The (TWO)-STROKE of Genius: HONDA NSR500, BIG BANG, SCREAMER, the ultimate Grand Prix Bike.

[@BABYPOP028]

22:35 : “we could have done a WEEK LONG podcast on this engine alone ! “ I believe the audience would be fine with that! 🎉

[@13xBlackSun]

Man I miss the printed magazines where there was this wealth of information and you could go back to it anytime you needed. Thank you for this podcasts.

[@monteiro5306]

Me too...

[@ricatiman]

My '86 NS400R was a great little mad dog of a bike - So much fun to ride! I replaced it with an RG500, that didn't handle as well but was way faster on the straights. I also tried out the Yamaha 500, but didn't like it at all. Having started racing 2 strokes in the 60's, to this day, I'm in love with 2 strokes. When I'm out for a ride, and smell the 2 stroke smoke, I get real nostalgic for those younger, carefree days. Carefree until the engine seizes, that is. Luckily, I never seized a bike on the street. Every once in a while, I put 2 oz. of a Castor based oil in my gas tank, just to smell history!

[@kd350]

What chya got these days? Castor gums up my power valves real bad.

[@223Sako]

These talks by Kevin are an international treasure.

[@TechnikMeister2]

Another masterclass much appreciated by this 74 yo racer from Australia whose prime racing was in the 1970s in Long Track. We could always tell which team was very serious in the paddock, because they had a guy in a white lab coat, goggles and gloves mixing up the fuel in glass lab beakers in the van. We also experimented in 1973 by putting a Maico 501 in a Long Track frame and seeing this thing overtake the best that a speedway engine could manage in the day. But power slides were a life threatening experiment.

[@jim199959]

I saw Freddy at Road America when he came back at the end of his career for the AMA. Just a natural talent. It’s like any athletic sport. Some people are just born with a natural talent, and Freddy was one of them.

[@jiyushugi1085]

For those unable to make the trip to Japan and visit Honda's 'Collection Hall' in Motegi, a virtual on-line tour can also be done on Honda's website. However visiting the museum in person will leave a lasting impression...... In addition to all the race bikes and F1 cars, cutaway engines and incredible visuals, behind the Collection Hall is the restoration shop where former race-team engineers/mechanics restore the race bikes (such as the NSR500 and Hailwood's Six), to running condition. There's also a schedule showing on which day of the year these famous machines will be run on the Motegi circuit.

[@dukecraig2402]

Oh thanks for that information, I will be checking that out.

[@whammerjammer1562]

NSR-week is deserved ! The machine is INCREDIBLE !!

[@scudonepercenter]

I would actually LOVE to hear Kevin talk about what he wrote in those 17 pages. KEVIN UNCENSORED please?

[@robert-wr6md]

Another wonderful episode. Thanks guys.

[@2strokeracing]

Thank you for yet another great episode.

[@kencreten7308]

That black line photo of spencer might have saved my life. I had a 1998 Superhawk with the original Dunlops. A salesman in a store told me when I told him I had that bike, he said, "do you have the original tires on it?" I said, "yes." He said, if you see blue on those tires, change them. I lost it with those." I didn't pay attention because I thought he might have been telling me that just to sell me something. One day I was at the Rock Store in Malibu and I looked at my tires and they had a blue tinge. I thought back to the salesman and dismissed it. I went up riding with some friends and we were cornering pretty hard. I came around this one corner and the front end started washing out, right towards this really craggy rock wall. I was heading straight into it. My mind remembered a picture from a magazine, and was Freddy Spencer with a black streak coming off his front tire. Was it Cycle World? And the question was something like "did he save it, turn the page to find out." I turned the page and it said how he would gas it to take a load off the front time. This came into my mind in a split second and without delay I whacked the throttle, then it was like WHAM! I could feel the front and the bike stick... it was like I just went ZING(!) through the corner. I realized that 1) I'm not a racer, and 2) my riding had a little bit of a going too fast problem on the street. I backed out of being a long term motorcyclist because of the pushy throttle hand and... looking at crash stats (you might avoid looking at those if you want to keep riding....).

[@davidvanbrunt4233]

Love Malibu !!!

[@billjenks8575]

Count me as one vote for 'NSR-Week'

[@thechicanes]

How about NSR, YZR, RS etc. week? vote #2

[@tomowens2094]

Great to see someone so knowledgeable in internal combustion engine theory and design, and with such a passion for motorcycles.

[@christophercurry7410]

Great insight. Love the content.

[@kevinfurness1741]

My all time favorite 2 stroke master was Australian speedway specialist, Gary McCoy the King of Slide, who rode the Kawasaki ... Great episode, thank you.

[@paulmolino7455]

Another great podcast !! Thanks

[@mikeskidmore6754]

The difference between the RD-400 and the RD-350 is that the RD-400 had a longer Stroke and had a lot more usable ridable torque.

[@paul.vanhout57]

Yet another lesson on the mastery of practical engineering and the trial and error to achieve success👍

[@dukecraig2402]

You should digitally enhance that mustache until it's in all the way. With great mustache comes great responsibility.

[@rexhorning7228]

Enjoying all the topics of this episode

[@jim199959]

The historical perspective that you’re giving is spot on!

[@ThomasSimpson-t6n]

Strange question, but it's really bugging me. A long time ago, back when I waited impatiently each month for the latest Cycle or Cycle World issue, I remember reading a column by Kevin in which he used the line, “I abandoned my heresy just as it became dogma.” I think he was wrenching the 750 Kawasaki for number 9, Gary Nikon at the time. I cannot remember what the heresy was. When I google the line, I get stuff about Catholicism and Protestantism, and I know it was about something more important than that-perhaps piston ring end gap or torque specs on a wach-a-ma-call-it. This line has haunted me over the years as I ponder the wisdom of my own heresies, so I would love to know its original usage. Perhaps the answer is a whole podcast!

[@Sladep123]

Can't wait to watch this

[@rearwheelslider]

Cameron has always been the voice of reason. ❤

[@markmyra-cn7rd]

Some athletes are magic. Mr Spencer.

[@sidecarbod1441]

I read a comment from someone that raced against Freddie, he said "I was following Freddie into a corner, there was smoke coming off his front tyre, his rear tyre, and his knee slider"

[@GeneCash]

I'd love an NSR500.... on good days I'd like to think I'd even survive to the end of the first corner on it, too...

[@smokinjoeb3926]

As someone who has 3 of the 90's vtwin smoker 250's. I could listen to this type of 2 stroke history all day. Bikes like the nsr history tz etc. The kawasaki x-09 250 was interesting with it's upside down v-twin engine placement.

[@jim199959]

I know guys like this here in district 23. There’s still alive. I got photographs of them from back in the 70s at the armory in Minneapolis. We’re still riding together.

[@jakecoye738]

Always wanted to ride a 500 2-stroke GP bike

[@chriscadman6379]

I own an RZ500 with pipes and flat slides and it is fun. I am looking at reed valve on all cylinders and firing order change with the twin cranks.

[@dukecraig2402]

So did I 30 plus years ago, I'm afraid now I'd break myself and a perfectly fine motorcycle in half doing it, I know myself and I'd get just a little too throttle happy for my age a millisecond before disaster would strike. I sure would like to have one sitting in my living room though.

[@davidbanks1193]

Your best yet!

[@vxe6vxe6]

Did I miss the part where you mentioned that in 1997 Mick Doohan went back to the screamer NSR500 engine? Awesome video! Thank you very much.

[@Sladep123]

This will be awesome to take a deep-dive into such a cool and technically-complicated topic. Could you guys take a deep dive into key players in the development of two-strokes and racing, esp. given their geographical and political situations e.g. MZ, CZ, Maico and Suzuki? That would be really cool to get that story and keep it documented forever through your great work. Thanks!

[@DavidDavidsunzzz]

Kevin explaining the theories and practices Walter kaadan pioneered would be nifty

[@jim199959]

Absolutely fantastic to hear your analysis Keven. I’ve been trying to understand your writings for decades. You’re a better talker than you are a writer. Keep this stuff up.

[@presstodelete1165]

Lead in fuel was by a chemist called Midgeley, he also worked on refrigiration and discovered CFCs so single handedly he got the lower and upper atmosphere.

[@knucklehed54]

Please consider a podcast on inline 4, like the Ace, Indian, Militaire. They look beautiful. Decent performance. Also podcast on speedway, which is huuuuge in Europe, and still run here. Mike Bast, Gresham

[@Acthungbaby]

Kevin is amazing how can make complex seem understandable

[@colinm1325]

😂"Hurled forward in a satisfying manner"😂 Another Classic Kevin quote adding to the soon to be released book.... Hint Hint.....

[@stewart8127]

KRJ was actually ridding Swanz's bike.

[@syrupusurper3774]

Love the show, not so much the stash 🤣. But seriously keep up the great work.

[@mikeskidmore6754]

I hate to think about how much leaded gas fumes I breathed when I was young. A riding lawnmower that blew hot exhaust practically in my face and so loud I should have been wearing ear protection but did not. I finally want to the Local International Harvestore Dealer and bought a bigger muffler for a bigger motor. My Father welded that to a piece of galvanized water pipe. The straight pipe coming off the side of the 8 HP Kohler motor had the intake in the side and the muffler at 90 degrees to the pipe went down and forward along the engine. The tail pipe end of the muffler pipe was curved to angle the exhaust gas heat and noise away from the Mower. All the same moving the much reduced noise and the hot fumes a good ways farther away from my face. Then I used Leaded Premium in my two stroke Dirt bikes such as my 1974 YZ-80-A with a GYT cylinder carb and pipe and a PDI radial head with even higher compression than the GYT Kit head had. Then all the fumes I breathed drive a tandem axle C-65 Chevy Truck with a 427 Chevy gas engine that spit and sputtered and ran badly until I replaced the worn out points distributor with an HEI distributor. The exhaust manifolds got so hot that spark plug boots were always cracking and shorting to the manifolds that I later replaced with Tubular headers that lowered the under hood temps considerably. The first think I did with my '79 Z-28 Camaro is install a test pipe that I made to replace the Catalytic Converter. Leaded gas was a fair amount cheaper than unleaded gas was.

[@villiamo3861]

Excellent.

[@yorkchris10]

This is the first time I've heard anyone talk about tractability on-road. I read a technical article on off-road tractive force and it was more like putting a blender on chop instead of purée. A magazine shootout on off-road racers versus on-road tried to determine which could ride faster on the others track. It's probably old now as I think a lot of people x-ride. I think off-road more easily adapted to on-road, but out-and-out speed may not be there.

[@henry00706]

Great podcast! One correction, though; when discussing the 'big bang' era, KC used the term 'firing order', when the actual description is 'firing interval'. We'll let him slide this time. 🤫😄

[@fatboy2smoker841]

Basically....the baddest motorcycle on the planet. If we had to race the alians in a motorcycle race, we would choose this bike

[@joshuasteel2109]

Awesome machine

[@ZonkerRoberts]

It was said that you could tell an RD 350 rider by the scratches on the chin bar of his helmet from being hit by the steering stem nut. I had one with pipes and whatnot, so I can confirm it's true.

[@thefinerthingsinlife5963]

Would love to see the lap times of a 500 t2 with technology in the new tires!

[@Erik-rp1hi]

I hope Yamaha's MotoGP V4 works out.

[@manoliswec5674]

love this

[@fidelcatsro6948]

Bring back the 2 strokes!

[@twinturbo8304]

What does it look like.. Kevin is awesome

[@markbrown-us4xe]

More Brain Blisters. Thanks for the heat.

[@bananabrooks3836]

Doohan too asked for and used the 'old' non big bang engine later on. Not sure if this was mentioned.

[@whammerjammer1562]

How bout a story focusing on MV Agusta and the creation of the F4 750...?

[@freedomfromreligion1701]

Only one thing wrong with two strokes, whenever you get where you’re going you have to get off.If their is an afterlife we well all have triples.

[@stewart8127]

Bennet's whole frame was sheet metal held together with pop rivets( TZ250)

[@vincentpattavina2120]

The ‘stache ages you, Mark

[@stewart8127]

It's was best for max HP to grind a hole in the piston skirt that aligns with the port give a double shout of fuel air mix

[@k95luxus]

Nsr 500 was the only 500:a with one single crankshaft. How does it work with crankhousecompression?

[@thelatemickb6927]

You two,every day's a school day. Brits with our low centre of gravity , true.

[@jakecoye738]

Not just the Brits, spend some time around BMW boxer owners......

[@philipfreeman72]

How would they classify an opposed piston engine .

[@11fishee]

Anti-knock qualities of the fuel/engine compression(or forced induction compression) ratios......water/methanol spraying solved the the octane problem for the The Luftwaffe....85 vs 97 vs 105 vs 140 vs 150 octane rated Allies fuel....and it's just limiting combustion temperatures to preclude "auto ignition" aka a diesel realms...

[@mikebellaire3195]

Hockenheim I have the cycle news with Itoh

[@TomHeard-n4y]

Bring back the magazine.

[@billenright2788]

Freddie was WIZARD.

[@1971puffy]

I loved Honda, but wasn’t crazy about Doohan beating my American heroes..

[@colinm1325]

Loved the way Rainey would just blow everyone away in the first lap or two. Amazing, absolutely amazing to watch.

[@kd350]

Honda should have been forced to race otto cycles.

[@KenAustin-i4x]

ah, the approach of Movember...

[@dougiequick1]

Why not HYDRAULIC piston rings? Maybe the solution to oval pistons? With so much clearance only a single con rod needed? Massive combustion area high revving while only being a twin or even single? VERY thick (vertically) rings that expand hydraulically transmitting heat into cylinder walls like nobodies business! At the same time achieving ideal seal woth minimum possible friction? Hydraulic via simplistic tiny wanklish type compressors located in wristpin space?

[@firstielasty1162]

I'm for oakum. No need to overthink it.

[@vincentpattavina2120]

Dittos!

[@stewart8127]

VP still sells leaded fuel

[@keithwaller4545]

Don't forget Eddie Lawson before Wayne. Plus Mick Doohan wasn't so good in 93 because of his horrendous Assen crash 91. Which he leading championship in until nearly the end. Mick was dominant in 91 until crash. And Wayne probably wouldn't of won 91,92 championships. Plus Wayne Gardner always said honda engineers di8seem to listen just did what they want.

[@markmyra-cn7rd]

The nsr. Honda two stroke gp bikes. Honda is almost, too good. Almost. Like Campagnolo bicycle parts.

[@11fishee]

"Paper" engineers vs. Rider "engineers"..

[@stewart8127]

In 1935 army air they were running 100 plus Octane BENZENE

[@Erik-rp1hi]

Piston aircraft legacy engines, AKA, Continental and Lycoming still have to use 100 low lead fuel. There are companies trying to make alternatives. A couple approved but there showing valve wear in flying school planes. They have until 2035 by the Federal government to find something else. 2030 in Governor Newson's state.

[@stewart8127]

Stainless valves by Farrara

[@sganzerlag]

Here in Brazil, Embraer has developed and certified mods to run their 300 HP Lycoming IO-540 powered crop dusting airplanes on ethanol fuel. I have personally crop-dusted with one of those planes and was amazed at how well the engine ran on ethanol, as compared to avgas. The engine oil would still be looking like new after 50 hours. Spark plugs would look squeaky clean and the engine was slightly more powerful than the avgas-powered original version. Cylinder head temperatures were also lower vs the avgas-fed engine. Fuel consumption was higher on ethanol, obviously. But, ethanol costs less than half of what avgas costs down here. Pretty much the entire piston-powered crop-duster fleet here in Brazil has switched over to ethanol.

[@stewart8127]

@@sganzerlag that's sugar ethonal way better than corn ethonal . Corn ethonal is milky. Sugar ethonal is clear.

[@MrAckers75]

Great bikes but they reached end of development in the mid nineties, they simply couldn’t get anymore power from them! I believe Rossi’s bike that won the last 500cc gp championship only had 168hp, that’s less than a wsbk had of the same era!

[@deanreed6017]

I can't concentrate on the topic. Mark's moustache is too distracting.

[@cycleworld]

The mustache has already asked for its own podcast with Kevin’s beard.

[@stewart8127]

Marvel Mystery Oil has lead

[@GS-zv3qn]

And it smells good too

[@stewart8127]

@@GS-zv3qn be careful exposer to it will make you stupider like lead paint in your house

[@firstielasty1162]

That would appear on an msds sheet. And probably not be allowed to be sold.

[@stewart8127]

@firstielasty1162 hahaha ever here the expression " grandfathered in "

[@stewart8127]

@firstielasty1162 VP still sell leaded fuel at the pump for 20 dollars per gallon.