The RGV250 ruled the 250cc
two-stroke race-replica roost for most of the 1990s. First produced to
replace the RG250 in 1989, the first RGV250, the K model, was an incredibly
high-spec machine. A 90" V-twin two-stroke engine produced an amazing 48kW
(65bhp), which was enough to make the featherweight RGV more exciting than
most bikes two or even three times its capacity.
Perhaps the most interesting
model is the 1991 M model. The Grands Prix styling was extended to every
part of the bike, from the fully-adjustable upside-down front forks to the
rear banana-style swingarm and twin-exit silencers on the right hand side.
The full race fairing has swooping, aerodynamic lines, while the minimalist
seat pad and low clip-on bars put the rider into an aggressive racing
crouch.
The engine and chassis both
bristle with state-of-the-art technology. A computerized power-valve system
alters the engine's exhaust characteristics to suit different revs, while
electronic solenoids in the flat-slide carbs further refine fuelling, giving
optimum performance.
The four-piston front calipers
and fully floating discs are almost too much for the RGV's 139kg (3061b)
mass. Safe, powerful stopping is easily achieved with just one or two
fingers of lever pressure. Wide, sticky radial tyres give the little Suzuki
maximum grip on road or track.
It is on the track that the
RGV250 is most rewarding. Extreme acceleration, braking and lean angles are
practically compulsory, and the RGV has won more than its fair share of
clubman race championships. The highly tuned engine is tricky to tune
reliably, however; many race engines are unreliable and need expensive
maintenance.
Later models, from 1997 onwards,
use a revised, narrow angle 70° engine with ram-air intakes, electric start
and a dry clutch. These were only sold in Japan, but appeared in several
other markets via unofficial grey importers.
