Oh man the RM370😍😍😍😍. When I got my first yz80 I remember my friends dad had a 370 and it will forever be ingrained in my imagination as the COOLEST motorcycle on earth! We thought them monsters as kids and they were so seductive to a ten year old boy! The Porsche 911 and Suzuki RM370’s; forever the absolute ideal to me! Love your channel man, just LOVE it!
Same here, I was 10 in 76’, my neighbor had a TT500 what a beast it was. He had an H2 750 Kaw too, I can remember thinking, I’ll never be badass enough to ride these monsters. 10 years later I’m on a KX500 thinking man, your crazy lol. I love the 911 too, a Husky 390 and a turbo 911 was my dream package
TM 400 was a beast to ride. I owned on in the early 70’s. The power curve was off and on. It was full power the instant you twisted the throttle. If you were on hard ground it would wheelie so easy.
My first bike was a ‘74 TM125. It came in a box and had been completely dismantled. I had no experience with working on bikes, and had only ridden an XR75 for a few hours. I built that TM125 like a jigsaw puzzle. I eventually got one of those 3rd party TM manuals that they used to sell at the shops and got it running. It wasn’t the most reliable bike, but I learned how to ride on that bike, (and how to work on them too). Eventually I got a RM100, a CR250, and so on. But I’ll never forget that TM125. I thought the 78 RMs were the best bikes of that era. In my neighborhood, at that time, you either had a RM or a YZ. That’s it. Both were cool, but in my experience the RMs were screamers while the YZs were a more controlled, easier bike to ride. We also hated the 79 RM rear fender. It was even uglier in person. Eventually I bought a 78 CR250 with Fox air shocks and a few other modifications. That bike was scary, but one of the most beautiful machines ever made. If I could go back in time, I’d go to 1978 and buy a 78 RM 125 or 250. That was the best, IMO. Thanks for the video. Very accurate information! 41:33 My favorite rider when I was a kid. Mark Barnett. 👍🏼
My friend had a new 79 RM400N & l had a new 79 RM125N , we were racing 2 one hour moto's on a 5 mile harescramble loop on private land one weekend & he wanted to swap at the end of the day after l waxed him easily both motors, he couldn't figure out how a 125 could almost lap a 400 , l couldn't say yes fast enough since being 17 at the time l never been on a open class bike before & l felt rite at home on his 400 , l remember the motor being so sweet not overwhelming, linear & torquey wrapped up in a package that turned well but was also stable , l wanted to trade bikes for real after the ride but never said so just sayin man l love the 400 , so easy to ride fast , l'd love too find a good one today to fix up to race at mid-ohio .
I raced a TM 400 in the early 70s. The biggest problem with that bike was the internal rotor flywheel. The works bikes were as you said, 60 pounds lighter. The stock bike had so much power but you could not get the power to the ground. I used a 4# flywheel on my bike and it transformed it into a very forgiving, torquey beast. At a race at Zoar Moto Park in Western New York State, someone from Erie PA Suzuki shop approached me and asked me what kind of shocks I was running. Playing dumb, I asked my mechanic what kind of shocks came on my bike. The guy from Erie asked incredulously “you’re running stock shocks?” ( I was.) He spun around and said, “Wait till I tell those guys.” It was a special moment! It wasn’t the shocks, it was the flywheel!
Great Vid! And I will say my '77 RM-370 was my favorite bike of all time and I have had over 30 in 50+ years of riding! It had the perfect blend of handling, Travel and Power in one package.
Awesome video! I learned a lot about the heritage of the 1978 RM400 that I restored back in 1989. I absolutely loved that bike. I switched to the RM400 after a few years of life with the YZ400's. Other than the rear swingarm and Mono Shock the Suzuki RM400 was waaaaaaay better than the Yamaha YZ400. That is my experience and you can't change that 😎
IN 1979 as a just turned 15 year old kid that had out grown his 1976 RM100 I was at the Suzuki Dealer to buy the Beautiful "All New" 79 RM400. I loved that bike from the minute I rode it the very first time. Loved everything about it. The way the bike is setup up and balanced the front tire is sitting off the ground about 6" all the time. Just so much fun to ride keeping a smile on my face even till this day as I still own it! Original Owner that will still have it on the day that I die.
Thanks, a great summary of some great bikes. I had the 1984 RM, a special custom machine with a 500 motor built into an RM250 frame. Marty Moates raced it here in Australia that season. Lots of power, that’s for sure.
Hi Jady. I'm in Maryborough, QLD. I remember that bike. I'm sure I watched Marty race it at the Raymond Terrace round of Mr Motocross. I have a vague recollection of Trail & Track Magazine doing a feature on it too. Do you have any pics of the bike? Would love to see them.
Tony after watching your videos it is apparent the effort and research you put into these segments. They are fantastic and bring back so many happy memories for me. I raced a 1979 Suzuki RM125 that I purchased new for $1075. I saved and saved money and finally was able to buy the bike. I raced the bike shortly thereafter and took 3rd in the 125 Beginner class. I was hooked and raced for many more years until I went to college. As a 60 year old, you never get the thrill and excitement out of your system.
Good job !!! I allways have been a suzuki and honda fan. My unkle took us to mx races in holland and belgium in the 78-83 years. A friend of him raced on a suzuki. We became suzuki mx fans at adge 5 and 9. Love the looks of the RM '80 line. Also the '88-89 looked sharp.
I watches a video yz 490 Suzuki 400..honda cr500 the CR HONDA BEAT THEM ALL THE honda HAD MORE AT THE TOP END IT WOULD ACUITLY PULL AWAY ON THE BACKWHEEL FROM THE RM AND THE YZ
My very first moto bike was a 71 TM 400. I had so much fun on this bike, however it definitely demanded respect! I was a huge motocross fan of the late 60’s and what the Europeans were doing. Great era in motocross.
This is the best rainy Sunday channel on TH-cam. Tony, words can't describe how many great memories of me and my Dad racing in the early 80's this channel brings back!! Keep up the great work.
In 1983 I bought a 81 rm465 it was definitely a racer had all kinds of mods airbox Bills pipe port job xcetera. It was a freaking light switch... and now I didn't previously owned a big bore two-stroke but I had ridden plenty of my friends bikes and also at that time I was riding my Uncle John's 76 Bultaco 360 Astro so I had a few bikes to compare it to. It was no slouch modded out. I love your videos keep up the good work. 👍
Tony, This is by far the best video I've ever seen on the big bore Suzuki TM'S & RM'S. The pictures, magazines, ads, brochures, articles, etc. totally awesome! I have a 1977 RM 370 that I bought new that's a 9 out of 10, 2 - 1982 RM 465's that I built from the ground up that's all original and a 1985 RM 500 which is a 540cc. IMO the 1977 RM 370 is not only the best bike in the RM lineup, it's the faster than the others mentioned. The RM 370 won't outrun the 540cc but it will outrun a stock RM 500. In my profile pic is a RM 125 that I won the 1974 & 1975 AMA National Flat Track Championship with. It's a 1975 RM 125 - S that I still own and it's my pride and joy. If anyone is interested I would sell both RM 465's.
@@chopperenduro6590 If you can send me your email or tell me how I can contact you. I will send you pics and I have a video of 1 RM 465 firing up for the 1st time.
@@TheMotocrossVault Your welcome and thanks again for your dedication and time putting this great vid. together and sharing. I liked, subscribed and rang the ding - ding.
I had a '79 RM400. The previous owner removed the baffle from the pipe. You could see where he cut the pipe open and welded it back together right at the fattest part. It was a MONSTER, very powerful. At the time someone told me that the factory discovered the test riders had faster lap times with the baffle in place because it was easier to control. Baffle be dammed, I was in it for power at that time of my life. Great bike
High desert So Cal raced a Baja prepped RM 370A through the US Suzuki owned and operated Pasadena Suzuki store in Pasadena, California in 1976. Because I was tall, 6’5” we could enhance suspension travel via custom forks and extended boxed swing arm with cantilevered rear shocks. Result was over 11” of travel front and rear. US Suzuki was trying to bank on Rogers European motocross success. The bike was wicked fast in the dessert. While out in the dirt next to the freeway, I used to pass cars traveling on the I15 heading to Las Vegas. Flaw was the engine had to be in neural to start. Rough in the engine off Le Mans starts common in District 37, AMA sanctioned high desert racing of the day. Miss those days and that custom semi factory machine. I remember going to the “Pagoda” in Santa Ana, California, and poking around the sand casted multi-cylinder 4 stoke street bikes just getting off the drawing board.
Purchased a 1976 RM370 for 50 dollars at a garage sale in 2001. It was a rolling chassis with the motor apart in a crate. It was all there, so I gave it a frame off restoration. I was able to purchase most of the parts I needed new from Suzuki. The bike was an absolute beast. I ended up selling it for 3,500 dollars. I wish I had kept it.
Tony. You are the best ! Iv love dirt bikes since I was a kid and at 50 getting back into ridding. I always love your vids and always learn so much. Thank you and keep up the excellent work.
Another great story timeline Tony!😊👍 I think I have only seen a RM 500 in a motocross museum recently. Despite the oldschool bodywork I really like the blue and Yellow 1984-85 look. Sad it ended so early, cause Yamaha had moderate luck at least offroad with their old aircooled YZ 490 even into the 90s with the WR 500. That make it more weird Suzuki quit this early.
I've got a theory about suzuki. I think they're only in it for the money. As far as passion for Motorsports go, that company lost it a long time ago. It all boils down to the numbers. It's why they're open class 450 hasn't changed in 5 years. You can't change it with the current market (covid) eating into profits. Suzuki just kept the same bike the whole time and kept releasing it. They just pulled out of MotoGP this year. Suzuki is not a company for Motorsport lovers. They make great products and have had some extremely great one off hits but even a broke clock is right twice a day. You can see the passion for dirt and companies like KTM and Honda. Honda won the F1 championship with their motor the very last year they were producing it for F1. That says a lot about a company when they try that hard knowing it's the last year. The Suzuki team look like they had all but quit the moment they found out they were no longer in It next year. Just opinions and speculation. Personally I'm a Honda guy. Every time I go to do the valves on a Honda motorcycle, whether that be A Fireblade with 200 horsepower or a 250R with 40, those valves are always in spec when I check. I even have a Chinese Honda clone 50 with 300 hours on it and the valves are still in spec. The engineers at Honda are tops
Nice video mate thank you, I really want a 84-85 model if I can find one here in NZ. I think the power is a bit of a non issue as a pipe, porting, reeds, carb and piston will bump it up to where ever you want. And it's not expensive when you consider what these bike sell for now they are an investment that you can play with.
Brings back memories having at different times worked on the RN not RM 250 and RM 370 and RM 400 for Australians Geoff Worral and Anthony Gunter, YZ 125 the oddball model where they went Euro style with the final drive on the right side not the left comes to mind and YZ 465 for Stephen Gall and sometimes as well for Ivan Miller also on RM's back in the Glory days of Vincent Tessario's amazing Mister Motocross Series where Frank Pons was my Boss and we looked after both the Factory supported Suzuki and Yamaha riders in Australia. From those days I still have all the porting and chamber specs from different models we modified back then including Gaston Rahiers works RN 125 and possibly the most outstanding engine was Paul Caslicks short circuit RM 50 that ended up making over 20 horsepower and it was not unttil much later at Kawasaki West with Alan Tomkins where we destroked KX 60's to 50 cc for racing in that class those figures improved but with a much later engine design. Having Worked at Kawasaki Australia I also remembe things such as KR 250 and KR 350 Roadracers and later the Works SR 500 kawasaki Below is linked when Broc Glover, Marty Moates, Gary Semics, Jim Gibson, Warren Reid, Gerard Rond, Scott Ron Black, Swede Leif Niklasson, Finn Timo Jarvinen and a host of fast Aussies including Gall, Gunter, later World MX Legend Jeff Leisk and so many other fast riders Great Times indeed amxhistory.com.au/1981-ratshirts-yamaha-international-motocross-amaroo-park
Great show I grew up just DREAMING OVER THESE MONSTERS I graduated high school in 84 so yeah I remember most of these bikes!! My 1st bike was a suzuki ds125 I loved it ofcourse I wanted a rm lol .years later I bought kx bikes !LOVE YOUR SHOW YOUR AWESOME!!
I raced a '71 TM400 and fell ....while I was coasting side saddle down to the starting line and my draped sweatshirt (summertime race wear) caught in the sprocket locking the rear wheel and I took a high side into some weeds!! It was awful (embarrassing) but I recovered and did make the race start. I've had many years to contemplate the qualities of the TMs that made them so unraceworthy. Both that 400 and the 250 I raced later on were borrowed but their behaviors were equally bad. I rode my own TS250 to within 1 point of getting a gold medal at the Berkshire Int'l Trials in '71 where it's stability and strength made a difference but did not make a good conversion to motocrosser with the factory kit. Another rider of the period who was a class C competitor and I shared our feelings about them. I saw him win at least once on his orange tanker in scrambles but he didn't make those rides regularly. We agreed that the geometry of the TMs did not favor good cornering and wanted both a reduction in rake and trail to improve that. I also felt that the engine needed to be further forward to help keep the front wheel planted as it always felt too skittery in a hard sustained corner. I came to feel the fuel tank was a bit too long (same fuel tank as used on the TS series of dual purpose Suzukis) and that the rider was positioned slightly too far rearward. I never placed on either machine though I was in the expert class of our territory north of NYC. The TM400 was just too unpredictable coming out of a corner and once the rear wheel began it's dance from side to side, life saving responses began to kick in as it could get treacherous. The shocks were miserable and all that weight bias to the rear made it hard to manage, let alone the power coming on suddenly to exaggerate the chaos. Otherwise, I worked as service manager and mechanic for the dealer in upper Westchester Co and we had good results with the 125s others were racing. I especially liked the first RM 125 even though it had the TS based engine. The handling was impeccable.
You tell a good nostalgic story, thanks. And I am glad you were not wearing a neck scarf for summer time riding gear on your side saddle trip to the starting line. :)
Love this channel. I think a history of the RM125 might be a good video. Suzuki always seemed to support the 125 class. From what I remember from my riding days, (late ‘70s early ‘80s), the RM125 won a lot in those years. Maybe you already made one. I’ll look. Great vids!
The big change in the TM400 between 1972 and '73 was the switch to a 7.1" travel 35mm upper tube fork with better damping, nicer triple clamps, and a lot less flex. The 250 got this set-up for 1974.
i too had 79 RM 400, had a 76 MX 400 before the Zook, and a 83 KX 500 Team Green hand me down after the Suzi, the RM 400 was definitely the best of the 3 even if it would swap out and spit me off every now and then
I bought a 1975 TM-250. My buddies had Yamaha MX-250 monoshocks. The Yamaha was a better machine for motocross and trail riding except for 2 areas. No.1 My TM 250 got over twice the gas mileage. No.2 The Yamaha guys wore their single piston ring out on a regular basis. My TM-250 went several years before I re- ringed it. My TM250 wouldn't pull a greasy string out of a cat's ass at low RPM's but I swear I would love to have it back. It just looked cool as hell. One time I pulled 2 of the Yamaha MX-250 home by using our waist belts in tandem. They were both out of gas LOL. I put a flywheel weight on my TM-250 and geared the front sprocket down from a 15 to a 13 and it helped immensely with the low end power. I would love to find a really good 1975 TM 400 or a RM 370 to tinker with!
My local Suzuki dealer told me that Suzuki made a liquid cooled RM5OO in 1985. It wasn't imported to the USA unfortunately. That would make it an RM 500F
My first bad bike crash was on a TS400 Enduro had way to much engine for the set up .I could definitely rip it all out ,but the brake stay bolt on the front wheel hub came out going around 65 on a gravel road ,and wrapped the front brake cable and locked the breaks . Got a very deep bone bruse very very painful
I know the 1977 RM370 was open class, but I still find it hard to believe it cost over $1,500 when I bought a brand new 1978 YZ100 for $800.00 new, and a 1979 left over in 80, new, for $850.00.
I have A 79 rm400 and it's old school and I love the looks and riding and I have A 79 yz250 is A great bike and putting together A 79 rm125 love vintage bikes
OK TB man, now for the answer from from you, of the question we all have in mind: How many MX bikes have you owned and what were they? Outside of museums, I think you may have set the record. :)
Yup, I think I was maybe 16 or 17 at the time (42 now I think lol), and while I was super into 2t's and had a previous DT50-LC, CR250R, and Banshee with a 420cc stroker, I had bought all those and didn't work on them....on day someone showed up with an entirely spray painted black, dented up, non running 74 Suzuki "400"... that's all we knew.... I knew it looked familiar, but it had zero markings on it except Suzuki. Anyway, I bought it for $150, me and my best friend got it running somewhat decently, and started just using it to play around on.... I now know it was a 74 TM400 Cyclone with the Internet now readily available 😅 Anyway, I was used to my 84 CR250R and my 92 420cc Banshee, and while this TM400 was quick at times, it was exactly as you stated.... randomly fast lol. But I could handle what it wanted to do and how it was behaving.....my friend, couldn't lol.....he took off on it one day in the pits were were riding at, was in 3rd gear, and it randomly came up on the pipe and kicked it's ass straight out to the side with it's abrupt power band and down he went 🤣 I forget what happened with that bike, unfortunately probably sold it for the same amount we picked it up for 😩
My first bike tm 90 I was only 6yrs old at the time had to use a cement block to get on it feet never touched the ground use to ride my dad's to 250 at 8yrs old by the time I was 11 I bought 2 rm 400 had them until I was 20 my buddy and I wish I never sold them great bikes
i did have a 1971 Suzuki TM 400 and then you could have not used any more horse power then they already had that bike was badass!!! loved that bike!!! always loved big bore bikes friends always said no ill ride a 250 not me i still ride my CR 500 And my brand new FR Honda 450 2022 I didn't think the 450 would run this hard being 4 stroke but you just gas it in about any gear and it launches like a rocket didnt think a 4 Stroke had that much balls but it does!!!
Today's 'upgrades" do not excite me at all. That is why I bought a 2019 YZ250 2 stroke, and I have to fix what the factory upgraded. My 97 KX250 was a better machine, and the prices are killing the sport today.
I had enough common sense to not ride a TM400 in my teenage years. Apparently I forgot that common sense when I was 29 and fixed a friend's Yamaha YZ490. That damn thing stuck my head in the dirt Wylie Coyote catapult style. I knew what I was doing I just wasn't prepared for how hard the 490 hit in 4th gear.
My dad was a Husqvarna dealer in the 70s back when he Hoover vacuum Co. The quality was very poor. They would come in new with the engine locked up,missing gears in the transmission wheels out of round forks leaking. When they up the suspicion they put rubber bushings in the swing arm when you bottom out it ripped the rubber bushings and rubbed a whole in the transmission
Had the 370B and its my favorite bike. They’re like riding a 125 on steroids. They feel light and the engine is very usable but likes to be revved out like a 125, which makes steering in the rear for corners an advantage. Has a very strong bottom end pull and big hits off of mid and top end. My dad always got the holeshot on that bike and smoked every bike in his class. Only down side is the vibration that you get in the handlebars that would cause my hands/arms to go numb. Loved that bike, made me a better rider and then my dad traded it for a super rat. Was very disappointed when I found out about the trade.....
The Rm in 85 was a good bike, great suspension and rideable motor, but finding parts, or even a bike is probably a futile enterprise.I did own a RM 125 & 250 Z, and omly test rode the open class efforts. The 125 & 250 in 82 were top shelf..light, well suspended, and f a s t !!
No - they had a " points " ignition which was actually the cheap alternative ( back in the day ) to curing some of the TM400's bad behavior - simply fit the entire TS400 ignition system which eliminated the erratic CDI module and also had a heavier flywheel which all added up to tame some of the TM's powerband !
Oh man the RM370😍😍😍😍. When I got my first yz80 I remember my friends dad had a 370 and it will forever be ingrained in my imagination as the COOLEST motorcycle on earth! We thought them monsters as kids and they were so seductive to a ten year old boy! The Porsche 911 and Suzuki RM370’s; forever the absolute ideal to me!
Love your channel man, just LOVE it!
Same here, I was 10 in 76’, my neighbor had a TT500 what a beast it was. He had an H2 750 Kaw too, I can remember thinking, I’ll never be badass enough to ride these monsters. 10 years later I’m on a KX500 thinking man, your crazy lol. I love the 911 too, a Husky 390 and a turbo 911 was my dream package
@@deborahchesser7375 it’s funny how something seeing a 911 for the first time as a kid can impact you for the rest of your life👍
My dad had a rm 370 it was a beast
TM 400 was a beast to ride. I owned on in the early 70’s. The power curve was off and on. It was full power the instant you twisted the throttle. If you were on hard ground it would wheelie so easy.
I raced D-37 Desert with Suzuki's: 71'TM-400, 73'TM-400, 76'RM-370, 78'RM-400. Engines never broke, went from novice to expert. Good times!
My first bike was a ‘74 TM125. It came in a box and had been completely dismantled. I had no experience with working on bikes, and had only ridden an XR75 for a few hours. I built that TM125 like a jigsaw puzzle. I eventually got one of those 3rd party TM manuals that they used to sell at the shops and got it running. It wasn’t the most reliable bike, but I learned how to ride on that bike, (and how to work on them too). Eventually I got a RM100, a CR250, and so on. But I’ll never forget that TM125.
I thought the 78 RMs were the best bikes of that era. In my neighborhood, at that time, you either had a RM or a YZ. That’s it. Both were cool, but in my experience the RMs were screamers while the YZs were a more controlled, easier bike to ride. We also hated the 79 RM rear fender. It was even uglier in person. Eventually I bought a 78 CR250 with Fox air shocks and a few other modifications. That bike was scary, but one of the most beautiful machines ever made. If I could go back in time, I’d go to 1978 and buy a 78 RM 125 or 250. That was the best, IMO. Thanks for the video. Very accurate information!
41:33 My favorite rider when I was a kid. Mark Barnett. 👍🏼
79 RM 400 best all around bike I ever had, just didn't know it at time.
My friend had a new 79 RM400N & l had a new 79 RM125N , we were racing 2 one hour moto's on a 5 mile harescramble loop on private land one weekend & he wanted to swap at the end of the day after l waxed him easily both motors, he couldn't figure out how a 125 could almost lap a 400 , l couldn't say yes fast enough since being 17 at the time l never been on a open class bike before & l felt rite at home on his 400 , l remember the motor being so sweet not overwhelming, linear & torquey wrapped up in a package that turned well but was also stable , l wanted to trade bikes for real after the ride but never said so just sayin man l love the 400 , so easy to ride fast , l'd love too find a good one today to fix up to race at mid-ohio .
Heck yea! Ride for life!
@@chopperenduro6590 get one an restore it what a fun time that be! Call Kaplan Cycles in CT.
The 370 is a lot of fun. Basically a 125 on steroids. Great low end pull, mid and top end hits with lots of power. The like to be ridden like a 125.
Mighty rm 500 long live the king here in aus anyway ❤️
I raced a TM 400 in the early 70s. The biggest problem with that bike was the internal rotor flywheel. The works bikes were as you said, 60 pounds lighter. The stock bike had so much power but you could not get the power to the ground. I used a 4# flywheel on my bike and it transformed it into a very forgiving, torquey beast.
At a race at Zoar Moto Park in Western New York State, someone from Erie PA Suzuki shop approached me and asked me what kind of shocks I was running. Playing dumb, I asked my mechanic what kind of shocks came on my bike. The guy from Erie asked incredulously “you’re running stock shocks?” ( I was.) He spun around and said, “Wait till I tell those guys.” It was a special moment!
It wasn’t the shocks, it was the flywheel!
Great Vid! And I will say my '77 RM-370 was my favorite bike of all time and I have had over 30 in 50+ years of riding! It had the perfect blend of handling, Travel and Power in one package.
You put so much into these it’s amazing
Awesome video! I learned a lot about the heritage of the 1978 RM400 that I restored back in 1989. I absolutely loved that bike. I switched to the RM400 after a few years of life with the YZ400's. Other than the rear swingarm and Mono Shock the Suzuki RM400 was waaaaaaay better than the Yamaha YZ400. That is my experience and you can't change that 😎
Another great presentation thanks Tony, the Full Floater suspension was really awesome on those early RM’s.
Glad you enjoyed it
No information on the fiver water cooled 500 big bore bikes that where raced in Europe.
Harry Everts and Andre Vromans watercooled RN 500 bike, where is informaation??
IN 1979 as a just turned 15 year old kid that had out grown his 1976 RM100 I was at the Suzuki Dealer to buy the Beautiful "All New" 79 RM400. I loved that bike from the minute I rode it the very first time. Loved everything about it. The way the bike is setup up and balanced the front tire is sitting off the ground about 6" all the time. Just so much fun to ride keeping a smile on my face even till this day as I still own it! Original Owner that will still have it on the day that I die.
True Suzuki person 👍
Thanks, a great summary of some great bikes. I had the 1984 RM, a special custom machine with a 500 motor built into an RM250 frame. Marty Moates raced it here in Australia that season. Lots of power, that’s for sure.
Hi Jady. I'm in Maryborough, QLD. I remember that bike. I'm sure I watched Marty race it at the Raymond Terrace round of Mr Motocross. I have a vague recollection of Trail & Track Magazine doing a feature on it too. Do you have any pics of the bike? Would love to see them.
Tony after watching your videos it is apparent the effort and research you put into these segments. They are fantastic and bring back so many happy memories for me. I raced a 1979 Suzuki RM125 that I purchased new for $1075. I saved and saved money and finally was able to buy the bike. I raced the bike shortly thereafter and took 3rd in the 125 Beginner class. I was hooked and raced for many more years until I went to college. As a 60 year old, you never get the thrill and excitement out of your system.
Good job !!! I allways have been a suzuki and honda fan. My unkle took us to mx races in holland and belgium in the 78-83 years. A friend of him raced on a suzuki. We became suzuki mx fans at adge 5 and 9. Love the looks of the RM '80 line. Also the '88-89 looked sharp.
I watches a video yz 490 Suzuki 400..honda cr500 the CR HONDA BEAT THEM ALL THE honda HAD MORE AT THE TOP END IT WOULD ACUITLY PULL AWAY ON THE BACKWHEEL FROM THE RM AND THE YZ
Hats off to this guy making these videos, it’s hard to find content and even articles online from what I have recently realized before finding this
My very first moto bike was a 71 TM 400. I had so much fun on this bike, however it definitely demanded respect! I was a huge motocross fan of the late 60’s and what the Europeans were doing. Great era in motocross.
These Open Class Full Floaters were a lot better than the magazines gave them credit for.
This is the best rainy Sunday channel on TH-cam. Tony, words can't describe how many great memories of me and my Dad racing in the early 80's this channel brings back!! Keep up the great work.
Wow thank you for your kind words. I really appreciate it.
I was racing MX in early and mid 70s and when you said BLENDZALL I said HOLY CRAP!! used to use this in the day !!!
In 1983 I bought a 81 rm465 it was definitely a racer had all kinds of mods airbox Bills pipe port job xcetera. It was a freaking light switch... and now I didn't previously owned a big bore two-stroke but I had ridden plenty of my friends bikes and also at that time I was riding my Uncle John's 76 Bultaco 360 Astro so I had a few bikes to compare it to. It was no slouch modded out. I love your videos keep up the good work. 👍
My Dad had that orange TM 400 when I was a little kid...scared the crap out of me...thing was a beast!
Top-notch content: very well-organized and an absolute pleasure letting it all soak in!
gotta love the philips head screws on the head pipe flange on the 78. thats crazy., your vids are enjoyed and shared. thanks Tony
Tony,
This is by far the best video I've ever seen on the big bore Suzuki TM'S & RM'S. The pictures, magazines, ads, brochures, articles, etc. totally awesome! I have a 1977 RM 370 that I bought new that's a 9 out of 10, 2 - 1982 RM 465's that I built from the ground up that's all original and a 1985 RM 500 which is a 540cc. IMO the 1977 RM 370 is not only the best bike in the RM lineup, it's the faster than the others mentioned. The RM 370 won't outrun the 540cc but it will outrun a stock RM 500. In my profile pic is a RM 125 that I won the 1974 & 1975 AMA National Flat Track Championship with. It's a 1975 RM 125 - S that I still own and it's my pride and joy. If anyone is interested I would sell both RM 465's.
Thanks I appreciate the kind words
I'm interested Jim , would love to see pic's of the 82 RM 465's , l had a new 82 RM 125Z but never had or rode the 465 .
@@chopperenduro6590 If you can send me your email or tell me how I can contact you. I will send you pics and I have a video of 1 RM 465 firing up for the 1st time.
@@TheMotocrossVault Your welcome and thanks again for your dedication and time putting this great vid. together and sharing. I liked, subscribed and rang the ding - ding.
I had a '79 RM400. The previous owner removed the baffle from the pipe. You could see where he cut the pipe open and welded it back together right at the fattest part. It was a MONSTER, very powerful. At the time someone told me that the factory discovered the test riders had faster lap times with the baffle in place because it was easier to control. Baffle be dammed, I was in it for power at that time of my life. Great bike
High desert So Cal raced a Baja prepped RM 370A through the US Suzuki owned and operated Pasadena Suzuki store in Pasadena, California in 1976. Because I was tall, 6’5” we could enhance suspension travel via custom forks and extended boxed swing arm with cantilevered rear shocks. Result was over 11” of travel front and rear. US Suzuki was trying to bank on Rogers European motocross success. The bike was wicked fast in the dessert. While out in the dirt next to the freeway, I used to pass cars traveling on the I15 heading to Las Vegas. Flaw was the engine had to be in neural to start. Rough in the engine off Le Mans starts common in District 37, AMA sanctioned high desert racing of the day. Miss those days and that custom semi factory machine. I remember going to the “Pagoda” in Santa Ana, California, and poking around the sand casted multi-cylinder 4 stoke street bikes just getting off the drawing board.
wow! so glad I stumbled on to this, really well done and informative!
thanks for the great content!
A new Motocross Vault video, made my day, thanks Tony!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Love these at night!! wifey owns the remote so I'm watching Blazier!!😊😊👊👍
just got a 1973 rm400 that’s in rough shape … doing a full blown Restoration on it excited to see how it rides always wanted to try a older machine
Really fantastic journey - thanks for the content!
Thanks
Purchased a 1976 RM370 for 50 dollars at a garage sale in 2001. It was a rolling chassis with the motor apart in a crate. It was all there, so I gave it a frame off restoration. I was able to purchase most of the parts I needed new from Suzuki. The bike was an absolute beast. I ended up selling it for 3,500 dollars. I wish I had kept it.
Tony. You are the best ! Iv love dirt bikes since I was a kid and at 50 getting back into ridding. I always love your vids and always learn so much. Thank you and keep up the excellent work.
Thank you so much for your kind words
Another great story timeline Tony!😊👍 I think I have only seen a RM 500 in a motocross museum recently. Despite the oldschool bodywork I really like the blue and Yellow 1984-85 look. Sad it ended so early, cause Yamaha had moderate luck at least offroad with their old aircooled YZ 490 even into the 90s with the WR 500. That make it more weird Suzuki quit this early.
Yeah I really wish they had kept it going.
I've got a theory about suzuki. I think they're only in it for the money. As far as passion for Motorsports go, that company lost it a long time ago. It all boils down to the numbers. It's why they're open class 450 hasn't changed in 5 years. You can't change it with the current market (covid) eating into profits. Suzuki just kept the same bike the whole time and kept releasing it. They just pulled out of MotoGP this year. Suzuki is not a company for Motorsport lovers. They make great products and have had some extremely great one off hits but even a broke clock is right twice a day. You can see the passion for dirt and companies like KTM and Honda. Honda won the F1 championship with their motor the very last year they were producing it for F1. That says a lot about a company when they try that hard knowing it's the last year. The Suzuki team look like they had all but quit the moment they found out they were no longer in It next year.
Just opinions and speculation. Personally I'm a Honda guy. Every time I go to do the valves on a Honda motorcycle, whether that be A Fireblade with 200 horsepower or a 250R with 40, those valves are always in spec when I check. I even have a Chinese Honda clone 50 with 300 hours on it and the valves are still in spec. The engineers at Honda are tops
Nice video mate thank you, I really want a 84-85 model if I can find one here in NZ. I think the power is a bit of a non issue as a pipe, porting, reeds, carb and piston will bump it up to where ever you want. And it's not expensive when you consider what these bike sell for now they are an investment that you can play with.
The first big bore 2 stroke I rode wasa buddy's 83 rm 500 it was awsome
Brings back memories having at different times worked on the RN not RM 250 and RM 370 and RM 400 for Australians Geoff Worral and Anthony Gunter, YZ 125 the oddball model where they went Euro style with the final drive on the right side not the left comes to mind and YZ 465 for Stephen Gall and sometimes as well for Ivan Miller also on RM's back in the Glory days of Vincent Tessario's amazing Mister Motocross Series where Frank Pons was my Boss and we looked after both the Factory supported Suzuki and Yamaha riders in Australia.
From those days I still have all the porting and chamber specs from different models we modified back then including Gaston Rahiers works RN 125 and possibly the most outstanding engine was Paul Caslicks short circuit RM 50 that ended up making over 20 horsepower and it was not unttil much later at Kawasaki West with Alan Tomkins where we destroked KX 60's to 50 cc for racing in that class those figures improved but with a much later engine design.
Having Worked at Kawasaki Australia I also remembe things such as KR 250 and KR 350 Roadracers and later the Works SR 500 kawasaki
Below is linked when Broc Glover, Marty Moates, Gary Semics, Jim Gibson, Warren Reid, Gerard Rond, Scott Ron Black, Swede Leif Niklasson, Finn Timo Jarvinen and a host of fast Aussies including Gall, Gunter, later World MX Legend Jeff Leisk and so many other fast riders
Great Times indeed
amxhistory.com.au/1981-ratshirts-yamaha-international-motocross-amaroo-park
I had the 78 RM400, great bike easy to ride but it did not have an idle screw in the carb when you pulled in the clutch you had to keep it going
Great show I grew up just DREAMING OVER THESE MONSTERS I graduated high school in 84 so yeah I remember most of these bikes!! My 1st bike was a suzuki ds125 I loved it ofcourse I wanted a rm lol .years later I bought kx bikes !LOVE YOUR SHOW YOUR AWESOME!!
Thank you
I raced a '71 TM400 and fell ....while I was coasting side saddle down to the starting line and my draped sweatshirt (summertime race wear) caught in the sprocket locking the rear wheel and I took a high side into some weeds!! It was awful (embarrassing) but I recovered and did make the race start.
I've had many years to contemplate the qualities of the TMs that made them so unraceworthy. Both that 400 and the 250 I raced later on were borrowed but their behaviors were equally bad. I rode my own TS250 to within 1 point of getting a gold medal at the Berkshire Int'l Trials in '71 where it's stability and strength made a difference but did not make a good conversion to motocrosser with the factory kit.
Another rider of the period who was a class C competitor and I shared our feelings about them. I saw him win at least once on his orange tanker in scrambles but he didn't make those rides regularly. We agreed that the geometry of the TMs did not favor good cornering and wanted both a reduction in rake and trail to improve that. I also felt that the engine needed to be further forward to help keep the front wheel planted as it always felt too skittery in a hard sustained corner. I came to feel the fuel tank was a bit too long (same fuel tank as used on the TS series of dual purpose Suzukis) and that the rider was positioned slightly too far rearward.
I never placed on either machine though I was in the expert class of our territory north of NYC. The TM400 was just too unpredictable coming out of a corner and once the rear wheel began it's dance from side to side, life saving responses began to kick in as it could get treacherous. The shocks were miserable and all that weight bias to the rear made it hard to manage, let alone the power coming on suddenly to exaggerate the chaos.
Otherwise, I worked as service manager and mechanic for the dealer in upper Westchester Co and we had good results with the 125s others were racing. I especially liked the first
RM 125 even though it had the TS based engine. The handling was impeccable.
You tell a good nostalgic story, thanks. And I am glad you were not wearing a neck scarf for summer time riding gear on your side saddle trip to the starting line. :)
Love this channel. I think a history of the RM125 might be a good video. Suzuki always seemed to support the 125 class. From what I remember from my riding days, (late ‘70s early ‘80s), the RM125 won a lot in those years. Maybe you already made one. I’ll look. Great vids!
The big change in the TM400 between 1972 and '73 was the switch to a 7.1" travel 35mm upper tube fork with better damping, nicer triple clamps, and a lot less flex. The 250 got this set-up for 1974.
Excellent video. Those 370s were beautiful bikes.
Can't get enough of this vault!! 👍👍
Thank you!
Thanks that was interesting I had a 75ish 125 when I was 13 years old and a 1984 250 witch hammered
Love the coverage , keep em coming !
The 85 one would be an awesome collectors bike
Big dollar if u where lucky enough to find one
I Love all your reviews,very informative!! Loved my 1979 RM 125 & the rear fender. 👍🇺🇸
Glad you like them!
Thanks for the video, it brought back some great memories.
Glad you enjoyed it
Great video!! Love your devotion to these bikes.
Thanks!
Good show and information
i too had 79 RM 400, had a 76 MX 400 before the Zook, and a 83 KX 500 Team Green hand me down after the Suzi, the RM 400 was definitely the best of the 3 even if it would swap out and spit me off every now and then
Not too many people who raced the TM400 are even alive today. I don’t think the bike killed too many. It was mainly the cigarettes.
You had to have a death wish to ride it!
I bought a 1975 TM-250. My buddies had Yamaha MX-250 monoshocks. The Yamaha was a better machine for motocross and trail riding except for 2 areas. No.1 My TM 250 got over twice the gas mileage. No.2 The Yamaha guys wore their single piston ring out on a regular basis. My TM-250 went several years before I re- ringed it. My TM250 wouldn't pull a greasy string out of a cat's ass at low RPM's but I swear I would love to have it back. It just looked cool as hell. One time I pulled 2 of the Yamaha MX-250 home by using our waist belts in tandem. They were both out of gas LOL. I put a flywheel weight on my TM-250 and geared the front sprocket down from a 15 to a 13 and it helped immensely with the low end power. I would love to find a really good 1975 TM 400 or a RM 370 to tinker with!
Strange thing about the 81 & 82 RM465 transmissions is that any info I've found says claims the same weight, for both years.
i love the open class RM's, they were the best Japanese open class bike for non pro riders every year they were built
My local Suzuki dealer told me that Suzuki made a liquid cooled RM5OO in 1985. It wasn't imported to the USA unfortunately. That would make it an RM 500F
Always appreciate your vids!
Interesting video Tony. I have never rode a big bore Suzuki and don't remember seeing many around . I do remember quadzilla though.
LOVE THOSE 79 FENDERS!!
Great content Tony
Thank you!
My first bad bike crash was on a TS400 Enduro had way to much engine for the set up .I could definitely rip it all out ,but the brake stay bolt on the front wheel hub came out going around 65 on a gravel road ,and wrapped the front brake cable and locked the breaks . Got a very deep bone bruse very very painful
Tony...don't forget the mighty Quadzilla water cooled 500cc engine that snuck into a few 250/500 frames too...Maybe works machines.
I'd like to find a nice 1980 rm400
Great info ! Great Pics ! Awesome
Glad you think so!
We be Suzuki people and love your review ! 👍 At 5:01 that sure looks like Burt Reynolds setting on the bike .
I know the 1977 RM370 was open class, but I still find it hard to believe it cost over $1,500 when I bought a brand new 1978 YZ100 for $800.00 new, and a 1979 left over in 80, new, for $850.00.
You know Blaze,,,, when all said and done, Suzuki had some really good open class machines,,,.. Sad to see them go... Mellow Yellow...:)
Agreed sad to see where they are today.
you are getting warmer,Suzuki RM250 history of please?
I have A 79 rm400 and it's old school and I love the looks and riding and I have A 79 yz250 is A great bike and putting together A 79 rm125 love vintage bikes
If I bought a new 84 RM500 I would have also ordered a new RM250 seat,tank & side plates to fit to it
OK TB man, now for the answer from from you, of the question we all have in mind:
How many MX bikes have you owned and what were they?
Outside of museums, I think you may have set the record. :)
U should do history of the riders and maybe their work bikes they rode. For example, RJ, Bailey, etc.
I saw Kaplan America's tm there that one was super nice
I had no issue with the yz 490 4 speed. Rode woods with it.
1975 at min 26:05 I am pretty sure that is a steel swing arm, (not aluminum). I can tell by the thin welds. I think it was another year or two.
Oops. I was wrong. Wrong year I was on, and another angle showed a fatter weld.
Had a 72 TM 400 No body could beat me .
Yup, I think I was maybe 16 or 17 at the time (42 now I think lol), and while I was super into 2t's and had a previous DT50-LC, CR250R, and Banshee with a 420cc stroker, I had bought all those and didn't work on them....on day someone showed up with an entirely spray painted black, dented up, non running 74 Suzuki "400"... that's all we knew.... I knew it looked familiar, but it had zero markings on it except Suzuki.
Anyway, I bought it for $150, me and my best friend got it running somewhat decently, and started just using it to play around on.... I now know it was a 74 TM400 Cyclone with the Internet now readily available 😅
Anyway, I was used to my 84 CR250R and my 92 420cc Banshee, and while this TM400 was quick at times, it was exactly as you stated.... randomly fast lol. But I could handle what it wanted to do and how it was behaving.....my friend, couldn't lol.....he took off on it one day in the pits were were riding at, was in 3rd gear, and it randomly came up on the pipe and kicked it's ass straight out to the side with it's abrupt power band and down he went 🤣
I forget what happened with that bike, unfortunately probably sold it for the same amount we picked it up for 😩
I had a 73 tm250 board 80 over with a 370 if I recall correctly carburetor?
My first bike tm 90 I was only 6yrs old at the time had to use a cement block to get on it feet never touched the ground use to ride my dad's to 250 at 8yrs old by the time I was 11 I bought 2 rm 400 had them until I was 20 my buddy and I wish I never sold them great bikes
i did have a 1971 Suzuki TM 400 and then you could have not used any more horse power then they already had that bike was badass!!! loved that bike!!! always loved big bore bikes friends always said no ill ride a 250 not me i still ride my CR 500 And my brand new FR Honda 450 2022 I didn't think the 450 would run this hard being 4 stroke but you just gas it in about any gear and it launches like a rocket didnt think a 4 Stroke had that much balls but it does!!!
I like the Suzuki Yamaha yellow. I wish Yamaha would stay that way. The Yellows were awesome.
What a Great place to stop and bench race.....motoscoot
Now bring on the YAMAHA Big Bore 2ST review. MX360 - WR500ZD
Great Review.Not sure if you have already done a Similar era review of the Yamaha YZ's.Would be interested to see the differences.
Not yet!
1974 rode 1971 TM400 had a scary moment gave bike back to owner.
Thanks
Had yellow TM 400 in Canada
NEVER SAW AN ORANGE ONE TILL TODAY
susuki is the pull out master for upgrades
Today's 'upgrades" do not excite me at all. That is why I bought a 2019 YZ250 2 stroke, and I have to fix what the factory upgraded. My 97 KX250 was a better machine, and the prices are killing the sport today.
I had enough common sense to not ride a TM400 in my teenage years. Apparently I forgot that common sense when I was 29 and fixed a friend's Yamaha YZ490. That damn thing stuck my head in the dirt Wylie Coyote catapult style. I knew what I was doing I just wasn't prepared for how hard the 490 hit in 4th gear.
465, 490 era was great.
The reason Steve you couldn't get any imfo on the tm400 because most people were very leary of them rhey were wild actually tourque twisting frames
My dad was a Husqvarna dealer in the 70s back when he Hoover vacuum Co. The quality was very poor. They would come in new with the engine locked up,missing gears in the transmission wheels out of round forks leaking. When they up the suspicion they put rubber bushings in the swing arm when you bottom out it ripped the rubber bushings and rubbed a whole in the transmission
55:34 SICK!!!!
TM looks basically like a ts with no reeds on either to my knowledge
Had the 370B and its my favorite bike. They’re like riding a 125 on steroids. They feel light and the engine is very usable but likes to be revved out like a 125, which makes steering in the rear for corners an advantage. Has a very strong bottom end pull and big hits off of mid and top end. My dad always got the holeshot on that bike and smoked every bike in his class. Only down side is the vibration that you get in the handlebars that would cause my hands/arms to go numb. Loved that bike, made me a better rider and then my dad traded it for a super rat. Was very disappointed when I found out about the trade.....
Wanted 85 RM500
The Rm in 85 was a good bike, great suspension and rideable motor, but finding parts, or even a bike is probably a futile enterprise.I did own a RM 125 & 250 Z, and omly test rode the open class efforts. The 125 & 250 in 82 were top shelf..light, well suspended, and f a s t !!
Did the TS400 also use the same variable timing system?
No - they had a " points " ignition which was actually the cheap alternative ( back in the day ) to curing some of the TM400's bad behavior - simply fit the entire TS400 ignition system which eliminated the erratic CDI module and also had a heavier flywheel which all added up to tame some of the TM's powerband !
The plate in the Tm and rms expansion chambers are not restrictors they are for low end throttle response don’t remove them !