| Motorcycle rides and riders in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, British Columbia | |||||||
| |||||||
 |
| | LinkBack | Thread Tools | Display Modes |
| |
07-19-2009, 01:14 PM
| #1 |
| Newbie Joined: Jun 2009 From: Southern OR I Ride: RG250 Gamma | RG Gamma 2-Stroke Attack on the Redwood Highway For all you poor 4-strokers out there, let me tell you about my adventure this morning...after I wash the splattered castor oil out of my clothes, hair and sensitive bits...  I just got my 1985 Suzuki Gamma back on the road. For all of you who are perhaps familiar with the old Kawi H-series or Yamaha's RZ/RD series, Suzuki blazed quite a trail with their 2-Strokes in the 80's and 90's -- Kevin Schwantz on his 500 might ring a bell; all I know is that my own bell got rung HARD this morning, in a good way...riding my Gamma through the mountains today was like being...drop-kicked by God when the power-band came on. Unlike a 4-Stroke, to blast off with any authority on the bike you need to be bodacious with the throttle and launch yer'self Kenny Roberts style. Sure, the bike makes about 45-50 horsepower, the issue being it's only between 7000-9000 RPM or so that's usable. Anything else is about as exciting as a wet noodle in a can of Crisco....and as fast... The saving grace? The bike only weighs about 270 pounds, wet. Hell, my last girlfriend weighed more than that! Add my considerable bulk @6', 205lbs. and launch is something akin to a monkey humping a football, albeit a noisy and very, very quick football. What's especially enjoyable is watching some cage-bound Eco-Warrior quickly roll up the windows and try to hold their breath whilst billowing clouds of castor oil envelope their Prius...considering the source, we're talking Exxon Valdez amounts of smoke...but personally? I love the smell. If they made it in cologne, I'd wear it. Considering the power/displacement and peakiness, on the straightaway it's a simple affair to cross over the 9000rpm redline in 5th gear...OK, here comes an insidious near 90 degree RH, I'm riding what sounds like a popcorn machine with a bad fan and quickly downshift with absolutely no effect! Aren't two-strokes great!? I paw the front brake...there we go baby! I go from nearly 120km down to 30km in nano-seconds, bend right in and remind myself to really, I mean *really* watch that back disc brake, as it locks up quite efficiently without too much provocation and I don't want to cup my 18" 110/90 back tire, do I? The front brake is so good that it's no problem to dance the back up, and these are 80's brakes folks. OK, ease on over, it's a little twitchy with the 16" up front, but I like to think of it as more options to go either direction! I take my line, here's the apex, and wait...am I in the right gear? Who cares! Is the tach at 7000? Well, sort of...oooops, here comes the powerband, and there goes the front wheel again, going UP? Oh yeah baby, I'm on a 250, it is literally eating up the road and the guys riding the 600's behind me are still asking themselves if they should try and lean over more. Another sweeper, much faster this time, time for suicide braking and just this once I thank Suzuki for their 80's gimmick, ANDF (Anti Nose Dive Fork) system, as it's much easier to maintain your lines going through the turns since your steering geometry isn't changing as much as all the other riders behind 'ya, upside-down forks or not. 3 downshifts before the turn, maintain RPM's and *explode* out the corner. I am a human arcade-game and even the bugs in my teeth start tasting good. I'm dancing with the gear shift and making love to the throttle grips, pushing here, pushing there, haven't had so much fun since the hogs tried to eat my sister Bessie. Incredible lean angles on such skinny tires. Flummoxed looks on other riders faces as they think the bike is a 600 at least. To me, everyone else is riding a steam-shovel, and I...I'm riding a piece of lightning. I hit a straight and hunch-up a bit to enjoy the scenery...drat! as soon as I sit up a bit I need to change gears, the bike is that picky/peaky. Instantly I relax a bit and make a mental note to thank the engineers in Hammamatsu who made this joy so available and flickable. It's nearly time to head back to the barn...I feel the heated air off the radiator cling around my flanks and even that feels good and I'm pretty sure it's a bizarre form of birth control. It's been a wonderful day, all except for the White-Heads, who seemingly fail to respond to waves, flickering headlights and extra-special attempts on the horns. Oregon seems made for motorcycles. The Gamma, in turn, feels like an extension of me. So fun, so light, so fast and literally so smelly...harkens back to a time when bikes smoked and people did too! The world needs more smiles, seat-of-pants power-bands and more human-popcorn machine soundtracks. If you see or smell me, I'll be sure to wave...if you can catch up. Thanx all for letting me spew. -osgo |
|
| |
| |
| | |
| |
|
07-19-2009, 02:06 PM
| #2 |
| Retired Joined: Mar 2006 From: spokane, wa I Ride: 2006 R6 | Excellent write up!!!! I think I will now put away my R6 that I was just about to ride and get out my RZ350 for the ride instead. Oh, I'm going to give you rep, too. |
|
| |
| |
| |
|
07-19-2009, 03:11 PM
| #5 |
| Newbie Joined: Jun 2009 From: Southern OR I Ride: RG250 Gamma | Just FYI, I'd be nowhere, fast without Ed's help at South Oregon Cycle Center in GP -- he was one of the few mech's in town who wasn't afraid...and who understood -- he totally earned my trust with his professionalism and knowledge. Top notch & incredibly reasonable costs. Thanx Ed! -osgo |
|
| |
| |
Thanks for the good read!
If I could only find an RG with U.S. plates, cheap
| |
|
10-20-2009, 09:31 PM
| #10 |
| Pit Crew Joined: Jul 2008 From: Ferndale washington I Ride: 2000 Zx-9R 47cc pocket bike | Former World Champion Steve Baker Here in Bellingham Wa Has a Beautful Gamma I stare at it every time I see it.Ah the ole two stroke days. From My RDs to my H1s.History in motion. |
|
| |
| |
|
|
| Tags |
| curves castor oil, rg gamma |
« Previous Thread
|
Next Thread »
| Thread Tools | |
| Display Modes | |
Linear Mode
| |
The PNW Riders riding time is 12:12 PM.
