I am a big fan of yamahas due to owning RD's and RZ350's that were modded which were just a blast to ride. Plus King Kenny rode yamahas! I finally rode a rzv500 that was for sale. It was stock and had been down with some minor rash. I was disappointed, it didn't feel like it had any more power than my Toomey piped, ported RZ350. Heavy and lazy handling, so I passed on it. Years later I found a RG500 gamma for sale. It was all stock and mint. It flat out ripped! Handled much better than the rzv500 and the power difference was obvious. First time really pushing the pace with the rg500 in the twisties, it flat out terrified me! With the 17" rear and 16" front the front end felt like it would tuck and low side when pushed. That's when I contacted the late Rick (Lance Gamma) Lance. Rick sold me a set of early gizzer wheels, 17"x4.5" rear, 17" x 3.5" front. Fox rear shock. He instruct me on how to mod the front damper rod and set up spec for the Race Tech emulators. The handing is just awesome! Before his passing, he came up with front cartridge retrofit and had Wilbers rear shock valved to his specs, wish I had the opportunity to have done that upgrade. Years later Rick sold my friend a rzv500 that has his fully rebult engine, mild porting, unattainable Toomey pipes, suspension and wheel upgrades. This bike is fast! Still not as fast as my stock motored, crawford piped, bored carb gamma! RIP Rick! He was simply the best!
I've been fortunate in that I have been able to own 2 of my dream bikes. As a teen I wanted a Maico and later the Bennelli Tre 900 Tornado when it was introduced. I owned both in my 40's.
We had the V4 500 Yamaha and the Square 4 Suzuki in Canada for a couple of years. A friend of mine showed up at my work on the Square four 500 Suzuki. Way cool.
One of the most deficient parts of powersports in 2025 is a younger generation's lack of historical perspective about motorcycles. I do think with a higher elevation view, these wonderful machines will become more popular. Thanks for doing the work of delivering the information to the next generations, and video documenting it, nonetheless.
Some say, "It's the Hunt" This was a nice flash back of real grit your teeth bike's. Maybe a story of a drag racer with the name Gleason on his leather's who appeared in motorcycle magazines.
Great podcast talking about my favourite bikes 2strokes rz500 rg500 so cool bikes i gota make do with my little rg150 38bhp and factory spanie.hi from New Zealand 🇳🇿
First of all, I just saw Malcolm Smith passed away at 84. I just turned 79 but I’ve been blessed to have had relationships with many of your favorite bikes- I raced a Yamaha RD500 in a 6hr WERA endurance race around 1985. John Kocinski was on a Suzuki GSXR 750 from Canada. I rebuilt a 1951 Vincent Black shadow which we sold at Mecums Las Vegas in 2019. But like you both mentioned, at almost 80, I’m too old to really enjoy these great bikes. I still have the RD500 and a RZ350 in the garage waiting to be revived. And Kevin, let me know what you’re doing with the TD-1 I gave you so many years ago…😅 Mac Morgan
Yea I caught that weeks back, I immediately sat down and watched On Any Sunday as soon as I found out. Being a member of the AMA I figured the next monthly magazine would have had something in it about Malcolm and his passing but apparently it was far enough along in the editing and printing process that it wasn't possible, I'll bet next months issue will be a special edition pretty much be dedicated to him and telling his story, he certainly was one of the greatest motorcycle racers of all time, back in the day if Malcolm showed up at a race you might as well just pack up and go home as any chance of winning had just gone right out the window. What a life he led.
@@richardleary9085 That is an excellent way of wording it, I wish I was that clever. I hope you don't have a copyright on that, because if you do I'm going to be paying you royalties for the rest of my life as I intend on repeating that one every chance I get.
first off, Happy New Year gentleman. I can remember reading Cycle WOrld starting in the late 70s/early 80s. I just have a few comments and a question for either of you or anyone else to answer. The question is this, I used to get a periodical back in the '90s, I think it was called Motorcycle Information and Technology or some such thing as that. The writer/ editor might have passed away somewhere in the mid-90s. I can't remember the name of the man who did the articles. I As far as this episode goes, tik brings back having a subscription to "Walnecks Cycle Trader". A guy was selling an SS100 in there at one time, for what seems like a steal given today's prices. Maybe I am miss-remembering but I thought HD did a prototype 5 valve head for the xr at some point in he 70s. AMF tole them to forget it due to doing what holding companies do. Anyway, thanks for the memories. Y'all have a great year and keep up the good work.
When you were talking about the post war motorcycle guys being either Harley guys or Limey Guys it made me think about the movie The Wild One. I always thought it was odd that Marlon Brando and half of his gang were on a British bikes and the other half on American bikes.
Some nice bikes up for sale. Lot S91 is a 64 Bonneville (second year of the unit engine) not a 62 pre-unit. You guys must not have been looking at the photo...if so you would have realized it was a 64. The market is very soft on Triumphs right now... so there's deals to be had.
The Brough Superior that Peter O'Toole rode at the beginning of Lawrence of Arabia was actually one of Lawrence's, it might have been the one he was killed on, I'm not sure about that, but I do know his family lent the bike to the producers for that scene to be filmed.
I think Thunderbird is the name of the Bathtub Triumph. The carb was in the area behind the fairing in the area of the rear wheel. Not Ideal for longevity.
Absolute nonsense. Nobody gets expelled from a uni in Oz for that. That’s an American thing. Apart from that, these things just don’t add up. Physics says so.
I am a big fan of yamahas due to owning RD's and RZ350's that were modded which were just a blast to ride. Plus King Kenny rode yamahas!
I finally rode a rzv500 that was for sale. It was stock and had been down with some minor rash. I was disappointed, it didn't feel like it had any more power than my Toomey piped, ported RZ350. Heavy and lazy handling, so I passed on it.
Years later I found a RG500 gamma for sale. It was all stock and mint. It flat out ripped! Handled much better than the rzv500 and the power difference was obvious.
First time really pushing the pace with the rg500 in the twisties, it flat out terrified me! With the 17" rear and 16" front the front end felt like it would tuck and low side when pushed.
That's when I contacted the late Rick (Lance Gamma) Lance. Rick sold me a set of early gizzer wheels, 17"x4.5" rear, 17" x 3.5" front. Fox rear shock. He instruct me on how to mod the front damper rod and set up spec for the Race Tech emulators. The handing is just awesome! Before his passing, he came up with front cartridge retrofit and had Wilbers rear shock valved to his specs, wish I had the opportunity to have done that upgrade.
Years later Rick sold my friend a rzv500 that has his fully rebult engine, mild porting, unattainable Toomey pipes, suspension and wheel upgrades. This bike is fast! Still not as fast as my stock motored, crawford piped, bored carb gamma!
RIP Rick! He was simply the best!
Awesome story! Hoyer had Crawford pipes on his RD400 Daytona Special.
That was fun! Thank you fellas!
I've been fortunate in that I have been able to own 2 of my dream bikes. As a teen I wanted a Maico and later the Bennelli Tre 900 Tornado when it was introduced. I owned both in my 40's.
That Gamma would be my dream bike.
My dream motorcycle is the Seely G50 Condor, a thoroughbred so beautiful nothing else comes clise
"Hi! I'm Mark Hoyer. I'm wearing a vintage hat and I'm with Kevin Cameron, who's a vintage dude."
We had the V4 500 Yamaha and the Square 4 Suzuki in Canada for a couple of years. A friend of mine showed up at my work on the Square four 500 Suzuki. Way cool.
One of the most deficient parts of powersports in 2025 is a younger generation's lack of historical perspective about motorcycles. I do think with a higher elevation view, these wonderful machines will become more popular. Thanks for doing the work of delivering the information to the next generations, and video documenting it, nonetheless.
Some say, "It's the Hunt"
This was a nice flash back of real grit your teeth bike's.
Maybe a story of a drag racer with the name Gleason on his leather's who appeared in motorcycle magazines.
Great podcast talking about my favourite bikes 2strokes rz500 rg500 so cool bikes i gota make do with my little rg150 38bhp and factory spanie.hi from New Zealand 🇳🇿
TGIW!! WEDNESDAY IS HAPPY DAY!
First of all, I just saw Malcolm Smith passed away at 84. I just turned 79 but I’ve been blessed to have had relationships with many of your favorite bikes- I raced a Yamaha RD500 in a 6hr WERA endurance race around 1985. John Kocinski was on a Suzuki GSXR 750 from Canada. I rebuilt a 1951 Vincent Black shadow which we sold at Mecums Las Vegas in 2019. But like you both mentioned, at almost 80, I’m too old to really enjoy these great bikes. I still have the RD500 and a RZ350 in the garage waiting to be revived.
And Kevin, let me know what you’re doing with the TD-1 I gave you so many years ago…😅
Mac Morgan
Yea I caught that weeks back, I immediately sat down and watched On Any Sunday as soon as I found out.
Being a member of the AMA I figured the next monthly magazine would have had something in it about Malcolm and his passing but apparently it was far enough along in the editing and printing process that it wasn't possible, I'll bet next months issue will be a special edition pretty much be dedicated to him and telling his story, he certainly was one of the greatest motorcycle racers of all time, back in the day if Malcolm showed up at a race you might as well just pack up and go home as any chance of winning had just gone right out the window.
What a life he led.
Basic truths. No motorcycle is boring. Every motorcycle is a Dream Bike 😂
Exactly what I came to say, every motorcycle made is a dream bike of mine.
@dukecraig2402
Same here. No matter what size or shape, they all produce two-wheeler thrills.
@@browngreen933
For years I've been telling people if it has 2 wheels and an engine I like it, anything from scooters to hogs.
Indeed. It's more fun to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow.
@@richardleary9085
That is an excellent way of wording it, I wish I was that clever.
I hope you don't have a copyright on that, because if you do I'm going to be paying you royalties for the rest of my life as I intend on repeating that one every chance I get.
Hardcore motorcycle origin stuff starts at 35:00 😮
Love you guys, but would rather see more pics of the bikes you're talking about. Thanks.
first off, Happy New Year gentleman. I can remember reading Cycle WOrld starting in the late 70s/early 80s. I just have a few comments and a question for either of you or anyone else to answer. The question is this, I used to get a periodical back in the '90s, I think it was called Motorcycle Information and Technology or some such thing as that. The writer/ editor might have passed away somewhere in the mid-90s. I can't remember the name of the man who did the articles. I
As far as this episode goes, tik brings back having a subscription to "Walnecks Cycle Trader". A guy was selling an SS100 in there at one time, for what seems like a steal given today's prices.
Maybe I am miss-remembering but I thought HD did a prototype 5 valve head for the xr at some point in he 70s. AMF tole them to forget it due to doing what holding companies do.
Anyway, thanks for the memories. Y'all have a great year and keep up the good work.
I love the way Kevin poo po's Marks Yamaha RZV 500R at every turn, so funny.
When you were talking about the post war motorcycle guys being either Harley guys or Limey Guys it made me think about the movie The Wild One. I always thought it was odd that Marlon Brando and half of his gang were on a British bikes and the other half on American bikes.
There were several manufacturers who built V-Twin engines because they are a natural configuration to fit in a bicycle frame
Some nice bikes up for sale. Lot S91 is a 64 Bonneville (second year of the unit engine) not a 62 pre-unit. You guys must not have been looking at the photo...if so you would have realized it was a 64. The market is very soft on Triumphs right now... so there's deals to be had.
Thanks for keeping us honest.
The Brough Superior that Peter O'Toole rode at the beginning of Lawrence of Arabia was actually one of Lawrence's, it might have been the one he was killed on, I'm not sure about that, but I do know his family lent the bike to the producers for that scene to be filmed.
I think Thunderbird is the name of the Bathtub Triumph. The carb was in the area behind the fairing in the area of the rear wheel. Not Ideal for longevity.
How did SpeedWay come about ?
Back on FB Marketplace…
OHC Velocette?
What model is that?
Velocette made the KSS, a bevel-shaft-driven OHC 350 based on the KTT racer.
Jay leno dream bike====all of them
what happen with the excelsior motorcycle just my 2 cents
I like turtles...
Absolute nonsense. Nobody gets expelled from a uni in Oz for that. That’s an American thing. Apart from that, these things just don’t add up. Physics says so.