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|fuel_consumption = | |fuel_consumption = | ||
|turning_radius = | |turning_radius = | ||
|related = | |related = [[Suzuki RG500]]<br />[[Honda NSR400]] | ||
|competition = | |competition = | ||
}} | }} | ||
The RD 500LC was the first real racer on the road. It debuted in June 1984 and few people had seen anything like it, a V4 500cc two stroke with 2 pipes coming out under the seat. Built around a box-section steel frame "witch we in the UK were cond with as others had a nicer Alloy framed one". The bike had a | The RD 500LC was the first real racer on the road. It debuted in June 1984 and few people had seen anything like it, a V4 500cc two stroke with 2 pipes coming out under the seat. Built around a box-section steel frame "witch we in the UK were cond with as others had a nicer Alloy framed one". The bike had a horizontal shoker and operated via bell-crank. Up front were slab yokes and anti-dive forks "which dont work very well at all as it turned out". Braking was by 3 solid faced but ventilated discs, " they are the same fitmets as the 350 YPVS and the same bolt holes, they can be inter-changed". The brake calipers are the same as well, which left it a little short in braking. The 350 could do with a bit more so you can imagine what a 500 felt like with the same stoppers. "Scary". | ||
The | The expansions ran the same as any others from the front pots but the rear chambers ran under the seat and side panels and exited either side of the tail light. This made the 500 instantly recognizable if you came across one from behind. | ||
Although short lived in the UK enough RD500's were sold to make them a reasonably common site on the roads at that time. The | Although short lived in the UK enough RD500's were sold to make them a reasonably common site on the roads at that time. The [[Suzuki RG500]] stole the thunder out of the RD as it was imported with an alloy frame and was a little faster and a slightly better bike. But the brakes were still crap and the Suzuki anti dive was just as sloppy as the RD , so it really all came down to looks, and the RD500 YPVS wins hands down there. | ||