The bikes that could have been

Sully wrote:

"...i vaguely remember that it pulled the shock, not compressed it."I'm glad my brain still understands a little bit of basic physics, because that's exactly...

"...i vaguely remember that it pulled the shock, not compressed it."

I'm glad my brain still understands a little bit of basic physics, because that's exactly what I thought when I saw that linkage. I wonder how the engineers thought that would work and not snap the spring at worst, or stretch it to holy hell at best, especially after it started to heat up.

@Robgvx given your background, I'm curious if that KX500 was the most exotic bike you had the chance to ride, and if not, what was?

Robgvx wrote:

I rode this once. It was pretty awesome. Whatever gear it was in, it seemed to have the same, smooth, linear thrust. Torquey, powerful, but very...

I rode this once. It was pretty awesome. Whatever gear it was in, it seemed to have the same, smooth, linear thrust. Torquey, powerful, but very controlled. 
 

 

mumbles wrote:

Rob, That is and will always be for me the utilmate MX bike.I drooled over it at Namur in 85/86. 

Rob, 

That is and will always be for me the utilmate MX bike.I drooled over it at Namur in 85/86.

 

JMX82 wrote:

It would be amazing if someone could take one of the last existing RC500s, 3D-scan every part of the bike, and build an exact replica using...

It would be amazing if someone could take one of the last existing RC500s, 3D-scan every part of the bike, and build an exact replica using modern manufacturing methods such as 3D printing. Some components could even be modernized to make the bike even better than original  

Bobby Barracuda wrote:

In light of the long awaited Kawasaki smoker (that actually is going to come out allegedly) I find myself looking back to the YZ150F. I remember...

In light of the long awaited Kawasaki smoker (that actually is going to come out allegedly) I find myself looking back to the YZ150F. I remember seeing this beauty in MXA when I was 12 years old and drooling over it for months. A few years later the CRF150R comes out and it’s a bit lackluster, didn’t matter to me though as I was already on big bikes. 

The YZ was one I always dreamed of riding….

What bikes can you recall that never happened? 

Jason XCmtb wrote:

Wilcomoto from 1980. Built by an engineering company in the UK and put into production, but a fire at the factory put a stop to everything...

Wilcomoto from 1980. Built by an engineering company in the UK and put into production, but a fire at the factory put a stop to everything. The whole thing was made from magnesium so the fire went off like a nuclear strike. Apparently it was a bit rough round the edges but had a lot of potential.

vw57 wrote:

Wow, Wilcomoto,  I remember reading about it in Motor Cycle News, around 1984 ish,  something along the lines of they where negotiating with Brad Lackey to...

Wow, Wilcomoto,  I remember reading about it in Motor Cycle News, around 1984 ish,  something along the lines of they where negotiating with Brad Lackey to race it. 
As MCN had a reputation of sometimes making stuff up and as a Brad Lackey fan I have  wondered about it over the years if it was true.

Always seemed a shame how his career ended with no ride…..

 

JMX82 wrote:

It would be amazing if someone could take one of the last existing RC500s, 3D-scan every part of the bike, and build an exact replica using...

It would be amazing if someone could take one of the last existing RC500s, 3D-scan every part of the bike, and build an exact replica using modern manufacturing methods such as 3D printing. Some components could even be modernized to make the bike even better than original  

philG wrote:

I seem to recall someone in France did build a very good replica, and pics were posted here. When you get up close to those bikes, they...

I seem to recall someone in France did build a very good replica, and pics were posted here. 

When you get up close to those bikes, they are deffo hand made, lots of bits that look rough , sand castings, welds, and loads of other bits that are not anything like a production level of finish. 

And that is what makes them special. 

mumbles wrote:

Here one from KTM back in 1986. I was at the Luxembourg 500 GP and this guy (don't know the rider) was ripping around on it...

Here one from KTM back in 1986. I was at the Luxembourg 500 GP and this guy (don't know the rider) was ripping around on it. It looked good, was laud as heck with the open megaphone. I loved it. Don't know why they didn't put it into production. It had a linkage way back then.

Robgvx wrote:

George Reiter from Austria. Scored points at Sittendorf that year. 

JMX82 wrote:

It would be amazing if someone could take one of the last existing RC500s, 3D-scan every part of the bike, and build an exact replica using...

It would be amazing if someone could take one of the last existing RC500s, 3D-scan every part of the bike, and build an exact replica using modern manufacturing methods such as 3D printing. Some components could even be modernized to make the bike even better than original  

philG wrote:

I seem to recall someone in France did build a very good replica, and pics were posted here. When you get up close to those bikes, they...

I seem to recall someone in France did build a very good replica, and pics were posted here. 

When you get up close to those bikes, they are deffo hand made, lots of bits that look rough , sand castings, welds, and loads of other bits that are not anything like a production level of finish. 

And that is what makes them special. 

JMX82 wrote:

I remember seeing that bike. I think it was based on stock production CR500 engine though. What I'd like to see is replicating everything including the...

I remember seeing that bike. I think it was based on stock production CR500 engine though. What I'd like to see is replicating everything including the engine components see it how it's compares against modern equipment at the track with out destroying the original bike that is valued beyond imagination 

With current technology it would much easier to copy the parts exactly like the originals and that opens up a whole new world of opportunities for replicating things 

CR92 wrote:

Wait, what am I missing here? Would this have been an 08' on cr250 or something? 

I got into moto in 04'~05' so forgive my ignorance. 

Tumic wrote:

This was in 03 or 04 Honda raced this prototype in the Japanese championship. It probably never reached production due to the fact that Honda decided...

This was in 03 or 04 Honda raced this prototype in the Japanese championship. It probably never reached production due to the fact that Honda decided to pull the plug on the two stroke program around that time.

But if you look at the frame it's simular to the second gen crf frames.

H4L wrote:

I believe Takeshi Katsuya raced it in 2003 in Japan.  He raves about the frame / chassis, suspension & engine (Best handling bike he's ridden to...

I believe Takeshi Katsuya raced it in 2003 in Japan.  He raves about the frame / chassis, suspension & engine (Best handling bike he's ridden to date).  I believe by then HRC had figured out the 02+ case reed engine. From my understanding the key was the electronic PV, engine specs & ECU map settings. It's too bad this bike never made it into production as Honda had started putting its efforts in the 4T..    I think he's now working as a test rider for Kawasaki.  

From my experience it doesn't take much to wake up a sleeping giant on the 02-07 CR250r's.  PC & Chad Watt's have excellent porting specs..

https://youtu.be/OztUc57HG-U?t=73

mumbles wrote:

I knew you would know Rob. Any idea why they didn't put this into production? It looked close to what a production bike could have been...

I knew you would know Rob. Any idea why they didn't put this into production? It looked close to what a production bike could have been in that time period.

philG wrote:

I seem to recall someone in France did build a very good replica, and pics were posted here. When you get up close to those bikes, they...

I seem to recall someone in France did build a very good replica, and pics were posted here. 

When you get up close to those bikes, they are deffo hand made, lots of bits that look rough , sand castings, welds, and loads of other bits that are not anything like a production level of finish. 

And that is what makes them special. 

JMX82 wrote:

I remember seeing that bike. I think it was based on stock production CR500 engine though. What I'd like to see is replicating everything including the...

I remember seeing that bike. I think it was based on stock production CR500 engine though. What I'd like to see is replicating everything including the engine components see it how it's compares against modern equipment at the track with out destroying the original bike that is valued beyond imagination 

With current technology it would much easier to copy the parts exactly like the originals and that opens up a whole new world of opportunities for replicating things 

Bearuno wrote:

This bike, I think: 

This bike, I think: 

Bobby Barracuda wrote:

In light of the long awaited Kawasaki smoker (that actually is going to come out allegedly) I find myself looking back to the YZ150F. I remember...

In light of the long awaited Kawasaki smoker (that actually is going to come out allegedly) I find myself looking back to the YZ150F. I remember seeing this beauty in MXA when I was 12 years old and drooling over it for months. A few years later the CRF150R comes out and it’s a bit lackluster, didn’t matter to me though as I was already on big bikes. 

The YZ was one I always dreamed of riding….

What bikes can you recall that never happened? 

rbm33 wrote:

Bobby you win the internet with this thread. 6 pages and counting and not one argument!! Someone give Bobby a free Vital T-shirt.

Rickyisms wrote:

I just read up on this and had to translate from French. It was Philippe Dupasquier’s, apparently the frame was fabricated by Italian’s. It wasn’t built...

I just read up on this and had to translate from French. It was Philippe Dupasquier’s, apparently the frame was fabricated by Italian’s. It wasn’t built by KTM. 

mumbles wrote:

Here one from KTM back in 1986. I was at the Luxembourg 500 GP and this guy (don't know the rider) was ripping around on it...

Here one from KTM back in 1986. I was at the Luxembourg 500 GP and this guy (don't know the rider) was ripping around on it. It looked good, was laud as heck with the open megaphone. I loved it. Don't know why they didn't put it into production. It had a linkage way back then.