How fast is/was your stock RZ350?

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Forzfed
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How fast is/was your stock RZ350?

#1 Post by Forzfed » Sat Sep 09, 2017 7:35 pm

Just wondering top speed wise how fast was your stock RZ350 and what year was it? My stock 85 RZ would run a best of 128mph on a good day but on a hot one 125 mph this is when I lived up north past the 56' parallel so it was close to sea level and cooler. My 86 stock was only 122mph but it was quicker just not faster.

How about your guy's bikes in bone stock form no rejetting?
90 RZ Race Bike
86 RZ daily driver
85 RZ low milage

Hooligan
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Re: How fast is/was your stock RZ350?

#2 Post by Hooligan » Sat Sep 09, 2017 8:08 pm

You understand there is a great deal error in those old mechanical drive speedos?
'82 RD350LC in '81 colours, OEM pipes, UNI filters
'85 FZ750

hondaror
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Re: How fast is/was your stock RZ350?

#3 Post by hondaror » Sun Sep 10, 2017 12:21 am

Mechanical error is +or- 10%.

Mine was running 200 kph this year with pipes and pods as noted with RC51 speedo, me on the RC following. Still had more according to Todd.

Stock, I have no idea.
Last edited by hondaror on Mon Sep 11, 2017 1:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Rory
2 1984 RZ350s
1985 RZ350
9 1986-1990 RZ350s
2000 ST2
2005 749
2005 749 with 999 engine

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Re: How fast is/was your stock RZ350?

#4 Post by Hooligan » Sun Sep 10, 2017 12:59 am

I've seen 180 on my stocker when I took my nephew for a ride. Not sure what it's top speed would be but don't want to seize the thing trying to find out.
'82 RD350LC in '81 colours, OEM pipes, UNI filters
'85 FZ750

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T.RexRacing
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Re: How fast is/was your stock RZ350?

#5 Post by T.RexRacing » Sun Sep 10, 2017 1:03 pm

Man mine would pass a 'Busa in 5th............... :smt005...............in the trunk of a Ferrari.





Really in 2001 it ran through the traps at Maxton @123 MPH with 17/40 gearing,DG pipes,K&Ns,Dynojet jet kit and a 120/90-18 tire. Disappointed.
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Questo vecchio rz
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Re: How fast is/was your stock RZ350?

#6 Post by Questo vecchio rz » Sun Sep 10, 2017 2:51 pm

It's been many years, but on my 1st Rz just pipes.. I'd say almost every weekend In my youth, I'd have the RZ flat out for miles on the freeway with friends,so likley 100s of times I've been flat out.

With stock gearing it was always around the 121 m.p.h range give or take a few.

I generally ran a 16 tooth sprocket ,so my top speed was cut a good 5 mph or more!

The RZ would out accelerate most all comparable machines to about a 1/4 mile....but that it. A RZ would get left for dead on the interstates by Ninja 600s, FZ600s, GPZs etc.. Even many many friends basic cars of the day would easily cruise right past me on the open road, Old Nissan Maximas, Mitsu Stations, Dodge Omni GLH,...my friends 86 Toyota turbo Xtra cab pickup truck was even faster on the freeway. :smt005

My later RZ was quicker at around 127 to 130...but That bike I generally had geared always with a 15 or 16 for drag races...by that point I did not ride w friends on the hwy much.

When I bought a FZR1000..that bike was 10 mph faster in just the 1/4 mile than the poor little RZ could manage flat out...lol
Banshee (Baja) race bike,+ 2 A Arms,L.E.Ds, Toomey, +4 stroker IMS tank, run flats.
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Forzfed
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Re: How fast is/was your stock RZ350?

#7 Post by Forzfed » Sun Sep 10, 2017 4:06 pm

I'm getting my race motor for my car rebuilt and one of the machinist had a few RZ's and we started chatting. He bought a brand new 85 and said it would do 200 km/hr all day long. He bought a brand new 90 RZ and it would not go as fast but was quicker. This sounded spot on to me. I have old magazine where they radarred an 85 at 125mph in Ontario which doesn't have the best climate for performance so I thought my radar run at 128 mph was pretty bang on. My 85 would pull the wheels off the ground in the first three gears bone stock. My 86 bone stock on occasions would pull the front tire off the ground. It's still a fun bike but needs more power!
90 RZ Race Bike
86 RZ daily driver
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Zedixe13
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Re: How fast is/was your stock RZ350?

#8 Post by Zedixe13 » Sun Sep 10, 2017 9:49 pm

Cycle Canada mag. clocked the 1983 RZ350 at 12.7 sec. in the quarter mile .

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Re: How fast is/was your stock RZ350?

#9 Post by Questo vecchio rz » Sun Sep 10, 2017 11:20 pm

Zedixe13 wrote:Cycle Canada mag. clocked the 1983 RZ350 at 12.7 sec. in the quarter mile .
Yea, great lil bikes in the 1/4 mile, especially back in the 80s..my 2nd Rz could lay down 1/4 runs in the mid 11s all day long...that bike was also as quick in the 1/4 mile as a stock RZ flat out.

Think about that, A 340 lb bike, 150 lb rider a Spec2 65 h.p. engine...that lil 350 sucked the side panels off many legend bike from the 70s & early 80s, Kawi Triples, CB750s,Kawasaki Z1900s etc. Good times!!!

There are exceptions..when some one of the above listed turned up in drag spec...then it was a challenge some won, some lost.
But most folks thought a relatively stock big 600lb 4 stroke w a Kerker pipe...was all they needed ..boy were they wrong :smt001
Banshee (Baja) race bike,+ 2 A Arms,L.E.Ds, Toomey, +4 stroker IMS tank, run flats.
96 GSXR SRAD, Future Yoshimura rep.
85 custom Tri-Z
RZ/YZR bike(project)
86 VFR750 RC24 Merkel replica (project)
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Re: How fast is/was your stock RZ350?

#10 Post by T.RexRacing » Sun Sep 10, 2017 11:58 pm

I always found the bigger bikes easier to launch consistently.
There is only one difference between a madman and me. The madman thinks he is sane. I know I am mad.
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Questo vecchio rz
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Re: How fast is/was your stock RZ350?

#11 Post by Questo vecchio rz » Mon Sep 11, 2017 12:50 am

Oh yeah , I'd have to agree, the sheer amount of tourqe on a liter bike allows me more control/feel my FZR was a dream to launch.

The RZ was tricky...High RPM clutch drop crappy clutch feel & 2 stroke wheel lift. No way I could do it with regularity without slamming the bikes suspension
Banshee (Baja) race bike,+ 2 A Arms,L.E.Ds, Toomey, +4 stroker IMS tank, run flats.
96 GSXR SRAD, Future Yoshimura rep.
85 custom Tri-Z
RZ/YZR bike(project)
86 VFR750 RC24 Merkel replica (project)
Royal Enfield Bullet 500

hondaror
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Re: How fast is/was your stock RZ350?

#12 Post by hondaror » Mon Sep 11, 2017 2:00 pm

Riding a small bike fast, makes a way better rider. I've done enough racing to have good 2 stroke feel when slipping the clutch on a launch. I think I might surprise Peter next year when I drag his FZ750.
There is no clutch dump when launching a 2 stroke. Slip, slip, slip....and yes, the front wheel always comes up some, unless you're in loose gravel or dirt.
Rory
2 1984 RZ350s
1985 RZ350
9 1986-1990 RZ350s
2000 ST2
2005 749
2005 749 with 999 engine

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Re: How fast is/was your stock RZ350?

#13 Post by T.RexRacing » Mon Sep 11, 2017 3:02 pm

There's no clutch dump on my Tuono either. It pulls hard from 2500 'til 10,000. What makes the launch easy is the torque from down low. Hard to stall and you're only a quick burp of the clutch away from lots mo' powa.
There is only one difference between a madman and me. The madman thinks he is sane. I know I am mad.
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Hooligan
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Re: How fast is/was your stock RZ350?

#14 Post by Hooligan » Mon Sep 11, 2017 11:19 pm

T.RexRacing wrote:I always found the bigger bikes easier to launch consistently.
When I was road racing, I discovered the SV650 was super easy to launch. We raced Formula 2 against the TZ's and we'd SPANK them off the line every time. :D
'82 RD350LC in '81 colours, OEM pipes, UNI filters
'85 FZ750

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Re: How fast is/was your stock RZ350?

#15 Post by Questo vecchio rz » Tue Sep 12, 2017 2:43 am

Hooligan wrote:
T.RexRacing wrote:I always found the bigger bikes easier to launch consistently.
When I was road racing, I discovered the SV650 was super easy to launch. We raced Formula 2 against the TZ's and we'd SPANK them off the line every time. :D
TZs are just absolute dogs off the line, loooong 1st gears, smaller displacement & h.p to build power...but give em 2-3 laps & the magic of a spec built race bike comes alive, I used to watch TZs in the early Formula USA series ( best ever racing series Ever!) The lil TZ would often give the Big 1100s trouble..just not enough power, Roberts finally brought in YZR500s to compete in the series, great racing, usually the 500s won, but a few times on certain tracks the big GSXR "big papas" etc.. would be able to take down a factory 500cc race bike... Great racing.

Crazy to think about...but virtually any modern liter (street) sport bike would defeat our beloved 80s-early 90s 500cc GP 2 stokes.
Banshee (Baja) race bike,+ 2 A Arms,L.E.Ds, Toomey, +4 stroker IMS tank, run flats.
96 GSXR SRAD, Future Yoshimura rep.
85 custom Tri-Z
RZ/YZR bike(project)
86 VFR750 RC24 Merkel replica (project)
Royal Enfield Bullet 500

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