rclc
L plate rider.
Posts: 40
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Post by rclc on Dec 6, 2023 20:43:15 GMT 1
I am about to go and start my RD250LC. I just wondered why doesn't it have an electric start?? Production cost?? Weight - got to get past 100mph???
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Post by puddy on Dec 6, 2023 21:52:06 GMT 1
You should have bought a Suzuki gt200 x5
I never use my kickstart š
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Post by donkeychomp on Dec 6, 2023 22:13:35 GMT 1
Many reasons. Weight is one for sure. But the fact that you have to fold up the footrest suggested to everyone watching that your bike was a race bike with a headlight. Or maybe not.
Alex
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Post by geoffers997 on Dec 6, 2023 22:33:19 GMT 1
Interesting one. My Suzuki GT185 had an electric foot but (much) younger LC2 which superceded it didnāt.
I never wondered why at the time.
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Post by shaunthe2nd on Dec 6, 2023 22:48:55 GMT 1
My 1977 rd200 had an electric start, but I felt it was an upgrade when I sold it and bought a 350LC.
It was never a consideration back in 1981 for me.
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Post by reedpete on Dec 6, 2023 23:34:32 GMT 1
Guess it Just goes back to where it all began in 1970 with that basic crankcase layout which was common between race and road bikeā¦ very minor changes really right the way till the YPVS in 1984. By that time the format was baked in ā¦
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Post by JonW on Dec 7, 2023 4:00:52 GMT 1
agree with Pete, but also there was no real need to electric start these bikes as they start easily by foot.
Yam could always fit things they wanted... DT230R has leccy foot, no other DT or 2T WR/YZ does that i can recall etc. So it was done as the market wanted it, not cos it was needed as such.
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Post by Norbo on Dec 7, 2023 6:20:37 GMT 1
cost they wanted to keep the price below 1K when they rolled out the 250 thats why it only had 1 disk and calliper and they took a step back wards and i did drum on the back rather then a disk like the older Air cooled RD 400s
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Post by veg on Dec 7, 2023 8:37:00 GMT 1
My thoughts are slightly different, Look at the market that they were to appeal to. The sub 250 market was seen as a utilitarian market. Hence the gt185/200 x5 and rd200 were marketed as more a commuter bike with a splash of the glamour of the larger bikes. What do people want at that end ease of use.
Couple that with the insurance bands certainly in England at the time sub 225cc then over that got you into more high performance bikes
The x7, rd250 etc were built as a gateway bike to the rest of the range an affordable and exciting way into the rest of the range.
This coupled with the costs, weight style and performance etc I think it was a no brainer.
What true 250 learner bikes had electric starts, four stroke shitters wet dream, xs250 a different market a different customer.
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Post by reedpete on Dec 7, 2023 12:54:16 GMT 1
ššā¦I was trying to sugarcoat my real feelingā¦ TZ based engine and bike = direct targeting of the hooligan market, same for all really ā¦ GT, X7, RD, KHā¦. If it didnāt help make it go, stop or handle in some fashion, then was just wasted weight and expenseā¦ letās face it half the stuff that was reluctantly put there to meet decency norms didnāt last longā¦ main stand ( to the bin), indicator stalksā¦either removed intentionally or unintentionallyā¦ either wayā¦ indicators and rear mirrors were not required if you were traveling at twice the average speed of everyone elseā¦
I look back in bewilderment to those timesā¦. It just seemed normal.
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Post by JonW on Dec 7, 2023 13:32:29 GMT 1
Amen to that Pete!
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Post by midlifecrisisrd on Dec 7, 2023 14:07:20 GMT 1
Some DT125r's had leccy start, you see it on the French imports
Was a bit of the no leccy on an LC not got to do with newer electrics and keeping the width of the engine down
Unlike the old dynamo type generators you can't use them as a starter if voltage was applied to the windings
The old dynamos were bulkier, heavier and you couldn't use it for a timing pick up so needed to fit pick ups and a rotor on the opposite end of the crank
Remember after small 2 strokes getting a GSX250 and thinking the leccy start was amazing. Feeling soon disappeared when as a skint 19 year old and not affording a new battery you then had the brass neck of push starting it š
It soon got traded for an LC2 but was good for the summer after I passed my test as faster than my RXS100
Steve
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rclc
L plate rider.
Posts: 40
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Post by rclc on Dec 7, 2023 19:55:13 GMT 1
cost they wanted to keep the price below 1K when they rolled out the 250 thats why it only had 1 disk and calliper and they took a step back wards and i did drum on the back rather then a disk like the older Air cooled RD 400s I think the single disc is interesting as well. Not much difference in price, easier at the production line and when purchasing for the factory. Never thought about the rear drum. |
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rclc
L plate rider.
Posts: 40
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Post by rclc on Dec 7, 2023 19:56:29 GMT 1
My 1977 rd200 had an electric start, but I felt it was an upgrade when I sold it and bought a 350LC. It was never a consideration back in 1981 for me. Yes my brothers RD200 had the electric start, W reg 1980. RD250LC X reg 1982. |
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rclc
L plate rider.
Posts: 40
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Post by rclc on Dec 7, 2023 19:57:39 GMT 1
You should have bought a Suzuki gt200 x5 I never use my kickstart š I do like the X5s, but would try and get the X7, looked at getting one - but the LC is the LC. |
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fabiostar
Thrash Merchant
the older i get the faster i was.
Posts: 396
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Post by fabiostar on Dec 7, 2023 21:25:37 GMT 1
The LC came out at a time when L plate users could go and buy a TZ with lights on it. no lecky on the TZ so you didnt wana be sitting down the chippy on your road)TZ) LC with a add on starter..
and it just wasnt needed
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