WORST factory bikes....

EastFlorida
Profile picture for user EastFlorida
Posts
2334
Joined
7/31/2010
Location
Merritt Island, FL US
EastFlorida 11/7/2011 7:16pm
11/7/2011 7:16pm
What was the last year Hannah rode 125s for Yamaha? Those bikes were slow as production units and the factory bikes couldn't hold a candle to the others...
Wandell
Profile picture for user Wandell
Posts
7790
Joined
12/17/2008
Location
Cairo, GA US
Wandell 11/7/2011 7:21pm
11/7/2011 7:21pm
When Hannah signed with Honda in 1983, he didn't hesitate to say the 1981 and 1982 Yamaha OW works bikes were crap. I remember him saying the 1982 OW125 they forced him to race ran like a YZ80. And we've all heard him trash with water cooled version of this 1981 OW250.


The Shop

See All »
DavidR
Profile picture for user DavidR
Posts
549
Joined
6/23/2010
Location
Carrollton, TX US
DavidR 11/7/2011 7:22pm
11/7/2011 7:22pm
1997 factory RM 250. McGrath said in his book Wide Open "the Suzuki was giving me problems I wasn't sure I could overcome. It handled poorly and was really slow. How's that? Compared to my CRs, the RM was a turtle. Handled like one, too. The bike didn't hit hard enough anywhere in the powerband. It was sluggish coming out of corners and just didn't have the mid - range to run with other bikes on the straightaways." He goes on to rail on the conventional Showa forks and the clutch as well. Don't think he enjoyed his year on the Suzi.
Wandell
Profile picture for user Wandell
Posts
7790
Joined
12/17/2008
Location
Cairo, GA US
Wandell 11/7/2011 7:23pm
11/7/2011 7:23pm
Here's the watercooled version



EastFlorida
Profile picture for user EastFlorida
Posts
2334
Joined
7/31/2010
Location
Merritt Island, FL US
EastFlorida 11/7/2011 7:23pm
11/7/2011 7:23pm
Wandell wrote:
When Hannah signed with Honda in 1983, he didn't hesitate to say the 1981 and 1982 Yamaha OW works bikes were crap. I remember him saying...
When Hannah signed with Honda in 1983, he didn't hesitate to say the 1981 and 1982 Yamaha OW works bikes were crap. I remember him saying the 1982 OW125 they forced him to race ran like a YZ80. And we've all heard him trash with water cooled version of this 1981 OW250.


They did look cool though!!Sick

Hannah and Barnett are the two main riders I recall trashing the bikes they rode. Seems like the others kept their opinions to themselves.
EastFlorida
Profile picture for user EastFlorida
Posts
2334
Joined
7/31/2010
Location
Merritt Island, FL US
EastFlorida 11/7/2011 7:25pm
11/7/2011 7:25pm
Wandell wrote:
Here's the watercooled version [IMG]http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd82/WandellAsbell/SXcomGlover/SXcomYamahaFactoryBikes/1981OW502.jpg[/IMG]
Here's the watercooled version



Look how low those bars are. I wonder if this was a contributing factor?
Wandell
Profile picture for user Wandell
Posts
7790
Joined
12/17/2008
Location
Cairo, GA US
Wandell 11/7/2011 7:26pm
11/7/2011 7:26pm
I also don't think the YZ490's that Glover raced in the mid 80's could even compare to the watercooled RC500 and production based CR500's.


EastFlorida
Profile picture for user EastFlorida
Posts
2334
Joined
7/31/2010
Location
Merritt Island, FL US
EastFlorida 11/7/2011 7:27pm
11/7/2011 7:27pm
Wandell wrote:
I also don't think the YZ490's that Glover raced in the mid 80's could even compare to the watercooled RC500 and production based CR500's. [IMG]http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd82/WandellAsbell/SXcomGlover/Glover7.jpg[/IMG]
I also don't think the YZ490's that Glover raced in the mid 80's could even compare to the watercooled RC500 and production based CR500's.


Glover and Bradshaw were beasts to ride those against the factory Hondas and Kawasakis.
Wandell
Profile picture for user Wandell
Posts
7790
Joined
12/17/2008
Location
Cairo, GA US
Wandell 11/7/2011 7:28pm
11/7/2011 7:28pm
Remember when Yamaha had Bradshaw raced a 500 based on their enduro bike? Notice a pattern here?



Wandell
Profile picture for user Wandell
Posts
7790
Joined
12/17/2008
Location
Cairo, GA US
Wandell 11/7/2011 7:31pm
11/7/2011 7:31pm
EastFlorida wrote:
What year was it that Suzuki had Barnett complaining about the airbox and fuel tank being swapped? He said that the bike didn't work. Was it...
What year was it that Suzuki had Barnett complaining about the airbox and fuel tank being swapped? He said that the bike didn't work. Was it the mid 80's?
It was 1983. I think the MX version of the RH250 worked better than the SX version.






scooter5002
Profile picture for user scooter5002
Posts
4748
Joined
6/6/2010
Location
Nanton Alberta CA
scooter5002 11/7/2011 7:32pm
11/7/2011 7:32pm
DavidR wrote:
1997 factory RM 250. McGrath said in his book Wide Open "the Suzuki was giving me problems I wasn't sure I could overcome. It handled poorly...
1997 factory RM 250. McGrath said in his book Wide Open "the Suzuki was giving me problems I wasn't sure I could overcome. It handled poorly and was really slow. How's that? Compared to my CRs, the RM was a turtle. Handled like one, too. The bike didn't hit hard enough anywhere in the powerband. It was sluggish coming out of corners and just didn't have the mid - range to run with other bikes on the straightaways." He goes on to rail on the conventional Showa forks and the clutch as well. Don't think he enjoyed his year on the Suzi.
It seems to me I remember reading at the time or shortly after he was afraid to ask Roger about changing to inverted forks, to give him some much needed rigidity and confidence, at least in SX. When he finally did, it paid off in spades for him. As I recall, anyway. I'm getting old, though. Seems to me LaRocco kept going stiifer and stiffer in both valving and triple clamp machining to get things to work. Suddenly realised that he was heading in the wrong direction and returned to much closer to stock specs and it got better for him too. Bad era for those Zooks. When 2 guys of that caliber struggle, somethings definitely wrong. And it ain't the riders.
EastFlorida
Profile picture for user EastFlorida
Posts
2334
Joined
7/31/2010
Location
Merritt Island, FL US
EastFlorida 11/7/2011 7:39pm
11/7/2011 7:39pm
EastFlorida wrote:
What year was it that Suzuki had Barnett complaining about the airbox and fuel tank being swapped? He said that the bike didn't work. Was it...
What year was it that Suzuki had Barnett complaining about the airbox and fuel tank being swapped? He said that the bike didn't work. Was it the mid 80's?
Wandell wrote:
It was 1983. I think the MX version of the RH250 worked better than the SX version. [IMG]http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd82/WandellAsbell/SXcomPics2Suz/1983RH250.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd82/WandellAsbell/SXcomPics2Suz/1983RH2503.jpg[/IMG]
It was 1983. I think the MX version of the RH250 worked better than the SX version.






I think you're right. A great concept ahead of it's time but issues not resolved to be effective.
DavidR
Profile picture for user DavidR
Posts
549
Joined
6/23/2010
Location
Carrollton, TX US
DavidR 11/7/2011 7:49pm
11/7/2011 7:49pm
DavidR wrote:
1997 factory RM 250. McGrath said in his book Wide Open "the Suzuki was giving me problems I wasn't sure I could overcome. It handled poorly...
1997 factory RM 250. McGrath said in his book Wide Open "the Suzuki was giving me problems I wasn't sure I could overcome. It handled poorly and was really slow. How's that? Compared to my CRs, the RM was a turtle. Handled like one, too. The bike didn't hit hard enough anywhere in the powerband. It was sluggish coming out of corners and just didn't have the mid - range to run with other bikes on the straightaways." He goes on to rail on the conventional Showa forks and the clutch as well. Don't think he enjoyed his year on the Suzi.
scooter5002 wrote:
It seems to me I remember reading at the time or shortly after he was afraid to ask Roger about changing to inverted forks, to give...
It seems to me I remember reading at the time or shortly after he was afraid to ask Roger about changing to inverted forks, to give him some much needed rigidity and confidence, at least in SX. When he finally did, it paid off in spades for him. As I recall, anyway. I'm getting old, though. Seems to me LaRocco kept going stiifer and stiffer in both valving and triple clamp machining to get things to work. Suddenly realised that he was heading in the wrong direction and returned to much closer to stock specs and it got better for him too. Bad era for those Zooks. When 2 guys of that caliber struggle, somethings definitely wrong. And it ain't the riders.
Yeah, he said Roger was slow to make any changes for some reason and Suzuki installed some sort of fork brace on the conventional forks to lessen flex before they finally switched to upside down forks. That fork brace contraption was crazy looking. He did say the Suzi got good starts though unfortunately that was because it was so slow there was no wheel spin.
JB 19
Profile picture for user JB 19
Posts
4331
Joined
3/8/2009
Location
Marion, OH US
JB 19 11/7/2011 7:56pm
11/7/2011 7:56pm
EastFlorida wrote:
How about Bradshaw riding the POS aircooled WR against the Hondas?
Right up there with Glovers 490 against the true works Hondas of 83'.
scooter5002
Profile picture for user scooter5002
Posts
4748
Joined
6/6/2010
Location
Nanton Alberta CA
scooter5002 11/7/2011 7:58pm
11/7/2011 7:58pm
DavidR wrote:
1997 factory RM 250. McGrath said in his book Wide Open "the Suzuki was giving me problems I wasn't sure I could overcome. It handled poorly...
1997 factory RM 250. McGrath said in his book Wide Open "the Suzuki was giving me problems I wasn't sure I could overcome. It handled poorly and was really slow. How's that? Compared to my CRs, the RM was a turtle. Handled like one, too. The bike didn't hit hard enough anywhere in the powerband. It was sluggish coming out of corners and just didn't have the mid - range to run with other bikes on the straightaways." He goes on to rail on the conventional Showa forks and the clutch as well. Don't think he enjoyed his year on the Suzi.
scooter5002 wrote:
It seems to me I remember reading at the time or shortly after he was afraid to ask Roger about changing to inverted forks, to give...
It seems to me I remember reading at the time or shortly after he was afraid to ask Roger about changing to inverted forks, to give him some much needed rigidity and confidence, at least in SX. When he finally did, it paid off in spades for him. As I recall, anyway. I'm getting old, though. Seems to me LaRocco kept going stiifer and stiffer in both valving and triple clamp machining to get things to work. Suddenly realised that he was heading in the wrong direction and returned to much closer to stock specs and it got better for him too. Bad era for those Zooks. When 2 guys of that caliber struggle, somethings definitely wrong. And it ain't the riders.
DavidR wrote:
Yeah, he said Roger was slow to make any changes for some reason and Suzuki installed some sort of fork brace on the conventional forks to...
Yeah, he said Roger was slow to make any changes for some reason and Suzuki installed some sort of fork brace on the conventional forks to lessen flex before they finally switched to upside down forks. That fork brace contraption was crazy looking. He did say the Suzi got good starts though unfortunately that was because it was so slow there was no wheel spin.
Woo hoo! Killer bike for the first 100 feet of the race and then you only have to survive the next 20 laps of the main or 35 minutes of the moto. Pretty grim, huh?
Renner153
Profile picture for user Renner153
Posts
1609
Joined
12/10/2008
Location
Mulberry, FL US
Renner153 11/7/2011 8:05pm
11/7/2011 8:05pm
Worst factory bike had to be the 2002 ktm 125, freaking thing broke in half!

Pit Row

See All »
Gukamonster
Profile picture for user Gukamonster
Posts
552
Joined
3/23/2011
Location
Gigantic CK
Gukamonster 11/7/2011 8:37pm
11/7/2011 8:37pm
Some that come to mind:

1996 Suzuki RM250 - Mike LaRocco hated those bikes

1997 Suzuki RM250 - Jeremy McGrath struggled and left the team after that year

1998 Kawasaki KX125 - I think this was the year where the engine was painfully slow according to Ricky, might have been '99.

1997-1999 Honda CR250 - Some riders hated the stiff frame

2000 Cannondale - It's a stretch to even call it a factory bike but they did field a team with Keith S Johnson, the bike broke often.

2000 Husqvarna TC610 - Husky signed Stefan Everts that year to put them on the map, he hated the bike and got hurt on it early that year.

2002 / 2003 Kawasaki KX250 - Ezra Lusk mentioned in a podcast that it didn't handle well and was slow.

2003 / 2004 KTM 250SX - Ended McGrath's career he had bad things to say about the bike afterwards. Grant Langston was out of control on it in SX.

2004 KX250F / RMZ250 - Worst bike ever made. I think every rider who raced the nationals that year had at least 1 mechanical DNF, most had many more.

2006 Suzuki RMZ250 - Seemed to break all the time, especially the satellite team bike like the Bill's Pipe's Suzuki team and whatever year Motoworld ran Suzuki 4 strokes. So many times guys on those teams pushed their bikes off the track.

2007 Yamaha YZ250F - Josh Hill said this bike was slow and his ameteur bike was faster. He moved to a 450 halfway into the nationals.

2010 / 2011 Yamaha YZ450F - Few riders seem to like it.

2011 KTM 350SXF - Alessi couldn't wait to get off it onto the 450. Andrew Short tried hard not to bad mouth it but reading between the lines you can tell he doesn't like it. It did win titles the last 2 years in Europe though (if Cairoli's bike is really a 350).


That's all I can think of for now. Sorry I don't have university essay style citations for each one.
fader418
Profile picture for user fader418
Posts
2831
Joined
9/14/2009
Location
Lake Forest, CA US
fader418 11/7/2011 8:46pm
11/7/2011 8:46pm
PeterPuffer wrote:
I would have to throw out JS7 2011Factory Yamaha as a good candidate.
Yeah that bike is so bad he just signed to be on one for the next 3 years....
NeWskoolmxer
Profile picture for user NeWskoolmxer
Posts
1346
Joined
10/12/2009
Location
Central, OH US
NeWskoolmxer 11/7/2011 9:05pm
11/7/2011 9:05pm
fader418 wrote:
Yeah that bike is so bad he just signed to be on one for the next 3 years....
The bike he just signed to ride for 3 yrs is SOOOOOOOO far ahead of that San Manuel bike. The only thing they share is the Yamaha name and Design.
PeterPuffer
Profile picture for user PeterPuffer
Posts
19
Joined
11/6/2011
Location
Douglasville, GA US
PeterPuffer 11/7/2011 9:05pm
11/7/2011 9:05pm
PeterPuffer wrote:
I would have to throw out JS7 2011Factory Yamaha as a good candidate.
fader418 wrote:
Yeah that bike is so bad he just signed to be on one for the next 3 years....
Money Money Money
Deetsmx
Profile picture for user Deetsmx
Posts
888
Joined
4/21/2008
Location
Visalia, CA US
Deetsmx 11/7/2011 9:05pm
11/7/2011 9:05pm
PeterPuffer wrote:
I would have to throw out JS7 2011Factory Yamaha as a good candidate.
fader418 wrote:
Yeah that bike is so bad he just signed to be on one for the next 3 years....
Nah, he signed with Toyota for the next 5
WhipMeister
Profile picture for user WhipMeister
Posts
5240
Joined
8/15/2006
Location
Big D, TX US
WhipMeister 11/7/2011 9:23pm
11/7/2011 9:23pm
Pomeroy had some none too kind comments about the last gasp Buls when he went back to them around 80. Frame like licorice string or somesuch as I recall.
mattmatt300
Profile picture for user mattmatt300
Posts
1457
Joined
3/30/2009
Location
Rockmart, GA US
mattmatt300 11/7/2011 9:41pm
11/7/2011 9:41pm
the bike that cost dungey not 1, but 2 titles in a single season
MOTODAD422
Profile picture for user MOTODAD422
Posts
430
Joined
9/26/2008
Location
Easton, PA US
MOTODAD422 11/7/2011 9:41pm
11/7/2011 9:41pm
PeterPuffer wrote:
I would have to throw out JS7 2011Factory Yamaha as a good candidate.
San Miguel wrote:
It wasn't bad, it just didn't fit Stewart's needs, he's said numerous times and the interview with Sergio Avanto that they just couldn''t get the bike...
It wasn't bad, it just didn't fit Stewart's needs, he's said numerous times and the interview with Sergio Avanto that they just couldn''t get the bike to do what they wanted it to do.
What did they want the bike to do ? ,win races by itself ,with millions of dollars and seasoned mechanics and engineers they couldn't get the bike right. And now he is going to ride the same bike. Maybe with the addition of a turbo button and air bags it should be good enough for him?
mattmatt300
Profile picture for user mattmatt300
Posts
1457
Joined
3/30/2009
Location
Rockmart, GA US
mattmatt300 11/7/2011 9:47pm
11/7/2011 9:47pm
this is not a james stewart thread. gtfo with that nonsense
Kartwheel84c 11/7/2011 10:00pm
11/7/2011 10:00pm
The late '70s and first couple years of the 80s Kawasaki SRs were bad, and the Suzukis after they went away from the Full Floater to that eccentric link thing I think in '84.
ehr400
Profile picture for user ehr400
Posts
2629
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Britton, MI US
ehr400 11/8/2011 2:20am
11/8/2011 2:20am
What about the Honda RC125 type 2's that Marty Smith was running against Hannah in '76? From what Marty said in interviews and looking at the bikes it seems like the YZ was alot better bike, and it helps Hannah was at the healm.

Post a reply to: WORST factory bikes....