When did the first Suzuki SP500 come out?
The motorcycle classes in the first two P-D races in 1979 and 1980 were won on a much-modified Yamaha XT500, and wannabe racers wanted those big four-stroke singles. The origins of the Suzuki thumper go back to 1978 when the SP370 came out, the company’s first big four-stroke single—having seen the inevitable demise of street-legal two-strokes.
What was the compression release system on a Suzuki SP500?
A new-fangled compression release system made the job a little easier: pull the lever in, let go, both exhaust valves are open, and as the rider eases the kickstart just past top dead center, the release would close the valves on its own, followed by the kick. Even cold it generally worked.
How big is the gas tank on a Suzuki SP500?
For 1984, the engine was enlarged to 589cc—and the SP version was dropped, leaving only the newly street-legalized DR600—which had monoshock rear suspension and a useful 5.5-gallon gas tank. This eventually grew to be the 779cc DR800, more popularly known as DR BIG, with a 29-liter tank.
What was the engine size of the Suzuki SP400?
Two years later, in 1980, the SP/DR400 appeared, with the bore enlarged by 3mm to 88mm, or 397cc. The 400 was only a one-year model. For 1981 there was an entirely new engine, the single remnant of the old being the bore staying at 88mm, with the stroke now growing to 82mm for a grand total of 498cc.
The motorcycle classes in the first two P-D races in 1979 and 1980 were won on a much-modified Yamaha XT500, and wannabe racers wanted those big four-stroke singles. The origins of the Suzuki thumper go back to 1978 when the SP370 came out, the company’s first big four-stroke single—having seen the inevitable demise of street-legal two-strokes.
For 1984, the engine was enlarged to 589cc—and the SP version was dropped, leaving only the newly street-legalized DR600—which had monoshock rear suspension and a useful 5.5-gallon gas tank. This eventually grew to be the 779cc DR800, more popularly known as DR BIG, with a 29-liter tank.
A new-fangled compression release system made the job a little easier: pull the lever in, let go, both exhaust valves are open, and as the rider eases the kickstart just past top dead center, the release would close the valves on its own, followed by the kick. Even cold it generally worked.
Two years later, in 1980, the SP/DR400 appeared, with the bore enlarged by 3mm to 88mm, or 397cc. The 400 was only a one-year model. For 1981 there was an entirely new engine, the single remnant of the old being the bore staying at 88mm, with the stroke now growing to 82mm for a grand total of 498cc.