Like a lot of RGV owners I raced several and shock horror...the vj21 pumps out around the 45bhp mark as std at the wheel! change the pipes and airbox mod sees 55+ bhp and they will happily make mid 60's with a bit of port and head work. the later vj22 had more power valve issues but even the vj21 would drop the power valves into the piston at 20k miles if badly adjusted. One of the amazing things about these 250 gp replicas is they do have proper little GP designed motors i.e. the gearbox can be removed in 10 minutes. take off the side casing and undo the 10mm bolts and you can slide out the entire gearbox with the engine still in the frame! or the ability to split the front crank case to take out the crank, again without removing the engine from the frame!!! why don't they make all engines like this :-)
Nice honest vid mate. I recall when these came out in AU in 1988, the K being the first (VJ21) model. A mate had just bought at Kawasaki KR-1 at the time. It had only released less than a year earlier in 1987, and which he kindly let me ride test on several occasions. Bought new in early 1986 I had legendary Suzuki RG500 Gamma at that time and still do, but it didn't stop me lusting after that RGV250K. The suffix L released the next year if I recall accurately followed by a succession of suffix models as you've elaborated, the contentious swingarm of the particularly drop dead gorgeous Lucky Strike liveried M being dropped in the subsequent models due to Honda's copyright threat of litigation. Intensity of my career at that time and the missus "you're not buying another bike" -I already had the RG and a dirt bike, kept me from buying that RGV although the lust never faded. A little over a decade later in the swansong of road registerable two strokes, in a stroke of 'meant to be right place right time luck', I bought a final export production year (late 1998) brand new RGV250T from a belatedly sourced and imported into country batch of just three. By the end of production T every negative idiosybcrasy of the RGV250 had been ironed out. Under spousal pressure the dirt bike went 20 years ago, but I still have both the RGV250T & the RG500 Gamma. Still love riding them both.
Had a RGV250M , VJ22 great bike , later model of yours, differences were banana swingarm, upside down forks, exhausts, was the only bike I really regretted selling, enormous fun , just a great bike to ride, even took it on a tour of south Is of NZ....
I had one of these back when I was 17 in the 90’s (the same model as yours). Probably the most fun I ever had on a bike. I remember the first time I rode back from the dealer, I was blown away. Mine had 65bhp as the guy who owned it before me was a mechanic and raced them. I would love another one but it might be a little out of my price range now. I bought a nice zzr1100 to tinker with as I’m sure they’ll appreciate just like the rgv did. Cheers for the vid.
Same I bought one in 1990, but sadly crashed it, it lasted 2 weeks., loved it. Took the council to court and eventually got paid out a couple of years later. Bought a ZX6R Kawaski in '98 still own that today,
AETC is automatic exhaust timing control which means the exhaust port is constantaly varied according to engine speed. This makes the two-stroke engine more rideable at low revs.
Oh, and it was the RGV that made me learn about and then buy a steering-damper. I was 19 when it happened, I’m 47 now, and I can still recall the tank-slapper she gave me as if it were yesterday!
That characteristic never changed right through to the final export production VJ22 suffix T model. They still retain a factory lug on the frame to mount one. It's the ONLY vice of the RGV that can't be attributed to rider mishandling/lack of skill. I've never fitted a steering damper to mine as I don't want to destroy that front end feel and finesse, and so far have managed to ride out every tank-slapper induced. But "Oh boy!" some of them have been a wild ride requiring every bit of experience and skill of my 50 years riding to hang on and power on to regain positive stability and control. Worst of all they can happen at any speed once that front end stability is upset by the wrong combination of road surface/obstacle condition. I've experienced them at 80kph and 160kph. I'd not like to experience one circa 200kph with no significant surplus power available to power on and accelerate out of one.
sadly it looks like mine (purchased brand spanking new, at midnight reg launch, from colin collins motorcycles when in Harrow) G601 ARK. Died a long time ago. such an awesome bike.
This is the very bike that got me into bikes. I saw one advertised in a car magazine when I was 14 and realised that you didn’t have to spend 100K on a car to do 0-60 in 3.5secs. I bought myself the M model, gull-arm and twin pipes up one side. Probably the best looking bike I’ve ever owned.
@@denzellneblett-marson7363 Was it! I sold the bike about 30yrs ago!! It did split a piston once, but ran fine once I started using fully synthetic oil in it.
@@denzellneblett-marson7363 All I’d say is cherish the thing, and feed it with the most expensive oil out there!!! And let’s be fair, the expensive oil smells amazing!!!!
@@Norton1531 i would never use cheap oil in a GP replica lol. I was more so worried about the power valve problem i hear about but most owners say with general maintenance their ok for the most part.
Had a 1994 VJ22 in Blue and White. I purchased it brand new for £3999. It was my third bike at the time. I learnt more about riding on a little 250 and definitely had more fun than anything I have owned since. Apart from My MV Dragstar😊.. I part exchanged it after a year for a brand new ZXR6r kwak.... Regrets ever since. 😢
Hardly a replica, these were real 250 race bikes. Most ended up on the race circuit. I had Mine in 97, it was a '1991' model, with the each side exhaust, Lucky Strike graphics, and orange wheels. I sold it in 98 because i had just become a father, and thought it would be nice to see my children grow up. Bike was a beast! Its cornering and manoeuvrebility was as close to street hawk as you could get. The king of the council estates, Blades and Ninjas nowhere. The KR1 was the only real rival around the short straights and twisty turns.
Very nice example. I’ve got two VJ22’s and a VJ23 Enjoy them more than the GSXR 750K7. Being these RGV’s are getting way up there in age and parts are drying up I don’t ride them much any more except on special occasions.
According to Web sources, AETC stands for Automatic Exhaust Timing Control, the Suzuki equivalent to Yamaha's YPVS. Power control exhaust valves that's what they are on the end. Great video by the way. I'm in the same position, I have a 92 VJ22, that has been sitting for years now, waiting to be restored and ridden again. Not sure when though as I live about 12000km away from it!
Make mine a 91M in blue and white please. Didn't get the VJ23 in Australia. Flighty little buggers on rural Aussie "goat tracks". Getting hard to find a willing AND able mechanic to service them now.
The PEPSI RGV 250 has always been my Favourite, and I was about to buy one 5 years ago. The I read about the critical exhaust valve system, which could destroy your entire engine within a tenth of a second, so I bought a Honda NSR 250 which system is not so "dangerous" for the engine. Later, an expert told me that only the VJ22 has this critical system, the VJ 21 not yet. Is this true? If yes, maybe I will look out for a PEPSI sister for my NSR 🙂
@@karlhurnthe vj21 still can drop power valves into pistons, just the vj22 was worse , the reason being the vj21 was 2 piece valves whilst the vj22 are 3 pieces, the valves just require regular checking & sometimes adjusting, but when needing adjustments is a sign that the anchor pin holes are stretching & this is how they fail the anchor pin hole eventually just stretches or breaks which allows the valve to hit the piston.
Pretty good my aprilia RS 140 italkit 0-60 5.15 seconds done by me and tops speed of 105mph gear setting 17/40 and pretty much alot on bike is standard .
Hi mate, enjoyed your rgv review brilliant, and great looking motorbike, a friend of mine had one in 1991, I should of bought one then, 🥴. If you don't mind me asking, do you drain the fuel from the tank, now that it off the road, I'm assuming it's of the road, reason I'm asking is that I have a 4xv yamaha r1, and I take it of the Rd in winter, I've had it 18years, and I brim the tank and add an additive to the fuel... Cheers John.. 👍👍
Hi, thanks and I’m glad you liked the video. I don’t drain the tank but I do run the engine regularly to keep things ok. Fuel does go bad, but if it’s just over the winter you should be fine 👌
Your doing the best thing keeping the tank full, the fuller the better as it will run the least risk of condensation, as suggested just run it every so often or add a fuel stabilizer to your fuel.
My brochure from the time says otherwise 😀 It says 58. And the Suzuki website itself says the SP had a dry clutch. They should know. bikes.suzuki.co.uk/news/30-years-of-the-rgv250/
@@karlhurn You would hope they would know, but they obviously don't. The VJ22 SP had a dry clutch but the VJ21 SP didn't. They have also shown my Spondon RG500 special on that link which is a bit confusing.
@@karlhurn It depends on which vj21 model you have. The J ('88, Japan only model) had 45ish hp. The K and L models had more, although sources seem to disagree as to exactly how much. Most, however, agree that the L model had at least 58hp. Just to make it more confusing, the year model designations (J,K anf L) of the Japanese domestic models don't match the export models. What I can say is that I have a J model, and I would be extremely surprised if it had 58hp. Riding it, 45hp feels about right. Interesting that your brochure says 58hp for a K model. I would have doubted that a K had that much power, and the Japanese manufactures were notorious for inflating their figures in that era. I'd be interested to see dyno figures on it.
I had the exact bike in the video, well different reg! A chap part exchanged it to me blind and promised me it was as new as the whole family were scared of it, I picked it up with under a 1000 miles on it and sold it for £1000 :( That would of been approx 2001/2002
Production of the bike you show actually started in 1988, not 1989. I bought the first model available in December of 1988. It was as you say though I 1989 model.
The Japanese home market versions were all one year ahead of the versions that they exported The J model started production early in 88, although the same bike was sold as a K model as export the next year. I have a VJ22FL which is the first year for dry clutch...all SP models were home market only. The Japanese L, is what the export M version is.
@@wedgehorsepower9869 mine was the first available “1989” model in Australia. I’d been following it closely and couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw it on the showroom floor! I bought it there and then! I believe from distant memory it was a K model here.
I bought an original UK Pepsi back in 89 put 23,000 on that with no problems .. if only I’d had the sense to keep it. 3 months after I sold it the lad wrote it off 🤦♂️
Like a lot of RGV owners I raced several and shock horror...the vj21 pumps out around the 45bhp mark as std at the wheel! change the pipes and airbox mod sees 55+ bhp and they will happily make mid 60's with a bit of port and head work. the later vj22 had more power valve issues but even the vj21 would drop the power valves into the piston at 20k miles if badly adjusted. One of the amazing things about these 250 gp replicas is they do have proper little GP designed motors i.e. the gearbox can be removed in 10 minutes. take off the side casing and undo the 10mm bolts and you can slide out the entire gearbox with the engine still in the frame! or the ability to split the front crank case to take out the crank, again without removing the engine from the frame!!! why don't they make all engines like this :-)
Nice honest vid mate. I recall when these came out in AU in 1988, the K being the first (VJ21) model. A mate had just bought at Kawasaki KR-1 at the time. It had only released less than a year earlier in 1987, and which he kindly let me ride test on several occasions. Bought new in early 1986 I had legendary Suzuki RG500 Gamma at that time and still do, but it didn't stop me lusting after that RGV250K. The suffix L released the next year if I recall accurately followed by a succession of suffix models as you've elaborated, the contentious swingarm of the particularly drop dead gorgeous Lucky Strike liveried M being dropped in the subsequent models due to Honda's copyright threat of litigation.
Intensity of my career at that time and the missus "you're not buying another bike" -I already had the RG and a dirt bike, kept me from buying that RGV although the lust never faded. A little over a decade later in the swansong of road registerable two strokes, in a stroke of 'meant to be right place right time luck', I bought a final export production year (late 1998) brand new RGV250T from a belatedly sourced and imported into country batch of just three. By the end of production T every negative idiosybcrasy of the RGV250 had been ironed out. Under spousal pressure the dirt bike went 20 years ago, but I still have both the RGV250T & the RG500 Gamma. Still love riding them both.
Thanks 🙏 Glad you enjoyed the video, and congrats on the RG and RGV T 👍
I rode one around the Phillip Island track in Australia. Probably the highlight of my (very short) motorcycling career. Magic, mate.
Had a RGV250M , VJ22 great bike , later model of yours, differences were banana swingarm, upside down forks, exhausts, was the only bike I really regretted selling, enormous fun , just a great bike to ride, even took it on a tour of south Is of NZ....
I had one of these back when I was 17 in the 90’s (the same model as yours). Probably the most fun I ever had on a bike. I remember the first time I rode back from the dealer, I was blown away. Mine had 65bhp as the guy who owned it before me was a mechanic and raced them. I would love another one but it might be a little out of my price range now. I bought a nice zzr1100 to tinker with as I’m sure they’ll appreciate just like the rgv did. Cheers for the vid.
Same I bought one in 1990, but sadly crashed it, it lasted 2 weeks., loved it. Took the council to court and eventually got paid out a couple of years later.
Bought a ZX6R Kawaski in '98 still own that today,
AETC is automatic exhaust timing control which means the exhaust port is constantaly varied according to engine speed. This makes the two-stroke engine more rideable at low revs.
We have an import vj21 in the same colours in the stable. , Great bike, the one that makes you feel the most alive
I had the L model on my learners, great bike to learn on, fast, light, responsive, great brakes.
And sounded great.
Owned two of these in the 90’s. My first road bike ever was an RGV 250 vj21 and then a gorgeous vj22 Lucky Strike replica. Such a capable track bike.
Absolutely love my RS 250 Would love to have one of these in the garage too 🏍
I had a 1988 gama 250 loved it
Oh, and it was the RGV that made me learn about and then buy a steering-damper. I was 19 when it happened, I’m 47 now, and I can still recall the tank-slapper she gave me as if it were yesterday!
That characteristic never changed right through to the final export production VJ22 suffix T model. They still retain a factory lug on the frame to mount one. It's the ONLY vice of the RGV that can't be attributed to rider mishandling/lack of skill. I've never fitted a steering damper to mine as I don't want to destroy that front end feel and finesse, and so far have managed to ride out every tank-slapper induced. But "Oh boy!" some of them have been a wild ride requiring every bit of experience and skill of my 50 years riding to hang on and power on to regain positive stability and control. Worst of all they can happen at any speed once that front end stability is upset by the wrong combination of road surface/obstacle condition. I've experienced them at 80kph and 160kph. I'd not like to experience one circa 200kph with no significant surplus power available to power on and accelerate out of one.
This was the bike I learnt on in the late 90s, would like to buy a mint one some day
sadly it looks like mine (purchased brand spanking new, at midnight reg launch, from colin collins motorcycles when in Harrow) G601 ARK. Died a long time ago. such an awesome bike.
This is the very bike that got me into bikes. I saw one advertised in a car magazine when I was 14 and realised that you didn’t have to spend 100K on a car to do 0-60 in 3.5secs. I bought myself the M model, gull-arm and twin pipes up one side. Probably the best looking bike I’ve ever owned.
How reliable is it
@@denzellneblett-marson7363 Was it! I sold the bike about 30yrs ago!! It did split a piston once, but ran fine once I started using fully synthetic oil in it.
@@Norton1531 so you think its safe to say if i do general 2 stroke maintenance with synthetics its not gonna blow up in my face?
@@denzellneblett-marson7363 All I’d say is cherish the thing, and feed it with the most expensive oil out there!!! And let’s be fair, the expensive oil smells amazing!!!!
@@Norton1531 i would never use cheap oil in a GP replica lol. I was more so worried about the power valve problem i hear about but most owners say with general maintenance their ok for the most part.
AETC is Automatic Exhaust Timing Control. I had a RG 125 F in 92 used the same system. Lovely bike
Thanks for the in depth video of your personal bike
Awesome video. Ive been recomissioning an imported J model on a 88 plate. Can't wait for better weather
Sounds great Ben. Wow, a J model, that’s cool 😎 Glad you liked the video 👍
Had one same model brand new, went like a rocket 🚀, but power valves wear can damage piston and barrel which is boron coating,resin carb slides
Had a 1994 VJ22 in Blue and White.
I purchased it brand new for £3999. It was my third bike at the time. I learnt more about riding on a little 250 and definitely had more fun than anything I have owned since. Apart from My MV Dragstar😊..
I part exchanged it after a year for a brand new ZXR6r kwak....
Regrets ever since. 😢
I always remember the rivalry between these and the green KR1 and later S not sure which was quicker but they marked a new era of 250s
All two stroke 250s are awesome
Hardly a replica, these were real 250 race bikes. Most ended up on the race circuit. I had Mine in 97, it was a '1991' model, with the each side exhaust, Lucky Strike graphics, and orange wheels. I sold it in 98 because i had just become a father, and thought it would be nice to see my children grow up. Bike was a beast! Its cornering and manoeuvrebility was as close to street hawk as you could get. The king of the council estates, Blades and Ninjas nowhere. The KR1 was the only real rival around the short straights and twisty turns.
I remember cart wheeling one of these over 170km/h, after a massive high side, it basically was swept off the road. I did love it though
Very nice example.
I’ve got two VJ22’s and a VJ23
Enjoy them more than the GSXR 750K7. Being these RGV’s are getting way up there in age and parts are drying up I don’t ride them much any more except on special occasions.
According to Web sources, AETC stands for Automatic Exhaust Timing Control, the Suzuki equivalent to Yamaha's YPVS. Power control exhaust valves that's what they are on the end. Great video by the way. I'm in the same position, I have a 92 VJ22, that has been sitting for years now, waiting to be restored and ridden again. Not sure when though as I live about 12000km away from it!
Thanks for the info Roger, much appreciated. Wow, 12,000km. I hope we both get them up and running sooner rather than later! 👍
Great video, thanks! from West Wales.
Had both Tzr 250 2ma 3ma sorry I didn't hold onto them. Some buzz on back roads 😯
get some re-moulds for the plastics.. Hard to get hold of now. If your taking in on track..
Great video, informative and no bullshit
Thanks. Glad you liked it 👍
Make mine a 91M in blue and white please.
Didn't get the VJ23 in Australia.
Flighty little buggers on rural Aussie "goat tracks".
Getting hard to find a willing AND able mechanic to service them now.
Aetc stands for automatic exhaust temperature control
Awesome, thanks! 🙏
Timing
The PEPSI RGV 250 has always been my Favourite, and I was about to buy one 5 years ago. The I read about the critical exhaust valve system, which could destroy your entire engine within a tenth of a second, so I bought a Honda NSR 250 which system is not so "dangerous" for the engine.
Later, an expert told me that only the VJ22 has this critical system, the VJ 21 not yet. Is this true?
If yes, maybe I will look out for a PEPSI sister for my NSR 🙂
The Pepsi was awesome 🤩 Not sure if the power valve issue extends to all original RGV250 variants or not to be honest. Anyone?
@@karlhurnthe vj21 still can drop power valves into pistons, just the vj22 was worse , the reason being the vj21 was 2 piece valves whilst the vj22 are 3 pieces, the valves just require regular checking & sometimes adjusting, but when needing adjustments is a sign that the anchor pin holes are stretching & this is how they fail the anchor pin hole eventually just stretches or breaks which allows the valve to hit the piston.
Pretty good my aprilia RS 140 italkit 0-60 5.15 seconds done by me and tops speed of 105mph gear setting 17/40 and pretty much alot on bike is standard .
Hi mate, enjoyed your rgv review brilliant, and great looking motorbike, a friend of mine had one in 1991, I should of bought one then, 🥴. If you don't mind me asking, do you drain the fuel from the tank, now that it off the road, I'm assuming it's of the road, reason I'm asking is that I have a 4xv yamaha r1, and I take it of the Rd in winter, I've had it 18years, and I brim the tank and add an additive to the fuel... Cheers John.. 👍👍
Hi, thanks and I’m glad you liked the video. I don’t drain the tank but I do run the engine regularly to keep things ok. Fuel does go bad, but if it’s just over the winter you should be fine 👌
@@karlhurn Hi thank you, cheers, appreciate it.. And you've got me looking for rgv's now haha, thanks mate... 👍👍
Your doing the best thing keeping the tank full, the fuller the better as it will run the least risk of condensation, as suggested just run it every so often or add a fuel stabilizer to your fuel.
W-o-w, 70HP on the SP for 250cc, that's an impressive 280HP/litter, in the 90's !
Good little video, just a couple of points. The 21 made 50bhp not 58 and the SP vj21 didn't have a dry clutch
My brochure from the time says otherwise 😀 It says 58. And the Suzuki website itself says the SP had a dry clutch. They should know. bikes.suzuki.co.uk/news/30-years-of-the-rgv250/
@@karlhurn just checked my '89 brochure, it says 58ps which I believe is a slightly different measurement than bhp
1ps is 98.6% of a bhp So that would make the VJ21 57.1 bhp. So we’re technically both wrong. But I was closer 😂😂😂
@@karlhurn You would hope they would know, but they obviously don't. The VJ22 SP had a dry clutch but the VJ21 SP didn't. They have also shown my Spondon RG500 special on that link which is a bit confusing.
@@karlhurn It depends on which vj21 model you have. The J ('88, Japan only model) had 45ish hp. The K and L models had more, although sources seem to disagree as to exactly how much. Most, however, agree that the L model had at least 58hp. Just to make it more confusing, the year model designations (J,K anf L) of the Japanese domestic models don't match the export models. What I can say is that I have a J model, and I would be extremely surprised if it had 58hp. Riding it, 45hp feels about right. Interesting that your brochure says 58hp for a K model. I would have doubted that a K had that much power, and the Japanese manufactures were notorious for inflating their figures in that era. I'd be interested to see dyno figures on it.
Great bikes m8..
Great vid class bike
Glad you enjoyed it!
I have the exact same one but the decals are red.
Cool 😎
I had the exact bike in the video, well different reg! A chap part exchanged it to me blind and promised me it was as new as the whole family were scared of it, I picked it up with under a 1000 miles on it and sold it for £1000 :( That would of been approx 2001/2002
It’s amazing how cheap they were at the end of the 90’s. It’s nice to see them worth more and appreciated now.
Nice bike my brother has the same bike
I had the lucky strike.. went like the wind.. had to sell it because of wife pressure..worst decision I ever made.. sold it for 650 quid.
Production of the bike you show actually started in 1988, not 1989. I bought the first model available in December of 1988. It was as you say though I 1989 model.
The Japanese home market versions were all one year ahead of the versions that they exported
The J model started production early in 88, although the same bike was sold as a K model as export the next year.
I have a VJ22FL which is the first year for dry clutch...all SP models were home market only.
The Japanese L, is what the export M version is.
@@wedgehorsepower9869 mine was the first available “1989” model in Australia. I’d been following it closely and couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw it on the showroom floor! I bought it there and then! I believe from distant memory it was a K model here.
No Australia definitely got the J model.....I have an 88 J no not an import it's Australian compliance plated bike
I had a red one for 6 months
top video !!
RG stands for Race Generation, Gamma is because the Japanese people who deisgned it were all in Gamma house at their University.... Thank me later!
I bought an original UK Pepsi back in 89 put 23,000 on that with no problems .. if only I’d had the sense to keep it. 3 months after I sold it the lad wrote it off 🤦♂️
i am watching from kalam valley .............
Wow! Cool. Thanks for watching!
Is a racingmc with a lot off Lover . A very coil bike
🏍👍👍
Minami Kotaro bike 😃🏍
Sad loss ofthe 2stròkes..ŕĝv good motorcycles fast 2stroker
Top speed rgv250 m 230 km loses the 2 stroke sound when it hits that speed just sounds like a plane uuuuuuuuuuuuu- 1994
I you hade 1you kniv. Og hade a lot off poser. Itsv a very coil engine. Rpm
I’ll mob that 💩 real quick! 🤠👍🏼
Air cooled yams though.
Im owner vj22
👍
Minami kotaro motorcycle
Kamen rider. Kotaro minami
Gaban is really.
Much faster than my rd yamàhas