Topic: Suzuki RM85

[BenelliSEI]

Passed on the Honda XL500R and made my grandson smile instead!

Needs rear pads and a good going over, but seems to run well. Started first kick. P.O. thought it might have a slipping clutch. Slacked off the cable and works fine.

[MauiK3]

Very nice find!!

[Kevin D]

With number plates.
Is he/will he be a dirt racer?

[BenelliSEI]

With number plates.
Is he/will he be a dirt racer?

Kevin….. Chris signed him up for an afternoon of “riding school” in the Ganaraska Forest, just down the road. We tore into the bike this aft and can’t find anything really wrong with it, so he can give it a try, next visit. Needs a set of rear pads, but that’s about it.

First bike with a clutch lever, so some learning to do. He loved it, and is very eager to get rolling. I’ll wait until he comes back with Chris.

[BenelliSEI]

Very nice find!!

Thanks Steve. Seems like the perfect “transition” bike. He was riding a miniature CR50 but was starting to look ridiculous on it!

[grcamna2]

I think it's a good transition bike also John;he's not quite ready? for a 1993'+ Honda XR200R..

[RAFster122s]

John, nice find and you are being a great grandpa…
I’m sure your wife will throw a leg over it from time to time as well…
 Starting early he will hopefully develop good safe riding habits and techniques… no rides without a helmet being 1st rule…

[BenelliSEI]

I think it's a good transition bike also John;he's not quite ready? for a 1993'+ Honda XR200R..

Totally agree. He’s real tall but also totally “green”.

[BenelliSEI]

John, nice find and you are being a great grandpa…
I’m sure your wife will throw a leg over it from time to time as well…
 Starting early he will hopefully develop good safe riding habits and techniques… no rides without a helmet being 1st rule…

My son Christopher has a ton of old “dirt gear”. Boots, armour, gloves and more. Jack does not ride without all of it. We did have to get him his own set of boots. His feet are still growing too!

[BenelliSEI]

Nothing like a good power wash to see what we have! So far, brake pads and maybe flush out the old DOT4 fluid? Spark plug is not what is recommended. Mmmmm.

Sprockets look OK. Going to pull the chain, give it a good scrub and throw it in an old oil bath too. Frame has no rust or any dings. Alright!

[RAFster122s]

Nice score, glad it was as pretty after the wash as you hoped it would be. Good buy!

[BenelliSEI]

Nice score, glad it was as pretty after the was as you hoped it would be. Good buy!

Yep….. Jack was pretty excited when he saw it. I’m sure he and my son will be back soon, so I plan to get most of it finished up tomorrow!

[Kelly E]

That's a nice little bike. The ones that really want to come all the way apart always find me.

[Kevin D]

Wow! Look at that suspension!
Deluxe!

[scottly]

I think it's a good transition bike also John;he's not quite ready? for a 1993'+ Honda XR200R..

Totally agree. He’s real tall but also totally “green”.

You guys have it bas-ackwards!! The RM is a race bike, with twice the HP of an XR200, with the max power coming in at about 11,000 RPM and a razor width of a power band. The XR is the opposite, a plonker perfectly content to thump around at 1/4 the RPM.
Back in the '80s, the son of some good friends was having problems with his RM80. He claimed he couldn't keep up with his buddy's XR75?? I went over to their house, where he had a small track set up out back, and watched him as he putted and lugged the poor thing around, never even getting near the bottom of the power band. I took the bike for a couple laps, screaming the piss out of it like it wanted, with the front wheel off the ground while sliding around corners, and brought it back. Brian's jaw was firmly stuck to his chest!! He had no idea of the unlocked potential in that little firecracker. Those little bikes are a blast to ride, even with an adult on board, but not necessarily the best to learn how to operate a clutch on.    

[grcamna2]

I think it's a good transition bike also John;he's not quite ready? for a 1993'+ Honda XR200R..

Totally agree. He’s real tall but also totally “green”.

You guys have it bas-ackwards!! The RM is a race bike, with twice the HP of an XR200, with the max power coming in at about 11,000 RPM and a razor width of a power band. The XR is the opposite, a plonker perfectly content to thump around at 1/4 the RPM.
Back in the '80s, the son of some good friends was having problems with his RM80. He claimed he couldn't keep up with his buddy's XR75?? I went over to their house, where he had a small track set up out back, and watched him as he putted and lugged the poor thing around, never even getting near the bottom of the power band. I took the bike for a couple laps, screaming the piss out of it like it wanted, with the front wheel off the ground while sliding around corners, and brought it back. Brian's jaw was firmly stuck to his chest!! He had no idea of the unlocked potential in that little firecracker. Those little bikes are a blast to ride, even with an adult on board, but not necessarily the best to learn how to operate a clutch on.    

Yeah Man ! 
John,make sure to get a box of fresh spark plugs because your Grandson may load-up that 2-stroke from motoring it around slow;what a huge change from that little 4-stroke to this 'wall-switch' 2-stroke race engine that likes to be spun-up 'tight'. 

[BenelliSEI]

Wow! Look at that suspension!
Deluxe!

It’s probably more bike than he needs, but it’s in good shape and I bought it from the original owner. The suspension is adjustable in about every way possible!

[Kevin D]

Wow! Look at that suspension!
Deluxe!

It’s probably more bike than he needs, but it’s in good shape and I bought it from the original owner. The suspension is adjustable in about every way possible!

 I looked for the model RM85 but found the 85L model with larger wheels, 19front 16rear. Is that an easy mod?
Probably need a swingarm.

John, you are fortunate to have the Ganaraska forest nearby.

Maybe you will need that 500 to stay in front of your grandson.

[denward17]

Nice looking bike, your grand will have fun on that.

[BenelliSEI]

Wow! Look at that suspension!
Deluxe!

It’s probably more bike than he needs, but it’s in good shape and I bought it from the original owner. The suspension is adjustable in about every way possible!

 I looked for the model RM85 but found the 85L model with larger wheels, 19front 16rear. Is that an easy mod?
Probably need a swingarm.

John, you are fortunate to have the Ganaraska forest nearby.

Maybe you will need that 500 to stay in front of your grandson.

Kevin…. The clearance between tire and swing arm looks tight. I bet the bigger wheel kit bolts on the front, but includes a swing arm for the rear. I suspect it will be a while before he needs an “upgrade”.

There is a Honda Canada sponsored riding school in the Ganaraska and Chris has signed Jack up for a full day of New (younger) Rider’s Intro. They provide beautiful, small 4-stroke Hondas and all the riding gear. A few days with a pro instructor should be worth about 5 years of rolling off on his own. He’s only just turned 13, so timing is good

[BenelliSEI]

Well….. That was fun. Went through it end to end. Changed a few things, added some missing split pins and safety wire and generally cleaned and lubed it all. Who knew the seat side panels are blue???!!!

Waiting for a full set of brake pads. The rears were down to the metal, fronts look pretty thin (although I suspect they don’t start out with much). I’ll order a set of 14/47 sprockets and chain soon, but these will do for now. It’s “safe and sound”.

Can you spot the yellow zip ties? Learned this working at a race shop in the early ‘80’s. If the job isn’t finished and torqued up, hang a flag. Sound shop practice, I use to this day.

[jgger]

The zip ties are a great idea. What I need is some string to tie to parts I remove and put in the "special place/I'll remember"!  Everybody has one of those places, don't we?

[BenelliSEI]

The zip ties are a great idea. What I need is some string to tie to parts I remove and put in the "special place/I'll remember"!  Everybody has one of those places, don't we?

So true! I managed to misplace a tiny clip today (holds a brake pad pin). Only found it after my new dog and I walked down to the shop to get another one…….

[BenelliSEI]

Scrubbed the chain (non “0” ring) in the solvent tank. Blew it dry and swished it around in a tub of used motor oil for 1/2 and hour. Hung it up, full length on a nail to drip overnight. I find this gets some oil actually into the pins, on an old chain. It will spray off a bit, but will run smoothly, for a while. Bike will need new sprockets and chain over the winter.

[BenelliSEI]

Brake pads replaced, chain back on, rear axle adjusted. Clean plug, fired first kick. It has a “red” rear spring fitted, which for heavy weights. Must ask PO if he has original. Done.