500 Two-Stroke Tech

I'm always trying to do projects that are well beyond my knowledge, skill, and talent.

That's what makes it fun and exciting. Also, very frustrating and expensive.

Stayed up all night trying to figure out how to shorten the length of the custom arm, while still using the upper brace (like the R6 arm).

Some bikes are so simple, but everything about this bike is incredibly complicated (to me). Can't measure, or even see anything in the pivot tube area without stripping parts off the bike.

Stayed up all night and my brain is completely cooked.

May just give up on shortening the custom arm, and copy the R6 dimensions exactly. We'll see.

Sent back that carbon fiber hugger from carbonfiberracing.com

Interesting that the (mis)fitment was almost exactly the same as the previous hugger I tried.

Highly recommend carbonfiberracing.com. Awesome customer service.

Would try buying from them again.

Hi Pete, I think it's great when you come up with these ideas. Gives me different options
as well.
Cheers Ron.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/KAWASAKI-ZRX11 ... 3609021412" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

one of the factors that need to be consider when making or swapping a swingarm as well as a front end is the geometry.
The looks make look cool, but the bike will not steer nor ride properly. I experience this first hand when I try to use
a ZXR750 on my RZV500.
This was my first front end swap. I can say the bike steer like a Greyhound bus. That's when I started looking
at the different swingarm and front end swaps.
If a front end or swingarm has been proven like the R1 and YZF750 why not use it. The R6 swingarm and the
YZF750 swingarm has been used in the past by many members.

There are not many RZ500 that you will see on the road so what are the chances you are copying someone.

Ron57 wrote:Hi Pete, I think it's great when you come up with these ideas. Gives me different options
as well.
Cheers Ron.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/KAWASAKI-ZRX11 ... 3609021412" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Wow, Ron! Great pic. I had no idea BEET Racing makes swingarms.

BEET Racing has been very good to me. Excellent customer service, great quality, beautiful parts, and friendly dudes.

This is my 2nd BEET pipe, and I would buy another:



Don't know about that individual seller.

Great idea about the oil tank. Seen that on a few customs. Also seen oil kept INSIDE the swingarm.

giron wrote:The R6 swingarm and the YZF750 swingarm has been used in the past by many members.

There are not many RZ500 that you will see on the road so what are the chances you are copying someone.

By your own statement, the chances I'm copying someone would be 100%.

There is virtually no new thought or creativity in copying what others have done. It also does nothing to advance and increase options for customizing. Sounds like, in your world, everyone would have the exact same mods. What about your mods? Sombody out there had to try it first, before you could copy them.

I agree that bad handling can occur on custom bikes when experimenting with untried custom front or rear swaps. Lots of guys can do it because they have knowledge or experience to calculate the outcome before building. Others are willing to chance it with trial and error.

If you see something specific that I'm doing wrong, please speak up, any time. That's why I'm here. To get help from other more knowledgable members than myself. I think almost everyone on this site know way more than I do, especially about this bike.

I'm the last one for creativity. The Germans have a saying. "Your always smarter after church" This means it was proven on the track.

I see something that has prove itself and I go with it. I see the RZ500 are far and between. Chances are you will never see another one on the road.

An old member of this board once told me. If you have an RZ500 you will need an RG500. The reason is how it should have been done

I did get creative with RGVSteve help. I always wanted USD forks on my Gamma. I came up with the crazy idea on grafting a RG500 birdcage with a RGV250 VJ22

birdcage. RGVSteve welded them

I'm the first one for creativity.

Not even close to my style. But this girl is someone I admire:









Giron- too bad you don't at least try to be a leader, instead of a follower.

Smoker wrote:I'm always trying to do projects that are well beyond my knowledge, skill, and talent.

That's what makes it fun and exciting. Also, very frustrating and expensive.

Stayed up all night trying to figure out how to shorten the length of the custom arm, while still using the upper brace (like the R6 arm).

Some bikes are so simple, but everything about this bike is incredibly complicated (to me). Can't measure, or even see anything in the pivot tube area without stripping parts off the bike.

Stayed up all night and my brain is completely cooked.

May just give up on shortening the custom arm, and copy the R6 dimensions exactly. We'll see.

How much longer than stock is the swingarm? I'm running an Aprilia Mille swingarm and I think it's about 1.25 inches longer than stock (if my memory serves me). It seems to handle pretty well. I don't think I'd want to go much longer though. Go ahead in get creative, just be careful with the geometry. Especially the numbers that would show up in a bike review, like wheel base.

Jeff B wrote:How much longer than stock is the swingarm? I'm running an Aprilia Mille swingarm and I think it's about 1.25 inches longer than stock (if my memory serves me). It seems to handle pretty well. I don't think I'd want to go much longer though. Go ahead in get creative, just be careful with the geometry. Especially the numbers that would show up in a bike review, like wheel base.

Best I can measure (with the lower pipes installed) is 20 inches from center swingarm pivot bolt to center of the rear axle adjuster.

Same measurement on the R6 swingarm is 23 inches.

I agree with what you are saying, and have spent most of the last 3 days trying to figure out how to make a custom swingarm close to OEM length, while still maintaining the other R6 dimensions with the upper brace. The closer the upper brace moves toward the swingarm pivot, the less clearance there is. I could do away with the upper brace, but that's not what I want.

I've pretty much given up on shortening the arm. My time might be short, so I've decided to copy the R6 dimensions exactly. Many owners are using the R6 swingarm for street and track, with good results. Another good thing about a longer swingarm is that the upper pipes will not stick out so far beyond the tire. Also, if I'm unable to finish, the custom swingarm should work on any RZV/RZ500.

Giron- Please stop posting in my threads.

Your opinions are never helpful to me, and are entirely unwanted.

Thank you.

Longshot, but does anyone know, or could measure the OD of the OEM swingarm bearings?

http://www.boats.net/parts/detail/yamah ... 03-00.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Smoker wrote:Longshot, but does anyone know, or could measure the OD of the OEM swingarm bearings?

http://www.boats.net/parts/detail/yamah ... 03-00.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks, guys.

Got it.

Wouldn't be fair of me to post the rough sketch that Sebspeed sent me.

But, the axle blocks/adjusters look cool, with triangle cutouts like the RZV frame.

There will be no CNC work, just good old fashioned machine work.

When I ordered these parts for the custom swingarm, boats.net said all parts are either in stock, or ships in 1 - 2 days. Then, I got a message that 3 of the parts would not be available until May 8. Now, this:

2C0-21650-00-00 REAR FENDER COMP. (Yamaha Motor)
In Stock

47X-22129-00-00 COVER,THRUST 2 (Yamaha Motor)
Available Monday, June 25, 2018

47X-22184-00-00 BUSH (Yamaha Motor)
Available Monday, June 18, 2018

90201-161J2-00 WASHER,PLATE (Yamaha Motor)
Available Tuesday, May 08, 2018

93320-32403-00 BEARING,CYL.#20 (Yamaha Motor)
In Stock

I can call and cancel the parts, but I'll need to find them in stock somewhere else.

Any ideas?

I'll try to check some other sources.