This RM 125 was a revolution forward in motocross bike technology. The RM and YZ’s of the mid to late 1970’s were light years ahead of everything else!!’
That development era between the manufactures was a great race in itself. It was a great time to be involved. But "light years" is quite the exaggeration when we know they had to improve them almost every year. They were one year ahead of their time, but that was good enough for us. :)
FMF and DG where making a fortune modifying the Hondas. In 76 I chose the RM because it was a better stock bike, other than the forks. A forward mounted axle with straight triple clamps makes a faster turning bike, compared to offset triple camps and a inline axle.
My first MX race bike. Raced it for 3 years and kept it until 1984 bought new in 76. Mine looked better than that when I sold it to a friend. Most reliable 125 I ever owned.
@@terryatpi yep I agree one of Buddy's bought a 77 also and like you said it was a rocket. All those mi to late 70s and early 80s rm 125s were great bikes.
Wow SR, I would LOVE to own this bike, that's the year I was born! Those old air cooled bikes sound so good! The 20:1 premix surprised me, I never knew they were so heavy on the oil. Two smoke! 😄
Yes, they wanted *ample* oil. Best stuff for these back then was something like “golden Spectro,” though if you were really serious you would run Blendzall green label or Castrol R-30 - both of these latter being Castor Based.
15 years old, worked after school for $3.25 an hour. Bought my brand new '76 RM-125A from Howard at Sports Cycle Suzuki in Kennewick, Washington, for $884.00. It was a frustrating bike to own, because it continually seized up. I got blamed for not mixing my gas properly, for over-revving, for running too lean, air-leaks, etc. The first time, it went back to Sports Cycle, and $350 got it bored, a new head, piston, rings, bearings and such. At that point, I bought tools and became my own mechanic. It got to the point where I would pull the jug at the track, use my pocket-knife and a handy rock to hone the aluminum off the cylinder wall, and pry the rings out of the piston. The broken-off blade on the knife was my ring-groove reamer. I'd shape the rings with my fingers, put them in the bore, and tap them with a tire-iron until they were "close enough". Re-assemble, ride until it seized again, and repeat. Kept the necessary tools in the air-box. In 1977, I bought a Moto-X Fox 'Worx' YZ-125D to race, and tore the RM engine down. The local machine shop discovered the crank bearings were mis-aligned in the cases, from the factory! That's why the RM always seized the sides of the piston. I paid them to sleeve the cases and align-bore the sleeves. By that time, though, the jug was bored .100 and scored. A new jug ate into the YZ fund too much. Most of the RM got sold to a guy with a 370 engine. I still have the repaired engine and the seat, along with a milk-crate full of SGP and Wiseco parts and packages. ;-/
I have a beat 77/78 in my garage that I've had for 31 years. I got it as a basket case when I was 12 and it remained rideable up to a short while ago. a real Ripper
I had a RM125 C that was my first mx bike I raced school boy mx on it the Horsham club the same one that Dave thorpe raced at it was a great bike way ahead of the other school bo bikes 😁
Man it must be freakin awesome to ride such a wide range of dirt bikes from old to new. And to ride them all when they're in like brand new condition. Thing dreams are made of .
It was only about being old enough to buy/ride a bike at the beginning of the industry in the USA. New industries that free people built were very exciting indeed with overflowing opportunity. Then the government regulates them and eventually takes them over, (all we had to do was stop that from happening), and they turn into a dysfunctional overly expensive mess of an industry, (if the industry survives),--and they never take any blame.
When I get some cash I’m gonna come look for myself a 1976 or ‘77 RM250A or B model. When I was a kid I was fearless and I thought I wanted this bike, the power band was frustrating, with zero on top after you got her on the pipe. Little did I know that the 250 was the bike for me. Erving this bike up in order to race was nuts!!! The 250 would have beeen a much better bike for me vs all the business of shifting one had to do on this bike. My poor dad and I were novices and we did the best we could. Even though I was only 13, I know in my bike this was the bike for me, and I don’t know why I got the 125. Speed and power and a steady determined quick thinking rider work best!!! One of the great great regrets in my life. Crank bearing on this bike is absolutely right!!!
I bought several new bikes in that early era as a kid making $1.00 part time at my Dad's store. Nobodies parents rode dirt bikes back then. Most of us bought our own. Sadly, those days are gone, along with all the opportunity for anybody who bought one, (not just racing. I got into manufacturing/engineering, but made little money. I now port little 2-stroke engines for a living). It is sad that 9 out of 10 kids don't have the opportunity we once had because they can never get a bike with out good 6 figure parents. How do we measure those losses?
I get kind of bummed out when you put videos out early on a Friday. I have to try to save them all day so I can watch them at night when I'm relaxing having my Friday night beer. But I can't wait so I'm watching it during lunch🤣
i had the same bike that had an extra row of knobbey's on the side walls of the tires probabiy for grabbing in tight turns or throwing mud plus a handle bar crash pad that said ditch the bitch and lets go riding! it also got into a power band that went crazy and wouldn't come out of it for awhile...it to had play on magneto side maybe making it run lean? But beautiful RM Race Motor!
Did you guys know that Yamaha had a prototype Yz125 watercooled motocross bike back in 1976? So watercooling was actually played with even back in 1976, Not 1981. And the bike has a history with Bob Hannah. Check it out for yourself! Just a small funny fact.
It would go acceptably until the rpm’s became a bit unstable… *It was warning Me.* Then, with a sudden abruptness, the instability vanished - to be replaced by a fast-rising screaming howl as the bike *LAUNCHED.* Yes, it was one of *these.* He said it was ported. Came on like an explosion.
$800.00 new, out the door in 1976. I was there as a kid making only $1.00/hr part time at a store, but I bought the YZ's. :) It was a great time to be a kid who was willing to make a few bucks back then.
OK then, you deleted a previous comment of mine. So let me put it another way that I hope is acceptable for the community, (jeech). Either that bike is low on compression, your your too damn fat for the 125. Is that better Captain? :)
This RM 125 was a revolution forward in motocross bike technology. The RM and YZ’s of the mid to late 1970’s were light years ahead of everything else!!’
That development era between the manufactures was a great race in itself. It was a great time to be involved. But "light years" is quite the exaggeration when we know they had to improve them almost every year. They were one year ahead of their time, but that was good enough for us. :)
FMF and DG where making a fortune modifying the Hondas. In 76 I chose the RM because it was a better stock bike, other than the forks. A forward mounted axle with straight triple clamps makes a faster turning bike, compared to offset triple camps and a inline axle.
My first MX race bike. Raced it for 3 years and kept it until 1984 bought new in 76. Mine looked better than that when I sold it to a friend. Most reliable 125 I ever owned.
Looks almost just like my 1977 Yamaha YZ 125. Sounds almost just like it as well. I used to race a lot of RM's. Much fun back in the day.
Such a beauty and that sound from that lil silencer! We need to bring back those days!
I had a 76 RM 125 and I loved that bike. Wished the hell I still had it. Had to much fun on that bike
Yup , me too. My buddy though had a 77 and it was absolutely uncatchable. Both stock. Giant leap forward from 76 to 77
@@terryatpi yep I agree one of Buddy's bought a 77 also and like you said it was a rocket. All those mi to late 70s and early 80s rm 125s were great bikes.
@@sburton223 yes! Been shopping around for a 77 at age 60 lol. Hard to find and expensive for a decent metal tank machine.
I love your passion with 70s and 80s dirt bikes.
Wow SR, I would LOVE to own this bike, that's the year I was born! Those old air cooled bikes sound so good! The 20:1 premix surprised me, I never knew they were so heavy on the oil. Two smoke! 😄
Yes, they wanted *ample* oil. Best stuff for these back then was something like “golden Spectro,” though if you were really serious you would run Blendzall green label or Castrol R-30 - both of these latter being Castor Based.
@@dennisyoung4631 I remember Golden Spectro, good stuff! I run Amsoil in everything now, has never let me down.
The worn gas tank looks great on it.
Sounds like proper power for a 76 😍
Nice old rm. Brings back memories
Love Suzuki!
Yes, it does. Terrifying to someone who had previously only ridden a Honda XL100, and that for but an hour or two earlier that same day.
15 years old, worked after school for $3.25 an hour. Bought my brand new '76 RM-125A from Howard at Sports Cycle Suzuki in Kennewick, Washington, for $884.00.
It was a frustrating bike to own, because it continually seized up. I got blamed for not mixing my gas properly, for over-revving, for running too lean, air-leaks, etc. The first time, it went back to Sports Cycle, and $350 got it bored, a new head, piston, rings, bearings and such. At that point, I bought tools and became my own mechanic.
It got to the point where I would pull the jug at the track, use my pocket-knife and a handy rock to hone the aluminum off the cylinder wall, and pry the rings out of the piston. The broken-off blade on the knife was my ring-groove reamer. I'd shape the rings with my fingers, put them in the bore, and tap them with a tire-iron until they were "close enough". Re-assemble, ride until it seized again, and repeat. Kept the necessary tools in the air-box.
In 1977, I bought a Moto-X Fox 'Worx' YZ-125D to race, and tore the RM engine down. The local machine shop discovered the crank bearings were mis-aligned in the cases, from the factory! That's why the RM always seized the sides of the piston. I paid them to sleeve the cases and align-bore the sleeves. By that time, though, the jug was bored .100 and scored. A new jug ate into the YZ fund too much. Most of the RM got sold to a guy with a 370 engine. I still have the repaired engine and the seat, along with a milk-crate full of SGP and Wiseco parts and packages. ;-/
We weee luck to have these when we were younger. Sounds amaziiinngg zing zing 👍
I have a beat 77/78 in my garage that I've had for 31 years. I got it as a basket case when I was 12 and it remained rideable up to a short while ago. a real Ripper
Awesome work I have 1 to work on too . My 1st bike lol great memories
The bikes just keep getting cooler. Kaplan really demos them well to. Jus watched the vid on the 82 . Man i love these old suzukis.
I had a RM125 C that was my first mx bike I raced school boy mx on it the Horsham club the same one that Dave thorpe raced at it was a great bike way ahead of the other school bo bikes 😁
Man it must be freakin awesome to ride such a wide range of dirt bikes from old to new. And to ride them all when they're in like brand new condition. Thing dreams are made of .
It was only about being old enough to buy/ride a bike at the beginning of the industry in the USA. New industries that free people built were very exciting indeed with overflowing opportunity. Then the government regulates them and eventually takes them over, (all we had to do was stop that from happening), and they turn into a dysfunctional overly expensive mess of an industry, (if the industry survives),--and they never take any blame.
Love the RMS 125 👌
I had a brand new1976 RM125 !!! I loved that bike
My friend had a 1979. Great bike and lots of memories
I had the 77 and it had leading axle forks. I had Ohilins with their reservoirs pointed on the back of the seat
When I get some cash I’m gonna come look for myself a 1976 or ‘77 RM250A or B model. When I was a kid I was fearless and I thought I wanted this bike, the power band was frustrating, with zero on top after you got her on the pipe. Little did I know that the 250 was the bike for me. Erving this bike up in order to race was nuts!!! The 250 would have beeen a much better bike for me vs all the business of shifting one had to do on this bike. My poor dad and I were novices and we did the best we could. Even though I was only 13, I know in my bike this was the bike for me, and I don’t know why I got the 125. Speed and power and a steady determined quick thinking rider work best!!! One of the great great regrets in my life. Crank bearing on this bike is absolutely right!!!
I was 12 years old in '76 ..it was an awesome sight seeing the new RM's at the cycle shop. A little out of my price range tho
thing sounds HEAVENLY
First year for the 6 speed and was a game changer. I bought mine brand new for $800. Great video 👍
I bought several new bikes in that early era as a kid making $1.00 part time at my Dad's store. Nobodies parents rode dirt bikes back then. Most of us bought our own.
Sadly, those days are gone, along with all the opportunity for anybody who bought one, (not just racing. I got into manufacturing/engineering, but made little money. I now port little 2-stroke engines for a living). It is sad that 9 out of 10 kids don't have the opportunity we once had because they can never get a bike with out good 6 figure parents. How do we measure those losses?
Bought the same bike 1-2 years old. Was my first 125! Screamer.
I want to see a drag race between this and the 82 RM125 you guys just built. Snr on the 82 vs Jnr on this 76.
Just for shits & giggles
The sound alone!!! Dayum!!!
Sweet original classic ..looks and sounds great ..FTW 🇺🇸
was my dream bike as a kid years ago when it came out.
I have one of these in the shed in pieces waiting for me to put it back together
Only one thing 2/say.... That's a Super Fine bike ....like it more than the 82...thanks for the video update 👍 OH YEA
Things good.its on the pipe and plugged in.
Hello from Virginia my friend 🇺🇸 RM s 👍
Wow, looks and sounds incredible.
I wish you could find the 80's in this condition!
I get kind of bummed out when you put videos out early on a Friday. I have to try to save them all day so I can watch them at night when I'm relaxing having my Friday night beer. But I can't wait so I'm watching it during lunch🤣
Love ya Ron! ML&R
Great example vintage classic, helluva flat spot on that rim though...
It's a beauty 😊
crisp - timing / jetting spot in.
i had the same bike that had an extra row of knobbey's on the side walls of the tires probabiy for grabbing in tight turns or throwing mud plus a handle bar crash pad that said ditch the bitch and lets go riding! it also got into a power band that went crazy and wouldn't come out of it for awhile...it to had play on magneto side maybe making it run lean? But beautiful RM Race Motor!
It’s a rippaaaa 🦅🔥🔥🔥
Did you guys know that Yamaha had a prototype Yz125 watercooled motocross bike back in 1976?
So watercooling was actually played with even back in 1976, Not 1981. And the bike has a history with Bob Hannah.
Check it out for yourself!
Just a small funny fact.
It would go acceptably until the rpm’s became a bit unstable…
*It was warning Me.*
Then, with a sudden abruptness, the instability vanished - to be replaced by a fast-rising screaming howl as the bike *LAUNCHED.*
Yes, it was one of *these.* He said it was ported. Came on like an explosion.
I had one a fantastic bike end of
Love it!
More Suzuki RMs or RMZs pls!!
The 1977 RM 125 B is the best when compared to the 76 and the 125 C model
Favorite bike of all time until I rode a honda
Yes👏👏👏🇺🇸
Looks like it has a bend in the rear rim, otherwise it's pretty mint for a 1976. 👍
Those gas tanks were soft, mine had two oval dents just ahead of the seat. Hurt like hell!
😂😂
i had an identical but it was a 125 s
How appropriate its yellow and black as it sounds like an angry wasp. Lol.
My first moto bike.
How much ?
$800.00 new, out the door in 1976. I was there as a kid making only $1.00/hr part time at a store, but I bought the YZ's. :)
It was a great time to be a kid who was willing to make a few bucks back then.
White Miata in the background
I see a Miata in the back
Dont see survivors any more. Aftermarket needs to make all parts available, or at least as good as Harley or auto/truck/jeep industry.
🤩🇺🇸👍⚖️👁️👁️⚖️👍👍👍🏁🏁🏁
Bent back rim,oops
I rode a 79 RM 100 as a snot nosed kid, cool bike but under powered.
OK then, you deleted a previous comment of mine. So let me put it another way that I hope is acceptable for the community, (jeech).
Either that bike is low on compression, your your too damn fat for the 125.
Is that better Captain? :)
I had one of these very fast bike
Rear wheel right hand side has a flat spot 12:05