This page will try to follow the progress of   Dave's V4 500 Special
.........................................................
26-12-01

Dave's idea for his bike is to make a modern V4-500 Two-stroke Rocket Ship !!!!
Modernized suspension, wheels, and definitely the brakes !!
But also to keep in the tradition of the V4-500.
When finished you will still recognize it straight away as a Yamaha V4-500

This is the Donor Bike for Dave's project ?
It's a 1985 ( B reg ) Yamaha RD 500 YPVS ( 47X ) model
24,000 miles and in a bit of a state after being abused, and left outside by a previous owner !!!!
'' Sacrilege ''
.........................................................

Dave has started to collect different parts to help make his ''Dream a Reality''
RZV500R Alloy frame / Alloy RZV Shocker / Yamaha YZF1000R Thunderace complete front end / GSXR 5.5 Rear wheel /
Japanese spec performance pipes / Ohlins steering damper /
and various other parts to replace damaged items on the bike i.e : Fairing panels / screen / etc.

.........................................................
31-12-01
The project has now begun !
Dave's RD 500 has been striped of all major parts required for use on the new bike,
The motor has already gone away for a full inspection and a  Stage 3 tune ! ( The Dog's Bollox )
As Dave says : Anything goes !!
I want it to be a real handful, As the power comes on I want it to be lifting the front wheel !!
The magic will be performed by } Mick Abbey Tuning

.........................................................
13-1-02
Project update !
New lug made and welded to the frame, for the Ohlins steering damper !
.....
Work done on the GSXR back wheel !
To align it in the swingarm it needs moving to the left approx. 6mm !
Dave has removed the dust cover from from the bearing on the rear wheel sprocket carrier,
removed the bearing and purchased a sealed bearing,
now he can skin 6mm off the sprocket carrier,
new spacers have also been machined to fill the gap made by this modification,
The wheel should now fit central in the swingarm.
The swingarm and chain adjusters have also been modified,
from 17mm ( RD axle ) to 20mm ( GSXR axle )

.........................................................
26-01-02
Front end now fitted !
The main job involved swapping the yoke stems,
i.e. put the RD 500 stem into the Thunderace yolk...
The Thunderace stem came out easy enough but the 500 yoke had oxidized to the stem,
No amount of heat or brute force would shift it !!!!!
As a last resort ... out came the angle grinder to grind the 500 yoke from the stem !!
Next job :   Fitting the ignition switch ?
This will have to be drilled off the 500 yolk, as they are assembled with anti-tamper rivets.

         

.........................................................
28-06-02
Dave has not stopped with the rebuild !
Here is the proof for all to see !
As you can see by the pictures, Dave is almost finished !
Just a few small jobs to complete.

                                                                                     
                                               Listen To Those Pipes !                                          

.........................................................