Most of my posts on this site are of bikes commemorating a rider who rode the same model to glory, or a bike having some cool 1st generation technology. But this post is going to be a little different.
When I was a younger the MotoGP series consisted of 125, 250 and 500cc machines, so my dream bikes were the big thumping machines like the Cagiva 592. NOTE: If you don’t know why the Cagiva 592 was so special, I suggest you do a little browsing on Youtube.
When the top level MotoGP series moved over to the big 4 strokes so did I, and soon I was lusting after things like the ZX7R and OW01. Two strokes kind of fell off my personal radar, but lately I have been thinking of adding one to a little collection I am starting to build, with the RGV250 being the target.
Now the good news is that I have managed to convince my girl that another bike won’t be an issue. The bad news is I don’t really know enough about the RGV (and early 90’s two strokes) to determine if a particular example is good or bad. So I thought I would do this post and readers with more two stroke experience and/or experience with this model can comment and share their thoughts. I think it would be useful to both myself and other RSBFS.com readers who are also not as familiar with these bikes, if someone can share info about what to look for when considering buying one of these classic two stroke bikes. Remember, we were all ignorant about bikes at one time!
1991 Suzuki RVG250 VJ22 for sale on eBay
This is a gray market 1991 Suzuki RGV250 VJ22 in the classic Suzuki Blue and White bodywork. It looks to my eyes to be in excellent condition, and the seller provides a decent amount of photos and info about the condition, The seller also indicates that he has a US title, which seems to be the big challenge with gray market bikes. Plus it seems to have uber low kilometers/mileage.
So is this bike worth the asking price of 7500 USD? Is this a bike more for collectors or for daily riders? I look forward to reading the comments section of this post and seeing what the two stroke faithful on this site think. NOTE: While I know some people will say “if you really want it, get it regardless of the price”, I would like to keep the discussion focused on the merits of this particular RGV250 from a value standpoint.
-Martin
This bike is more than worth it from a value standpoint as its clean, looks like it hasn’t been dropped, and best of all: has a title. Someone must agree with me as it is already gone. It looks like an “Export model” so it’s probably a “full power” version.
On Buying one:
(1) Like any other bike check it thoroughly, and see if the story the seller gives is reflected in the details of the bike.
(2) On these GP reps, look for corrosion as most 250’s weren’t garaged in Japan and left outside in the elements..
(3) In the end, if you want it, roll the dice and take your chances-like you would on any other used bike.
it’s a good one …like any sport bike it’s not really for long trips…
I don’t have first hand experience if this type of bike but have an RZ350 (after reading about them here) had a GT250 and had a spin on a RS125. From what I’ve read you really need to rev the hell out of these as they have very little power down low. It is pretty much a race bike after all.
Due to this I agree with the comment above that you’d only want it for short distances and really be suited as a daily.
I owned a 1992 version of this bike, titled in the USA, and originally from Austraila. I loved that bike, and drove it locally for under 100 mile trips very often. I sold it for $4800 in 1998 even though I rebuilt it after it got destroyed in an accident (held value). I now own NSR’s, and I love them more, but there was something about that banana swingarm that tells me I should not have sold it. This bike was a good deal, but at $7k or less it is a definite grab in that condition.
As for the actual riding experience( I own a ’91 RGV250 with even less miles/km’s than the one above. Mine is the full power version with @ 59 hp[ not the JDM 45 hp one]): outright speed is not its forte-at least by American standards. You have to give it a fair amount of revs to get it going-think slipping the clutch.. Below 9,000 rpms it pulls ok, then between 9,000 to 11,000 rpms it comes alive and takes off. Torque is lacking by our standards. But the handling is amazing. Compared to most bikes-it feels light-almost like a bicycle. You need to ride one of these bikes before you pass on to the next world.
It would not make a good daily driver. With this bike the lighter/smaller you are, the better. I am no lightweight but I thoroughly enjoy riding this bike. Handling is miles ahead of the RZ350 and RZ500 I use to own.
That’s a restricted jdm model non sp so it is 45 hp standard easily unrestricted but takes 34 mm carbs proper spac box sp heads and if your gonna do it up right you upgrade the power valves. Suspension is soft for the road but many upgrades out there for it especially now I swapped my kph speedo for a mph uk model one have tyga pipes too. I love this bike it is my favorite awesome power for the street good bottom end for a 250 smoker good strong mid and great top end after I unrestricted it. I have a black model that was jdm restricted I love this bike it is my fav over the nsr 250 mc21’s I have.
But is it worth 7500 no not even titled or it it’s semi clean state if it was urestricted and cleaner then yea maybe but for me it’s maybe more like a 5000 usd bike. The stock jdm shock is useless pretty much if your over 150 lbs and the forks are soft n mushy and YOU MUST!! pull the top end and upgrade the power valves or suffer the dreaded power valve failure where the blade drops into the cylinder! that is this bikes biggest flaw but after marker upgrade from the rgv forum is avil for it.
Damn…missed the deal. I emailed the guy but I didn’t respond quick enough and lost out. Too bad, seems like a great deal and a fun project. One thing about Ebay, you see something you like and you need to man up and pay up! Oh well, I’ll keep watching. I see NSR’s from time to time (and own one) but rarely see these come up for sale. damn damn damn.
If its opinions you want……look for a Honda NSR 250 MC21. I have an MC28 Rothmans SP model that was all original when I picked it up. I’ve since derestricted it with 60 HP at the real wheel. I only suggest an MC21 because they are more readily available and cheaper to derestrict.
Why the Honda….Because they pretty much left all the others in the dust on overall performance. You noticed the comment above about how the RG comes on at 9k. With a properly tuned NSR, it pulls from 3k up. Hard to believe, but you need to drive a properly tuned one to really appreciate what I’m saying.
Now, if you want a really clean one, there is a guy in Japan who goes by the name of Morawaki man. He is incredibly honest and will comb the country for the cleanest bike. You can ship it to the US and register it with a little patience. Harder in California, easiest in Vermont.
My ass can only handle 100 miles before i need to take a rest…which is about how far you can get on a tank of gas.
NSR250’s have the best motors powerwise, but are unreliable as shit. I had a lovely Rothmans MC28SP that did not last more than 2 rides after a complete rebuild. Meanwhile I had a TZR250RS 3XV model that ran for hundreds of miles with a blown piston; was eventually rebuilt with TZ engine bits for a bit better throttle response and power.
Now RGV’s… RGV’s are the stone axe of the 250 2stroke world. They have but one problem, and that is on M models (as this is) and earlier, with powervalves tending to break off and drop into the cylinder if they are not well maintained. $7500 is a bit steep for what appears to be a relatively stock RGVM. If it was a Lucky Strike I would have sold a limb to get it, as I always regret letting my 91 Lucky Strike rep go. That and I have an RS250, a complete spare engine and numerous bits to keep these running forever….
I have no personal experience with an NSR 250, but can you really say that they are unreliable, just because yours didn’t last more than 2 rides after a rebuild? Who knows how the rebuild was done, and with all due respect, who knows how you broke it in. I would like to stress that generally, 2 stroke rockets are not the most durable bikes, but that does not mean they are unreliable. They are high strung engines which pump out quite some power for their small size, so you have to expect that they will not last very long, but their are also fairly simple and if you treat them well, they will not f*ck out on you without a reason. It is crucial to break them in well and then you should be fine. As for the RGV, they had issues with cracking frames if i remember correctly, which is quite a problem in my eyes. The power valve is nothing to be affraid off, if you treat it like a cam chain and just keep it in check, nothing should go wrong. I remember there were various updates on the powervalve design, but each version had its own problems. It is worth researching to know what to look for and which part to put in. Dont know about the NSR 250, but I know the NSR 125 and the Yamaha TZR had a much better powervalve design, basicaly a transverse metal rod with a machined cutout, and by rotating the rod, the port opening would be adjusted. This way nothing could drop into the engine.