sarron Replica
Year 1985
Engine Type Two stroke, 50°-V4 cylinder, reed valve.
Displacement 499 cc / 30.3 cu-in
Bore X Stroke 56.4 x 50 mm
Cooling System Liquid cooled
Compression 6.6 :1
Induction 4x 26mm Mikuni carburetors
Ignition Digital CDI
Spark Plug NGK, BR9HS
Starting Kick
Max Power 88 hp / 63.9 kW @ 9500 rpm
Max Torque 6.57 Nm / 6.9 kgf-m @ 8500 rpm
Clutch Wet, multiple discs, cable operated
Transmission 6 Speed
Final Drive Chain
Gear Ratio 1st 2.250 2nd 1.685 3rd 1.363 4th 1.166 5th 1.043 6th 0.960
Frame Steel twin downtube
Front Suspension 37mm Air assisted telescopic forks, 4-way spring preload adjustable and anti-dive variable.
Front Wheel Travel 140 mm / 5.5 in
Rear Suspension Monoshock, spring preload and rebound damping,
Rear Wheel Travel 120 mm / 4.7 in
Front Brakes 2x 267mm discs 2 piston calipers
Rear Brakes Single 245mm disc 2 piston caliper
Front Tire 120/80 V16 +
Rear Tire 130/80 V18
Dimensions Length 2085 mm / 82.1 in Width 705 mm /27.7 in Height 1145 mm /45.0 in
Wheelbase 1375 mm / 54.1 in
Seat Height 780 mm / 30.7 in
Dry Weight 180 kg / 437.8 lbs
Wet Weight 198.6 kg / 436.5 lbs
Fuel Capacity 22 Liters / 5.8 gal
Consumption Average 27.5 mpg
Standing ¼ Mile 11.7 sec / 117.7 mph
Top Speed 148 mph / 238 km/h

Videos[edit | edit source]