What was the first year for the Suzuki RM80?

tblazier
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tblazier
Edited Date/Time 6/5/2019 11:55pm
I need a little help for a Classic Steel article and it is nearly impossible to find this stuff some times. I am thinking 1977, but I am not positive. Does anyone remember for sure?

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Katoomey
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Katoomey 9/23/2014 5:35pm
9/23/2014 5:35pm Edited Date/Time 9/23/2014 5:43pm
'78

source; my own collection of microfiche. I have every RM, CR, and KX (among others) from 1974 to 1990

edit; you are correct sir. 1977. found the microfiche.
zippy895
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zippy895 9/23/2014 5:35pm
9/23/2014 5:35pm
1975 tm...75cc
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zippy895
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zippy895 9/23/2014 5:38pm
9/23/2014 5:38pm Edited Date/Time 9/23/2014 5:51pm
77 rm80...?
zippy895
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zippy895 9/23/2014 5:42pm
9/23/2014 5:42pm
1978 here...

The Shop

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petegrath
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petegrath 9/23/2014 5:44pm
9/23/2014 5:44pm
So, I use bike bandit sometimes to find out year ranges for various models (by looking them up for OEM parts). According to them, 1977 is the first year for the RM80 (at least that's the first year with OEM parts diagrams for it). If you pick '76, they only list the TM75 in that size.

Usually pretty accurate, but don't know if it's 100%.
1911
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1911 9/23/2014 6:14pm
9/23/2014 6:14pm
tblazier wrote:
I need a little help for a Classic Steel article and it is nearly impossible to find this stuff some times. I am thinking 1977, but...
I need a little help for a Classic Steel article and it is nearly impossible to find this stuff some times. I am thinking 1977, but I am not positive. Does anyone remember for sure?

1975 TM 75, my first bike bike!!!! The 78 RM80 was my second bike!! Where does time go???
1
1911
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1911 9/23/2014 6:18pm
9/23/2014 6:18pm
Katoomey wrote:
'78 source; my own collection of microfiche. I have every RM, CR, and KX (among others) from 1974 to 1990 edit; you are correct sir. 1977...
'78

source; my own collection of microfiche. I have every RM, CR, and KX (among others) from 1974 to 1990

edit; you are correct sir. 1977. found the microfiche.
Microfiche, anyone under 35 even know what that is??? LOL A great collection you have.
tblazier
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tblazier 9/24/2014 5:22am
9/24/2014 5:22am
Thanks to everyone for the help
rmgsxr
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rmgsxr 9/24/2014 8:27am
9/24/2014 8:27am
1977 was the first year of the RM80. The first photo in this thread is a 1978 RM80. The 77 forks did not go below the axle.
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dazzlindino 9/24/2014 10:23am
9/24/2014 10:23am
The way bike sales are going, which is the last year of the RM 85.....
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anniebertmojo
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anniebertmojo 9/24/2014 11:26am
9/24/2014 11:26am
1977 Suzuki RM80B


zippy895
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zippy895 9/24/2014 11:27am
9/24/2014 11:27am
rmgsxr wrote:
1977 was the first year of the RM80. The first photo in this thread is a 1978 RM80. The 77 forks did not go below the...
1977 was the first year of the RM80. The first photo in this thread is a 1978 RM80. The 77 forks did not go below the axle.
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jock
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jock 9/24/2014 2:35pm
9/24/2014 2:35pm
Katoomey wrote:
'78 source; my own collection of microfiche. I have every RM, CR, and KX (among others) from 1974 to 1990 edit; you are correct sir. 1977...
'78

source; my own collection of microfiche. I have every RM, CR, and KX (among others) from 1974 to 1990

edit; you are correct sir. 1977. found the microfiche.
1911 wrote:
Microfiche, anyone under 35 even know what that is??? LOL A great collection you have.
We have hundreds of them at work. They don't get used much these days. LOL
Katoomey
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Katoomey 9/24/2014 3:08pm
9/24/2014 3:08pm
1911 wrote:
Microfiche, anyone under 35 even know what that is??? LOL A great collection you have.
Lol! Well i'm 34...so probably no one under 34.
Top End
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Top End 9/24/2014 3:35pm
9/24/2014 3:35pm


78 RM80

I had a 77 RM80 it was my first two stroke. 76 XR75 was my first bike it still sits in my parents garage.

Pit Row

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dlowe102
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dlowe102 9/24/2014 7:41pm
9/24/2014 7:41pm
my first bike was an rm80. I always thought it was a 76 because it had 1976 on the head tube but it could have been made in 76 and sold as a 77? I do know the forks were not leading axle.
Ronnie_Blackburn 6/3/2019 3:50pm
6/3/2019 3:50pm
Suzuki brought and raced an RM80 prototype to the World Mini Grand Prix at Indian Dunes in 1975. The first I remember available to the public was in 77.
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BAD10
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BAD10 6/3/2019 4:33pm
6/3/2019 4:33pm
1977 first year for RM80. It was a five speed. Big upgrade for 78 was the 6 speed box
SCR
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SCR 6/3/2019 4:54pm
6/3/2019 4:54pm
Ronnie_Blackburn wrote:
Suzuki brought and raced an RM80 prototype to the World Mini Grand Prix at Indian Dunes in 1975. The first I remember available to the public...
Suzuki brought and raced an RM80 prototype to the World Mini Grand Prix at Indian Dunes in 1975. The first I remember available to the public was in 77.
SCR
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SCR 6/3/2019 4:58pm
6/3/2019 4:58pm
Ronnie_Blackburn wrote:
Suzuki brought and raced an RM80 prototype to the World Mini Grand Prix at Indian Dunes in 1975. The first I remember available to the public...
Suzuki brought and raced an RM80 prototype to the World Mini Grand Prix at Indian Dunes in 1975. The first I remember available to the public was in 77.
SCR wrote:
My memory tells me I saw Steve Schmitz racing a prototype RM80 at some AME races in SoCal in 76.
reded
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reded 6/3/2019 5:04pm
6/3/2019 5:04pm Edited Date/Time 6/3/2019 5:06pm
I had a ‘79 with the stupid ass fenders. Coming off of a ‘73 XR75, that sonuvabitch was a rocket!
I still have the XR and I’m planning a full resto in the next couple of years. May even have to enlist Newmann for the correct paint job.
Mr. Afterbar
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Mr. Afterbar 6/3/2019 6:04pm
6/3/2019 6:04pm Edited Date/Time 6/3/2019 6:04pm
1911 wrote:
Microfiche, anyone under 35 even know what that is??? LOL A great collection you have.
34 here. I’ve used one a few times. But yeah, they are getting ancient for sure.

77Moto
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77Moto 6/4/2019 7:00am
6/4/2019 7:00am
Gent's, this is why bikes in all kids garages are not around today like they were back in the day.

These bikes sounded bad ass. Talk about a shorty silencer. Damn near a straight stinger pipe. Easy to work on and who wouldn't want to ride a 78 RM 80.

I'd get on one right this second and want to go for a rip and have a blast!
PRM31
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PRM31 6/4/2019 7:45am
6/4/2019 7:45am Edited Date/Time 6/4/2019 7:50am
Top End wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2014/09/24/65969/s1200_78RM801.jpg[/img] 78 RM80 I had a 77 RM80 it was my first two stroke. 76 XR75 was my first bike it still sits in my parents...


78 RM80

I had a 77 RM80 it was my first two stroke. 76 XR75 was my first bike it still sits in my parents garage.

My first bike was a '76 Xr75 and my second a '78 RM80. I still remember driving home with that new '78. It was like a factory bike to me! The '78 felt like a rocket ship! I wasn't a big fan of the '79. Probably as much due to looks as anything. The '80 RM80 was a really good bike though.
hamncheeze
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hamncheeze 6/4/2019 8:01am
6/4/2019 8:01am
77Moto wrote:
Gent's, this is why bikes in all kids garages are not around today like they were back in the day. These bikes sounded bad ass. Talk...
Gent's, this is why bikes in all kids garages are not around today like they were back in the day.

These bikes sounded bad ass. Talk about a shorty silencer. Damn near a straight stinger pipe. Easy to work on and who wouldn't want to ride a 78 RM 80.

I'd get on one right this second and want to go for a rip and have a blast!
Yes, the 1978 RM80 had an incredible bark. I was racing a YZ80 and I always felt envious of the Suzuki's sound. It just sounded "fast". Of course I was 9 years old racing Schoolboy in Canada against kids up to 15 years old, so everyone around me was "fast".
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ga_pike 6/4/2019 8:14am
6/4/2019 8:14am
1911 wrote:
Microfiche, anyone under 35 even know what that is??? LOL A great collection you have.
Katoomey wrote:
Lol! Well i'm 34...so probably no one under 34.
But do you know what the Dewey Decimal System is and better yet, how to use it? LOL
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ktmfun219 6/4/2019 8:50am
6/4/2019 8:50am
tblazier wrote:
I need a little help for a Classic Steel article and it is nearly impossible to find this stuff some times. I am thinking 1977, but...
I need a little help for a Classic Steel article and it is nearly impossible to find this stuff some times. I am thinking 1977, but I am not positive. Does anyone remember for sure?

1911 wrote:
1975 TM 75, my first bike bike!!!! The 78 RM80 was my second bike!! Where does time go???
Time erodes quickly. I have an original 1975 TM 75. Ridden monthly.

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