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From the Archives: Yamaha RD500LC

"EMPHASISING THE EXCELLENCE OF YAMAHA ENGINEERING - THE SENSATIONAL RD500LC" was the slogan in the brochure that accompanied the lightning-fast 2-stroke motorcycle released into the motorcycle market in 1984. The heyday of 2-strokes was actually over 10 years earlier, but Yamaha kept the RD series alive, and topped it off with RD500LC in 1984, a spectacular motorcycle built to say the least, inspired by its own racing success.

The idea behind the very unconventional 4-cylinder 2-stroke was to offer speed-hungry motorcycle riders a street racer that, with its technology and design, was close to the road racing machines from the Grand Prix circus. In the designers' rearview mirror, the racer TZ500 was a source of inspiration when they set about constructing the 500cc. When the model was released in 1984, the model brochure was full of superlatives, including the following: "First of all we built the RD500LC for one very good reason. We wanted to prove to anybody and everybody that Yamaha could build the most sensational, pure sports, total performance motorcycle that any factory had ever let loose on the public road". Big words from a confident player in a fierce race for customers, where Suzuki among others, with its RG500Gamma wanted to have a say in the team. I can attest that the RD500LC was something out of the ordinary. I have ridden the bike, and it can best be described as explosive. The match for unbridled acceleration is hard to find in contemporary machines in the 500 class from the mid-1980s.

If we take a little deeper dive into the model designation, RD stood for Race Developed, 500 indicated the displacement, which to be precise was 499 cc, and LC meant Liquid Cooled. The RD500LC was produced from 1984-1986, and the 3 years differ little from each other except for a slight variation in colors and graphics. In addition to the very spectacular engine design, the bike was packed with modern technology, and Yamaha was now able to show the entire motorcycle world what they could do. It is worth noting that for the motorcycle market back home in Japan they made a separate version called the RZV500R. It differed from the other model in that parts of the frame were made of aluminum, which gave a lower total weight.

With a power package of a V4 engine, it delivered 87 wild 2-stroke horses when the tachometer passed 9500 revolutions. With a dry weight of only 180 kg, the acceleration was so fierce that in the hands of inexperienced riders it was simply dangerous. Then Yamaha also wrote in the sales brochure that "It`s not a bike for novices... and novices will never get a chance to ride it", and concluded the text with the following statement "Total performance...in every respect!". Clear speech from a confident manufacturer of an uncompromising motorcycle.

  • Technical data Yamaha RD500LC, 1984 model:
  • Engine: V4, 2-stroke with liquid cooling
  • Displacement: 499 cc
  • Power: 87 hp at 9500 rpm.
  • No. of gears: 6
  • Carburettors: 4 x Mikuni VM26SS
  • Ignition: CDI
  • Front tire: 120/80Vx16
  • Rear tire: 120/80Vx18
  • Tank: 22 liters
  • Weight: 180 kg (dry)
  • Top speed: approximately 225 km/h